Rebirth

If a monster who had slaughtered countless people suddenly gained humanity one day, would it regret the lives it had taken? Perhaps not. It might even think of humanity as a burden and a shackle. But what if the killing hadn't been of its own choosing? For Ling Ying, the truth was cruel in precisely that twisted way. In her previous life, she had been an ordinary college student, not very good at socializing and with hardly any close friends. Though her pretty face meant she was never short of people fussing over her, well, spare her the trouble. Apart from studying, eating, and sleeping, all she wanted was to sit alone in front of her computer and play games.

"Humans really are troublesome social animals."

She would sigh like that from time to time. Perhaps that was why, when she had suddenly and inexplicably crossed over while playing League of Legends alone in her dorm, she was shocked to discover she was no longer the troublesome human she had always complained about being. She had become a bug—or, more accurately, a Blade Worm, the most numerous and lowest-ranking of the Void Creatures. She was surrounded by countless others of her kind. Since they only knew how to hiss, it was true that she no longer had to socialize. But what drove her to despair was that, unlike the usual transmigration stories where you got a cheat ability, she had become a weak Blade Worm who couldn't even control her own body. At all times, a powerful Instinct Consciousness drove her to do things that went against her human awareness. Perhaps that was the original consciousness of this insect body. Thanks to it, on her first day in this other world, she was dragged into a bloody battle against her own kind. Then, by sheer luck, she survived an attack by several Blade Worms with barely a breath left. Her instincts told her this was one of the natural selections of the Void: only the fiercest Blade Worms deserved to survive. Even the lowest creatures didn't need cannon fodder. After all, a new batch of Blade Worms would soon emerge from the Void Rift. As for the Blade Worms that had been killed, Ling Ying and the other survivors dragged them into a hidden corner and ate them. Yes, they devoured them raw. Ling Ying certainly didn't want to do something so revolting. But she wouldn't survive if she didn't eat, her devouring instincts told her. Her body gulped down the flesh of her own kind without her control. The nausea and revulsion that came with it nearly knocked her unconscious. Worse still, this was only the beginning. The slaughter of her own kind began anew with each new day. Every day that followed, she was forced to fight and devour until her human emotions and awareness gradually grew numb. Chewing on the flesh of other Blade Worms became as easy and effortless as eating or drinking. There was a benefit to this, at least: she grew stronger than those around her. Gradually, no Blade Worm could defeat her in the hunt. Then, one day, she crossed the threshold, evolving from a weak Blade Worm into a higher-ranking Void Beast. The Watchers sensed her and cast her out of the Void Rift she had called home. After a dizzying shift in space, Ling Ying arrived in a world both strange and familiar: Valoran, the grand stage where the game League of Legends unfolded.

"A civilized world."

Ling Ying couldn't help but feel something at the sight, but she had no other reaction. The old her would probably have been thrilled to see the world from the game with her own eyes. But after getting used to a life filled with blood and death, what little remained of Ling Ying's human emotions had grown faint. Aside from remembering that she had once been human, she clung to one thing: a line she believed she must never cross. After all, if she could hunt humans like a predatory animal, could she still be called human? That was what she thought. But the truth soon proved that her so-called moral line was worthless in the face of her devouring instincts. While hunting a flock of Rock Sheep for food in the desert, Ling Ying accidentally found a shivering girl behind a sand dune. The girl wore clothes like those of a shepherd, and looked to be barely ten years old. Seeing another human, after who knew how long, stirred a little warmth in Ling Ying. But when she saw the despair and terror in the girl's bright blue eyes, that warmth vanished. Of course. In the girl's eyes, she was a monster. Ling Ying thought bitterly and tried to turn away. Deep down, she didn't want to attack a human. But her Instinct Consciousness thought otherwise. The alluring scent of the girl's flesh captivated her in an instant, and she chose to cast everything else aside. She followed her instincts, just as she had before. By the time she realized what she had done, all that remained of the girl was a mutilated body. Ling Ying stared at the lightless eyes, the sweet taste of a young girl's blood still lingering in her mouth. Again and again, it battered the last line of defense in her heart—the one called humanity—until at last it broke. She felt the human part of her soul leave her. What remained existed only for the sake of existing.

That same day, two girls who had never met lost something precious. One lost her life; the other lost all hope in the world.

Ling Ying gave up resisting. So her so-called principles had been nothing but a joke. Now she was a monster through and through.

"If that's how it is, there's no point in holding on anymore. This damned hell..."

