Diluc's eyes burned with boundless hatred, his clenched jaw and snarling expression sending chills down the spine.
The Fire Bird relentlessly pushed Malice backward, until she crashed against an obstacle and stopped.
Malice rose to her feet. The attack had indeed inflicted some damage...
But only a little.
Diluc charged forward, brandishing his flaming Claymore. He abandoned all defense, his wild, sweeping strikes trading blow for blow, injury for injury.
Malice drew her own greatsword, adopting a purely defensive stance.
Partly to avoid harming Diluc, and partly because he seemed to have undergone a sudden surge in power, far surpassing his previous strength.
"Your sister... to offer herself completely to the Abyss... that was her... fortune!"
"Shut up!!!"
Hatred churned in Diluc's chest. He knew his current state was dangerously irrational, but he couldn't force himself to calm down.
Witnessing his sister's death, denied her peace, and now this desecration of her soul—it was a torment far worse than death itself.
Yet even in his rage, Diluc retained a sliver of rationality.
Hidden within the chaos of battle, his gaze remained fixed on the purple-black Jade Ring at Malice's waist.
He had seen it draw Rola from within it—Rola's soul was trapped inside!
Seizing a fleeting opportunity between clashes, Diluc lunged for the Jade Ring.
Malice had long sensed Diluc's furtive glances but had simply feigned ignorance.
When Diluc seized her wrist, Malice countered by gripping his wrist in return.
The moment her fingers closed around Diluc's wrist, a familiar energy surged through her.
A Delusion?!
No wonder he's suddenly so strong...
Angie also possessed a Delusion, so Malice was well-acquainted with its aura.
Diluc's Claymore, raised high in his right hand, was effortlessly pinned down by Malice's long blade.
"Come... serve... the Abyss!"
Endless Abyss Power surged toward Diluc, who struggled desperately but couldn't break free.
Just as the Abyss Power began to permeate Diluc's body, a green spear pierced through the air toward Malice's back.
She swiftly dodged, releasing Diluc.
She hadn't truly intended to make Diluc serve the Abyss; she merely sought to exploit this opportunity to mitigate the Delusion's side effects, though she made it appear otherwise.
Xiao arrived and immediately attacked Malice without a word. Malice instantly vanished into thin air.
I can't beat him.
"Vanished?!"
Xiao stared in disbelief. How is that possible?
He had been entrusted by the Anemo Archon with a quest to watch over this creature. Ironically, his Karmic Debt had flared up just then, nearly causing him to miss the mission.
Diluc, having created some distance, clenched the Jade Ring in his hand, a fleeting moment of joy flickering across his face.
But...
Malice reappeared beside him, reaching out to snatch the Jade Ring.
Diluc gripped it tightly, refusing to release his hold even as the sudden tug nearly knocked him off his feet. He crashed heavily to the ground, yet his grip remained firm.
Malice couldn't wrest it away!
How could I let it take it back? This ring is everything I have left. Even if my life depended on it, I wouldn't let go.
Malice vanished again just as Xiao lunged forward.
Still too late, Xiao rushed to Diluc's side, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily.
"What is this thing?"
Diluc, equally alert, shielded the Jade Ring with his body.
"A fiendish creation of the Abyss. Extremely treacherous. Be careful!"
Diluc had long heard tales of Liyue's Conqueror of Demons.
Xiao nodded, acknowledging his earlier lapse in focus. Now, the moment that fiend reappeared, he'd skewer it without hesitation.
Knowing this, Malice fled immediately.
Who knows if this commotion has drawn out those two fools? If I don't escape now, my disguise will be ruined...
As for that soul fragment... she'd only brought it out to return it to him anyway.
As for the reason...
Having followed Diluc for so long, Jiang Mumu couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He lived in constant torment, even waking up from nightmares in his sleep.
After all, he's the brother who doted on me for seventeen years. I can't bear to see him suffer like this.
Yet she had to act this way for the sake of her Emotional Feedback. Now, it was time to offer Diluc some mental solace.
Otherwise, she'd have to keep checking on him, fearing he might push himself too far.
Rola's soul was originally a fragment of Jiang Mumu's consciousness. With Rola's role concluded, it would naturally return to Jiang Mumu.
Now was the time to return, though she would be back in a few days.
But at least, it could lift someone's spirits a little.
-
Liyue, Wanmin Restaurant.
Zhongli was about to begin his meal, the table before him laden with delicacies.
Just then, a green-clad bard entered, wordlessly taking a seat opposite Zhongli.
"Mr. Zhongli, all alone? Shall I keep you company?"
"Oh? I didn't expect to see you here. Shenhe, my dear, please bring another set of tableware."
Shenhe, busy with her tasks, nodded slightly and went to fetch bowls and chopsticks.
Zhongli noticed the worry etched on Venti's face, realizing he had come specifically to see him.
"Then I'll thank you in advance, Old Man," Venti said.
He produced a bottle of wine, but just as he was about to open it, he remembered it was the last bottle Rola had given him. Silently, he put it away.
Zhongli watched Venti's movements, taking a quiet sip of tea and waiting for him to speak.
"You must have heard about what happened in Mondstadt, right?" Venti began.
Zhongli nodded slightly.
Venti continued:
"Using some unknown method, the Abyss resurrected Durin, the Dragon that once fell. The resurrected Durin has no consciousness or thought, only the instinct to fight."
"While I was battling the Fell Dragon, the Abyss seized the opportunity to summon monsters to attack Mondstadt, even deploying ancient mechanical constructs..."
"The mastermind behind all this is a creature from the Abyss with an exceptionally rare ability. It's not particularly strong, but its concealment skills are unparalleled. Even I can't find it when it's hidden."
"After tracking it here, I've discovered it's likely come to Liyue."
Zhongli set down his teacup and looked Venti squarely in the eyes.
"What exactly did it do to make you so angry?"
"It killed a promising protégé—I'd even call her a friend—and stole her soul."
"Stole her soul?" Zhongli's expression darkened.
In Liyue, burial customs emphasize peace for the deceased. After death, souls are meant to journey to their proper place. Defiling the souls of the dead is an unforgivable offense in Liyue.
Shenhe brought over bowls and chopsticks, prompting Zhongli and Venti to pause their conversation.
Once Shenhe had left, Venti silently erected a barrier.
"That creature is strange, but it shouldn't cause too much trouble in Liyue. I just hope you will hand it over to me if you capture it. If not, killing it outright would be fine too."
Zhongli nodded silently.
Any being capable of provoking Barbatos's killer instinct is dangerous. Such a threat to Liyue should be dealt with swiftly if found.
Though Zhongli had retired from his position as the Geo Archon, he wouldn't hesitate to eliminate a potential threat to Liyue.