Malphegor
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Arcane: TTB: Ch. 42
🕑 Added 2025-02-09 21:10:57 +0000 UTCViktor and Jayce returned to the lab, and by the time they finished verifying the model data for the Hexgate, it was already late at night.
Jayce gathered his things, his movements carrying the easy confidence of a man on the rise. "Don't stay up too late, Viktor. There's always more work tomorrow."
Viktor nodded, watching his colleague leave. While Jayce walked the path of acclaim, he remained in the shadows of the lab, his contributions footnotes to another man's story.
After Jayce left, he brewed himself a pot of black tea to stay awake.
Viktor recalled the scene in the banquet hall where everyone's eyes were on Lester, a former Noxian slave.
He was able to rise through effort and become a true noble.
The high-ranking Piltover councilors were as meek as lambs before him. It was a sight that challenged everything Viktor thought he knew about Piltover's social order.
If Lester, who came from a humble background, could rise to nobility in Noxus, then why couldn't he do the same in Piltover?
In the grand Piltover Academy, the only scientist more capable than him was Professor Heimerdinger. Even Jayce was slightly inferior in comparison.
In terms of talent and effort, he was no less than anyone. The countless hours spent in this lab, the breakthroughs, the innovations, all showed his dedication.
So why?
Why couldn't he become a professor?
Why were there so many professors at Piltover Academy who weren't as capable as him, yet they held the title?
He thought of their comfortable offices, their assured positions, their easy acceptance of a system that kept others down.
He and Jayce had jointly developed Hextech, an epoch-making scientific achievement, yet he couldn't even obtain the title of professor.
Meanwhile, Jayce had become Piltover's rising star, second only to Professor Heimerdinger in status. And Viktor? He remained just a lecturer, teaching others while his own genius went unrecognized.
In the past, Viktor had been devoted to scientific research, focusing solely on using technology to benefit humanity and the Undercity.
The work itself had been enough, or so he'd told himself.
He had never deeply pondered these questions. But today, Cipher pointed out that Lester's success was actually due to Noxus' national policies.
This made Viktor start to think.
Could his failures and the suffering he endured all stem from Piltover's policies?
Shouldn't those with ability receive the rewards they deserve?
Could this still be called the City of Progress?
Where was the problem?
What exactly had gone wrong?
Viktor took out the book Cipher had given him.
His intuition told him that this book might hold the answers.
Sitting alone at his workbench, he opened the book.
On the first page, there was only one sentence: "Everything, for a better tomorrow, and for all those who strive for humanity's progress, my homeland!" - Cipher
Viktor pondered over these words.
For humanity's progress? he thought. That is my dream as well. We do indeed share the same vision. I hope you can answer my doubts.
With anticipation, he turned to the next page.
[A world without exploitation, without oppression, truly exists!]
This sentence struck him like the brutal attacks of Tryndamere, leaving him utterly shaken.
A world without exploitation... Was such a thing possible? Or was that just another beautiful lie?
Exploitation and oppression, he understood the deep meaning behind these words.
Yet, that did not stop him from trying to grasp the world that Cipher was describing.
It was nothing less than an ideal, one where people coexisted in harmony.
[The cruelest form of enslavement is not physical, but the enslavement of the mind and spirit, where slaves are unaware of their own subjugation.]
The second sentence struck another blow, and Viktor suddenly realized something.
[To be a slave in body is unfortunate, but not truly terrifying, because at least one still struggles and has hope for escape.]
[But if one becomes a slave in mind and thought, they will seek comfort in their servitude.]
[They will find happiness in it, revel in and praise their status as slaves, and see the enemies of their masters as their own enemies.]
[That would be an eternal doom, forever bound to servitude.]
[Only by knowing what truly matters can one truly live as a free human being.]
[This book analyzes the long history of the two cities and seeks to ignite the winds of revolution.]
[It aims to help those with ambition in both cities break free from their mental shackles, learn to think independently, and see the world as it truly is.]
[To recognize who the true enemies of the two cities are, who is preventing them from becoming a true City of Progress!]
Viktor was deeply engrossed. Each word seemed to peel away layers of assumptions he'd never thought to question.
