On the lower level of the base, dust still drifted through the air from the collapsed floor above.
Lily stood quietly with her sword drawn.
Across from her, Brody slowly climbed to his feet.
He brushed the dust from his coat and looked at Lily with an annoyed expression.
"...Another one."
Lily didn't answer.
Instead, she lowered her stance and rushed forward.
Whoosh!
Her sword flashed toward Brody.
Brody stepped to the side just in time.
The blade narrowly missed his neck.
"Heh..."
"You samurais are always so serious."
Brody reached into his pocket once again.
He pulled out another serum.
Lily's eyes narrowed.
"...Another one?"
Brody smiled.
"You people made me do this."
Without hesitation, he injected the serum into his neck.
Click.
For a brief moment...
Nothing happened.
Then his body began to change.
His muscles rapidly expanded.
Sharp spikes burst from his back, tearing through his clothes.
Crack!
Crack!
The purple aura spread across his body as his size continued to grow.
Lily remained calm.
She slowly raised her sword.
"So that's your true form."
Brody looked down at his transformed body and laughed.
"Now..."
"...let's see if you can keep up."
With a roar, he charged forward like a wild beast.
Boom!
The ground shook beneath his footsteps.
Lily waited until the last possible second.
Then—
Whoosh!
She slipped to the side, avoiding his charge by only a few inches.
Brody crashed past her.
Lily turned gracefully.
"You're wide open."
Shing!
Her blade swept across Brody's back.
A deep cut appeared.
Blood splashed onto the floor.
Brody staggered one step.
But before Lily could attack again...
The wound slowly closed.
The flesh regenerated before her eyes.
Lily's expression remained composed, though her eyes sharpened.
"...It healed."
Brody turned around with a grin.
"I told you..."
"This fight is only getting started."
Brody let out a roar and bent his knees.
Boom!
He launched himself high into the air.
His massive body came crashing down toward Lily.
Lily immediately raised her sword.
Clang!
The impact shook the entire room.
Even though she blocked the attack, the overwhelming force pushed her backward.
Her boots scraped across the floor.
She kept sliding...
...until—
Bang!
Her back slammed into the wall.
Cracks spread through the concrete.
Lily gritted her teeth.
"...He's stronger."
Brody didn't give her a chance to recover.
In a single step, he appeared in front of her.
His giant hand shot forward.
Thud!
He grabbed Lily by the throat and lifted her slightly off the ground.
Lily tightened her grip on her sword, trying to break free.
Brody grinned.
"Time to—"
Boom!
A powerful kick smashed into the side of Brody's face.
The impact forced him to release Lily as he stumbled several steps away.
Brody rubbed his cheek and slowly turned around.
Standing there was Saito.
He rested one hand in his pocket while smiling casually.
"Hold on there, pal."
He pointed a thumb toward himself.
"You forgot about me."
Lily landed back on her feet and took a deep breath.
Saito glanced at her.
"You okay?"
Lily nodded once.
"I'm fine."
Saito looked back at Brody.
"Good."
"Now..."
"It's our turn."
Saito slowly stepped forward, his eyes never leaving Brody.
A small smile appeared on his face.
"I can tell..."
"You've already used your ultimate."
He stretched his neck before resting his hand near his eye.
"Then I guess..."
"It's my turn."
A brilliant light burst from his eyes.
His God Eye – Seraph activated once again.
The symbol of a divine spear with wings appeared within his pupils.
Streams of radiant wings unfolded behind his back, filling the room with a glowing light.
The air around him grew heavy.
Brody narrowed his eyes before letting out a low laugh.
"...God Eye."
"Heh..."
A grin spread across his face.
"I'll take your eyes..."
"...and use them for my experiment."
Saito remained completely calm.
He pointed his sword toward Brody.
"I'd be happy..."
"...to see you try."
The two stood facing each other in silence.
One surrounded by a divine light.
The other wrapped in a monstrous purple aura.
Neither of them looked away as the final clash drew closer.
Brody let out a deafening roar.
"Raaagh!"
His massive body surged forward, shaking the floor with every step.
"You can't stop Noxus!"
Saito tightened his grip on his sword.
"Oh..."
"I will."
The distance between them vanished in an instant.
Brody threw a crushing punch.
Boom!
Saito quickly drew his sword.
Clang!
The blade blocked Brody's fist, but the tremendous force dragged Saito backward across the floor.
His boots scraped against the concrete.
Sparks flew from the collision.
Saito suddenly shifted his footing.
He slid to Brody's side.
"Too slow."
Thud!
His kick slammed into Brody's ribs.
Before Brody could react, Saito stepped in again.
Bang!
A punch landed squarely on Brody's face, forcing his head to snap back.
Saito immediately followed with his sword.
Shing!
The blade swept toward Brody's chest.
Brody reacted just in time.
He caught the sword with his massive hand.
"What?!"
With a powerful swing, Brody hurled Saito across the room.
Boom!
Saito crashed into the floor and rolled several times before coming to a stop.
He calmly pushed himself back onto his feet.
"...Not bad."
He spun his sword once before pointing it at Brody.
"But I'm just getting started."
Without another word, Saito lunged forward again, his glowing blade leading the way as he charged straight at Brody.
Saito rushed forward once again.
He swung his sword in a wide arc before leaping toward Brody.
Shing!
Brody looked up and raised his massive arm.
"Too slow."
Boom!
He slammed his hand toward Saito.
At the last possible moment—
Whoosh!
Saito slipped away from the attack.
Brody's hand crashed into the ground instead.
The impact shattered the floor, sending pieces of concrete flying in every direction.
Saito landed several meters away and immediately slid back into a fighting stance.
He took a single step forward.
His sword slowly cut through the air.
Brody charged straight at him without hesitation.
Saito smiled faintly.
"Let's see..."
"...if you can heal after this."
He raised his sword.
"Wind Knives."
With one swift swing—
Shing!
Nothing seemed to happen.
The air itself rippled.
Invisible blades hidden within the wind shot toward Brody from every direction.
Brody's instincts screamed.
"...What?"
He quickly raised his arms to protect himself.
Slash!
Thin cuts suddenly appeared across his hands.
Slash!
Another invisible blade sliced across his leg.
Slash! Slash!
More cuts opened across his chest and body.
Blood splattered onto the floor as Brody staggered backward.
For a brief moment...
It looked as though the attack had worked.
Then the wounds slowly began to close.
The flesh regenerated before Saito's eyes until there was almost no trace of the injuries.
Saito let out a tired sigh.
"...Man."
"That power is annoying."
Brody grinned as the last wound disappeared.
"I told you..."
"...it's going to take more than that."
Brody suddenly bent his knees.
Boom!
He launched himself forward like a cannonball.
Saito's eyes widened.
"...Fast!"
He quickly raised his sword in front of him.
Clang!
Before he could counterattack—
Crash!
Brody slammed his entire body into Saito.
The overwhelming impact drove Saito backward.
The two of them smashed straight through the corridor wall.
Boom!!
Concrete exploded in every direction as they crashed into a nearby laboratory.
Glass shattered across the floor.
Metal tables overturned.
Machines sparked as they were thrown aside.
A cloud of dust filled the room.
Lily's eyes widened.
"Saito!"
Without thinking, she immediately sprinted toward the destroyed laboratory.
She leaped over the broken wall and rushed through the smoke, searching for the two fighters.
The dust continued to swirl around the ruined lab...
...as the battle moved even deeper into the base.