Void Beetle Evolution Guide

"Oh dear, how could this happen? It really caught me off guard."

"Since you've already done this, why not let me go all the way and take the rune back directly? Maybe things would be fine then." She crossed her legs, tilted her head, and twirled a strand of white hair with her fingers.

“You don’t understand, world runes are very strange things. Even I dare not make any rash moves. Change takes time, and pain also needs time to subside. I’m afraid that if I take them too hastily, Kai’Sa will become my enemy.”

"You care so much about her opinion? She's just a mortal with no magical talent."

“Talent doesn’t determine everything, and besides, Kaisa’s talent isn’t in magic. Her adaptation to the skin armor is better than anyone else’s. Together, we can unleash power you can’t imagine… Kaisa is very important to me. Without her, there would be no me. I can’t give her up.”

Syndra was furious at Wild Hunt's words. She was clearly the one most worth recruiting, yet she was less important to Wild Hunt than a mere mortal. He was truly blind!

"You're really sentimental. Anyway, you never listen to me, so I guess you shouldn't ask me for help anymore. Humph!"

Chapter 481 The Outcome of the Darkin War

"Uh..." Syndra's inexplicable competitiveness gave Wild Hunt a headache. He had offended two people at once, and he was afraid that he would have no way to move forward.

"Kasha, how did you get to Dawn Oasis?" Wild Hunt asked.

"I came back with Grandmaster Nasus..." Kai'Sa briefly recounted what had happened.

When Kai'Sa awoke to find her armor lifeless, she felt like the sky had fallen, believing Wild Hunt had sacrificed himself to shield her from a fatal blow. Just as Zilean had predicted, Kai'Sa would lose what she cherished most in the war.

Whether it was Wild Hunt's desperate resistance or the World Rune's effect, Kai'Sa herself was perfectly fine. Holding the half-sword she had taken from Kayle, she searched for others on the burning battlefield.

Kai'Sa wanted to find Kayle or Ryze and confront them about what they had done, but before that, she found the injured Sephiroth and Portyl and healed them with World Runes.

They too lost their skin and armor. Sephie couldn't accept this, so she ran towards the sea. Sea dragons can't stay on land for long; without the buoyancy of seawater, their internal organs would be under greater strain than usual.

Portyl, meanwhile, kept saying she wanted to find the Wild Hunt's other members to confirm his death. Instead of traveling with Kai'Sa, she went straight to Cassiopeia's residence in Uzeris. Obviously, she found it empty; Cassiopeia had just fled to Ionia to escape the war. The only certainty was that Portyl wouldn't return to Frostguard Keep on her own initiative.

Kai'Sa continued searching the battlefield for Kayle and Ryze, but found no trace of them. Instead, she saw that the Darkin had all lost their physical bodies and reverted to weapons, even Zorani. (The last sentence appears to be unrelated and possibly a fragment from another context: "Mei is thinking about whether Kongnilin is there or not...")

Finally, Nasus found Kai'Sa and suggested that she come back to Dawn Oasis with him first, and that Xerath and Zolane be taken in no matter what. Apart from Anaka and Balkux, who were devoured by Zolane, the rest of the Darkin weapons were also taken back, so when Talia went to Narimar, she couldn't find anything.

Wild Hunt made sure Kai'Sa had dinner first; without Void Skin, she needed to eat, and World Runes couldn't alleviate her hunger.

Based on Kai'Sa's description, it can be concluded that she was mentally sound immediately after waking up. However, it was probably due to the frequent use of healing that her mind was quickly eroded by the runes, which is why she is in her current state.

"It seems we can't keep relying on Kai'Sa for the World Rune."

Wild Hunt wanted to take the rune from Kai'Sa, but the rune was inside her body. If she refused to hand it over even at the cost of her life, Wild Hunt had no good way to get it.

Killing Kai'Sa just to take the runes is putting the cart before the horse, which is why runes are so difficult to obtain.

The best solution is to try and re-bond Kai'Sa with Void Skin, so that Wild Hunt can suppress the runes and free Kai'Sa from the spell.

Wild Hunt wanted to make some preparations before going to see Azir, so after Kai'Sa finished dinner, the group went to see Nasus first at his request. Nasus usually spent his time in the Great Library, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Many areas of the inner city are not yet open to the public, including the Great Library.

The streets in front of the library were deserted, as if they belonged to someone alone. Golden-armored guards stood on both sides of the street, but fortunately, Kai'Sa had the privilege of passing through by facial recognition.

