With Duocal's violent death, the suspense of the battle vanished instantly.
While many believe Noxians to be fearless and eager for death, the truth is they aren't as opposed to surrender as one might imagine—at least, for the majority. They join the military not for abstract "glory," but to climb the social ladder and achieve their "Noxian Dream."
When victory becomes impossible or the odds are overwhelmingly against them, surrender isn't a difficult choice.
After all, if they die, the glory might be theirs, but everything else becomes the property of the Legion. They want more than just a posthumous reputation.
With this mindset, surrender in a dire situation isn't considered shameful. Most Noxian soldiers act essentially as mercenaries; they have very little psychological baggage regarding laying down their arms.
The battle ended with startling speed. Akali, who had just entered her combat rhythm, felt a bit lost. She had followed Faen to prevent him from being overwhelmed by the formation.
It wasn't that she looked down on him, but Faen had never truly displayed his full strength. In Akali's view, even a Master would struggle against a structured legion. Charging in recklessly usually ends poorly, regardless of prestige.
Clearly, Akali was wrong. By the time she reached Faen's side, Duocal was already a corpse. Shattered brain matter leaked through the cracks of his mangled helmet. Amidst the nauseating stench of gore, Faen simply extended a hand, manipulating flowing water to cleanse the surrounding air and ground.
Dusting off his hands, Faen nodded in satisfaction. He looked at the approaching Akali. "Not bad. You managed to keep up with my pace."
Akali's lips twitched. She felt no joy or pride, only a lingering silence. After a moment, she asked, "Is 'not bad' really the right word? You weren't even trying, were you?"
Faen raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Did you figure that out yourself?"
"A feeling," Akali muttered, her lips moving slightly. "I don't know where the feeling comes from, but I can tell you didn't use your full power—not even half. I don't know why, but it must be related to the Enlightened One."
She gestured toward the back of Faen's hand. "If I can see it, Karma certainly can. Since she gave you the Mark of the Twin Dragons despite knowing your power, I have nothing to say. It's none of my business anyway."
"I see." Faen nodded, a flash of realization in his eyes as he looked at the mark.
He knew Karma's "stamp" was significant, but the weight of the Twin Dragon Mark was even higher than anticipated. Even core members of the Kinkou Order suppressed their doubts and chose to follow once they saw it.
Faen didn't dwell on it. He looked around and raised his voice, projecting it across the field: "Your lives belong to you; glory belongs to others. Duocal is dead. There is no need to fight. Lay down your weapons, and I will not harm you."
The soldiers, who had already lost their will to resist upon seeing their general's head crushed, looked at each other. As the first man dropped his blade, the rest followed suit, abandoning all resistance.
Most of these legions were comprised of provincial units serving as mercenaries. The tradition of "dueling generals" was still prevalent in Noxus. Faen had not only pierced their formation with ease but had slaughtered Duocal and his entire command staff in seconds.
Whether in a duel or a continued war, Noxus was now at a total disadvantage. Continuing to fight was merely delaying the inevitable arrival of death.
Watching the Noxians drop their weapons one by one, Shen—who had been conflicted about actively participating in the war—stood frozen. He realized something but couldn't quite grasp it, falling into a state of bewilderment.
"Mr. Faen is the one who truly understands mercy... and Balance."
Usan (Zed) returned to Shen's side. Looking at his brother, Usan bit his lip and said quietly, "If we only flee, the Noxians will continue to erode Ionia's land, shaking our ancient traditions and balance. Once there is nowhere left to run, revenge will become the eternal melody of this land."
Shen looked at Usan, seeking an answer to his own confusion.
"I finally understand what Mr. Faen meant in the Temple," Usan said after a brief silence, taking a deep breath. "The Elders of the Temple and the Order choose to flee to prevent the war from escalating, fearing an irreversible impact on the Spirit Realm."
"But if we can eliminate the enemy's leaders in advance... if we kill them..." Usan looked at the surrendering Noxian soldiers, his eyes flickering with the excitement of discovering a new truth.
"Then even if there is a ripple in the spirit realm, it is far better than all of Ionia being shrouded in agony! Such thunderous methods... they are the true face of mercy!"