Twin Cities: I am the man of many myths

Chapter 278 Nera, do you want an opponent?

"A moment of bliss, eternal joy!"

"Remember my name, God. I am Nera, the one who will kill you, the Godslayer!"

The words that came out of her mouth were like a prayer. The sword that had created a water curtain across the sky then slashed heavily toward Lissandra's location. The sword energy that Nera unleashed was more obvious and more dazzling than that that that Li Ke unleashed. At this moment, it swept toward Lissandra's location like a tassel.

"Boom!"

Large chunks of ice broke off from the iceberg that appeared out of nowhere. A hint of displeasure flashed in Lissandra's eyes. She had come to understand somewhat why Illaoi had said she was wary of Nera.

Indeed, this guy named Nera is a madman!
How could gods start a war so inexplicably? Even if they did, and started fighting right away, they wouldn't go all out like Nera, without any defenses, and with only one thought in mind: to kill their opponent.

At this moment, Nera was determined to kill Lissandra, which naturally angered Lissandra. Anger rose in her heart, and she decided to teach this crazy, self-proclaimed god-slayer Nera a lesson.

Everything has rules. If you don't follow the rules, then I don't need to follow them with me!

"freeze."

With two words uttered softly, Lissandra pointed her finger at Nera, who was charging towards her. On her plain face, her pale pupils turned into a bright, icy blue in an instant. Lissandra's fingers clenched loosely, making a grabbing motion.

"Kacha——"

Li Ke heard a clear shattering sound, a sound that was the space being frozen and cracked, a mournful sound that seemed to come from when even time was frozen and stopped.

When he saw that Lissandra was about to get serious with Nera, Rick's first instinct was to speak up and dissuade her, but he realized what was happening right before he opened his mouth.

Prevent?

No, why would I stop it?

Nera is clearly not going to listen to anyone in her current state. Can't you see her eyes are shining and she's attacking Lissandra with a smile on her lips? Therefore, instead of trying to dissuade the two of them, it would be better to let Lissandra teach Nera a lesson first. That way, once Nera calms down, it will be easier for Rick to negotiate with her.

As for himself
Just find a place to wait for the two of them to come out.

Thinking this, Li Ke watched helplessly as Lissandra used her domain ability to pull Nera into another spatial world.

The so-called domain ability is very similar to the island that Li Ke is standing on now. This island is located in the Sea of ​​Watchers, and it is the only island in the surrounding thirty kilometers of sea.

It was a cloudy day outside. Although it was winter, it wasn't snowing outside when Illaoi brought Rick, but it was snowing on this small island, and it was snowing heavily.

This is the energy of the domain, which relies on the power of the laws of Runeterra, but does not depend on the laws of Runeterra. Instead, it is created by the user's ability to freely change the domain's environment and situation.

This is why demigods with divine status are so powerful, because they can unleash domains and create environments that allow them to exert their strength, achieving twice the result with half the effort in battles.

Finding a spot, Rick took the greatsword off his back, placed it in front of him, and then patted Aatrox on the shoulder.

In his mind, Aatrox, who had been dormant while absorbing Li Ke's power to purify the Void's pollution, awoke, and his first words were—

"Who?"

“I’m not doing anything to anyone, I just came to chat with you.” Seeing Aatrox ask him who he wanted to do right away, Rick found it amusing.

He looked at the eye on the sword hilt and asked Aatrox, "The Void's corruption on you should have lessened considerably, but why are you still like this? Or, Aatrox, were you actually like this even when you were still an Ascended?"

Upon hearing that he wasn't being asked to come out and fight, Aatrox's tone became noticeably unfriendly. He snorted and said, "Ridiculous, me back in my Ascended days."

Aatrox suddenly fell silent, looked at Rick, and after a long while, he uttered: "Noble, elegant, cold."

“These words have absolutely no connection to you right now,” Li Ke said.

Aatrox, clearly annoyed by Rick's words, roared impatiently:

“I already said, that was who I used to be. Glory is a blessing, but also a shackle. I used to have unparalleled glory. The sun shone on me, and all the spirits crowned me. It taught me what I should and shouldn't do. But look at me now? Now I am trapped in depravity, confined to the abyss.”

