Void Beetle Evolution Guide

"How about it? There are so many LeBlancs anyway, losing one or two won't make much difference, right? As long as you promise me, I'll help you get rid of Mordekaiser, that major threat."

"It's just a change of master and being enslaved," LeBlanc said coldly.

Cassiopeia was about to say something when she heard the Wild Hunt calling her.

"Cassiopeia, he's here." A strange movement came from the bottom of the well; the broken sword before the Wild Hunt was almost unable to suppress the underworld army surging within. (You Mei miss you, you're busy, Lin is here...)

Seeing that LeBlanc, still traumatized by Mordekaiser's enslavement, refused to agree to her request, Cassiopeia patted her cheek and released her.

"Alright, I'll give you some more time to think about it."

Chapter 774 The Emperor's Arrival

Cassiopeia arrived at the well, and Wild Hunt listened to her attempts to win over LeBlanc. Even with a formidable enemy at hand, she didn't forget to warn her, "Don't you dare start any factional strife with me."

"No, I'm just helping my master win over his followers," Cassiopeia said coquettishly. "LeBlanc is very clever and willing to do everything herself. If she could become my master's follower, she would definitely be a great help."

"Your motives are so simple? I don't believe it."

“How can you say that about someone? They’re really heartbroken this time.” Cassiopeia covered her face and wept. Seeing that Wild Hunt wasn’t falling for it, she shrugged and said, “Oh well, I’ll prove myself this time.”

The shattered iron gusts of wind once again crashed out of the giant well, and the broken sword was knocked away with a clang, falling to the ground with a thud.

Countless steel spirits leaped out of the giant well like catapults, crashing to the ground with deafening roars, firmly anchoring themselves to the earth like nails. Their postures were ramrod straight, their long halberds slamming heavily onto the ground with astonishing force.

One after another, undead generals crawled out. Unlike the monotonous steel soldiers, each of them had a very distinctive appearance. There were headless giants with dozens of arms extending from their necks, and strange ghosts that used a cross-shaped yoke as their head, with blade-like chins that touched the ground.

Each of these undead generals exuded an incomparably powerful aura, and the vanguard army quickly formed ranks under their might, instantly clarifying the previously chaotic situation.

However, these souls were nothing compared to what was about to happen. The burst of green light illuminated a huge, terrifying humanoid shadow that was projected from the bottom of the well onto the ceiling, looming over everyone's heads.

A towering figure in iron armor rose from the bottom of the well. The first thing revealed was the helmet that terrified LeBlanc, followed by the black iron armor forged by wizards. Necromantic magic reflected a cold light, and the green glow of his powerful soul emanated from his ribs, like a blazing furnace.

The Lord of the Underworld has finally arrived! Mordekaiser stood proudly atop the Great Well of Souls, carrying the heavily injured and unconscious Nera in one hand and the spiked hammer Nightfall on his other, his cold gaze slowly sweeping over the surroundings.

An endless cacophony surrounded him, the cries of souls rising and falling, merging into a cacophony of malevolent agony. Mordecais seemed not to hear it, as if it were the clanging of metal in a camp, or the sound of boots crunching on gravel during a march—commonplace, utterly unworthy of his attention. Without his permission, these spirits dared not utter a sound.

“Hundreds of years have passed, and this place remains unchanged.” His voice was deep and hoarse, like a hum emanating from his ribs. “Time has left no trace on the Immortal Fortress, but my ever-growing ambition is no longer something that the Underworld can contain.”

Where others numbly accept death as their final end, Mordekaiser has made it the starting point of his true expedition, and now he strives to reshape every plane of existence with his iron will.

Mordekaiser's cold gaze finally settled on the few living people beneath him. He looked down at them and casually tossed Nera in front of the Wild Hunt, who was about to bend down to pick up the Blade of Ruin.

Wild Hunt glanced at the barely breathing Nera, then looked up. Iron Armor couldn't make out any expression, but the provocation in his every move was unmistakable.

"No one, no god, can stop me from taking back what is rightfully mine."

Mordekaiser raised his hand again, and the surrounding wailing instantly ceased, returning to deathly silence. For a moment, even the sound of breathing became exceptionally jarring.

The Lord of the Underworld stepped forward, and the terrifying Nightfall hammer flashed green light rapidly on his shoulder. This enormous hammer was hollow, with a structure similar to Thresh's Soul-Guiding Lamp, square and covered with hard, sharp angles—the perfect form for imprisoning souls, and it too was filled with countless souls.

He stepped down from the Great Well of Souls onto the cold ground, each step accompanied by a sound as firm as iron.

