Void Beetle Evolution Guide

"Then why are you here?"

"It was just a coincidence that I came here while fleeing from the pursuit of other Darkborn, and I was just planning to take over this place as a base when you arrived."

"..." Xerath recalled Aatrox, who had suddenly appeared during his battle with Azir; it seemed that the latter's appearance was not accidental.

Seeing that Xerath was wavering, Zoranny continued to coax him, "As long as the Emperor gives the order, those Darkin will once again become his dogs. They have sworn to hunt me down to the ends of the earth, and Azir will never let you go... With Mount Targon behind us, we have nowhere to retreat. Why don't we try to unite and resist?"

Xerath looked up at the towering mountains to the west, then at the confident Zolani before him, dispelling the lightning gathered in his palm, and questioned, "Where does your confidence come from?"

Zolani turned her palm over, dispersing the blood dragon Blai that she had secretly summoned, and replied, "As long as you help me devour a few Darkin, my power will multiply, and I will become your strongest ally."

"Blood sorcery?" Xerath's gaze sharpened, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "Interesting. What do you need my help with?"

“I’ll find some servants for us. You can help me build a blood altar first… I remember you used to be an architect, so it shouldn’t be difficult for you, right?”

Chapter 431 Reassembly

A few days later, the Darkin arrived at Dawn Oasis, and Azir arranged for them to regroup at the parade ground on the dam.

Kai'Sa arrived early and waited in the corner, eager to see what Azir would ultimately offer.

Nayafili, Horaz, Stiratul... almost all the Darkin came, including Anaka, whose physical body was destroyed in the last Blood Explosion. Like Horaz, she was given a new body.

Since their battle with Zoranny, only Varus and Nayafili have not changed hosts, indicating that the internal troubles of the Darkin have not been completely resolved.

However, the Darkin were not the only ones gathered here at this moment; a figure who arrived last suddenly stood in the corner.

He was wrapped from head to toe in a tattered robe, yet his figure was as imposing as an iron tower, casting a huge shadow. He gripped a long, cloth-wrapped cane, its broad tip also covered in tattered strips. His legs were bent at an odd angle, as if he had difficulty moving.

It's hard to avoid attracting attention with such an outfit. Under everyone's gaze, Naganeka walked up to her and struck up a conversation, her plaster-white skin revealing purple veins.

"Your Excellency, why will you not show your true face?"

The strange man looked down at her, his face hidden in the shadow cast by his long headscarf. A hand emerged from his sleeve, and he slammed his cloth-wrapped cane on the ground, the sound echoing dully on the rock.

They saw his fingers wrapped in bandages like those of a leper, reaching for his hood as if to lift it, but struggling to put it down, hanging limply at his side.

"I have no face to face the emperor, and even less face to face my brothers."

The strange man shook his head vigorously. His accent was heavy, a buzzing sound, as if emanating from a thousand-year-old dry well. The ancient language of Shurima carried a sense of ancient vicissitude and sorrow, like an ancient sculpture brought to life. (The rest of the text appears to be gibberish and unrelated to the previous sentences.)

As if sensing something in the darkness, a wild, furious roar echoed through the city, causing the strange man's body to tremble.

That's right, this strange man is Renekton's brother, known as Nasus, the god of the desert and the jackal god.

"Your Excellency, General Renekton has been deceived by Xerath and harbors resentment towards you. Although His Majesty has brought him under control, you still need to eliminate his inner demons as soon as possible. The one who tied the knot must untie it; if you keep running away, the general will only suffer unnecessary imprisonment."

"What if he refuses to forgive me? I was the one who locked him in the imperial tomb with my own hands..." Everything felt like yesterday, and the immense guilt made him turn his face away, unable to face the world again.

“If His Majesty Azir can rise from the dead, nothing is impossible, and no one knows your brother better than you.”

The Darkin all knew this was a huge blow to Nasus, so much so that he couldn't even bother with the Darkin Wars. After Naga Neka finished speaking, Aatrox also came to Nasus to offer his advice.

