Chapter 188

The Nightfall struck his legs, breaking the leg bones that the demon had painstakingly repaired once again.

And it was much more serious than the injury he suffered in Ionia.

Back then, Irelia only shaved off a piece of his patella, but now Mordekaiser wants to grind both of his legs into mincemeat.

"...!" Swain forced himself not to scream, but the excruciating pain still made him break out in a cold sweat.

In that critical moment, he unleashed all his demonic power—including the life force he had just drawn from the raven.

Boom--!

Terrifying demonic power erupted in all directions, and ear-piercing explosions were like a series of explosive barrels exploding in the narrow, sealed room.

[Demonic Flare]

To spy on the demon's most powerful attack methods.

Mordekaiser, struck head-on by the demonic energy, fell backward, the immense force even blasting holes in his armor. His massive body collapsed into a cloud of dust.

"Hah... hah..." Panting heavily, Swain his feet, leaning against the broken wall, a hint of pride appearing on his disheveled face.

But before he could even savor the taste of victory, the voice in his mind rang out again:

[Run... run faster...]

Run?

Swain didn't understand why he had to run.

He had already defeated that damned ancient warlord—due to the latter's arrogance. He wasn't originally confident he could deliver such powerful but extremely unstable energy head-on to his opponent.

"He's fallen... Victory belongs to Noxus..." Swain spat out a mouthful of blood on the ground, preparing to go to Draven to ask for a few death row inmates to absorb some of his life force and restore his legs.

But the voice in my mind still echoed:

[Run... run faster...]

Why are you running?

They had already won!

That damn guy was already down!

Mingming--

Um...?

Swain's eyes suddenly widened.

Amidst the dust and mist, a terrifying green light shone once more.

The massive figure rose to its feet... along with the shattered armor.

[Mordekaiser is immortal... He has no chance of winning...] The voice that had been watching the demon suddenly became calm—though it remained hoarse.

[Also... his stay seems to have been extended...]

[There's no chance of winning...]

"Hmm...?" Swain finally realized something was wrong.

He wanted to retreat, but his broken legs couldn't support his movement; he wanted to fly away, but his pinched wings could no longer flap.

He could only watch helplessly as the enormous "Lord of the Death Realm" emerged from the dust and mist.

Then she slowly walked towards him.

"Your strength is insignificant..." Mordekaiser's "wounds" had all healed, and his heavy, black armor looked brand new, as if it had just been forged.

"Mortals... Raum... whoever they are, they're all too weak..."

"How dare someone as insignificant as you possess my Immortal Bastion..."

"Welcome back your emperor..."

"Noxus..."

Mordekaiser extended a hand.

He seized control of Swain's neck after his futile struggle.

The demon's power began to fade rapidly, and the mortal body became incredibly fragile.

Swain tried to use his demonic powers again to save himself, but the Spying Demon had already left him—partly because Mordekaiser had separated them, and the other part because...

The spying demon willingly abandoned him.

His eyes, which were gradually bulging outwards, were bloodshot, and a strong feeling of suffocation rushed straight to his brain.

But in that life-or-death moment, the man wearing the fox mask suddenly placed his hand on Mordekaiser's massive iron armor.

"Don't act yet, Mordekaiser."

There are no outsiders here.

Mordekaiser actually let go—as if he were being obedient.

Chen Ce smiled and nodded, then looked at Swain was lying on the ground, barely alive.

"Your grand plans are likely to fall through... This is my fault, Swain."

"Cough..." Swain widened in anger, but his mangled body couldn't utter a single word except for blood.

"Your meticulously planned scheme of several years... You finally reached the pinnacle of power in Noxus, but it was all just a pipe dream." Chen Ce removed his mask, revealing his "Ionia" face.

"Your Noxus has been shattered overnight—just as you seized Braum Darkwill's throne before. Your throne has been taken by an outsider."

"I ruined your plans, I ruined your grand scheme... I destroyed everything you owned."

Do you hate me?

After saying that, Chen Ce gave a kind smile.

Swain clenched his teeth, his resentment evident.

But the matter was far from over... He cast his blurry gaze out the window. Below stood countless Noxus soldiers.

He had already noticed it when he took flight... the Immortal Bastion was surrounded by soldiers who had come to the rescue!

The Hand of Noxus is among them!

Swain also revealed a cruel smile.

In his mind, even if he died, at least his imperial will would live on—in Darius's heart. After they killed the traitor before them.

As long as someone can carry on this will... as long as the future of the empire can return to its former glory...

What is there to fear in death...!

Swain's pained smile gradually turned into a hearty laugh—even though it would cause him to spit out even more blood.

