"At this very moment, the curtain rises, and beauty descends!"
Jhin spun gracefully backward, tossing an exquisitely crafted grenade from his hand. As it left his palm, thin threads of dazzling smoke began to bloom outward.
Facing the incoming grenade, Duke charged straight ahead. The object, no larger than his palm, seemed like an insurmountable skyscraper from his current perspective.
But just as it reached him, Duke pierced through its outer casing with ease.
Boom!
The explosion tore across the stage—yet instead of flames, what followed was a dazzling cloud of smoke. It spread like an elegant mist, while hidden shockwaves erupted in all directions.
The smoke seemed harmless, but the invisible impact concealed within it was the real killing blow.
Not that it mattered to Duke.
His steps hammered rhythmically on the floor, almost like part of a dance. Jhin's eyes darted through the thick smoke, searching desperately for Duke's silhouette. He couldn't comprehend how Duke could vanish and reappear so suddenly.
Yet the faint trails within the smoke betrayed Duke's secret.
A rice-grain-sized arc traced a perfect parabola through the air.
Jhin's pupils contracted sharply—he had caught sight of the tiny Duke. The gun in his hand, Whisper, tilted like a poised blade toward the target.
"Three!"
Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger.
A burst of flame flared from the muzzle as a drop-shaped mana bullet shot straight toward Duke.
Jhin's talent surpassed that of ordinary men. Even during his imprisonment in Ionia, his brilliance in every field had astonished the monks who studied him.
Yet such a genius had chosen a twisted, deranged path.
"So quick to find me? Not bad eyesight!"
Duke arched an eyebrow, noting Jhin's focus. In the next instant, he sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the mana bullet. Jets of ion light flared from his back, propelling him with explosive agility.
"Four!!"
Jhin's voice rose to a feverish pitch. The Whisper thundered louder than before as a crimson mana round—distinct from the previous three—traced a brilliant trajectory through the air, locking onto Duke's movements.
"The fourth shot, huh?"
Observing the rampaging red projectile, Duke performed a cobra maneuver, twisting sharply out of its path. His left hand pressed a small button on his finger joint—his body expanded instantly.
Boom!
The stage groaned under his weight and collapsed. Jhin hastily reloaded, trying to widen the distance again.
But the moment was enough for Duke to strike.
As the floor caved and splintered, Duke appeared right before Jhin. His armored hand spread open, palm facing the gunman. The plates on his palm slid apart, revealing the emitter beneath—then a beam of light burst forth.
Jhin's reaction was fast. Before he ever wielded Whisper, he had been a swordsman.
Yes—before he became an ADC, Jhin was a warrior who wielded blades.
In mere months, he had elevated his swordsmanship and ki techniques to a level few could ever reach. During his four years of pursuit by Master Kusho, Shen, and Zed, Jhin's weapon of choice had always been the blade.
His skill had been great enough to slaughter travelers and destroy farms.
But once he was freed and gained new sponsors and weapons, the precision and artistry of Whisper had eclipsed his previous craft.
And so, he abandoned the path of the warrior—for the theater of the marksman.
Even so, his reflexes could not match the pulse beam.
Bzzt!
The light struck him squarely. Electricity rippled over his body, paralyzing his grip.
Whisper and its magazine clattered to the stage as Jhin fell, eyes rolling back, his voice reduced to a pained groan beneath the mask.
No matter how brilliant or deranged he was, Jhin was still human.
Against Duke's power, it was like facing a god from another dimension.
Flat on the ground, Jhin glared up, unwilling to accept the ruined performance that was meant to be his magnum opus.
Duke tossed a small glass cube. As it hit the ground, it expanded rapidly, unfolding into a containment cell that trapped Jhin inside.
Raising a hand, Duke fired a shrink ray, reducing the glass cell to the size of a matchbox.
Inside, Jhin's surroundings ballooned around him. His eyes widened in bewilderment.
