Saito drove his fist into the bear-headed specimen.
Boom!
The creature's head snapped to the side before it crashed into a nearby table.
Without stopping, Saito spun toward the deer-horned specimen charging at him.
Shing!
His sword pierced straight through its chest.
The creature let out a painful cry before collapsing to the floor.
The remaining two specimens lunged together.
Saito calmly stepped between them.
His blade flashed twice.
Slash!
Slash!
Deep cuts opened across both of their bodies.
The two creatures staggered before falling heavily onto the laboratory floor.
Silence finally returned.
Saito let out a slow breath and flicked the blood from his sword.
"...Done."
He walked out of the ruined laboratory and into the corridor.
His eyes scanned both directions.
"...Damn."
"He got away."
Saito frowned, thinking for a moment.
"He couldn't have gone far."
He looked to his left.
"...Left."
Without another word, he tightened his grip on his sword and sprinted down the left corridor, determined to catch Brody before he could reach Noxus.
Saito sprinted through the corridor, following the path Brody had taken.
He pushed open another door.
Bang!
His eyes immediately landed on a familiar figure.
"Lily!"
He let out a relieved sigh.
"Thank goodness."
He started walking toward her.
"Have you seen—"
His words stopped.
Behind Lily...
Brody was standing with one arm wrapped around her.
In his other hand was a syringe filled with a strange purple serum.
The needle rested against Lily's neck.
Brody smiled.
"One more step..."
He pressed the syringe a little closer.
"...and this girl gets it."
Saito's expression hardened.
His grip tightened around his sword.
Lily remained surprisingly calm despite the situation.
She didn't move.
She knew one wrong action could make Brody inject the serum.
Saito slowly lowered his sword.
A small smirk appeared on his face.
"...Oh."
"So now you're playing the hostage game."
Brody chuckled.
"When you're cornered..."
"You use whatever works."
The room fell silent as both men stared at each other, waiting to see who would make the first move.
Saito looked at Brody and smiled.
"Yeah..."
"But you forgot one thing."
Brody narrowed his eyes.
"...What's that?"
Saito's smile widened.
"She has a knife."
Brody's eyes widened for a split second.
"What—"
Shing!
Lily suddenly drew the hidden knife from her sleeve and drove it into Brody's arm.
"Now!"
"Argh!"
Brody instinctively loosened his grip.
The syringe slipped from his hand.
Clink!
It hit the floor and rolled across the room.
Saito didn't waste the opportunity.
He dashed forward.
Boom!
His kick slammed into Brody's chest, forcing him backward.
Saito grinned.
"Heh."
"You just ruined your own plan."
Brody growled.
"...Damn you!"
Before he could recover—
Lily rushed in.
She leaped into the air and spun.
Bang!
Her kick crashed into the side of Brody's neck.
A loud crack echoed through the room.
Brody's neck bent unnaturally.
"...Damn..."
For a brief moment, he stood completely still.
Then—
Crack... Crack...
His neck slowly twisted back into place.
The wound regenerated before their eyes.
Lily's expression sharpened.
"...Again."
Brody suddenly reached out.
Thud!
He grabbed Lily's leg before she could retreat.
"Lily!"
With a roar, Brody slammed her into the floor.
Boom!
The ground cracked beneath the impact.
Saito charged forward.
"Get away from her!"
He threw a punch toward Brody's face.
But Brody recovered instantly.
His hand shot forward.
Thud!
He caught Saito by the throat.
Before Saito could struggle—
Bang!
Brody slammed his own forehead into Saito's.
The brutal headbutt echoed through the room as Saito staggered backward, his vision blurring from the impact.
Brody walked calmly through the corridor, leaving a trail of destruction behind him.
A faint smile remained on his face.
Then—
Boom!
A powerful kick slammed into the middle of his back.
Brody was thrown forward several steps before stopping himself.
He slowly turned around.
Saito stood there, his sword in hand.
His expression was colder than before.
"...How dare you."
Brody chuckled.
"How fascinating..."
He looked back toward the room he had just left.
"You chose to come after me..."
"...instead of staying with her."
Saito tightened his grip on his sword.
"She already knew what would happen if I let you run free."
His eyes locked onto Brody.
"So don't think you can use her to stop me."
Brody smirked.
"Really?"
Without another warning, he lunged at Saito.
Whoosh!
Saito sidestepped at the last possible moment.
Brody's fist slammed into the wall instead.
Boom!
Chunks of concrete scattered across the corridor.
Saito pointed his sword at Brody.
"Where's the antidote?"
Brody looked at him with a playful grin.
"Hmm..."
He pretended to search his pockets.
"I must've lost it."
He burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
Saito's expression darkened.
"...Then I'll beat the answer out of you."
Back in the room, Lily leaned against the wall.
Her breathing had become weak.
The poison continued spreading through her body.
Her vision faded...
Until she slowly closed her eyes.
Silence filled the room.
A few moments later—
The door burst open.
Bang!
Saito rushed inside.
His eyes immediately fell on Lily.
"...Damn it."
He hurried to her side and knelt beside her.
For a brief moment, he hesitated.
Then his eyes shone once again.
"God Eye... Seraph."
The divine symbol appeared within his pupils.
Saito looked at Lily and let out a quiet breath.
"I don't know if I'll have enough strength left to fight Noxus after this..."
A faint smile crossed his face.
"...Worth it, though."
Golden aura flowed from his body like streams of light.
The light drifted toward Lily and gently surrounded her.
Slowly...
The dark marks around the injection wound began to fade.
The poison disappeared as if it had never existed.
The golden aura finally dissolved into the air.
Lily's fingers twitched.
She slowly opened her eyes.
"...Saito?"
Saito smiled with relief.
"Welcome back."
The smile didn't last long.
His knees suddenly gave out.
"...Gah..."
He dropped to one knee, clutching his chest.
Lily quickly reached out and caught him before he could fall completely.
"Saito!"
She looked at him with concern.
"Are you okay?"
Saito forced out a tired smile.
"My stamina..."
He let out a slow breath.
"...It's almost finished."
Lily carefully supported Saito against the wall.
She looked around the ruined room, searching for anything that could help.
"...Just hold on."
"We still need you."
Saito managed a weak smile.
"Don't worry about me..."
"Alpha and the rest will handle her."
Lily shot him a sharp look.
"...Just shut it."
Her eyes suddenly stopped on something lying on the floor.
The syringe.
She slowly picked it up.
"...I have an idea."
Saito looked at the syringe, then back at Lily.
"...Why do I have a feeling this is going to be a really bad idea?"
Lily shrugged slightly.
"...Maybe."
Saito immediately raised both hands.
"Just be careful with that needle."
Lily knelt beside him and held up the syringe.
"...Just bear with it."
Before Saito could protest—
Click.
She injected the serum into his arm.
"Ow!"
Saito flinched.
"That hurt!"
Lily pulled the syringe out and set it aside.
"There."
Saito rubbed his arm and frowned.
"You know..."
"...you could've warned me first."
Lily couldn't help but smile.
"You would've said no."
Saito sighed.
"...Yeah."
"You're probably right."