Abyss Seal

They returned to Frost Guard Fortress via Lissandra's Teleportation Magic.

They stood before the statue at the entrance of the Stone Bridge. They were already very close to the Howling Abyss. Aatrox had returned to his Sword Sheath in time to isolate the Watcher's potential influence.

Lissandra and Ato immediately turned their gaze to Anaakca, guarding against any possible abnormalities, but everything was as usual.

Anaakca stood beside Ato, or rather, beside the Demonic Sword of the Dark behind him, her eyes vacant, making no move.

"Does the influence only manifest when one gets close to the Abyss?" Ato pondered the reason. "Why don't we have Anaakca try it now and go down into the Howling Abyss? Is that okay, Old Man?"

"I have that confidence. My command is above the corruption of the Void. A mere Watcher cannot control Anaakca," Aatrox agreed with Ato's suggestion.

"It's the dead of winter now. The temperature at the bottom of the Abyss is unbearable even for the Iceborn. In previous years, it was always done on the vernal equinox," Lissandra reminded them.

"The Iceborn are actually ordinary people with special physiques. Don't compare them to Celestial Warriors in terms of physical strength," Aatrox said dismissively. "Even the Void couldn't defeat the physical body of a Celestial Warrior; it could only infiltrate them mentally."

"Alright, we can try. But we must be prepared for battle. If the Watcher really controls her Sentience, will you have the heart to attack your subordinate?" Lissandra retorted.

"It won't come to that. The pride of the Shurima Empire will not be desecrated," Aatrox was very confident.

"But we don't have the tools to let her down. The Iceborn have to descend slowly along the cliff face using ice axes. She's too large, so you'll have to figure it out yourselves," Lissandra glanced at the five-meter-tall Anaakca.

"Tools? We don't need that kind of thing. First, tell me how to confirm the status of the seals below, and I will relay it to Anaakca."

"The seal is composed of four Ice Pillars, each inscribed with Sealing Runes. You need to check two aspects."

"First, whether the Ice Pillars show any signs of melting. Not a single drop of moisture is allowed."

"Second, whether the runes inscribed on the Ice Pillars are intact. The specific pattern is..." Lissandra showed everyone the Sealing Runes.

Aatrox repeated the information to Anaakca and finally instructed, "Remember what you see. Your report and summary upon returning must be accurate. Go."

"Yes, General..." Anaakca bowed slightly and walked to the edge of the Stone Bridge, then jumped straight down.

"Reckless!" Lissandra couldn't stop her in time.

"The Howling Abyss is still unmeasurable. The Iceborn who explore it need three days to reach the bottom, and they must stop at the Lost Bridge on the ice wall to recover their strength. How could she just jump down?"

"I believe in her," Aatrox's tone was unwavering. "She'll be back up soon."

"It's your subordinate anyway... But I apologize, please understand that I have to take necessary precautions. Frostguard, prepare for battle!"

Lissandra's voice echoed throughout the fortress. The next moment, a squad of Frostguard, armed with various weapons, emerged from the fortress gate. Their weapons were exquisite, and they wore horned helmets that covered their faces. They lined up on the Stone Bridge, ready for battle.

"Is this really necessary..." Ato muttered under his breath. "Even if she's controlled, ordinary people can't stop an ancient demon. I'll have to step in then..."

"We'll wait here," Aatrox wasn't worried at all. "Anaakca is very strong."

The wait was agonizing. Ato leaned listlessly against the railing of the Stone Bridge and couldn't help but yawn.

"Anaakca's been down there for two hours? It wouldn't take her long to reach the bottom if she jumped straight down, but how will she get back up?" Ato asked.

"She'll use the methods of the Darkin."

"When she nears the bottom, she'll embed her weapon into the ice wall to slow her descent. The wing membranes on her body will also help her stabilize her posture. When ascending, she'll use her weapon in place of an ice pick. During her service to the empire, her War Spear was invincible."

Ato imagined the scene and couldn't help but retort, "That's not very ladylike, but Anaakca is a warrior, so it seems reasonable..."

While the two were chatting, Anaakca's figure suddenly appeared in the cold mist of the Abyss.

She embedded her War Spear into the ice wall with her left hand, gripped a protruding ice block with her right, and pushed off with her feet. She drew her weapon simultaneously. Each leap propelled her twenty to thirty meters upward.

"So barbaric, and such abundant stamina..." Ato felt an urge to cover his face. Were all Darkin this wild?

Before long, Anaakca returned to the Stone Bridge. From the moment she appeared in sight until she leaped onto the Stone Bridge, it only took a few dozen seconds!

The Frostguard tightened their grip on their weapons, aiming at Anaakca. Lissandra's arms were also wreathed in magical light, ready to strike at any moment.

Anaakca ignored everyone else and went straight to Ato, kneeling on one knee.

She said in a hoarse voice, "The Ice Pillar is intact... no signs of melting... the Sealing Rune is complete... a one-eyed entity beneath the ice tried to invade my mind... not the General... refused..."

How much did she love her General? Although Aatrox was confident that his commands were paramount, it was only now that Ato truly understood the weight of his words!

Even the Watcher couldn't control a corrupted Darkin within her!

"You did very well," Aatrox praised without reservation. "Lissandra, you can stand down. The Watcher cannot control my subordinates; this is a fact you cannot deny."

"...Unbelievable," Lissandra waved her hand, and the Frostguard lowered their weapons in unison. "Anaakca's loyalty is admirable. Cherish her."

Indeed... truly enviable.

Ato felt unbalanced at that moment.

Why didn't anyone care about him like that... That Old Man truly didn't know what he had, preparing to leave her here to frequently interact with the Void!

"Xolaani... coward... dead..." Anaakca mumbled as if in a dream.

Ato's eyes sharpened. The name Anaakca suddenly mentioned was not unfamiliar to him.

In fact, based on his understanding of her character settings, it was normal for her to still be fixated on that name in her delirious state.

"Xolaani? Who is that?" This was the first time Lissandra had heard the name.

"You don't need to know," Ato didn't want to explain too much. "I can only tell you that she is very dangerous."

"So you still remember," Aatrox sighed. "She shouldn't have escaped yet. I don't know where she is. I'll call you when I find any trace of her."

"Always... ready..." Anaakca bowed to Aatrox.

"We are about to leave Freljord," Aatrox said, changing the subject from Xolaani.

"Anaakca, you will guard this place. When Lissandra needs to investigate the condition of the Abyss seal, repeat the activity you just did, but report to Lissandra instead of me."

"If any Monsters invade the real world from the Abyss, let them witness the noble power from Shurima until I give you new orders."

"Understood... General..."