Everyone present looked at Fiora, filled with shock.
Aside from her wedding dress, which had a piece torn off, Fiora didn't look like she was there to get married at all; no matter how you looked at her, she was there to fight!
"Fiora! What are you doing! Today is your big wedding day, why are you holding a sword?"
The first to react was Fiora's father, Sebastian, who rushed out of his seat.
He ran directly in front of Fiora and whispered to her:
"Daughter, I know you have a lot of grievances and resentment, but today is your wedding day. Put down your sword, don't make a scene now..."
Fiora slowly raised her head, flicking her rapier in front of her.
"Father, Mr. Sebastian, you know, what do you know?"
Sebastian retreated repeatedly, but the blood from Fiora's sword tip splattered on his face. Sebastian, horrified, gently wiped the blood from his face.
"Calm down... Fiora, if you make a scene now, where will the honor of our Laurent Family be placed?"
Fiora sneered.
"Hmph, honor! The family's honor! You would sell your own daughter cheaply for the so-called family honor?"
Just then, someone from the Crownguard Family stood up and shouted at Fiora:
"What do you mean by'sell cheaply'! Marrying into our Crownguard Family, you're clearly benefiting!"
Everyone from the Crownguard Family agreed wholeheartedly, including Garen.
Except for Lux, who was off to the side. At this moment, Lux seemed to feel what Fiora was feeling, a sense of empathy; her future was no different from Fiora's.
Now that Fiora had actually stood up and resisted her unfair Destiny, the rebellious feelings hidden deep within Lux's heart emerged for the first time...
Fiora stared at her father, speaking seemingly calmly:
"I only regret that I am not a man. Clearly, I can also use a sword, I can also duel, I can also bring honor to the family with my own strength, yet you only want me to marry!
I am your daughter. I've lived for almost twenty years and have never lived for myself. I'm just a political tool in your hands!
You've never considered your daughter's feelings, you've never considered your daughter's happiness!
You only care about yourself!"
"You little brat, what do you know!"
In the eyes of parents everywhere, children are always children. Sebastian, exasperated, suddenly slapped her.
"Fiora, listen, this is your Destiny. Today, you will marry whether you want to or not!"
Fiora, just like before, didn't try to block it. A heavy slap once again landed on her face, turning her head.
But this time, Fiora wasn't going to submit. Her head slowly turned back, and she wiped away the nosebleed with the back of her hand.
This time, she had reached her limit. Fiora, who had been at a breaking point, exploded. She screamed hysterically:
"I won't marry, absolutely not! I want to live my own life! I don't need to marry; I can bring honor to the Laurent Family with my sword!"
Her voice was loud, almost everyone heard it. They all looked at Fiora with astonished expressions, but mostly with incomprehension, as well as anger and dissatisfaction!
Except for Lux. She listened to Fiora's voice, watching her do what she herself wanted to do but dared not!
Powder huddled next to Chen, quietly applauding the woman silently.
Several elders of the Crownguard Family could no longer stand it. They approached with the groom, demanding an explanation from Sebastian:
"Sebastian! What's wrong with your daughter today!"
"We shouldn't have agreed to your marriage proposal!"
"What about my son? Can this wedding still happen?"
"The Laurent Family must give the Crownguard Family an explanation today, or we'll meet on the dueling grounds!"
"..."
Meeting on the dueling grounds meant a Rupture in relations with the Crownguard Family, and it also meant that the Laurent Family would no longer be able to establish themselves in Demacia. Banishment awaited them.
And in Demacia, banishment was almost equivalent to a death sentence.
Immense pressure fell upon Sebastian. Now he bore the future of the entire family, and he had to make a choice.
Sebastian took half a step towards Fiora, looking at her gravely.
"I'll ask you one more time, will you marry or not!"
"No! I won't!"
Fiora replied defiantly.
Lux, standing nearby, looked at Fiora as if she were her idol. How she wished Fiora could succeed.
Sebastian actually nodded.
"Good, you won't marry, will you? Someone, bring me my sword!"
The butler looked at Sebastian in shock.
"Master, what are you...?"