He had initially thought that Cipher would analyze Piltover's political and economic policies to explain the various absurdities present in the city.
But he hadn't expected that on the very first page, Cipher would all but point at everyone's noses and declare: You are all slaves. And not only are you slaves, but you even sing praises of your servitude, you are pathetic servants.
Even more terrifying was that, from the very first sentence mentioning "exploitation" and "oppression," Viktor, with his vast knowledge, had already realized, he was a slave.
A slave who was being exploited and oppressed, yet a slave who was aware of it.
Moreover, according to the book, the current state of Piltover and Zaun was caused by a certain enemy who was obstructing progress.
Viktor was extremely curious, who was this enemy? He eagerly turned to the next page. His hands trembled slightly with anticipation.
But what he saw made his pupils shrink.
[The Conflict Between Piltover and Zaun is Irreconcilable - A War is Inevitable]
The book then opened into a comprehensive analysis of human history, each page filled with mind provoking observations.
[History is not a collection of heroic tales or divine interventions. It is the story of how humans organized themselves to survive, to produce, and ultimately, to progress. To understand where we are, and where we're going, we must first understand this fundamental truth.]
[The development of human society follows clear, predictable patterns. These patterns are not guided by great individuals or gods, but by how humans work together to create what they need to live. This is the key that unlocks all other mysteries.]
Viktor leaned closer, engrossed as the book laid out its analysis.
[Human society has progressed through distinct stages, each marked by how people produce what they need to survive. Understanding these stages is crucial to understanding our present situation:]
[Stage One: The Primitive Society
In this earliest stage, humans barely survived. They lived in small groups, hunting and gathering, with no concept of private property or class. Every member of the tribe had to work together or all would perish. This was true equality, but it was the equality of shared poverty and constant struggle.
The tools were simple: spears, stone axes, basic shelters.
No one could accumulate wealth because there was no surplus to accumulate. When food was found, it had to be shared or the group would weaken and die. This was not noble sharing, it was desperate necessity.
In these times, when tribes met, they often fought to the death. The victors would kill all the defeated men and take the women, not out of cruelty, but because they could not feed prisoners. Resources were too scarce to waste on enemies.]
[Stage Two: The Era of Surplus
Everything changed with the first great revolution in human productivity: agriculture and animal husbandry.
For the first time, humans could produce more than they immediately needed to survive.
With surplus came the possibility of some humans living off the work of others. Those who controlled the surplus became the first ruling class. Those who produced it became the first slaves.
This was the birth of inequality, not from divine decree or natural superiority, but from the simple fact that humans could now produce more than they needed to survive.]
[Stage Three: The Slave Society
Once surplus production became possible, warfare changed. Victorious tribes no longer killed their defeated enemies, they enslaved them. A dead enemy was a waste; a slave was an asset.
The first civilizations were built on the backs of slaves. The grand monuments, the legendary cities, the great temples, all were built by slaves for masters. This is the truth that historians and scholars try to hide behind tales of heroes and gods.
Look at Shurima! They tell us it was built by God-Warriors and celestial power. The truth? It was built by slaves, driven by whips, working with tools. The god-warriors came later, to protect what the slaves had built.]
[Stage Four: The Feudal Order
As tools improved and populations grew, slave society evolved into feudalism. Instead of owning people directly, the ruling class now owned the land and controlled those who worked it. The chains became invisible but no less real.
The peasants were told they were free, but they could not leave their lord's land. They were told they had rights, but these rights amounted to the right to give most of their harvest to their masters.
This was progress of a sort, but it was progress that benefited the few at the expense of the many.]
[Stage Five: The Merchant Lords
As cities grew and trade expanded, a new power arose: the merchant class. They didn't own land like the nobles or own slaves directly, but they controlled something just as powerful: money and trade.
The merchants and industrialists don't crack whips or demand harvest tribute. Instead, they control the flow of resources, of goods, of opportunities.
Look at how they strangle Zaun! They don't need armies or slave chains. They simply control the resources, the trade routes, the machines of production. They turn the very air we breathe into a weapon against us.]
