Bab 260: -255- Reinforcement
Half of the harbor fell into the sea, and half of the island faced the prospect of sinking into the Guardian's Sea.
This island, made up of countless wrecks, is now facing collapse.
But it's not just the island facing collapse, nor just the desperate people of Bilgewater on the island.
At the same time, there are two humans in combat. Illaoi's divine power is on the verge of shattering, while Linwin's magic is facing depletion.
Using the Ascended power twice in a short time, the consequence is Linwin's blood starting to boil, his body feeling like it's being roasted in a furnace.
But thankfully Illaoi is the same way, though only a small part of Nagakabouros' power, concentrated on Illaoi, makes her powerful but also puts her body on the brink of decay.
And the good news is, Linwin's magic is indeed depleted, but he's not a weakling mage; he's different from glass cannons like Ryze. While Ryze's damage output is terrifying, his physical body is still only a bit above mortal. In other words, if Ryze doesn't have arcane defenses, a Hextech sniper ambush could likely kill him instantly.
But Linwin's physical resilience is even more abnormal than Nasus without using Ascended power.
With one sword strike, accompanied by a burst of black energy, Illaoi's arm flies out. Illaoi's arm is directly chopped off by Linwin, but soon something disgusting happens.
Just like Linwin's powerful physique comes with insane regenerative abilities, Illaoi, empowered by a god, is the same. In just a few seconds, Illaoi's severed arm, enveloped in black mist, spawns a black tentacle from the stump. Soon, that tentacle turns into Illaoi's arm again.
"Illaoi, that was... quite disgusting," this grotesque scene prompts Linwin to comment once again.
Although he's seen it many times, every time Linwin still feels the need to comment. Wherever he cuts, those black tentacles unite and squirm... Gross!
"So are you," Illaoi looks at Linwin, much shorter than herself, and retorts loudly.
With the power of the Serpent God, she previously punched through Linwin's abdomen, but this guy just flew upward, then grabbed his own golden intestines and stuffed them back into his belly in front of Illaoi. Illaoi just watched Linwin, with his hand plugging the hole in his belly, then saw fresh red flesh wriggling and connecting together through his fingers.
Although his regenerative ability is not as insane as the power the Serpent God gives her, is he still human?
And Illaoi didn't sense any divine aura on him.
In other words, this is his own power.
A mage, having such power? The experienced Illaoi doesn't know about this.
"If it weren't for the Serpent God's power, I wouldn't be able to stop you."
Suddenly, Illaoi looks towards the sky.
The sky seems to have a huge rift, the dome is shattered, the roar of the shockwave continues to echo in people's ears, amidst the lightning flashes, occasionally one can see the shadow of a huge creature, a strange snake, a majestic and beautiful blue bird.
The battle between the gods has brought great disaster to the Guardian's Sea.
Bilgewater has already dispersed by more than half, and now, countless people gather on the high ground waiting to die.
This is not the situation Illaoi wanted. She looks forward to one day truly integrating into Bilgewater, passing on the teachings of the Serpent God to all Bilgewater people, and this is what Bilgewater people have been doing all along. They admire the Mother Serpent, but the Bearded Lady seems to not value them.
Illaoi knows clearly that the gods are merciless, they only care about and help the humans they are interested in, and the people on Bilgewater are obviously not the people the Serpent God would care about.
"But there are many others in Buhru who are as powerful as me."
As if feeling something, Illaoi suddenly says to Linwin, her tone becoming relaxed, as if she's relieved.
Because if this continues, Illaoi knows she will be killed by this guy in front of her. Although Illaoi thinks it's not bad like that, but now, she's not fighting for herself, but for the Serpent God. Illaoi cannot die, nor can she fight fair and square.
Linwin frowned and quickly looked around.
Bilgewater Island is drifting northward, and the small islands from all directions should also drift in all directions. But the strange thing is, they seem to be converging towards Bilgewater Island. From both speed and position, it's like they're aiming for Bilgewater. What's pushing these small islands?
When Linwin's eyes narrowed, he saw beyond the countless islands, the waves churned, and massive dark black things, which looked like scales, Linwin saw it.
