After Beelzebub's departure and yet another attempt by the robo-dog to chase after the demon to 'purify' him, Alex, Brunhilde, and Göll made their way to the lounge. They needed to prepare and discuss plans for the next battle. While Alex tugged G.I.R. along on a leash, the robo-dog kept stubbornly pulling forward, as if his programming wouldn't allow him to retreat.
At the same time, Alex sank into deep thought. He began to suspect that the issue wasn't just Beelzebub's demonic nature but something hidden within him. Alex sensed that the demon's soul seemed split into two parts: one—Beelzebub's original self, and the other—a fragment corrupted by Chaos energy.
This realization led Alex to a theory: perhaps Beelzebub hadn't found a crystal imbued with an Outer God's power but was born with it. If Beelzebub was one of the first demons, he might have emerged from negative emotions, with the Chaos crystal merging with his body during his formation, slowly influencing him over time.
However, this was just a hypothesis. Demons in this universe were born by obscure rules, and the interference of Outer Gods only added more variables to the equation.
Brunhilde stole glances at Alex, noticing how he repeatedly got lost in his thoughts, ignoring everything happening around him. Even G.I.R., trying to cut through the leash, failed to catch his attention. For the first time, the Valkyrie considered the possibility of Völundr—a soul bond—that would allow her to see what was going on in Alex's mind. Yet her intuition warned her that such a step would change her life forever.
Despite this, Brunhilde felt a strange connection to this man. Maybe it was because he had helped her cope with the pain of loss, stood by her in difficult moments, or simply because she felt calm and protected around him—a feeling she hadn't experienced in a long time.
Göll was still reeling from the sight of G.I.R., the cute and clumsy robo-dog, transforming into a merciless fanatic shouting about heresy. It was a shock to her. Learning about G.I.R.'s combat mode only deepened her confusion. The story Alex had told about the mysterious Emperor of Mankind only added to her bewilderment.
Even Brunhilde couldn't recall such a figure in human history, deciding it might have occurred during «dark times» that were erased from memory. Nevertheless, she found the story suspicious.
Finally, they arrived at the lounge. G.I.R. was still struggling, and Alex could feel the leash straining. What worried him most was the thought that if G.I.R., M.I.M.I., and Stitch ever launched a «crusade,» the consequences would be catastrophic. He already suspected that the two robo-dogs might have brainwashed the space-dog. Sighing, Alex pushed open the door and stepped inside.
The scene before him was familiar: several Valkyries sat in front of a screen, engrossed in a show, with Alvida lounging comfortably next to Hlökk. Rebecca, as usual, was engrossed in her tablet while snacking and working on her project.
Buddha was sprawled in a chair as if it belonged to him, a bag of snacks resting on his chest as he lazily transferred them to his mouth without even opening his eyes. Meanwhile, M.I.M.I., Stitch, and Zerofuku were fast asleep after yet another round of desserts.
Alex couldn't help but think the lounge was starting to feel more like a basement full of lazy teenagers.
«Rebecca, how's it going?» he asked as he entered and closed the door behind him.
Rebecca lowered her tablet, gave Alex a lazy glance, and wordlessly held it out to him, as if to say, «See for yourself.»
Noticing her sluggish demeanor, Alex immediately understood—this lazy gremlin only acted this way when something was wrong. Carefully releasing Brunhilde's hand, he approached Rebecca and took the tablet. As he began reviewing her notes, his suspicions were confirmed.
On the screen were rune diagrams—Rebecca was searching for a way to permanently kill a god. Gods, being spiritual beings, don't have a physical form, and a mortal can only injure or kill them by affecting their essence. Alex carefully examined what she had done so far, while Brunhilde, intrigued, quietly sat closer to glance at the tablet.
Alex sat on the couch, continuing to go through the notes, while Rebecca lazily positioned herself next to him, resting her head on his lap, as if giving him time to think. Brunhilde settled on the other side, also watching the screen attentively.
«I see you're on the right track. But what's stopping you?» Alex asked, gently stroking Rebecca's head.
Without lifting her head, Rebecca rolled onto her back, grabbing Alex's nose in response to his carefree tone.
«I can't find the last rune. It's driving me crazy. I've already tried thousands of combinations, but nothing works,» she replied irritably, tugging harder on his nose.
