Within the valley.
The Uncrowned Lord, Tartaglia, hovered mid-air.
The crimson red capes behind his shoulders fluttered and snapped loudly in the wind.
The Uncrowned Lord's form was slender, with faint golden patterns on his skin. The lines of his body exuded a mysterious sense of power; merely standing there delivered an immense visual impact.
The aura of a king radiating from him was enough to inspire awe!
Despite being only slightly taller than an ordinary person, the pressure he exerted was even greater than the towering Shouki no Kami!
"You—"
Shouki no Kami began to speak.
But just as the word left his mouth, the Uncrowned Lord shifted slightly.
His figure instantly blurred into an afterimage in the air.
Moving at extreme speed, imperceptible to the naked eye, even Shouki no Kami couldn't react in time!
In the next instant, the Uncrowned Lord was already pressed against Shouki no Kami's chest.
The tip of his left foot pressed against the air, where swirling dark purple power of annihilation formed a supporting point.
His right leg was already raised, slender yet transforming into a steel whip as it lashed out toward Shouki no Kami's chest.
The extreme speed caused the space around his leg to visually distort.
Before the sonic boom from surpassing the speed of sound could even occur, the sheer physical force of the Uncrowned Lord's kick had already landed heavily on Shouki no Kami's chest.
Pure physical strength, devoid of any elemental energy, erupted violently!
Before Shouki no Kami's body could even register the impact, the specialized metal composing its chest had already caved in from the tremendous blow!
Boom!
Shouki no Kami crashed into the mountainside.
At the point of impact on its chest, the power of the two Gnoses surged chaotically.
Like sparks from short-circuited machinery.
Scaramouche was not faring well.
His consciousness linked to Shouki no Kami's body meant he felt everything it did!
The impact from the Uncrowned Lord's blow made Scaramouche feel as if his own chest was about to explode!
As a puppet, he wasn't supposed to feel physical pain.
But now, the spiritual agony made Scaramouche roar in fury.
How could Tartaglia be so powerful?!
Scaramouche couldn't believe it.
He wasn't unaware of the card shop. Of course, he knew the cards could grant people incredible abilities, allowing even ordinary individuals to easily possess power comparable to that of a Fatui Harbinger.
But—
Knowing was one thing; Scaramouche refused to accept that Tartaglia had become stronger than he, a "god," was now!
He was a god now!
An omnipotent god couldn't be so easily defeated!
After finally obtaining the Gnoses, Scaramouche refused to fail like this!
Why had Raiden Ei abandoned him back then?
Because he couldn't bear the weight of a Gnosis!
But now, he had done it. He would prove to Beelzebul that he could bear a Gnosis!
Her decision to discard him was a absolute mistake!
Scaramouche couldn't tolerate anyone looking down on him, not even his own creator!
He hadn't yet stood before Beelzebul to prove her wrong. He absolutely could not fail here, in this insignificant place!
Shouki no Kami slowly rose from within the valley.
Constructed from specialized steel, it was indeed formidable. Aside from the damage inflicted by the Uncrowned Lord, it remained unscathed even after crashing into the mountain.
"Eleventh Harbinger, you have angered me!" Shouki no Kami's voice boomed.
The power of the Geo Gnosis within its chest surged with immense force.
Golden energy flowed out like water from its joints, spreading across its body like a faint yellow film.
The Uncrowned Lord stood mid-air not far away.
Hearing the fury in Scaramouche's voice, the Uncrowned Lord, in a stance resembling a boxer rubbing his knuckles, casually flexed his fingers.
"It seems you still cannot grasp the disparity in our strength."
"I find myself curious. What gives you the confidence to face this reality?" The Uncrowned Lord gazed down at Shouki no Kami from above.
Scaramouche couldn't tolerate such a look.
"How dare you look down upon a god!"
The power of the two Gnoses was being frantically drained.
Shouki no Kami clenched its hands, gathering endless energy into a massive elemental sphere before its chest.
Even confident in his ability to evade the attack, the Uncrowned Lord wasn't foolish enough to wait for it to charge.
The Uncrowned Lord took a step forward, his figure blurring into another afterimage.
Unable to lock onto his movements, Shouki no Kami could only warily observe its surroundings.
"Poor eyesight. I'm over here!" the Uncrowned Lord called out.
He appeared at Shouki no Kami's right rear shoulder.
Raising his right hand, he extended two fingers and tapped the surface of Shouki no Kami's body.
Then, curling his fingers into a fist, he struck!
Extreme speed generated fierce winds around his fist.
The winds tore through the air, creating a vacuum and producing sharp, whistling sounds.
The punch landed.
The faint yellow divine energy covering Shouki no Kami's body shattered.
"Argh—"
Shouki no Kami's rear shoulder was pierced.
The intricate gears hidden beneath the shoulder were shattered by the transmitted force.
The pain of shattered bones, of fragments stabbing into flesh, seared through Scaramouche's mind.
