"Visitors?"
Duke looked in the direction Pride was pointing. As a low growl rumbled in Pride's throat, its tail lashed restlessly.
"You're getting worked up already?"
The cicada on Duke's shoulder quieted down just as he gently patted Pride.
"Then go have some fun."
"Mm."
With a hiss of steam, Pride stepped forward. The once-silent jungle stirred into unrest.
Trees were crashing down, and an unfamiliar, oppressive aura surged toward the camp.
Inside the cage, Nidalee—who had been filing at the bars with bored defiance—sensed the strange presence. Her pupils contracted sharply as she crouched and turned toward the trees behind her.
"It's those giant lizards that nest in the ruins!"
She knew this aura well. Her body reacted instinctively—lion-like fur sprang up across her skin. But when she noticed Duke's unbothered, almost amused expression, she faltered.
That bastard… he's not even afraid?
Does he not realize what's about to come crashing down on him?
Whip!
A dagger suddenly flew from the forest and landed in the grass near Duke. A flash of crimson—Katarina blinked into view beside the blade, snatched it up, and flung another into the air.
"Good luck, 'Three-Two-Zero'!"
She winked at Duke before vanishing again. He didn't hesitate—he deployed Wally.
"Father." Wally bowed respectfully.
Duke turned to Jinx.
"Jinx, go with Wally. Bring back that red-haired woman."
He paused.
"Try not to kill her."
"Yeah, yeah, got it!"
With a burst of energy, Jinx raced past Duke, wielding Pow-Pow with delight. She chased after Katarina as Wally soared into the air to assist her.
Duke turned to Pride.
"I'm counting on you now."
He clapped Pride on the side and returned to the camp, calling everyone to pick up the pace.
"Move it! Or there won't be any dinner before nightfall!"
Nidalee clutched the bars of her cage.
"Are you insane? That's a dragonbeast!"
"The apex predator of the jungle ruins! You can't just treat that like a normal animal!"
"Oh? And then?"
Duke casually pulled out a cigar. He had just retrieved his "Echo of Destiny" when a massive tree on the edge of the forest shattered, torn apart by an emerging beast.
A dragon-like creature, scarred with an X-shaped wound across its chest, burst into the clearing with a roar that shook the ground.
"This big guy again…" Duke muttered, remembering the first time he entered Ixtal. "Looks like it actually escaped from the Kha'Zix."
ROAR!!
Pride answered the dragonbeast's roar with a savage one of his own. His core engine surged into overload, releasing a wave of scorching steam from his entire body.
Nidalee closed her eyes and curled into a ball, bracing against the blast.
Then, like lightning, Pride launched forward and smashed headlong into the dragonbeast.
Duke used the moment to light his cigar, drawing in a deep breath and exhaling a stream of indigo smoke.
"Impressive, isn't he?"
He turned to Nidalee, clearly proud.
"That's my creation—my son."
"Your… creation?"
Nidalee chewed over the word.
"Like how you made your clothes and weapons," Duke explained slowly, "I made him."
Right at that moment—
Pride leapt high into the air. In Nidalee's stunned gaze, he clenched both fists together and slammed them down on the dragonbeast's skull. A dent formed instantly, prompting a pained roar.
"Life can't be created!" Nidalee snapped, shifting her gaze from Pride back to Duke.
"Only nature can bring life into the world!"
"That may be true for you. But for me, life is something I can summon with a flick of the wrist."
He gave her cage a light pat.
"Watch closely. And start thinking about your future."
"Crawl back to your hole, lizard!"
Pride caught the dragon's claw mid-swipe. His fingers extended into ion blades, white-hot and crackling with energy.
The dragon's scales—composed of stone and vine—were sliced clean through. No blood flowed. The heat had cauterized the wounds instantly.
Wounded and enraged, the dragon opened its jaws, unleashing a petrifying breath meant to turn everything to stone.
But Pride didn't flinch. He opened his own maw and fired an ion beam in return.
Zzzrhhkk!
The two beams collided midair, creating a massive explosion that echoed through the clearing.
