Since Mihoyo hadn't released the Honkai series in this world, the players were unaware that a certain blonde guy had once uttered these words. (Mostly because the author hadn't played the games, ehe~)
But it was undeniable that the statement was incredibly infuriating.
Chen Xiyao was so enraged she wanted to leap through the screen, drag out the creature hiding in Rola's body, and beat it to a pulp.
[Ahhh, I'm about to explode!]
[What kind of nonsense is this?!]
[Don't say such things while wearing Rola's face! Waaah, my Rola is unique and irreplaceable!]
[Damn it, it's occupying Rola's remains! The main characters can't even lay a hand on it!]
[Venti should be able to drag that thing out, right?]
[I don't think so. If he could, why would he even bother listening to its rambling?]
[Look how angry it's made Lumine!]
"Shut your mouth!" Lumine snapped, pointing the Unrelenting Will at Rola. Her voice was sharp, her eyes burning with hatred. "You dare claim to replace Rola? You're unworthy! You heartless Abyss insect! What makes you think you could ever replace Rola?!"
Rola grinned mockingly at Lumine's scathing words, her laughter dripping with sarcasm.
"Heh, heh heh... I'm not worthy? If I'm not worthy, then who is? This is my body too!"
"We were one, we were originally the same person. When our soul was stolen by the Abyss and devoured, do you know how much pain we endured? Did I choose to be tainted by the Abyss?!"
"Why was she allowed to return and be sent to the afterlife, while I was condemned to suffer in the Abyss? Why?!"
"I only wanted to use this body to escape the Abyss's control. Is that too much to ask?"
Rola's impassioned speech left everyone speechless. Even Lumine, who had been on the verge of a rampage, was momentarily silenced.
Amber lowered her head, her soft sobs audible.
Eula and Rosaria stared in shock.
They had never known about Rola's soul. All they knew was that she had been killed by the Abyss, and that some time later, with the Anemo Archon's help, she had returned to the world to bid farewell to her companions.
They never imagined such a thing had happened in between!
Rola's soul had been stolen by the Abyss, devoured, and finally rescued by Lord Barbatos...
Even strong women like Eula and Rosaria felt tears welling up in their eyes. Rola... she had suffered such torment even after her sacrifice?
Can her foolish soul endure being devoured?
Diluc's eyes were fixed on the collapsing Rola before him. His mind felt chaotic, unsure of what to do.
He should hate her, yet after hearing her words, his heart softened.
Is this really Rola?
Rola's words silenced the crowd. The barrage of comments demanding her destruction vanished.
[She's Rola's soul, consumed by the Abyss...]
[If she's truly Rola, then as she said, this is terribly unfair to her.]
[Yeah, right! Didn't Venti say Rola's emotions had returned? This thing is probably just here to disgust us!]
[Even so... I don't think I can bring myself to hurt her anymore.]
Venti knew the person before him wasn't Rola and lacked her emotions, but her words still left him speechless.
Rola continued, "Do you want me to return to the Abyss and suffer eternally? Is rotting in this underground tomb the outcome you desire?"
"Answer me, Barbatos!"
As Rola spoke, Amber, Eula, and Rosaria all turned to look at Venti.
Venti hadn't yet revealed his true identity to these three.
So he was... the Anemo Archon... Barbatos?
Venti took a deep breath, knowing he couldn't let Rola continue. Otherwise, Diluc and the others would surely be swayed.
"No amount of words can hide your grave-robbing and corpse-stealing actions. Rola's emotions are intact; the Abyss only stole her soul energy. You may indeed be part of that energy, but your current consciousness originates from the Abyss. We owe Rola a debt, but as for you, no matter how many times we kill you, you deserve it!"
Rola hadn't expected Venti to know this. Her backstory was indeed as he described. Now that her true nature had been exposed, she abandoned all pretense, though she couldn't resist a final jab.
"Is this your attitude? Heh, how ironic. If you want to kill me, then go ahead. I have no strength to resist anyway."
Venti's expression darkened, his mind racing to devise a plan to protect Rola's remains while eliminating the entity possessing her body.
As if sensing his intentions, Rola sneered, "Mondstadt's Wind God Barbatos... Heh, you think you're so clever, but... you couldn't save Rola before, and you couldn't protect her remains earlier. Now, you're even more powerless!"
Venti's eyes narrowed, his fist clenching. "What are you planning?"
Rola: "You'll find out soon enough."
Rola suddenly closed her eyes. Sensing a surge of energy in the air, Venti's face paled. He lunged forward, pressing his hand against Rola's shoulder and channeling his divine power to suppress the chaotic energy within her.
But to his horror, he discovered he couldn't contain it!
"Impossible!"
The energy within Rola's body continued to intensify. Diluc and the others also sensed the anomaly.
Diluc, realizing what was about to happen, his eyes filled with terror, lunged toward Rola. "No!"
The moment Rola's body exploded, Venti immediately conjured an Anemo shield to protect the group.
Rola's body detonated in mid-air, dissolving into a bloody mist.
"Aaaaaaaah—!"
Diluc screamed maniacally, pounding frantically on the Anemo shield with all his might.
Venti dispersed the Anemo barrier, carefully manipulating the surrounding winds to gather the blood mist. His face was frighteningly cold, and his hands trembled slightly.
Diluc sat on the ground in despair, Lumine stared at Venti collecting the blood mist, her mouth slightly agape.
Hot tears streamed down Rosaria's cheeks, Eula sat limply on the ground, and Amber wept, covering her face.
In the end, they hadn't been able to save anything...
Paimon burst into tears again.
Venti condensed the blood mist from Rola's explosion into a single sphere. Holding it, he walked slowly toward Diluc.
Diluc clutched his hair, his voice hoarse from shouting.
Venti took his hand and placed the sphere in his palm.
"Take care of Rola. She wouldn't want to see you like this."
Venti took a deep breath, and a fierce wind swept through Mondstadt. "The Abyss is now Mondstadt's sworn enemy! If encountered, they must be annihilated!"