The explosion was impossible to ignore. Even if someone were deaf and blind, they would still feel the violent shockwave rippling through the streets.
In truth, Morgana and the others had already received word of the impending attack long before it happened.
After all, when the Janna Familia first started amassing wealth, Renata had already established control over the black market.
These so-called "secret" operations weren't secret at all.
Not to mention, nearly every high-powered explosive on the market was supplied by the Sol Familia. There was no way the movement of such dangerous materials could escape their notice.
Renata had simply leveraged Sol Familia's intelligence network to her advantage.
So when the invaders stormed the Pleasure District, the defenders were already in position—waiting.
At the forefront stood Sylas and Fiora, ready to intercept the enemy.
As for Vex, the most powerful among the three familias, she was nowhere to be seen on the battlefield.
Combat had never been her priority.
Instead, she had been assigned a much more "important" duty—serving as a temporary bodyguard for the three goddesses who were watching the chaos unfold from atop a nearby tower.
The tower was otherwise deserted, leaving Vex to enjoy her rare moment of solitude.
Of course, she would have been even happier if the idiots outside had been smarter—perhaps avoiding the attack altogether.
Still, as long as they stayed far away from her, she could pretend none of this was happening.
At various intersections, Fiora and the others had already cut off the main invading force.
As for the small fry?
They weren't worth their attention.
The Pleasure District had its own enforcers to deal with them.
Renata had remained behind the scenes, overseeing the operation from a strategic vantage point.
Meanwhile, former members of the Ishtar Familia, who had since joined the alliance, patrolled the perimeter, ensuring no stragglers slipped through.
The only ones allowed to enter were the unimportant pawns—easily dealt with.
A group of a dozen Sumo Familia members moved swiftly through a narrow alleyway.
As habitual drunks, they were no strangers to the Pleasure District.
They didn't live here, but they had certainly frequented the district more times than they could count.
However, as they rounded a corner, they found their path blocked.
Standing before them was Garen, his massive sword resting at his side.
His gaze was steely, exuding the aura of a seasoned general—a stark contrast to the pleasure district around him.
"The wicked will be punished."
There was no need for long speeches.
The Pleasure District had been invaded, and there were many enemies to cut down tonight.
Raising his sword high, Garen prepared to strike.
Though it wasn't his Storm Sword, it was still a weapon forged by Poppy, a first-class blacksmith in Orario.
It would suffice.
"Go!"
The Sumo Familia members exchanged uneasy glances. A flicker of hesitation, a silent understanding passing between them.
Though they wore the same insignia, there was no loyalty between them.
Under Chandra' influence, many had already succumbed to the temptations of divine wine—becoming little more than slaves to their addiction.
And in this moment, it was clear—each of them was only looking out for themselves.
It was as if they were intoxicated beyond reason.
These adventurers, weak-willed and hopelessly ensnared by the allure of divine wine, had become nothing more than Chandra' pawns—tools to line his pockets.
And in their desperate pursuit of more, they no longer hesitated to turn on their own kin.
Loyalty? Companionship?
Such things were meaningless in the face of their addiction.
Even as the enemy stood before them, their minds remained consumed by selfish schemes.
If their so-called comrades fell in battle, it only meant fewer people to share the wine with.
Unlike them, Garen had no such distractions.
To him, the moment these people set foot in the Pleasure District, they had already sealed their fate.
They were enemies of the Kayle Familia—nothing more.
Renata's orders were simple: Eliminate all invaders.
No need to think beyond that.
Without hesitation, Garen leaped into the fray.
His heavy armor crashed against the ground, leaving a small crater beneath his feet.
A moment later, his massive sword flashed coldly through the air.
"Let me show you the power of Demacia—!"
With a single, mighty swing, his greatsword became a blur—spinning in a wide arc, tearing through the battlefield.
Though the motion lasted only a brief moment, the devastation it caused was absolute.
These so-called Sumo Familia adventurers, most of whom were barely at Level 1, were no match for him.
There was an insurmountable difference in power.
The fight was over in an instant.
Before they could even react, every single one of them lay defeated—scattered across the ground.
Similar results echoed across the other battlefields.
It became painfully clear—the so-called coalition was laughably weak.
Forget first-class adventurers—there were barely any above Level 2 among them.
And yet, just as the defenders felt a brief moment of relief—
BOOM!
A second explosion shattered the night.
Then another.
And another.
From beyond the walls of the Pleasure District, a relentless barrage of detonations thundered through the city.
This was no mere retreat.
This was part of their plan.
Unable to match Morgana and the others in raw combat strength, the invaders had opted for a different approach.
Much like the Ares Familia, they sought to bridge the power gap using sheer firepower.
If they couldn't rely on elite adventurers, they would compensate with overwhelming numbers and powerful equipment.
As long as there were no top-tier fighters present, brute force and crowd tactics would suffice.
They counted on the fact that no one wanted to be seen slaughtering defenseless weaklings.
These so-called "righteous" warriors had built their reputations carefully.
They wouldn't risk tarnishing their names.
At least, that was the plan.
But there was just one problem—
They had severely underestimated their enemies.
Instead of catching the defenders off guard, they had walked straight into a trap.
At every key location, the strongest warriors of the Kayle and Morgana families were already waiting—ready to crush the invaders like cornered rats.
Their strategy had been exposed long before the attack even began.
Yet even as the reality of their blunder set in, the invaders pressed forward—stubbornly sticking to their original plan.
And then—
CRASH!
The walls of the Pleasure Districtcollapsed under the force of the bombardment.
The very ground beneath Orario trembled from the impact.
But this was only the beginning.
As soon as a breach appeared—
A thunderous roar erupted from beyond.
Hundreds of foot soldiers surged forward, flooding through the newly-formed gap in the defenses.
What had originally been a coordinated attack quickly devolved into chaos.
Seeing the destruction, many of those who had come merely to spectate now saw an opportunity.
A chance to profit from the turmoil.
The reasoning was simple—
If the Kayle and Morgana families couldn't contain the situation, why should all the spoils go to the coalition?
If there was free land to be taken…
Why shouldn't they claim a piece for themselves?
And so, with greed in their eyes, more and more outsiders rushed in.