Brunhilde watched the scene with surprise. She was stunned—Rebecca had studied runes, one of the most complex disciplines, requiring immense sacrifices, as seen with Odin. Yet this girl spoke of it so casually, as if it were nothing extraordinary.
Deciding to help Rebecca relax, Alex set the tablet aside and began to playfully squeeze her cheeks, stretching them sideways.
«Want me to help? You've almost got it. I'll just help you pick the last rune,» he offered with a smile.
Rebecca, still annoyed but clearly tired, sighed and lazily responded, «I wanted to do it all myself... but fine.»
Turning onto her side, she rested her face against Alex's stomach, no longer wanting to strain herself. Her thoughts drifted somewhere far away: she used to just create dangerous weapons, but after mastering runes, every project required more and more effort, and it was exhausting.
Brunhilde, trying to understand the rune combination, realized that her knowledge on the subject was too limited. She suddenly realized that she had been underestimating Rebecca all this time. A person capable of working with runes so confidently couldn't possibly be the carefree gremlin she had assumed her to be.
Alex, not distracted, continued to check the combination, trying to find the missing element.
«What are these runes for?» Brunhilde asked, not taking her eyes off the tablet.
«This combination is meant to kill a god once and for all,» Alex replied, focusing on the notes.
Brunhilde, hearing Alex's words, was stunned. Her eyes widened in surprise—such a statement completely overturned her perception of Rebecca. She looked again at the girl lazily sprawled on Alex's lap and couldn't believe she had delved so deeply into rune studies. Remembering how Alex once introduced Rebecca by saying, «If you need a weapon, go to her,» Brunhilde realized she had greatly underestimated her.
She had once thought that Rebecca only made weapons for mortals, which seemed logical. But now, seeing Rebecca work so diligently on runes that could kill even gods, Brunhilde understood that her hobby had become something much greater. Rebecca, it seemed, was driven by excitement, as her enemies could now be beings that were nearly impossible to destroy.
Rebecca lay on Alex's lap, completely ignoring what was happening around her. Alex, however, was focused on selecting the last rune, while Brunhilde watched his work, reflecting on how much he trusted Rebecca.
Meanwhile, Göll and G.I.R. blended into the general atmosphere of troublemakers, mimicking the movements of shinobi. However, Göll suddenly noticed that one person was missing from the room—Hashirama. She had a lot of questions about his techniques, but now she wondered where he could have gone. Approaching Alex, the young Valkyrie lightly tugged on his sleeve.
«Brother Alex, where's Grandpa Hashirama?» she asked curiously.
Alex, absorbed in his work, didn't notice her question. Brunhilde, hearing this, looked around and also realized that Hashirama was absent. She had already noticed the spear of Hades left near the desk, but the person who had brought it was nowhere to be seen.
Rebecca, lazily turning onto her back, looked at Alex, who was completely absorbed in his task. She knew that Hashirama and the other fighters were actually clones of Alex and understood that Alex didn't want to reveal his plans and actions just yet. Realizing that she wouldn't get an answer from him, she sighed and decided to take the initiative:
«Hashirama left Hades' spear and went off, saying he had some matters to attend to,» she said in a lazy tone.
Göll looked slightly disappointed by what she heard but nodded nonetheless. Rebecca, noticing her disappointment, decided to tease Alex a little. Smiling slyly, she hinted:
«But Alex knows all of Hashirama's techniques and can show you everything,» she added innocently.
The young Valkyrie, cheered up by this idea, looked at Alex, who was still fully focused on his work and oblivious to everything around him. Excited by the thought, Göll returned to the «group of troublemakers» with a bright mood.
Brunhilde didn't interfere in the conversation, but her gaze again fell on Hades' spear. She was curious about what other weapons were stored in Alex's collection, especially since such artifacts were at his disposal.
Meanwhile, in another corner of the room, Buddha stretched lazily and opened his eyes. His gaze fell on the couch, where Alex and Brunhilde were sitting, and he raised an eyebrow in surprise.
«When did you two arrive?» he asked in confusion.
Alex, setting aside the tablet and finishing his work on the runes, responded with a light smirk:
«While you were devouring candy and pretending to sleep.»
Alex handed the tablet to Rebecca so she could check how everything was working and run the simulation of the rune combination. Wasting no time, Rebecca called MIMI for analysis. Hearing her voice, the pink robo-dog easily jumped off the table and ran over to her owner. Rebecca connected MIMI to the tablet using the cable from the back of the robot and started the simulation process.
