Li Ke didn't dislike Illaoi because, according to Illaoi backstory, she left a good impression on Li Ke.
She was indeed not good-looking; she had dark skin, a tall stature, and looked more striking and rugged than a man.
But in reality, in Bilgewater, Illaoi is the dream goddess of many people.
As mentioned in the story, Gangplank was heartbroken because of his separation from Illaoi, and he was in great pain. However, this did not cause the residents of Beacon Island to laugh at him. They did not think that Gangplank had strange tastes, that he would fall in love with a woman like Illaoi who was like a gorilla.
On the contrary, anyone who has ever interacted with Illaoi is captivated by Illaoi personal charm and admires her intelligence and confidence.
Therefore, in the official lore, the goddess of Bilgewater might not be Sarah, the sea empress, but rather, Illaoi.
This woman, who possessed more courage than most men in the world, was full of a sense of justice and acted decisively.
While the Buhru despised the Bilgewater people, considering them old-fashioned and backward, Illaoi, having obtained the name of the True One and gained supreme power, resolutely came to Bilgewater.
Because she wanted to help the people of Bebe Island.
Furthermore, given that Illaoi was willing to help Bilgewater during the Harrowing, how could she possibly be a bad person?
However, their positions differ.
Both Li Ke and Illaoi are good people, at least Li Ke considers himself a good person. Now, two good people are fighting, not because the other is a bad person, but because they have different stances.
Illaoi was there to help Gangplank, while Li Ke was there to help Sarah.
At the same time, Li Ke also wanted to know exactly what level his combat strength had reached.
Illaoi's combat power is absolutely top-tier in Runeterra, above mortals and below Deity, making her extraordinary.
The Demacia Dauntless Vanguard is an extraordinary being, the Noxus Noxian Warbands is an extraordinary being, the various beasts of Runeterra are also extraordinary beings, as are demons, spirits, and so on.
Even among extraordinary beings, there are differences in strength.
Among the extraordinary beings, Illaoi may not be the absolute top tier, but she definitely deserves a place in the T1 tier because she can borrow the power of Nagakabouros, who is a Demigod.
Therefore, Li Ke was genuinely curious.
Clearing his mind of distractions, Li Ke reached out and lightly shook his hand in mid-air. A Bilgewater sailor's standard scimitar flew into Li Ke's hand from the ground. After gripping the knife, Li Ke turned it around and pointed it at Illaoi.
The Wind Technique can also be performed with a knife. Moreover, the scimitar of the Isle of Behemoth is different from the swords of Noxus; its appearance is somewhat similar to the swords of Demacia, so it will not feel awkward to use.
Holding the knife in a reverse grip, Li Ke bent his knees, looked at Illaoi, and smiled, "Come on, Illaoi."
"Who are you?" Illaoi, holding Eye of God in one arm and tucking her arm under her arm, squinted at Li Ke and asked curiously.
The mist released by the spaceship was cleaved through by Li Ke's Wind-Controlling Sword Art Technique. Logically, with Li Ke standing alone in front, the gang members from Bi Island should have rushed up.
But no one dared to rush forward. Even Gangplank obediently held his arm, which had been injured by Jinx, and glared angrily at Sarah and her group who had already fled.
He really wanted to yell at those bastards to chase after Sarah, but the terrifying Sword Mark that stretched for tens of meters on the ground dissuaded Gangplank from that idea.
This is something no human could do. This guy who suddenly appeared, like Illaoi, is a monster in human skin.
If this sword were to strike a person, would it cut them in two?
No, it won't be chopped into powder directly!
Therefore, although Gangplank was angry and full of resentment, he stood there without saying a word.
"Sarah's friend," Li Ke replied.
Illaoi smiled. It didn't matter that the other party was unwilling to say her name, because through her Eye of God, Illaoi sensed Nagakabouros's pleasure.
The Nagakabouros's powerful soul trembled, delighted by the boy's soul voice; she looked at him as if she had once taken a liking to her.
Illaoi searched for so many people in Bilgewater, but in the vast island of Bilgewater, only a handful were able to obtain the Nagakabouros Trial: Gangplank was one, Sarah was another.
But for them, Nagakabouros merely "bestowed" the trial upon them.
But He desperately wanted to have this boy.
Seeing this, Illaoi chuckled and said, "You're quite good, kid. The Nagakabouros has taken a liking to your soul. Are you interested in participating in Nagakabouros's trial? I think with your strength, you can easily pass the trial. At that time, you will receive Deity power, gain the attention of the gods, and receive their favor. This is a blessing that not everyone can obtain."
