Arcane: Mage from Noxus

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Twenty minutes later, Marcus left, satisfied, with a promise from Jayce to protect his family.

As for Jayce, his expression grew solemn, the weight of responsibility pressing harder on his shoulders.

"Jayce," Viktor, who had been quietly listening for a long time, finally spoke.

"I can help you deal with the problems at Stillwater Prison. But in return, I want something from you. Sign off as a councilman to endorse and promote our previous invention—not Hextech, but the one meant for improving people's livelihoods."

Jayce hesitated. If Viktor had asked him thirty minutes earlier, he might have agreed without a second thought.

But now, with so much responsibility piling up, every decision felt heavier, every step riskier. If something went wrong, it could cost him his seat on the council—or worse.

After a moment of thought, Jayce shook his head and politely declined.

"Viktor, we're not enforcers. We have no business meddling in the affairs of Stillwater Prison. As for the invention, I think it needs a few more iterations before it's ready. Besides, I still need to meet with Mel. Don't worry—our great inventions will soon spread to every corner of Piltover."

His tone betrayed an underlying sense of shame, but he quickly turned and strode away, his expression darkening with every step.

"Every corner of Piltover, sure," Viktor muttered to himself bitterly.

"But Zaun? Just an afterthought. An abandoned place."

He shook his head, a self-mocking smile curling his lips. He'd already known what Jayce's answer would be. And yet, people always cling to illusions, don't they?

If only people were machines… they'd cause fewer problems.

Viktor raised his gaze toward the dim ceiling of the lab, lost in thought.

'Drip'

A drop of water fell from above, landing on his forehead. Startled, Viktor blinked and looked up.

A moment later, a bird, made entirely of water, swooped down and dropped a small note into his hand before dissolving into a puddle.

He unfolded the specially paper and read the neat handwriting:

"I recently visited your laboratory. Your inventions are remarkable. Today, I bring news from the Empire. Noxus is willing to fund the mass production of your creations in a large-scale factory. You may choose from the following terms of cooperation:

1. Fifty percent of the profits from the sales will be yours.

2. Thirty percent of the product output will be supplied to Zaun until its demand is met. However, you'll receive only ten percent of the profits."

Viktor stared at the letter, his thoughts swirling.

"Jayce hesitates, held back by self-doubt and fear, while someone I barely know extends an olive branch," he murmured bitterly.

He knew of Ryan Meredith—a Noxian with a mixed reputation. Despite his magical prowess, Ryan had faced heavy criticism after his failures in the Ionian war.

His patron, a powerful Noxian leader, was currently recovering from injuries, leaving Ryan with limited resources.

And yet, here he was, offering to build a factory to mass-produce his inventions. The gesture touched something deep. He understood what it meant.

Ryan must have realized Viktor couldn't refuse such an opportunity, but he'd made the offer anyway.

In contrast, Jayce's reluctance had left him deeply disappointed.

"Perhaps," Viktor whispered, a fire igniting in his chest, "it's time I lived for myself."

With that, he turned and walked steadily toward his laboratory, his mind made up.

The night sky over Piltover was dark and overcast, but the atmosphere inside the Piltover Grand Theater was lively and buzzing with energy.

In a private cubicle overlooking the main hall, Mel and Jayce sat chatting freely.

They gestured at the other councilors seated in nearby cubicles, a knowing smirk playing on their lips.

Jayce's expression was tense at first, but as the conversation flowed, a look of resolve settled on his face. Slowly, he began to smile—one of those practiced, politician-like smiles.

Rising from his seat, he shook hands with a fellow councilman who had just entered the cubicle, effortlessly transitioning into a lively conversation.

-------

Meanwhile, the West District of Piltover was anything but harmonious.

Jinx sat atop a low building, her legs dangling idly over the edge. Boredom was etched across her face as she muttered complaints under her breath.

Then, a glint of mischief lit up her eyes. She hefted the massive Gatling gun in her hands, and her youthful face twisted into a manic grin.

"Da-da-da-da-da!"

She pulled the trigger.

"AHAHAHAHA!"