"Is anyone home? It's so quiet." Talia pushed open the door, but no one answered. The building was brightly lit, but there wasn't a soul in sight.

“General Renekton is seriously injured and needs care, so it’s normal that Your Excellency is not in the library,” Kasha replied.

"Let's keep looking."

Nasus had asked Kai'Sa to heal Renekton, but to no avail. The Ascended's divine body was forged from celestial power, while the runes originated from Runeterra; they were not from the same system, so naturally, the healing was ineffective.

After that, Renekton was carried by Nasus to the Healing Fountain in the Oasis of Dawn, the same pool where Sivir was healed from the brink of death, and also the source of the Mother of Life.

Syndra is fascinated by the ancient books on the shelves. In Ionia, knowledge is passed down more through oral instruction than through written records in books and parchment scrolls.

Whether it's logging for papermaking or slaughtering livestock for skin, it's all a form of destruction against nature for them. It's worth noting that the houses in Ionia are mostly grown from seeds using magic by carpenters; calling it a form of gardening is more fitting for their nature.

Outsiders see a book and simply think of it as a book, while some Ionians see it as part of a tree. This example perfectly illustrates the difference in values, though Syndra is clearly not one of those traditional people.

She beckoned a book with her finger. All the books here were ancient texts with thousands of years of history. Even though they had been restored by Azir's power, they were still in a tattered state.

After flipping through a few pages, Syndra frowned and shoved the book back into the paper. She realized she couldn't understand the writing at all. All the overseas civilizations were completely foreign to the isolated Ionia; the sparse, ant-like characters made her eyes hurt.

Just then, she heard faint voices coming from inside the library, so she flew over to take a look out of curiosity.

Passing through the towering bookshelves, Syndra saw two tall figures who looked somewhat like Vastaya talking. Although they had obvious animal features, their bodies were made of gold and stone, making them distinctly different from the Vastaya.

"Your Majesty, please forgive my incompetence. I failed to lead the army to victory and even caused the Darkin army to be wiped out. If that rune mage and I were not old acquaintances, I'm afraid my brother and I would have lost our lives on the spot as well."

The one who spoke was a burly man with a jackal's head, whose skin shimmered like obsidian. His towering figure knelt down, trembling with endless self-reproach.

Syndra had seen his statue in the city, so this must be the Nasus the Wild Hunt is looking for.

Before Nasus stood a being clad in golden eagle armor and wielding a staff and sword. Its legs were avian-style with reverse joints, and although it was relatively small, its imposing presence was in no way inferior to Nasus's.

As expected, this is the Eagle Father people are talking about, also known as the resurrected Ascended Emperor Azir.

Syndra never expected to stumble upon the two most powerful people in Shurima talking. A normal person's first reaction would be to get away as quickly as possible, but she, who was ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth and had no concept of feudal imperial hierarchy, chose to continue listening.

She floated over without making a sound, and neither of them noticed her silently approaching the corner.

Chapter 482 The Wild Hunt's New Mouth Substitute

Hearing Nasus's words, Azir turned around and looked down at the bookshelf.

"I originally thought that all we had to do was capture Xerath, but I never expected Zoranny to choose to cooperate with her, and that she would possess such great power, which ultimately led to the Protoss getting involved as well..."

"It's good that most of you can come back. The Darkin will eventually ascend again. As long as they don't die, it doesn't really matter what form they take. No... it's better this way. I have to try them one by one to see how it goes. If ascending again can correct the madness in their minds, that's fine. If not... turning them back into weapons will actually cause me less trouble."

The face hidden beneath the eagle helmet sighed, "It's just a pity about Anaka and Balkux. Shurima is so short-handed right now, and the loss of any of these brothers and sisters would be a painful loss."

"Your Majesty, please grant this old minister a chance to atone for his sins!" Nasus trembled even more violently.

"Then go and bring Sivir back to me. It's my fault for misjudging her back then and letting that girl escape. I never thought she would be my only surviving descendant. Without the blood of an emperor, the ascension ceremony cannot be performed."

"The nation's strength is now unprecedentedly depleted. There are only three of us Ascended left in the entire Shurima. My younger brother is also seriously injured and delirious. If this old minister were to search for the blood of the emperor, would it be too much of a burden for Your Majesty to support the entire empire alone?"

“Alas, what empire is left? Just a city.” Azir shook his head, then turned back. “Nasus, I command you to find her. She is our only hope for regaining our glory. As for the rest, don’t worry. The other kingdoms in the surrounding region are now ruled by mortals, so they are not a great threat to us. As long as Mount Targon doesn’t intervene, I alone am enough to defend Dawn Oasis…”

A series of approaching footsteps stopped the two ascendants from their conversation. Syndra looked back and saw Kai'Sa and Talia approaching in her direction.

