"Teacher, was that your experience in the arena? It sounds far beyond that of an ordinary gladiator," Seraphine said with admiration.
A record like his—contributing to quelling a rebellion, surviving a deathmatch as the sole victor, and killing dozens of Demacian elites, even generals—was enough to carve Ryan's name into Noxian history.
"That kind of achievement should make someone a General, shouldn't it?" Ezreal asked, frowning slightly.
But last he heard, that man had only served as an adjutant under the Grand General.
Fokker shook his head slightly, sighed, and replied:
"The Empire back then wasn't like it is now. Generals had to be of noble birth, and even if someone earned it through merit, the position was almost out of reach. Noxus has always claimed there are three paths to leadership—power, influence, and intellect—but under the Emperor, each path was filled with roadblocks."
"Darkwill betrayed the very foundation of Noxus—the rule of strength. If Darius hadn't intervened, I would've taken that old tyrant's head myself."
He never understood why someone like Urgot, who was broken and twisted, was allowed to become an executioner, while he was passed over.
"Noxus isn't as rigid as Demacia, as ancient as the Freljord, as radiant as Shurima, or as self-righteous about strength as Ionia," Ryan said calmly.
"But it is the best soil for talent to grow."
Seraphine chimed in at just the right moment.
"Teacher, was it worse back then than it is now?"
"It was worse. But only Noxus could rise so fast. In this empire, people will follow you if you have talent and strength. They'll want to see what your Noxus could become." Ryan smiled faintly.
Overthrowing a ruler in Noxus was nothing like doing the same in Demacia.
And establishing a unified regime in fractured Ionia? That was nearly impossible.
"This is the law of strength," Fokker added with reverence.
"It's been the code since Noxus was founded. If you're strong enough, even if you overthrow every ruler in the empire, the people will still support you."
Noxus isn't for the faint-hearted or the lazy.
But for those hungry for power, it's paradise.
"That's enough talk. Today's main event is about to start," Ryan said, leaning back in his chair, his tone casual.
A brutal battle between two gladiators had just ended in the arena.
Two new figures stepped forward as the iron gates on either side screeched open.
Small in stature, but heavy with presence, they marched confidently until they stood ten meters apart, facing each other.
"Whoa!"
The crowd erupted the moment the two appeared.
"Time Assassin! Take him down!"
"Canon Girl! Light him up!"
"Time Assassin...!"
"Canon Girl...!"
The audience chanted, rallying behind their chosen fighters, hoping they could extend their win streaks.
Fokker, concerned that the VIPs might not recognize these arena stars, quickly explained:
"Ekko—the Time Assassin. From Zaun. He's a student in the Hextech Department and has racked up 70 straight wins. He's closing in on Xin Zhao's record."
"That device he wields? It's called the 'Timewinder', built by Master Viktor. It creates a time distortion field, speeds him up, and slows opponents down. His fights end quickly. He strikes vital points and finishes before his enemies realize what hit them. Hence the nickname—Time Assassin."
"And the other one—Jinx, the Canon Girl. Also from Zaun. She's training under the Warfare Department. She started rocky—she's a gunner but won a lot of her early fights in close combat—rough technique, inconsistent."
"But she adapted fast. Now she's sharper, quicker, and her aim has improved dramatically. She's on a 30-win streak now. Her wild, relentless fighting style earned her the nickname—Canon Girl."
"They're both serious threats," Fokker finished.
Eyes lighting up with excitement, Ezreal leaned forward and shouted toward the arena:
"Hey! Canon Girl! Blow that assassin to bits!"
He hadn't forgotten the resentment Ekko held for catching him back then.
Although the guy had a clear edge in the fight, it didn't stop Ryan from feeling a sense of anticipation.
When Ekko heard the familiar voice, he frowned and looked up, surprised to see several familiar faces on the high platform.
Most were people he had once known in Zaun.
He raised a hand in salute toward Ryan, who sat calmly in the center.
After following Viktor, Ekko slowly understood how much of Zaun's current state could be traced back to Ryan's support.
Even Viktor had returned to Zaun on Ryan's advice.
In a way, Ryan was a benefactor of all of Zaun.
And in Zaun, repaying kindness wasn't just a sentiment—it was a duty.
For someone who helped their home, they were ready to fight, sacrifice, and follow without hesitation.
"Ekko, get ready! It's been a while since we clashed," Jinx called from across the arena, cradling her massive machine gun.
Her face was lit with excitement.
"I don't want to fight you."
Ekko's brow furrowed. Of all the opponents he could face, Jinx was the one he least wanted to stand against.
Not because she was unbeatable, but because... they were both from Zaun.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The cheers grew louder, accompanied by the rhythmic pounding of gongs and drums echoing through the arena.
The match had begun.
"I'm not going easy on you, Ekko!" Jinx yelled, her voice wild with adrenaline as she raised her gun and unleashed a hail of bullets.
She loved this place.
Here, she could be free. Do what she wanted. Be who she was.