The machine gun roared to life, spitting flames as bullets rained down on Stillwater Prison in the distance. Her raucous laughter echoed through the night as chaos erupted below.

Guards stationed outside the prison fell one by one, their blood staining the cobblestones as the gunfire shredded through them.

Suddenly, the alarm bell rang out—a shrill, urgent sound—and sirens blared across the Piltover night, cutting through the still air like a knife.

---

Inside the Grand Theater, Jayce froze as the sound of the alarm reached his ears. His face grew grim, and he exchanged a meaningful glance with Mel.

Without hesitation, he grabbed his Hextech hammer, which rested in the corner of their private booth, and marched out with resolve.

Everything he did was for a better tomorrow for Piltover.

Back near the prison, Jinx was already growing bored. Her grin faded as she noticed the response team of enforcers moving into position. They opened fire in her direction, bullets whizzing past her as she crouched low.

"Ugh, so boring!" she grumbled, reaching into her backpack.

She pulled out a small, dented tin can. With an exaggerated flourish, she tossed it toward the enforcers.

"Catch!"

BOOM!

The explosion ripped through the street, sending debris flying in all directions. Screams rang out as the fireball engulfed the enforcers, leaving only destruction in its wake.

Jinx stood up amidst the chaos, humming a jaunty little tune as if she hadn't just caused a massacre. Her fingers danced over the trigger of her Gatling gun once more.

"Da-da-da-da-da!"

Bullets sprayed across the battlefield, tearing through the few remaining enforcers who dared to raise their heads. At least five more fell under her onslaught, and the rest scrambled for cover, paralyzed by fear.

Suddenly, Jinx's ears perked up at a low hum behind her. Her instincts screamed danger. Without thinking, she dove to the side just as a crackling blue energy ball smashed into the ground where she had been standing.

BOOM!

The ground beneath her shook violently, and a chunk of the building was blown away, leaving spiderweb cracks running through the walls. Dust and rubble filled the air as Jinx scrambled to her feet, blinking through the haze.

She turned her wide eyes toward the source of the attack.

Standing tall amidst the enforcers was Jayce, his Hextech hammer glowing ominously with blue energy.

He was flanked by enforcers, their eyes filled with awe and relief. The hammer hummed in his grip, already charging for another strike.

Jinx's manic grin returned, but her eyes were darker now, filled with a mix of annoyance and glee.

"Let's see if you can handle this, big guy!" she shouted, pulling another explosive tin can from her backpack. With a wild toss, she hurled it straight at Jayce.

At the same time, she turned and bolted, retreating as fast as her legs would carry her.

BOOM!

Jayce swung his hammer, releasing the charged energy. The blue energy ball collided mid-air with Jinx's explosive, igniting in a spectacular burst of light and heat.

The shockwave rippled outward, shaking the foundations of the building Jinx had been perched on.

The walls groaned under the pressure, cracks spreading like spiderwebs. The entire structure teetered precariously, ready to collapse at any moment.

Down below, the enforcers erupted into cheers, their fear replaced with admiration as they surrounded Jayce. To them, he was a hero, their savior in Piltover's darkest hour.

In a dimly lit laboratory, Viktor stood by the window, listening to the faint echoes of sirens and explosions in the distance.

Without a word, he donned his hood and slung a mechanical arm over his shoulder. The arm clicked into place with a hiss of pneumatic energy.

"Pass along my thanks to Lord Meredith," he said, his voice low and steady.

"You can tell him yourself once this is over," replied Katarina, leaning casually against the wall. Her tone was cold, but there was a trace of amusement in her words.

"He has high hopes for you. Let's hope you live up to them."

"As you wish," Viktor said simply.

He adjusted his monocle, then turned and strode out of the lab, his movements deliberate and unhurried. The mechanical arm gleamed faintly under the dim light as he headed toward the Kiramman manor.

Katarina lingered for a moment longer, watching him leave. Then, with a graceful movement, she melted into the shadows, disappearing from sight.

The lights in the laboratory flickered and went dark, leaving only silence behind.