Noxus Immortal Bastion
The Noxus capital, steeped in the atmosphere of war, is filled with traces of iron and fire.
This war fortress, said to have been built by a legendary, powerful, and ancient mage, has become incredibly vast over Noxus's millennia-long expansion.
Marked by that Immortal Bastion hundreds of meters high, it gradually expanded outwards, forming a huge and magnificent city.
At this moment, everyone in the Immortal Bastion of Noxus, from the Noble Council down to the rats hiding in the sewers, was cheering with joy.
The reason why the entire nation of Noxus was so overjoyed was not only because General Kelrak, the Grand General of the Empire, led his army to a magnificent victory in the border battle against the Demacia, but also because of a peculiar rumor.
Some say that a dozen incredibly powerful super soldiers suddenly appeared in the Noxus army, or more precisely, in General Kelrak's army, and that this great battle was closely related to them.
What created these super soldiers was a special alchemical potion far surpassing anything the Empire had ever developed; it was said that drinking it would grant unparalleled power.
The news traveled from the front lines all the way to the Immortal Bastion and is spreading rapidly throughout the entire Valoran Continent.
All the Noxus were overjoyed and excited upon hearing this, hoping to witness this extraordinary alchemical potion. Meanwhile, Demacia Zhao dispatched spies to investigate the exact origins of this Noxus potion.
Both sides were eager to verify the information about this alchemical potion, and ideally, to control or destroy it.
At the highest point of the Immortal Bastion in Noxus, an emergency meeting for the ultimate ruler of the empire is being held.
Swain sat in the main seat, his fingers rhythmically tapping the lightwood conference table, while the burly Darius sat to his left with his eyes closed, resting.
Suddenly, a soft chuckle rang out in the conference room.
"Sorry, I seem to be late."
As a languid and mysterious female voice rang out, a woman appeared in the seat on the right, her entire body enveloped in magical energy, making her form indistinct and unclear.
Her face is constantly changing; every time you gaze at her, you'll find it different from the last time. The only thing that remains unchanged is her pair of enchanting eyes.
When you look into its eyes, you'll find that even your soul is unconsciously drawn in, wanting to be captivated by it.
LeBlanc, the leader of the Black Rose, is a powerful, mysterious, and deadly sorceress, as well as an important member of the Noxus Trifarix Council, representing cunning!
The tapping on the table abruptly stopped, Swain's deep voice spoke, "Now that everyone is here, let's begin the meeting."
Darius, who had been resting with his eyes closed, also opened them, his gaze as powerful as a sleeping tiger opening its eyes.
"The purpose of this emergency meeting is to discuss the victory at the Battle of Nockmirch Plains and the rumors circulating within the Empire regarding alchemical potions. I believe you have all received the news, haven't you?"
Swain spoke coldly, glancing at the two of them as he spoke.
"Yes, Kelrak has achieved a truly great victory, annihilating an entire Demacia legion and pushing the front line fifty kilometers forward. As long as this land is held, the Empire will gain a large amount of high-quality arable land."
Darius, as the representative in charge of military forces, was also paying close attention to this rare and great victory.
"Indeed, Kelrak's victory is a very good thing, but what I want to say is, with only the Blood Shadow Legion and without the support of other legions, when did Kelrak ever manage to take on three opponents and annihilate an elite enemy force?"
Swain tapped his fingers lightly on the conference table again, the rhythmic tapping slowly freezing the atmosphere in the room.
"Have you noticed this legion's strength, which is beyond the normal level, before?"
Demacia, as Noxus's old rival, has a legion strength that is not much different from Noxus's. Even though Noxus has mage squads, the opponent also has Petricite sculptures and weapons, and is also equipped with a large number of Wenwu.
News from the front lines indicates that Kelrak launched a surprise attack on the Demacia front-line legions, ultimately defeating them decisively even under the combined assault of two other Demacia legions that arrived at the scene.
They pushed the front line forward 50 kilometers, driving the Demacia invaders back to their old military stronghold before finally halting their invasion.
Such a terrifying record made Swain sense something was wrong, and he could only pass the buck to the two men in charge of the army and information.
A powerful army is a good thing, but a powerful army that is not controlled by the empire is a bad thing.
Darius frowned and said softly, "I don't know either."
" Kelrak did not submit any operational instructions regarding Demacia, nor did he report to me after the victory. I sent military staff to inquire, but have not received any reply yet."
Swain hearing this, then turned his gaze to LeBlanc.
"What about intelligence? Have you gathered any information about the Blood Shadow Legion?"
The figure in the chair shifted, and a languid female voice slowly drifted out, "I do know a little about that, but not much."
"A powerful mage has appeared in the Blood Shadow Legion. All my spies have been eliminated. I don't know the specifics, but it's definitely related to that mage."
"Some say that the mage was the source of the unrest that occurred in Demacia recently, but we don't know if that's true."
"Is that all you know? It seems this mage is truly powerful." Swain gave LeBlanc a meaningful look.
As an enemy who had personally fought her, he knew LeBlanc's strength and cunning better than anyone else, especially in terms of infiltration.
The Black Rose, a dark organization that has existed for over a thousand years alongside the rise of Noxus, has always been a key headache for Swain due to its terrifying infiltration and disguise capabilities.
If he hadn't been unable to ascertain LeBlanc's true identity and all the Black Rose's hidden core members, he would have launched a massive purge long ago and would never have tolerated such a dark entity residing within the Empire.
"That mage is very powerful, Swain. Perhaps you should shift your gaze away from me a little. That guy might bring enough power to destroy all of Noxus," LeBlanc chuckled seductively.
The spies planted within the Blood Shadow Legion were eliminated one by one, and she harbored deep resentment towards the mages among them.
If Swain could test the waters first, perhaps she could reap the benefits later?
Swain remained silent, and the three continued to discuss some rumors about alchemical potions. Afterward, they decided to use the council's name to summon the Blood Shadow Legion back from the front lines under the pretext of troop rotation and rest.