Arcane: Winds of Change

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The blue Hextech crystal emitted a dazzling light, followed by a massive explosion. "Damn it!" Phil's heart skipped a beat; he could see the power contained within the small gem. A card suddenly flashed in his hand, and the illustration was none other than [Braum's Heart].

[Skin compatibility --- 19%. Forcefully increasing compatibility will enhance the user's abilities but will cause physical damage. Do you want to proceed?]

[Yes.] Phil couldn't afford to hesitate; those important to him were behind him, needing everything he had to protect them.

On the other side, Vander also shielded Vi protectively. The card flashed and entered Phil's body, and the image of a bald strong man seemed to appear behind him. "You can always trust Braum," the faint voice echoed in Phil's mind. A massive shield appeared in his hand, more than twice his own size. 

He stepped forward, completely shielding Silco behind him. The Hextech crystal then exploded, enveloping the entire factory in a brilliant light. The explosion was astonishingly powerful. Mylo was pierced by a steel beam carried by the blast, and Claggor was directly blown away. The roof shattered into fragments, crashing down. The moment he saw the explosion, Vander barely managed to shield Vi, but he too was blasted away.

The explosion affected not just Silco and Vander, but also the doctor experimenting downstairs and his numerous creations. It took a while before the light faded. Phil's hand holding the shield trembled slightly, and blood trickled from his mouth. However, the area behind him was completely safe.

Silco finally reacted, hurriedly supporting the trembling Phil. "Are you okay, Phil?" His eyes were full of worry. "I'm fine; let's go check downstairs," Phil said after a moment, wiping the blood from his mouth. "So much of the serum is destroyed by the explosion. Silco, your plans will be delayed again," Phil suddenly said. 

"As long as everyone's safe, it doesn't matter. We can make another batch soon enough," Silco said with lingering fear; he had never thought of losing Phil; fortunately, Phil was not gravely injured. Phil reverted from his transformed state, the massive shield turning into a stream of light and returning to his body. The card symbolizing [Braum's Heart] shattered completely.

"Vander! Vander!" Vi was in tears, holding the severely injured Vander, crying out in anguish and powerlessness. At this moment, Powder ran in quickly from the door. She knew she had made a mistake, and seeing Vander lying in Vi's arms rendered her mind blank.

"What have you done? Look at what you've done!" Vi cried, shouting at Powder. Vander was her father, and now he was on the brink of death. "I'm sorry, Vi. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." Her timid gaze fixed on Vi, her body trembling uncontrollably.

"I told you not to come!" Vi's tone was cold and angry as she turned her back to Powder. "Why did you leave me behind?" Powder's cry was filled with helplessness.

Vi stood up in Powder's direction and punched her: "Because you're a jinx! Did you hear that? Mylo was right, you are a jinx!" Vi was almost hysterical.

"Don't, Vi. Don't do this. I beg you, I beg you..." Powder was held by Vi, falling to the ground. Tears streamed uncontrollably from her eyes. Vi suddenly let go of her, staring at the blood and tears on her hands, tears welling up in her own eyes.

"I beg you, Vi. Please, Vi." Powder was sobbing, barely able to speak through her cries. Vi gave her a long, deep look before resolutely standing up and leaving.

"Vi! Come back! I'm begging you, Vi. Please!" Powder saw Vi getting up and cried desperately, her voice growing increasingly choked.

A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, and the rain intensified. At this moment, Vi leaned against the alley wall, confused about how things had escalated this way. She needed time to sort things out and time to forgive Powder. Meanwhile, Powder had cried until her voice was hoarse. She knelt on the ground, pounding the earth with her fists, her eyes filled with disappointment and confusion. 

At that moment, Silco and his group had just exited the factory and saw Powder crying on the ground. "Hold on, let's check on her," Phil suggested. He had a bit of a soft spot for Powder. The group approached Powder. They knew she was responsible for the explosion, which had injured and even killed some of their comrades. Apart from Phil and Silco—Phil had an appreciation and fondness for Powder herself, while Silco saw a reflection of himself in her.

"She doesn't want me anymore," Powder sobbed, grabbing onto Phil as soon as she saw him. "It's okay, you still have me. I told you, you're a genius. She'll regret it," Phil comforted her, gently patting her head. Through the gap over Phil's shoulder, Powder looked in the direction where Vi had left, her gaze now filled with hatred. No one noticed Vander's finger faintly twitch.

On the other side, Vi saw Silco and the others approaching Powder and feared they were there for revenge. She quickly tried to intervene but was suddenly grabbed from behind, a large hand covering her mouth. The chloroform-laced handkerchief swiftly rendered her unconscious. Her exhausted body slumped into the arms of the enforcer from the upper city.

Just a few steps away, Phil coughed up a mouthful of clotted blood. "Damn," he thought, recognizing the backlash he was experiencing. He recalled the agony from pushing Heimerdinger's compatibility card to 50% last time. It took him a week to recover back then, and he dreaded the impending pain once again. Silco rushed to support Phil, "Are you okay? Sevika, get a doctor immediately," he commanded. Sevika promptly departed upon receiving the order.

"I'm alright, it's just a bit of backlash from my power. I'll be fine after a while," Phil reassured, though every muscle in his body throbbed with intense pain, each step feeling like it was tearing him apart. Silco helped him walk home. "Oh, Powder. I won't be able to teach you anything for a while. You can look at the books in my study or experiment with the guns I've made. You've got a gift for crafting," Phil advised, knowing Powder's mechanical talents.

"Powder is dead. From now on, call me Jinx," she declared seriously, looking Phil in the eye. Phil met her gaze for a few seconds, then smiled, "Hello, Jinx."