"Some people are terrified of me, while others worship me, but they all submit to me equally."

With each step he took, he spoke a sentence, proclaiming his authority as the King of the Underworld to the few living witnesses of his reign. "You Mei, you're free, Lin Zai, are you there...?"

"Between eternal existence and utter annihilation, I am the only barrier."

He displayed an iron will and unyielding spirit; wherever he went, the dead retreated and made way for him.

"Those who merely live are but dust, destined to wither and vanish."

A powerful pressure spread, and Swain felt as if his soul was about to abandon his body and escape from this terrifying, moving armor.

"I destroyed the natural cycle, thus making everything eternal."

Mordecais's voice was muffled and thunderous, and his heavy footsteps caused Cassie's long hair to visibly tremble.

"The ungrateful call me a tyrant, but the wise call me king."

This was said to LeBlanc, who, despite her reputation for cunning, was not a wise woman in Mordekaiser's eyes, but rather an ungrateful wretch.

"All must submit to the King of Life and Death, for the end is near, and they shall bow their heads in reverence to receive your calamity."

Of course, the Wild Hunt is also involved; Mordekaiser's meaning is clear. Either the Wild Hunt submits to him willingly, in which case they can retain their physical bodies and remain as self-aware dead beings like LeBlanc; or they are powerless to resist and are cruelly crushed, becoming mindless ghost puppets.

"Immortality, huh..." Wild Hunt's lips curled into a smirk, he paused, shook his head and laughed nonchalantly, "Sorry, I don't need that thing."

Mordekaiser's ghostly fire dimmed for a moment, as if he were squinting.

"You wield the Blade of Ruin, your soul must be incredibly powerful, why be trapped by weak flesh and blood? Join us, and you will surely have a place in the world of the dead. Let us liberate him!"

Mordekaiser enjoys the feeling of personally conquering his opponents, and the Wild Hunt is worthy to die under his Nightfall and be transformed into one of the worthy ones.

He strode forward, then sprinted, his heavy footsteps echoing like thunder in the underground space. The light on the hammer shone even brighter, as if it were breathing in the fresh scent of death.

Suddenly, a red figure rushed in front of the Mad Hunter, raised his hand, and shouted out the true name of Iron Armored Soul in Ou Chenyu.

"Mordekaiser, do you recognize this?"

Cassiopeia unleashed the Overlord Rune, and a red wedge-shaped gem floated in mid-air, radiating a powerful, bone-shaking energy, surrounded by layers of star-like ribbons.

Mordecais was surprised to find himself unable to move, as if he were bound in place by countless invisible threads, his soul constantly experiencing the pain of being bound and torn by the threads.

Before he could figure out what was happening, the jet-black iron armor responded first, emitting a pulsating red light from the holes in its ribs, urgently responding to the Dominator's Foundation Stone in front of him.

"What? That thing is—" Wild Hunt instantly saw through it. This was completely unexpected. He never thought that Mordekaiser's source of power was a rune fragment.

Chapter 775 Dominator

The flickering red light within Mordekaiser echoed the Dominator Stone in Cassiopeia's hand, revealing that he himself was unaware that a fragment of a rune was hidden within his body.

"So that's how it is..." Wild Hunt suddenly understood many things.

He had never understood this. Why were there so many souls passing through the underworld, yet only Mordekaiser remained immortal? Was it simply because he refused to disperse that he could escape the laws of death?

Now Wild Hunt understands that Mordekaiser's ability to defy fate was mainly due to the rune fragment he possessed.

In Mordekaiser's time, during his time as Sarn Uzul, the Great Ruin erupted, shattering the World Runes contained on the Blessed Isles into fragments scattered across the world.

In the struggle for rune fragments, nations turned against each other, sparking the Rune Wars. The ruthless warlord Sarn Uzul ravaged the northern lands, committing boundless slaughter despite being merely a mortal.

It is highly likely that he triggered some law, and by a twist of fate, gained the favor of a certain rune fragment.

From then on, he enjoyed smooth sailing and unparalleled success. Not only did he forge his empire with blood and death, but after his death, he single-handedly created the underworld in the endless wasteland.

But if it weren't for the rune fragments, how could Mordekaiser resist the dissipation? How could he create the Ash Kingdom out of nothingness?

He felt that his actions in his lifetime had earned him the right to be forever on par with God, and that he refused to retreat... Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.

It's completely illogical and utterly absurd.

World Runes, as the origin of creation, retain the power of creation even when shattered into fragments. This is why Mordekaiser was able to establish the realm of the dead in the underworld. (The remaining text appears to be gibberish and unrelated to the main narrative.)

