6

With the increasing tension between Piltover and the denizens of the Undercity, Art knew the uprising was inevitable, just like in the TV show. He thought it might happen in a year or two at the latest, or a decade at most, but he was completely wrong and found himself right in the middle of the conflict.

Naturally, Art wanted to go home. He had long decided not to involve himself in the conflict. This was an event where many lives were lost on both sides.

This was not his fight.

He didn't have a hero complex and wouldn't intervene in matter that didn't involve him, but he also wasn't a psychopath; he couldn't stand seeing people die.

With at least a dozen bombs coming straight at him, Art realized he had no choice but to take action. Besides, he was certain he couldn't escape the blast radius in time if he tried to run. Even if he used telekinesis magic to fly. 

"Fine, I'll help a little," Art sighed, raising his hands to stop the bombs in mid-air. He then forced them to collide, resulting in a controlled explosion that darkened the sky with black smoke, making it look like night had suddenly descended. 

This caused an even more frantic wave of panic to sweep through the crowd. Around him, gasps and murmurs of shock echoed, faces painted with confusion and fear at the sight of the explosion. 

To these people, it was as if the end of the world had arrived as they ran for their lives. 

Art felt a little guilty. "Maybe I should've handled that differently, laid them down gently," he thought. "But then again, I'm no expert on explosives. They could've gone off anyway. At least there weren't any airships—"

His thoughts were interrupted by a blaring sound echoing from megaphones atop nearby buildings.

Though unfamiliar with the noise, Art could guess it was the world's equivalent of police sirens and Enforcers would flood the streets any moment now.

Yep, it was time to leave.

Art wasn't going to intervene in the matters with the Enforcers and the Undercity residents. He had already done enough to help as it was.

After making this decision, he ran into a nearby alleyway and after looking around to ensure no one was watching, he made his move. Using body enhancement magic, he boosted his strength and jumped wall to wall between the buildings, landing safely on the roof. He wasn't strong enough to jump directly to the building yet.

The problem with body enhancement magic was that it couldn't infinitely increase his strength no matter how much mana he put into his body.

It depended on his base strength, and being a child, he didn't have much.

Moreover, the strain of channeling mana and pushing his body beyond its natural limits burdened him, leading to muscle fatigue and exhaustion if overused.

But despite this disadvantage, Art preferred to use it now as telekinesis magic consumed more mana, and the sky was still covered in black smoke that was spreading rapidly by the wind.

While it would make the perfect cover if he were flying, there was no way he was going back home covered in soot. He just wanted to get home without any complications, without anything linking him to the uprising. More importantly, he wanted to conserve mana and experiment with his new magic in peace.

Art began jumping from rooftop to rooftop, making his way toward the other bridge that led to New Piltover. From there, he would take a carriage to return home— or at least, that was the plan. 

His body enhancement magic not only boosted his strength but also heightened his five senses, healing ability, reflexes, etc. 

Just as Art was about to leave the battlefield, he heard someone sobbing uncontrollably with his enhanced hearing. Turning his head towards the source, Art spotted a little girl with a slender figure, blue eyes and bright pink hair. Her clothes were worn and aged, signaling that she came from a less privileged background.

The girl was alone, sitting on the ground crying and hugging her knees. 

Seeing this, Art couldn't bring himself to ignore her. Leaving her alone would mean putting her right in the middle of the chaos. The uprising was making the streets increasingly dangerous, spreading like a virus.

Just a few blocks away where he had come from, he could hear gunshots and the clinking of metal against metal, the sounds growing louder and closer.

"This is the last time, I swear."

With a sigh, Art leapt down from the building, using telekinesis magic to soften his fall. Otherwise, his legs would've buckled from the impact even if his body was strengthened. He landed a short distance from the girl. 

Then Art approached her cautiously, so as not to appear threatening, "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked.

The girl looked up. "I was walking with my mom and dad, holding her hand. Then there were a lot of people, and voices— a lot of voices," she sniffed, her voice trembling. "...then, I— I got lost."

"It's okay," Art reassured her as he gently patted her head. "How about I help you find your parents?"

"Really?" The girl's eyes lit up. "But my parents told me not to talk to strangers."