“This place is really big. We shouldn’t wander around alone, or we might get lost,” Talia said, thus revealing their presence.

“I’ve found the person you’re looking for,” Syndra said, raising her hand in greeting.

"Is that Grand Scholar Nasus?" Talia looked past her in the direction she was pointing, and her eyes met those of the two Ascended beings. She was so startled that she quickly withdrew her head. "W-why is His Majesty the Emperor here too?!"

Syndra crossed her arms and shrugged, giving a "don't ask me" look. Talia glanced back uncertainly, only to see Nasus beckoning to her.

Helpless, she could only turn to Kasha for help. The group walked out of the bookshelf and came to the two ascendants.

"Your Majesty, Your Excellency Grand Scholar, I didn't expect to see you both here." Kasha nodded to the two of them.

"Oh, it's Kai'Sa. Why are you at the library so late? Is something the matter?" Nasus nodded but didn't say anything.

“Actually, it’s these two of my… companions who are looking for you. This is Talia from the Weavers’ tribe, and this is Syndra from Ionia.” When introducing Syndra, Kai’Sa paused, seemingly not quite accepting of the term “companions.”

The group's behavior gave Wild Hunt a strange feeling. Kasha, who should have been straightforward, was now speaking much more cautiously. If her caution stemmed from her weakened strength, then she should know exactly where she went wrong.

Furthermore, in the original timeline, Talia had saved Nasus and Sivir before meeting Kai'Sa, and Nasus spoke highly of her. Therefore, it would have been more appropriate and reasonable for her, with her better social skills, to speak first. Now, however, due to various reasons, Talia is cowering timidly behind Kai'Sa, and this sense of unreality is causing the Wild Hunt to become somewhat confused.

"Looking for us?" Azir raised his voice, sounding doubtful.

“That’s right.” Syndra didn’t even bother with a bow, speaking with no fear whatsoever and even a hint of laziness, “As for the blood of the emperor, I can get it for you.”

"..." The two exchanged glances. Syndra's words were tantamount to admitting that she had overheard their conversation. However, those weren't particularly important secrets, so Azir asked again, "Do you know where Sivir is?"

“I know, but she said she wouldn’t see you, at least not now. She doesn’t want anyone to disturb her life. Getting some of her blood for you is the best I can do.” Syndra spoke without looking at the person in front of her, appearing nonchalant.

Azir was clearly dissatisfied with this outcome. "Does she know how important she is to Shurima? Her life cannot be compromised in the slightest. Only by staying in the Oasis of Dawn can I protect her."

“Sylvie ran away because she knew all this. She was used to being free and unrestrained, and she would rather not have a life of luxury and wealth but with restrictions everywhere.”

"Hmph! They have absolutely no sense of awareness!"

Azir slammed his staff and sword heavily on the ground, the sound echoing heavily in the silent library. It was unclear whether it stemmed from anger at the junior's lack of manners, dissatisfaction with Syndra's tone, or both.

"Of course, she's an orphan. You weren't there when her parents were killed by bandits... You don't need to learn that line..." Mei was thinking, "I'm not sure if Lin is here..."

"..."

Azir fell into deep thought, while Kai'Sa frowned beside him.

Syndra was unaware of the full picture; these words were clearly spoken to her under the Wild Hunt's secret guidance. Otherwise, she would never have known what the Emperor's Blood was, nor would she have needed to bring it up.

"You don't need to learn this line," Syndra was clearly just being perfunctory, repeating Wild Hunt's rant without thinking, but luckily no one paid any attention.

Except for yourself.

She stared at the back of Syndra's head. The Wild Hunt was using this woman as a mouthpiece, and the thought that these words should have been spoken by her made her inexplicably irritated.

Something's wrong. Why did it turn out like this?

Meanwhile, Azir is considering Syndra's suggestion.

The ascension ceremony requires imperial blood; taking a long-term view, ensuring Sivir's bloodline continues is essential. Otherwise, once she dies, Shurima will never be able to produce fresh blood again, and its future is destined to end once more.

Sivir must be found, and the readily available imperial blood is also indispensable. The immediate priority is to convert the Darkin into Ascended as quickly as possible; otherwise, many tasks will be left unattended.

Moreover, the ascension ceremony can prove his divine power, so that those who come upon hearing the news will no longer waver, but will chase after the glory and completely embrace the Eagle Father.