Li Ke was speechless after hearing this.
No, is Nagakabouros that short of followers?
In the short time Li Ke had been there, Illaoi had already preached to the three people right in front of him.
Sarah, Akali, herself.
But, to become a follower of the Bearded Goddess?
Don't be silly. Although Li Ke doesn't know what the Bearded Lady actually looks like, based on some official sketches and netizens' speculations, the Bearded Lady's true form is likely a gigantic deep-sea fathead fish with countless tentacles coiled around its head and neck.
In other words, it is a sea monster with a fish's head, a snake's body, and octopus tentacles.
His body might have been hundreds of meters, or even nearly a thousand meters, in size?
As for her personality type, looking at Illaoi in front of him, Li Ke figured she probably wouldn't be very attractive.
So here's the question.
Is Ahri in Soul Blossom no longer appealing, or is Janna at home no longer obedient?
To make me a follower of Nagakabouros? Ha, am I insane?
Looking at Illaoi, Li Ke shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, I already have Deity I believe in."
"Deity?" Illaoi paused, a hint of disdain flashing in her large, bell-like eyes. She said in a deep voice, "The universe flows ceaselessly. In this world, besides Nagakabouros, who dares to call themselves a true god?"
"You mean the Deity I believe in is a fake?" Li Ke chuckled.
"Of course, the universe, life, and motion combine to form everything. Nagakabouros represents these three points. Every soul is born a servant of the universe; you are, and so am I. Therefore, you must become a devout follower of Nagakabouros." Illaoi said in a deep voice. As she spoke, she took a step forward and continued loudly, "All the essences of all things that rely on motion are none other than Nagakabouros!"
"A charlatan," Li Ke muttered, then stopped talking and took action.
Illaoi is indeed a good person, but only if you don't contradict the doctrines she firmly believes in, otherwise she will turn into a charlatan.
In the Rift, this woman's lines are incredibly arrogant. When she goes to the top lane, she mocks every top Great City of Demacia she encounters, her words filled with pride for Nagakabouros while belittling others' beliefs and even directly disparaging Demigod.
To the gods of Shurima, such as the brothers Nasus Renekton, she would say directly, "You worship the sun, but my god drives the sun across the sky!"
What Diana said to Mount Targon was: Your God has been forgotten, but my God cannot be ignored.
What was said to Elise of the Shadow Isles was—a false prophet! You don't even serve a true god.
To Jax, the God of War, she said, "I won't challenge you; I'll give you a test."
She also mocked Janna of Zaun— "The storm is Nagakabouros, you are just blindly serving her."
Look how arrogant she is!
She even mocked Volibear!
To put it bluntly, Nagakabouros made Illaoi completely fearless. In her eyes, all other Deity were false, and only the god she worshipped was real.
Therefore, there's really nothing to say to such fanatics.
The best response is to take direct action; Li Ke came here to fight anyway!
With a scimitar slashing upwards, Li Ke nimbly dodged towards Illaoi, unleashing Wind-Controlling Sword Art that created a visible gust of wind as he struck at Illaoi.
A layer of white light covered the scimitar; it was sword energy condensed from the wind. Li Ke possessed the skill of elemental affinity. Although he was not a mage yet, when using the Wind-Controlling Sword Art, Li Ke might be able to use it better than Yasuo.
Because the magical energy in the air will rush towards Li Ke, Li Ke doesn't need to capture it; it will spontaneously supply Li Ke with its energy, something Yasuo can't do.
"You need a lesson, kid!" Unlike her previous defensive approach with Akali, Illaoi didn't take any chances in the face of Li Ke's attack.
Because this kid and that girl are two different people; this kid is very strong!
If you're not careful, you could suffer at his hands.
Therefore, the Eye of God trembled, and a green tentacle appeared beneath Illaoi's feet. Stepping on the upward-growing tentacle, Illaoi looked down at Li Ke.
Li Ke lightly touched the ground with his toes, his body floated up, and his scimitar was held horizontally in front of him. In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of Illaoi.
Speed is the core of the Wind-Controlling Sword Art. Therefore, after mastering the Wind-Controlling Sword Art, Li Ke also possessed the corresponding movement techniques of the Wind Control School.
Upon seeing Li Ke appear before her, Illaoi's pupils constricted, and her Eye of God suddenly shook. A green tentacle appeared out of thin air, as if it had grown from the sky, and lashed out at Li Ke.
Li Ke glanced sideways, flipped in the air to dodge the tentacle's thrust, and swiftly severed the tentacle with his scimitar.
