The last glimmer of life in Ionia was extinguished before the Empire's massive planar node extractor. This once vibrant and harmonious land was now nothing but a desolate, gray-white desert. All life energy, all mineral resources, even the rare elements floating in the atmosphere, had been plundered, reduced to strings of cold data, and transmitted back to the Empire's central database.
It became a cold, lifeless planetary corpse, drained of all its value, floating in the void, serving as yet another monument to Lin Feng's successful "experiment".
The City of Heaven, now known as the "Throne of Calamity," having completed its "asset liquidation" of Ionia, slowly entered the perpetually open colossal dimensional gate above the ruins of the Eternal Forest. On the other side of the gate lay a deeper, more expansive unknown.
Inside the command center, Irelia stood silently on her throne. This throne was not physical, but rather formed from the pale, cold "fallen light" emanating from her. Below her sat her three most trusted apostles—Garrosh, the "Vanguard of Destruction"; Li Yao, the "Shadow Apostle"; and Balin, the "Titan Armorer." They had once been the core of the Avengers, but now they were the Empire's sharpest blades. Their eyes held no trace of their former emotions, only absolute obedience to Irelia's commands.
"His Majesty the God-Emperor's new orders have been issued." Gaia's cold voice echoed in the empty hall. A holographic star map unfolded before Irelia, presenting a brand-new world full of vitality.
"Target plane: Runeterra - Valoran. This plane possesses a highly complex energy system, primarily manifested as 'rune magic' and 'world rune' fragments. It boasts diverse civilizations, with multiple independent kingdoms and city-states, among which the two human empires of 'Demacia' and 'Noxus' are the most powerful. This world possesses extremely high diversity of 'emotional memes' and 'special genetic' samples, making it the perfect location for the next phase of 'experiments'."
Irelia's empty eyes gazed silently at the kingdom highlighted on the star map, radiating a holy white light.
“Demacia…” she uttered the name in a completely emotionless tone. “A nation that believes in ‘order,’ ‘justice,’ and ‘glory.’ Gaia, analyze its ‘emotional meme’ composition.”
“Analysis complete,” Gaia responded quickly. “Demacia’s main emotional memes are: pride, loyalty, honor, and… ‘hatred’ and ‘fear’ of magic. Its social structure is stable, its military is powerful, and it possesses special ‘petricite’ resources that can effectively suppress magical energy. According to the model, it is an excellent subject for ‘stress testing.’ When its strong belief system is completely shattered by external forces, the ‘despair’ meme it can generate will be more than three times that of Ionia.”
“Very good.” Irelia slowly rose, a pale white demonic sword materializing in her hand. The cold blade pointed towards the majestic capital of Demacia.
"Phase One Objective: Demacia. Mission: Destroy its faith, plunder its resources, and select and contain all its 'high-value' female individuals." Her voice was like the final judgment from the deepest hell.
"Yes, First Apostle." The three apostles, along with the entire Throne of Calamity, responded in unison, their voices cold and uniform.
The massive floating fortress changed direction and began to crush the land filled with "glory" and "justice." A grander and more brutal "purification" targeting the entire world had officially begun.
Demacia, the City of Light.
This magnificent city-state, forged from pristine white marble and gleaming gold, is a symbol of order and justice throughout the continent of Valoran. Towering anti-magic stone colossi silently guard every corner of the city; their greyish-white bodies are not only a symbol of Demacia's power but also a testament to its unwavering resolve in "purifying magic."
At this moment, it is Demacia's founding anniversary. The magnificent Radiant Square is packed with people. Dressed in festive attire, their faces beam with pride and happiness. In the center of the square, Garen, the Might of Demacia, is leading his proud "Fearless Vanguard" legion in a solemn military parade. They are clad in heavy armor forged from anti-magic stone and fine steel, their greatswords gleaming with the light of justice. Each synchronized step makes the earth tremble, filling the hearts of the people with an unparalleled sense of security.
However, just as everyone was immersed in this scene of peace and glory, the sky suddenly darkened without warning.
It wasn't dark clouds obscuring the sun. Rather, a colossal black rift, like a wound from creation, appeared out of nowhere above the City of Light. From within the rift emanated a cold, otherworldly aura, an aura that sent a chill down the spines of every Demacian bathed in holy light.
"What is that?!"
"Oh my god! The sky... the sky has cracked open!"
The cheers of the crowd instantly turned into terrified screams. The square descended into chaos.
"All troops on alert!" Garen reacted with lightning speed. He raised his greatsword "Judgment" high and roared deafeningly, "Fearless Vanguard! Form the 'Anti-Magic Barrier'! Protect the people!"
Thousands of fearless vanguard soldiers instantly formed an iron wall, firmly protecting the panicked civilians behind them. Although they were equally shocked by the scene before them, their duty as soldiers and their loyalty to their country prevented them from retreating in the slightest.
Just then, a floating fortress, a hundred times larger than the Demacian palace and made entirely of strange starlight crystals, slowly emerged from the black crack.
Its appearance completely obscured the sun. The entire City of Light was plunged into its cold shadow.
All the Demacians looked up, staring blankly at the aerial fortress that resembled the abode of a god. For the first time, a feeling of insignificance welled up in their hearts.