"Xerath only saw Renekton transformed into a beast, forgetting the noble warrior slumbering within him. He selflessly gave his life for his brother. This warrior willingly sacrificed everything to save his homeland from a traitor."

These words didn't sound like something a world destroyer driven to madness would say. The Darkin looked at him in astonishment. The clever ones had already guessed that Azir must have talked to Aatrox about something to cause such a change in him.

“Thank you for your comfort, but only he can decide whether or not to forgive.” Nasus nodded, but still showed no intention of getting rid of the outfit.

Before the others could say anything more, Azir, wielding a long staff, had already walked through the air from the direction of the Dawn Oasis. The sunlight reflected from the sun disc formed golden steps beneath his feet, exuding unparalleled holiness and majesty, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

The Ascended Emperor's piercing gaze swept over the Darkin present. These beings were once the pride of the Empire, but they had been framed by the Protoss and turned into their current filthy state.

Azir didn't want to antagonize the Celestials; the Sun Disk was built by mortals commissioned by them. The fact that it provoked the Protoss to intervene meant the Darkin had indeed gone too far.

This time, he must control the situation carefully and not let the Darkin cause any more trouble that might lure the Protoss down. Only in this way can he handle the situation calmly.

The golden eagle armor reflected a brilliant golden light under the sunlight, and Azir strode forward, becoming the focus of the Darkin's attention.

"My warriors, after thousands of years, I see you united under one banner once again, and this fills me with awe," Azir said solemnly. "But I have heard of your fate. Darkborn? That is a name scorned by mortals. They no longer understand what we are, nor do they understand the purpose for which we were created. For once-divine warriors have fallen to this state; it is a tragedy for the Empire."

The Darkin lowered their heads upon hearing this, overwhelmed with shame by Azir's words. However, he then changed the subject, saying, "The fault lies with me. My arrogance led to a colossal error, causing Shurima to fall in a single day. Now I have returned, seeking redemption. Can I still gain your support?"

"As you can see, the Dawn Oasis is now just an empty grave rising from the sand. There is still a long way to go before we can rebuild our homes from the ruins. But I firmly believe that as long as we put aside our past grievances, we will surely be able to regain our former glory."

“No matter how much time has passed, as long as His Majesty gives the order, we will fight for Shurima once again!” Aatrox knelt on one knee, leaning on his sword.

Seeing that even their most powerful member, Aatrox, had submitted, the remaining Darkin, after a moment's hesitation, gradually knelt, crossing their arms in front of their chests in a gesture of submission. Those without legs expressed their submission in a different way.

Nasus also knelt down, but he felt extremely guilty and remorseful.

As the only ascendant among them, and the highest-ranking civil official, he should be the one leading this group of Darkborn to kneel.

But he did nothing, and the emperor's resurrection had nothing to do with him. He did not fulfill his due obligations at all.

Those Darkborn had tried to restore their kingdom, and he, who should have done something, wasted his time in self-deception and was too ashamed to face the emperor.

“Very good.” Azir nodded slightly. He was not an emperor who only made empty promises; that wouldn’t win the Darkin’s support. He possessed what they desperately needed, but he couldn’t let them obtain it too easily.

“But as long as the culprits who caused all this remain at large, we cannot rebuild Shurima,” Azir said. “Xerath must die so that we can move forward. I will wipe out his traces on this land, wherever he may be. My warriors, the time has come for you to show your loyalty. Whoever kills or captures Xerath, I will recast your Ascended bodies according to your deeds on the battlefield, thus ending the source of your suffering!”

Chapter 432 His Majesty the Divine Emperor

Exclamations rose and fell among the Darkin, and Naafiri alone had contributed dozens of lives, indicating that Aatrox had not told them Azir's intentions.

Each of them dreamed of shedding the stigma of being called Darkin and returning to the past to become a respected Ascended, never imagining that this day would actually come.