The crowd roared for her if she was strong, win or lose.
If she fought well, she was celebrated.
Even when she messed up, the cheers still came if she gave it her all.
She remembered her first days here, full of hesitation and shadows from her past.
But Noxus had shown her something else—respect, not for where she came from, but for how she fought.
No one here ever told her, "Jinx, next time."
Instead, they shouted her name.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Shell casings hit the ground in a clattering rhythm.
Her machine gun spat fire, a wall of bullets raining toward Ekko.
And yet, Ekko remained calm, eyes locked forward.
"Time…"
He whispered the word, and the device in his hand surged with brilliant blue light, like a glowing clock hand sweeping across the field.
A time field bloomed, covering the arena in a shimmering hemisphere.
Bullets slowed.
The wind itself seemed to pause.
"Shhh…"
Ekko moved.
The barrage still poured, but to the audience, the bullets looked like they were crawling through honey.
He weaved through them gracefully, the Timewinder in his hand ticking forward with each step.
He swatted aside the slowed bullets, slipping closer and closer to Jinx.
"Time magic?" Syndra murmured from the viewing box, her eyes curious as she watched the unfolding spectacle.
"Ekko has a natural talent for manipulating time," Ryan said flatly.
"But due to his age and lack of formal training, his abilities haven't been fully developed."
If Ekko had the right teacher in time magic, his strength would be far beyond what it is now.
Unfortunately, such teachers were rare in Runeterra; even Ryan had only heard of them in passing.
"Shh!"
Ekko's figure blurred as he shot forward like a streak of blue light, rapidly closing the distance between him and Jinx.
Jinx seemed to anticipate this move long before it happened.
A wild grin spread across her face.
Click! Click! Click!
The sound of mechanical parts opening and closing echoed from her, and three tin cans popped out, rolling onto the ground.
Ekko's eyes widened in realization. But it was too late for him to react.
Jinx wasn't backing down.
Despite the slowing effect of Ekko's time barrier, she quickly swung her machine gun's barrel horizontally, blocking his approach.
Using the recoil from the gun's barrel, she propelled herself backward.
As she soared through the air, the three cans erupted simultaneously, their explosions tearing through the air in a fiery roar.
The audience leapt to their feet, swept up in the excitement.
"Noxus!!"
"Gladiator! Gladiator!"
"Canon Girl!!"
The crowd's chants and the explosions reverberated through the arena, filling the air with pure adrenaline.
As the flames cleared, Jinx climbed to her feet with a wild laugh.
Without missing a beat, she shifted her machine gun into its rocket launcher form.
She had trained with Viktor himself for a short time, and now the weapon in her hands was a finely tuned Hextech creation.
It could switch between a machine gun and a rocket launcher on command, ideally suited to her chaotic combat style.
"Buzz!"
With a maniacal grin, Jinx took aim and pulled the trigger.
The rocket launcher erupted with a trail of thick smoke, blasting directly toward the spot where the fire still lingered.
Boom!
The rocket struck the ground, sending shockwaves through the arena.
Even the floor beneath them trembled slightly from the impact.
Ekko's time barrier shimmered, ripples spreading across it like raindrops.
The force of the explosion almost shattered the barrier, but in the end, it held firm.
"Damn..." Jinx muttered, pouting as she quickly retreated, stepping out of the enchanted field.
She knew better than to fight on the enemy's home turf. She was at a disadvantage here.
"This attack is brutal," Ekko remarked, smiling as he stretched his arm.
He looked untouched, though the Hex gemstone on his Timewinder seemed slightly dimmer than before.
"Why did the attack not hurt him?" Ezreal asked, unable to contain his curiosity from the high platform.
"The power of time magic," Seraphine said casually, now more comfortable with the battle's flow.
She no longer had to rely solely on her instincts to follow the fight.
"Time magic?" Ezreal asked, wide-eyed.
"You mean... he can literally turn back time?"
"Not exactly," Seraphine replied, guessing.
"It's more likely that his weapon records a snapshot of its state a few seconds earlier. When triggered, it resets his body to that state. It's not true time travel."
"Now that ability is impressive. It's a dream come true for explorers," Ezreal said, his eyes lighting up as he realized the potential of such a weapon.
He could picture it already—using it to avoid the dangers he faced on his many expeditions.
That weapon could be a real lifesaver.
Ezreal's eyes lingered on Ekko's weapon.
The Artifacts he lost could easily be replaced... once he figured out how to get his hands on that device.
Meanwhile, on the arena floor, the battle raged on.
The crowd's excitement rose once again.
"I knew you wouldn't go down that easily, but I'm still going to win! Wahahaha!" Jinx cackled, her face alight with madness as she pulled the trigger again.
Rockets shot forward, slamming into Ekko's time barrier, each explosion lighting up the arena like fireworks.
The sound of rockets streaking through the air and bursting on impact was a thrilling symphony, filling the arena with a chaotic, joyous melody.