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Chapter 26: Hextech Gem (Bonus Chapter)
"They want Shimmer, a whopping fifty thousand doses. That number would hit us hard too," Sevika replied with a grim expression to Phil's inquiry.
"Those people are planning another invasion, aren't they? Fifty thousand doses are out of the question, but since we accidentally caused the death of their executioner, as an apology, we could send a thousand or two. If it paves the way for collaboration, even better," Phil said calmly, pointing out the best course of action for maximizing benefits. Trading one or two thousand doses for a large amount of money would be the best outcome.
"Let's see how they communicate; we're looking for partners, not someone to dominate us," Silco decided. He couldn't stand anyone dictating over him, not Piltover, and certainly not Noxus.
"Alright, alright," Phil, knowing Silco's temperament, didn't argue further. If the deal succeeded, great. If not, the loss wouldn't be significant.
"What the hell was that guy wearing? That was terrifying," Caitlyn said, nursing her arm after narrowly escaping. "That's Phil," Ekko replied confidently.
"Phil? Wasn't he the one with the blade?" Caitlyn was surprised.
"He switched to armor; I'm sure it's him," Ekko struggled to explain, but he had only used his time-reversing ability in front of Phil, and Phil's words and insight left a lasting impression on him. "Did he see through my ability after just two encounters?" Ekko mused to himself.
Vi watched as her childhood friends grew so strong, leaving her with a bitter feeling. Back when Phil was first taken in, Silco and Vander hadn't fallen out yet, and Phil would greet Vi. Back then, Vi was the undisputed leader among her peers. Now, she couldn't help but feel a sense of defeat.
"Don't be too discouraged, Vi. Without that armor, he wouldn't be a match for you," Ekko said, patting her on the shoulder, though it didn't quite lift her spirits.
Jayce was in the forge, working on crafting the Mercury Hammer. The blueprints for the weapon had been ready for a long time, but he had never gotten around to making it. His family had been making hammers for generations, which is why he chose a hammer as his weapon. The design of the Mercury Hammer allowed it not only to knock back and stagger enemies in close combat but also to transform and attack from a distance by activating a mechanism. Jayce specifically added a Hextech shield for defense in case of attacks. The power source for the hammer wasn't an unstable magic crystal but a Brackern crystal prototype. This crystal not only provided a stable energy source, but its energy far exceeded that of magic crystals.
Jayce was bare-chested, watching the weapon gradually take shape, the heat from the flames causing him to sweat slightly. His muscles were quite perfect, more akin to a fitness instructor's than a scientist's. "Crafting hammers is truly a fine art," Mel's silhouette appeared before Jayce.
"How did you find me?" Jayce wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"You're the real leader of the council; your movements are closely watched." Mel spoke in a way that was undeniably pleasing.
"Thanks for the warning."
"The raids on ships have put a lot of pressure on the council. Zuan's move is quite clever. They've always been governed by Piltover. Now, when they stir up trouble, it should be Piltover to clean up the mess," Mel explained the current situation instead of directly stating her reasons for seeking Jayce.
"Zuan's strength surpasses our imagination. Those guns, bombs, and Shimmer. I never thought there were so many talents in Zuan," Jayce sighed.
"Is this really why you're troubled?" Mel expressed disbelief. Jayce was a proud man and wouldn't be perturbed by the science coming out of the undercity.
"He was once my mentor, Mel, and I betrayed him," Jayce confessed, though he didn't mention Heimerdinger by name, it was clear who he referred to.
"Heimerdinger will understand sooner or later, Jayce. This is your era now. Don't dwell on it," Mel said, embracing Jayce from behind. "You will bring a bright future to Piltover, just like you've always dreamed."
Mel's reassurance seemed to have an effect, as Jayce relaxed and smiled. "There's still no news from Caitlyn."
"Miss Kiramman?" Mel was a bit surprised.
"Uh, I just, never mind."
Mel caressed Jayce's cheek with her hand: "We'll get through this. I'll do my best to hold off the council, but they'll still come for you. And as for you..." Mel's lips moved closer to him and suddenly, she pushed Jayce away. "We don't have much time left."
Watching Mel's retreating figure, he chuckled softly, then continued with his forging. The massive forge spat out steam, a sign of the extraordinary nature of the weapon.
After leaving, Mel didn't return straight to her residence; she headed to House Ferros instead. House Ferros hadn't joined the council, but Mel had been supporting them from behind the scenes in Piltover. Mel's rise to wealth in Piltover was not unrelated to them.
"Everyone has heard about Piltover's precarious situation," said the woman seated on the luxurious chair.
"Zuan moved too quickly this time; we couldn't react in time."
"So, what? We just let the Undercity people run rampant?" the woman was somewhat angry.
"Don't worry, Jayce will handle it."
-----Zuan-----
"I got this." In Ekko's base, Caitlyn took out the box.
"This is the Hextech gem you were talking about?" The item in the box stirred memories within Vi.
"That's right. It was stolen during the attack on the upper city by your sister. If we return this, maybe we can clear up the misunderstanding." Having seen Zuan's environment, Caitlyn didn't want the two cities to go to war. Unfortunately, she was unaware that more than one gem had gone missing from the upper city.
"With this gem, and the appropriate technology, we could create any Hextech device."
"We could use this to defeat Silco," Ekko snatched the gem.
"It won't solve all our problems," Caitlyn shook her head.
"Easy for you to say, you're not the one seeing your people die," Ekko was a bit upset, the loss of his companions was a huge blow.
"Ekko, I know you shouldn't be treated this way. You can keep the gem; I won't blame you. But doing so will only deepen the misunderstanding between the two cities. This city needs to bridge its divide, and now I truly realize this," Caitlyn said sincerely.
"I'm begging you, let me help you."
"You have a plan?" Ekko felt swayed.
"There's a friend of mine on the council. Let me bring the gem to him; he'll listen to me, and you won't have to keep hiding."
Ekko looked at the gem in his hand: "I can trust you, but I want to hand it to him personally."