Darius stood at the bow of the landing ship, his sharp gaze fixed on the gradually clearing Ionia coastline ahead.
The moist sea breeze carried the scent of war; the ram of the Noxus warship sliced through the waves, the crashing of steel against the sea sounding like war drums.
Behind them, the elite vanguard soldiers were already waiting on the deck, their heavy armor and enchanted weapons gleaming coldly in the sunlight.
"General, the Baru'e Inland Sea lies ahead, and the Ionia have already formed a defensive line." The adjutant strode over and handed over a brief intelligence report.
Darius took it and glanced at it.
" Blade Dancer Irelia, Master Yi, and those damned cultists..." He sneered.
"With both old and new grudges combined, these guys are quick on their feet."
He casually handed the intelligence to his adjutant, "Order the entire army to prepare for the first wave of alchemical artillery bombardment. After the bombardment ends, immediately proceed with the landing operation."
"Yes!"
--
"Boom!!"
A fierce barrage of artillery fire erupted from the warships along the coastline, then rained down upon the land of Ionia.
The alchemical shells, imbued with pollutants, slid down from the sky and then crashed into the ground, causing a powerful explosion.
The thick, toxic smoke and shockwaves echoed around, filling the Ionia hiding within the magical barrier with Yazi.
"Damn it! Those damned Noxus, with that filthy weapon again!"
The Ionia had already witnessed the power of this alchemical poison gas during the previous Noxus invasion.
Not only can the shockwave and toxic gas from the impact kill people, but the alchemical substances inside will also severely pollute the First Lands.
Land contaminated by this alchemical poison gas will cause the magical plants and animals on it to mutate, resulting in fundamental damage to the ecosystem.
Unfortunately, faced with such powerful, relentless bombardment, they were powerless to do anything except hide inside the magic barrier and wait for the bombardment to end.
Karma the Karma, with his powerful spellcasting abilities, along with those highly respected monks and ascetics, did not come to the front lines; they lacked the ability to combat this alchemical weapon.
After a long while, the bombardment ended, and taking advantage of the aftershocks of the alchemical weapons' bombardment, landing craft from warships carrying soldiers docked.
For Noxus!!
A roar echoed through the sky, and before the soldiers had even fully landed, lithe figures had already leaped down from the heavens.
A dozen or so Arcane Warrior stood at the front of the procession, led by General Darius.
Ionia's defensive forces reacted swiftly, launching an attack immediately upon seizing the opportunity.
Those powerful archers from the jungle or monasteries drew their bows and unleashed a rain of arrows, each imbued with the power of Native Magic, capable of piercing even steel.
However--
Darius gripped his battle axe with both hands, his Arcane Runes fully visible, and Arcane energy began to gather on the battle axe, which had been reforged by Xu Xiao.
As the Grand General of Noxus, his first strike upon landing on the island must be to give the enemy a taste of their power.
Darius began to run quickly, then leaped high into the air, the axe blade in his hand bursting with dazzling light.
An unparalleled Arcane torrent erupted from the giant axe, sweeping away everything in its path with overwhelming force.
Whether it was the arrows falling from the sky or the messy grass, trees, and rocks on the ground, everything melted away little by little under the illumination of this white light.
The Arcane shockwave traveled three hundred meters, like an eraser, completely thwarting the Ionia attack.
The final aftershock struck the Ionia's magical barrier, creating cracks before dissipating.
"How is that possible!"
Such a terrifying attack left the Ionia speechless; no one could understand why this Noxus possessed such powerful magical abilities.
"Don't panic! It must be the magical weapon in his hand. For the sake of the First Lands, we will never back down!"
Blade Dancer Irelia was the first to step forward and boost morale, followed by the powerful swordsman Master Yi drawing his longsword.
The enemy is stronger than when they invaded before, but the Ionia will not back down.
Similarly, the Noxus would never let such a good opportunity to invade pass them by.
"For Noxus! For the Empire! Charge with me!!"
Darius soared into the air, making himself visible to everyone, and with a resounding command, the entire Noxus army began to erupt in cheers.
" Arcane Warrior, charge!"
The Arcane Warrior leader gave the order, and a dozen warriors, their bodies shimmering with purple magic runes, suddenly took flight and charged out.
Armed with specially made heavy weapons and clad in specially crafted Rune heavy armor, they served as the spearhead of the force, plunging fiercely into the Ionia defenses.
They can fly, and Arcane Energy has transformed their bodies, giving them unparalleled strength and considerable spellcasting abilities.
In almost an instant, these dozen or so Arcane Warrior caused immense destruction, like tigers entering a flock of sheep, each attack taking away swathes of lives.
Aside from the elites within monasteries and sects who can offer some resistance, most ordinary Ionia remain vulnerable despite the aid of Native Magic.
They could not stop the Arcane Warrior ' every Isshiki; they would only instantly turn into dead souls on the battlefield.
As the Arcane Warrior slaughtered their way through the enemy ranks, Darius led the charge, penetrating deep into enemy lines and instilling the deepest fear in the Ionia.
"How is this possible?!" An Ionia archer's eyes widened, and before he could retreat, he was cleaved in two by a crimson axe flash.
Darius himself stepped into the battlefield, his giant axe sweeping across the battlefield, Arcane Energy flowing along its blade, each swing unleashing a storm-like shockwave.
His power far surpassed what it once was; enhanced by Arcane Potion, even the elites of monasteries and sects were no match for him.
"Hahaha! Ionia, your prized magic is nothing but a joke before the power of the Empire!"
The Blade Dancer Irelia flashed across the battlefield, the blade of her Sword of the Ancestors drawing deadly arcs through the air.
She had just beheaded a Noxus centurion, but her body lunged forward into the distance, her gaze fixed on the tall figure.
Darius!
She gritted her teeth and leaped up, her blade flashing as she met the oncoming giant axe.
"Clang--"
The deafening clang of metal striking metal made the surrounding soldiers' eardrums ache, Irelia was thrown back several steps by the violent force, her wrist going numb.
Darius paused only briefly, then grinned maliciously and approached again.
"Last time you cut off Swain's arm, this time, I'll take your life!"
With axe flashing, Master Yi had no choice but to forgo his chance to charge into the battlefield and join forces with Irelia to hold off Darius.
Ionia once thwarted Noxus's invasion with its superior individual combat skills, but now, with the addition of Arcane Warrior, that advantage has completely disappeared.