Chapter 137.
Azar stepped forward. First words: admission of guilt.
Everyone present—stunned.
This was probably the first time Great Sage Azar had publicly admitted his crimes.
Rare occurrence.
One must know: even when Akademiya Scholars were wrong, they would stubbornly insist.
Is this a mistake?!
This is merely a failed research, plan, or experiment!
How can it be called a mistake?!
This was why the Akademiya Scholars had such a bad reputation. Most Scholars carried an inexplicable arrogance.
Not much different from others.
Just knowing a few more things.
But they wouldn't admit it when they made mistakes.
They would also spout a lot of incomprehensible words to defend themselves.
But now—the Great Sage. No, the former Great Sage. Actually admitted his guilt?
"Azar! Are you admitting your guilt?!"
"Are you admitting that the God Creation Project was a massacre plan?"
"Were you forced to say that, Great Sage? Did they force you to say that?"
"What aspect of 'guilty' are you referring to?! Is it colluding with the Fatui! Or imprisoning Lesser Lord Kusanali? Or treating everyone in Sumeru City as experimental subjects?"
The people below couldn't sit still. Quickly started asking questions. This was truly big news!!!
Former Akademiya Great Sage Azar admitting his guilt! Almost an implicit acknowledgment that everything the Akademiya had done previously was wrong.
Even if later generations wanted to clear Azar's name, they wouldn't be able to. He himself had admitted guilt.
Are you still going to explain for him? What more can you explain for him?
Therefore, from this moment on, Azar was completely nailed to the pillar of shame in Sumeru's history. No one could ever wash it clean.
Even more shocking were those who knew Azar's character. They knew how arrogant he was. How could such a person admit guilt!?
But the other Sages. Or the Scholars who heard Futsu Mitama speak. They clearly understood why Azar admitted his guilt.
Everything was for a better Sumeru tomorrow.
Azar ignored the voices from below. Spoke to himself.
"I, Azar, admit to all the following crimes."
"Colluding with the Fatui, acquiring the Gnosis from Inazuma, imprisoning Lesser Lord Kusanali, unilaterally initiating the God Creation Project, and imprisoning two other Sages."
"Furthermore, using the Akasha Terminal to harvest the mental energy of the people of Sumeru City, attempting to persecute Futsu Mitama and his group, and spending a large amount of Akademiya's manpower and resources to try and create a proclaimed Archon—"
Azar slowly recounted all the major events that had recently occurred.
He admitted everything.
That these things were all done by him.
Here, Azar had his own little scheme. He took all the blame upon himself. Implicitly reducing the crimes of the people behind him significantly.
For example, the God Creation Project and cooperation with the Fatui. And the creation of shouki no kami with the wisdom of the Six Schools.
These matters aren't solely decided by Azar alone.
And trying to conceal a God Creation Project of such a massive scale—did he truly think Azar's hands could reach the heavens? That he could control the entire Akademiya by himself?
Even Kujou Takayuki and the Kanjou Commission, when cooperating with the Fatui, couldn't achieve this. Let alone Azar who could only represent his own faction.
Without the help of Scholars and Sages from other factions, Azar definitely wouldn't have succeeded. His position as Great Sage would likely have been jointly impeached by them.
Those who were unaware felt that Azar was truly detestable!
He deserved death!
For a time, public sentiment was furious. Many shouting for Azar's death.
Facing this situation, Azar showed no surprise. Closed his eyes.
"I have failed Lord Rukkhadevata, I have failed Lesser Lord Kusanali, and even more so, I have failed the Scholars of the Akademiya."
"You have been implicated by me. If not for me, you probably wouldn't have fallen to such a state, but it's all too late now."
"Only on my deathbed do I realize that the reason the Akademiya's wisdom hasn't progressed in five hundred years isn't due to the divine, but due to ourselves."
"We were too arrogant, and too reliant on everything left behind from the past."
"Everyone, remember not to become a sinner like me."
After speaking, Azar continued to keep his eyes closed. Remained silent. Ready to face death.