Behind the parted Serpent's Row Islands, there are huge red or black sea serpent creatures, they are pushing the islands, keeping the Serpent Islands from dispersing.
It's the Serpent Caller of Buhru!
"You see, victory will eventually belong to Nagakabouros."
Illaoi takes a step forward and says loudly.
In response to Illaoi, Linwin's greatsword strikes down, and the tentacles rising in front of Illaoi help her block this attack.
Illaoi was protected by Nagakabouros from every direction.
It has to be said, ancient gods are ancient gods. Janna is already powerful enough. Rising in Zaun, the Twin Cities linked together, Janna has evolved several times, but even so, she can only stall Nagakabouros.
She cannot do what Nagakabouros can, like being able to divert her power to Linwin.
The people of Buhru attack, countless Summoners controlling sea beasts. With incredible speed, in just a dozen seconds, those islands that were still far away before appeared around Bilgewater.
As dawn broke, the bustling taverns that had been lively half a day ago had now become the last burial ground for the people of Bilgewater.
Illaoi also felt some complexity, but soon she cast aside those thoughts, like she did with Plank. As a true follower of Buhru, Illaoi would abandon everything and obey the commands of the Mother Serpent.
"You won't die because the Mother Serpent wants your soul."
"But I'm really not happy about this." Linwin looked at Illaoi speechlessly, then said, "How many times do you want me to say it? Illaoi, I like things that at least look good."
"Ignorant soul." Illaoi's mouth twitched. She really couldn't imagine how someone so uncoordinated could be so powerful.
"Then, I can only defeat you first. After you have experienced the Mother Serpent's trail, when you know how powerful the Mother Serpent is, you will realize how foolish you are."
Illaoi clenched her fingers and whistled. Immediately, countless sea beasts all around stood up.
"Truth bearer!"
On the bodies of the double-headed giant snakes, people wearing strange clothes and strange tattoos painted black on their faces shouted.
Linwin looked up and saw that all around Bilgewater were huge sea beasts standing up.
And the people of Bilgewater, who had already closed their eyes and waited for death, had completely lost hope.
And Linwin felt a bit annoyed. These guys' large bodies weren't a problem for him. Ultimately, this bunch of sea beasts combined wasn't as annoying as Illaoi alone.
But the problem was if they attacked, with their huge bodies attacking this dilapidated island, Linwin might not have a place to stand, and that would be troublesome for Linwin because his magical power right now really couldn't sustain him flying down.
He could fly, but only a little bit.
So if the island sank into the sea, would he have to fight these guys in the water?
Ha.... I won't even be able to fill their belly...
Swimming is not Linwin's strong suit.
In the clouds, Janna also sensed the situation below, and she was naturally a bit anxious, but she was helpless.
Having powerful healing and protective abilities, Janna was not as good at attacking as Nagakabouros. She could withstand all of the Mother Serpent's attacks, so Janna was not as weak as Linwin thought she was. She's stronger than the Mother Serpent!
Being a new god? The power of faith she now absorbs is hundreds of times that of the Mother Serpent, and Janna is a god whose strength increases with the amount of faith. So Janna vaguely feels that if she continues like this, she has hope of defeating Nagakabouros.
But it would take a long time to drag on like this because her attack magic really isn't her strong suit, so it could be three days, or it could be seven days, or it could even take a month.
But can Linwin hold out for a month?
That's why she told him to bring the talisman she had blessed!
Thinking about it, Janna felt a little angry.
At this moment, an unusual voice rang in Janna's soul.
"Buzzing."
The sound came through the wind, Janna was stunned for a moment, then her eyes showed surprise the next moment.
Something was shuttling through, slashing through the air, causing a gale.
Janna sensed it.
Right, she needs to trap Nagakabouros and take her to another place to fight, otherwise, if they got involved in this battle, they will all die.
Thinking of this, Janna endured the damage caused by Nagakabouros to herself, and her claws forcefully embedded into the snake scales. In the Mother Serpent's painful roar, the bird let out a loud cry, flapping its wings forcefully, and carried this giant monster to a higher place.
————————
"What the fuck?"
