"Damn it, what a huge loss!!"
Looking at the information formed by the fragments that appeared on the table after the Loom of Destiny fragment was used, Duke pounded his chest and stamped his feet. He had inadvertently triggered this thing. Fortunately, the question he asked still had some value, otherwise, he would have lost terribly!
"But it's fine, the question I blurted out still has some value!"
Looking at the information provided by the paper left after the fragment burned, Duke committed this knowledge to memory. The Ferros Family prospered because they excavated the original crystal.
However, in Arcane, there wasn't much emphasis on the Ferros Family, or Camille's family. After all, if Camille had truly appeared, Jinx wouldn't have been able to cause any trouble; she would have been instantly squashed by Camille's ultimate move!
After Duke memorized the method for opening the coffin's mechanism lock, he waved his hand, and all the fragments turned into ashes, leaving no trace.
"The heart of the Shell Clan, the original crystal, a natural magic creation…" Duke tapped the table, deep in thought. Since he had obtained this information, he absolutely had to get his hands on the original crystal.
As for the Hextech Gem that Jayce and Viktor would tinker with, to be honest, it really wasn't as good as the original crystal. However, the original crystal didn't have the same strong applicability as the Hextech Gem. The Hextech Gem only required pairing with runes or Shimmer to be used, while the original crystal also required the user to possess magic talent.
"Should I make a move?"
Duke pondered for a moment and temporarily suppressed this thought. He was still a weakling now. If he really went to dig up a grave and got squashed by Camille's ultimate, it wouldn't be worth it. He should at least have the power to protect himself before considering it.
"So the main task now is just one!"
Duke took out the Super Soldier Serum again, looking at the folded syringe inside, his eyes gleaming.
A moment later, Duke, who had locked the attic door, closed the window, took off his upper body clothes, and put on the syringe. The syringe distributed by the system had a bit of the flavor of the machine Captain America used when he was injected.
It was just a simplified version!
Captain America used a machine injection combined with Vita-Ray to complete his transformation, while Winter Soldier was directly injected and suffered excruciating pain in a small room.
The injector Duke obtained was similar to a half-body armor for the upper body, directly fitted onto his upper body, with needleless injection heads corresponding to his heart and the back of his neck/brainstem.
After putting on the injector, Duke loaded the serum into the designated valve, bit down on a towel, and directly activated the injector.
Click, click!!
After two clear clicks, the needleless injection heads pressed against Duke's heart and the back of his neck/brainstem. The blue Super Soldier Serum, propelled by the injector's pressure, slowly flowed into the injection tubes and entered Duke's body through the needleless injection heads.
Duke's eyes snapped open, the capillaries at the corners of his eyes burst, emitting a blue glow, and his pupils were instantly filled with blue light as Duke roared.
"Ah!!!!"
A heart-rending growl echoed through the attic. Pedestrians on the street outside seemed to sense something and looked towards the attic, but then shrugged and continued with their business.
An hour and a half later, Zaun welcomed a seemingly ordinary guest, whose eyes, however, held a sharp, restrained glint.
Wearing a jacket with a hood, Duke walked with his hands in his pockets, head down, blending in with the crowd entering Zaun, appearing unremarkable. But if one got closer, they would notice Duke's powerful breathing and exceptionally steady steps, with faint blue arcs still lingering around the edges of his black eyes.
"I almost lost my life!"
Duke, still in shock, had expected the Super Soldier Serum injection to be incredibly painful. But he had severely underestimated the side effects of the serum injection.
It was a feeling of Rend from inside out; every cell rapidly divided and renewed under the serum's catalysis. His bodily functions were elevated to the human limit; his internal organs, blood, muscles, and bones were all strengthened by the serum's effects.
The serum's strengthening effect not only acted on his body but also on his brain. Now, everything he saw seemed incredibly slow.
The way everyone around him walked appeared like slow motion to him, capable of being broken down frame by frame. And he could feel that although his physique hadn't changed much, his internal structure had undergone a complete upheaval!
After completing the strengthening, Duke rushed to Zaun without stopping. He believed in doing today's work today and didn't want to wait any longer. He needed to quickly perfect the clockwork armor, produce results, pass the Blue Lavender Manor's evaluation, and obtain more resources.
One ten-pull had brought him huge gains, and he now urgently needed another one, or even many more!
Unconsciously, Duke's steps paused slightly as he walked into Zaun's Black Alley area. He saw a somewhat familiar building.
Fugen Tavern!
The home of Vi, Jinx, and their adoptive father Vander!
Looking at Fugen Tavern's lit sign and the constant stream of customers, Duke pondered for a moment before walking in. Perhaps he could meet the sisters Vi and Jinx. According to the timeline, Jinx had an unfinished Hextech Gem in her possession.
That thing was an excellent energy source!!!
If he could get his hands on it...
With anticipation in his eyes, Duke walked into the tavern. Compared to the chaotic mix during Silco's time, Fugen Tavern now had a very good atmosphere.
To the right of the entrance was a coin-operated phonograph, similar to a claw machine, where various discs could be selected.
The brass support frames were painted dark green, each embedded with an incandescent bulb, emitting a soft but not dazzling light. Above the support frames was the second floor, and inside were the bar booths.
A dozen tables were scattered around, with a pool table in the center. Currently, customers were talking at the tables, but the atmosphere was a bit low, as if something had just happened.
At the very back was the bar counter, behind which were rows of oak wine barrels. A bearded man in overalls was behind the counter, leisurely puffing on a pipe, his eyes scanning the customers in the bar. To the right of the bar was the door leading to the Underground Room, and the stairs to the second floor were connected to this door.
After Duke, standing at the entrance, observed with interest, a customer behind him, seeing him blocking the way, impatiently pushed him forward.
"Kid, don't just stand there blocking the way!"
Unexpectedly, when he pushed, Duke didn't budge, and his palm was shaken numb with pain.
"Brother, pay attention, I'm not a stranger!"
Duke turned and smiled, revealing a mouthful of White teeth, and the blue arcs of light still flickering in his eyes made the other person's expression freeze.
He couldn't help but shake his wrist and say awkwardly, "Then you can't block the way here, it's against the rules!"
"Sorry!"
Duke moved aside and walked directly towards the bar.
There were two different ways of doing things in Piltover and Zaun.
Upcity, you could be graceful and polite, but down here, you had to know how to show your strength to intimidate others, to make them not dare to provoke you; you had to be tougher!
This was the different way of survival in the two cities.
Fortunately, Duke's original body still retained the survival method etched into Zaun's bones!
"Kid, what can I get you?"
Vander put down his pipe and exhaled a cloud of murky smoke.
Duke pulled over a high stool and sat down, crossing his hands on the counter.
"I want some materials, the cheap, large quantity kind, and preferably something profitable!"
Duke rubbed his index finger and thumb, a meaningful smile appearing on his face.
Vander picked up his pipe again, took a deep puff, and scrutinized Duke for a moment.
"This is just an ordinary tavern, we don't have what you're looking for!"
Duke wasn't surprised by Vander's rejection.
This guy pursued stability, learned to compromise, and was no longer the Beast who once led the Zaunites to charge Upcity.
"That's truly a pity!"
Duke's finger traced the counter, preparing to turn and leave.
He had never thought of threatening anyone here, threatening Vander, threatening the manager of Black Alley; you wouldn't even know how you'd be carried out.
As for using what Vi and Powder had done to threaten him, that was even more foolish.
A father who loved his daughters was terrifying!
As Duke prepared to leave, he looked towards the Underground Room entrance, where two males and two females were huddled together; one male was fat and the other thin, and one female was tall and the other short.
Duke smiled kindly at them, then turned and left, unaware that his face, seen by them, caused surprise in the eyes of Vi and Powder.
"Did that guy just now look familiar to you?"
Vi poked Powder, who looked at Duke's retreating back, fragmented memories surfacing in her mind.
"It seems like… Duke!"
"But wasn't he killed in that riot a few years ago?"
Vi looked at her sister in confusion.
Mylo, who was thin, looked at the two sisters in confusion, then at the sturdy Claggor.
Claggor shrugged: "Don't look at me, I don't know.
If Vi and Powder knew him before, none of us would have an impression!"
"Who exactly are you talking about, Vi?"
"Our former neighbor, a child who lived in the Undercity.
But he should have died in that disaster a few years ago; his parents were both killed by Piltover's Enforcers."
"You still remember him now?"
Claggor was a bit confused.
Vi scratched the back of her head, her face a little awkward as she said, "It's a special situation."
"Hey, Powder, where are you going?"
Mylo saw the blue-haired Powder walk directly towards the figure who was about to leave and tried to stop her, but Vi immediately called him off.
"Let her go and ask!"
At this moment, Vander cast a curious glance.
Vi, seeing this, gave him a reassuring look, while also looking hopefully at her sister and Duke.
If all the people from before were truly gone, and if it really was him, then it would be a good thing.
At least a piece of the past had been found.
Although she used to bully him often, steal his toys, and even press him to the ground, who hasn't been young?
"Excuse me!"
When Duke was called by Powder, he paused and turned around, looking at the small Jinx with a hint of surprise in his eyes. What did this little one want from him?
"Are you Duke?"
"You know me?"
After getting an accurate answer, Powder jumped up excitedly, "It's me, I'm Powder! I'm the Powder who used to often watch my sister snatch… your snacks and toys… Powder."
As she spoke, Powder's confidence waned, and she looked at Duke with a guilty conscience. With her reminder, the memories belonging to the original body continuously surged in Duke's mind. Among some fragmented memories, he indeed found the figures of the Jinx sisters.
However, the Jinx sisters at that time were too fierce!!
The original body was not only often bullied, but also pressed to the ground and rubbed by Vi!
"I remember now, your sister never gave me back my gear top after she took it!"
"About that…" Powder's face instantly flushed red, and she awkwardly put her hands behind her back. Duke, however, felt like laughing. He just wanted to see the protagonist, but he didn't expect to meet "relatives" here!
"Fate is truly wondrous!"