Arcane: Twin Cities Mechanic

The structural complexity of bionic robots pales compared to the human body. Although their brains and internal configurations are modeled after humans, their "genes" have been replaced with mechanical circuits, significantly reducing production difficulty. Thanks to advancements in 3D printing and quantum computing, manufacturing a mere 10,000 bionic robots—along with selecting factory sites and building the necessary equipment—takes less than half a month.

With all prerequisites fulfilled, such as mastering advanced skills for career progression, amassing an army of a million combat units with an average power level exceeding 100, and creating a mechanical species of 10,000 intelligent beings, only one task remained: achieving a mechanical miracle. 

The system did not provide explicit guidance on what constitutes a "mechanical miracle." Based on the term's interpretation, it could simply mean accomplishing something extraordinary in the mechanical domain—a notion open to endless possibilities.

Li Lin had discussed this issue multiple times with Heimerdinger, the most authoritative scientist in Runeterra apart from himself. Inevitably, their debates would veer into philosophical territory without yielding definitive answers. Frustrated, Li Lin found himself stuck at his current level for quite some time. Various simulated attempts failed to produce anything that could be deemed a true "mechanical miracle." 

Nevertheless, he had several potential plans in motion. 

The most ambitious was the transformation of the third-phase Starport into the fourth-phase Star Fortress. According to its original design, the structure would span half the size of Runeterra. Initially, the resource constraints of Runeterra rendered such a colossal project impossible, forcing Li Lin to repeatedly downscale the blueprint. 

But now, with basic material conversion technology and hyperspace teleportation, he could command AI to calculate coordinates and deploy mechanical engineers to neighboring planets to harvest resources, paving the way for the Star Fortress. Completing this project could very well qualify as the prerequisite "mechanical miracle," though it would require a significant amount of time.

A secondary option was the "Great Wall Project," an initiative Li Lin had proposed during the second League of Legends summit. This plan involved constructing defensive lines across various regions and battlefronts worldwide. Although it would not match the grandeur of the Star Fortress, it would take considerably less time and was already underway. If nothing else, its implementation would serve as a side quest to gauge whether it could meet the system's requirements.

The final plan stemmed from a suggestion by the AI: designing large-scale, hero-specific mechs for League of Legends champions. Initially dismissed by Li Lin as unworthy of "miracle" status, he later revisited the idea with a sudden inspiration, naming the project "Mecha Kingdoms" after memories embedded deep in his mind. 

Each champion joining the League of Legends would receive a custom-designed mech tailored to their appearance and fighting style. When the Void War eventually erupted, neither their natural abilities nor mass-produced combat suits would suffice against the grotesque Void creatures. Large-scale mechs would provide the additional firepower needed to fill these gaps. 

For champions reaching Master-tier rankings through the League's "Placement Trials," Li Lin personally designed their mechs. Among the most notable was Aatrox. 

Aatrox, imbued with the power of the Celestials, could unleash godlike strength in moments of heightened potential. Yet, as a mortal, wielding such celestial power caused him immense pain. Enhancing his divine strength with mechanical weaponry significantly boosted his combat capabilities. Thus, the first Mecha Kingdom was born—Aatrox, equipped with a miniature star reactor designed using knowledge bestowed by Aurelion Sol. 

The Aatrox mech could respond to a single thought, traversing a hyperspace gate from the orbital base to its owner's side in just two or three seconds. Augmented by the miniature stellar reactor, its combat strength exceeded that of standard Overlord-series mechs by more than tenfold, even surpassing godlike warriors. 

Because of its immense power, Li Lin limited its testing to Aatrox alone. He verified that piloting the mech felt almost identical to Aatrox's personal combat style before reclaiming it. 

In terms of raw firepower, simulations showed that Aatrox's Mecha Kingdom, operating at only one-third capacity, could obliterate the Piltover Mountain Range to the north of the Twin Cities—an area dozens of times larger than both cities combined. In other words, a single mech hand-crafted by Li Lin rivaled the destructive power of a World Rune. Its only drawback was the lack of peculiar magical abilities.

Following Aatrox, Li Lin created additional mechs for Master-tier champions like Caitlyn and Kai'Sa, as well as a playful request from Zoe, who insisted on having her own mech for fun. The roster expanded to include champions such as Shen, Zed, Ashe, Tryndamere, Yi, Kennen, Kayle, and Morgana, all of whom possessed exceptional combat prowess.

Despite the ongoing progress, Li Lin had more pressing matters to address. 

Due to Ashe's efforts to unify Freljord, she once again reached out to Li Lin for assistance in negotiating with Lissandra. The Frostguard's vast numbers and the ancient, powerful Ice Witch would easily outmatch Ashe's small faction of iceborn warriors. 

To ensure caution, Ashe appealed to the League of Legends, specifically Li Lin, for support. 

Donning his Infinite Combat Armor, Li Lin sent Ashe a message confirming the location of Avarosa's Sanctuary at Rakelstake. With a mere blink, the familiar sights of his office transformed into the cityscape of the sanctuary. He stood before the grand statue of Avarosa in the heart of the capital.

"Speaker Li," came a voice from the direction of the war mother's tent. 

Lowering his helmet, Li Lin turned to face Ashe and Tryndamere, standing side by side. Beside them was a striking woman clad in a revealing fur-trimmed outfit, her age and hair color resembling Ashe's. Her deep, determined eyes bore hints of resentment and discontent. She was Sejuani, the former war mother of the Winter's Claw tribe. 

Upon seeing Li Lin, a flicker of anger crossed her face. Yet, restrained by Ashe's presence and the palpable danger emanating from the man before her, she pressed her pale lips together, remaining silent. 

Li Lin cast her a brief, indifferent glance before focusing on Ashe. Without unnecessary pleasantries, he got straight to the point. 

"Are you truly ready to face Lissandra?"

(End of Chapter)

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