Chapter 186

This is the door.

The target is right behind the door.

After a brief, deep breath, Katarina burst through the door.

The room was not brightly lit, even somewhat dim, and the flickering firelight cast long, long shadows of the person sitting at the desk.

It was still the same battle-worn armor, the same faded overcoat, the same aristocratic demeanor with his hands tucked inside... The stern-faced strategist seemed unchanged, as if he had been sitting there for months.

However, the gray hairs at his hairline became more noticeable.

Without a word, Katarina rushed into the study and charged forward, the dagger in her hand aimed at only one target—that vulnerable neck, which had long been coveted by countless people.

A few meters is just a blink of an eye for a highly skilled assassin.

The blade fell, less than thirty centimeters from the target's throat.

But... that thirty-centimeter distance is eternity.

With a crisp clang, the blade stopped falling.

The mirror-like clean blade reflected Katarina's tightly furrowed brows.

It also highlighted that glaring scarlet light.

That devil's arm... he pulled it out of his coat...

"Good evening, Katarina du Couteau." Swain didn't even look up, his gaze still fixed on the parchment scroll covered in dense writing. "Perhaps I should greet your father, but I haven't seen him in a long time."

"..." Katarina gritted her teeth and pressed all her strength against the dagger.

But it was all in vain.

Bite--!

Another crisp sound.

Swain moved his devilish arm, and a shard of broken blade flew from his fingertips.

Shards of the blade sliced across the female assassin's delicate cheek and pierced through the study wall.

"You are still not qualified to take my life." Swain turned the parchment to the other side with his other hand, revealing another equally crucial intelligence report. "You still need more experience, preferably under the guidance of General Du Couteau ... Look at this battle report; the Assassin Guild has taken the head of a Demacia general."

Katarina retreated repeatedly, the slight stinging sensation on her face making her extremely cautious.

If she hadn't dodged quickly enough, her carotid artery would probably be ruptured by now...

"Who sent you?" Swain asked casually. "I've heard about your exploits lately... You took over the Du House Du Couteau in place of your father, and the Assassin Guild is practically yours now... Darius? No, I don't believe he would do something so foolish."

"..." Katarina remained silent.

Swain wasn't in a hurry. While flipping through the documents, he continued to ask, "So that's the Black Rose? Hmm... this cunning magical society has big ambitions, so the possibility isn't small."

Katarina quietly drew another dagger.

Then, Swain closed the document in his hand.

"But whoever you are, I've already given you one chance... Since you're unwilling to become a cog in the empire's cogs, then let's just destroy you."

As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of birds flapping their wings came from outside the window—very dense.

The floor-to-ceiling windows behind Swain were swarming with terrifying ravens.

Each of them spread its wings as if asserting its dominance... and each of their eyes gleamed with a bloodthirsty crimson...

Katarina broke out in a cold sweat.

Just as she was preparing for a desperate fight, she suddenly heard hurried footsteps coming from the corridor behind her.

"Commander-in-Chief!" came the anxious cry of a guard.

Before long, more than ten guards rushed into the study and surrounded the lone Katarina.

"Protect the Grand Commander!" the lead guard shouted, and a group of men simultaneously pointed their halberds at the assassin.

Seeing this, Swain smiled and stopped. "Send this young assassin to Draven for a trial of honor."

"Yes, sir!" Upon receiving the order, the guards immediately launched an attack on Katarina.

Fortunately, these ordinary guards were easy to deal with.

Katarina practically teleported behind one of the guards, her dagger falling to the ground—it seemed today she was destined to deliver a Noxus weapon into the heart of the Noxus.

The sounds of flesh tearing and blood spurting were incessant.

But Swain calmly sat back down and opened the book on the table again.

The commotion here has already attracted the attention of the guards, and soon more soldiers will surge over... no less than a hundred, perhaps even a thousand. The capital's military reserves could even wipe out a country.

He was too lazy to take action and didn't want to expose his demonic power in front of too many people, so he simply handed the ridiculous assassin over to the soldiers.

Until a guard unusually approached him.

After a moment's hesitation, he decisively used the power of the demon.

But it was too late.

The halberd in the guard's hand suddenly transformed into a staff, from which strange magical chains shot out.

Clang! The chains wrapped around Swain's demonic arm.

The guard also revealed the assassin's true form.

A pale-skinned, tall woman.

This is none other than the elusive "Pale Lady" who has appeared and disappeared for thousands of years.

"Little Katarina wasn't sent by me, how can you blame me so easily?" LeBlanc's smile was as teasing as ever. "But... it doesn't really matter, does it?"

"I should have noticed you sooner..." Swain sighed softly, the demonic arm bound by magical chains beginning to slowly retract. "It seems the Trifarix Council was too lenient with the Black Rose. My methods should have been harsher—even though I know it would have been equally difficult to eradicate you completely."

