Katarina's twin daggers flashed so fast they left afterimages, their curved blades carving winding trails through the air. Like a venomous snake on the hunt, she struck without warning, biting deep.
"Talon! You've grown weak."
Through the sparks flying before her, Katarina watched the man facing her. His hood was pulled low, making it impossible for her to clearly see his expression. It annoyed her. She felt he wasn't taking their fight seriously at all, and the truth seemed to bear that out: ever since she'd attacked, Talon had done nothing but defend himself. For two assassins of roughly equal skill, this should have been nearly impossible. Yet Katarina simply couldn't break through his guard. Whenever she was about to land a blow, Talon would swing his dark red curved dagger and parry her attack in a way that seemed impossible to her.
"Draktharr's Shadowknife. You don't deserve it, Talon."
Katarina stared at the dagger in Talon's hand, gritting her teeth. It had once belonged to her father, Du Couteau. In her eyes, it should have been hers—until her disobedient sortie drove a wedge between her and her father. The legendary weapon had then been given to Talon as a token of his loyalty.
"Perhaps."
For the first time since their fight began, Talon answered Katarina.
"It's a fine blade. But isn't it just a meaty bone tossed to a loyal dog by its master?"
Talon's words left Katarina baffled. Her dagger paused for a moment, and Talon immediately slipped out of range, landing in an open space several meters away. Then he said something that seemed to have nothing to do with their fight.
"Why don't you go see your father? Maybe you can still see him one last time as a human."
"Oh? Easy for you to say. Are you just going to let us pass?"
Ling Ying chimed in at just the right moment. Talon turned his gaze to her and gave an unexpected answer.
"I will."
"?"
Everyone was taken aback. Only Katarina let out a mocking laugh.
"Ha. What a joke. Is this how you show your loyalty, Talon?"
"I'm loyal to Du Couteau and his family."
Talon's tone was utterly calm, as if he'd done nothing that could damage his reputation.
"But now he's turned into an unspeakable monster for the sake of his mad obsession, bringing evil spirits from beyond this world into reality. I think I'd rather stay true to my own humanity."
"Enough. That's all I have to say. If any of you still want to fight, I'm happy to oblige. But if you want to pass through, I won't stop you. That's all."
"Great! I'm in! Let's have a real fight—mmph!"
Samira raised her greatsword and started to leap forward, so Ling Ying promptly flung a mass of shadow into her face.
"Why don't you just sit quietly for once?"
"Hmph. Let's go."
Katarina gave a cold snort, sheathed her twin daggers, and strode forward.
"Next time, I'll make you pay for every humiliation. Remember that!"
"Talon! You mangy dog! Even you betrayed me!"
As Ling Ying and the others passed through the corridor and entered the main hall without a hitch, Du Couteau's furious curses rang throughout the underground palace. Unfortunately, all he could do now was run his mouth. He'd used his body as the foundation for the Soulstone, and the price was that his flesh had become a hideous, twisted mass. Only his monstrous face remained, glaring viciously at the newcomers.
"Ah, General Couteau. It's been a long time. How have you been?"
LeBlanc gave the inhuman Du Couteau a solemn bow, prompting him to launch into a torrent of abuse.
"You stinking bitch! I should've killed you the first chance I got! I should've torn your damned organization out by the roots..."
"Yes, yes, General."
LeBlanc ignored his curses and planted a foot without the slightest hesitation on the only face he had left.
"What did he promise you to make you serve him so devotedly? Hmm? Was it the power to rule Noxus? Just look at what you've become for the sake of a hope that never existed. Power from the Underworld always comes at a price, General—and that price is usually far greater than what you gain. You gave up everything you had, only to receive an empty illusion..."
"No! You bitch! Shut your mouth!"
"Don't rush me. I'm almost finished. Just remember this: whatever that thing beneath us promised you, it won't come to pass. I'll cut off every tentacle it reaches up into this world, one by one—just as I'm doing to you now. All right, you can do it."
LeBlanc finished speaking and stepped aside. Katarina walked forward, her pale red eyes utterly emotionless.
