The Third Prince

Grand, majestic, and boundless are some of the words that anyone would use to describe the capital city of the Noxus Empire. As the imperial city of one of the strongest nations on the continent, it was built with the finest materials by the most skilled and professional architects.

The city stood as a symbol of the imperial family's power and prestige. At the heart of this grand city stood the Imperial Palace, a structure that left a lasting impression on anyone fortunate enough to witness it.

The palace was divided into two main sections: the main Imperial Castle that housed members of the imperial family, and the Palace Hall that served as the central hub for the empire's political affairs. At that moment, within the west wing of the Imperial Castle, the residence of the third prince stood, where a small secretive meeting was taking place.

This meeting was attended by five individuals, each of them possessing extraordinary identity. They were strong leaders within their respective factions:

The leader of the Formation Association, an old man with a long white beard and wise eyes; General Ken, the youngest General in the empire and the third prince's most trusted subordinate; Count Russell, the patriarch of the Russell noble family and brother of the second wife of the emperor, who was also the third prince's mother; the leader of the Shadow Guards, a man clad in black whose presence was barely noticeable despite being the second strongest person there; and finally, the third prince himself, Kayn van Noxus.

Kayn, an eighteen-year-old young man, was dressed in a black royal robe adorned with golden patterns. His remarkable appearance, highlighted by his perfect face and unusual gray eyes, exceeded the simple description of "handsome."

"If that's all, you are all dismissed," Kayn concluded the meeting, allowing the attendees to leave.

"Wait a minute, Kayn. I have something to discuss with you," Kayn's master, the old man, spoke up, capturing the attention of those present before they could stand.

This old man was the only one who could address Kayn by name directly. Kayn's talent and interest in the art of formations had led his father, the emperor, to personally invite this old man to become Kayn's teacher. After six years of instruction, Kayn had exceeded his master's expectations, both in terms of talent and deposition. .

"What is it, Master? Is there something you need?" Kayn was intrigued. His master rarely spoke during faction meetings, although he was always present.

"It's about what you asked me to investigate three months ago. You were right. The Sky Sword Sect discovered the ruins two hundred years ago and used them as a private training ground," Master Zirkle said with undisguised excitement. This secret was related to a lost ancient era art.

"Everyone is dismissed except for General Ken," Kayn instructed, indicating that the others should leave. Although he trusted them, caution was ingrained in him due to his royal lineage.

His uncle, who displayed some discomfort, knew better than to protest. He hadn't wanted to be in his nephew's position to begin with, but his status as Kayn's uncle left him with little choice.

"Count Russell seems rather unsatisfied with our function," General Ken observed. His loyalty to the third prince was unwavering due to the support Kayn's mother had provided him when he was at his lowest point.

"I know, Ken. Apparently, his daughter is favored by my older brother, the crown prince, and he wants to shift allegiances," Kayn's eyes turned cold, offended by the count's actions and a murderous vindictive thoughts started to appear in his mind.

"Anyway, Master, are the records correct?" Kayn shifted his focus to his master, his excitement evident.

"Yes, everything is exactly as you speculated. The Sky Sword Sect remains unaware of what lies within the ruins. They believe a powerful demonic beast resides there. An agreement has been maintained over the years: as long as they don't venture too deep, the beast won't engage them," Master Zirkle replied, sharing in Kayn's excitement.

"We will depart tomorrow morning then. There's no point in delay. Ken, did you obtain the Seven Leaf Soul Flower as requested?" Kayn suppressed his enthusiasm and inquired.

"Yes, we acquired it from the second princess by trading one high-grade and two medium-grade ether stones mines."

"That's quite a high price for mere speculation, Kayn," Master Zirkle's frown deepened upon hearing the cost. Kayn was confident in his theory, but even the Formation Association only possessed six high-grade mines.

"They were originally Count Russell's possessions. If he wishes to change allegiances, he can leave behind his mines instead of his life. I doubt he'll object," Kayn responded with a sinister smile. He had found a more effective way to send his message and no longer needed to eliminate his uncle.

"Sigh, as you say. When do you plan to absorb it?" Master Zirkle resigned himself with a sigh. He recognized that if there was a flaw in Kayn, it was his ruthless personality, a trait perhaps attributed to his royal lineage.

"Right here and right now." Without further delay, Kayn took the Seven Leaf Soul Flower from Ken and swallowed it. Within moments, an oppressive force erupted from him, causing the building to shake. Recognizing the intensity of the disturbance, Master Zirkle swiftly deployed a concealment formation.

Behind Kayn, an explosive avatar identical to him materialized, emanating a powerful soul pressure that even affected the two formidable beings beside him.

"He was right after all," Master Zirkle managed to utter in astonishment as he became completely absorbed in the mesmerizing scene that was unfolding before him.