It's easy to see that the rune fragment on Mordekaiser originated from the Juggernaut's Keystone, so it mostly manifests abilities related to fate. It is precisely this rune fragment that grants him the ability to defy destiny and have his wishes fulfilled.

Before the Wild Hunt, Iron Revenant also realized the extraordinary nature of the red gem in Cassiopeia's hand. He didn't recognize what the gem was; he only knew that his body was craving it, greedily wanting to possess it.

“It seems you don’t recognize this thing, nor do you know what made you Mordekaiser.” Cassiopeia shook her head: “What an ignorant lucky guy.”

"A lucky one? I have conquered my whole life and killed countless people. After death, I should be enshrined in the Hall of Bones and ranked among the gods. All of this is what I deserve. How could it be a matter of luck? You are the ignorant one!" Mordecais was furious. How dare a woman deny his great achievements? She was truly ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth.

He was arrogant and extremely conceited. Of course, he didn't believe that the runes gave him everything he wanted; instead, he felt that everything he had achieved stemmed from his own hard work.

And now, he has his sights set on the Dominion Stone in Cassiopeia's possession.

"I want that thing!" Mordecais declared shamelessly.

The rune fragments activated imperceptibly. Words became law, and Ironclad Netherworld actually moved despite the domineering rune's seal. The threads of fate binding him snapped inch by inch, and his massive body pressed forward, casting shadows over the two of them.

Cassiopeia remained calm. Just as Mordekaiser was about to press his chest down, she hooked her finger to reinforce the silk threads, once again firmly binding him.

With less than an arm's length between them, feeling the bone-chilling cold emanating from between her ribs, Cassiopeia confronted the Lord of the Underworld with neither arrogance nor servility.

"Destiny, domination, and deception—these are the laws of power you believed in, and the qualities of a tyrant. Although your autocratic rule was unpopular, your code of conduct had a profound impact on Noxus in later generations. It was deconstructed into three elements: foresight, force, and cunning. The current Council of Three is derived from this, with each member representing one of these qualities. Only when all three are combined can one rule Noxus."

"And the rune in my hand just happens to be named 'Dominator.' Can you believe such a coincidence exists in this world?"

Cassiopeia's meaning was clear: she deliberately undermined Mordekaiser's conviction, making him feel like he was nothing more than a pawn manipulated by runes.

But who is Mordecais? His will, forged with rage and brutality, cannot be broken by a few words.

"Ridiculous! You think all my achievements are thanks to it? Looking around the world, is there anyone who can compare to me, or anyone who can walk the same path I have walked?" Mordecais scoffed at this. His conviction was stronger than steel forged a thousand times, and could not be shaken by human power.

His will had long since merged with the rune fragments, becoming inseparable. Perhaps he was even the physical embodiment of the rune fragments themselves. To try and corrupt his "Dao Heart" was simply wishful thinking.

“I admit that you are indeed unparalleled in some aspects, truly a peerless hero. Unfortunately, you just happened to be blocking my way.” Cassiopeia’s eyes darted around, revealing a subtle expression.

Since the soft approach didn't work, she decided to use the hard one. She activated the Overlord's Foundation, and Mordekaiser immediately felt the power within her body resonating wildly, as if it were about to burst out of her body.

Although he didn't know the origins of Cassiopeia and the Runestone, he certainly couldn't tolerate them stripping him of his power, and immediately ordered: "Kill them!!"

Mordekaiser's army of the underworld immediately rose up, but the Wild Hunt had already taken the initiative to ring the Soul-Suppressing Bell left by Vladimir.

Wild Hunt threw back the blood-stained canvas and swung his fist with tremendous force. The bells tolled loudly, booming and echoing, a terrifying roar reverberating around the Great Well of Souls, as if shattering bones.

The underworld army, which drew power from the tolling of the bells, should have been completely enraged, but instead, they all went out of control.

It is true that the sound of the Soul-Suppressing Bell can infuse power into the dead, but if it is struck violently and forcefully enough, too much power will be injected into the soul, and even the most powerful dead will be affected.

Vladimir initially escaped Kalista by ringing the bell repeatedly.

The pursuit of Nemesis is notoriously relentless, and this is all thanks to the Baroans who brought back the Soul-Suppressing Bell from the Shadow Isles. Without that bell, no matter how resilient she was, she would never have been able to return alive from Kalista's clutches.

Of course, the fact that he almost lost his life was also related to him opening champagne halfway through the trip.

