The Iceborn

It wasn't long before Ato saw a bottomless great rift, with stone bridges connecting both sides at intervals.

However, due to years of disrepair, most of the stone bridges were damaged to varying degrees, some even broken in the middle.

"This is the Howling Abyss. It's truly spectacular... Following the Howling Abyss will lead to Frost Guard Fortress. Heh heh, it's built opposite the bridge where I used to have my brawls!"

Ato rubbed his hands together. As a fervent lover of brawls, he had experienced over ten thousand battles on that bridge.

And today, he would personally step onto that bridge, walk beyond the map, enter Frost Guard Fortress, and conduct a transaction with Lissandra, the sole survivor of the Frost Sisters.

"I can sense their aura." Even through a layer of True Ice, Aatrox could feel the presence of the Void.

"If not for the miraculous scabbard, the corruption remaining within me alone, if it resonated with them, I might fall into madness again."

"...That serious?" Ato felt a pang of fear. "Good thing I had Ornn forge the scabbard in advance. Otherwise, if you went berserk here, no one could stop you."

"Wait, we'll have to fight the Void sooner or later. If you encounter them and it triggers your corruption, what will you do?"

"No need to worry." Aatrox comforted him. "The reason I can constantly regain my sanity is also due to the scabbard's effect. It's gradually eliminating the corruption within me. As time passes, it will all be cleared."

"By then, apart from my body not being my original Celestial Body, everything else will be the same as when I was a General under Empress Setheka over three thousand years ago."

"That's good then." Ato breathed a sigh of relief.

"For now, the scabbard is still isolating it. Once we reach Frost Guard Fortress, try to avoid conflict with them, meaning try not to unsheathe me. Don't provoke that old hag!"

"I won't. With the scabbard suppressing it, my sanity will always prevail."

"Let's not talk about this anymore. There's a relatively well-preserved bridge ahead. It seems to be maintained regularly. There are also buildings built into the ice mountain on the other side of that bridge. That should be Frost Guard Fortress."

Ato squinted, and upon seeing the bridge Aatrox mentioned ahead, he immediately became excited.

"Brothers, time for another brawl!"

Ato quickened his pace and instantly arrived before the bridge, gazing eagerly at the details that couldn't be seen in the game due to simplified models and perspective limitations.

It wasn't a single bridge but a combination of a main bridge and several smaller bridges connected by stairs, resembling the overpasses Ato often saw in his previous life in the real world.

The bridge spanned hundreds of meters, with decorative pillars on both sides. At the entrance stood a giant statue resembling a defensive tower in the game. It wore a helmet and held a greatsword, standing silently.

At the end of the bridge, the stone buildings built into the ice mountain were Ato's destination – Frost Guard Fortress.

Ato noticed several people standing beneath the statue, unsure when they had arrived.

In the cold Freljord, they wore only a few thin garments. Leading them was a thin old man leaning on a staff.

"They're all Iceborn..." Ato whispered.

Only the Iceborn could be indifferent to the cold. This also aligned with Ato's observation that Lissandra always guided the Iceborn in her dreams to serve her.

Ato wasn't sure why she was so keen on recruiting Iceborn. Perhaps it was guilt over her other two sisters?

Seeing Ato, who carried a greatsword, the old man stepped forward. "Welcome, guest of the Matriarch. I am Priest Loraka Shattertongue. The Matriarch has been waiting for you for a long time."

After Lissandra left Aatrox's dream last night, did she not visit any other dreamscapes?

As expected, the Void meant everything to Lissandra. After seeing that dream, she had no interest in window shopping anymore and was just waiting for me to visit today...

Ato maintained a calm facade, but inwardly, he was contemplating what lines to say to this game NPC.

After a brief silence, he smiled and said to the priest, "Hello Priest Loraka. My name is Ato, and I come from the south."

"I apologize for being a little late, as I wasn't nearby just now. Please take me to see the Matriarch now."

"Please follow me." The old priest bowed slightly and turned to walk into the fortress.

The other young Iceborn glanced at Ato and the greatsword behind him, remaining silent as they followed the old priest.

Ato walked across the stone bridge where he often engaged in brawls, his lips curling uncontrollably, like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden.

"Hehehe, eh, hehehe..."

The Iceborn leading the way turned back, their brows furrowed. Although he was a guest the respected Matriarch wished to see, was he truly an idiot?

"Watch your image. You now represent ancient Shurima. You are meeting someone who has personally experienced the Void invasion. This is a historic meeting between two civilizations that have suffered calamity," Aatrox's voice echoed in Ato's mind.

"Great, I told the old man not to provoke them, but I've already established an unforgettable terrible image for them..."

Ato scratched his head, realizing he had gotten carried away again. He put on a serious and earnest expression.

The stone bridge plunged into an unfathomable depth below, obscured by thick ice mist, making it impossible to see clearly. After staring for a moment, Ato heard inexplicable whispers and felt dizzy.

"A word of advice, young guest," the old priest said without turning back. "Don't stare into the Howling Abyss for too long."

"I know. Watchers, always trying to stuff something into your head," Ato replied dismissively.

"You..." The old priest and the Iceborn stopped abruptly and turned to look at Ato. "No wonder the Matriarch summoned you. It seems you know many things."

Ato spread his hands, feigning innocence. Had he spoken too much again? The Old Man's condition had improved, but had his talkative nature transferred to me?

I was a shut-in in my past life!

The old priest sighed and continued leading the way. "Every year, we select Iceborn to venture deep into the Howling Abyss to check the state of the True Ice seal."

"Only Iceborn can slightly resist the Watchers' erosion, preventing them from turning into monsters, maintaining their sanity, and climbing back out alive to report the situation."

So this was the real reason Lissandra sought out Iceborn... I had thought too highly of her. It seemed she merely used the Iceborn.

As expected, from behind a game screen, one could only see the heroes in a limited way...

The old priest added, "The chosen Iceborn must possess absolute devotion to the Matriarch and a will to face death without fear."

"In previous years, it was fortunate if one or two of the Iceborn who entered the abyss to inspect the seal returned alive."

"Aren't you... afraid? When the Matriarch ordered you to investigate, did you never consider retreating?" Ato felt the Iceborn were being treated unfairly.

"From the moment we decided to serve the Matriarch, every Iceborn was prepared. This is our responsibility." The old priest stopped again. "We have arrived at the sacred Frost Guard Fortress."