"What was that just now?"
"Did I just hear bird calls?"
"I just saw Jack a moment ago, didn't I?"
"Quiet! Is now the time to talk about this?"
"Wait a minute, what are those big things?!"
"Get closer, get closer and you'll see clearly."
"Sea snakes! By the goddess! How can there be such large sea snakes!"
"Councilor Jayce, I think I saw Councilor Linwin just now! He's standing in the middle of those sea snakes, he seems to be under attack!"
"What?! Get out of my way!" A female voice sounded, accompanied by clattering footsteps. After snatching the specially made telescope, she looked towards the sea, feeling dizzy but enduring the nausea.
Using a telescope on a high-speed Hextech airship requires special training.
Obviously, Powder hadn't received training, enduring the nausea, she looked through the telescope for four or five seconds, then suddenly threw the telescope away and knelt down on the spot, covering her mouth.
"Ugh."
A rainbow was vomited out by Powder.
"Find the right direction and descend quickly!"
"That idiot Linwin! Always doing this alone!" On the foremost airship, Jayce held his Mercury hammer and gave orders.
"Boom!"
The snake's tail struck down, but Linwin agilely dodged it and retaliated with a sword strike. However, without the support of wind magic, Linwin couldn't achieve the feat of striking from a hundred meters away. Nonetheless, with advanced swordsmanship and a powerful physique, Linwin managed to chop off the thick tail.
"Futile."
Illaoi sat down cross-legged, her body crumbling several times. Despite being supported by the Mother Serpent's vitality, it was Illaoi's strong will that kept her going.
The arrival of reinforcements from Buhru also relieved Illaoi. The smaller islands near Bilgewater were now closer, and the summoners and priests of Buhru began using sacred artifacts to control the huge sea beasts for attack.
Occasional curse magic posed a threat, causing Linwin's movements to become sluggish and his mind momentarily confused.
Linwin endured the pain, contemplating how to deal with the situation. Janna's current situation would only be more difficult than his. He couldn't rely on her help, so should he release the power of Ascendant again?
But if he did, Illaoi would have another chance to stop him. And if he waited for the third release of Ascendant's power to dissipate, Linwin would end up like he did facing Sion before, falling into a slumber, albeit not as powerless for months, but enduring the stiffness and pain of his body for a few days was certain.
This power was something Linwin learned sneakily, not a strength obtained through Ascendant's blessing.
To put it metaphorically, Nasus and others inherently contained the power of Ascendant within their bodies, awakening it when needed, allowing those powers to flow into their bodies and merge with their blood. But Linwin was different; he borrowed it from the outside.
When using it, the power of Ascendant forcefully entered his body, surged into his blood vessels, and if his blood vessels didn't burst, Linwin would already be strong enough. Could he still expect to use this power without any cost like Nasus and the orthodox Ascendants?
Thinking of how to retreat safely, Linwin was harshly struck by a snake tail from behind.
Thrown hundreds of steps away, he suffered no serious injuries, retaliating by kicking the huge sea serpent's head and then leaping high, plunging the Greatsword into its skull.
Blood gushed out, leaving Linwin standing there like a little blood man.
But... this was not a sustainable solution. There were hundreds of them!
Thinking so, Linwin, who made the sea beasts wary, was about to move to find a better position when the summoners not far away immediately began blowing their flutes. The sea beasts, no longer fearful, became fiercer and launched attacks towards Linwin.
And at this moment, a strange sound rang out, as if the wind was breaking, but more like the sound of machinery in motion.
"Buzzing!"
"Shock blast!!!"
"Boom!!!!"
Just as Linwin was about to strike, a huge blue light ball appeared in front of him and flashed past, scraping his cheek painfully. Part of Linwin's cheek even had a black scab.
"Splurt!"
The blue electric ball penetrated straight into the mouth of the sea beast that was about to devour Linwin, followed by a muffled grunt and the sudden explosion of the serpent's head, spraying blood everywhere.
The one Linwin had pierced through earlier was still spewing blood, while the one whose head had exploded was now also spewing blood.
The blood of two immensely huge hundred-meter sea beasts splattered all over the entire dock.