While MIMI was analyzing the functionality of the runes, Alex conversed with Buddha, who was lazily enjoying sweets as usual.
«Hmmm, the fight ended a while ago. Even your friend Hashirama came and left. Where have you three been all this time?» Buddha asked, completely ignoring the fact that, even while sleeping, he had managed to snatch a couple of candies.
Alex glanced at Brunhilde, and she returned his gaze. A silent conversation began between them— their eyes spoke more than words ever could. Rebecca, noticing their exchange of glances, quickly deduced that something had happened during their absence that caused the delay. She knew Alex well and was certain that the cause was likely someone who decided to get in his way.
Buddha, seeing their wordless «communication,» narrowed his eyes in annoyance and, without a second thought, threw a candy at them to break up their staring contest. Alex, without losing his agility, caught the candy in mid-air and immediately threw it in his mouth.
«Don't even ask them why they're late. I'll bet all my chocolate cookies that some idiot showed up, and Alex beat him up,» Rebecca said lazily, slapping Alex on the thigh before getting up from his lap.
Alex glanced at her and gave a thumbs-up, silently confirming her words. Rebecca only snorted; this had happened more than once. Such situations occurred especially often in Night City, but in most cases, Rebecca herself was the one who provoked people.
Brunhilde, watching Rebecca, realized that she spoke with ease and confidence as if this had happened dozens of times. Buddha, on the other hand, burst into loud laughter. He was curious about who had become Alex's victim this time.
«So, who's the unlucky one?» he asked, barely holding back his laughter.
«The one they called the dead fourth brother from the Olympian family. The one Poseidon killed and was thought to be a corpse,» Alex replied with a slight smile.
«Adamas? Or whatever his name is?» Buddha clarified, raising an eyebrow.
Alex nodded, confirming the guess. Buddha laughed again and then, with genuine interest, added:
«So, what made you send him back to the so-called 'Olympian hell'?»
Alex calmly began explaining what had happened, starting from when they met Adamas. However, Buddha, true to himself, interrupted:
«Skip the boring details. Just tell me how you beat him up.»
Alex rolled his eyes tiredly but continued. He explained that Adamas had threatened Göll and Brunhilde, which immediately set him off. As a result, the god's face turned into a bloody mess, and his limbs were twisted in unnatural directions.
«You're pretty cruel, my friend. Aren't you worried that such aggression will come back to bite you in the form of bad karma?» Buddha asked with a slight smile.
Alex shrugged and replied in a calm, almost indifferent tone:
«I don't see the point in leaving problems unsolved. If I had tried to resolve it peacefully, it would have only convinced him that he was right. Adamas would have felt stronger and become even bolder. Instead, I put him in his place, showing him the consequences of his actions. Now, he'll probably think twice before threatening anyone again.»
Buddha just smiled and nodded, as if acknowledging Alex's logic.
Alex didn't admit that his actions were driven by his nature. He had always been ready to defend his loved ones to the end, and if he truly wanted to keep his cover intact, he would have already killed Adamas on the spot, leaving no trace. Buddha pondered Alex's words and concluded that sometimes forceful methods were indeed more effective than talking to make an opponent understand what they should not do.
However, Rebecca, listening to Alex, simply rolled her eyes. She knew him well and understood that he had acted out of his nature. This episode reminded her of the time Lucy had called Alex a «partial yandere.» At that moment, Rebecca hadn't understood what it meant until someone explained to her what a yandere was.
«But it seems there's something else?» Buddha asked, deciding to change the subject.
«Then Beelzebul showed up. We talked a bit, and that allowed me to confirm my suspicions about his nature,» Alex replied calmly.
Buddha narrowed his eyes, trying to understand what exactly Alex was referring to. Brunhilde grew alert, realizing that she had missed something important during Alex's conversation with the demon. Rebecca sighed heavily, already suspecting what Alex had confirmed.
«So, care to share?» Buddha asked, leaning back in his chair.
Alex was about to explain, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed G.I.R., Mimi, and Stitch sneaking, trying to leave the room unnoticed.
«Where do you think you're going?» he asked, stopping them with his words.
He already knew what the three of them were up to. Most likely, G.I.R. had told Mimi and Stitch about the meeting with the demon that needed to be «cleansed.» Now, the trio of troublemakers was clearly preparing to embark on their crusade against the demonic «unclean.»