Aatrox suddenly let out a soft exclamation, his huge red eyes on the hilt of his sword narrowing slightly, seemingly calm, but inwardly he was already shocked.

He actually thinks he's fallen into depravity.

Aatrox was somewhat dazed. Before meeting Rick, although he knew he had been changed, he never thought it was his fault, but rather the fault of the Protoss, the world, the Emperor, and all living beings in the world.

For their sake, the Ascended fought a decisive battle against the Void, and afterwards they were called the Darkin.

But upon closer reflection, Aatrox discovered the anchor of the problem.

So, did the Shurimas really call themselves Darkborn in the beginning?

No, after the war ended, all the Ascended who participated in the Void War were actually respected by the people. This respect lasted for thousands of years until Azir, the last emperor of Shurima, suddenly died, the empire collapsed, and the Ascended who lost their faith began to fight each other. Only then did everything begin to change.

Having lost their faith and corrupted by pain and the void, the Ascended gave up resisting the void's allure, willingly plunging into purgatory, becoming Darkin, and unleashing their "evil thoughts" and "greed" amplified by the void without restraint.

Aatrox disdained to get involved in those things at that time, but he had heard that his brothers and sisters had started fighting each other for territory, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them local warlords.

Can any warlord be a good person? Before becoming a warlord, even the most wicked ascendant wouldn't be that bad. But once you become a warlord, it's impossible for you to be any good. After all, if a warlord were to be a good person, wouldn't that make him a warlord for nothing?

Under such circumstances, the Shurima people were already suffering because of the collapse of the Empire, and then they were caught up in the battlefield because of the Ascended's self-interest. How could they possibly still respect these guys?

Thinking of this, Aatrox gradually fell silent.

"Why are you suddenly silent?"

Rick, unaware of what Aatrox was thinking, asked a question, which interrupted Aatrox's thoughts.

"Li Ke, I've realized I seem to have made a lot of mistakes."

Aatrox suddenly spoke, his tone less manic. His blood-red eyes looked at Rick, though those eyes were still terrifying, the ferocity within them had diminished considerably.

“Thanks to you, I can’t hear those voices anymore, but now I find myself even more confused.” Aatrox looked at Rick and said very seriously, “I have no body and can no longer return to Shurima. You said Azir is still alive. Even if he is alive, Shurima is gone.”

"Azir will restore Shurima."

Aatrox gave a bitter laugh, his voice deep and somber. "Revival? Did you really think I was just sleeping and recovering while I was with you all this time? I saw everything you did and everything that happened in the outside world during that time."

“You won’t allow Shurima to be fully restored, will you?” “…” Rick remained silent.

“As long as Azir doesn’t allow his British Empire to leave Shurima, I won’t interfere. I can guarantee that, because I already have enough to deal with right now,” Rick said earnestly.

"Even if you do nothing and let Azir revive the empire, the problem is that the people of Shurima will not agree. Just look at the little girl who's with you and the sand people that can be seen everywhere in Zaun. This is something that doesn't even need to be certified. The glory of the empire has completely vanished, just like my former glory. If Azir wants to revive Shurima, then he will only become the enemy of the people of Shurima."

“We talk about our ancestors, our roots, and stories from thousands of years ago. But the problem is that human lifespan is only a hundred years. A hundred years is just a fleeting moment for you and me, but for humanity, it is a time of great change. The glory and honor of the empire do not belong to them, but they will have to bear the suffering and tyranny of the future. Who would agree to such a thing?”

“I didn’t expect you to know these things.” Rick smiled, laid Aatrox across his lap, and said softly.

However, Li Ke did not agree with Aatrox's claim that a hundred years was just a fleeting moment for him.

He has no intention of being a perpetual tortoise, nor will he become lazy just because he has more time. A hundred years is already a long time.

Li Kehui, like his homeland and his people, seizes every minute.

"Ha, do you think I'm like you? You hold a high position but know nothing, all you do is delegate everything to others, and call it 'appointing people to do things'."

"Are you criticizing me now?" Li Ke was somewhat surprised. You know, half a year ago, Aatrox could only yell and say some stupid things like "glory" and "past".

But now it seems so normal.

"Didn't you often criticize me too? You left me in a corner and then pointed fingers at me with your girl, have you forgotten?" Aatrox retorted.