Ling Ying began shutting away her consciousness. Sitting behind the high walls she had built inside herself, she watched through thick windows as her body, driven entirely by instinct, committed more and more atrocities. The sand pirates who had robbed and killed vanished. Before the oasis's residents could celebrate, they suffered the same fate, their village wiped out. The Void Creatures that roamed the edge of the desert disappeared, and so did the shepherds' flocks. She hunted down every living thing that crossed her path. She even went mad enough to fight head-on against a group of Void Ekko led by a Queen Beast. Ling Ying had nearly died in that battle, but she managed to kill several times her number of Ekko. Even the Queen Beast fled in panic after half its dorsal fin was torn off. Many more battles like that followed. Countless killings, countless close calls. The name Mirage Nightmare gradually spread, and the bloody scenes outside Ling Ying's window grew ever more vivid. At last, the infamous monster encountered several powerful humans. She was defeated by their intelligence and seamless teamwork.

"This is enough, right? Is it finally over? My sinful life as a bug."

Ling Ying closed her eyes, waiting for her final judgment. Waiting for release. But fate played another joke on her. She had drifted for only a short while through a space glowing purple when she was reborn, even regaining a body much like a human's. Even the devouring instincts that had always controlled her vanished without a trace. She seemed able to return to the human world, but to Ling Ying now, nothing could be a crueler punishment. Though she was far more breathtaking than she had been in her previous life, beneath that extraordinary beauty was a bloodthirsty Void Creature. She was no longer driven by instinct to kill, but the sins she had committed wouldn't disappear. Crushed by remorse and guilt, she had tried to end her life, but fate's cruel humor struck again. She couldn't kill herself. The moment the thought appeared, some subconscious force would wipe it away before long. All she could do was try to readjust to the human life she had left behind so long ago. But could someone who had once lost all humanity really live as a human without guilt?

"I can't do it!"

Ling Ying couldn't help shouting aloud, drawing surprised looks from the people around her. She quickly covered her mouth and fell silent. She had only meant to sit down and rest for a moment, but the thoughts that suddenly surged through her mind had sent her into a daze, almost like a waking dream. She had even forgotten that she wasn't standing in some deserted wasteland, but at the harbor of the most prosperous city in Shurima: Bilgewater City. As for why she had come here, she didn't know. Maybe she was tired of the endless golden desert and wanted to be near the sea. Or maybe there was some other reason. Who could say? Ever since she had become human again, Ling Ying had spent most of her time wandering like a walking corpse. It wasn't strange that she had ended up at Shurima's northernmost point. Besides, the wide, azure sea really could soothe her a little.

But Ling Ying was ready to leave. There were more and more people around her, and her outburst had probably attracted quite a bit of attention. That was bad enough without someone like her, wrapped up from head to toe in a robe and cloak, looking so suspicious. Unfortunately, things didn't go as she hoped. Just as she was about to stand, she saw three ruffians swaggering toward her. Two of them had curved blades and pistols hanging from their belts. Those were the weapons sailors usually carried. So they were either sailors or pirates. The former would be all right, but the latter could be a problem. Men who behaved as they pleased at sea wouldn't be much more obedient in a city, even one with laws. Ling Ying stopped moving and turned her face away so she wouldn't draw their attention.

But the more she feared it, the more it came to pass. The footsteps stopped in front of her. Worse, their leader, reeking of enough alcohol to knock someone out, flopped down beside her. He stroked the tasteless bristly beard on his chin, as if he thought it made him look handsome.

"If you can't do it, how about letting us big brothers help you? Hahahaha!"

All three of them laughed maliciously. Under her hood, Ling Ying couldn't help giving a bitter smile. Had she been too loud just now? Was that why she'd attracted trouble? She had always been careful to keep her distance from other people. One slip was all it took.

Ling Ying's mind raced, but to the three ruffians, she seemed to ignore them completely. This annoyed them. A moment later, she felt something press against her forehead through her hood. Judging by its cold touch, it was probably a pistol. Of course, these men weren't going to shoot her over a little disagreement. Their bearded leader angled the barrel aside, then used it to flip her hood back.

"Oh! What's this? You're a real beauty! Why keep your eyes closed? Don't be shy."

They had seen her. These men were so irritating. But she didn't move. She was afraid that if she attacked humans again, the humanity she had only just regained would leave her once more.

"Oh, now's not the time to stay quiet, beautiful. Your big brothers are more than happy to listen to a young lady's troubles."