Lowering their heads, G.I.R., Mimi, and Stitch returned to their seats, although their puffed-up expressions indicated their clear displeasure. Göll and Zerofuku exchanged surprised glances, having not noticed how the trio had tried to escape. Brunhilde eyed them suspiciously, understanding that this was all connected to Beelzebul. From Alex's words, it seemed that G.I.R. and Mimi were seriously preparing to eradicate the demon.
«Where were they planning to go?» Buddha clarified, pointing at the trio's disgruntled faces.
«Most likely, they were planning to start a crusade against Beelzebul,» Alex replied dryly, continuing to watch the «rule breakers.»
Buddha gave the trio a skeptical glance, trying to figure out what exactly about the demon had offended them so much that they were ready to launch such an expedition. Rebecca, understanding everything, just sighed sympathetically, feeling a bit sorry for poor Beelzebul, who had become the target of these extreme «cleansers.» What upset her most was that Stitch had already become part of the group that glorified the Emperor of Humanity.
Alex briefly explained to Buddha why G.I.R. and Mimi could sometimes be so radical. However, the situation was more complicated. Alex recalled seeing Beelzebul's soul, which had been tainted by the power of an Outer God, and G.I.R. had a module to detect such entities. Most likely, G.I.R.'s aggressive behavior was related to what was hidden inside the demon.
«So, it's not just about Beelzebul being a demon? There's something else?» Buddha asked thoughtfully.
«Yes. I saw his soul. He's not just a demon—he was born under the influence of the power of an Outer God,» Alex replied, stroking his chin.
Alex's words clearly puzzled Brunhilde and Buddha. They had no understanding of Outer Gods and their influence; all they knew was Alex's stories. The differences in the effects of these powers remained a mystery to them. Seeing their confusion, Alex decided to explain the essence of the matter.
«The thing is, Beelzebul was born with the influence of an Outer God on his soul. His soul is divided into two parts: one belongs to him, and the other belongs to the abomination that controls him from within,» Alex began, trying to get his main point across.
«But is that the only thing that could influence him? In Helheim, they say Beelzebul is possessed by Satan. Does that matter?» Brunhilde asked, gently touching Alex's hand.
«It does. Beelzebul himself may not even realize that he is under this influence. His tired appearance, the accumulated knowledge—all of this is the result of the pressure of this force. As they say, there's one step from wisdom to madness. He's balancing on the edge, unconsciously sinking into chaos, and then stepping back. But one day, he will inevitably cross that line completely. Moreover, it was under the influence of his own interests and this foreign power that he conducted an experiment on Zerofuku,» Alex explained, frowning.
He paused for a moment, trying to remember more details about Beelzebul's past. All he knew was that the demon was often accused of being cursed or possessed by Satan. Every time Beelzebul found happiness, he lost it by his own hands, not realizing it was linked to his inner essence.
«This isn't just a coincidence, is it?» Alex continued thoughtfully. «Remember the story about his first friends—Samael, Lucifer, and Azazel. They pulled him from the darkness, gave him a sense of family. But as soon as he found happiness, he destroyed it with his own hands. Lilith, his first love, also died because of him. All of this is the influence of that dark part of his soul that wouldn't let him break free from the darkness.»
Brunhilde frowned, and Rebecca sighed heavily. She knew how dangerous Beelzebul was, but realizing that he had become the tool of an external force only made the situation worse.
«And the most unpleasant thing about all of this is that he's smarter than he seems,» Alex finally said, pausing to emphasize his words.
«What do you mean?» Brunhilde asked, looking at him intently.
«Remember his words? He mentioned that he became a variable in my game,» Alex reminded her, meeting her gaze.
Rebecca narrowed her eyes. She understood that Beelzebul was much trickier than he appeared at first. Alex, known for his strategic mind and ability to think several steps ahead of his opponents, was admitting for the first time that this demon could be a serious threat.
«Beelzebul is not just a pawn. He understands my actions aimed at provoking those behind Ragnarök. That's why he's a threat. He either needs to be eliminated or sealed so that he doesn't interfere with the course of events. If he enters the fight, I'll find a way to kill him. If not, I'll quietly seal him somewhere. I know it sounds like the words of a villain, but there's much more at stake than someone's life. And if you find out what he's been up to, no one will pity him,» Alex finished, his voice dark and resolute.
