Chapter 333
Page 333
The situation took a sharp turn for the worse. Kai'Sa absolutely could not allow the Watcher to devour Volibear, otherwise it was unimaginable how terrifying his abilities would evolve.
Kai'Sa channeled her powerful, relentless energy into Volibear. Since Volibear had lost his power, she would give him power—an inexhaustible source of power. World Runes, the source of all creation, the essence of the world.
Syndra's eyes pierced through Volibear's skin, seeing into his very being. Because they both possessed runes, she could clearly sense the immense life force emanating from him.
Inspired by Kai'Sa, she also summoned endless lightning to bathe the giant bear's wounds. Restless thunderclouds gathered again in the sky, so low they seemed almost within reach.
The power of runes cleansed Volibear's body, giving it a new lease on life like a withered tree coming back to life. Endless lightning connected its flesh and blood, stitching up its gruesome wounds and leaving a glowing scar. Its fur stood on end in the charged air, becoming soft and flowing again, as if all impurities had been removed by the lightning.
Most importantly, its severed arm was drawn back to Volibear's side by lightning, like a magnet. Chains of lightning surged from the wound and merged with the severed arm, the immense magical power reshaping its body into steel, thus reattaching the arm.
Such blatant behavior provoked the Watcher's resistance, its rage manifesting in frantic movements. It plunged all its arms deep into Volibear's body, digging and trying to find something. Volibear remained motionless as it was pulled, making no sound, seemingly dead, a mindless walking corpse.
At the same time, however, Kasha discovered that static sparks appeared on her skin and on the monitor, bouncing around it.
An overwhelming sense of urgency filled the air, like the anticipation of thunder after lightning. After eliminating the monsters around him, Kahn turned his gaze back to Volibear.
Dozens of tentacles pierced and protruded from Volibear's body, each as thick as its arm, filling its body like fleshy soil, crawling and wriggling inside, seemingly hollowing out its flesh and turning it into a tattered sack.
My heart was pounding violently, causing lightning to surge through my veins and spread throughout my body from the inside out.
Volibear felt his connection with the lightning return, stronger than before. The giant bear roared to the sky, and a bolt of lightning pierced the heavens, striking the bottomless abyss. The thunder echoed through the abyss, resonating with the bear's roar and shaking the entire Howling Abyss.
Lightning flashed and thunder roared, shaking the heavens.
Blinding lightning erupted from the giant bear's body, bursting forth through all its wounds. The tentacles that entangled it like thorns, and the arms that bound it like cages, were all bathed in the fury of the thunder and annihilated in an instant.
The Watcher let out a silent shriek; it had only torn off one of Volibear's arms, but the latter had destroyed all its movable limbs. Lightning traveled along the limb to its body, inflicting pain exceeding the burning agony accumulated over a thousand years of being frozen in the True Ice.
Cassiopeia seized the opportunity to launch an attack, her Nightfall mace unleashing a powerful suppressive force that further compressed the Watcher's silhouette.
The monitor controlled the swarm of insects to launch a frenzied attack, and the giant bear roared again, summoning endless thunder to cleanse the filth.
The lightning struck the swarm of insects, instantly exploding the monsters at the point of impact into shredded flesh and bizarre slurry. The streaks of lightning formed chains connecting the entire swarm, all reduced to corpses after the intense shock, their charred shells constantly smoking.
The heavenly lightning was indiscriminate; Kai'Sa, as the chosen one of the Bear Spirits, was fearless, but the other Protoss above had to take shelter below the broken bridge. Otherwise, being struck would result in anything from severe spasms to life-threatening danger.
Volibear continued to pounce and fight, beating the immobile Monitor like a punching bag. But over several dozen rounds, the Monitor seemed to absorb damage like a sponge, getting more and more energetic with each blow. Its body withstood the attacks and arms grew back, gradually transforming from being powerless to resisting the giant bear's thunderous onslaught.
"This can't go on..."
Katarina realized that the Monitor's physical body was immortal. Everyone else was fighting with all their might, and she desperately wanted to help. However, even ordinary divine artifacts might not be able to harm the Monitor, let alone its ability to regenerate infinitely. Katarina tried every divine weapon in the world, but couldn't find a way to decisively defeat it.
Wild Hunt understood Katarina's feelings. His mission in this battle was to coordinate and command, help his host resist the Monitors' mental corruption, and prevent other Monitors from mobilizing. Because he needed to conserve his strength, he couldn't confront the Monitors head-on like the others. Moreover, since his Mother's army couldn't be used against the Monitors, he could easily lose control of them instantly, just like he had done against Bervis before.
However, he believes that Katarina's potential is far from limited, and that she has even greater untapped potential.
So he asked, feigning profundity, "Katarina, do you know what sword intent is?"