The bearded man pressed closer to Ling Ying, leering. Then he suddenly reached out and wrapped an arm around her slender waist.

Ling Ying's body trembled violently. It was the first time this had happened to her, whether in her previous life or after she had crossed over: the first time a man had touched her like this. And it was this unkempt creep! For an instant, the desire she had suppressed for so long nearly awakened again, but she managed to hold it back.

"Come on, let your big brothers see if you're developing properly. Ahahaha..."

With a muffled thump, the bearded man's unnatural laughter, like a scratched record, abruptly stopped. A sudden flying kick sent him hurtling several yards away. He screamed as he crashed into several crates stacked beside the harbor, then lay on the ground groaning, half-dead and clutching his bloodied head.

"Boss! Damn it! You—pfft..."

The bearded man's first lackey hadn't even finished his line before a powerful uppercut landed. He threw his head back at a forty-five-degree angle and spat out a mouthful of blood. He howled and staggered backward with an awkward, wide-legged gait, then tripped over a rope on the dock. With a splash, he plunged into the sea. As for the second lackey, he was farther away and managed to draw his pistol, but it was snatched away in a flash. The heavy butt came down hard on his greasy, shining head, leaving him dazed. Then he was kicked into the sea like his companion, leaving a string of bubbles of all sizes on the surface.

The commotion on the pier quickly drew a crowd. Ling Ying naturally realized that someone had stepped in to help her. But she also sensed countless eyes turning toward her. She didn't dare open her eyes to look around. If anyone saw those eyes, which clearly weren't human, things would become even more troublesome.

Just as she was at a loss, she felt someone put her hood back on. Then a hand, strangely cool in the sweltering air, rested on her right arm. The person helped her up from the bench and led her away from the crowded pier.

"Huh? What's this?"

Overcome by confusion and unease, Ling Ying couldn't help opening her eyes. The person leading her was also wrapped tightly in a cloak. They even had their face completely covered by a scarf. Ling Ying couldn't help wondering if they might go the wrong way or walk into a wall. But it turned out her concerns were unnecessary. The stranger led her deftly through the streets and alleys. Nearly ten minutes later, they turned into a dark, narrow alley. The stranger suddenly tightened their grip and flung Ling Ying against the wall, then stepped around her and pinned her there in a pose that invited all sorts of speculation.

"Did you think you'd find redemption by becoming a block of wood that no longer resisted the world? That's laughable, Mirage Nightmare."

The four simple words struck Ling Ying like a thunderbolt, plunging her into an overwhelming gravity. Her already pale face grew even more bloodless. Of course she couldn't forget that name, though she desperately wished she could. As she stared at the Cloaked Figure, all sorts of possibilities crossed her mind. Was he a victim? Or did he simply know what had happened? But she had a human body now, so how had he recognized her? Countless questions crowded her lips, but Ling Ying only stammered, her lips trembling, and still couldn't get a word out.

"Sorry, none of those are right."

A clear female voice came from beneath the thick head wrap. The Cloaked Figure seemed to have read Ling Ying's thoughts. As she spoke, she shook her head slightly, then raised her free left hand in a gesture for silence.

"Want to know why all this happened to you? I'll let you in on a secret: it was all because of me. I'm the source of everything you've been through. I brought you to this world, then made you reincarnate as a Void Creature. I saw every step you took. Of course, that includes how you let yourself attack humans."

The Cloaked Figure's words made Ling Ying's pupils contract. She had been in this other world for a while, but the succession of threats to her survival had never given her the chance to think carefully about the reason behind her transmigration. Now, the one responsible for everything stood before her. No explanation. No apology. She spoke so casually, as if discussing something trivial.

Ling Ying stared at her in disbelief, then suddenly swung a fist at the Cloaked Figure.

She simply couldn't accept it. Transmigration was bad enough, but she couldn't tolerate the fact that the other person had saddled her with a debt of blood she could never repay, yet still acted as if it were nothing, looking down on it all from above.

Ling Ying put all her strength into her punch, but the expected impact never came. Her fist passed through the other person's head in an utterly bizarre way. The Cloaked Figure seemed to be nothing more than a mass of air. While Ling Ying was half terrified and half confused, the Cloaked Figure quickly caught her arm midway and twisted it behind her back, restraining her once again.

"Just a warning: don't let your emotions run wild. Otherwise..."

Purple energy suddenly bloomed from the Cloaked Figure's palm. Currents of energy spread along her movements and coursed into Ling Ying. Ling Ying's arm began twisting unnaturally. Her skin split, and flesh peeled back. In the blink of an eye, her snow-white right arm had become a vicious Demon Claw covered in purple carapace.

