The people of Sumeru City were utterly dumbfounded by Neuvillette's appearance.
Who is this person? How does he look exactly like Sumeru's new God?
Wait... Lesser Lord Kusanali?
Lesser Lord Kusanali is already five hundred years old! Isn't it time for her to retire?
With a single glance, nearly everyone was awestruck by the invincible aura radiating from Neuvillette.
Lumine's jaw dropped, her eyes widening in disbelief.
Could such an absurdly powerful being truly exist in this world?
He must be no less formidable than the Raiden Shogun when she unleashed Musou no Hitotachi!
Nahida felt like she was dreaming. She had already resigned herself to a tragic end, yet Neuvillette had appeared before her in an invincible stance, effortlessly resolving the crisis posed by the Shouki no Kami.
If he possessed such power despite not being the Hydro Archon of Fontaine, just how strong was the Hydro Archon? Nahida couldn't help but feel she truly was the most pathetic god among the Seven Nations.
She had initially assumed the Hydro Archon was her contemporary, their capabilities roughly equal. Now she realized she had vastly overestimated herself.
Comparison breeds pain. It was one thing that the other gods had millennia of experience, but to see the Hydro Archon of her generation surpass her so utterly only reinforced Nahida's sense of inadequacy as the Dendro Archon.
At the same time, Nahida wondered: if Fontaine, a nation with such formidable power, could be thrown into chaos, could she truly stop Dr. Edward?
Wait... isn't this a ready-made powerhouse right here?
A sudden thought struck Nahida, and her gaze at Neuvillette transformed into starry-eyed admiration.
Sumeru was saved!
At that moment, Scaramouche was on the verge of madness.
He had finally managed to activate his "cheat mode," even abandoning his integrity to become someone else's puppet. Just when he was about to reap the rewards, an entity appeared that even his boosted powers couldn't defeat.
Where's the justice? Where's the law?!
Scaramouche felt a pang of regret. If only I had agreed sooner, he thought. If I had acted before this being appeared, at least I could have enjoyed half the spoils.
Neuvillette gazed with complex emotions at the completely collapsed Sumeru City center and the Shouki no Kami, the God-Making Workshop, and the people exposed beneath the rubble.
Originally, Neuvillette had secretly come to Sumeru solely to apprehend Dottore and bring him back to Fontaine for trial. He never expected that the mysterious force operating within Fontaine's borders would suddenly appear in Sumeru and cause such widespread chaos.
Faced with the lives of over a million people at stake, Neuvillette couldn't stand idly by. He had no choice but to reveal his presence and intervene.
Strictly speaking, his actions violated protocol. As Fontaine's Chief Justice, he was required to notify the authorities before entering another nation. Moreover, the fact that a mysterious force from Fontaine was causing trouble in another country made him feel slightly embarrassed.
But the situation had already unfolded. Dwelling on these concerns was pointless. All he could do now was help Sumeru weather this crisis.
One thing puzzled Neuvillette. To avoid alerting Scaramouche, he had positioned himself far from Sumeru City, initially fearing he wouldn't arrive in time. But for some unknown reason, the Shouki no Kami's attacks had suddenly ceased, only resuming after a considerable delay.
Neuvillette quickly suppressed his curiosity, however, as the Shouki no Kami began to stir.
The colossal mech struggled to rise. Neuvillette's gaze sharpened, and he slammed his cane forcefully against the ground with both hands.
"Bow down!"
A massive torrent of water plummeted from the sky in an instant, its overwhelming force pinning the Shouki no Kami back to the ground. The mech sustained severe damage, nearly knocking Scaramouche's head into a daze.
The force of the blow sent a violent shock through Scaramouche's mind, leaving him dazed and disoriented.
He bit down hard on his lip, desperately trying to regain clarity, his gaze fixed on Neuvillette with palpable, murderous intent.
Neuvillette frowned slightly, but he first approached Nahida, addressing her with formal courtesy.
"Lady Nahida, I am Neuvillette, Chief Justice of Fontaine. I deeply apologize for entering Sumeru's territory without prior notice. I will do my utmost to offer Sumeru compensation for this intrusion as a gesture of atonement."
"Monsieur Neuvillette, you're too kind," Nahida said, waving her hand dismissively. "You saved all of us, and we haven't even properly expressed our gratitude yet. How could we possibly ask for compensation?"