"Hehe~" LeBlanc chuckled lightly, her face full of mockery.

But she was already somewhat surprised.

Her magical chains... were forcibly pulled back by the other party.

It seems the demon's power is stronger than she imagined.

"Don't blame me, Swain —I originally intended for you to lead Noxus for a while, but now there's a better candidate."

"Then you may give it a try." Swain's eyes sharpened, and demonic power erupted from his arm.

Bang! The magical chains snapped.

"I am the will of Noxus!"

The demonic power was unleashed, and the mortal body began to mutate... A pair of raven wings grew from Swain's back, obscuring the floor-to-ceiling window that was more than two meters wide.

Seeing this, LeBlanc had lost all will to fight—she had many other tricks up her sleeve, and continuing the fight wouldn't have been a problem, but she didn't want to.

This is meaningless.

As the saying goes, everyone has their own expertise. She is not weak in direct combat, but that doesn't mean she is best at head-on fighting.

What she hates most is getting into fights with others.

"The power of demons, it looks truly terrifying... I'm scared, so goodbye then."

After saying that, LeBlanc vanished instantly.

When she reappeared, she was already on the spire a hundred meters away with Katarina, leaving the guards in the room staring at each other in disbelief.

Not only the guards, but even Katarina was somewhat bewildered. "You are... the Pale Lady...? You and Swain are enemies... We have to kill him now...!"

"Go if you want, little one." LeBlanc chuckled, covering her mouth as she pretended to let go. "I've stalled long enough. I don't want to waste any more energy fighting with others."

"What's the meaning?"

"It means you can go home and sleep now."

"...?"

"Can't figure it out? Then don't bother thinking about it, you adorably clumsy bait lady."

LeBlanc waved towards Swain, then disappeared on her own.

Katarina was still confused.

Until she realized that Swain's attention wasn't on them at all.

That terrifying being who wielded demonic power... was staring intently at the gate with a serious expression.

There... that is...

A man wearing a fox mask...

He is... it's that guy! He finally came! The lazybones!

"Good evening, Jericho Swain." The man wearing the fox mask gave an elegant bow, seemingly unconcerned that he was surrounded by a group of guards.

Swain narrowed his eyes, his demon wings on his back remaining open.

"A witness...?" He frowned first, then shook his head. "To be honest, it's not surprising... but your greed is somewhat repulsive to me."

"Yes, a mere token is far from enough to satisfy my appetite." Chen Ce smiled. "What I want is your position."

"An outsider dares to covet a seat in the Trifarix Council?"

"The esteemed Hand of Noxus has agreed, and the Faceless has acquiesced. Please step down."

"The Hand of Noxus?" Swain couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing the name. "The Hand of Noxus is the Empire's most loyal warrior. How could he possibly assist an outsider like you against the Empire?"

"I'm an outsider, but some people aren't." Chen Ce shrugged. "Compared to that person, your bloodline is the outsider."

"My family has existed since the founding of Noxus, and played a crucial role during Darkwill's reign... Me, an outsider? Heh heh heh..." Swain laughed disdainfully.

Then, he decided not to waste any more words with this ungrateful person—he had given him many favors, but what he received in return was such greedy "betrayal"?

Well then... consider it a waste of a usable piece.

This is of no concern to the empire.

"Patience is a virtue, but it has its limits... Die on the land of Noxus."

Swain raised his demonic arm, crimson energy materializing—like a giant hand detached from his body, ready to drag the mortal before him into hell.

Seeing this, Chen Ce dodged to the side as if he had anticipated the move.

Hmm... okay, it was indeed predicted in advance.

Because he was too familiar with Swain's skills.

[Nevermove], a method of imprisoning and dragging the enemy.

"A bit slow." Chen Ce swung his scythe, taunting his opponent as he slaughtered the surrounding guards. "Let me see the full power of your demonic power."

Upon hearing this, Swain a dismissive smile.

"If this is your last wish..."

Gaa--! Gaa--! Gaa--!

Suddenly, the ravens outside the fortress began to screech. A huge flock of them turned almost the entire sky red and black.

Swain's wings grew larger again, and the full plumage flapped gently, lifting his body off the ground.

Countless terrifying demonic energies radiated outwards from him, greedily draining the life force of all living beings.

[Demonic Ascension]

One of the demon's signature abilities.

This move would be difficult for Chen Ce to withstand in his mortal state.

So he chose...

He threw the Darkin Scythe, which could transform him into Darkin form, onto the ground.

"Are you crazy?! Let me kill him!!" Rhaast began to yell.

But Chen Ce acted as if he hadn't heard, silently mobilizing some special energy within his body.

Despite the fact that the Noxus soldiers who kept pouring in numbered in the hundreds.

Even though an entire army was already surrounding the Immortal Bastion.

Although all Noxus were watching this place closely.