"I've heard of it. It seems to be a state that Ionian swordsmen strive for, concentrating their will on their swords, similar to our enchantment, allowing them to unleash extraordinary attacks with ordinary weapons..."
Although Katarina wasn't as resourceful as her sister, she was still quick-witted. Wild Hunt's tone didn't sound like he was speaking without reason; he clearly wanted her to comprehend the so-called sword intent. On a whim, she followed these clues and began to deduce.
Sword intent... Ionia... Swordsman... She remembered that during Noxus's invasion of Ionia, there was a young swordsman who single-handedly held off a thousand troops, making Noxus quite wary, and even going so far as to bring alchemical flames to burn down the enemy's mountain gate.
That swordsman is now known as the Limitless Sword Saint, unmatched in the way of the sword. And the sect from which the Sword Saint hails is called the Limitless Sword Sect. (The remaining text appears to be gibberish and unrelated to the swordsmanship.)
The Wuji Sword Sect... I feel like it has an inseparable connection with someone I know...
It seemed someone had once told her that disciples of the Wuji Sword Sect would comprehend the sword intent within weapons at an ancient battlefield called the Misty Sword Tomb. There appeared to be significant restrictions on entering that place, presumably because some evil entity was sealed within...
...An evil being? In an instant, Katarina's pupils dilated violently. She remembered! The being sealed in the Sword Tomb by the Wuji Sword Sect was none other than the Dark One within her—Zorani!
Chapter 814 Enlightenment on the Spot
Mountain darkly, vista.
Katarina never imagined that the key to her understanding of sword intent was both far away and right before her eyes.
She possesses sophisticated runes that control the laws of creation and the power of creation. As for sword intent, which is a man-made state of mind or understanding, as long as Zolani tells her, she will definitely be able to master it and unleash the most powerful sword strike!
Sure enough, when Wild Hunt asked her what sword intent was, it wasn't just a random question; it was a hint that she should do it.
The Wild Hunt's decision to have her fuse with Zoranny's power and later bestow upon her the Intricate Runes were not casual moves. If he had foreseen this moment, then his planning was far too premature.
She knew all too well that the Wild Hunt couldn't use the World Rune. He couldn't use runes to deduce fate like Cassiopeia, so he could only rely on meticulous planning to push things to the current state.
That is precisely why he appears to be even more far-sighted.
Wild Hunt was unaware that his image in Katarina's eyes had been further deified; in reality, he was simply allocating his resources to suitable familiars. There's not much to say; the strong are always full of surprises.
"Zolani, did you spend some time in the Sword Tomb? I need your help to comprehend the sword intent!" In this critical situation, Katarina got straight to the point.
Zolani was annoyed by her commanding tone and retorted, "So what if I am? Why should I help you?"
"If I die, you won't live either."
"That's perfect, anyway, I've been hoping for the world to be destroyed for a long time."
"..." Zolani's cold reply left Katarina speechless. She pondered for a few moments and then tried to entice her with a reward: "I know that you Darkin have always wanted to break free from your cage. If you help me, I will give you your freedom."
"Words are no proof, how will you help me?"
“There are many ways to do this, whether it’s having Kasha help you create a new body or me transferring you into another container.”
“Okay, I’ll tell you.” Zolani readily agreed to Katarina’s request. After all, she hadn’t paid any price, and if she missed this opportunity, she wouldn’t have another chance like this.
"Do you need me to meditate?" Katarina asked eagerly.
"No need, listen to me. First, find a weapon and hold it in your hand. Any weapon will do, it doesn't have to be a sword. Don't be bound by any particular style; even a tree branch will do." Zolani's tone suddenly changed, becoming serious.
Despite Zolani's words, Katarina still conjured a sword, holding it and pointing it at the observer from a distance. She was skilled with daggers, but the hilt of the dagger was too short to hold with both hands. As for sword intent, a sword was the safest choice.
"First, you must understand that swords don't dance on their own, and wind and thunder don't come of their own accord. All power originates from the heart. So-called sword intent is, in the end, nothing more than a manifestation of 'power.'" Zolani manipulated Katarina's body, demonstrating several sword techniques with masterful skill, allowing her to personally experience the profound mysteries within.
"Born from the heart... controlling the sword with the heart? Is this the Way of Limitlessness?"
"The essence of the Wuji Way is to draw power from the spiritual realm, which is exactly the same as Volibear's control of lightning and his ability to change his form, only the amount differs."
For over a thousand years since she was sealed away, countless sword geniuses have awakened and gained enlightenment around her. She was also present when those Vastaya Shauri in the spiritual realm taught their disciples, and she could teach the Way of Limitless with ease.