Then, Li Ke unleashed three more strikes, his curved blade carrying a gust of wind that formed a crescent-shaped sword aura, slashing straight at Illaoi's face.
"Boom!"
The massive sword energy collided with the green tentacles. A fierce wind arose beneath the shattered tentacles, and Li Ke's body was thrown backward. The tentacles beneath Illaoi's feet also vanished, and her body landed on the ground, behind her a group of Bilgewater pirates who had been blown over by the wind.
Just as Illaoi regained her footing and was preparing to launch an attack, she looked up to see Li Ke charging at her again.
"Arrogant!" With a low growl, Illaoi lifted Eye of God and slammed it into the ground in front of her.
She had just considered holding back because she wanted to put Li Ke Nagakabolos in a good condition. Even if he was strong, he might not be able to pass Nagakabolos's trial if he wasn't in good shape. But now, Illaoi realized that she didn't need to hold back at all!
"Holy crap!"
Li Ke's forward momentum faltered, and his pupils contracted as he looked at the dozens of enormous tentacles that appeared behind Illaoi.
Even with Li Ke's monstrous physique, the slapping of these tentacles would be unbearable. When he severed the tentacles earlier, fragments of Li Ke had touched his body for a fleeting moment, yet Li Ke still felt intense pain.
Therefore, it is clear that the tentacles are not striking the human body, but the human soul!
Therefore, Li Ke must be vigilant.
From a distance, Akali watched this scene with a blink. She was indeed very agile, but when dozens of tentacles attacked simultaneously... well, Akali had to admit, even she couldn't dodge it.
These tentacles attack incredibly fast and over a wide area, and they don't even collide with each other; it's as if they don't exist in this world.
It's like something coming from the Spirit Realm to attack people?
Watching this, Akali was eager to know what Li Ke would do next.
In the air, on the spaceship, Jinx clung to the railing, anxiously watching the situation below.
She had excellent eyesight and could see Li Ke swaying beneath dozens of tentacles that were over ten meters thick. Compared to the tentacles, Li Ke appeared very small.
"Boy, come and face the storm!" Illaoi pushed the Eye of God forward, and dozens of tentacles merged together to form a huge green wall, which slammed towards Li Ke, but seemed to fall towards Li Ke more like it was falling on him.
Li Ke touched the ground with his toes and nimbly dodged backward. At the same time, in mid-air, he sheathed his scimitar and placed it beside his left abdomen. He placed his left hand under his right hand, his slender fingers twitching slightly, four fingers curling upward to grasp, and his thumb downward to make a gesture of loosely gripping the hilt of the knife.
Li Ke had retreated over a hundred meters in an instant, stopped. If he retreated any further, he would be going to where Sarah and her people were hiding.
The upper half of Bilgewater is a small area, and the roads down to the lower city are blocked by Gangplank and his men. Therefore, Sarah and her group have nowhere to run and can only stay away from the battlefield to avoid causing trouble for Li Ke.
Even so, Illaoi's full-power attack still affected ordinary people on the battlefield.
Seeing this, Li Ke bent down, spread his legs, and faced the green tentacle wall created by Illaoi. The wall, tens of meters high, was enormous, and although it was slamming down at an extremely fast speed, it did not destroy the buildings on either side.
Just as Li Ke had thought, this thing truly pounded at the soul, directly attacking the human soul, making it far more terrifying than an attack on the body.
Slowly closing his eyes, time seemed to stand still for a moment. Li Ke could hear the sound of the sea breeze, the breathing of the people behind him, the fearful cries of the Bilgewater people, and the sound of waves crashing against his soul.
With his eyes closed, he took a deep breath, clenched his teeth, and dense blue blood lines emerged from the knuckles of Li Ke's right hand. The aura surrounding the curved blade in his hand shattered, and even the hilt broke into pieces, but Li Ke still gripped it tightly.
"Clang clang clang----!!!"
The blade emitted a painful screech, and the iron edge bent.
A green light slammed into Li Ke's face.
Li Ke instantly opened his eyes, a torrent of hot air escaping from between his teeth. His right hand was poised to strike, and a howling gale surged above Bilgewater, gathering towards Li Ke's position with a tremendous roar before encircling and surging onto Li Ke right hand.
The next moment, Li Ke moved.
A flash of white light appeared ahead, and the curved blade in his hand forcefully slashed upwards.
"Draw Sword!"
The sword slashed out.
The white air currents formed a massive wall of wind, larger and denser than the green tentacle walls released by Illaoi.
A wall of wind surged, crashing into the tentacles, while countless sword energies shattered them in a chaotic frenzy.
At that moment, a strong wind blew.