"Your Majesty, is this true?" Joral asked excitedly.

"Of course it's true. I have gained the sun's approval, and the principle of the disc is in my hands. I can choose people to ascend without those priests." Supreme divine power lifted him up slowly. He spread his arms, and the crimson ribbons behind him fluttered in the wind, like a god in the world.

The solar disk reflected sunlight onto the ground, and wherever the light reached, sand soldiers' formations instantly filled the entire parade ground. That was a massive, perfectly aligned army of hundreds of thousands, enough to conquer any known part of the world.

"I am the chosen one, destined to lead Shurima to rise again as the First Emperor of all time. You must believe that the suffering you have endured is a test for Shurima. Only by breaking down the old and establishing the new can Shurima shine once more!"

Azir's tone, though arrogant and conceited, stirred a surge of excitement within the Darkin. An ascended emperor, only one of his kind; someone capable of controlling the Sun Disc, even more unprecedented! (The last two lines appear to be unrelated and possibly spam/advertisements.)

Simply calling him an emperor is no longer enough; that's a title for a mortal emperor. Azir, on the other hand, is the perfect combination of divine and imperial power. He should be called the God-Emperor!

"Your Majesty the Divine Emperor!" someone shouted, and the others followed suit.

"His Majesty the God Emperor!"

"His Majesty the God Emperor!"

Azir was pleased with the Darkin's reaction and turned his gaze to Nasus. He didn't need to be so enthusiastic, but he shouldn't be so slow to even shout.

"Our Grand Secretary seems somewhat absent-minded. Is he recalling some sad memory?"

“Your Majesty, I—” Nasus choked up for a moment, then sighed, “I’m so sorry to spoil the mood. I just feel sorry that Renekton can’t see this scene.”

“It’s not too late to go now. The rebuilding of Shurima won’t happen overnight, and Xerath’s deception of your brother didn’t happen overnight either,” Azir said. “He could spend thousands of years brainwashing Renekton, but you’re unwilling to spend a little time facing his inner demons. If you don’t dare to take the first step, you will never be able to win back your brother.”

Nasus fell silent. There were others in Shurima who could save it, but only Renekton could be awakened.

"I always believed that one day I would face Renekton again, but until today, I always felt that our encounter would inevitably end with the death of one of us." The Jackal God sighed, "The moment the tomb door opened, he must have been very disappointed to see that I wasn't the one he saw. Your Majesty, when you learned that I had neither managed the Celestial Warriors for you nor found a way to resurrect you, weren't you utterly disappointed?"

"Why not just fight instead of thinking so much? Maybe you'll make up halfway through." Kai'Sa thought Nasus was being a bit too sentimental and couldn't help but chime in. This jackal's inner emotions were just too rich.

"That's not a bad idea. Facing the worst outcome will prevent you from being disappointed. With me here, Renekton won't kill you."

"Then we shall do as Your Majesty says."

Nasus wore a bitter expression. He figured Azir was probably disappointed in him, which was why he agreed to Renekton beating him up as punishment. But if a beating could solve all the problems, he was naturally more than happy to accept it.

He and the other Darkin looked at Kai'Sa. She was neither a Darkin, nor an Ascended, nor someone from their time. She was covered by a layer of Void skin, making her an anomaly even among mortals.

Yet this very person, an anomaly, was able to sit on equal footing with them here. Azir didn't treat her like an outsider, and the tone of his voice didn't sound like that of someone serving as a slave. It was truly baffling.

“Your Majesty, who is this…” Nasus couldn’t help but ask.

Azir had originally wanted to find an opportunity to introduce herself, and this was also a chance to explain, otherwise it would be really an eyesore for others to see her.

"This girl's name is Kai'Sa. She returned from the Void and has probably killed more Void monsters than all of you here combined."

"Is Your Majesty truly telling the truth? I think she's not even twenty years old yet. How could a mere young girl have such remarkable achievements?" Anaka questioned, having fought Kai'Sa once before. Kai'Sa did seem strong to her, but she shouldn't be as monstrous as Azir described.