Sebastian angrily roared at the butler.
"Less talk! Give me the sword!"
The butler turned to look at his young mistress, gritted his teeth, and handed Sebastian his sword.
Sebastian took his sword, held it upright in front of him, and said to Fiora:
"Fiora, you have damaged the honor of the Laurent Family and insulted the honor of the Crownguard Family.
I, Sebastian, will now duel you to the death!"
Fiora was determined. There was only one way to appease the Crownguard Family's anger and preserve the Laurent Family's foothold in Demacia: someone had to die!
Fiora seemed to have anticipated this, holding her sword upright in front of her. She decisively accepted.
"I accept!"
Chen, standing by, was stunned. Things had gone slightly beyond his expectations; Sebastian had actually initiated a duel with Fiora.
"Damn it, Frostmourne is hungry!"
Chen felt that Sebastian definitely couldn't beat Fiora. This father-daughter match was about to become patricide!
As soon as Fiora's voice fell, Sebastian's sword had already thrust forward, using the Laurent Family's classic move—Bladework!
Facing his own daughter, Sebastian thrust twelve consecutive swords without mercy!
But who was Fiora? Holding her sword with one hand, she parried all twelve thrusts with upward and downward strokes.
Fiora looked at Sebastian with red eyes.
"Father, am I still your daughter?"
But Sebastian ignored her, continuously thrusting his sword. The blades collided in the air, creating dazzling sparks.
The father and daughter used the same techniques, but Sebastian's attacks were all blocked. Fiora only defended and did not counterattack.
"For the family, is my life not worth mentioning? Then let it be as you wish."
Fiora said this to her father almost in despair. Fiora felt that she had lost everything at this moment.
Then, she completely moved the rapier that should have been at her chest.
Allowing Sebastian to stab towards her chest,
Fiora closed her eyes, preparing to meet her death.
But at this moment, a "Bang!" echoed across the sky!
Sebastian's sword was knocked to the ground, and Fiora was not stabbed.
Chen turned his head and saw Powder, who had risen at some point. The pistol in her hand was pointed at Sebastian, and smoke was still coming from its muzzle.
"I don't think she should die. In her eyes, I saw our own despair from before!"
It was both Powder and Jinx speaking. She gazed at Fiora, who was not far away.
"You stood up back then and saved us. Now we feel it's our turn to stand up."
Powder looked at Chen.
"Right?"
"Right."
Chen's reply was simple.
But he also noticed that the Crownguard Family, led by Garen, had already surrounded them.
Garen clenched his fists, aimed at Chen, and said righteously:
"You have interrupted a sacred duel and violated the laws of Demacia. Garen of the Fearless Vanguard's First Shield Formation now announces your arrest!"
"Damn it, we haven't been here long, and Demacia is no fun anymore!"
Chen waved his hand, then punched Garen in the face.
Garen raised his right hand and grabbed Chen's fist.
"Assaulting a Fearless Vanguard, the crime is compounded!"
Chen realized his strength was still slightly inferior to Garen's!
Chen quickly withdrew his fist. Facing these unarmed guys, he had his own methods.
Step one: open the system. Step two: take out the Black Cleaver from the weapon slot.
Step three: bully Garen for not bringing his greatsword!
Garen watched with wide eyes as the black axe appeared out of thin air in Chen's hand, frowning.
"Is that magic? For Demacia, I must capture you today!"
But Chen completely ignored him, immediately unleashing a combo of three moves on Garen:
"Apprehend, Decimate, Rupture!"
The Black Cleaver mercilessly struck Garen's body. This full-force axe blow barely cut through Garen's skin, with only a trickle of blood slowly flowing out!
"Damn it! How much armor and magic resist did Garen's W skill, Courage, stack for him? I can't even hurt him!"
Chen immediately realized things were bad. Although with the Black Cleaver's armor penetration, he should be able to deal damage after a while, the Crownguard Family's experts quickly surrounded them, trapping them completely!
Powder pointed her pistol at them, but she rationally didn't shoot, because Chen had told her not to kill innocent people. She quickly asked Chen for help:
"What do we do?"
