Centaur Monster

"High Priestess, they're here!"

Despite facing the Undead, the Baru showed no fear.

Illaoi hoisted her stone idol onto her shoulder and roared, "Countrymen, we are the Chosen of the Trial! These defiled creatures seek to desecrate the land blessed by the gods, and we will never allow it!"

"In the name of Nagakabouros!"

As soon as she spoke, Illaoi lunged forward. Her physique was massive, but her speed was not slow. In the blink of an eye, she charged into the Black Mist.

"In the name of Nagakabouros!" the Baru echoed in unison, following their High Priestess in a charge.

The bone claws that Gangplank couldn't break through were like nothing against Illaoi.

The stone idol, wreathed in green light, danced in Illaoi's hands. The Undead raised their bone claws to block, but they were smashed to the ground, head and all, and ground into powder.

With one "companion" swiftly dealt with, the nearby Undead turned their attention to Illaoi. Soon, a large number of Undead gathered around her.

"Hah! Argh!"

Illaoi leaped high and slammed the stone idol down onto the ground.

A tremendous sound accompanied by a shockwave erupted from her, and countless green tentacles, each four to five meters long, appeared on the ground.

Some wrapped around Undead and flung them through the air, while others slammed directly down onto the Undead, their power no less than that of cannonballs.

"As expected of the High Priestess, the one most closely connected to Nagakabouros, to wield divine power to such an extent!" a Baru marveled.

"We must also strive, following the High Priestess's example, to earnestly feel the might of the gods!"

"The Undead offensive is growing fiercer. This means the influence of the Soul Harvest Night is about to reach its peak. The most difficult moments are coming!"

Sarah shot an Undead to repel it and said to Ato, "If this is the highest difficulty, then I'll clear my first dungeon in Runeterra without taking any damage!"

"What... dungeon?" Sarah was confused by the term Ato suddenly used.

"Hahahahahaha~" Aatrox let out a strange laugh.

"Such a wonderful start, such a exhilarating battle! I haven't experienced this in a long time! Cheer for me, applaud me!"

"Old man, why are you suddenly acting so crazy? You're being swung around and used to hack at Undead, yet you're still restless."

Ato was happy to dampen Aatrox's enthusiasm. Banting back and forth had gradually become a habit for the two of them.

"What do you know, little one? Only battle can make me temporarily forget the despair of being unable to die!"

Aatrox seemed incredibly excited the moment he entered combat, completely unaware that his past was exposed to Ato as plainly as underwear worn on the outside.

"There's no fun in slaughtering these lowly pirates, but fighting these strangely constructed Undead... this is a feeling I've never had before! A lump of mindless rotten flesh? Hahahahahaha~"

Just as their verbal sparring continued, the movements of the two never stopped.

Ato's figure flickered across the entire "Siren," assisting any sailors who couldn't withstand the Undead's assault.

They only saw a flash of red light before their eyes, and the Undead that had been putting immense pressure on them moments ago was reduced to a falling corpse.

Although the Black Mist obstructed their vision, Ato could clearly sense the situation in every corner of the "Siren."

This was the result of Ato further digesting Aatrox's combat experience through prolonged real combat.

At the level of the ancient Shuriman Celestial Warriors, vision was no longer a factor affecting combat.

"Captain! We're out of cannonballs!" Raven shouted to Sarah.

"Damn it, no wonder it got so quiet."

Sarah's brow furrowed. The surrounding Black Mist was still thick, and she didn't know when the Soul Harvest Night would end.

"Cannoneers, listen up! Abandon the bombardment, gather in the center of the deck, and meet the enemy with swords!"

She watched Ato darting all over the ship, and even though she knew this person's origins were mysterious and his strength unfathomable, she couldn't help but worry about him.

The order she gave was intended to reduce the spread of the crewmates and lighten Ato's burden.

He had truly achieved it.

More than half a day had passed since the Soul Harvest Night began, and not a single crewmate had died under the Undead's attack. In the past, this was a result Sarah wouldn't have dared to imagine.

Suddenly, the Undead on the "Siren" stopped their attack and slowly began to retreat, disappearing into the Black Mist at the edge of normal vision.

"What's going on?" Sarah was utterly astonished. "Is the Soul Harvest Night ending?"

"No," Ato said, his expression serious for the first time, "something bigger is coming."

"All of you, get back inside the cabins, quickly!" Ato sounded somewhat anxious.

"What? What about you?"

Sarah was shocked again. How much more strength did this person have left to reveal?

Ato swung his greatsword, causing the crewmates to retreat several steps in unison, his tone firm: "Go, now!"

Sarah took a deep breath and decided to trust Ato. "I understand. All hands, return to your quarters!"

The crewmates left. Sarah walked to the door of the Captain's Cabin, turned back, and saw Ato standing on the deck, his back to her.

His greatsword lay across his side, exuding an aura of one man holding back an army of thousands.

Sarah's lips pressed together tightly. She entered the Captain's Cabin, locked the door, and quickly walked to the window, pulling back the curtains. Through the thick fog, she could only vaguely make out the situation on deck.

She desperately wanted to know what had happened to make Ato take things so seriously.

"Old man, ready to face a strong enemy? Besides that pair of Angel Sisters, I haven't encountered many truly powerful opponents."

"This guy... might not be much weaker than they were a thousand years ago." Ato tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"I've been ready for a long time. Killing him will bring me pleasure." Aatrox's voice was filled with unconcealed excitement.

"Will we win?"

"We will win."

At the bow of the Siren, seven figures finally emerged.

The figure in the center was engulfed in azure flames.

A gaping hole in his chest resembled a demon's maw, capable of devouring everything.

A sharp spike extended backward from his head, and he held a halberd in his hand. Most crucially, his physique was not entirely human!

His lower half was the body of a tall horse! He was a Centaur!

On either side of him stood three Centaurs, each wielding a halberd and burning with flames.

They were fundamentally different from the Undead they had encountered before in terms of strength!

The Centaur in the middle raised his halberd, aiming directly at Ato, and then spoke in human tongue: "Witness the power of the Shadow Isles!"

The six Centaur Attendants moved in unison. The seven figures charged at Ato simultaneously!

"What... what is that thing?"

Sarah's eyes widened. Such creatures had never appeared during previous Soul Harvest Nights!