He felt that he ultimately held the [truth].

Until...

"Are you hoping someone outside will avenge you?" Chen Ce smiled slightly, dragging the heavily injured "Commander" toward the broken wall.

Thousands of soldiers were right beneath their feet.

He can see them, and they can see him. Including Darius, the Hand of Noxus.

"You all see that, right? Your soldiers." Chen Ce smiled, then, under Swain's terrified gaze, shouted loudly to the army at his feet:

"The traitor Swain has surrendered! Victory belongs to the rightful heir of the Empire!"

Silence fell over the crowd.

There were no cheers, but there were also no shouts for help.

Darius silently turned and left.

Swain's eyes were completely split.

Chen Ce gently helped him back to the broken chair.

"I'll spare your life, Swain... From now on, you'll work hard for me."

"A... O... N... A... person...!" Swain finally managed to utter a sentence that could be considered complete.

Chen Ce laughed even harder.

[Hero [Noxus, Noxian Grand Swain] Interaction Level Calculated!]

[Hero [Noxus, Noxian Grand Swain] Hatred +70, Current Interaction Level 52!]

[The hero [Noxus, Noxian Grand Swain] has exceeded 50 interaction points, receiving the first stage of interaction reward.]

[Reward received: [Blue Chest] *1]

[Treasure chest successfully opened, rewards received...]

[Item [The Demon of Secrets' Bargain Contract] *1!]

Chapter Fifty-Eight: Turns out she's a little devil~

Noxus has changed its landscape again.

Although Swain and his associates had been plotting for a long time, the more impossible the breach often happens the fastest.

While Katarina was carrying out her "assassination," Swain's attention was completely elsewhere, and his "Raven's Eye," which allowed him to see into every corner, temporarily became ineffective.

Katarina's delay was successful.

In that brief period, Darius, the Hand of Noxus Darius, blocked the advance routes of many armies and ordered many high-ranking imperial officials to remain inactive; LeBlanc, the Pale Lady, used her long-established magical society within the empire to quickly convey Chen Ce's wishes, and countless old nobles who thought they had chosen the right side saw their dirty secrets within half an hour.

The army failed, high-ranking officials defected, and even uninformed civilians, incited by the Assassin Guild, swayed their ignorant public opinion to one side.

Paralysis in three aspects: military, government, and civilian sectors.

Swain was powerless to reverse the situation.

Even with his exceptional talent and wisdom, he couldn't withstand the simultaneous betrayal of Darius and LeBlanc, who were of equal stature.

The Trifarix Three-Person Council only has three people, two of whom are "undercover agents"... This hand is completely unplayable.

Perhaps Swain had sensed something was wrong earlier... perhaps he had tried to remedy the situation, but ultimately it was too late.

In the face of absolute power, wit and strategy seem rather pale and powerless.

It's as if even a strategist of his wisdom needs the support of demonic power.

The Immortal Bastion that had stood for thousands of years was reduced to ruins overnight, with rubble and skeletons scattered everywhere.

And that's exactly what Mordekaiser wanted.

Sarn Uzul no longer needed the support of the human empire; he returned here simply to settle scores... This dilapidated scene suited him perfectly.

He stood atop the ruins, appreciating the beauty of destruction.

The dynasty he built with his own hands would never allow any base bloodline to taint it.

The fortress he built with his own hands could only be destroyed by his own hands.

He could not and would not take away the secret vault of the Immortal Bastion, but it was destined to never again be coveted by mortals—the treasure of the Lord of the Death Realm, which only the dead could receive.

"The descendants of the Noxii... are so weak, so ignorant..."

With the Nightfall, shimmering with a dark green light, slung over his shoulder, Mordekaiser looked down at the tens of thousands of kneeling warriors outside the Immortal Bastion. He felt a long-lost sense of joy.

"But even the ignorant have their value... The Gate of the Underworld are not yet ready to be opened wide..."

"If you kill everyone, your empire will have no reason to exist, right?" Chen Ce smiled, his relaxed demeanor making it seem as if he and this bloodthirsty tyrant were old friends who had known each other for many years.

"These few people won't be of much help to your Death Realm empire, but they'll turn your material empire into ruins... Hmm, it's not worth it."

"It depends on their level of cowardice... but I believe they will indeed be cowardly enough to retreat without a fight..." Mordekaiser slammed Nightfall to the ground again, the violent tremor causing the army below to shudder.

Such a cowardly act made this ancient emperor feel disdain and ridicule.

If we kill all these people, the other Noxus will probably flee overnight... These cowardly mortals are laughable.

They feared death.

Instead of a hug.

"Keep them... so that we may find more souls for me... their value lies here..."