"You bastard! Get out!"
The furious roar burst from the young man's lips, but a split second later, his expression shifted to smug satisfaction.
"Heh, just as I suspected. That's your weakness."
"Repeated consciousness transfers have left your mental fortitude utterly fragile."
"You won't escape this time, No. 6!"
"Are you ready to face true death?!"
The young man became a living paradox - facial expressions shifting like quicksilver while his limbs moved in contradictory, self-destructive patterns.
"W-what are you doing?!"
"Damn you! How dare you presume to corrupt my consciousness?!"
"You're courting your own demise!"
"When did you ever think I had any interest in corrupting your consciousness?"
"I've been telling you all along: prepare to face true death, No. 6!"
"In your final moments, writhe and struggle as much as you like—just as you did to others!"
"Wait, could it be that you're...?"
The young man cut himself off mid-sentence, then urgently addressed Neuvillette.
"Monsieur Neuvillette, please use your abilities to restrain this body here."
"While I'd prefer you acted now as a precaution, that would be asking too much of you."
"Just leave it like this. Confine this body here and let the explosion's energy finish him off."
"I guarantee, there will never be another No. 6 in this world again!"
"What about you?" Neuvillette asked.
"We can discuss that later."
"There's no time, Monsieur Neuvillette. Hurry and warn them about the impending explosion here!"
"They're waiting for you to rescue them!"
Neuvillette nodded, then used his Hydro Elemental Power to seal the young man's body and restrict his movements.
But just as Neuvillette was about to leave, a distant wall was suddenly blasted open.
"Hmph, the Fatui aren't so helpless as to need rescuing from you."
Crisp footsteps grew louder as Arlecchino, "The Knave," slowly emerged from the breached wall.
The trio froze at the sight of Arlecchino, then immediately checked the surveillance footage. They discovered that Lyney and Lynette had already reunited, and a similar hole had been blasted open near them. Other cameras showed similar breaches in the walls throughout the facility.
"Though this place is ingeniously constructed, it couldn't confine us for long."
As Arlecchino approached Lofan and the others, she spoke.
"What initially puzzled me was why our opponents had merely trapped us without making any further moves. After all, that's simply not their style."
"But now I understand."
Arlecchino stopped a short distance from the group, glanced at the young man, then at the body lying on the ground with a gaping hole in its chest, and said with amusement, "What's happening here now? Care to explain?"
At that moment, the young man's expression twisted into manic frenzy once more.
"Interesting! This place is really bustling!"
"Even if I die now, at least I won't be lonely on the way out."
"Since you want me dead, you'll all come with me!"
As the young man's words rang out, a massive door on one side suddenly swung open, and a horde of Masked Men surged out, weapons drawn and charging without a word.
Simultaneously, Clockwork Mekas interspersed among them unleashed a barrage of bullets toward the group.
Then, another door on the opposite side burst open, unleashing a horde of grotesquely modified creatures, their bodies twisted by unnatural enhancements. These beings could even wield Elemental Power.
Finally, a platform in the distance abruptly sank, revealing a figure whose appearance left the group utterly stunned.
The figure was an exact replica of Neuvillette!
The only difference was the sinister black aura that enveloped this other "Neuvillette."
The "Neuvillette" slowly opened his utterly hollow eyes, and a terrifying surge of Hydro Elemental Power erupted from his body, though this power also carried the same ominous fluctuations.
Arlecchino's face twitched slightly. Familiar with Delusions, she sensed that this malevolent power originated from the Abyss.
The opponent's Elemental Power didn't come from a Delusion; she couldn't detect any trace of one.
Yet Arlecchino could feel that the principle behind the Elemental Power emanating from this "Neuvillette" was eerily similar to that of a Delusion.
Could this be connected to Dottore, "The Doctor"?
Arlecchino briefly sank into contemplation. To be honest, she didn't consider this possibility completely absurd.
For Dottore, any act was justified if it satisfied his insatiable curiosity.
To observe things from different dimensions, he had even fragmented his own existence into multiple versions, including those from different time dimensions.
This alone revealed the depths of his madness!
"Hahahaha! This is my masterpiece! Have you witnessed it?!"
Neuvillette stared at the near-identical figure in the distance, his hand trembling slightly.
Neuvillette couldn't bear to imagine the unspeakable atrocities the enemy might commit if they could exploit his identity.
"Neuvillette, I told you before—you will be my most perfect creation!"
"Although it's been unveiled prematurely and my masterpiece still has flaws, it doesn't matter. All of you will be buried with me!"
As the young man finished speaking, a barrage of overwhelming firepower instantly engulfed their location. Fortunately, every individual present possessed formidable strength, allowing them to withstand the initial onslaught.
However, the enemy's true objective was merely to buy time. This secret base could be detonated at any moment, and every second they lingered increased their peril.
Moreover, the sheer number of enemies made the situation incredibly precarious, especially the terrifying power of that "Neuvillette" clone.
No one knew how the enemy had achieved such a feat. Even Arlecchino lacked the confidence to confront him directly. Among their group, only Neuvillette could completely suppress this imposter.
Having gained the upper hand in a clash of power, Neuvillette glanced at the Abyss Power coiling around his hand, his expression darkening further.
He never imagined the enemy would dare to tamper with such forbidden forces.
"Ha ha ha! You want me dead? Then none of you will live either!"
"Damn it..."
The youth's gleeful expression abruptly twisted. Then, they heard a voice urgently shout, "No! His aim is to capture Vinani as a hostage!"
"Quick, destroy this body!"
"Without a physical form, he can't control these people!"
Neuvillette and Navia remained frozen, but Arlecchino acted without hesitation. She reversed her blade and lunged straight at the youth.