Afterward, Cyno had the other Sages speak. What they said was largely similar to Azar's.
General meaning: they too were sinners. Their hands stained with blood. Defiling the reputation of Maha Rukkhadevata and the Akademiya.
If not for Lesser Lord Kusanali and Futsu Mitama intervening in time, the sins they committed would likely have been even greater.
As for the majority of the other people—they kept begging for mercy. Stating that while they were guilty, their crimes weren't punishable by death!!!!!
They cried out against injustice. Even cursing Futsu Mitama and Lesser Lord Kusanali. Not sparing Azar and the other Sages.
But soon their mouths were gagged. Since their mouths were unclean, someone should provide them with a little help.
There were even prisoners who forcibly broke free from the suppression of the Thirty and the Matra. Intending to directly rush into the crowd.
Of course, facing such people, Cyno mercilessly knocked them unconscious with a single blow.
Soon, everyone's last words were finished. The execution was about to begin.
The midday sun was scorching. Many onlookers didn't know what kind of death penalty Azar and the others were about to face.
Would the Matra and the Thirty kill them? Or would they be given poison to drink?
In any case, there were too many possibilities. The onlookers weren't sure which method of death it would be. But this didn't prevent them from discussing it.
Because if they were to die one by one in a line, the fear in the hearts of these nearly a hundred people would surely erupt in an instant.
If they resisted and struggled together, then if the Matra and the members of the Thirty didn't react quickly enough, there would likely be chaos.
"Time's up."
Cyno spoke.
"Please, Lesser Lord Kusanali!"
The other Matra and members of the Thirty said in unison,
"Please, Lesser Lord Kusanali!!!"
As these words were spoken, a verdant green figure appeared in mid-air. She looked like a child. But the aura emanating from her—
It made the vast majority of people present tremble uncontrollably.
This was the pressure of an Archon.
Ordinary people simply couldn't withstand.
Only the strong could resist this aura. But there were only a few strong individuals present.
So when Nahida's phantom appeared, everyone's hearts were filled only with respect and awe.
This was the imprisoned Archon!
Lesser Lord Kusanali!!!
Her aura was so terrifying. So powerful! Could she truly have been imprisoned by the Akademiya?
At this moment, a thought flashed through most people's minds, "that the Archons loved humanity and couldn't bear to harm their own people."
So she would rather be imprisoned herself than break the current peace of Sumeru.
If not for the Akademiya's obstinate push of the God Creation Project, Lesser Lord Kusanali probably wouldn't have appeared before the world until now.
Facing the powerful Archon, the people of Sumeru first felt awe.
After awe came fanaticism.
Because such a powerful being was the Archon who protected their nation!!!
She still loved her people. Otherwise she wouldn't have sentenced Azar and the others to death.
It was because they secretly experimented on the people of Sumeru City and killed so many people.
Even the benevolent Lesser Lord Kusanali surely could not tolerate such a situation.
Humans are complex. When they see a true Archon appear before them and perform miracles, everyone will worship fanatically.
Not to mention, this was Sumeru itself. Although few people knew about Lesser Lord Kusanali, it had been the main topic of Sumeru in recent days.
Through the spread of both intentional and unintentional individuals, what Lesser Lord Kusanali, or Nahida, had done secretly during her imprisonment was now also being spread.
For example; guiding others towards good. Using her power to protect the people of the Desert. Saving eleazar patients. Providing guidance to the lost and so on
Therefore, Nahida was also regarded by the public as a benevolent being.
But kindness doesn't feed you. Being overly kind can make people feel you're easy to bully. But under this premise, if you show your strength, the situation changes.
This was also the outcome Maha Rukkhadevata had envisioned.
In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures were used to quickly establish Lesser Lord Kusanali as the new God of Wisdom.
In an instant, the power of faith Lesser Lord Kusanali gained increased severalfold.
This made Nahida realize another truth, that true feelings never last.
Only schemes win people's hearts!
For five hundred years, she had painstakingly helped others. Although she didn't seek returns, the power of faith she gained was almost non-existent.
