Aftermath, The Raven Flies In

On the rooftop of The Last Drop.

Silco stared at the broken Boundary Bridge with a complicated expression, a trace of emotion flickering in his eyes.

Sevika, standing beside him, couldn't hold back her words, muttering in a strange tone: "The Butler really went all out. I wonder what we'll have to face next."

"Call him Mr. Viktor now. He's a hero of Zaun. As Zaunites, all of us have dreamed of this day."

Silco gripped the railing tightly, his gaze shifting to the Vander Statue below. As if to say: See that, Vander? Only true strength can bring Zaun a future!

"What should we do?" Sevika asked.

"Spread the word. Carry out Mr. Viktor's will. I don't want to hear any discordant voices under my command. He set an example with his strength; we can't fall behind." Silco's voice was cold.

"Understood!"

On another rooftop in Zaun, a boy with white hair, wearing the mask of the Firelight Gang's leader, stood watching. He, too, had seen Viktor blow up the bridge.

His name was Ekko. He had once been adopted by Benzo, Vander's close friend. On the day of the chaos Silco had orchestrated, Benzo and Vander died together. He shared a blood feud with Silco as well.

Ekko turned to look at the two women standing behind him:

"Piltover and Zaun are over. What are you two going to do?"

One of them was Caitlyn Kiramman. Her expression was filled with disgust:

"Another wave of evil spreading. That man deserves to be judged by justice. Vi, would you follow someone like that?"

"I don't buy your self-righteous justice. Viktor wasn't really wrong."

The pink-haired Vi shook her head. She was the criminal Caitlyn had broken out of Stillwater Hold.

She also had another identity: Vander's adopted daughter, and Jinx's older sister.

"I misjudged you." Caitlyn dropped those words and turned to leave.

"Hold on, cupcake. Didn't you hear Ekko? That guy's connected to Silco. And Silco and I are sworn enemies."

Vi slung an arm over Caitlyn's shoulder, raising her eyebrows a few times with a teasing look.

"So what do you plan to do? Join the Firelights to oppose him? Or come back to Piltover with me?" Caitlyn frowned.

"Come on. With the two cities at odds now, your people wouldn't welcome me." Vi shrugged.

"Miss Kiramman." Ekko, standing ahead, suddenly spoke. "The news is grim, but I think you have a right to know. In the chaos before, your family's manor was leveled to the ground. Your father was obliterated in the disaster, with no remains left. Councilor Kiramman was also gravely injured."

"What?! How is that possible!"

Caitlyn's eyes went wide, fixed on Ekko. Her body trembled uncontrollably. If not for Vi holding her, she would have collapsed.

She looked at Ekko with a pleading gaze, hoping against hope:

"Tell me this isn't true!"

"I have no reason to lie to you. You'll find out when you return to the Upper City."

Ekko finished coldly, then leaped from the height, landing on his Greenfire Hoverboard and speeding downward.

The landscape of Zaun and Piltover had shifted. He needed to prepare early.

Hearing the definitive answer, Caitlyn broke free from Vi, stepped forward a few paces, gripped the railing with both hands, and stared blankly toward Piltover.

"This isn't like you, cupcake. Don't be so lifeless." Vi walked up beside Caitlyn.

"What do you know? It's not your family that died!" Caitlyn's face twisted with resentment.

"Yeah, it's not my family that died. But my family's almost all dead. And I've been through it more than once. This world is just shit."

Vi shoved her hands in her pockets, a mocking smirk for the world on her face, her gaze also fixed on Piltover, on the broken Boundary Bridge.

After a while, once Caitlyn's emotions had settled, Vi put on her roguish grin again:

"Cupcake, from the look on your face, seems like you've got an idea?"

"Vi, let's join forces!"

Caitlyn turned to face Vi. Dried tear streaks still marked her face, but her voice was firm:

"You overthrow Silco and Viktor and build a new Zaun. I'll do it for Piltover—and for myself."

"Sounds interesting. But I don't want to work with those bureaucrats from your Piltover." Vi put on a troubled expression.

"Not them. Me. Caitlyn of the Kiramman family!" Caitlyn emphasized her family name. "I'll show you my sincerity."

Vi raised an eyebrow, said nothing, and simply extended her hand to Caitlyn.

Caitlyn took it, her face set with determination.

Justice! Will be served!

Inside the Noxus Embassy in Piltover, in Ryan's room.

Katarina, still like a loyal guard, lurked in the shadows, leaning against the wall, watching Ryan as he meditated.

Streams of water formed by magic swirled around Ryan, condensing into runic shapes before surging into his body.

This was a scene Katarina witnessed every day.

The awakening of magic is decreed by heaven, but studying runes can enhance one's acquired potential.

She had once heard Ryan explain that runes not only amplify the magic within one's body but also unleash incredible power. Things like teleportation, imprisonment, or even controlling gravity—as long as one could channel energy to guide the runes, all of this could be achieved with ease.

Yet most mages were lost in the intoxication of raw strength. Even in Noxus, where internal competition was a way of life, there were very few like Ryan who forwent sleep every night to meditate and cultivate runes.

Suddenly, Ryan opened his eyes. His gaze, carrying a blue magical glint, swept toward the window.

"Caw!! Caw!!"

A raven's cry suddenly rang out from outside, and then a jet-black raven with blood-red eyes appeared at the windowsill.

"Your Excellency, I'll handle this at once."

Katarina offered an apology and reached for the dagger at her back.

"Open the window for him. He's an old friend of mine. You can't defeat him."

Hearing Ryan's confident words, Katarina's face showed defiance. Even if it were a magical creature, it was still just a raven.

Still, she complied, opening the window for the raven and letting it fly inside, where it landed on a perch directly facing Ryan.

The perch had been there all along, as if prepared specifically for him.

Katarina leaned back against the wall once more, watching the raven settle on the perch. Its crimson gaze swept toward her.

Just that one look made her eyes widen. In that moment, she felt as if she were being stared down by a demon. Her blood froze, her breathing grew labored, and her body trembled uncontrollably.

Fortunately, the gaze soon shifted away. The raven turned all its attention back to Ryan:

"Ryan, long time no see."

Thank you to "Marisa the Master Thief" for the generous tip! The first recommendation of next week has arrived, and I truly can't thank you all enough for your support!