But her attack was intercepted by a claymore, sending a deafening metallic clang echoing through the air.
Sensing the immense force behind the claymore, Navia didn't continue the direct confrontation. Instead, she leaped back to stand protectively before the youth, her gaze turning icy.
"Miss Knave, what do you think you're doing?"
"Isn't the answer obvious? Simply doing as he said. Without a doubt, it's the best course of action right now."
Arlecchino explained calmly, casually slicing two bullets in half with a flick of her sword and channeling Fire Elemental Power to withstand the explosive shock.
"Since he's willing to sacrifice his life for his friends, we should respect his choice."
"Enough!" Navia snapped, her face contorted with fury. "You're just worried about your subordinates!"
"I won't deny that," Arlecchino replied, continuing to advance. "But I still believe this is the best course of action."
"Do you know the Melusine's current location?" she asked.
"Can you guarantee there aren't more traps targeting us in other areas?"
"Do you know how much time we have left before the Pneumousia Energy completely spirals out of control?"
"You know nothing, yet you're still obstructing me. You're being utterly foolish."
Arlecchino slowly raised her sword before her, her gaze fixed on Navia with unwavering seriousness.
"Besides, I don't trust him in the slightest. From every perspective, eliminating him here is the optimal choice."
"So, step aside."
Arlecchino radiated an overwhelming aura, but Navia remained unmoved.
"You're right, I don't know everything," Navia conceded.
"But I do know this: Monsieur Henry is my friend, and I would never raise a weapon against a friend."
"Anyone who tries to harm him will have to go through me first."
Navia shot Arlecchino a warning look before turning away.
"Monsieur Henry, if this body dies, what will happen to you?"
"Don't try to deceive me with talk of returning to the 'Homeland.' You mentioned true death earlier, didn't you?"
A bitter smile flickered across the young man's face at Navia's words.
"Miss Navia, there's no other way. This is our best chance."
"There will be another way! We will find a new solution!" Navia vowed to Lofan, hoping to change his mind. But he simply shook his head and replied:
"Perhaps, as Miss Navia suggests, we might find another way someday."
"But how many more will die in the meantime?"
"Even though he's weakened from repeated consciousness transfers, I can't hold him back for much longer."
"Without my restraint, he can freely transfer his will into any of his subordinates, making him even harder to eliminate later."
Lofan paused, then continued.
"Miss Navia, I've thought this through very carefully."
"If sacrificing just me can bring even a shred of peace back to Fontaine—"
"I'm willing to die!"
"Moreover, I harbor a deep-seated hatred for No. 6—or rather, everyone in this power hierarchy. Being able to personally send one of them to the afterlife with me would bring me great satisfaction."
"This is my wish, and it's our shared wish."
"Time is running out. Let her do it."
"I entrust the remaining members of the hierarchy to you."
Navia's eyes filled with immeasurable sorrow. She didn't speak, only shook her head repeatedly.
Suddenly, the expression on the young man's face shifted once more.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk... What a touching display of affection!"
"Are you going to strike? If so, please hurry."
"See? To help you steel your resolve, I've even suppressed his consciousness."
"Miss Navia, how about we make a deal?"
"If you strike the killing blow, I might mercifully reveal the location of that adorable Melusine!"
"You're much cuter, though. That guy over there is too cold for my taste."
"If I have to die, I'd much rather it be by your hand, Miss Navia!"
"What do you say? A worthwhile bargain, wouldn't you agree?"
A flicker of rage returned to Navia's face. His nonchalant attitude made her feel that letting him die so easily would be letting him off too lightly!
Reason told her she should swing her claymore and strike him down.
But Navia's hands trembled uncontrollably, making it impossible for her to even grip her weapon firmly.
"Looks like your dying wish won't come true after all."
As the words were spoken, a sword materialized from beyond Navia's line of sight, piercing the young man's chest. His pupils constricted sharply.
Arlecchino withdrew the blade, causing a torrent of blood to gush from the wound.
Flicking the blood from her sword onto the ground, Arlecchino spoke with chilling calm:
"We have no interest in your deal. You may die now."
Navia stared at the scene before her, momentarily stunned.
Meanwhile, Neuvillette, who had been closely monitoring the situation, sighed softly. Composing himself, he focused entirely on confronting the "Neuvillette" before him while intercepting the vast majority of attacks to protect the distracted Navia from harm.
This counterfeit Neuvillette proved surprisingly formidable, its power having ascended to the level of an Archon.
Though Neuvillette himself was as formidable as a Archon, he dared not unleash his full power. Doing so would accelerate the annihilation reaction of the already unstable Pneumousia Energy, triggering a catastrophic explosion.
Neuvillette might have been impervious to such explosions, but many others hadn't managed to evacuate in time.
If he restrained his power, he could only suppress the enemy, making a swift resolution impossible.
A chill ran down Neuvillette's spine. An Artificial Archon... If such power fell into the wrong hands, it would spell disaster for the Teyvat Continent!
His only consolation was that the enemy's strength seemed artificially enhanced. Even in their brief clash, he could sense the enemy's power rapidly waning.
While Neuvillette focused on battling his opponent, elsewhere...
Life force rapidly drained away, yet in his final moments, the young man seemed more composed than ever.
"You say my dream has shattered?"
"No, no, no, you're wrong, Miss Knave."
"I won't die by anyone's hand. I alone will decide how I meet my end!"
A radiant smile lit his face.
"Let's savor this final fireworks display together!"
"Art is an explosion!"
Arlecchino suddenly sensed a violent surge of energy emanating from the enemy, precisely where her attack had landed.
Her expression shifted slightly as she immediately grabbed the disheartened Navia and pulled her back urgently. The next moment, a dazzling five-pointed star-shaped light erupted from the young man's body...