Outside of the liquidators' pastime, the empire is facing difficult times. Apex X23US Many hostile nations are encroaching on the territory of the Empire, and waves of rebellion have been stirred up along all borders of Noxus. Rumor has it that Darkwell and his staff paid a large sum of gold to buy out many mercenaries, prisoners, liquidators, etc., to enlist in the Empire's warbands. It only took a handshake to close the deal, and Zhao Xin and his companions were bought and loaded onto a transport ship heading west.

In the coastal fortress of Carlsted, no matter how famous the liquidators, the name and prestige of the past are worthless. They were thrown into battle against the elite forces of King Gavin III of Demacia, an enemy determined to control Noxus' influence over Valoran...... And Zhao Xin soon understood that this war was completely different from any arena duel.

Although most of the former liquidators chose to flee in the face of a defeated battle, Zhao Xin did not retreat, and the tip of his spear was stained with the blood of hundreds of people. When the king's fearless vanguard completely surrounded him, some of the vanguard warriors silently admired his skill, but Zhao Xin still refused to flee. He held his head high and gladly died.

However, Jiawen had other plans. The king of Demacia was not the same as the audience in the arena, and unnecessary killing did not make him happy. He was willing to release all the defeated Noxians on the condition that they swore never to invade Karlstead again. Zhao Xin was taken by surprise by his benevolent gesture, and he pondered the fate that awaited him when he returned to Noxus. He can go back to the society where he came from, where his life means only the money earned by the owner...... Or he can fight for those who are virtuous, defending those virtues that bring him back to life.

Driven by honor, he knelt before Govin III and asked to serve the king.

In the decades that followed, Zhao Xin proved his loyalty time and time again. As the head of the royal court, he was not only the king's bodyguard and adviser, but also a friend and servant, but he was also dutiful to the heir to the throne, the young Prince Gawain. Zhao Xin's path to becoming a Demacian may have been unusual, but he never wavered in his devotion to the kingdom and its ideals. He asked himself that this was not out of a sense of duty, but out of choice.

"Hide behind me, Demacian! You may not have noticed, but I'm a big man. ”

~Colossus of Justice

The legend of Galio dates back to the aftermath of the Rune Wars. At that time, refugees across the continent were all shunning the destructive power of magic. Legend has it that in the western part of Valoran, a group of refugees was hunted down by a vicious Black Magic warband. After days of sleepless trekking, the refugees were forced to hide in an ancient wood, where the trees had long since dried up and weathered into fossils. The mages chased them here, only to find that their magic had no effect in the woods.

The fossils of these trees seem to be natural magical barriers, and any spell will be muted when struck. The refugees were no longer lambs to the slaughter, and they raised their swords and drove the dark mages out of the land.

Some assert that the magic-shielded sanctuary is a gift from the gods, others believe that it is a reward for their arduous journey, but all agree to make it their new home.

Over the years, the first settlers used these magical woods to create many types of armor. Later, they discovered that the fossils of the trees could be mixed with lime to make the Forbidden Stone, a material that is highly resistant to magic. It will also be the cornerstone of a burgeoning civilization, building the walls of the cradle kingdom of Demacia.

In the years that followed, as long as the Forbidden Stone barrier was protected, the Demacians would not fear magic invading their homeland. On the rare occasions when disputes need to be resolved beyond the borders, the Demacian army has proven to be a warrior. However, as soon as the enemy uses magic, the soldiers appear to be on their own. They must find a way to make their forbidden walls work on the front lines as well.

The sculptor Du Lang accepted the commission to design and make some kind of protection for the army using the Forbidden Magic Stone. Two years later, the majestic winged statue of Galio was unveiled, which would later become an important defensive force in the kingdom and a proclamation of Demacia's power to the entire Runeterra.

With the power of pulleys, steel rails, and countless bulls, they pushed the giant stone statue into battle. Many of the otherwise formidable invaders were stunned at the sight of the faint outline of this formidable stone statue. This "magic-eating giant" inspires the kingdom and intimidates its enemies.

But no one has ever considered the unpredictable results of countless magical arcane powers acting on this stone statue......

Demacia was engaged in a protracted struggle at Greentooth Peak, north of Valoran. A group of battle mages, the Fist of Arcane, used fierce arcane magic energy to release crackling magic missiles that bombarded the position indiscriminately for thirteen days and nights. The surviving soldiers were demoralized and huddled around Galio. Just as they were in despair, a slow, low, deafening roar resounded through the valley, like mountains on both sides wrestling with each other. A great shadow slowly rose, and the Demacian soldiers showed their last grit, ready to die generously.

A deep voice roared above them. To the surprise of the Demacian soldiers, the voice came from the majestic colossus behind them. Galio moved, still talking, completely of his own volition. Maybe it's some strange principle, the magic he's absorbed over the years has brought him to life. Galio stepped forward and used his body to block the front of the soldier, absorbing every magic bullet attack with his massive stone body.

Then Galio spun around and walked up the hill and slammed the Arcane Fist into the gravel and dirt.

The Demacians cheered. They were about to fervently thank their savior, the Forbidden Stone-like Sentinel, but just as he had activated without warning, the mighty protector was now still without warning, as if he had been standing on the pedestal. Upon returning to Xiongdu, the few survivors of the Battle of Greentooth Peak began to whisper the anecdote, but in exchange for only silent suspicion. That day gradually became a legend, and it may just be a fairy tale fable made up by people in ancient times to overcome difficulties and encourage each other.

Of course, no one dared to believe that the colossus had been silently paying attention to every trivial matter around him. Although his body was not moving, his consciousness was always awake, longing to experience the thrill of fighting again.