Therefore, he could have agreed first and then secretly sent someone to find Sivir.

“Girl, you’re full of self-interest; we simply can’t see eye to eye,” Azir sighed, feigning helplessness. “Tell me, what do you want in exchange for the blood of an emperor?”

Syndra, without any expression, blurted out a name.

"Zorani".

Chapter 483 The Night of the Deal

"Zorani? What do you need her for?!" Nasus was immediately agitated when he heard Syndra wanted someone.

Zoranny's performance in the Darkin War left a deep impression on him; even now, the thought of it sends chills down his spine. That was a power unlike anything he'd ever seen in Runeterra; its terrifying growth potential was almost equivalent to the Void.

"You don't need to worry about that. I can promise you that she won't be used for dangerous purposes." Syndra was starting to get impatient; she was just a messenger.

The Wild Hunt only wants Zoranny to deal with Kyle; he'll settle scores with that birdman sooner or later, and Zoranny, who once defeated him head-on, can be used as a means to achieve his goal.

“How can we trust that you will keep your promise? Judging from the outcome of the war, Zoranny’s threat is no less than Xerath’s,” Azir retorted.

"Since you can't eliminate her, and you still need to give the Darkborn an explanation, why won't you let me take her away?"

"Who says we can't do anything about her?"

“I’m guessing you don’t want to let her ascend first and then kill her, do you? Wasting an ascension opportunity would be too extravagant.” Syndra shook her head, wanting to end the topic as soon as possible: “Let’s leave it at that. As long as you give me Zoranny, I will provide you with a continuous supply of imperial blood. After a while, when Sivir has had her fill of playing around, it’s not impossible to persuade her to change her mind.”

The Wild Hunt doesn't know if the skin armor can extend the host's lifespan. If not, Sivir might consider having children to support her in her old age. Although the Wild Hunt probably won't let her participate in reproduction, creating blood-related offspring for her through runes shouldn't be a problem. In that case, the offspring could easily replace her as a hostage for Azir.

After hearing this, the two ascendants had no room for negotiation. Zoranny, that scourge, was no match for the future of Shurima, and after a moment of feigned agreement, she reluctantly agreed.

“Zorani can be handed over to you, but only after the ascension ceremony is successfully held. I will declare to the Darkin that she has been disposed of, and you must keep this secret strictly.”

“It’s a deal.” Syndra pulled out a reagent from the hive space. Inside was the reward the Wild Hunt had demanded from Sivir last time. If you opened it and smelled it, you might still be able to smell a trace of virgin blood.

Under her control, the reagent floated to Azir, who held it in his hand, feeling the power that connected him to his bloodline, and nodded repeatedly.

After putting the things away, seeing Syndra about to leave, Azir suddenly asked, "You didn't mistreat her, did you?"

"Don't worry, we're just in a purely transactional relationship." Syndra waved her hand impatiently, that was all she wanted to say; she didn't want to say anything more.

Watching her drift away so arrogantly, Talia bowed repeatedly, her face full of guilt, apologizing, "I'm sorry, she's just a bit blunt..."

“It’s alright. Her appearance did indeed solve Shurima’s immediate crisis.” Azir gestured for Talia to stand up straight, his sharp gaze sweeping over her from head to toe: “Little girl, your abilities are enough to break Shurima’s rock.”

“I should have been on the front lines of the war, but I was protecting my family,” Talia sighed, clutching her arm.

She thought that if she joined the war, she might have more confidence in front of Azir and beg her to spare her family.

“You have the heart of a hero, girl. Would you like to consider becoming my priestess?” Azir asked, his face hidden beneath his helmet, revealing no emotion.

"Me...me?"

"Your magic is very powerful; you're more than qualified to be a priest."

Although His Majesty the Emperor was in dire need of personnel, this turn of events far exceeded her expectations. She nervously clutched her scarf, thinking that if she were bribed here, it would be difficult to speak up later.

Finally, she decided to go all out, nervously closing her eyes: "Your Majesty! I have a question, but I'm not sure if I should ask it!!"

"Ask away."

"I've heard that ancient Shurima was a slave society... So, would you capture all my people and enslave them?"

The question startled Azir. He turned back to face the bookshelf, his golden fingertips gently tracing the etched book covers and the patina of the wooden frame.

Just when Talia thought Azir didn't want to make a promise to her, she heard the emperor say in a nostalgic tone, "We used to study together here. His intelligence and wit helped me solve many of my problems and also gave me my first friendship."

"Even though Xerath did what he did, I still stand by what I said. I've always believed that this unreasonable system is the root cause of our falling out."