Everything defied his understanding.
"So, artist… any last words?"
Duke used the Force to pull the matchbox-sized cell into his hand and flicked it lightly. Inside, Jhin tumbled violently as though struck by an earthquake, slamming helplessly against the walls.
He didn't speak—only cowered in a corner, trembling in fear.
"In the end, just a mortal after all."
With a flick of his wrist, Duke summoned Whisper and the fallen magazine from the ground, then turned his gaze to Grayson in the audience.
After pocketing the items, he appeared beside her in an instant, casually disabling the trap under her feet.
"Don't follow up on this case. You know what to do next."
Grayson met his gaze. She was sharp—once Vander's ally, now a respected enforcer in Piltover, even after Marcus had taken over her post.
"I'll handle it, but at least give me an explanation."
Duke shrugged.
"Check on Ionia's Golden Demon—you'll understand everything."
"Also, have Vi and Caitlyn raid the alchemy barons in the undercity. Make it a full-scale operation. That's an order from the Pharos family."
He pressed the Pharos crest into her palm. The sight of it erased any of her doubts.
"Understood, sir. As you wish."
"Then it's all yours."
With that, Duke shrank down and vanished from sight. Grayson stared at the crest in her hand and smirked.
"Those barons are in for a rough time."
Duke's Workshop
The skylight opened, and swarms of firefly drones flew back inside, returning to their stations. Duke materialized out of thin air, placing the tiny glass box on a shelf.
"Edith, initiate the Wall Nation Protocol. Disinfect and process our guest thoroughly, then settle him in."
"Yes, boss."
Mechanical arms collected the box containing Jhin and began sterilization and containment procedures. Soon, he would be transferred to a cell built into the wall.
This was Duke's little "Micronation," a project he had made purely out of boredom—a living ant farm, except the inhabitants were human.
Entry wasn't random. Only those who were irredeemably wicked yet artistically unique were chosen.
Killing them would be wasteful. Keeping them alive was dangerous.
So Duke simply... shrunk them down.
Having removed his armor, Duke placed Whisper on his workbench and began studying it in detail.
"Boss, there's an incoming call from Katarina. Shall I connect it?"
"Katarina?"
Duke paused mid-disassembly, then pushed his chair toward the console.
"Put her through. Let's see what that girl wants."
"Connection established."
Pulling out a flask, Duke took a sip as the holographic screen lit up—Katarina's familiar face appeared before him.
"Yo, assassin. Missing your maid outfit already?"
"Duke, I'm here to fulfill our deal."
Her tone was calm, but the worry in her eyes didn't escape Duke's notice. His brows arched slightly.
"Alright then, what do you need from me?"
Back when Duke had returned from Ixtal to Piltover, he had dropped Katarina back in Noxus. The two had struck a secret deal:
When the time came, Duke would do one thing for her. In return, he could claim something from her—whether body, soul, or skill was up to him.
"My sister, Cassiopeia, has gone missing. I want you to find her."
That made Duke's expression twist slightly.
"Missing... in Shurima?"
"Yes. She went there to explore some ancient temple, but she's been out of contact for half a month."
"Didn't I warn you? If you don't want your sister in danger, don't let her near Shurima."
"She promised me she wouldn't—but..." Katarina sighed, frustration flashing across her face. "She's just like Mother. Never keeps her word."
Duke waved dismissively.
"Hopeless. Give it up."
He knew what that meant. Cassiopeia must have gone to the ancient capital of Shurima—where she would betray Sivir and be cursed, transforming into the half-human, half-serpent creature of legend.
Still, the news stirred unease in Duke's chest.
If Cassiopeia's curse had already occurred, then the Golden Chicken would soon awaken. Xerath and Renekton would break free, and Shurima would descend into chaos.
"Seems I'll have to pay Shurima a visit after all…"
End of chapter....
IRONBOUND PATRON
🔹 Hexcore Initiate – 15 chapters ahead
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