Yin led the way through the corridors, with Alya and Maxwell close behind him.
The deeper they went, the quieter the base became.
Only the distant sounds of explosions and collapsing walls echoed through the facility.
Yin adjusted his glasses as he continued walking.
"...Where is she?"
Maxwell answered without slowing down.
"She's in the Grand Lab."
Yin gave a slow nod.
"I thought so."
The three continued deeper into the base.
After a moment of silence, Alya looked at Yin.
"So..."
"What are we going to do when we meet her?"
Yin remained quiet for a few seconds before answering.
"I'll try to talk to her."
He looked straight ahead.
"And if that fails..."
His expression hardened.
"...then we'll sabotage her."
Maxwell glanced at Yin but didn't say anything.
The three continued toward the Grand Lab, knowing the confrontation with Noxus was getting closer with every step.
Meanwhile, inside the Grand Lab...
Noxus slowly walked toward a massive computer at the center of the room.
The screens displayed countless lines of data as machines hummed throughout the laboratory.
She stopped in front of the main console.
"How are we doing?"
A mechanical voice answered immediately.
"The process is seventy percent complete."
Noxus nodded in satisfaction.
"Good."
She turned her attention to the center of the laboratory.
A large chamber filled with glowing liquid stood silently, surrounded by thick cables and complicated machinery.
Inside the chamber floated several crystals.
Beside it was the Olsen Crystal.
A long yellow crystal glowed brilliantly as streams of energy continuously flowed from it into another crystal connected to the machine.
The entire laboratory pulsed with golden light.
Noxus quietly watched the transfer.
A smile slowly spread across her face.
"...I'm almost done."
She gently rested a hand on the control panel, her eyes never leaving the glowing crystals as the machine continued its work.
Noxus kept her eyes on the glowing crystals.
Without turning around, she smiled.
"...I know you're there, Yin."
A few seconds later, footsteps echoed through the Grand Lab.
Yin slowly stepped out from the hallway.
Behind him stood Alya and Maxwell.
Yin looked around the enormous laboratory before his gaze settled on the machine in the center.
"So..."
"This is your agenda."
Noxus finally turned to face him.
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
"Actually..."
"I didn't want to show you yet."
She smiled warmly.
"I wanted it to be a surprise."
Yin looked back at the glowing chamber.
His expression hardened.
"Yes..."
"But how you're doing it..."
He clenched his fists.
"...is unforgivable."
Noxus tilted her head in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
She proudly pointed toward the machine.
"I did it."
"I extracted power from the Primordeus."
She laughed softly.
"Isn't it amazing?"
Yin's eyes narrowed.
"You killed thousands of people..."
"...just to do this."
For the first time, Noxus's smile disappeared.
She looked at him as though she couldn't understand his anger.
"They were merely subjects..."
"...for this."
Silence filled the Grand Lab as the machine continued transferring energy from the glowing Olsen Crystal, its humming echoing through the room.
Yin took a slow step forward.
"You still have a chance."
"Stop this."
Noxus slowly shook her head.
"...No."
She pouted, her expression almost childlike despite everything that had happened.
"I've spent my entire life on this."
She looked back at the glowing machine.
"After I finish extracting it..."
"I'll give it to the Calamity Table."
"Then the whole world will know the name of Sector X."
Yin clenched his fists.
"They won't remember Sector X for greatness."
"They'll remember it for slaughter."
"You've already ruined Sector X's name."
Noxus looked at him in disbelief.
"...What's wrong with you, Yin?"
Her voice became quieter.
"Before this..."
"You always supported me."
"You were always there with me."
For a brief moment, memories of the past flashed through her mind.
The two of them working side by side in the laboratory...
Sharing ideas...
Dreaming about changing the world through science.
She looked at Yin with a pleading expression.
"So..."
"Why are you standing against me now?"
Yin met her eyes without looking away.
His expression was filled with disappointment rather than anger.
"The Noxus I supported..."
"...would never have walked this path."
Noxus stared silently at Yin.
A bitter smile slowly appeared on her face.
"...You've changed a lot, Yin."
She lowered her head for a moment.
"Ever since the Balance Table recruited you."
Yin remained calm.
"They taught me something I never understood before."
"...Humanity."
He looked directly into her eyes.
"And that's why..."
"I'll stand with them."
The smile on Noxus's face disappeared.
"...Fine."
While the two were talking, Alya quietly slipped toward the control panel.
She carefully removed the cover and reached for the wires inside.
"...Just a little more..."
Her fingers slowly adjusted one of the connections.
Suddenly—
Noxus turned her head.
Her eyes widened.
"What are you doing?!"
A mechanical sound echoed from her arm.
Click!
A small missile launcher emerged.
Boom!
The missile shot straight toward Alya.
"Alya!"
Yin shouted.
The missile exploded the moment it reached the control panel.
BOOM!!
Smoke and dust filled the laboratory.
For a brief second...
No one moved.
As the smoke slowly cleared—
A figure stood in front of Alya.
Maxwell.
His large hammer was planted firmly on the ground, shielding her from the blast.
Pieces of metal and debris lay scattered around him.
Noxus stared in disbelief.
"...So..."
"...you too, Maxwell?"
Maxwell slowly lowered his hammer.
He met her gaze without hesitation.
"I'll gladly..."
"...join Yin again."
The atmosphere inside the Grand Lab instantly became even more tense as both sides prepared for the battle that was about to begin.
Noxus closed her eyes for a brief moment.
"...So be it."
When she opened them again, there was no hesitation left.
She slowly raised her hand.
The entire Grand Lab suddenly trembled.
Metal tools...
Steel containers...
Broken machine parts...
Everything around her began floating into the air.
Alya's eyes widened.
"What the—"
"Go."
With a flick of Noxus's hand, dozens of objects shot across the laboratory like bullets.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Maxwell immediately stepped in front of Alya.
He planted his feet firmly on the ground.
"Behind me!"
He raised his massive hammer.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The hammer spun through the air, smashing every flying object before they could reach them.
Metal fragments scattered across the floor.
Noxus clicked her tongue.
"...Still protecting them?"
Her right arm shifted with a series of mechanical clicks.
Click... Click... Click...
The skin folded away, revealing a machine gun hidden inside her arm.
Alya stared in shock.
"She has a gun in her arm?!"
Noxus smiled coldly.
"Let's see you block this."
The barrels began spinning.
Brrrrrrt!!
A storm of bullets erupted across the laboratory.
Maxwell's eyes widened.
Without thinking, he grabbed Alya by the arm.
"Stay close!"
He pulled her behind a large reinforced machine just as bullets tore through the area where they had been standing.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Sparks flew as rounds slammed into the metal cover.
Maxwell kept Alya behind him and tightened his grip on his hammer.
"Stay here."
"I'll handle this."
Alya nodded, her heart pounding as the relentless gunfire echoed throughout the Grand Lab.