At the birth of the vast universe—
A scream marked the beginning of the Void.
The Void—
Was an unknowable nothingness beyond existence.
An endless hunger.
Patient.
Waiting.
Until its masters—
The Watchers—
Gave the command.
And then—
Everything would be erased.
To mortals—
Contact with it meant glimpsing eternal illusion—
And unbearable pain.
Enough—
To shatter even the strongest will.
Within the Void—
Lived countless entities.
Primitive.
Singular in purpose—
To bring total annihilation.
And worst of all—
The Void adapted.
Evolved.
Relentlessly.
Its growth—
Terrifying.
"The earth will fade."
"The oceans will dry."
"The sky will fall…"
"They are all coming."
"The Void… is salvation!"
"Bow before it—"
"Or be consumed!"
"We are beyond time!"
"Do not defy destiny!"
"Lost lambs…"
"Embrace the Void!"
Like a fanatic—
Malzahar spread his arms wide—
His voice hoarse.
Once—
A prophet of the glorious Shurima Empire.
Now—
A preacher of destruction.
He had sought unity.
Across kingdoms.
Across gods.
All had failed.
So—
After glimpsing the darkness at the core of the Void—
He chose it.
As salvation.
He became—
The shepherd.
Guiding "lambs"—
Into annihilation.
Spreading Void creatures across the universe.
Corrupting the strong—
Turning them into something worse.
And now—
His target—
Was Ahri.
"Do not resist."
"Accept the Void."
In his palm—
A dark core formed.
Condensed Void essence.
A whisper—
Like a demon.
For the strong—
It was evolution.
For the weak—
Death.
"I… refuse…"
Ahri forced the words out—
Struggling.
The Void—
Was revolting.
Even being near it—
Made her feel sick.
"Resist… and you die."
"I… choose…"
"…to send you… to death…"
"Stubborn."
Malzahar's voice turned cold.
Enough talk.
Her body was already paralyzed—
So he would force it.
The herb he used—
Even in the Void—
Was rare.
He wouldn't waste it.
At the very least—
He would create an elite Void creature.
"Crackle—"
Suddenly—
Sparks appeared inside the wagon.
The animal hides—
Ignited.
Flames—
Spread instantly.
But to Malzahar—
It meant nothing.
"Another insect?"
"Whoosh—!"
A flaming hairpin—
Infused with fire energy—
Shot toward his head.
Malzahar raised two fingers—
And stopped it effortlessly.
With a slight squeeze—
It snapped.
Broken.
But when he turned back—
Ahri—
Was gone.
Her body—
Dissolved into sparks.
Vanishing.
"…An illusion."
"Child's play."
Malzahar released Void energy—
And blew the entire wagon apart.
The illusion—
Collapsed instantly.
Standing before him—
A new figure.
A woman—
No less beautiful than Ahri.
Black hair—
Styled in elegant Chinese fashion.
Held together—
By a fire hairpin.
Blue eyes—
Deep.
Enchanting.
Unreadable.
Flowing attire—
Infused with flame.
Delicate.
Seductive.
Yet beneath—
A passionate, unyielding heart.
She was—
Sylvia Virel.
A newly recruited hero.
A master of fire enchantment.
C-Class.
"Recovered?"
"…Yes."
Ahri nodded.
The paralysis—
Fading.
Her magic—
Returning.
"Whatever that was… it worked."
"What exactly was that?"
Sylvia Virel smirked slightly.
"A Shiny Remy Aid."
"Restores 30% stamina and energy."
"Removes all abnormal states."
"…Do you know how hard it was to get this from the Chairman?"
"…And I just used it on you."
"…Thanks."
"One 'thanks' isn't enough."
"You'll repay me properly later."
"…Fine."
The two exchanged a look—
And smiled faintly.
Both—
Possessed charm.
Both—
Walked a line between light and darkness.
Their compatibility—
Instant.
Trust—
Came naturally.
Of course—
There was another reason.
Malzahar—
Was far beyond Sylvia Virel alone.
She needed help.
"…Another Hero Alliance member?"
Malzahar's voice echoed.
Cold.
Distorted.
"Good."
"Then I'll take you both."
"Submit to the Void!"
Void energy surged—
Swallowing everything around him.
The battle—
Had truly begun.
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