Runeterra: Begging for Help in a Parallel Universe!

1 Day Later – River's Edge Workshop

Clink… clank… clink!

With his torso bare, Link hammered the last piece of the gear onto the anvil. The red-hot metal was quickly seized by tongs and dunked into the cooling liquid, emitting clouds of steam.

The young inventor, goggles on, silently counted the seconds as the piece cooled, quickly pulling it out once the time was right. Under the glow of the furnace, he inspected the palm-sized gear, its steel gleaming coldly in the light.

The black iron from Noxus really was of unmatched quality, as cold, hard, and unyielding as the empire itself. This particular material was essential for the exoskeleton's gears, as it would need to endure constant use and motion without failure.

Turning around, Link brought the gear over to the workbench where the nearly finished clockwork exoskeleton lay. Crafted from runesilver, the outer shell was durable and resistant to magic, while the internal gear system, made from Noxian black iron, fit together perfectly without a single gap.

The kinetic converter made from Ionia's Heartsteel was a blend of toughness and flexibility, almost as if it breathed with life. These three materials—sourced from another world by the enigmatic Madame Kiramman, with whom Link had made a deal—had been delivered with no effort on his part.

He carefully installed the gear into the exoskeleton's lumbar energy valve, closing the engine housing with a twist of the bolt. With a sigh of relief, he removed his goggles, stepping back to admire the completed piece.

The exoskeleton stood at around two meters tall, a skeletal frame made of gleaming metal, looking like something between a steel sculpture and a mechanical body. It was built around a flexible, segmented spine that could move like a living creature, designed for both fluid movement and safety.

At the base of the spine, the triangular engine valve hummed, about the length of an adult's forearm, with a hidden pull-chain inside, similar to starting a chainsaw.

When activated, the energy valve could power the exoskeleton through a continuous loop of kinetic energy recovery. Gears meshed seamlessly to allow for movement and efficiency.

The shoulder guards were smooth and rounded, built for comfort and protection. The exoskeleton's limbs were fitted with flexible metal plates, enhancing the user's protection, while gyroscopes throughout ensured proper stabilization.

With hydraulic systems in each limb, and the ability to recover energy with every movement, the exoskeleton was a perfect synergy of strength and efficiency.

"Finally done..." Link muttered, tossing his goggles aside. After a sleepless day and night, he had managed to put it all together. If not for his skills honed in a previous life as an expert machinist, he doubted he could've finished it in time.

"I wonder if the invitation for the Remembrance Gathering has been sent out yet..."

After securing the exoskeleton's safety locks, Link stepped out of the workshop and went to the mailbox outside. The sky was overcast, and the air was heavy with the scent of an incoming storm.

When he opened the mailbox, he found it stuffed with letters. Ignoring them for now, he went to the nearby tavern to grab a bite. Once back at the workshop, he took the letters with him and began sorting through them as he ate.

Most of the letters were from neighboring workshop owners, offering polite greetings or trying to gather information. Since Link had rented the River's Edge Workshop, the locals were curious about the mysterious figure behind the operation.

There were also letters from apprentice craftsmen offering their services, a few business proposals, and even some letters from the Piltover Craft Guild.

Then, buried at the bottom, was a blue-grey invitation sealed with the wax stamp of the Piltover Council.

It was an invitation to the Remembrance Gathering.

If this had been before, Link wouldn't have even considered attending. But now, living in a small estate in Zahn District—a small but comfortable space for someone of his now-solid middle-class status—this invitation meant he was being noticed.

"Tamara's going to freak when she sees this." Link chuckled as he traced the edges of the invitation, excited to open it.

Inside, a gleaming Piltover seal greeted him along with the details of the event. The Remembrance Gathering would take place the next morning at Piltover University.

"I still have some time to rest," he said with a yawn, setting the invitation on the desk. After setting the alarm, he collapsed onto a folding bed, wrapping himself in a thin blanket, and quickly fell asleep.

The next morning, Link was awake the moment the alarm went off. Despite being exhausted from his all-nighter, he remembered he needed to test the exoskeleton.

He grabbed some leftover tea cakes from the previous night and munched on them as he approached the exoskeleton again.

His fingers traced the smooth runesilver armor. The armor had a unique design that allowed it to automatically lock into place for protection once activated.

"Fate may set limits on humanity, but the mind can break through those limits, giving humans infinite possibilities." Link murmured, believing knowledge could change destiny.

To make his mark in Piltover and beyond, he would need to use the gifts granted to him by the mysterious Madame Kiramman, constantly learning and improving himself.

The exoskeleton was just the beginning.

Activating the safety locks, he climbed onto the workbench and settled into the exoskeleton.

"Today is the day Piltover sees what true potential looks like!"

With a snap of the locks, the armor sealed tightly, and the gears inside began to spin. Rising from the workbench, he easily leapt to the floor, landing with a force that cracked the tiles beneath him like brittle wafer cookies.

The young inventor flexed his hands, feeling the immense strength coursing through him. He turned to the nearby steel-reinforced workbench, picking it up effortlessly and throwing it across the room.

Without a second glance at the flying workbench, he strode over to the target he had set up earlier for testing. The target was a thick, steel plate about 10 cm in width, 60 cm in length.

With a tight fist, the gears began to hum as the hydraulic systems prepared.

Wham—the sound of air being compressed as Link punched straight through the target, a huge hole formed where his fist had struck.

Shaking his hand loose, he took a few steps back, his body moving with the exoskeleton's enhanced speed, leaving a blur behind him. The wind howled as the furnace flames danced.

After a few moments, he stopped, chest heaving.

"Strength greater than a bull, speed faster than a horse, and agility to rival the birds—this is the true power of clockwork technology!"

Link felt the exoskeleton's power coursing through him, and his eyes gleamed with determination.

"It's time to show Piltover what true potential looks like."