"Hey, Aatrox, are you healing your wounds with my power right now, or do you want to go back to the chaotic days when all you knew was killing?"

"Fuck you! Didn't you borrow my power? Rick, if I get stronger, doesn't that mean you get stronger too?" Aatrox cursed.

"Don't you fucking swear," Li Ke said unhappily.

Aatrox: "?"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

At the same time, while Rick and Aatrox were bickering outside and their relationship had clearly improved, Nera and Lissandra also began their second battle.

The world was covered in ice and snow, and all that met the eye was a vast expanse of white nothingness.

Nera took a deep breath, and as she exhaled, the white breath she exhaled shot out like a sharp arrow.

Admittedly, even she found it difficult to adapt to the weather and temperature; it was cold, too cold.

It was so cold that my fingers trembled, my teeth chattered, and my spine ached.

The woman in front of Nera had just raised her hand when she created countless thick ice chains. With a gentle flick of her fingertips, the ice chains shot out like giant snakes, binding Nera.

The cold made her body stiff, but Nila was still able to cope. She raised her water sword, and a curtain of water formed in front of her. Although most of the water vapor was frozen instantly, the water curtain that Nila created contained more sword energy, so Nila was able to withstand it!

With a sharp flick of her wrist, the whip sword slapped horizontally, scattering the water curtain that had just risen. The water curtain sword energy expanded, spreading from upwards to the left. A similar forceful strike was delivered to the right, and the water curtain sword energy spread to both sides, forming a magnificent and dazzling semicircle that protected Nera's body.

"Is this the same ability as Osiris? You can actually create space out of thin air."

"As expected, guys like you are the kind of opponents I should challenge the most!"

"Blocking Lissandra's attack," Nera said loudly with a smile.

A wild smile played on her lips, but Nera's eyes held a serious expression.

Jokingly, when Lissandra dragged Nera into this space, Nera knew she was facing a formidable opponent.

Laws and domains—Nira also possesses these abilities; she obtained them from Ossilash. However, she cannot pull her opponents into her domain as easily as Lissandra, and Lissandra's domain is far too vast!
Although it is much smaller than Osiris's, after all, Osiris is in charge of one prison and is the ruler of the Seventh Prison, this icy world, with its towering, continuous mountain ranges and trees, has already made Nera feel deeply apprehensive.

However, even so
I will not admit defeat either!

A true hero is someone who, when faced with difficulties and troubles, will forge ahead and confront adversity head-on!
Carrying her whip-sword, Nera walked on the ice, her body moving nimbly through the air. The whip-sword in her hand danced with dazzling water light, her steps like dancing, the whip-sword carrying flowing water energy that swirled around her.

As Nera charged at her, Lissandra's bright eyes flashed with a hint of disdain.

She didn't know who Osilesh was, but the powerful beings she had faced, the fears and troubles she had encountered, were far more numerous and terrifying than anything this girl in front of her could imagine.

Amidst the piercing explosion, Lissandra raised her hands high.

------

"Well, it's finally over."

Rick picked up Aatrox and looked at the ice-blue door that had suddenly appeared in front of him.

He certainly wasn't worried about Lissandra. Nera was indeed very strong, but her backstory detailed how she challenged Volibear and almost got killed by him. If Morgana hadn't saved her, she probably would have died and returned to Osilesh's side.

And what about Lissandra?
Nine thousand years ago, she was able to hold her own against Volibear at his peak, even having one of his eyes gouged out but surviving. So how powerful is Lissandra now?

Therefore, Rick got up to prepare to greet the witch.

But the person who came out was Nera. She was soaking wet, and her spiky hair was plastered to her cheeks. She was clearly smiling, with a big smile on her lips, but no matter how Li Ke looked at her, he felt that she was feeling lost.

Upon seeing Rick, Nera glanced up at him and then stood aside.

Only then did Rick notice that Nila had an ice ring around her waist, and on the other side of the ice ring was a chain. Then, Rick saw the person holding the chain come out.

Lissandra walked out calmly and looked at Li Ke: "It's resolved. She can speak properly now."

Li Ke was delighted when he heard this.

Then he looked at Nera: "Nera, do you want an opponent?"

"No, no, no." Nera raised her hands, smiling as she refused and muttered, her eyes filled with panic.

"?"

(End of this chapter)