The intense agony forced Shouki no Kami to one knee, its left hand instinctively clutching the 'wound' on its right shoulder.
The Uncrowned Lord did not stop.
His figure flashed, closing in on Shouki no Kami's lower back, and he struck again! Boom!
The Uncrowned Lord concentrated his power into a single point.
The faint yellow divine energy at Shouki no Kami's lower back was still no match for his fist.
Unmatched pure force struck the divine body.
The punch's impact exploded within Shouki no Kami's abdomen!
Its waist was pierced through by the Uncrowned Lord's fist!
"Damn you!"
"You dare humiliate a god! Aaaaah—!"
Shouki no Kami spun around violently, swinging its right arm—still clutching the energy sphere—down at the Uncrowned Lord.
The Uncrowned Lord casually took two steps, his figure flickering as he effortlessly dodged the blow.
The energy sphere flew into the mountain ridge of the Chasm behind them. Upon impact, the highly concentrated energy erupted, instantly leveling the ridge!
The Uncrowned Lord stood mid-air, his cape billowing.
He delivered his evaluation mercilessly: "The power of two Gnoses is indeed formidable, but your application lacks any semblance of skill. You have brought me no surprises whatsoever!"
"It seems the so-called Shouki no Kami is merely this."
"Disappointing!"
The Uncrowned Lord spoke with growing impatience: "I'm beginning to find this tedious."
He raised his hands and clenched them suddenly.
The void trembled!
Deep purple annihilating energy surged, dyeing the entire sky violet in an instant.
A power不属于 to this world rapidly demonstrated its might.
Tendrils of purple, like flames, burned through space, scorching holes into深邃 voids.
"I am the one who should surpass everything!!!"
Both divine powers converged frantically as Shouki no Kami reached out with a massive hand to grab the Uncrowned Lord!
The Uncrowned Lord sidestepped effortlessly.
He raised a hand to his forehead.
"Pitiful, and unaware of it…"
The Uncrowned Lord lightly raised his right leg, annihilating energy coalescing around it.
His entire leg seemed to transform into a sharp blade descending downward, striking Shouki no Kami squarely in the face!
BOOM!
The terrifying force slammed Shouki no Kami's head sideways.
The immense power didn't pierce through its face directly but instead hurled its entire body down into the valley.
The force of the impact shook the ground, creating strong tremors even for those watching from the distant sky.
Within the valley, dirt flew and fierce winds howled!
The spectators on Xiangzui Slope watched in stunned silence.
Scaramouche's mech was stronger than its in-story counterpart!
In the storyline, according to Nahida, Scaramouche's mech was already at the level of a god!
A god's body with a human's will.
But here, in reality, because the future had been revealed through the storyline, Dottore enhanced the god-making plan.
He used higher-grade specialized metals for Scaramouche's mech!
This Shouki no Kami was even more powerful than its original version!
To say it possessed combat power on par with an Archon was no exaggeration!
And yet, Tartaglia had only used the [Uncrowned Lord] card!
He effortlessly beat the archon-level Shouki no Kami into its current state.
From start to finish, Shouki no Kami hadn't laid a finger on the Uncrowned Lord!
"Gulp."
Paimon swallowed hard and muttered, "Tartaglia is terrifying… I feel like even if his equipment isn't fully upgraded, and he only uses the Uncrowned Lord, I still wouldn't be his match…"
"A born warrior," Lumine said with a grave nod. "The Uncrowned Lord suits him perfectly. It's a good thing the version of Tartaglia we faced in the storyline wasn't this one, otherwise…"
Lumine whispered, "Two punches from him, and I'd be on my knees begging for mercy."
Neither Paimon nor the live-stream viewers felt like joking. They all silently agreed.
"Is this the world of the strong?" Kaeya marvelled. "Eye-opening."
"Indeed," Tighnari nodded emphatically. "So humans can truly become this powerful… I couldn't follow Mr. Tartaglia's movements at all."
Cyno offered a wry smile and shook his head. "I couldn't see clearly either. My vision blurred for just a moment, and his attacks had already landed. If we were opponents… in that moment my eyes blurred, only my corpse would remain."
Among those present, only Diluc remained completely calm!
Looking down at the valley from high above.
The valley's terrain hadn't changed much.
Because the Uncrowned Lord was too powerful, beating Shouki no Kami into utter submission!
Without massive collisions of power creating shockwaves, the surrounding environment remained largely intact!
This was a complete crush!
…
The Uncrowned Lord walked over and stopped before Shouki no Kami's face.
He leaned forward slightly.
Powerful annihilating energy manifested in his palm as he punched Shouki no Kami in the face.
The annihilating energy devoured the surrounding specialized metal.
The Uncrowned Lord reached inside.
He accurately seized Scaramouche by the neck and physically dragged him out from within Shouki no Kami's head!
