Setting Sail

A banquet was being held at Gangplank's estate.

Besides the Iron Gulch Gang, the most powerful faction, several other large gangs were in attendance.

Crow, Hark, and Old Blow were all leaders of major gangs. They recognized Gangplank's authority over Bilgeport and followed his orders.

They had been invited to the banquet on the surface, but in truth, they were there to discuss Bilgeport's future with Gangplank.

Miss Fortune's influence was no weaker than theirs, but she had chosen to make an enemy of Gangplank, so of course she hadn't been invited.

If he got the chance, Gangplank would tear her limb from limb with his own hands.

Hark had a sharply defined face and neatly combed blond hair. Of the three, he was the most shrewd and resourceful.

After hearing his subordinate's report, a faint smile appeared on his face.

"Mr. Gangplank, I have some news you might find interesting." Hark carried a glass of rum as he sauntered over to Gangplank.

"What news? Let's hear it."

"At noon today, my men spotted a purple-skinned mage boarding Miss Fortune's ship at the Nautilus Tavern on Fleet Street!"

"Why have so many strange people been getting involved with Miss Fortune lately?"

Gangplank frowned slightly. What had been going on with Miss Fortune lately?

Ato alone had already forced Gangplank to put his pursuit of Miss Fortune on hold. Now there was a mage as well, making it even harder to strike.

"After the mage boarded, small boats kept bringing supplies to the Siren. The volume was enormous! It looks like they're planning to leave Bilgewater for a long time," Hark added.

"Oh?" A glint flashed in Gangplank's eyes. This might be an opportunity—a chance to make Miss Fortune disappear from the world for good!

"Do your men still know where the Siren is?"

"Of course. They've kept her in sight the whole time."

"Excellent. Don't let her out of your sight." Gangplank called over the First Mate, who was waiting nearby, and sprang into action.

Just then, he had made a bold and reckless decision!

"Andrew!" Gangplank returned to his office with the First Mate. "Get the Leviathan ready for battle. Take her out near the open sea and wait for my orders!"

"Captain, are enemy forces planning to attack Bilgewater?" Andrew asked nervously.

During the Harrowing, the Leviathan had performed heroically. Her formidable firepower had greatly reduced the Iron Gulch Gang's losses.

"No. Sarah is going out to sea."

"Captain, are you going to..."

"In Bilgewater, I don't have a chance to strike. But once she's out beyond this archipelago, the sea will become Sarah's grave!"

"Andrew, I'm entrusting this mission to you. Board the Leviathan and send Sarah to hell!"

Andrew drew a deep breath. "Understood, Captain. I'll use the Siren's wreckage to honor the brothers who died at Sarah's hands—and proclaim the Iron Hook Gang's victory!"

Early the next morning, the Siren finished preparations ahead of schedule and sailed away from Fleet Street as if nothing were amiss.

Sarah had ordered the crew to change the sails overnight and paint countless designs on the hull. Anyone unfamiliar with the ship would never recognize it as the same vessel.

But Hark wasn't about to let Sarah leave so easily.

Gangplank took Sarah's movements very seriously, and Hark knew it.

To prove his abilities to Gangplank, he had gone straight to Fleet Street to keep watch after leaving the estate. He saw all of Sarah's little tricks.

"Miss Fortune is on the move! Quick, follow her!"

Hark ordered his men into action. He had disguised his own ship, too.

They had stacked the deck with cargo crates, covered them with white cloth, and secured them with thick hemp ropes. The vessel looked just like an ordinary cargo ship.

The two ships left Bilgewater, with Hark keeping far enough back that the Siren was barely visible through a telescope.

The Siren seemed not to notice. Once she reached the open sea, she headed northeast at an unhurried pace.

"This heading..." Hark had traveled to many places by ship in his youth and knew Runeterra fairly well.

"They're going to Ionia! Is it because of that mage? What's he going to Ionia for?"

That wasn't something Hark needed to concern himself with. He went to the ship's communications room and reported the Siren's movements to Gangplank.

"Rune magic is too powerful. I can't guarantee what might happen if I try to activate all five Runes at once."

Aboard the Siren, Ryze was discussing the feasibility of the plan with Aatrox.

After careful consideration, Ryze had decided to accept Aatrox's deal.

Finding all the Runes and hiding them somewhere no one could ever find them—that was the meaning of Ryze's life.

He had to learn about any places that might hold a World Rune.

He trusted Aatrox well enough and didn't believe he would stop at nothing to gain power. His only concern was that bringing the Five Runes together might lead to disastrous consequences.

Even without fully unleashing their power, the Runes were terrifying. That made the place where they were activated crucial.

If the Runes went out of control, the land could shatter and lives be lost, as had happened to Noxus in Valoran and the Garden City in Shurima. That was the last thing he wanted to see.

"Isn't the location obvious? There's a perfect one right nearby." Aatrox meant the Shadow Isles, which lay close to Bilgewater.

No humans lived there. It was almost entirely inhabited by mindless undead.

Aatrox went on, "Besides the Shadow Isles, there's also a vast uninhabited region at the southernmost end of the Shurima continent. If we have to destroy the Runes, we can choose a location based on the circumstances."

"There's a ship following us," Aatrox warned. "I noticed it as soon as we left port. It thinks it can get away with it by keeping its distance. What a fool."

"Gangplank's men, no doubt. They can follow us if they want." Ato didn't care.

"Nothing in Bilgewater can threaten Ryze or me. Not even that giant hunk of iron beneath the sea."

"Even the best bounty hunters can't stay completely hidden, can they?"

Ryze was still troubled. If he could, he didn't want anyone to know where he was.

"Don't worry. They don't know about the Runes, and they have no idea why you're going to Ionia," Ato reassured him.

"Besides, they'll definitely make a move. It's only a matter of when. Once they understand the true horror, they won't dare dig any deeper."

The Siren sailed safely across the Vast Sea for three days, and Bilgewater was already more than a thousand nautical miles behind them.

The wind was favorable along the way, and they would reach Ionia in about another week.

They planned to land in Baruo Province, on Ionia's western coast. Aatrox had calculated that it was the best place to make landfall.

They had expected another calm day at sea, but trouble always arrived at the worst possible time.

"Something's appeared in the distance!"

The lookout spotted an object along their route, drawing everyone's attention at once.

As it drew closer, the sailor finally made out what it was. "It's a warship! Judging by its appearance...it's Gangplank's Leviathan! What's it doing out here?"