The glow of brilliance drove the battle to its climax.
Fiery bursts bloomed one after another, their sudden flare and scent briefly mesmerizing.
Standing amid the firelight, Ekko's expression remained calm and focused.
"Jinx... It's time to end this."
He stared down Jinx, then suddenly hurled his weapon.
The Timewinder's hour hand spun through the air, tracing a blue arc of light as it cut forward.
Zzzhh~
The spinning blade surged with Hextech energy, slicing cleanly through the barrage of cannonfire, almost as if skipping through time itself, appearing directly in front of Jinx.
Boom!
The hour hand struck Jinx square in the forehead, slamming her back against the arena wall with a painful groan.
"He's gone."
Seraphine's eyes flickered. She could hear the hesitation in Ekko's heart.
She'd also noticed the blue glow on the timepiece fade as it neared Jinx.
That light wasn't from time travel…
"That guy's pretty strong," Ezreal muttered, arms crossed.
Despite his scowl, he couldn't help but admit that Ekko—calmly hurling his weapon in the middle of gunfire—had looked undeniably cool.
"Okay, maybe three points cool," he conceded.
Jinx coughed violently, blood staining her lips as she struggled to sit up, leaning back against the wall and gasping for breath.
Her eyes darted around before she grabbed the machine gun beside her.
She lifted it with effort, aiming shakily at Ekko as he walked toward her.
She knew she'd lost.
But this easily? It was maddening. Unbearable.
Her finger rested on the trigger, torn between fury and something more fragile.
"Boom. Great showdown."
Unexpectedly, Ekko was the first to smile—a little sheepish, even apologetic.
He looked like the cheerful kid next door who just won a game.
He extended his hand toward his defeated opponent.
Jinx blinked, stunned.
Without realizing it, her fingers slipped off the trigger.
The gun clattered to the floor.
The last time something like this happened… felt like ages ago.
Once, Ekko had been the scrawny kid who refused to give up.
Every time she, Vi, and Milo played with him, he'd end up exhausted and flat on the ground.
And every time, she'd be the one standing above him, offering a hand to pull him back up.
Because she saw herself in him, the underdog.
The one who always came in last.
Well, second to last, because Ekko was always there.
Jinx raised an eyebrow, looking up at the tall boy in front of her.
The little brat who once trailed behind her and her sister had grown strong.
"Ekko"
She grasped his hand and stood, her expression calmer. After a pause, she said firmly:
"Next time, I won't lose."
Ekko blinked at the words, then smiled even brighter.
"Don't make it too easy for me."
He picked up the hour hand from the ground and turned, walking away, leaving Jinx with nothing but the view of his retreating figure.
It felt like they'd returned to childhood.
Only now, their roles had reversed.
"Silco… Vi… Ekko… Sevika..."
Jinx whispered the names, one by one.
Then she chuckled softly, lifted her machine gun, and bowed toward the audience without hesitation.
This time, she wasn't bitter about losing.
This time, she could accept it.
Clap! Clap!
The audience, moved by her gesture, responded not with boos but with applause and respect.
She had earned it.
Without a backward glance, Jinx exited the arena.
She accepted the applause. She understood it.
And, to her surprise… she was even moved by it.
But deep inside, Jinx didn't want applause for losing.
She wanted cheers for victory—honorable cheers that echoed for champions.
One day, she'd win those cheers, with her own name written into the history of this place.
To prove she was worth something.
To prove his choice was right.
Zaun was a broken place...
But that person—he—liked it there.
"Zaun's Loose Canon—Jinx."
Yeah. That name had a nice ring to it.
"That's great!"
Seraphine suddenly said, a bright smile lighting up her face as her ears twitched.
She watched Jinx's figure disappear down the corridor.
Ezreal blinked. "What is?"
"That last gladiator fight! It was amazing. You know, if you were out there instead..."
Seraphine paused mid-thought, her face twisting into a teasing grimace.
"Actually, forget it. You wouldn't be half as cool as Ekko."
"What?! How dare you!" Ezreal stared at her, scandalized.
Not cool enough? Him? Compared to Ekko? That was the worst insult imaginable.
"Please. In terms of looks, hair, and style, I win hands down!"
He tossed his hair dramatically.
"You wanna fight me now?" he added with a mischievous grin, a bit fired up from the excitement in the arena.
"If I win, my reputation in Noxus is going way up."
Seraphine raised her eyebrows.
"Seriously? You're thinking of bullying a girl?"
Ezreal crossed his arms.
"Hey now, I'm the president of the greatest Explorers' Guild in Runeterra. I can't just not duel someone—it's tradition!"
"Oh? Then let me find you a good opponent." Seraphine's grin turned devilish.
Ezreal immediately started shaking his head like mad.
Suddenly, a cold voice cut through the air:
"Ezreal. You and Draven—fight me in the arena."
Everyone froze.
Ezreal turned, startled. The voice sounded familiar... but icy and commanding.
It was Syndra.
She stood tall, her black eyes calm and unreadable.
Ezreal blinked, confused.
He wasn't keen to accept the challenge, but deep down, he didn't think they'd lose.
After all, he'd have Draven with him.
Not every opponent was Ryan.
Still... fighting Syndra didn't sit right with him.
Not because he doubted her, but because something was off.
He opened his mouth to decline.
"I don't think that's necessary. With Draven's strength, I'm sure one of them could—mmph!"
Before he could finish, a large hand clamped over his mouth.
A familiar, booming laugh echoed behind him.
"Hahaha! Since you've accepted on our behalf, we'll fight. Any time!"
Draven—bold as always—grinned as he spoke. But the twitch in his eye betrayed him.
He looked into Syndra's eyes.
Then, I immediately started scanning the room for help.
His mind flashed back to their last meeting in the Council chambers.
That day, he'd made a mistake—a big one.
Something about calling all the council members "skinny girls."
That had gone over like a lead brick.
He didn't even know how he lost. He never touched Syndra once with his axe.
She beat him down four times—brutally—without breaking a sweat.
And every time, it felt like she was just getting started.
Even now, the memory made cold sweat run down his back.
If Ryan hadn't intervened that day…
He wouldn't be standing here. He'd be dust.
Now, standing across from her again?
Yeah. If it came to a fight…
He and Ezreal were going down together.