Katarina watched as Volibear roared below, channeling all his power, his back muscles, riddled with blades and spears, convulsing as he absorbed the lightning power of heaven and earth, then released it all at once, seemingly understanding but not quite.
"This doesn't sound like the work of a swordsman; it sounds more like the methods of a wizard."
"Don't worry about all that. Whether it's a wizard, priest, or monk, these are just forms!" Zolani corrected. "The essence of Wuji is magic! The essence of a Wuji swordsman is the person who uses this magic! Every sword technique I teach you, every meditation I give you, is to make it easier for you to feel its essence."
After one sword dance, another followed. Katarina exquisitely imitated Zoranny's movements, perfectly replicating each move.
"Although pursuing formal precision is one of the most important tenets of Wuji, if you focus too much on the movements of sword dancing, too much on the state of meditation, and concentrate all your will on these forms, you will ignore the essence of Wuji swordsmanship."
Zolani gave a brief evaluation, paused, and then said, "Wind, rain, thunder, lightning, rockfalls... even the body you are born into is just a form. If you find the essence, then you can use any form at will, including... attaching it to a sword."
"Drawing power from the spiritual realm and imbuing the sword with magic?"
"The sword is not the vessel for magic; you are!"
"Using one's own body...as a sword?"
"You're wrong again. Don't focus on the sword, don't focus on the enemy, don't focus on everything I've taught you. Even in the moment you come into contact with the spiritual realm, don't think you're meditating, don't consider whether your every action is correct. Just ask yourself, how do you defeat an enemy whose strength is so vastly different?"
"Don't worry about the sword, don't worry about the enemy, don't worry about... the situation."
Katarina seemed to have realized something. She released her grip on the sword, letting it fall to the ground, and then looked at the enemy she was about to kill.
Ten thousand meters below, the observer's eyes were like an abyss, and an inexplicable force pulled at Katarina's gaze. This overwhelming sense of oppression made her struggle to keep her breathing steady.
She met his gaze and felt a stare seep into her mind, as if trying to shake her will and push her crumbling reason into the abyss.
An invisible shriek echoed in the abyss of howling… The feeling grew stronger and stronger, as if the shriek had pierced through eardrums and reverberated in the mind. But when the sound exceeded a certain limit, it suddenly vanished, along with all other sounds.
Silence fell over everything.
But this silence was not the overwhelming silence brought by Xiong Ling; rather, it was the deathly stillness left after all sound had been swallowed up and disappeared.
Her five senses were disappearing one after another, first hearing, then taste, smell, touch... She began to lose the sense of airflow, she didn't know if she was breathing, or if her heart was still beating, she couldn't feel the pulse of blood flowing through her veins, and she couldn't even feel Zolani in her mind.
The world seemed to have fallen into true darkness and nothingness, and she could no longer even bear her own existence.
True darkness is invisible; one cannot feel anything about it.
Black is a color, but darkness is not. That's not black... it's nothingness.
Using the Watcher's domain, Katarina seamlessly entered a state of intense meditation, her feet leaving the ground.
Her meditation was about how to break through this darkness and nothingness and let the light bathe her again.
Chapter 815 Wind Slash and Lightning Thrust
Katarina deliberately entered the Watcher's empty space. Normally, she should have entered a meditative state by circulating her qi and breathing, but at this moment, her chest did not rise or fall, and her breathing stopped, as if she had fallen into stillness.
She did not sense the power of the spiritual realm. The observer sensed her connection with the outside world. A great river of spiritual energy flowed around her. She only needed to scoop a handful of water from this river and pour it on her sword to achieve initial success.
But Katarina doesn't need to borrow power from the outside world; the foundation within her is the source of magic, the origin of this great river!
It's not about scooping water from the river, but about immersing yourself in it and becoming a part of it!
A sudden inspiration struck her, and Katarina placed her finger between her eyebrows. The immense power seemed to find an outlet, transforming into a dazzling stream of light.
Feeling the power passing through her fingertips, Katarina instantly opened her eyes. She disregarded all circumstances, channeling this power into her hands, directing it towards her target. Not with a sword, but with her body and her heart!
The light between her brows transformed into the shape of a sword hilt, but Katarina didn't grasp it. Instead, she pressed her thumb against her ring and little fingers, using her sword fingers to guide the light out from between her brows.
The sword is a form, the posture of holding the sword is also a form, so the person holding the sword, this human body, can only be a form, naturally.
To unleash sword intent, one cannot be bound by form. The sword finger commands the flowing light. A boundless power condenses into a dazzling blade of light. (The last two lines are a nonsensical string of characters and phrases, likely a result of OCR errors.)
The light pierced the darkness before her eyes, and Katarina saw the Watcher's hideous form once again.