"Do you understand now? Your human body is only a disguise. In essence, you're still an ugly Void Creature, and that's all you'll ever be. If your emotions get too intense, you might turn back into a killing machine no different from your brothers and sisters."

The Cloaked Figure loosened her grip, and Ling Ying took the chance to break free. She looked at her arm in panic, only to find that nothing had changed. The horrifying transformation she had just seen seemed to have been nothing more than a fleeting illusion.

"Ah, yes. That really was just an illusion."

The Cloaked Figure shrugged.

"But everything I said was true, so I strongly advise you not to test it for yourself. Or do you not care?"

The Cloaked Figure's teasing tone earned her a murderous glare from Ling Ying. Ling Ying looked like a hungry wolf ready to pounce on its prey at any moment. But perhaps the other person's words had worked. In the end, Ling Ying didn't attack. Instead, she waited to see what the Cloaked Figure would do next.

"Mm, a wise choice. As a reward for being a good girl, here. Take this."

A fist-sized crystal appeared, immediately drawing all of Ling Ying's attention. She had been a girl in her previous life, after all; she was bound to be interested in this sort of thing. But after her initial amazement, Ling Ying noticed that the crystal was radiating a purple glow. The light gave her an ominous feeling, yet her body inexplicably wanted to draw closer to it.

"Can you feel it? Your body's desire. This is a Void Crystal, a crystal overflowing with Void energy. As for what it does, it can help Void Creatures evolve. It's much more effective than simply devouring other creatures. It should suit you pretty well right now... Hey, I wasn't finished. Don't snatch it."

The Cloaked Figure quickly raised the crystal above her head, out of Ling Ying's reach. Unable to grab it, Ling Ying instinctively hopped twice, like a child reaching for a toy. Then she realized what she was doing, and her cheeks immediately flushed. That strange crystal had made her impatient to get her hands on it.

The Cloaked Figure held up the crystal and studied it for a while. Once she was sure Ling Ying wasn't going to try to snatch it again, she slowly spoke.

"Ah, I thought you'd be more aggressive. After all, to low-level Void Creatures, this stuff is as irresistibly addictive as cocaine to an addict. So, just as I thought, now that you have a humanoid body, you're temporarily free from the effects of your devouring instincts. Heh, lucky you."

The Cloaked Figure held the crystal out to Ling Ying. Perhaps Ling Ying's restraint disappointed her a little. Ling Ying didn't reach out to take it. Even though her body craved it, she still held back. She glanced at the crystal, then at the Cloaked Figure, and asked with suspicion, "Why?"

"What do you mean? The crystal, or..."

"Everything that happened to me. Why?"

"Tsk. You won't choose—you want everything?"

The Cloaked Figure let out a string of light laughter, as if Ling Ying had said something amusing. She kept laughing until Ling Ying's face darkened like a storm cloud. Then she stopped, cleared her throat, and spoke seriously.

"Ah, sorry. The truth is, I have my own reasons, but I can't tell you yet. With your current strength, knowing too much would only give you more trouble. Hmm? Don't look at me like that. I really am thinking of you—at least for now. When you're strong enough, I'll tell you everything. So go evolve. Become stronger..."

"Why?"

This time, Ling Ying wasn't asking a question. She was challenging her.

"Why should I? You can't deny that you're connected to the Void, can you? If I evolve the way you want me to, won't I just be helping evil? Haven't I already caused your people enough suffering?"

Ling Ying's voice was firm, and even the Cloaked Figure, who had been controlling the conversation, fell silent.

"Do you want to live forever in guilt and remorse? Or do you want redemption?"

"?"

"Was that too vague? Let me put it more clearly. Do you want to keep living in fear like this, never knowing when you might wake up and find yourself controlled by your devouring instincts again? Or do you want complete free will, no longer bound by those instincts?"

"What does that mean?"

"Just what it sounds like. Low-level Void Creatures are pitiful things driven by their devouring instincts. As long as they live, they'll devour and kill uncontrollably, until they die or are lucky enough to evolve to a higher level. As for you, you're a chosen one who's even luckier than they are, in a way. The humanoid body you gained by chance has separated your original human consciousness from the devouring instincts of your Void Body. But it's also a ticking time bomb. Your devouring instincts are only dormant for now. In essence, your fragile consciousness still can't resist them. If your emotions grow too intense, or you use Void Power too much, you'll provoke them to awaken again. There's only one way to escape this situation: evolution. Only high-level Void Creatures can enjoy complete free will."