Even if there were a few fervent believers, the power of faith depends on the number of people. Not on anything else.
Barbatos nominally said he no longer managed Mondstadt. But as long as he didn't announce who the next Anemo Archon would be.
Then in Mondstadt, there would be those who believed in him. Continuously providing him with the power of faith.
Among the seven nations of Teyvat today, perhaps apart from Raiden Ei actively sharing her power of faith with Futsu Mitama, other Archons could enjoy unimaginable power of faith.
Hmm, Nahida was not among them.
Because within five hundred years, those who knew of her existence generally harbored fear and apprehension towards her.
Coupled with the Akademiya not promoting Lesser Lord Kusanali. But rather extensively promoting Maha Rukkhadevata.
So that was the power of faith Maha Rukkhadevata received. And it had no relation to her, Lesser Lord Kusanali.
And Maha Rukkhadevata had long since died. So this power of faith also dissipated with the wind. For Sumeru as a whole, this could be said to be a considerable loss.
Because a powerful Archon is equivalent to a powerful nation.
Now, Nahida used her power to appear at the execution ground. She watched Azar and the others below from mid-air. Said calmly:
"Don't worry. Death is not the end. Compared to those who passed away in illness, and those whose mental energy was harvested by you. Your death can be said to be quite easy."
Nahida wasn't lying. She wouldn't torment Azar and the others. Death would only be an instant.
The saying 'all below Archons are ants' is not a joke. If Nahida wished, she could end the suffering of Azar and the others in an instant.
Futsu Mitama could also do it. But that scene would probably be quite spectacular.
"Yes."
Azar nodded. Not refuting.
"The deceased will not feel pain, and the living will clean up our mess."
Another Sage sighed.
If possible, he wanted to atone for his sins. After cleaning up their mess, then face death peacefully.
But this was impossible. The intelligent Sages already knew that if they didn't die, then their 'students' would probably come to their deaths endlessly.
Having once tried to create an Archon, they naturally knew how powerful shouki no kami was.
To put it bluntly, shouki no kami was the Akademiya's highest crystallization of wisdom and combat power.
Such a powerful shouki no kami was defeated by Futsu Mitama. What could their 'students' do?
They would only die in vain.
Coupled with Futsu Mitama's previous words, the Sages also knew that they had long been devoured by the desire named 'wisdom'.
What they pursued was not 'wisdom' but truly the abyss.
A path deep enough to drag all of Sumeru into an unfathomable abyss.
Now, death was the best outcome for them. And for Sumeru, it was the beginning of a brand new chapter.
"..."
Nahida looked at the Sages below.
She felt a little reluctant.
At this moment, she suddenly understood Venti's approach.
No matter what sins they committed, they were still her people. As an Archon, she had to personally bring down divine punishment upon them.
This feeling was very complex. But Nahida had to do it. Because it was something she absolutely had to do.
"Alas." Nahida sighed with some complexity. "Then... let you all go together."
As soon as she finished speaking, Nahida waved her hand slightly. Countless emerald green light particles fell like rain. Merging into the bodies of Azar and the others.
Immediately, the Matra and the members of the Thirty felt that the people they were holding seemed to have fallen asleep. Collapsing directly onto the ground.
This left the Matra and the members of the Thirty somewhat bewildered for a moment.
They looked at Azar and the others who had fallen asleep.
Somewhat at a loss.
Is it over? So fast?! Is the execution process so quick?!
Or is this the power of an Archon?!
The surrounding people exclaimed. Obviously startled by this display. But at the same time, they felt relieved.
Because an Archon who could so easily kill so many people was their protector. As long as they didn't commit major crimes like Azar and the others, nothing would ever happen to them.
"Are they dead?"
Cyno came to Futsu Mitama's side. He could feel that Azar and the others weren't dead yet. They had only 'fallen asleep'.
"Not yet, but soon."
Futsu Mitama replied to Cyno.
He could clearly feel that Azar and the others' vitality was slowly disappearing. Meaning they were about to die.
It was just that they would die in their sleep.
Without any pain.