"Do I look like a bad guy?" Art asked, putting on a sad expression.

The little girl shook her head vigorously and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I just want to help." said Art gently. "I promise to help you find your parents." 

"Okay," she replied, sniffling.

"By the way, my name's Art. What's yours? "

"I'm Seraphine," the little girl answered, her voice still trembling slightly. 

"Huh," Art's eyes widened in shock, a little taken a back. "Seraphine? Wait, really?" 

"Yeah," Seraphine nodded, looking at him curiously. "Why?"

Art blinked in surprise. Seraphine was a champion from League of Legends, known for her ability to influence people through music and hear their souls. He wasn't entirely certain, but he suspected her powers might have played a role in his decision to help. 

Then again, maybe he just couldn't resist helping someone as adorable as her.

Whatever the case, Art knew it was not the time to stand around and do nothing. He quickly composed himself. "Oh, nothing. Nice to meet you, Seraphine. Let's go find your parents," he said, kneeling down and offering her a piggyback ride.

Seraphine took a moment to decide, her hesitation clear. Her face said it all: "Is it really okay to trust him?" But after a brief pause, she finally climbed onto his back, wrapping her arms snugly around his neck.

Art stood up slowly, ensuring she was firmly in place. "Before we go," he said, glancing back at her. "Can you promise me something first?"

"About what?" she replied, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"I'm actually a mage," Art explained softly. "If people were to find out, I might get in trouble, and bad people might come and hurt me."

Of course, that was a lie, but he had no choice. He couldn't exactly hide his magic in this scenario; doing so would put both him and her in danger. He looked like the type of person the people from the Undercity hated—someone wealthy and pompous.

Who knows what kind of danger he might encounter if he hid his magic?

In the first place, the main reason he chose to hide his magical abilities was that while he had been learning body enhancement magic, he had injured himself multiple times. He had been afraid at that time that his parents would prohibit him from using magic if they were to find out.

Now, Art simply preferred not to reveal his powers until he was fully confident he could protect himself. Besides, it was generally wise to keep his abilities hidden as a trump card.

And if others learned he could use magic, it wouldn't be the end of the world. Mages weren't discriminated against or hated like they were in Demacia. 

However, they were rare, and most people had only heard about them in fairy tales.

When Art confessed that he was a mage, it was no wonder Seraphine's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "You're a mage? But how do I know you're really a mage?" she asked skeptically.

Art glanced around, ensuring the area was clear. He then focused on a small pebble at his feet. With a subtle gesture, he used his telekinesis to lift the pebble, making it rise gently into the air and float in front of her as proof. "This is a secret between us, okay?" he said as the pebble dropped to the floor.

"My lips are sealed," Seraphine said, zipping her mouth with her fingers. 

Art chuckled at her antics and asked, "Pinky swear?" He held out his pinky finger.

Seraphine tilted her head, visibly confused. "What's that?"

"A pinky swear means you can't break the promise we make after we link pinkies," he explained, holding out his pinky finger.

"Hehe, that's so silly,," she giggled, wrapping her pinky around his. "Alright, I promise."

"Good, hold on tight. We're about to fly, so be as quiet as a mouse. We don't want anyone noticing us," Art said with a smile. 

Seraphine responded with an enthusiastic thumbs up, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Fly? Really?" she whispered as she tightened her grip around his neck, her tiny fingers trembling with excitement.

After ensuring no one was nearby once again, Art used telekinesis magic to lighten their weight. They were almost weightless, as if they were on the moon.

Then, with his enhanced strength, he leaped back up to the rooftops in one go. The sensation of soaring through the air made Seraphine giggle softly, her eyes wide with wonder as they landed safely on the roof.

"Wow we really flew. This was so cool! " Seraphine whispered, her face lighting up with a radiant smile.

Seeing her excitement, Art's expression softened. "So, where were you and your parents before you got lost?" he asked, secretly crossing his fingers together.

"We were shopping near the market." Seraphine pointed towards the area where the fighting had erupted, making Art's heart sink. 

I swear my luck today has been so fucking shit. Art thought, masking his concern with a casual smile. "Alright, let's start there," he said and without wasting any more time, he made his way straight to the danger zone...