In the HQ of the lost children of Zaun, Ekko lied on the dust covered floor. Wearing a deep frown that don't belong to someone his age.
Zaun's condition is terrible!
Ekko's Z-drive is extremely powerful. But it has a limited amount of intimidation to the Chem-barons.
Yes, Ekko can draw them a line that cannot be even lower. Other than that, he can do nothing.
Ekko was born in Zaun and raised in Zaun. His parents are normal workers in Zaun. Their goal is just the same as most of the Zaun workers – To save enough money and move to Piltover, becoming a glamorous Piltoveran.
Yet Ekko doesn't think so. To him, the people of Zaun is nothing less compared to those Piltoverans. If Zaun have the resource, Zaun will be even better than Piltover!
Unquestionably, Ekko loves Zaun. Compared to becoming part of Piltover, Ekko would like to see a beautiful Zaun.
But it is hard.
Even if Ekko found a lot of people with the same idea as him, even if Ekko built the Z-drive, even if Ekko drawn the line for the Chem-Barons.
Bringing Zaun order is harder than it seems to be.
Last month, a few of the members of the lost children of Zaun were persuaded by those damned Piltoverans and moved to Piltover. Those people offer a great price for the talented people of Zaun. A lot of them left because of that.
But Ekko can't leave.
Ekko believes that if he leaves, then Zaun is truly finished.
But bad things tend to cram themselves together and present themselves to you. Recently, a guy named Mundo started wandering in Zaun, creating case after case of horrifying murders. This is what Ekko cannot tolerate at all.
But when he finally found Mundo, Ekko found out that this man isn't just hard to kill, he seems to have a strange kind of tendency – This is a man that enjoys pain.
What to normal people is extreme pain, to Mundo it's extreme pleasure. Ekko tried all he can, but he just can't kill this guy.
If someone can run away with a neck hanging 100 degrees left, there's only a limited number of things that Ekko can really do.
At this time, a Chem-Baron named Saito Takedo found him, and offered him a deal – If Ekko can help them test a guy, they will take care of Mundo.
At least get him out of Zaun.
Ekko don't like to be involved with any businesses that included the Chem-Barons. Yet this time he has no choice. He can't handle Mundo on his own.
Under such condition, Ekko agreed to the test.
Thank Zaun it's just a test.
Ekko felt rather… unsympathetic for a guy who would be hired by a Chem-Baron to do their dirty jobs. As such the location of the test became lower Zaun.
This is Teemo's first time ever setting foot on the ground of lower Zaun. The smell of rotten garbage and chemicals left out from makings of potions greatly irritated the yordle because of his keen nose. Comparing to this, he rather spends time in the jungle – At least there you get fresh air.
So Teemo decided to raise the price of his service for another 50% - You asked for it!
Lower Zaun is deep underground. This is where the garbage pile, the lab of Chem Barons, and the home of most of the people of Zaun.
Since the cable car he took entered lower Zaun, Teemo had entered Ekko's sight. Here, Ekko have millions of kids keeping watch for him. There's no hiding from him here.
And Teemo have no intent of hiding himself.
He walked on the street of lower Zaun toward the location where the test is arranged.
In some perspective, Ekko is rather short-sighted. As a kid who grew up in Zaun, he didn't really read much except for the trainings for building the Hex tech devices. He knows absolutely nothing about Valoran, and all his combat technics came from his flexibility and thousands and hundreds of times of rewinding time.
Ekko didn't even know much about mages. His first impression for mages is one of the Chem Baron's thugs. Even though that Noxian mage panicked and was taken out a few seconds into battle, his strange magic gave Ekko a deep impression.
Those powers are what Hex tech cannot explain.
In this case, Ekko made the careful step.
Once Teemo set foot in the location for the test, a luminating white orb flew toward him.
Ekko's time winder!
The time winder is fast, but it's not unavoidable. Teemo thrusted himself sideways and got out of its way.
"Got you!"
Hiding in a corner in an alleyway, Ekko clamped his left hand, the time winder immediately expands and flew toward Ekko with Teemo in its path.
In Ekko's mind, this is the perfect way to fight mages. Their magic is powerful, yet their reflex isn't quick enough. Especially when he knows this place best.
But unexpectedly, Teemo disappeared from where he stood.
What the heck!
As Ekko was digesting the information of this situation, Teemo's icy voice came from outside the house he's hiding in.
"Come out kid, I don't want to wreck this whole place!"
Through the single-sided glass, Ekko frowned, "I didn't reveal myself; he's trying to trick me."
Ekko remained silent.
"Don't believe me? This will be messy!"
A giant orb of orange flame appeared in Teemo's hand, and flew directly toward the house Ekko was hiding in.
Watching the ball of flame fly toward his hiding spot, Ekko finally moved – He muttered a local curse word and activated the Z-drive.
After Ekko step out of that house, he almost immediately appeared behind Teemo. Z-drive swinging down.
"You should've walked away!"
Ekko is confident about his attacks. With help from the Z-drive, his movement is almost imperceptible. If his opponent isn't someone like Mundo, he can take them down with one blow.
The next second, Ekko's excitement froze on his face.
The Z-drive found its target, but it hit a sheet of ice.
The next moment, the ice melt, Teemo shook his head.
"Trying to backstab me kid? Now it's very personal."