It was a blood rain.
"Boom!"
Space distorted, then, a strange airship appeared in the sky above Bilgewater. Its body was blue, with some parts white. On the airship, large alchemical and gear flags fluttered in the sea breeze.
At the bow of the airship, a man in white combat attire with a peculiar warhammer in hand, his eyes shining like torches, stood with his left foot forward.
"Jayce?"
Linwin looked in astonishment at the Hextech airship that appeared abruptly, and at Jayce wielding the mercury Hammer.
That attack earlier... if it had hit him.
Linwin suddenly shuddered. Wait, since when could Jayce have such an attack?
Illaoi also sat there dumbfounded, gazing at the flying behemoth in the sky, completely unaware of what the earlier cannonball was all about.
Councilor Talis stood tall, raising the mercury hammer and shouting loudly to the crowd below, "Bilgewater, witness the power of Twin Cities hextech!"
"Roar!!!!"
Accompanied by his roar, an even louder roar emerged.
Linwin covered his ears, then saw a curtain being pulled up by enforcers flying up on Hexboards.
Then, a strange creature, entirely crystalline blue, with a head resembling that of a dragon, came to life.
Hextech Drake!
Wait, wasn't this thing still in the research stage? It shouldn't be operational yet!
"I'll do it, I can pilot it!"
Tristana raised her hand high, standing beside Heimerdinger, jumping with all her might.
But Viktor paid no attention to Tristana; instead, he pressed a switch in his hand.
"Crack!"
Several meters thick thunder burst out of the dragon's mouth, leaving the Buhru stunned, at a loss for what to do.
It wasn't large, only about twenty meters in size, far smaller than those huge sea beasts, but the blue electric emanating from it pierced through the clouds.
Flapping its wings, it flew next to the Hextech airship.
And then,
Behind this airship, space emitted consecutive flashes of blue light.
In the flickering and twisting space, one Hextech airship after another appeared.
In just a short moment, Bilgewater's sky was filled with Hextech airships.
Dawn rose, and the Hextech airships obscured the sky.
The mechanical dragon spewed thunder and lightning.
Linwin saw familiar faces.
Silco, Vi, Jayce, Viktor, Sevika, the Professor, Camille. And... Powder?!
What the hell is she doing here??
Silco held a communication device and calmly ordered, "Two ships on the right, aim, fire!"
On one Hextech airship, a cross-shaped strange weapon emitted a huge blue light, a larger lightning bolt than the Hextech drake's struck precisely at a giant serpent in the sea.
"Ship three is ready!"
"Ship five is ready!"
"Lord Silco, the bio-weapons on the seventh ship are ready!"
"The enforcers on the twelfth ship are all equipped with alchemical canisters, awaiting orders!"
"The seventeenth ship's crew is ready to land!"
Silco issued orders one by one.
From their appearance to the defeat of several sea serpents, it took less than half a minute. And now, the air waves overturned the sky of Bilgewater, with hundreds of people flying on hoverboards appearing behind Linwin.
Behind Linwin were the countless Hextech airships and enforcers.
Behind Illaoi were the Buhruans and their sacred sea serpents.
In the sky, the two deities had disappeared.
Occasional roars, and thunder echoing in broad daylight confirmed they were still fighting.
It seemed like things were getting better.
"Why did you all come. You didn't left the twin cities unprotected...right?"
Linwin nudged Jayce's waist with his arm, and asked.
"Do you still want to fight alone?" Jayce retorted, lifting his foot without patience and kicking Linwin hard, saying, "I don't want to see you lying in bed like a dead meat again."
But Linwin just smiled and didn't evade, taking Jayce's kick squarely.
Viktor walked over, and under his command, the Hextech drake spewed lightning onto the sea.
The three of them stood together.
"Illaoi, it seems that not only I don't want to turn towards Nagakabouros, but even my family doesn't want me to turn to that ugly deity."
"It seems we're going to have a third battle."
Now, it's not only—
Wind God against Sea God.
Linwin against Illaoi.
But also...
Twin Cities against Buhru!
"People of the twin cities!"
"Let's crush those bastards!"
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone