Chen Xiyao's live stream exploded.
Unlike the previous scene of Yuna's death, Fidelle's body wasn't human, her blood a green liquid. Moreover, the space where she was murdered was saturated with Abyss Energy, filled with a pervasive purplish-black mist.
Mihoyo had completely dropped the pretense. The footage remained unedited, without even a pixelated blur.
Could you imagine watching your favorite character have their head lopped off right before your eyes?
Though the blood was green, the impact was no less visceral than if it had been red.
As Fidelle's severed head fell to the ground, the bewilderment and terror in her eyes were starkly visible, wrenching the hearts of every player who witnessed it.
[ No, my Fidelle! ]
[ Waaah, I can't even imagine how heartbroken Fidelle would be without her Furina! ]
[ Killed right in front of the Traveler! The Abyss remains as twisted as ever! ]
[ Aaaaaaaah! I can't watch anymore! Holy shit! ]
[ ??? ]
[ Are they really not giving us a way out? Mihoyo, you've gone too far! ]
[ So, that sword really needs to be refined seven times, huh? ]
[ Hiss, good thing it's daytime, but I still feel a chill down my neck... ]
-
Compared to the players' heart-wrenching anticipation, Lumine felt as if her heart was being slowly sliced open.
Witnessing Fidelle revive again and again, each time desperately trying to destroy the Black Orb within that space, only to be brutally slain by the indistinct Black Shades, Lumine, Aether, Mavuika, and Angie were all burning with rage.
Excluding Angie, the other three contributed a massive surge of Emotional Value to Jiang Mumu.
Lumine alone provided more Emotional Value than Aether and Mavuika combined.
"Stop it!!"
Lumine felt her chest about to burst. She clenched her teeth so hard her jaw ached, her voice sharp as a knife being sharpened. "I will kill you. I will!!"
Noticing Lumine's near-breakdown, Aether turned away from the hellish scene, walked over to her, and gently took her hand.
The warmth of his hand calmed her slightly, but the fire of rage still burned fiercely in her chest.
-
Within the spatial realm, Fidelle had already resurrected and charged into the realm for the twenty-eighth time. Her eyes were numb. Even the most resolute will would crumble after dying twenty-eight times consecutively.
Yet... though Fidelle's eyes were filled with numbness, exhaustion, and fear, an even greater resolve burned within them:
The unwavering determination to utterly destroy the Black Orb within that spatial realm!
The ground of the Black Shadow's realm was littered with Fidelle's corpses, each bearing a different death mark. But most had been cleaved in two from various angles by a single, merciless blade.
The Black Shadow's power was overwhelming. Fidelle had tried everything—frontal assaults, assassinations, diversions, hidden weapons—all to no avail.
Yet these repeated deaths weren't entirely futile. With each resurrection, Fidelle's understanding of the Pink Energy deepened, and she could wield more of it.
However, as her resurrection count increased, the Pink Energy within her body dwindled.
Fidelle calculated that at this rate, she would run out of Pink Energy in roughly forty more attempts—fifty at most.
If that happened, the barrier outside would remain unbroken, and the plan to awaken the Goddess would fail.
Then... Neuvillette and the others, everyone in Natlan, the entirety of Teyvat would perish!
And... Lady Furina and Lady Focalors, who were waiting for her back home—they too would...
Fidelle couldn't bear to dwell on it. She could only charge forward again and again, relentlessly trying to destroy the Black Orb.
-
"Stop, Fidelle! We have to find another way. There has to be another way!"
Lumine's pretty face was streaked with tears, utterly devastated by the scene. She couldn't bear to watch anymore.
Angie repeatedly tried to enter the wall, but no matter how hard she tried, it showed no sign of absorbing her.
Frustrated, Angie returned to check on Fidelle.
-
Inside the space.
Thirty-first, thirty-second, thirty-third... forty-third, forty-fourth!
By the forty-fourth attempt, Fidelle's condition had deteriorated to its absolute limit, clinging to life by sheer force of will.
Slowly, she donned her helmet and drew her battle-axe.
This motion, repeated sixty-eight times, had become second nature.
She slowly approached the chamber housing the Black Orb, the ground littered with her remains, a gruesome sight resembling Purgatory.
As soon as she entered and settled into position, a layer of pink energy enveloped her. As expected, a massive black blade pierced her chest.
But this time, the Black Shadow found it much harder to withdraw the blade.
The blade remained firmly lodged in Fidelle's chest. She swiftly gripped it with her right hand, while her left hand's battle-axe glowed with pink energy as she hurled it forward with all her might.
The pink Battle-Axe spun rapidly, hurtling toward the Black Orb. Seeing this, the Black Shadow tried to draw its sword to intercept, but the greatsword remained firmly lodged in Fidelle's chest.
Abandoning the sword, the Black Shadow lunged forward, only to be blocked by Fidelle. It could only extend its hand, summoning a massive surge of black mist to engulf the Battle-Axe. But the moment the mist touched the axe, it was instantly devoured by the pink energy.
Bang!
The Battle-Axe crashed heavily into the Black Orb.
Crack!
The Black Orb shattered instantly. Fidelle's expression relaxed, her body went limp, and she collapsed backward.
Even as she fell, her eyes remained fixed on the shattered orb until its fragments scattered across the ground. Only then did she exhale her final breath, closing her eyes in exhaustion.
The pink energy had been completely depleted. She couldn't resurrect herself again, but it was enough.
Her mission was complete. Now, it was up to the Traveler and her companions...
The Black Shadow's hand froze in mid-air, seething with rage. Seeing the orb shatter, it whirled around and stomped on Fidelle's head, crushing it instantly.
-
Crack—
Lumine, her right hand gripping the wall for support, witnessed the scene. With a single squeeze, she crushed the solid stone wall into dust.
"The door's open!"
Hearing those words, Lumine snapped out of her horrified trance and darted through the opening with lightning speed.
Aether and Mavuika swiftly followed, with Mavuika bringing Angie along.
They hadn't gone far when a dark figure suddenly materialized ahead, catching Lumine's eye. Her eyes burned with fury.
"You bastard, stop right there!!!"
Lumine charged forward, brandishing her longsword, her speed surging to a new level.
"Lumine, don't be reckless! Be careful!"
Aether and Mavuika, trailing close behind, frantically warned her, but Lumine was deaf to their pleas.