Buddha furrowed his brow, deep in thought. He was increasingly troubled by the extent of Beelzebul's influence. Alex was right: this demon had been the cause of many tragedies, including the transformation of Zerofuku into the god of misfortune. Buddha had felt anger rising within him more than once lately.
Alex wasn't sure whether Beelzebul would join the battle after their conversation. Perhaps the demon would become more cautious, or his second nature would push him into action. If Beelzebul did decide to participate, it might actually work out for the better: Alex would be able to eliminate his first target, gather the necessary information, and rid himself of the variable that was clever enough to derail his plans at any moment.
«What if he does step in? Who will you send against him?» Brunhilde asked, looking at Alex intently.
«I have a suitable candidate. He was specifically trained to fight demons and Chaos spawn,» Alex replied with an impassive expression.
He decided that the Grey Knight would be the perfect choice to face Beelzebul. This move would not only help explain much, but also avoid unnecessary questions.
Although Buddha didn't fully approve of Alex's plan, he understood that sometimes making a choice was much harder than it seemed. He saw in Alex a person ready to sacrifice the small for the sake of saving the many. To Buddha, it was clear: Alex wasn't seeking to save individual lives, he was looking for a way to protect humanity as a whole, even if that meant taking on the hatred and wrath of the gods.
«You're intentionally provoking them and taking all the blows for yourself, aren't you?» Buddha said thoughtfully. «And yet, what's your plan for Ragnarök? You haven't told us everything.»
Alex met Buddha's gaze, understanding that he wanted to hear the truth. Alex did indeed have a plan he was aiming for, but he thought it was too ambitious to share at this point. He sighed and decided to reveal his goal.
«My ultimate goal is to completely rid humanity of the influence of gods and demons. To do that, we need to win Ragnarök, and then do what needs to be done,» Alex declared firmly.
Brunhilde watched him closely, trying to comprehend the scale of his vision. She suspected that Alex was preparing something grand, but she couldn't even imagine the full extent of his plan.
The Valkyries, who were spiritually connected to Alex, knew about his plans and considered them madness, but they didn't stop him because they knew he would do it anyway, and all they could do was support his actions. During their discussions, the Valkyries concluded that this outcome was the best for humanity, to no longer be under the gods' control.
«I want to sever the connection between Midgard, Valhalla, and Helheim,» Alex continued calmly.
His words were like thunder on a clear day. Brunhilde froze, her thoughts racing in search of explanations. Severing the connection between the three worlds would mean the final liberation of humanity from the interference of the gods. But how could such a plan be carried out? It seemed almost impossible: destroying Bifröst, eliminating magical pathways, or finding another way—while avoiding catastrophic consequences.
«And you're not afraid this will cause problems for Midgard?» Buddha asked, looking at Alex intently.
«No, people will continue to live as they always have—born, growing up, and dying. The cycle of life will remain unchanged. My goal is to close the passages for gods and demons so they can no longer interfere with the affairs of mortals. This won't harm humanity, but for the gods, the consequences will be catastrophic. They'll begin to kill each other, and it won't affect our world anymore,» Alex answered coldly.
Buddha pondered his words. On the one hand, Alex's plan seemed insane, but on the other, there was a deep logic to it. It really could free humanity from the eternal oppression of the higher powers, though the path to achieving it was incredibly difficult.
Buddha nodded, realizing that if the gods lost their influence over mortals, their attention would inevitably turn to each other, leading to a new war between them. Alex's words made it clear that he was fully aligned with humanity, not the gods.
Brunhilde watched Alex closely, but she found it hard to agree with his position. She knew that among the gods, there were those who didn't abuse their power, but they were too few to significantly change the situation.
«Is there any way to avoid war among the gods while limiting their influence on the world of mortals?» unexpectedly asked Göll, who had overheard the conversation.
The young Valkyrie considered any war a terrible thing and didn't want to allow more bloodshed, even if it only concerned the gods. Alex looked at her and sighed heavily. There were few options, but each one had its drawbacks.
The first option was to sever the connection between all three worlds entirely. However, in this case, the inhabitants of Helheim and Valhalla would still begin a war over territories. Perhaps not immediately, but in a thousand or even tens of thousands of years, conflict would be inevitable. The second option was to create separate worlds for each pantheon, a sort of cage for the gods. However, this would also lead to wars, but now civil wars.