The Cloaked Figure tossed the crystal in her palm. After a moment, she asked quietly, "So, what'll it be? Will you choose to trust me, or keep living as you are now? Either way works for me. You're part of my plan, but not a very important part."

"Though I don't know what sort of beings you are, I still can't trust you. Or rather, I can't trust myself right now. But I have to agree on one thing: I've had enough of shutting myself away from the world. If evolving the way you say really can give me freedom and redemption..."

Ling Ying stepped forward and reached out to take the Void Crystal the Cloaked Figure held up.

"Mm, I like good girls. You won't regret your choice."

"Maybe."

"Hey, you could trust me a little more. Anyway, to make up for not being able to tell you everything, I'll point you toward a shortcut. Go to Piltover and find a crystal similar to this one. By an unlikely twist of fate, it ended up in Piltover, mistaken for a Hextech Crystal. It's time to bring it back under the Void's control."

"Why? Are you trying to make me run errands for you?"

Ling Ying frowned slightly. The Cloaked Figure's words sounded suspicious no matter how she looked at them.

"Wrong. This is a starter gift from me to you. The crystal you're holding will help you evolve, but it isn't enough. And for reasons I can't tell you, I can't provide you with any more crystals. So you'll have to collect them yourself. But the information I'm giving you is absolutely accurate. Besides, you can think of it as a trial. On this continent, Piltover is the perfect beginner's town, isn't it? If you can't survive in that city, you're nothing but a lucky fool. And fools don't deserve to know the truth or receive anyone's help."

A fierce wind suddenly rose around the Cloaked Figure. Ling Ying could feel a distinct pressure spreading from her. She was strong—this was the first time Ling Ying had felt herself so completely outmatched. If someone like her wanted to force Ling Ying to do something, there was no way she could resist, was there?

"From the look on your face, I don't need to say anything else, do I? If you understand, take this. Consider it my initial investment in you—or, as you'd call it, starting gear."

A simple cloth pouch was tossed in front of Ling Ying. It looked small and delicate, but the magical energy inside it suggested that there was more to the pouch than met the eye.

"That's enough for our first meeting. I hope you're not a corpse the next time I see you, weakling."

After saying that, the Cloaked Figure vanished, with even less fuss than when she had arrived. Ling Ying stared at the pouch for a long time, then finally made up her mind and picked it up before hurrying out of the alley. She needed to go to the harbor and ask when the ship to Piltover would leave. Whatever the Cloaked Figure's motives, going to Piltover wasn't a bad choice for her right now.

That evening, the Silver Dawn set sail from Shurima for Piltover, carrying a shipload of travelers from all walks of life, along with a girl who had decided to set out anew.

High atop the harbor lighthouse, a cloaked figure silently watched the ship depart, pass the breakwater of the inner harbor, and head into the rolling waves of the open sea.

"So, in the end, you didn't do anything? That's not what you were hoping for, is it?"

Another Cloaked Figure suddenly appeared behind her. The two nearly identical figures stood together at the edge of the lighthouse, looking out at the sea glowing in the evening light. Like a pair of statues, they watched the ships coming and going through the harbor.

"I was thinking that perhaps this one isn't completely useless."

The first Cloaked Figure broke the silence.

"After all those close calls with death, she never actually died. Instead, she grew stronger."

"Hmm? Forget the ones before, but were those mercenaries your doing too?"

Cloaked Figure Two's tone carried a hint of anger.

"That was too much. She came this close to dying. If the Void Essence her body dissolved into hadn't devoured those careless humans at the last moment and gained enough energy for her to be reborn, she really would have been reduced to nothing."

"But she survived, didn't she? She even got a new life."

Cloaked Figure One gave a self-mocking shake of her head, then changed the subject.

"Do you think she really will bring redemption, as Mother said?"

"I don't know. In a way, I feel the same as you do. I think her choice was too impulsive, but I still believe in Mother."

"I see. Let's hope so."

Cloaked Figure One let out a bitter laugh. After a long pause, she raised her right hand and drew a line in the air. A person-sized portal instantly took shape.

"I'll hold back for now. I hope she really does grow into the person you and Mother want her to be. I'll be going. Things have been unsettled in the Void lately, so you should be careful too."

"Much appreciated."

Cloaked Figure Two replied quietly, then continued watching the sailing ship move farther and farther away, until its straight mast disappeared over the far edge of the sea and sky.