Arcane: Twin Cities Mechanic

Azir didn't know what a "gigaton-level cannon" was, but since it was mentioned by Li Lin and included the word "gigaton," a number that huge, its power was certainly not low.

After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Xerath has already raised a magical defense barrier above Nerimazeth, and it looks like he intends to rely on the obelisks to set up a siege. This is disadvantageous for us, as we're far from the Sun Disc.

"Can your so-called 'gigaton-level cannon' break through his barrier?"

Without any hesitation, Li Lin responded confidently, "Of course, this has been calculated with precise data."

According to the AI's energy index calculations, if they used Gaboga's axis-based gigaton-level main cannon, it might just be enough to break through this first layer of defense.

With Xerath's nearly limitless magic and the amplification and power supply from the obelisk, a new layer of defense would quickly rise again.

However, if a satellite from space fired the shot, using the momentum of its descent from tens of thousands of kilometers, the power would be far stronger than a typical gigaton-level cannon.

Fortunately, Nerimazeth was a stationary target, and the city had long been reduced to ruins, with no normal humans left inside, only Xerath's twisted followers. Even if it were destroyed again, it wouldn't matter.

Nevertheless, this was still the first capital of Shurima, the birthplace of the first Ascendant, the martial Empress, Seteka.

Though Azir wasn't from her time, Nasus had followed her for hundreds of years, so he held Nerimazeth in high regard.

Seemingly guessing Li Lin's thoughts, Azir glanced at Nasus, who stood at the front of the army with Malphite, and sighed.

"There's nothing left here worth holding on to," his tone turning more authoritative. "The birthplace of the martial Empress has been utterly defiled by traitors. Follow your instincts, Li Lin."

"I understand," Li Lin nodded. "The orbital gigaton-level cannon will require 10 minutes to charge. It will reach Nerimazeth at 19:27. I'll give the order for the Warlords to fire the cannon and destroy the other obelisks at that time."

"Then it's settled."

Azir took a deep breath, the golden flame in his eyes burning even brighter.

"It's time to make Xerath pay the price."

With the AI's coordination, the satellite from Shurima's high orbit quickly locked in on its target, beginning the 10-minute charging sequence.

During this time, Li Lin returned to the Titan preparing for battle, while the AI calculated the time. When the orbital gigaton cannon was about to strike, the Warlords would ensure the remaining hundred or so obelisks across the region were destroyed.

Xerath seemed to realize the gravity of the situation. He continued to maintain the defensive barrier, not intending to step out of Nerimazeth even a single inch, and didn't seem to care about taunting.

The defeat he suffered last time in Vekaura still weighed heavily on him.

As long as Azir didn't launch a full assault, Xerath had no intention of making a move and was prepared to simply drag the battle out.

After all, he could draw endless magic from the earth's ley lines. The longer this dragged on, the more beneficial it would be for him.

What Xerath didn't anticipate was that this short delay actually robbed him of the best opportunity to achieve a mutual destruction.

Ten minutes passed in the blink of an eye.

The satellite, stationed in outer space, fired a specially designed projectile, which fell towards the blue planet like a dying meteor.

Simultaneously, under the AI's direction, five War Lords locked onto over a hundred coordinates, launching full-power material disruption cannons.

The two offensives moved in tandem. Sensing the high-energy materials falling from the sky, Azir, Nasus, and Malphite instinctively looked toward the horizon.

In the blink of an eye, the orange-red, blazing cannonball was almost upon Nerimazeth.

"What have you done?!" Xerath's furious roar echoed within the azure barrier.

As his words fell, the orbital cannon made contact with the defense barrier, exploding with a flash of light bright enough to blind anyone who looked directly at it.

Even Azir and Nasus couldn't help but be startled by its power, using magic to shield their eyes and those of their elite mortal troops.

As the shockwave from the explosion faded, the defense barrier above Nerimazeth shattered, revealing a humanoid arcane energy form floating in mid-air.

Chains and fragments of gold and bronze wrapped around its body, and a pentagonal core, inscribed with runic marks, was located on its chest — the very core that once sealed the stone coffin.

However, the seal was long ineffective, and the reason Xerath kept these remnants was more out of habit, a way of preserving a "suit of armor" from his human days.

"Azir!" Xerath roared in anger. "What have you done?!"

Just this one orbital gigaton cannon had destroyed more than half of the work he had spent over a year building.

The shattered obelisks, now beyond repair, the weak followers who hadn't undergone magical transformation nearly wiped out, and even the fully transformed arcane energy bodies had all suffered varying degrees of injury.

Furthermore, Xerath's senses told him that the obelisks in other key desert regions had lost their connection, severing their power supply.

If not for the ascension process that stripped him of some of his humanity, it would have been difficult to express emotions outwardly. Yet, Xerath could still feel his core leaking scalding magical lava.

Azir calmly responded, "Erasing the unforgivable traitors is something that must be done."

With a forceful swing of his spear, he struck the flowing sands beneath the divine throne platform, causing ancient beasts long extinct to emerge from beneath the sands. Their enormous bodies towered into the sky, forming a massive army of beasts.

Then, accompanied by a series of sharp, screeching roars — resembling dragons, but distinctly different — the creatures took flight. They flew over the tense Yellow Sand soldiers and the Golden Legion, stirring up a vortex of air that left no dust in its wake.

These were the Sandstone Chimeras, a dangerous species extinct since ancient Shurima, their power comparable to that of elemental dragons.