«Göll, you're putting me in a bind with your question,» Alex admitted wearily, looking at her.
«But you do have options, don't you?» Buddha interjected, adjusting his glasses.
Alex sighed again, thinking about how best to answer. Brunhilde gently took his hand, giving him time to think. Rebecca looked at Alex seriously, waiting for his response. For her, it didn't matter who was fighting, as long as none of her loved ones were harmed. And in this world, she had no friends or loved ones, except for the group of Valkyries sitting nearby and watching a series.
Buddha also understood perfectly well that avoiding war would be nearly impossible. Knowing the gods, he had no doubt that sooner or later they would turn their weapons on each other.
«No matter how hard you try, all options eventually lead to war,» Alex admitted wearily.
«Well then, share your thoughts with everyone. What have you come up with?» Buddha asked calmly.
Alex paused, thinking about how to explain his conclusions more simply:
«If we separate Midgard from Helheim and Valhalla, Valhalla and Helheim will start fighting over power and resources. If we sever the connection between all three dimensions, the pantheons within Valhalla and Helheim will fight each other. If we create separate worlds for each pantheon, it will lead to civil wars within each of them. No matter how hard I try to find the perfect solution, all options lead to conflict.»
Brunhilde listened carefully and understood that Alex's reasoning was logical. The gods, by nature, always found reasons for war, and this happened over and over again until they were forced to make peace.
Buddha thoughtfully stroked his chin, realizing that Alex was right: a war among the gods was inevitable, whether within one pantheon or between different ones.
Alex, lost in thought, recalled the system that existed in Runeterra. Before the summoners arrived, that world was consumed by wars. However, the summoners created a system to resolve conflicts through battles in arenas, which helped avoid large-scale destruction.
«Although there is one option... but it's difficult to implement,» Alex finally said with a thoughtful expression.
Brunhilde decided to postpone thoughts about preventing future conflicts. It was premature to think about the next step until the Ragnarok problem was resolved. However, Alex's words intrigued her: in such a short time, he had come up with a plan, even if it was complex to execute.
Buddha looked at Alex with interest, waiting for him to continue. Göll, sitting nearby, believed that her older brother could always find a way out of any situation. Even Rebecca, though not intervening in the discussion, moved closer to hear better.
«What if conflicts were resolved not through wars, but through battles? On equal terms, where it's not strength that matters, but skill,» Alex proposed, putting forward his idea.
«But fighters will still die, won't they?» Brunhilde interrupted, looking at Alex skeptically.
«Let me finish,» Alex said with a smile. «Imagine a space where battles take place without real deaths. Fighters 'die' only temporarily, then return to the fight. Something like a team duel with castle capture. The defeated recover, and the victors settle the conflict.»
Brunhilde nodded, thinking over his proposal. The plan was indeed difficult to implement, but in her opinion, it could significantly reduce bloodshed. Everything would depend on skill and strategy, not raw power.
Buddha thoughtfully stroked his chin, processing Alex's words.
«Interesting idea,» he admitted. «You're suggesting giving everyone a chance to 'blow off steam' without killing each other, while also resolving conflicts. But how do you plan to organize all of this?»
Alex understood that there were still many problems ahead. A system needed to be created that would not only allow these battles but also regulate them to avoid chaos. Rules, observers, arenas, and even a council would be necessary to control the process.
«Yes, it's complicated, but I think it's possible. Though right now, we need to focus on Ragnarok. After that, there will be time to deal with future problems,» Alex replied, deciding to put the plan on hold.
Buddha nodded, returning to his sweets, as though the question was temporarily resolved. Brunhilde, though wanting to ask more, also decided to leave the questions for later.
Alex looked at the arena repair broadcast and realized that he would soon have to leave. He called G.I.R., deciding to take the robo-dog with him so he wouldn't be left in the company of the troublemakers. Before leaving, he kissed Rebecca, asking her to keep an eye on Mimi and Stitch to prevent them from causing chaos again.
Taking Brunhilde's hand, Alex held G.I.R. with the other, not forgetting to call Göll, who had clearly already joined the group of troublemakers.
But even as he left, he couldn't shake the thoughts about how to implement his idea. Creating an arena similar to the Summoners' Rift, where conflicts would be resolved through competitions rather than war, seemed to him not just a good idea but a brilliant one.
To be continued...