Failed Coup

After Swain finished speaking, his fingers tightened, and Darkwill suddenly began convulsing in a bizarre way, as if he were being controlled remotely!

At the critical moment, a beam of black light shot out from beside Darkwill and headed straight for Swain. He had no choice but to let go.

The attacker was the mysterious figure in a black veil on the execution platform. Judging by her build, she looked like a woman. She raised the staff in her hand and repeatedly blasted Swain with it, wielding tremendous power.

From what I remembered, Swain was supposed to be an extremely powerful mage. How was he being completely suppressed, unable to fight back?

I eased up on the attack and started helping him defend against the magic. My spear had been made with Nullifying Craft, so the black beams vanished as soon as they touched it.

But when I eased up on my assault against the Death Guard, things got tougher for everyone. We were outnumbered, and every fighter was crucial.

To take down the enemy, you had to capture their leader. We were bound to lose if this kept up, so we might as well go all in. I swung my spear with all my strength, sweeping aside the enemies around me as I charged toward the execution platform.

Darkwill had already passed out. If I could reach him and kill him, it would all be over.

The two old men who had just pronounced Darius guilty were scared witless. Katarina was being held back by Talon, and the mysterious figure was busy fighting Swain. The remaining scattered soldiers were no match for me. This was the perfect chance to strike!

I rushed closer, but just as I was about to make my move, the mysterious figure suddenly split in two. One continued fighting Swain, while the other turned to attack me!

She could split herself in two! And both of her copies were powerful!

Even with the Nullifying Weapon in my hands, I still couldn't hurt her. Instead, I was gradually being overwhelmed by her magic. It seemed that if the gap was too great, even a Nullifying Weapon couldn't hold out!

Who could be that powerful? I kept thinking through Noxus's strongest fighters, until one name finally came to mind—LeBlanc!

I'd actually suspected her as soon as I saw her. In the stories, she was a mysterious figure who concealed her face just like this, leading the Black Rose as it secretly controlled Noxus. After seeing her display such powerful magic, I was even more certain.

But wasn't she supposed to help Swain? Why was she an enemy now?

"You're LeBlanc, aren't you?" I ventured.

The mysterious figure clearly froze when she heard the name, and her attacks slackened. Only a tiny handful of the Black Rose's core members knew LeBlanc's identity.

Then a faint voice sounded beside my ear, both distant and clear, as if it had been poured straight into my mind:

"It's been hundreds of years since anyone called me that. Who are you?"

"Who I am doesn't matter. If you don't want your identity exposed, let us leave."

"If you don't want to tell me, so be it. If I kill you, my identity will remain a secret all the same."

I'd hoped to use the opportunity to force her to back down, but it had the opposite effect. LeBlanc's magic suddenly surged, and black mist rose around the execution grounds. Before long, countless shadows emerged from it, as if the God of Death had descended. Nothing survived in their wake!

The shadows formed a tight encirclement and gradually closed in. They brought down not only the living, but also the Death Guard, who were not easily killed.

Katarina and Talon were still fighting nearby, and the shadows were getting closer and closer to them. If this continued, both of them would be harmed.

"Katarina, little sister, can't you see what's happening? Stop fighting and come over here with Talon!"

Darius shouted, but to no avail. Just as the shadows were about to reach the two of them, he charged over without hesitation. The power he unleashed was like that of a raging bull, forcibly driving them apart.

Didn't they have a blood feud? Why did Darius care so much about Katarina's safety? I couldn't understand it, and had no time to think about it anyway. I was caught between LeBlanc and the shadows, with nowhere to turn.

There were only a few living people left, and the shadows had nearly swallowed the Death Guard whole. Darkwill was protected by one of LeBlanc's copies, while I stayed locked in combat with LeBlanc. An invisible barrier surrounded her; if I left her side, I'd die instantly!

But no matter what I tried, I couldn't hurt her. Many times I clearly stabbed her body, only to realize afterward that I'd hit nothing but a Phantom Trail.

"Damn it, what the hell are these things? We need to get out of here!" Kled was extremely agitated.

"Wait! Zhao Xin hasn't made it over yet!" Darius couldn't bear to leave me behind.

"We can't wait. That thing beside him is seriously creepy! Keep up with me, and I'll get you all out!"

When Kled finished speaking, he gathered a fierce gust of wind that scattered the shadows around him. The few survivors followed him, leaving me alone to face the endless darkness.

When I saw them all leave, my mind gradually settled. This was probably the best outcome. I drove the Steel Spear into the ground and simply stopped resisting.

LeBlanc stopped attacking, too, and quietly watched me. "Kled's got some skill. He even managed to scatter my Dark Storm. Now you're all alone. They called you Zhao Xin just now, right?"

"Yes."

"I'm curious how you knew my identity. I've changed my mind. If you tell me the truth, perhaps I'll spare your life."

"I don't want to explain. The whole story would take more than a sentence or two. You can call it a coincidence."

"Heh... You don't want to tell me?" LeBlanc suddenly leaned close to my face and spoke seductively. "I can sense something fascinating about you. A fate that's difficult to fathom, a space-time so profound it seems endless."

I had no idea what sort of nonsense she was talking about. Ancient monsters who had lived for so many years were always impossible to figure out. But she didn't kill me. Instead, she raised her staff and made the black mist disperse.

Dusk fell, and the rain had stopped. The corpses and blood on the execution grounds vanished along with the black mist. The setting sun shone across the horizon, making everything look peaceful and beautiful.

Once the rain cleared, few people knew what had happened beneath it.

Only LeBlanc, me, and the unconscious Darkwill remained on the execution grounds. She lifted her veil, revealing a beautiful face—beautiful to the extreme, with an almost bewitching allure. Her deep-purple eyes were as clear and captivating as crystal, though her skin was somewhat pale.

"Since you know my name, I'll show you what I look like, too. I hope you won't forget me when we meet again."

"You're very alluring, if not for that terrifying magic earlier."

"You certainly know how to talk. Heh... Though I've decided to let you go, you can't stay in Noxus. Where should I send you? I've got it!"

LeBlanc lightly tapped my forehead with her staff, and I immediately lost consciousness...