December 21st.

Far away on the other side of Piltover and Zaun, on the other side of the world of Runeterra.

On the other side of the sea, in the mysterious east, there is a group of magical islands. These islands are filled with unspoiled natural beauty and native magic, and the breath of natural creatures fills every place on each island.

The people scattered and living on these islands seem to be affected by the magical environment, and their bodies are also filled with amazing "spirituality".

Magic is not a strange thing here, man and nature are so harmonious here.

These magical islands are grouped together and are called the Fairy Islands by outsiders.

The people living on each island formed an alliance and called themselves Ionia.

Navoli is an island in the Ionian Islands.

Its relationship with Ionia is not difficult to understand. Just think of Navoli as the most important city in Ionia, and this island is also the largest island in the Ionia archipelago.

The island houses Ionia's sanctuary, Presidence.

People from various islands will travel long distances and cross the sea to come here to worship and study, learn natural magic in the magic garden, and feel the power of the spiritual world.

But at this moment, the once harmonious and green environment of Sanctuary Presidium was destroyed, with blood, corpses, broken limbs and broken arms... and discarded gunpowder, abandoned armor, and weapons everywhere.

These things that should not have appeared on the land of Navoli all showed one thing at this moment, Ionia was invaded by the enemy.

And this invasion has been going on for a year now!

In the southern part of Ionia, in the valley of Navoli, a red flag showed the identity of the intruder.

The banner and army of the empire have already landed on this land of their birth, and not long ago, they even entered the throat of Ionia - Presidium.

Although it has now been defeated by the self-defense forces formed locally, the empire has gained a firm foothold and defended the large tracts of land it had invaded.

In the evening, General Layton, who had just rushed all the way from the Immortal Fortress in the east of Valoran continent, slowed down. He looked at the man standing in front of the military table with his head lowered and thinking, and swallowed. Layton

Try to be as calm as possible.

"You didn't bring me any people or supplies."

The other party spoke first, but he did not raise his head because of this. Instead, he lowered his head and continued to study the map on the table.

It was a map with more than half of it painted on it. Layton looked at the map. The red ones on it were the maps that had been invaded by the empire.

At this moment, a patch of red has been painted with black.

That means...the empire's army was pushed back.

After hearing the other party's question, Layton quickly said: "His Majesty the King has an order, Swain, the empire is about to invade Piltover and is in urgent need of manpower, so the troops and supplies that were originally intended to support you have been replaced by this order.

His Majesty personally withdrew it."

Layton paused for a moment, and seeing that he didn't react, he bit the bullet and continued: "Furthermore, His Majesty the King has ordered that three hundred of your troops should be drawn from here, set off from here on a battleship, and attack the port of Piltover directly.

"

"Why?"

Swain finally raised his head and looked at Layton with a calm expression.

From his tone, Layton did not hear anger, but he was really asking, as if he was curious about an unanswered question.

"There are rumors that Piltover has magic that can make people live forever. After hearing this, His Majesty immediately summoned the army and asked Viscount Bokeran to take the thousand people to Piltover. This is His Majesty's order. The Empire wants to

Capture Piltover on New Year's Day and gain the magic of immortality."

"But I should have said it before I set off. The empire has entered a period of war fatigue and we can no longer expand outwards." Swain walked out from the table, wearing an open military leather coat.

Walking in front of Layton, looking at this general who was taller than himself, he said loudly: "We are fighting on all sides and we are short of supplies. If we attack Piltover now, the empire will really be fighting the whole world."

"I...don't dare to stop him." Layton quickly bent down, keeping his eyes level with Swain, and softened his tone.

The man in front of him would not dare to do anything for the sake of the empire and victory.

Layton knew this.

He has become a tyrant under Darkwill among the aristocracy of the empire.

Because of this, many people don't want him to come back alive.

Swain has offended too many people.

"I know, I can't blame you."

But Swain did not get angry, but spoke to him in an understanding tone.

Darkwill's cruelty is known to everyone in the empire, and Swain, who was ignored by Darkwill, knows this best.

Once upon a time, he was still a close confidant of Darkwill, but now... Swain knew that he was already feared by Darkwill.

"When to set off."

"Tomorrow at the latest."

"I see."

After Swain finished speaking, he walked outside the military tent.

Layton quickly followed him.

"General Swain, why is the empire stalling now? I remember that at the beginning, all you sent back were good news." Layton asked puzzledly: "It only took you less than three months.

, and invaded the center of this land.”

"Because this country is far more powerful than we thought." Swain answered Layton's question. He looked at the mountains in the distance, where several people in strange clothes were watching.

Those are the people of this country.

Swain continued: "Feudalism does not mean weakness. Now, the people living on this land are beginning to resist us."

"When I came here, I heard that someone here can sink a battleship with one blow of magic?" Layton said with an expression of disbelief, "If there really is such a thing, wouldn't she be able to easily repel the empire's warships alone?"

Has it been invaded?”

"It was true, but she retreated and never showed up again."

"And... the people in this land are very powerful." Swain said.

Yeah...really powerful.

A girl who looked less than sixteen years old, in just one encounter, instantly repelled a dozen Noxian soldiers around her, fought her way out, and escaped.

And in just a heartbeat, she easily sank a battleship, and wiped out a fully armed imperial army in an instant.

But Swain still can't understand why she never showed up again after that?

He obviously has such a powerful power, but he can watch his home being destroyed?

All in all, the number of talented people in this land far exceeded Swain's imagination.

This was a difficult war, the most difficult of all the countless wars Swain fought.

Far more than the battle on Shurima, and far more than the battle against the old enemy Demacia.

Even when faced with the brightest shields in the world, the soldiers of the Empire destroyed several dazzling shields.

but now...

Swain had to admit that this time, it was the empire's carelessness.

Noxus thought that Ionia was just a group of small mountain villages, a country formed by weak villagers. In the eyes of the empire, Ionia was nothing more than a delicious piece of ribs, but now, this small bone has almost broken the teeth of the empire.

.

"Sorry, I don't believe this kind of thing..." Layton shook his head.

"I understand, but I think you also noticed when you came here, the marks on the sea and the mountains that we blasted open." Swain said calmly: "This is a magical place, Layton.

"

"..."

Layton immediately stopped talking.

He brought a ship and fifty soldiers to convey the news to Swain, and on the way, Layton did see a strange scene.

Dangerous seas hinder Noxus' advance.

And the stones blown apart by Noxus seemed to be alive.

Perhaps as Swain said, this is a magical place.

"You can take away three hundred people tomorrow."

Returning to the military tent, Swain said to Layton: "Although I am very reluctant, I will be loyal to the empire's instructions and I will obey His Majesty Darkwill's orders."

"But, what are you going to do?"

Layton didn't like Swain, he was also afraid of Swain.

However, Layton had to admit that it was precisely because of Swain that the empire could not retreat even though its treasury was in short supply and its development was stagnant.

He used his ingenuity to exchange large and small lands for the empire.

Swain is a cold and bloodless person, but he is beneficial to the empire.
To be continued...