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The blue and red rays collided and merged, sending a thunderous sonic boom reverberating across the city.
A shockwave erupted from the point of contact, sweeping through half the city in an instant.
Bodies were thrown like ragdolls, glass shattered into fragments, and even sturdy walls bore deep cracks under the pressure.
Yet, when the shockwave reached the Noxian embassy, it dissipated without a trace, stopped cold by a sudden curtain of rising water.
Ryan stood atop a building, bathed in a magical blue glow. His lips curled into a smile as he turned his head and said with praise in his voice:
"This is the true potential of Hextech. The world will never be the same because of him."
"Your vision is unmatched," Katarina responded, standing protectively by his side.
Her gaze shifted toward the dazzling clash of blue and red dominating the sky, a flicker of respect glimmering in her eyes.
To her, the creator of such a weapon deserved a place in history.
Ryan's tone lightened, almost playful.
"Let's enjoy today's ending scene. I'm eager to watch how the two of them part ways under Heimerdinger's watchful gaze."
Elsewhere in Piltover, Heimerdinger, busy operating a cutting-edge turret, and Jayce, clearing the battlefield, both froze mid-action.
Their eyes locked onto the blue light in the sky, which abruptly shifted hue and surged toward the heart of the city.
At the ruins of Kiramman Manor, the once grand estate had been utterly obliterated. Not a stone, not even a speck of dust, remained under the relentless onslaught of cannon fire and lightning.
And yet, Viktor stood at ground zero, completely unharmed.
"Hextech still pales in comparison to magic," Viktor murmured, shaking his head.
He adjusted the windbreaker wrapped around him—a borrowed anti-magic cloak from Ryan, which had effortlessly shielded him from the devastation.
He spared no glance for Councilor Kiramman or the other injured officials scattered around.
His steps were deliberate as he moved forward, striding past the broken bodies and toward the Bridge in the distance.
Enforcers lingered in stunned silence, unable to intervene. Only two, wounded but able-bodied, fled in the opposite direction.
The bridge wasn't far, but Viktor walked slowly, almost as if unbothered by the danger around him. Every so often, he glanced back, his gaze sharp, waiting for someone.
Gone was the hood that usually obscured his face. He had even discarded his monocle.
Viktor walked through the streets of Piltover unhidden, showing his true self.
At the highest vantage point near the Border Bridge, a swirl of magical energy signaled Ryan and Katarina's arrival.
They stood silently, watching as Viktor reached the bridge and began his journey toward Zaun.
A faint crackle broke the air. A blue energy sphere streaked across the distance, heading straight for Viktor.
Yet, with a precise beam from his mechanical claw, he effortlessly deflected it. The energy fizzled out harmlessly.
"Too slow, Councilor Talis," Viktor said, his voice cold yet calm.
He turned, his gaze locking onto Jayce, whose hammer glimmered with unrefined Hextech energy.
Viktor's eyes briefly scanned the hammer before a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. He shook his head.
"How ironic. You were the one who claimed the technology wasn't ready, yet here you are, wielding a half-finished product in battle. Aren't you afraid the Hexgem will explode? Your hammer isn't even properly forged."
"Viktor! Why? Do you even realize how many enforcers died tonight?"
Jayce gripped his hammer tightly, the veins on the back of his hand bulging, a clear reflection of his rage.
"Yes, many died," Viktor replied, his voice calm yet cutting.
"But do you know how many Zaunites have died on this bridge?"
Viktor's lips curled into a bitter smile as he took in Jayce's indignant expression. His laughter broke the tense air, hollow and tired.
"You and I both know the truth of that incident," Jayce shot back, his voice cold.
"If the people of Zaun hadn't crossed the bridge, they wouldn't have died. But tonight, Viktor, everyone who died… it's on you!"
"Ha… hahaha."
Viktor's laughter grew louder, more pained, his tone dripping with disdain.
His eyes flickered toward a small figure stepping out from behind Jayce. Spotting the newcomer, his smile twisted into something grim.
"Since Mr. Heimerdinger has graced us with his presence," Viktor began, his voice bitter and mocking.
"Why don't you tell us what would have happened to those people if they hadn't crossed the bridge?"
His voice sharpened as he spat the final word, his expression dark and severe.
The toxic reality of Zaun pressed heavily on Viktor's mind. Rivers choked with poison and filth. Air so polluted that every breath felt like a death sentence.
Those who couldn't make a living had no choice but to die.
And yet, Piltover—a city built above Zaun's suffering—turned a blind eye to its plight. Instead of offering solutions, Piltover stifled Zaun's growth, suppressing any hope for change.
How many lives could have been saved if his inventions had been put to use sooner?
Heimerdinger, who had witnessed Zaun's chaotic birth centuries ago, lowered his eyelids, his expression heavy with sorrow.
"The birth of Zaun was a mistake," he said quietly.
"We just don't want something like that to happen again here in Piltover. Viktor… you were my best student. Why would you do this?"
Viktor's smile turned hollow. He shook his head, his gaze drifting toward Piltover, shining brightly under the moonlight.
"Yes… a mistake," he echoed, his voice sharp with irony.
"Mr. Heimerdinger, you are my teacher, and you've taught me much about science. But there's one thing you'll never understand: you're not human. You can't comprehend what a few decades mean to us mortals. You don't know the pain of seeing your homeland consumed by despair. And you'll never understand the sorrow of watching your best friend stand on the opposite side of your fight."
"Viktor, we need time," Jayce interrupted, his tone tinged with desperation.
"These things… they have to happen one step at a time. Piltover will have a bright future!"
Click.
The mechanical claw on Viktor's back whirred to life, its metal joints flexing. Jayce's grip tightened around his hammer, lifting it instinctively.
But Heimerdinger merely sighed, the weight of centuries etched on his face.
"Jayce," Viktor said softly, "I hope you succeed in realizing your vision for Piltover. May you build the brightest future. But at the very least…"
His voice shifted, steady and resolute.
"The hammer in your hand should've been a finished product before you brought it here."
Even now, Viktor offered his former friend a genuine, if sad, blessing.
Then, without hesitation, the claw fired a brilliant ray of energy.
The beam sliced cleanly through the foundation of the bridge beneath him, shattering its supports. The ancient Border Bridge, a symbol of the divide between Piltover and Zaun for over two centuries, collapsed with a deafening roar.
As the dust settled, Viktor stood on the opposite bank, his gaze cold and resolute. He raised his voice, hoarse but filled with determination:
"From this moment on, Zaun severs all ties with Piltover! There will no longer be an undercity—there will only be Zaun!"
Boom!
The sound of the bridge's destruction echoed far and wide, a declaration etched into the hearts of all who witnessed it.
On Piltover's side, citizens stared in stunned silence. On Zaun's side, onlookers felt something stir deep within their souls. A tiny, rebellious seed of hope sprouted—a belief that things could change.
With his task complete, Viktor turned and stepped into the shadows of Zaun, his figure swallowed by the darkness.
"Viktor!"
Jayce's voice rang out, desperate and defiant, but Viktor didn't stop or turn back.
Jayce clenched his jaw, raising his hammer as if to strike—but then he paused. Instead, he shouted across the chasm, his voice filled with resolve:
"I'll prove to you that you're wrong!"
Viktor's steps faltered for a brief moment. But he didn't respond.
Without a word, he continued walking, his form growing smaller until all that remained was the memory of his defiant figure, unwavering as he disappeared into the shadows.