First, take down the Sword Demon, then save Runeterra.

Xerath's arcane body plummeted from the sky. Ator grinned and put "Darkin Bow" Varus back into his scabbard; the rest was no longer his concern.

This is a destiny spanning over two thousand years, a personal feud between Azir and Xerath.

The demonic sword that Aatrox had transformed into was carried on Aatrox's back. He also knew how deep the last emperor's resentment towards Xerath was, so he didn't say anything more.

More than two thousand years ago, Aatrox was a high general of the Shurima Empire who could have profoundly influenced the regime, but he chose to remain a bystander.

Ator lacks magical attack methods and cannot harm Xerath's main body.

Even with Balkux, the chief mage of the Ascended, weakened by his own power, he is still no match for this mortal who secretly learned dark magic.

Because the corruption of the Void was already stirring, Aatrox, who had endured for five hundred years, had long reached his limit. He wanted to overthrow any emperor other than Setaka at any moment, and he couldn't wait for someone to stand up and disrupt the order of the Shurima Empire.

This made Aatrox extremely regretful.

As Xerath's magical body plummeted from the sky, Azir seized the opportunity, gathering nearby sand around himself and constantly flashing forward.

"Friend, it's been a long time! It's time to settle our scores!"

Azir's eagle-like beak curled up, and he crossed his arms in front of him, as if to mobilize all the nearby yellow sand.

Before Ato could even complain that the two had met just a few months ago, the falling Xerath's spirit eyes flashed, and he regained control of the magical energy within his body, forcibly stopping his descent.

The interference of Verus's magical arrows with himself had ended.

He regained control of the arcane energy within his body!

"Azir, it's too late!" Xerath glowed with blue light, shaking off all the sand grains that tried to approach him.

The grains of sand fell to the ground, bound by the energy of the lightning, and became difficult to control.

Azir's eyes narrowed, as if he were seeing this friend for the first time.

He is the king of Shurima, the emperor of the Shurima Empire, and every grain of sand on this continent is his loyal servant.

Xerath reminded him of Cho'Gath, the Void Queen's minion, when he fought against her. Cho'Gath devoured the grains of sand, causing Azir to lose control and even permanently lose his energy.

"Xerath, you've given me quite a few surprises!"

Azir abandoned his initial disdain and confronted the arcane energy entity, already rapidly considering whether Xerath had any dealings with the Void.

He dared not ask Mr. Ator, who knew so much about the Void, in person, because that might alert Xerath.

If Xerath really is connected to the Void, and he used his life to transmit a message before he died, the continent of Shurima will surely face disaster!

Azir gave him a subtle look, and Ator understood his meaning, starting to consider a plan to eliminate Xerath without harming him.

On the other side, Xerath, struck by Varus's magical arrow and falling to the ground, had a somewhat ferocious expression on his arcane face.

"Azir... Two thousand years have passed, and you haven't changed at all!"

As soon as he finished speaking, several hundred meters away in the desert, Xerath was enveloped in blue lightning, and a dark blue energy ball on his chest was growing larger and larger.

Azir's expression turned serious as he sensed that the energy cluster had locked onto him, and no matter how he tried to hide using the sand, he couldn't escape it.

Ator also noticed the difference in Xerath's attack this time; this arcane energy entity seemed to have begun to fight for its life!

"Old man, how is it? Is there any aura of the void?" Ato asked hurriedly.

"No. That person is just using the bedbugs as a deterrent. Bedbugs smell a million times worse than him!"

Aatrox finally realized that he was not a follower of the Void.

Having received the accurate answer, Ator had no more reservations. He raised the crimson greatsword behind him, mobilized the power of the Darkin Staff Balcus, and forcibly enchanted the Darkin Demon Sword with its enchantment abilities.

Danger aside, a mortal mage tainted by dark magic? An enchanted greatsword can always inflict some damage!

Ator no longer worries that Xerath might awaken the sleeping Void if pushed to the brink.

"Heh... Azir, so you've finally stopped showing off your kingly heart?" Xerath landed on the ground, creating a zone of lightning around himself as he spoke sarcastically.

“Friend, don’t try to sway me.” Azir’s narrow, hawk-like eyes narrowed slightly. “I was not originally entitled to the throne. But I know that you killed my father, killed all my brothers and sisters, just so that I could ascend to the throne.”

"Heh heh, hahahaha!" the energy being Xerath chuckled in a low voice. "Since you know, why don't you thank me? Don't you understand? Without me, you'd be a beggar on the street!"

"You're just a commoner prince, ostracized by the royal family and ignored by everyone!" Xerath's voice rose even higher. "It was me, it was me! If it weren't for me, killing all my royal peers, what right do you have? What right do you have to inherit the throne?!"

After listening to his close friend's impassioned words, Azir shook his head slightly: "I misjudged you."

Having said that, the Desert Emperor gently tightened his grip on his waist.

While Xerath was giving a passionate speech, Azir secretly gathered nearby grains of sand while Xerath was losing control of his emotions.

After venting his emotions, Xerath realized that he was surrounded by sand filled with magical energy!

"You...Azir!!"

Athos, who was watching the battle, did not sit idly by. He ordered the Darkin Staff Balkux to secretly accumulate power and create a magical barrier while Azir was provoking Xerath.

In order to avoid Xerath's attention, Balkux did not directly take out the Darkin Staff, but instead, under the cover of the sword sheath, he attempted to cast a spell.

If given time, the Empire's chief mage, Balkux, could create a barrier that would take even the Protoss of Mount Targon half a minute to break free from!

Xerath, trapped within the barrier, wore a look of despair on his magically formed features.

“Friend, you can’t escape now,” Azir said without batting an eye.

Having received Ator's guidance, the Desert Emperor no longer had any worries and regained control over the sand.

He hadn't dared to communicate with the sand grains entangled in the electric arcs because he was worried that Xerath might have truly gone mad, secretly receiving help from the Void, and thus prematurely detonating the Void's hidden dangers.

Within the magical barrier, countless grains of sand, brimming with magical energy, slashed across the body of the arcane energy being like deadly ghosts.

Sandstorm!

Xerath blinked frantically, trying to deflect the damage while attempting to break through the magical barrier.

"That... damn... ascended mage..."

Xerath's voice grew weaker and weaker, his eyes filled with resentment.

He knew he had fallen into Azir's trap and his time was up.

Aatrox alone certainly couldn't do anything to him, but Azir the Ascended, plus Balkux, the Imperial Chief Mage, could easily kick a true demigod.