"Father, this is the last time I'll call you that,"
"I should've killed you too! I never should've held back!"
Du Couteau roared like a madman.
"You insects! You think you can defeat me? Ah..."
Katarina brought her dagger down on his face. Du Couteau's shouting abruptly stopped. The twisted mass of flesh that was his body convulsed, then spat out a blood-red gem. The gem slowly rose, seemingly trying to escape, but before it could float as high as the underground palace's ceiling, an energy shot caught up with it and blasted it into scattered motes of light.
"That takes care of it?"
Ling Ying spun the Hextech Gunblade around twice in her hand with a flourish.
"Ah, yes."
LeBlanc narrowed her eyes slightly as she watched the motes in the air. Suddenly, they gathered together and rapidly expanded into a massive sphere, swallowing everything around it.
"Whoa!"
Ling Ying jumped in alarm and immediately activated the black mist, retreating backward. Seeing the danger, the others fell back as well. Almost the instant they moved, the blood-red sphere let out a loud boom and rapidly contracted inward. In a flash, it vanished, leaving behind a circular pit several meters across. The ground and walls surrounding it had also vanished in an eerie fashion.
"What's that?"
Once the sphere had disappeared, Ling Ying boldly approached the edge of the pit and peered inside. A blood-red rift had suddenly appeared before them, like a giant open eye. Within it, all they could see was a narrow streak of scarlet.
"The Gate of the Underworld. Step through, and you'll be in the Underworld."
LeBlanc smiled at them, but when they heard what she'd said, everyone took several steps back.
"Didn't you say it was taken care of? How...?"
"Calm down. Look."
As LeBlanc spoke, she pointed upward. Ling Ying followed her finger and looked. Through her magical vision, she saw countless dark red, soul-shaped forms pouring in from every direction and converging on the giant eye.
"Once the Soulstone is destroyed, the visitors from the Underworld will be banished from this world."
"The Underworld...?"
Not far from Ling Ying and the others, Talon silently watched everything unfold. When the Gate of the Underworld appeared, he couldn't help but sigh.
"General, you once said that an assassin who didn't obey orders was worthless trash to be thrown away. But if someone doesn't even value their own humanity, then what are they?"
Talon looked at the dark red Shadowknife in his hand. After a long moment, he suddenly gave a bitter laugh.
"Enough. The master is dead, so this meaty bone can go with him."
Talon abruptly raised his arm, swung it in a wide arc, and hurled the Shadowknife toward the Gate of the Underworld with all his strength.
He took one last look at the Shadowknife tumbling farther and farther away, then turned and disappeared into the depths of the corridor.
"It's a fine blade. Too bad it isn't suited to a true assassin."
"Hm?"
The whistle of something sharp cutting through the air came from behind. Ling Ying instinctively dodged, but when she saw the dark red dagger that had passed close by her, she suddenly changed her mind.
"Hey!"
She reached out without thinking, but only managed to catch the end of the Shadowknife's hilt. Just as it was about to fly into the Gate of the Underworld, she used Shadow Step to flash in front of it.
"Got you!"
Ling Ying easily reached out and caught the Shadowknife as it fell toward the Gate of the Underworld. The instant her hand touched the dagger, its blade began to vibrate strangely. The unusual reaction left her dazed for several seconds. When she came to, she was already almost directly above the Gate of the Underworld.
"Damn it!"
Without hesitation, Ling Ying activated Shadow Step, leaving a billowing cloud of black mist behind. The next instant, she appeared at the edge of the pit. Looking down at the Gate of the Underworld, which was barely a few centimeters from her feet, she broke into a cold sweat.
"That was close..."
She breathed a quiet sigh of relief, but before she could catch her breath, a hand from behind shoved her forward, throwing her off balance and sending her tumbling into the pit.
"?"
As she fell, Ling Ying struggled to turn her head and stared back in disbelief. LeBlanc stood beside the pit, her hand still extended as if she'd just pushed Ling Ying. An inscrutable smile lingered on her face.
Before you continue