"I was taken away by the Void when I was eight years old, and since then I've been fighting monsters day and night in the Underworld for over ten years now. Even if you fought for ten days and ten nights straight in the Great Rift, you wouldn't be as good as one of my fingers." Kasha crossed her arms proudly, feeling that she didn't need to be humble in front of these Darkin.

Although the monsters she initially faced weren't very strong, far less brutal than the Void War, little by little, her contributions to the world were definitely no less than theirs.

“There may be some misunderstandings between you, but Kasha is not your enemy. It was she who managed to resurrect me and allow me to ascend. Naganek and Varus can testify to this.”

"I was blind to your greatness." Since Azir had said that, Anaka had no reason to doubt Kaisa anymore.

“Daughter of Shurima, what are you doing all this for?” Nasus asked again.

“A sense of mission.” Kai’Sa answered decisively, “I know better than you what kind of threat Shurima is facing right now. Not far from the coast of Icathia, there is a Void Queen eyeing the entire Runeterra. She is a powerful monster born from the consumption of millions of people throughout history and the entire city of Bervis. She possesses the thought process of millions of people and is almost omniscient and omnipotent. Once she sounds the horn of attack, Shurima will be the first to suffer.”

Azir's voice became much more serious upon hearing this: "I never imagined that after all these years, the Void would still be a shadow we cannot escape."

“Shurima is no longer as glorious as it once was. If this empress is truly as powerful as you say, we are afraid we will be powerless to resist her,” Nasus echoed.

"She still has some reservations and won't make a move anytime soon. But we don't have much time left. It could be decades at most, or a few years at least, which is just a blink of an eye for you immortal beings. If we don't mobilize immediately and continue to repeat the same mistakes, the tide of the void will eventually engulf everything."

At this point, the Darkin understood Kai'Sa's true intentions.

She resurrected Azir, actually to deal with them... There's an inexplicable sense of unease, like being manipulated.

It's like a bunch of carefree street urchins who end up having their parents called in to discipline them; nobody would feel comfortable in that situation.

Although the arrangements were made without my consent, at least I have a home to go back to now, so in terms of the outcome, it's not too bad.

Kai'Sa's intelligence instilled a sense of urgency in Azir. He glanced at the sun, seemingly calculating an auspicious day, and then addressed the Darkin: "I'll give you two days to prepare. Two days later, Aatrox will lead you westward to attack Xerath. I need to remain in the Oasis of Dawn, and aside from not being able to personally lead the campaign, I will provide you with all forms of support, including armies, chariots, mages... except for slaves."

Aatrox clenched his fist and slammed it into his chest, making a thunderous sound. "Aatrox will absolutely not let His Majesty the God-Emperor down."

Azir, still uneasy, added, "Remember, we must have a just cause. We cannot start another war for meaningless reasons. Do not create unnecessary trouble or stir up trouble, especially avoid another conflict with Mount Targon."

The atmosphere suddenly became unusually heavy. Every Darkin would never forget that the Protoss who imprisoned them in weapons came down from Mount Targon.

“I promise,” Aatrox replied, and the other Darkin finally calmed their inner turmoil.

Azir nodded slightly and looked at Nasus again, "Grand Maester, if you can resolve the feud between you brothers in the next two days, then go and help Aatrox to ensure that this matter goes smoothly."

Chapter 433 Fratricide

Azir did a great job, just what Kai'Sa wanted. He finally calmed down the group of Darkin troublemakers, and all her efforts to resurrect them weren't in vain.

She was so glad she listened to the Wild Hunt's idea and didn't completely fall out with the Darkin in Icathia. Now that she had the entire Shurima as an ally against Bervis, she no longer had to bear so much pressure alone.

However, the Ascended had participated in the Void War, and Bervis must have known their weaknesses, and what she knew could not defeat her.

Therefore, the Ascended are not suited to fight Bervis; they should be fighting off the monster army.

