First, take down the Sword Demon, then save Runeterra.

The group returned to Frostguard Fortress using Lissandra's teleportation spell.

They stood before the statue at the entrance to the stone bridge, very close to the Howling Abyss. Aatrox returned to his scabbard just in time to ward off the potential influence of the Watchers.

Lissandra and Ato immediately turned their attention to Anaka, wary of any possible anomalies, but everything seemed normal.

Anaka stood beside Ator, or more precisely, beside the Darkin Demon Sword behind him, her gaze blank, without making any movement.

"Does it only have an effect when you're close to the abyss?" Ato pondered the reason. "Why don't we let Anaka try it now, down into the Howling Abyss? Is that alright, old man?"

“I am confident that my commands are above the corruption of the Void, and that a mere Watcher cannot control Anaka.” Aatrox agreed with Aatrox’s suggestion.

“It’s the dead of winter now, and the temperature below the Abyss is unbearable even for the Iceborn. In previous years, this event was held on the spring equinox,” Lissandra reminded her.

“The Iceborn are just ordinary people with special physical constitutions. Don’t compare your physical strength to that of the Celestial Warriors.” Aatrox said dismissively, “Even the Void cannot defeat the physical bodies of Celestial Warriors; it can only penetrate them on a spiritual level.”

“Alright, we can try, but we need to be prepared for battle. If the Monitor really does control her mind, can you bear to lay a hand on your subordinates?” Lissandra countered.

“It won’t come to that. The pride of the Shurima Empire cannot be desecrated.” Aatrox was very confident.

“But we don’t have the tools to get her down. The Iceborn must slowly descend the cliff using ice axes. She’s too big; you’ll have to figure it out yourselves.” Lissandra glanced at the five-meter-tall Anaka.

"Tools? We don't need those. Tell me how to confirm the seal's status first, and I'll relay that to Anaka."

"The seal consists of four ice pillars, each with sealing runes drawn on it. You need to check two aspects."

"The first thing to check is whether the icicles show any signs of melting; not a single drop of water vapor should be present."

"Secondly, whether the runes drawn on the ice pillars are intact, and what their specific style is..." Lissandra showed the sealing runes to everyone.

Aatrox repeated the instructions to Anaka, and finally said, "Remember what you saw. Make sure your report is accurate when you come up. Go."

“Yes, General…” Anaka bowed slightly, came to the edge of the stone bridge, and jumped off.

"Reckless!" Lissandra didn't have time to stop her.

"The Howling Abyss remains unmeasurable. Even the Iceborn who venture down to explore it need three days to reach the bottom. They must stop at the Lost Bridge on the ice wall to recover their strength along the way. How can they just jump down?"

“I believe in her,” Aatrox said calmly. “She’ll be up here soon.”

"They're your subordinates anyway... but I'm sorry, please understand, I have to take necessary precautions. Frost Guardians, prepare for battle!"

Lissandra's voice echoed throughout the fortress, and the next moment a squad of Frost Guards carrying various weapons walked out of the fortress gate. They were well-equipped and wore two-horned helmets that covered their faces, and they were lined up on the stone bridge, ready for battle.

"Is it really necessary..." Ato muttered under his breath, "Even if they are really controlled, ordinary people can't stop the Darkin at all, and then I'll have to come..."

“We’ll wait here.” Aatrox wasn’t worried at all. “Anaka is very strong.”

The waiting process was agonizing. Ato leaned against the stone bridge railing, bored out of his mind, and couldn't help but yawn.

"Anaka has been down there for two hours, hasn't she? She jumped straight down and it won't take her long to reach the bottom, but how will she get back up?" Atto asked.

"She will use Darkin methods."

"When nearing the bottom, she inserts her weapon into the ice wall to slow down, and her wing membranes also help stabilize her body. When coming up, she uses her weapon instead of her ice axe. During her time serving the Empire, her spear was invincible."

Ato imagined the scene and couldn't help but complain, "This isn't ladylike enough, but Anaka is a warrior, so it seems quite reasonable..."

As the two were chatting, Anaka's figure suddenly appeared in the cold mist of the abyss.

With her left hand she plunged her spear into the ice wall, her right hand gripped a protruding block of ice, and with a powerful push from her feet, she drew her weapon, rising twenty or thirty meters with each leap.

"So savage, and so full of energy..." Ato felt an urge to cover his face. Are all Darkin characters this wild?

Before long, Anaka was back on the stone bridge. From the moment she came into view to the moment she jumped onto the bridge, it only took a few dozen seconds!

The Frostguards gripped their weapons tightly, aiming at Anaka, while Lissandra's arms were also enveloped in magical light, ready to strike at any moment.

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

She said in a low, hoarse voice, "The ice pillar is intact... showing no signs of melting... the sealing runes are complete... there's a one-eyed creature under the ice trying to invade my mind... it's not the general... refuse..."

How much do you truly love your general? Although Aatrox was confident that his orders were paramount, only now did he realize the weight of his words!

Even the Watchers couldn't control the corrupted Darkborn within them!

“You did a great job.” Aatrox didn’t hold back his praise. “Lissandra, you can lower your guard now. The Watchers can’t control my men, that’s an undeniable fact.”

“…Unbelievable.” Lissandra waved her hand, and the Frostguards neatly sheathed their weapons. “Anaka’s loyalty is admirable; cherish her.”

Indeed...it's truly enviable.

At this moment, Atto felt very unbalanced.

Why do I never get any attention from the opposite sex... That old woman really doesn't know how to cherish things, she's even planning to keep her here so she can frequently come into contact with the void!

“Zorani… coward… die…” Anaka seemed to be talking in her sleep.

Ato's eyes narrowed; he was familiar with the name Anaka had suddenly mentioned.

Even from his understanding of the character's background, it's normal for her to still be obsessed with that name while in a state of mental instability.

“Zolani? Who’s that?” This was the first time Lissandra had heard that name.

“You don’t need to know.” Ato didn’t want to explain too much. “I can only tell you that she is dangerous.”

“So you still remember.” Aatrox sighed. “She’s probably still trapped. I don’t know where she is. I’ll call for you when I find her.”

“Ready at any time…” Anaka bowed to Aatrox.

“We are about to leave Freljord.” Aatrox didn’t mention Zoranny again.

“Anaka, you stay here. When Lissandra needs to investigate the situation of the Abyss Seal, repeat the activity we just did, but change the person you report to from me to Lissandra.”

"If monsters from the Abyss invade the real world, let them witness the sublime power of Shurima until I give you new orders."

"Yes, General..."