If he doesn't reveal his identity to try and win over others, he won't be cursed by the war stonemasons who have infiltrated the ranks in disguise.

The War Stonemason happened to be a Noxian spy.

Whether the appearance of the War Stonemason on the Shadow Isles was a coincidence or sent by Swain to track Vladimir remains unknown.

Chapter 776 Destiny

Wild Hunt continued to smash the bell with his fists, and the resounding bell plunged the surrounding underworld army into an uncontrollable frenzy.

The undead were in an uproar, their clashing armor making dull thuds, like a school of fish vying to surface for air.

The waters they inhabited were no longer suitable for their souls, but fish without lungs could not breathe air. Violent energy surged within their armor, and a frantic urge to scratch their cheeks arose from the depths of their souls.

As the Wild Hunt stopped ringing the bell, the crazed undead instantly fell into stillness, resembling eerie bronze statues.

"Mordekaiser, how does it feel to have failed at the last minute?" Cassiopeia sneered.

Mordekaiser tried to break free from the shackles of fate by using the power of the bells, but he was still no match for the suppression of the Overlord's Foundation.

Rune shards and rune keystones are like children and mothers; this absolute suppression from the superior cannot be defied by Mordekaiser, no matter how powerful he is.

Drawn by the Overlord's cornerstone, Mordekaiser's source of power—a red gem, about the size of a fingernail—flew out from between his black iron armor blades, floating in the air and radiating a halo.

"It really is a fragment of a Dominator rune!" Cassiopeia's face lit up with joy, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she eagerly drew the rune fragment into her hand.

"Don't touch it!" Mordekaiser roared in shock and anger, his voice rough and rusty as he warned, each word a low growl.

His power was abruptly ripped away, leaving an endless emptiness deep within his soul. He hadn't felt such panic for centuries. The last time he felt this way was when he entered the afterlife and discovered that the Hall of Bones mentioned in his faith was not there, and his soul was on the verge of disappearing, his life hanging by a thread.

Ignoring Mordekaiser's impotent rage, Cassiopeia placed the fragments and the foundation stone together in front of him.

Just as she was wondering how to combine them, a magnetic force was generated between them, and the fragment merged into the foundation like a fledgling eagle returning to its nest, seamlessly.

The repairs to the Dominator Laws made the Runestone even more perfect, radiating a more dazzling light, as if celebrating the return of power.

Wild Hunt looked over; he had witnessed this scene several times before. The resilient fragments in the Fountain of Life and the sorcery fragments of the Vengeful Flame Soul had all returned under his gaze.

What he was curious about was how many Enlightenment Fragments he needed to collect to synthesize the Foundation, and what it would look like when they were combined into one.

LeBlanc, standing in the corner, had her eyes gleaming as she observed everything.

World Runes were not unfamiliar to LeBlanc; in fact, she was quite familiar with them. This was because she possessed a rune fragment herself.

It was a blue rune fragment, and it was the power of that rune that allowed LeBlanc to create countless copies of herself. Only the power of the rune could give each of these clones an independent personality and mind, allowing them to be scattered around the world, secretly plotting various conspiracies, far surpassing ordinary clone techniques.

Over the years, she had scavenged magical artifacts everywhere, including wondrous rune fragments. However, she was unaware that Mordekaiser's power stemmed from runes; otherwise, she would have had Black Rose and her numerous clones dedicated to collecting rune fragments.

Rune fragments are rare and hard to come by, but with her abilities and centuries of perseverance, she should be able to gather a few more. If that doesn't work, she'll target that mysterious bald mage and steal his runes, so she won't be so helpless as she is now.

It's not surprising that LeBlanc and Ryze have crossed paths. Both have existed for a long time and have connections to the Blessed Isles. Ryze even approached one of LeBlanc's clones because of runes, so it's quite normal that they know each other.

Seeing Mordekaiser easily subdued by Cassiopeia before he could even display his full power, LeBlanc was filled with regret.

Mordekaiser was born a warlord, while Mordekaiser was a wizard, giving her a natural advantage in accessing magic and forbidden knowledge.

Moreover, she had spent far more time in the real world than Mordecais, yet she failed to capitalize on this advantage to exploit the information gap. Instead, she fell into his trap, living in constant fear and anxiety.

She always schemes and plots, only to find in the end that she had chosen the wrong path from the beginning, or that she was simply unlucky and not favored by fate, and all her efforts were in vain... It was as if she was cursed, and no matter what she did, it all came to naught.

"Curse...fate...so that's it! I understand! I understand everything!" After this turn of events, our silly beauty suddenly realized the true meaning of so-called fate.