"Run!"
Chen suddenly swung the battle-axe in his hand, activated his signature move Counter Strike, and knocked Garen unconscious with one axe blow.
Then, he pulled out a hoverboard from nowhere, carrying Powder, and flew up!
He flew directly towards Fiora's location. Chen quickly said to Powder:
"Hook around my waist, use that move, pull her up!"
"Ugh... but understood!"
Powder and Chen had a tacit understanding. Her legs tightly clamped around Chen's waist, and at the same time, Powder leaned back, completely inverting herself. They had practiced this move many times.
Powder raised her hands while inverted. The moment the hoverboard approached Fiora, Powder stretched out her hands, grabbed Fiora's arms, held on tight, and carried Fiora into the air!
Chen increased the hoverboard's power, quickly leaving the place, leaving only a green wake...
The Demacians had never seen anything like this! The people below grew panicked, and they all started shouting:
"Mages! They are mages! They took Fiora!"
"Oh! Damn it! Did mages control Fiora?"
"Is there a possibility that they were in cahoots with the mages!"
"..."
Of those present, only two people knew this wasn't magic. One was Lux; she could use magic and knew that no magical energy had appeared on Chen, so it wasn't magic.
The other was Prince Jarvan. His knowledge far surpassed everyone else present. He stood up at this moment to calm everyone's emotions.
"Everyone, don't panic!"
Seeing that Prince Jarvan had spoken, everyone quieted down, and their emotions stabilized slightly.
Jarvan IV explained to everyone:
"That's not magic, it's Zaun's Chem-Tech, it's science, not magic. Everyone, there's no need to be afraid!"
Although these people had no concept of science, they still believed Jarvan's words. At least it wasn't magic!
Jarvan IV saw that the wedding couldn't proceed.
"Garen, come here."
Garen walked over, fuming, knelt on one knee, and said to Jarvan:
"Please, Your Highness, punish me. I let the criminals escape!"
But Jarvan had no intention of having Garen pursue them. He merely said to Garen:
"Today's wedding cannot proceed. You, the Crownguard Family, should handle the aftermath first..."
"Yes..."
Garen immediately went to find Lux to have her resolve it, and then he would go after the criminals. But he couldn't find Lux anywhere. He couldn't refuse the Prince's task, so he could only take people to handle the aftermath of this failed wedding himself.
...
Chen's hoverboard was very fast. Demacia was accustomed to peace, and their troop deployment speed was far behind Noxus. Chen wasn't caught this time and successfully escaped.
An hour later, in the mountain forest outside Demacia.
Powder grumbled to Chen:
"I haven't grabbed my Pow-Pow and Fishbones yet! And my clothes!"
Chen replied helplessly:
"We can buy new clothes. As for Fishbones and Pow-Pow, you just need to become a magical girl, and then Little White and Little Black can be summoned by you..."
He estimated that it wouldn't be long before he was on Demacia's wanted list.
Chen sighed with emotion. Wherever he went, he was wanted. From Zaun to Piltover, from Noxus to Demacia, there were wanted posters everywhere.
At this moment, Fiora sat dejectedly on the ground. The light in her eyes had faded; the Fiora from before had been killed.
Powder squatted beside her, and she actually started comforting Fiora.
"I can understand how you feel. I've also experienced having nothing, but you have to believe in yourself. Living on will surely bring a better tomorrow."
Fiora remained in a daze, clearly not having heard Powder's words. Her current state was not good; her world had completely collapsed. She was somewhat similar to Powder at that time, but not exactly the same.
Just then, Chen heard footsteps. He held the Black Cleaver warily.
"Who's there!"
A beautiful blonde girl walked out.
"It's me, Lux."
Powder glanced at Lux.
"Huh? How did you find us?"
Chen said calmly:
"She uses light magic. It's normal for her to find us."
Lux suddenly became alert.
"What magic?"
"Still pretending... never mind..."
Chen didn't intend to discuss magic with Lux right now. He directly questioned Lux:
"Why are you here? To kill Fiora on behalf of the Crownguard Family?"