Immediately afterwards, tens of thousands of soldiers, clad in jet-black armor and with faces obscured, leaped down from the floating fortress like black raindrops. They landed silently on the walls of the City of Light and at various key points throughout the city.
Their movements were precise and efficient, like a meticulously calculated war machine.
"Invaders! For Demacia!" The defenders on the city wall finally snapped out of their shock. A brave Demacian captain roared, brandishing his longsword, and charged at the nearest Calamity Vanguard soldier.
However, his sword, powerful enough to cleave rocks, struck the opponent's armor with only a dull thud, leaving not even a mark.
The Calamity Vanguard soldier slowly turned his head, two faint, deep blue lights beneath his visor coldly watching him. Then, he raised the energy spear in his hand and casually swung it.
A white light flashed.
The Demacian captain's body, along with his heavy armor, was neatly sliced in two. Blood and entrails splattered across the pristine city walls.
This scene sent a chill down the spines of all the Demacian soldiers who were trying to resist.
Just then, a figure slowly descended from the top of the floating fortress.
She wore a gaudy, eerily styled white armor and held a demonic sword that exuded an ominous aura. She hovered silently above the Plaza of Light, her empty, emotionless eyes looking down at the horde of humans below, who resembled ants.
She is Irelia.
"Mortals of Demacia." Her voice, devoid of warmth yet clear and direct, entered the minds of everyone present. "Your 'glory' ends here."
"I am Irelia, the First Apostle of the Empire. I have come here by order of His Majesty the Emperor to 'purify' your 'flawed' world."
"Now, I'm giving you a choice."
"Kneel down, surrender all resistance, and hand over your resources and 'assets.' You will then be granted the right to live as 'laborers' of the Empire."
"or……"
She slowly raised the demonic sword in her hand.
"...in meaningless resistance, turned to dust."
Her declaration was filled with absolute, unquestionable arrogance and contempt.
"Demon!" Garen roared in fury, his heart, filled with a sense of justice and honor, ignited by these words. "Demacians, never surrender! For the King! For justice! Charge!"
His massive body, like a cannonball, was the first to charge towards Irelia in the sky. The greatsword "Judgment" in his hand shone with a dazzling golden light—a manifestation of Demacian justice!
"For Demacia!"
Thousands of fearless vanguard soldiers, following their general, let out their final and most tragic roar. Their steel torrent crashed violently into the Calamity Vanguard Legion, which had already occupied various parts of the city.
A desperate war of national defense, fought with completely unequal strength, broke out in the City of Light.
As Irelia watched the golden figure rushing towards her, a barely perceptible "emotion" flickered in her empty eyes, as if she were looking at an interesting toy.
"'Courage,' an inefficient emotional meme."
She gently swung down the magic sword in her hand.
A seemingly slender, pale white sword aura flashed by.
"boom!"
Garen's mountain-shaking charge came to an abrupt halt. His greatsword, "Judgment," collided with the sword energy. There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a teeth-grinding, metallic creak.
Garen was horrified to discover that his legendary weapon, forged from the hardest anti-magic stone and rune steel and symbolizing the highest glory of Demacia, was like rotten wood, being cleaved in two from the middle by that seemingly insignificant sword aura!
Not only that, a cold, lifeless, and despairing power surged into his body through the broken sword. He felt as if the "power of justice" within him had encountered its natural enemy, being rapidly neutralized, suppressed, and even... corrupted.
"puff!"
He spat out a mouthful of blood, and his massive body, like a kite with a broken string, fell from mid-air and crashed heavily onto the ground of Bright Square, smashing a huge crater into the hard marble floor.
Just one strike.
The spirit of Demacia, the power of Demacia, Garen the Crownguard, has fallen. He has fallen so decisively, so thoroughly.
This scene filled all the Demacians, who were fighting a bloody battle, with endless despair.
Irelia didn't glance at Garen on the ground again. In her eyes, this so-called "Might of Demacia" wasn't even worthy of her casting a second sword strike.
Her gaze swept across the entire city. She saw the Demacian soldiers mercilessly slaughtered by the Cataclysmic Vanguard. She saw the civilians huddled in corners, trembling with fear. She saw the beautiful Demacian women, their faces filled with terror and helplessness.
“Gaia,” she issued a new instruction, “begin the ‘asset screening’ procedure. Priority screening targets: all female individuals with noble lineage, special abilities, and an appearance assessment grade of A or above.”
"Command received."
The next moment, the Calamity Soldiers scattered throughout the city seemed to receive a unified command. They ceased their indiscriminate slaughter and began to carry out a more brutal and systematic "mission".
They stormed into the manors of Demacian nobles, into the Temple of Light, and into the homes of every commoner. With cold, scanning beams, they scrutinized every trembling woman.
"Target confirmed. Second daughter of the Crownguard family, Laksana Crownguard. Potential light magic user, genetic purity S+, appearance assessment S+. Determined to be a 'top-tier tribute,' execute 'capture without injury.'"
"Target confirmed. Priestess of the Temple of Light, Sora. Life energy affinity A, physical appearance assessment A+. Determined as a 'high-value individual', execute 'capture'."
"Target confirmed. Commoner female, Amy. Appearance assessment A-. Classified as 'Medium-value individual', Category: Consumable/Pet."
An organized, large-scale roundup of women throughout Demacia has begun.
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