The Wild Hunt's retinue had some disagreements about the next move. Kasha planned to join the expedition in a couple of days, but Cassiopeia packed up her plans and withdrew.

The reason is simple: her mission is complete, and the upcoming battle is quite dangerous. She has also witnessed Xerath's strength, and she doesn't want to get involved in this mess.

The Wild Hunt simply let her go back. Cassiopeia wasn't much of a combatant to begin with, and Azir had deployed so many Darkin, so her presence or absence wouldn't have made much of a difference to the battle.

Renekton was imprisoned in the dungeon by Azir. The beast had already caught a whiff of his enemy in the wind and charged at him on all fours the moment he was released.

Feeling the vibrations from running, Nasus removed his robes and stood up straight on the parade ground, revealing his massive obsidian frame.

He reached out and tore off the strip of cloth covering the "staff," revealing a long-handled battle axe. His chest and shoulders were covered with weathered, gold-plated armor, and he wore a votive ribbon bearing the Shurima emblem.

Renekton has arrived! He emerged from the dungeon and stood on the waterfall-like outlet, half-submerged in the rushing water, with spray flying around him.

Across the misty moat, the two brothers gazed at each other once more after a thousand years. Their eyes held no joy of reunion, only insatiable hatred and worry.

“Traitor, all these years have passed, and you never even thought of saving me.” Renekton let out a dry, hoarse roar. Even from miles away, Nasus could see the crimson hatred burning in Renekton’s jaundiced eyes. A thick tail thrashed wildly behind him, eager to rush over and tear him to pieces.

“No…” Nasus’s heart was filled with bitterness. He had tried to rescue Renekton from the dark and sunless Imperial Tomb, but he had no confidence in sealing Xerath again after trying every possible method. He could only continue to wrong his brother.

"Are you ready to bear the wrath that has imprisoned you for millions of years, my brother?" the mad god asked, his eyes blind to everyone else and devoid of reason.

The Darkin retreated upon seeing this, and Azir ascended into the sky, clearing a space next to Nasus.

"What exactly did Xerath say to you... my brother? If this makes you feel any better, then come on!"

Nasus believed that somewhere deep within Renekton's heart, a part of him must remember his past valor. If he could awaken that lingering memory, perhaps he could pull Renekton out of the abyss of madness.

The sound emanating from the jackal's face stirred the lingering darkness in his mind, branding his brain, scorching his flesh, and searing his soul like a brand. An incomprehensible hatred rose within him, tormenting Renekton.

Unable to endure it any longer, the crocodile god roared furiously and charged at Nasus. He swung his crescent-shaped axe, and his legs, which had been gathering momentum, unleashed unparalleled explosive power, allowing him to leap across the moat, which was several miles wide, towards the latter!

Nasus raised his long-handled battle axe to deflect the blow, the metal clanging and sparks flying. The ground beneath him cracked instantly from the immense force, and his bent legs sank deep into the fissures!

The two gods were locked in a fierce battle, and Renekton had completely lost his mind.

His attacks were reckless and haphazard, with no strategy whatsoever. He only wanted to use his sword and axe to tear Nasus to pieces, completely disregarding the fact that he was exposing his weaknesses to the person he knew best.

Nasus deflected the axe, the handle striking Renekton's knee. Renekton stumbled, leaving him vulnerable, and Nasus bit down on his shoulder. With a clench of his teeth, Nasus tore Renekton's fascia apart, and dark blood gushed from the wound, as if only in Ascended form would the blood vessels flow with magical killing intent.

"You shameless traitor, you were jealous of my war achievements and cast me into an endless darkness!"

Renekton roared, knocking Nasus away. He then spun around, and Death's Dance ripped a golden plate of armor from Nasus's side. He didn't retreat, continuing his relentless slashing at Nasus. Nasus parried all three deadly attacks, but a subsequent tail whip struck the wolf's head hard, knocking out several of Nasus's teeth.