The battle between the two teams was intensifying, trading blows in the center of the middle lane with neither side willing to give ground. But in the middle of the chaotic combat, something unexpected caught everyone's attention.
Movement. Behind both teams, approaching from their respective bases.
"What is that?" Victor asked, momentarily distracted from the fight. He'd been completely absorbed in testing his designs in actual combat—the Phantom Canyon had given him an incredible opportunity to experiment with theories he'd only been able to sketch in notebooks before. He was already developing ideas for modifications based on how his abilities performed in practice.
But this new element—these approaching formations—demanded his attention.
He glanced over his shoulder and saw them: a small group of figures marching in formation toward the battlefield, all dressed in matching red armor. Then he looked toward Vander's side of the battlefield and spotted a similar group approaching from that direction, identical except for their blue coloring.
What were they? Reinforcements? Additional combatants? Some kind of environmental hazard?
Whoosh—
Still uncertain but deciding to test the unknown element, Victor raised his mechanical scepter toward the approaching blue team. A crimson beam erupted from the weapon, streaking across the path the formation would have to travel.
SZZZT—
The beam carved through the blue team's ranks, and each member showed visible damage—their blue robes charred black, armor smoking from the heat. But the beam didn't stop their advance. Despite being injured, they continued marching forward with unwavering momentum, as if pain and damage were completely irrelevant to their purpose.
"Let them taste my concoctions..." Singed growled with dark enthusiasm. He swung his arm in a wide arc, throwing one of his prepared potions at the advancing formation.
The vial shattered on impact, and the liquid inside immediately began to hiss and bubble. Where it splashed, the ground itself transformed—grass withered, stone corroded, everything converting into a toxic swamp that bubbled with noxious fumes.
Chi chi chi—
The blue team members marched directly into the poisonous zone without hesitation. The moment they entered, the corrosive effects intensified. Their clothes decomposed rapidly, fabric dissolving like paper in acid. Then their bodies began to disintegrate—skin, muscle, armor, all breaking down under the alchemical assault.
One by one, as they struggled toward the edge of the swamp, they simply... vanished. Dissolved completely. Not a single member of that formation managed to cross Singed's toxic barrier.
But something strange happened as each one died. Singed heard a sound—soft but distinct. Like coins clinking together. A small ting noise that seemed to emanate from nowhere and everywhere simultaneously.
Ting... ting... ting...
"What is that sound?" Singed muttered, confusion crossing his scarred features. As a scientist, unexpected phenomena bothered him. He needed to understand what was happening.
With the blue formation eliminated, the red team members continued their march unopposed, closing the distance to Vander's group. And when they arrived, they didn't engage in sophisticated tactics or complex maneuvers—they simply attacked with straightforward aggression.
Their individual combat power wasn't particularly impressive. Any single member of Vander's team could have defeated multiple minions without much difficulty. But that wasn't the problem.
The problem was that they surrounded Vander's team completely, creating a barrier of bodies that blocked movement and prevented the Blue team from advancing or retreating freely. Vander and his people found themselves stuck, unable to continue their assault on Silco's group because they were literally walled in by expendable fodder.
"Damn it, what even are these things?!" Mylo complained, swinging his staff to knock back another minion. "If this keeps up, we're going to become sitting ducks!"
He'd identified the tactical nightmare they were facing. Vander's entire team was built around melee combat—close-quarters specialists who excelled at getting in their opponents' faces and overwhelming them with direct assault. Not a single member had meaningful ranged capabilities.
Silco's team, by contrast, had three people with long-range attack abilities—Victor's lightning, Silco's energy beam, and Singed's thrown potions. The remaining two members weren't dedicated tanks, but they were competent fighters who could hold their own in close combat if needed.
With the minion waves providing constant interference, Vander's team fell into an increasingly disadvantageous position. They were being pushed back, step by step, under the combined pressure of Silco's ranged attacks and the endless stream of red minions.
They retreated until they were literally under their own defensive tower—a massive structure that loomed over the lane like a sentinel. And the moment a red minion entered the tower's range, the structure activated.
BOOM—
A massive sphere of light shot from the tower's apex, slamming into the offending minion and obliterating it instantly. The tower continued firing methodically, eliminating enemy minions one by one with ruthless efficiency.
With the tower's support providing breathing room, Vander's team managed to hold their ground until the next wave of their own minions arrived to reinforce them.
"We need to clear these things quickly!" Vander shouted over the chaos. "Before their next wave arrives, or we'll be in serious trouble!"
Understanding the urgency, Vi took action. She brought her gauntlet-clad fists together, and blue flames erupted around them. Energy built up, concentrating, becoming almost unbearably bright.
Then she jumped—a massive leap that carried her high into the air, her entire body positioned for maximum impact. All the gathered energy focused into her fists as she came down like a meteor.
BOOM~
The punch connected with the ground directly in front of the advancing red minion wave. The impact was catastrophic—the first minion in line was blown backward like it had been hit by a cannon, and the force sent it tumbling into the minions behind it. The entire formation scattered, every member taking varying degrees of damage from the shockwave.
"Hehe, my turn!" Claggor said with his characteristic good-natured laugh. But his body language told a different story—he was winding up for something aggressive.
He swung his arm in a massive arc, and the shield that had been locked to his arm suddenly released, shooting forward like a discus thrown by a giant. It was huge, spinning rapidly, edges gleaming as it flew.
DING DING DING~
The shield ricocheted between targets with impossible precision. It would slam into Silco, bounce off at an angle to strike Victor, redirect again to hit Sevika, then curve back to clip Singed. Every impact changed its trajectory, but somehow it always found another target. And on one of its passes through the chaos, it carved through the remaining red minions, eliminating them all.
KA—
Claggor raised his hand and caught his returning shield perfectly, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
"I've been practicing that move for weeks," he said proudly. "Never got to use it for real before—law enforcement work doesn't really require throwing shields at people. But it works great!"
The technique was impressive—using the shield as both a defensive tool and a devastating ranged weapon. In their normal enforcement duties, Vi's team couldn't risk accidentally killing suspects with that kind of attack. But here in the Phantom Canyon, where death was temporary and consequences were minimal? Claggor could finally use his full capabilities.
"That's an excellent combat technique," Silco observed, genuine appreciation in his voice. "Marcus has clearly taught you well."
He harbored no ill will toward Vi and her friends. His past disagreements had been with Vander, about philosophy and methods of leading Zaun. Now that Marcus had helped them find common ground, those old grudges were mostly settled. The kids were just doing their jobs, and doing them well.
"However," Silco continued, his tone shifting to something more instructive, "there's an important lesson you need to remember in battle."
His cane began to glow, energy building at its tip. Brilliant red light concentrated into a single point.
"Never let your guard down until you're certain the enemy has lost the ability to resist!"
FWOOSH—
A blazing beam erupted from the cane, crossing the distance in an instant and striking Claggor directly in the chest. The big man had already taken significant damage during the earlier fighting, and Silco's concentrated attack was specifically designed for maximum burst potential.
Claggor's vision blurred. Colors drained from the world, everything shifting to black and white. He could still see the battlefield, but it was like watching through a filter, and his body wouldn't respond to his commands anymore.
He was dead. Eliminated. Waiting for respawn.
"SILCO!" Vander's roar cut through the sounds of battle, raw with fury. "What the hell are you doing?! You just killed Claggor!"
He could see the big kid's body lying there, smoke rising from the impact point, completely motionless. The sight triggered something primal in Vander—a protective rage that made him forget this was supposed to be a safe demonstration.
"Uh... Vander, I'm fine!" Claggor's voice called out, though his body remained unmoving. "Really! I'm okay!"
Everyone froze, confused. Then understanding dawned—Marcus had explained the respawn system when they'd entered the Canyon. Physical death here was temporary. Claggor would resurrect at the spawn platform after a waiting period.
"Vander, you're still as impulsive as ever," Silco said with cold amusement. "If I attacked him, it's because I knew there would be no permanent harm. You should have more faith in the system Marcus created."
"I..." Vander took a breath, forcing himself to calm down. "You're right. I overreacted. Sorry."
He smiled sheepishly at his teammates, then turned back to Silco. "But apology or not, we're still going to beat you."
The battle resumed with renewed intensity. But as the fight continued, Vander's team began to notice something concerning—Claggor still hadn't returned. The respawn timer must have been longer than they'd expected, and without their primary tank to absorb damage, they were at a severe disadvantage.
Silco's team pressed the advantage ruthlessly. Their ranged attackers could strike from safety while Vander's melee-focused team had to close distance under fire. Without Claggor's shield to block incoming attacks, the Blue team was forced into a defensive stalemate, huddling near their tower and trying to survive.
"This isn't working," Vi muttered, deflecting another of Victor's lightning bolts with her armored forearm. "Where is Claggor? Why hasn't he come back yet?"
"Maybe the fat kid's too scared to show his face," Mylo joked, though there was an edge of concern in his voice. The banter was their way of dealing with stress, but they all genuinely wondered what was taking so long.
"YOU'RE the one who's scared!"
The shout came from an unexpected direction—from the river that ran along the side of the middle lane. Claggor burst from the foliage, charging toward Silco's team from behind, catching them completely off-guard.
"Behind us!" Silco called out, but he wasn't panicking. He simply gestured to his enforcer thug, signaling the big man to intercept.
The thug grinned viciously, hefting his enormous axe, and charged to meet Claggor's assault. This would be easy—just some kid trying to play hero.
CRASH—
The two collided, and the thug's grin immediately twisted into shock. The "weak" kid he'd been expecting to easily overpower had somehow become strong. Impossibly strong. The impact of their collision sent shockwaves through the thug's body, and combined with the damage he'd accumulated during the extended teamfight...
His vision went black. Eliminated.
Claggor didn't stop. He barreled forward like an enraged bull, shield raised, charging straight through the Red team's formation toward their ranged attackers. And his speed—somehow he was moving as fast as Mylo now, despite being significantly larger.
SPLASH—
Seeing the thug fail to stop Claggor's assault, Singed reacted quickly. He threw one of his prepared potions—a khaki-colored liquid that transformed on impact into incredibly strong adhesive. The super-glue splattered across Claggor's legs and lower body, severely limiting his mobility.
The big enforcer could still move, but only slowly, fighting against the adhesive with every step. It bought Silco's team the precious seconds they needed to retreat back to the safety of their own defensive tower.
They didn't try to turn and fight. They'd all seen how much punishment Claggor could absorb—he'd survived concentrated fire from multiple attackers for an extended period during the earlier engagement. Trying to eliminate him now, while he was clearly enhanced somehow, would take more time than they had. Better to regroup and wait for him to become vulnerable again.
By the time Claggor finally broke free from the adhesive, Silco's team was safely behind their tower's protective range. The big man had no choice but to retreat back to his own team's position, though he did so with obvious satisfaction at having disrupted the enemy formation.
The moment he returned, Mylo was on him, examining him from every angle with undisguised curiosity.
"What happened to you? How did you suddenly become so strong? You were tough before, but now you're like... scary tough."
Claggor smiled, clearly pleased with himself. "There's an old man at the spawn platform. He sells equipment. I bought some stuff from him to enhance my abilities."
"Equipment?" Several people spoke at once, confused.
"Yeah. The old man said each of us has six equipment slots, and we can purchase items from his shop to make ourselves stronger. I bought boots first—that's how I got faster. Then I went around killing red minions on the other lanes to get more gold, and used that to buy a shield upgrade, a ruby for health, and a longsword for damage. That's why I'm so much more powerful now."
The explanation hung in the air as everyone processed the implications.
"Wait," Vi said slowly, "so you've been gone this whole time because you were farming minions for gold?"
"Exactly! And while I was doing that, I checked out the jungle areas on both sides. There are neutral monsters in there that you can kill for gold and experience. Some of them look really valuable—there are these two huge golem-things that I couldn't take down alone, but they must drop amazing rewards."