[The Current Stage: A World in Transition
We live in a time where multiple stages exist at once. Noxus still practices open slavery. Demacia clings to feudal nobility. Piltover represents the rise of merchant lords and industrialists.
But make no mistake, these are all simply different forms of the same basic relationship: those who control production controlling those who actually produce.]
[And here we find ourselves, in Piltover and Zaun, a perfect microcosm of this eternal struggle. Above, the merchants and industrialists live in luxury. Below, the actual producers choke on toxic fumes and fight for scraps.
They call it the "City of Progress," but progress for whom?
They praise "innovation," but who actually builds these innovations?
Who tests them?
Who dies when they fail?]
[The Myth of the Magical Founder
Let us examine a myth closer to home, the founding of Piltover. Every child in the city learns the same story: that we owe our progress to the brilliant Yordle inventor, Professor Heimerdinger.
That without his magical race's knowledge, we would still be living in primitive conditions.
This story serves a purpose. It teaches people to worship genius, to believe that progress comes only through exceptional individuals. More insidiously, it teaches them that humans alone are incapable of achieving great things.
But let us look at the real history:
Before Professor Heimerdinger arrived, human settlements in this region were already developing advanced tools and trading systems. The foundations of what would become Piltover were already being laid by countless unnamed craftsmen and inventors.
Why? Because the conditions demanded it. The harsh environment, the need for efficient trade, the competition between settlements, all these factors pushed humans to innovate and advance.
Would another Yordle inventor have eventually arrived? Probably.
Would humans have developed similar technologies without any Yordle intervention? Absolutely.
The proof lies in other regions. Look at Zaun's chemical innovations, developed without magical assistance. Look at Noxus's war machines, created through pure human ingenuity. Look at Piltover's own craftsmen, who now create devices that even Professor Heimerdinger never imagined.
The City of Progress was inevitable. The concentration of trade routes, the natural harbor, the mineral resources in the cliffs, these material conditions made the rise of an advanced city inevitable. Professor Heimerdinger didn't create these conditions; he merely arrived at the right time to take credit for their results.
This is not to diminish his contributions. His knowledge certainly accelerated our progress. But to claim he is the source of Piltover's progress? That is a convenient myth that serves those who would keep humanity dependent on "superior" beings.
The truth is simpler and more powerful: humans advance because they must advance.
When conditions demand progress, progress will come, with or without magical intervention.
External forces, whether they be Yordles, magic, or divine intervention, can accelerate progress. But they are not its source. The true foundation of progress lies in productive forces: in the tools we build, in the methods we develop, in the ways we organize our labor.
This is why Piltover's progress is inevitable. Not because of any individual genius, but because the material conditions demand it. The only question is: who will control this inevitable progress? Those who actually produce it, or those who merely claim credit for it?]
[The Path of Revolution
History teaches us one unchanging truth: power, once gained, is never surrendered willingly.
Every transition we have studied, from tribal society to slave states, from feudal lords to merchant princes, came through conflict and revolution.
What does this mean for Piltover and Zaun? Our situation is not some unfortunate misunderstanding. It is not a problem that can be solved with polite discussions in council chambers or token reforms that leave the fundamental power structure intact.
As long as Piltover maintains its chokehold on resources, trade routes, and knowledge, as long as they control the means of production itself, Zaun will remain enslaved. No amount of charitable gestures or minor concessions can change this basic reality.
The only path forward is through fundamental reorganization of how production is controlled and organized. All our talk of "progress" and "innovation" is meaningless as long as the basic relationship remains unchanged: those who produce being controlled by those who own.
This conflict between our cities is not unique. It is simply the latest chapter in humanity's eternal struggle between those who produce value and those who control its production. Understanding this truth is the first step toward real change.]
Viktor sat motionless, letting the words sink deep into his consciousness. The book wasn't just describing abstract history, it was explaining his own life, his own struggles. Every frustrated ambition, every denied opportunity, every "coincidental" setback, all of it part of a larger pattern he was only now beginning to see.
External forces merely accelerated human progress, but the true foundation of progress lay in productive forces!
Comments
Malphegor
This chapter took way longer than I thought. I had to research history (our and runeterra) etc. Would be nice if you could give me some feedback. If I am wrong about sth, just let me know