As the shockwave rushed in, Duke activated a portable shield generator, slamming his palm onto the control panel just in time.
Zzzzt!
An electromagnetic field snapped into place around the camp. The shield barely held.
Noticing this, Pride's eyes flared red. His armor plates split open, venting clouds of white steam.
"Insect!!" he roared.
Maintaining his ion beam, Pride charged headlong into the dragonbeast, pushing back its breath attack. By the time he reached it, the beast could no longer maintain its stream.
Desperate, the dragon twisted to dodge—but Pride's beam still pierced its shoulder. The wound didn't bleed. The searing heat had sealed the veins shut.
In a final act of desperation, the dragon roared and fired its breath into the ground, kicking up a violent sandstorm to cover its retreat. It tried to tunnel down, but—
Pride burst through the storm, grabbed its tail, and yanked with everything he had.
"You're not going anywhere!!"
He deactivated his ion blades and used brute strength. The ground cracked beneath him as he pulled the dragonbeast from the earth like a weed.
Nidalee squinted through the storm, unable to see but hearing every roar and wail.
Then, suddenly—
Silence.
The dust settled. Pride stood atop the dragon's skull, howling in triumph.
ROOOOAAARRR!!
Clap!
Duke slapped the generator, shutting down the shield.
The device was powerful—capable of blocking both physical and magical attacks—but it drained mana at an alarming rate.
The magitek engine inside could only sustain full power for ten minutes.
Duke glanced at the roaring Pride, then toward the direction Wally and Jinx had chased after Katarina.
Hope they're doing alright…
Meanwhile, in the forest…
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A streak of laser fire tore through trees and rocks. Jinx, swinging her weapon wildly, laughed as beams chased the fleeing Katarina like a mouse in a maze.
"Little brat! Didn't your parents teach you manners?!" Katarina cursed, flipping through the air.
She hurled another dagger into the ground near Jinx—but Jinx didn't even blink. She dropped a Chompers mine right next to it.
She'd learned her lesson about that teleport trick.
Katarina frowned when she saw the chomping, buzzing trap already in place.
These weapons weren't standard issue from Piltover's merchants. This girl—and that strange metal man—were something else entirely.
"Damn swindlers…" she muttered.
Just as she considered retreating, she spotted Wally hovering nearby, arms crossed and staring coldly at her.
She stiffened.
"Wally."
"Yes, Father."
"Stop playing. Bring her in."
"Understood."
In an instant, Wally vanished from sight—reappearing right behind Katarina.
"I don't usually hit pretty ladies," he said, "but Father gave the order."
He raised a hand crackling with electricity and delivered a precise strike to her neck. She blacked out before she could scream.
Wally slung her over his shoulder and flew toward Jinx.
"Time to go, little lady."
"I'm not a little lady! I'm Jinx!"
"Right, right. Let's go, Jinx."
"Hmph! I was just getting started too!"
She pouted and holstered her weapon before sprinting back to camp.
Nightfall.
Katarina stirred, clutching her neck.
"You're awake?" came a cool voice nearby.
She blinked around, realizing she was in a cage, wearing a simple long gown.
Next to her, in a separate cage, crouched a woman with a long black tail and glowing green eyes that shimmered like emeralds in the firelight.
"So, the Noxian's finally up," she said.
Duke approached with their dinner trays, sliding them through the bars.
"Get along, okay? No fighting."
Katarina scowled at the food, then at Nidalee.
"You've put me in a dog cage?"
"Correction," Nidalee said seriously, meeting her eyes,
"I'm a lion."
(End of chapter)
We're still in the early chapters fam! and to everyone who's joined the Patreon, thank you so much! 🙏Your support truly means the world. You're the reason this story keeps growing, chapter by chapter, world by world. I promise to give it my all! more content, more depth, more epic moments, to make sure your support is always worth it. You're part of the foundation that keeps this universe alive.
🔹 Hexcore Initiate – 15 chapters ahead
🔸 Arc Reactor Elite – 35 chapters
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