Claggor sounded like someone describing a treasure hunt, eyes bright with excitement. But his explanation was giving everyone else a fundamental understanding of how the Phantom Canyon actually worked—this wasn't just a brawling arena. It was a complex system with economy, progression, and strategic resource management.
"Oh, also," Claggor added, "killing minions doesn't just give you gold. It also gives you experience points, which let you level up. The old man called it 'upgrading.' I'm level four now, which means my stats are higher across the board, and I've been able to enhance three of my special attack skills."
This was one of the key differences between what Marcus had originally called "Summoner's Rift" and this "Phantom Canyon" implementation. In Summoner's Rift, players had to choose which specific ability to upgrade at each level. In Phantom Canyon, fighters could use all their abilities freely, but leveling up let them enhance their skills' effectiveness—and at level six, they could transform one skill into an ultimate ability with dramatically increased power at the cost of higher energy consumption.
Claggor was level four. Just two more levels, and he'd get access to an ultimate skill that would make him even more dangerous.
The revelation changed everything. Both teams began to understand the deeper strategic layer of the Phantom Canyon, and their approaches to combat shifted accordingly.
They stopped mindlessly brawling in the middle lane and started thinking about resource acquisition. Killing enemy champions was valuable, yes, but so was eliminating minion waves for gold and experience. The jungle monsters represented another source of power that could tip the balance. Tower destruction, map control, timing—all of it mattered.
Both teams adapted their strategies on the fly, learning through experimentation. They raced against each other to destroy minions, to secure kills, to purchase better equipment and reach higher levels. The battlefield became a complex dance of tactical decisions rather than just a test of combat skill.
Because it was everyone's first time experiencing the Phantom Canyon system, the match lasted far longer than it probably should have. Both teams made mistakes, discovered mechanics through trial and error, and gradually improved their understanding of what was possible.
In the end, Silco's team achieved victory. Their ranged advantage proved decisive—they could siege towers from relative safety, could kite melee opponents, could control space in ways that Vander's pure melee team simply couldn't match. The final push came down to a coordinated assault where Victor's lightning, Silco's beam, and Singed's potions all focused on destroying Vander's Nexus Crystal while Sevika and the respawned thug held off the desperate Blue team counterattack.
The crystal shattered in a spectacular explosion of light, and suddenly everyone was back outside the Canyon, standing in the physical training room as if they'd never left.
The moment they materialized, Powder and Ekko rushed forward, practically vibrating with excitement.
"That was AMAZING!" Powder shouted. "You guys were incredible! The way Vi did that super-punch thing, and then Claggor came back all powered up—I've never seen anything so cool!"
"Can we try it now?" Ekko asked, tugging on Marcus's sleeve. "Please? We've been watching forever and we really want to play!"
But Marcus shook his head, smiling at their enthusiasm but remaining firm. "Not yet. You two need more training first. The Canyon is complex, and I want you to understand the fundamentals before you jump in."
Both kids deflated slightly but didn't argue. They'd seen how intense the battle had been. Maybe a bit more preparation wasn't such a bad idea.
"So," Marcus said, turning to address the full group, "what did you think? Honest opinions."
"This is absolutely incredible!" Mylo answered immediately, practically bouncing with residual adrenaline. "I've never felt so powerful! The way I could move in there—it was like I could do anything!"
He'd been jumping around the Canyon like some kind of hyperactive monkey, especially after he'd figured out the equipment system and started buying items that enhanced movement speed and attack speed. His advantage had become almost comical—he was so fast that hitting him was nearly impossible.
Unfortunately, he'd focused entirely on mobility at the expense of durability. Which meant that while he was incredibly hard to catch, the few times he did get hit, he died almost instantly. He'd spent more time waiting to respawn than anyone else on his team.
"Don't let it go to your head," Vi said, patting Mylo's shoulder with perhaps slightly more force than necessary. "If it weren't for you constantly dying, we wouldn't have had such a hard time."