Gangplank

The commotion at the Blaze Wave Tavern had long since attracted the attention of passersby, but gang fights were a common occurrence in Bilgewater.

There was no law and order here; strength was the only means of survival.

"The method is simple: find a power stronger than you, and destroy you."

Ato lay on the ground in a casual pose, stating the answer Aatrox desperately needed to know.

Aatrox froze, seemingly unable to process the words. He instinctively asked, "Isn't that what I've been doing all along?"

"Not exactly. For the past thousand years, you've just been making futile efforts. To truly destroy you, the power required must be at least on the same level as your power source. And on Runeterra, there is no such person."

"My power source... the Sun Disc?"

"About a thousand years ago, shortly after you awoke, you fought a pair of angel sisters."

"That's right, in the western part of Valoran."

Aatrox was no longer surprised by Ato's knowledge of things only he himself knew.

"I attacked a city newly established by humans with my servants, transformed by Blood Magic. Those two... no, they weren't human. I remember that feeling, they possessed the power of Aspects..."

Mentioning the Aspects, Aatrox's voice clearly took on a grinding tone.

"They were the strongest beings you had encountered up to that point, weren't they?"

The greatsword fell silent again. He had wandered far and wide, causing many terrifying incidents, all to attract powerful beings to fight him.

But almost all the "powerful beings" ultimately fell to the Demonic Sword of the Dark. Aatrox had repeated this process for a thousand years.

"I lost that battle. My hastily assembled body was shattered. I thought I was about to meet my end, but they were powerless against my true form. They merely flung me into the distance, and the eternal torment continued."

Ato reminded him, "At that time, they hadn't fully awakened their Aspect powers. Even if they had, their power level was still insufficient. The Aspects of Mount Targon are not true Aspects."

The greatsword was suddenly shocked. "What? You're saying... Maisha wasn't an Aspect?"

Ato naturally understood the reason for his shock and quickly explained, "She was the Twilight Aspect of your generation, a mortal who inherited the power of an Aspect.

"True Aspects have no physical form; they exist far beyond the world, observing mortals and bestowing their power upon the chosen. Maisha was the mortal chosen by the true Twilight Aspect."

As Ato uttered that almost forbidden title, the red light flickering on the greatsword's surface clearly accelerated.

"The power of the Aspects, after being passed down, has a reduced level. As for the power source of the Sun Disc, even Aspects cannot compare.

"As for why the Shurima Empire obtained the Sun Disc, there are special reasons. In conclusion, neither the Aspects of Mount Targon nor the demigods of Freljord can completely destroy you."

The greatsword's red light gradually subsided.

Aatrox had fought for the Shurima Empire for thousands of years. In his long life, he had also learned many ancient secrets.

In just a few minutes, he learned an important piece of information from Ato. He no longer doubted the authenticity of this information.

"You should know," Aatrox asked with a serious tone, "power that surpasses Mount Targon in tier."

Ato sat up and pointed a finger at the greatsword leaning against the pillar: "Three kinds."

Bilgewater is a large port city composed of multiple islands. At the highest point of the island terrain stands a luxurious manor, the residence of Gangplank, the ruler of Bilgeport.

In a bedroom at the center of the manor, the interior decoration exuded an air of luxury.

Unlike other pirates, Gangplank's latest wanted poster was displayed on the wall, with an astronomical bounty below it. A large basket of fresh fruit sat on the oak desk.

Gangplank lounged with his legs crossed, peeling an orange with a sharp knife, his eyes fixed on his own wanted poster. A strong sense of self-satisfaction welled up within him.

A knock sounded at the door, and a thin man wearing an eyepatch walked in.

"Captain, Shack and the crew under the Second Mate's command have gone missing."

"Did I invite you in? Andrew, my First Mate?" Gangplank, immersed in his own world, was interrupted. He straightened up and looked at the First Mate of The Dreadnought with a hint of cruelty in his eyes.

"Apologies, Captain. Something strange has happened. Half a day ago, Shack told me he had found Miss Fortune's whereabouts."

"She was at our outpost in Grayport, the Blaze Wave Tavern. Miss Fortune walked into the ambush. We had overwhelming numbers. Under normal circumstances, Shack should have been here by now with her head, but there's been no news."

"I took men to investigate, and the situation there was not right."

"Hmm?" Gangplank frowned. "Then tell me, what do you mean by 'not right'?"

"The scene only had overturned tables and chairs. Other than that, there was no blood. Shack and the others stationed at the Blaze Wave Tavern have all disappeared. We can't contact them at all."

"Hmph, that Sarah. Sooner or later, I'll make her a soul under my blade."

Gangplank's expression twisted as he savagely peeled off half of the orange in his hand.

"Captain, are you implying that Sarah discovered our outpost and ambushed our men in return?"

"In Bilgewater now, who else has the ability and the guts to oppose me besides her?"

"Issue an order. Continue searching for Miss Fortune's whereabouts. Report to me immediately upon discovery."

"This Shack, wanting to wait until he captured her to claim credit, paid the price with his life. I hope to not see this outcome again."

"Yes, Captain." Andrew bowed his head in agreement.

As Andrew walked out of Gangplank's bedroom, he still felt that something was amiss.

"So many people, even if they were all eaten by Miss Fortune, why was there no blood?"

He shook his head. He'd leave the profound questions to the Captain.

Ato swaggered down the streets of Bilgeport, no one daring to approach within ten meters of him.

The Demonic Sword of the Dark floated half a finger's length behind Ato.

After telling Aatrox about three powers that could destroy him, Ato absorbed the corpse left by Miss Fortune's kill and left the Blaze Wave Tavern before Andrew's people arrived.

Bilgeport, the second largest trade hub in Runeterra after Piltover, often attracted all sorts of strange people, including royal nobles, mages, and even Yordles.

And a person with a distinctly Eastern face, followed by a terrifying-looking greatsword, was something the residents of Bilgeport, no matter how worldly, had never seen.

Ato wandered Bilgeport for a night, a smile on his lips the entire time.

He liked the fantasy world of swords and magic.

As sunlight spilled into Bilgewater, he arrived at the Slaughter Docks.

This was Bilgeport's seafood distribution center, the stench of sea monsters like Leviathans and various fish assaulting the nostrils. Due to the frequent discarding of useless sea creature organs, it had become a paradise for Dock Rats.

These large rats, with their sharp teeth, wouldn't hesitate to occasionally sample human flesh if someone stumbled out of a tavern late at night, still drunk from the previous evening.