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Viktor's single, searing beam of light had done more than destroy a Zeppelin; it had shattered the morale of the Piltover Guard. On the bridge, the blue-clad soldiers stared at the flaming wreckage in the river, their grip on their Hextech Rifles tightening in fear.
"Keep going, Viktor! Melt the rest of them!" Chen shouted, his eyes wide with the possibility of a total rout.
But Viktor merely shook his head, the yellow glow in his eyes dimming. "Hextech energy requires a cooling cycle and a significant recharge," his synthesized voice rattled. "To fire a beam of that magnitude again... I require at least three days."
Chen's shoulders slumped. Of course. Law of conservation of energy, he thought. No infinite laser spam today.
"I cannot fire the ray," Viktor continued, his third arm retracting slightly, "but I am still functional. My logic processors can coordinate the defense."
Singed, ever the pragmatist, retreated into the shadows of the barricades, muttering that he was "not a front-line combatant." But Chen didn't mind. He had the firepower he needed. "Alright! Cover Ziggs! We're finishing those bridges!"
But before the first charge could be set, the walkie-talkie crackled with a confused report from a Wildfire scout: "They're... they're pulling back?"
The Cautious Commander
Across the river, Jikegar lowered his binoculars. He watched the oily smoke rising from the downed airship and made a cold, tactical calculation. He didn't know if Zaun had one laser or a hundred. If they had more, his army would be erased before they reached the Sump.
"Retreat!" Jikegar barked. "Fall back to the riverbank and entrench!"
Ekko stood atop a sandbag pile, watching the dark mass of Piltover troops reverse their advance. He was trembling. "I've lived through hundreds of loops, Chen," he whispered. "I've seen Zaun burn in a thousand different ways. But I have never, not once, seen them run away."
Chen smiled, patting Ekko's shoulder. "That's because we finally brought the whole team, Ekko."
Chen didn't waste the moment. "Blow the bridges! Now! And get those sandbags reinforced. We hold the riverbank!"
A series of thunderous explosions followed as Ziggs finally leveled the remaining crossings. The stone arches of the Ixtal bedrock collapsed into the water, effectively severing the land connection between the Twin Cities.
The Council's Deception
While the guns fell silent on the bridge, the war of words began in the Council Chambers.
Jayce Talis slammed his fist onto the ornate table, his face flushed with fury. "This wasn't the deal! You told me we were building a few rifles for 'peacekeeping'! Now I see a full-scale invasion force! You used my research to start a massacre!"
"Quiet, boy," one of the councilors sneered. "We are securing our future."
The doors swung open, and Jikegar marched in, his boots clicking heavily on the marble. He looked at Jayce with a murderous glint. "If we hadn't fought today, Councilor Talis, there wouldn't be a Piltover for you to complain about."
Jikegar ignored the gasps of the politicians and laid it out plainly. "They were ready for us. They had trenches, artillery, and super-soldiers. They didn't want a 'riot'—they wanted a war. They have monsters that swallow bullets, assassins that move like shadows, and a machine-herald that cut my Zeppelin out of the sky."
"Impossible!" Lady Kiramman stood, her voice trembling. "They are gutter rats!"
"Those 'rats' just blew every bridge into the water," Jikegar retorted, slamming his cane onto the Council table. "They have better tech than we do in some sectors, and they have the will to use it. If you want to win this, stop counting your coins and call the Ferros Family. We need the Steel Shadow."
Shadows in the Alley
Jikegar walked out of the heated chamber, his patience for politics at its end. He walked into a secluded side alley of the Academy district, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it with a steady hand.
"I saw you on the bridge, Talon," Jikegar said to the seemingly empty shadows, exhaling a thin ring of smoke. "Long time no see. I assume you aren't here for the architecture."
A dark figure detached itself from the soot-stained wall, a jagged blade glinting in the moonlight.
"I'm here for the man who sent you to Noxus," Talon's voice drifted through the alley like a cold wind. "And I'm here for the General."
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