Holding the severely injured, unconscious Scaramouche, the Uncrowned Lord flung him aside.
Scaramouche crashed heavily into a large boulder that had rolled down the mountain nearby.
"Cough…"
The intense impact gradually roused Scaramouche from unconsciousness.
His blurry vision slowly cleared.
Seeing the Uncrowned Lord walking steadily toward him, Scaramouche's pupils constricted.
The terrifying pressure emanating from the Uncrowned Lord made Scaramouche feel as if needles were pricking his back.
His expression gradually twisted into something狰狞.
He refused to accept that his newly achieved godhood could be so thoroughly crushed!
"Tartaglia!!!"
Scaramouche roared, charging toward the Uncrowned Lord like a cannonball.
"Charging at me?"
"Bold, but that's all."
The Uncrowned Lord shook his head slightly, then settled into a stance.
Just as Scaramouche was about to reach him, the Uncrowned Lord stepped forward and threw a punch brimming with the power of annihilation!
Deep purple annihilating energy illuminated Scaramouche's face.
His pupils shrank to pinpricks.
The skin on his outstretched hand cracked and shattered under the annihilating force.
"Gyaaaaah—"
His scream was swallowed by the annihilating energy.
The Uncrowned Lord slowly retracted his fist.
Before him, the ground was plowed into a terrifying trench.
On the seemingly scorched soil, a few small,精密零件, fortunate enough not to be completely obliterated, lay scattered sparsely.
"Hmph."
The Uncrowned Lord scoffed lightly.
Annihilating energy suddenly ignited on the scattered parts.
The last traces of their existence in this world were彻底 burned away.
"A dull fight."
The Uncrowned Lord's disappointed murmur echoed through the valley.
"Holy smokes! A punch that utterly destroys the evidence!" Paimon exclaimed, wide-eyed. "He punched Scaramouche into零件!"
"Not entirely accurate."
Kaeya shook his head slightly, correcting seriously, "Some parts were likely buried deeper, so they weren't immediately consumed by the annihilating force. They escaped the first wave, only to be caught by the second!"
"Whew—"
Collei, standing nearby, patted her chest to calm herself. "Is it finally over? You have no idea… Every punch from Mr. Tartaglia felt like it landed on my own heart. Each shockwave made me shudder; it felt like I was the one about to fall apart!"
"The power vibrates through the air, transmitting that sensation to your body. That's why you feel it that way," Diluc explained, his arms crossed.
"Ah… but this is just ridiculously strong!" Collei marvelled.
"He's coming back! Mr. Tartaglia is coming back!"
Charlotte, who had arrived just as the fight began, held her camera, her pretty face full of excitement. She waved toward Tartaglia and shouted, "Over here, Mr. Tartaglia!"
"Haha! Miss Charlotte!"
The solemn expression Tartaglia had been preparing to maintain instantly broke. He chuckled and ran over. "An interview, right?"
"Yes, yes!"
Charlotte quickly snapped a few photos of him, then said, "Mr. Tartaglia, that battle was truly awe-inspiring!"
"Haha, really?"
Tartaglia scratched his head, then waved a hand dismissively. "This is nothing! That fight Mr. Lu had the other day was the real eye-opener!"
The more power he gained, the more Tartaglia felt his own insignificance.
Remembering Lu Heng's form that day—eyes like sun and moon, capable of crushing Teyvat with one hand—Tartaglia now spoke with utmost humility: "I was just fortunate, lucky enough to meet Mr. Lu Heng early on, and then draw some useful cards from him… Thank you, Mr. Lu Heng, for giving me this chance to become so strong. If not for him, I'd probably have many more years of struggle ahead before reaching this level!"
"He's being modest," Paimon remarked.
Lumine nodded thoughtfully. "Starting to fit the profile of a true powerhouse. The strong are often very humble."
"Like Zhongli saying he's just an ordinary mortal?" Paimon asked.
"That doesn't count. He's just plain putting on an act," Lumine shook her head.
'Whoa! I just snapped out of it! The Tartaglia in the storyline seemed pretty average. How is he this ridiculously strong in real life?!'
'You're right, storyline Tartaglia was indeed mediocre. Our anytime, anywhere, pass-out-on-her-feet Lumine could beat him. But that was then, this is now. Tartaglia with cards is just this absurd!'
'Tartaglia's power shift tells us one thing: Visions and Delusions are weak! The card system is the true authority! Embrace the cards, everyone! I am now a powerhouse with a second-tier card! (Doge salutes)'
'A second-tier card powerhouse, huh? What about my third-tier card?! (Doge)'
'Alright, starting today, I'm just getting the bare minimum lamp subscription in the stream. The Mora I save is going straight into gacha!!!'
'No way, this fight got me so pumped up. I'm heading to the great and generous Mr. Lu's shop to spend right now!'
'Please open a card shop in Sumeru soon! I'm begging you!'
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T/N:
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