"Slash!" Almost entirely on instinct, she stepped forward and slashed down with her lightsaber. In an instant, the sword light streaked across the sky, becoming the most dazzling and spectacular phenomenon in the world at that moment!
With a deafening roar as the air was torn apart, the sword light that appeared out of nowhere stole everyone's attention. Kyle, who was also wielding a sword on the broken bridge below, looked up at the sword that seemed to cleave the heavens and the earth. The impurities in his heart were washed away by the sword intent that cut him down, and only fear and fascination remained in his eyes.
With a single slash, sword light surged upwards from the entire Howling Abyss, as if etching an indelible sword mark on the earth.
As the sword light faded, the three arms on one side of the monitor were severed cleanly at the root. Sword energy still gushed from the clean cuts, and the sword intent that had cut through everything lingered on the wounds like a bone-deep ailment, preventing the monitor's severed arms from growing back.
"Well done! You're worthy of being my sister!" Cassiopeia shouted excitedly, her Nightfall weapon continuing to suppress the Watcher, almost pulling it into the underworld.
"Not bad, it seems one more sword strike will be enough." Wild Hunt praised sincerely, as Katarina had indeed displayed power that was both expected and beyond imagination.
"Then let's strike again!" Katarina pressed her advantage, immediately getting into a fighting stance.
After listening to their conversation, Zolani coughed lightly twice, as if trying to cover something up.
No armor in the world can withstand the Limitless Sword Dao. With enough power, one could cleave a mountain, create the seasons, and even cleave an entire world... But all of this is just theory. Zolani didn't tell Katarina that the power humans can draw from the spiritual realm is actually extremely limited, and those who can cleave a mountain are already incredibly rare sword saints throughout history.
Katarina focused her sword intent, now fully immersed in the moment, understanding the meaning hidden behind the moves. She quickly unleashed her second strike, the sword light even more solid than the first.
The Watcher was also on guard; it swiftly swung its fist, knocking Volibear's head off, and then hoisted the giant bear onto its shoulder, attempting to use it as a human shield to block the sword's edge!
"What?!" This sudden turn of events shocked everyone. Judging from Katarina's stance, it didn't seem like she could stop easily. Abruptly interrupting would likely result in a severe backlash.
The bear spirit is unafraid of death; it is born from the thunderous rage of Freljord, and will be reborn as long as Freljord exists. But this does not mean it will sit idly by and await its demise. It can die, but it will never die like this.
"Get ready, little girl! Go back and kill them all!" Volibear roared, his fur shimmering and blurring amidst endless lightning. His massive body transformed into a bolt of lightning, breaking free from the Watcher's restraints and striking Kai'Sa, who was clinging to the cliff face with one hand.
The lightning bolt struck fiercely. Hearing Volibear's warning, Kai'Sa suppressed her instinct to dodge and reached out to grab the bolt. The lightning bolt was grasped in her hand, transforming into a shapeless, constantly flickering weapon.
"It can be like this..." Kaisa felt the divine lightning in her hand, which was almost out of control and could be shot out at any moment, and she was shocked beyond words.
Without human shields, the monitors had no choice but to face their wrath head-on.
With immense force, Syndra pressed down with her arms high in the sky, an invisible force field descending upon her, the weight of the continental plate pressing down so hard that the observer couldn't lift her head.
Katarina's sword then slashed down, rushing towards the empty realm, the terrifying giant arm, and the unstoppable power, cutting through everything.
As she stopped and finished her attack, the remaining three severed arms of the Monitor fell to the ground like a kite with a broken string.
Kaisa leaped into the air, striking with lightning speed unparalleled in the world, and hurled the restless divine lightning in her hand with all her might.
The lightning spear pierced the watcher's single eye and emerged from his body, unleashing a storm of forked lightning behind his head. The surging lightning exploded instantly, vaguely forming the phantom of a bear spirit.
Cassiopeia seized the opportunity to attack, compressing the Watcher's body to a size large enough to pass through the passage before following him into the Underworld.
Despite the immense effort, things were proceeding as planned. The Wild Hunt wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, but the Watcher had vanished, though the enormous void it had left behind leading to the void remained.
This channel is entirely composed of energy. The boundary between the two realms is smooth, with the edges surging like tides, and surging, powerful energy churning within it.
Gazing at the vast, dark void, he suddenly sensed many intense gazes within it, watching over all those who looked into the abyss from the void.
Each of them was stronger than the previous monitor, eager to collide violently with the laws of the real world, transforming the all-consuming consciousness into a grotesque and terrifying corpse.
This feeling terrified him, as if something from another dimension might contact him at any moment through the void, and if he wasn't careful, he would be pulled into the abyss.
Chapter 816 The End
"Hurry! I'll stop them, you all activate the runes to close the passage!"