Not only Azir, but also Nasus, seeing the defensive barrier finally vanish, felt his body swell, growing to a size comparable to Malphite in an instant. For a brief moment, Malphite seemed confused, scratching his head, unsure of what had just happened.

"What's going on? How did you suddenly grow so large?"

"Xerath! I'll avenge Renekton's death!" Nasus roared at the energy form hovering far above.

"Truly deserving of the title 'useless brothers.' Renekton couldn't eliminate you after all this time. I'm deeply disappointed," Xerath mocked, his voice sweet like honey but laced with malice and cunning. "But it seems that stupid crocodile won't get to personally 'avenge' himself."

At the same time, he extended his left hand, fingers sharpening into deadly claws, and began to weave powerful magic arcs, drawing on the remaining obelisks of Nerimazeth to overload the ley line's power, continually feeding it into his cracked form.

"Xerath, you damned bastard!"

Nasus wasn't planning to give him any chance to recover his energy and attacked first.

With one hand, he swung his battle axe, summoning a scorching purple-black pillar of fire beneath Xerath's feet, burning his very soul. His left hand simultaneously cast the withering curse.

However, in this year, Nasus was gradually regaining his former strength, and Xerath, constantly accumulating power, had become even more formidable than a year ago.

Xerath immediately cast a purification spell, effortlessly dispelling the sudden withering curse, and then his figure flickered as he retreated to a nearby power obelisk.

With his fingers crackling with blue-white energy, he unleashed a barrage of magical lightning bolts that not only drained the energy from the obelisk but also absorbed the power of the nearby injured followers, who, despite their wounds, still clung to their staffs to keep the obelisk active.

Realizing this malevolent energy body was his enemy, Malphite rushed forward without hesitation, attempting to knock Xerath down.

But to his surprise, as he charged forward with the force of a landslide, Xerath effortlessly separated the shards of his armor-like stone coffin, allowing his pure energy form to pass right through the molten giant's body without being affected at all.

Malphite's core short-circuited, and he didn't expect the evil entity to so easily neutralize his devastating move.

As the upward momentum dissipated, Malphite struggled to stop his fall and crashed heavily into a pile of rubble and debris.

Xerath paid no attention to the "Big Rock" behind him. Taking advantage of the Stone Golem's slow recovery, he turned to face the incoming Sandstone Chimera and the magic desert storm that followed.

He raised a defensive barrier and simultaneously launched countless arcane comets from his chest. These comets struck both Azir, who was overseeing the battle from the distant throne, and Nasus, who was charging toward him, swinging his battle axe to intercept the arcane comets.

"You really never learn, Nasus!" Xerath laughed loudly, his words full of mockery. "A year ago, I nearly killed you, and now you dare jump in my face? Do you really think I'm still the same as before?"

As he laughed, an arcane shockwave erupted from his core, not only shattering the Chimera that had unleashed a sand breath on him, but also sending Nasus flying, who was rapidly closing in.

Meanwhile, Azir summoned a sand shield to protect his golden army and ordered them to move to confront Xerath's followers on the other side.

Malphite had just managed to get up and launched a series of circular seismic shards from the ground, quickly heading toward Xerath, who was flying toward another power obelisk.

"Foolish imbeciles! You think old magic like this can defeat me?" Xerath roared angrily.

He swung his hand, sending a searing arcane pulse that destroyed all the seismic shards rushing toward him. The white-hot energy wave tore through Malphite's granite shield, breaking a large portion of it.

Before reaching the second intact obelisk, Xerath clenched his claws and detonated the leylines beneath Malphite's feet within a 100-meter radius.

The ensuing arcane explosion engulfed Malphite completely, his figure lost within a burst of white light.

Taking advantage of this moment, solid yellow sand shackles and arms erupted from the ground, grabbing Xerath's advancing steps. At the same time, Nasus, who had leaped forward, swung his battle axe again, this time engulfed in the purple-black glow of the astral magic, and struck Xerath heavily, sending him flying.

"AHHHHHH!"

Xerath twisted his body mid-air, his chest emitting a brilliant blue light. He drew on the remaining arcane magic in the surroundings and hurled hundreds of destructive primal shock orbs at Nasus, Malphite, and Azir, who was controlling the sand from afar, preventing them from pressing their advantage.

"Slave for life, grant me eternal dominion!"

Taking a moment to catch his breath, Xerath flew toward the farthest set of obelisks.

If he could drain the energy from this leylines, he could fully recover from his injuries and gain the power to take on all three of them.

However, in his excitement, Xerath overlooked a critical point: neither Azir nor Nasus could summon the meteor that had shattered his defense barrier earlier.

Just as he was about to reach the obelisk, a square white rift appeared, blocking his path.

"What is this…?"

Xerath halted abruptly, eyeing the strange rift warily, which bore no trace of magic.

Before he could react, a massive fist, entirely composed of metal and machinery, thrust out from the rift, smashing into the partially damaged but still functional obelisk area.

It was Gaboga's punch!

"NO!" Xerath screamed in fury, but it was already too late.

Gaboga's fist struck the earth, and the resulting plasma shockwave instantly obliterated the obelisks.

In his rage, Xerath fired dozens of arcane comets, hoping to erase the attacker.

But to his surprise, another giant, mechanical beast, almost identical to Malphite but made entirely of machinery, descended from the sky and blocked Gaboga's punch, absorbing all of Xerath's attacks without a single scratch.

"This… this is impossible!" Xerath exclaimed.

"There's nothing impossible about it," came Li Lin's voice from within the colossal machine, sneering. "Ready to face justice's beatdown?"

(End of chapter)

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