Though Neuvillette's actions were technically against protocol, his debt to Sumeru was simply too great. Nahida couldn't bring herself to demand compensation.
Neuvillette nodded, then shifted the conversation to another matter.
"It seems Sumeru has encountered some trouble. If you wouldn't mind, Lady Nahida, I'd be happy to assist in resolving it."
"Really? Oh, thank you so much, Monsieur Neuvillette!" Nahida exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement. She quickly agreed, fearing he might change his mind.
"Hmm," Neuvillette murmured, glancing at Lumine, who stood nearby. A hint of admiration flickered in his eyes.
He had originally planned to cultivate a good relationship with Lumine, hoping she could serve as a liaison between the Seven Nations, fostering cooperation to face the impending disaster looming over Teyvat. Meeting her here was an unexpected boon, allowing him to make early contact and lay the groundwork for future collaboration.
Now was clearly not the time to discuss this matter. Neuvillette temporarily abandoned his plan to speak with Lumine, turning his attention instead to the Shouki no Kami looming nearby.
"I wonder how Lady Nahida intends to deal with him?"
Since this was a matter concerning another nation, Neuvillette couldn't possibly make a unilateral decision without consulting Nahida, the Dendro Archon. That was why he had held back during his earlier attacks on the Shouki no Kami.
Otherwise, Scaramouche would have died countless times already from his earlier onslaught.
Hearing Neuvillette's words, Nahida's face showed hesitation. Her soft-hearted nature made her pause to consider. After a moment, she spoke:
"Let's detain him for now. We'll discuss his final fate after we've resolved this other matter."
Neuvillette nodded. Though not entirely in agreement, he recognized that Sumeru's affairs were ultimately not his concern.
"Sir, you've undoubtedly heard Lady Nahida's words. If you wish to avoid further suffering, please come out of your own accord."
Neuvillette's calm, dismissive tone only fueled Scaramouche's inner rage. Even in defeat, he refused to endure such humiliation!
Scaramouche channeled his last reserves of power, thrusting his hands toward Neuvillette. A gray-white ray shot across the distance in an instant, carrying astonishing killing intent as it materialized before Neuvillette.
In response, Neuvillette simply tapped the ground lightly with his cane. The ray abruptly halted, then gradually dissipated into the air.
"It seems this sir is unwilling to cooperate properly," Neuvillette sighed softly. He then slammed his cane heavily against the ground, and a torrent of water pierced through the Shouki no Kami's chest. The Shouki no Kami was immediately crippled, with most of its functions paralyzed.
Incredible... utterly incredible!
Lumine stared in awe at the scene unfolding before her. Not long ago, even Dottore had seemed an insurmountable foe, but Neuvillette now showed her the very peak of strength.
Meanwhile, Enjou was desperately trying to shrink into the shadows, head bowed and muttering incessantly under his breath.
Don't see me, don't see me...
No joke! Enjou knew all too well how hated the Abyss Order was. Neuvillette might just kill him on a whim. Having barely survived his previous brush with death, he had no intention of dying now.
Scaramouche felt a flicker of despair. After obtaining the Shouki no Kami, he had faced even Dottore with confidence, but now he was utterly helpless against Neuvillette.
I can't even land a single blow!
He was simply too inexperienced to face an enemy of this caliber.
Scaramouche watched Lumine approach, a knot of panic tightening in his chest.
He desperately wanted to fight back, but the Shouki no Kami was critically damaged, its movements almost entirely paralyzed.
Before Dr. Edward's words had reached him, he hadn't cared much about his fate. His life was worthless, and death would have been meaningless.
But now, remembering Dr. Edward's promise, Scaramouche refused to fall here. He vowed to avenge himself against the woman who had created him only to abandon him without hesitation.
Driven by a ferocious will to survive, Scaramouche swallowed his pride and pleaded for Dr. Edward's help.
"I know you're there! Get me out of here!"
"You've invested so much—you can't just want my corpse, right?"
"I don't care what you plan to use me for. As long as you help me get my revenge, I'll pledge my loyalty to you!"
By now, Lumine had reached the Shouki no Kami, and Scaramouche's sense of impending doom peaked.
Lumine raised her Dull Blade and swung with all her might, instantly tearing a massive hole in the Shouki no Kami. Inside, Scaramouche was revealed, his body riddled with tubes, his face a mask of terror and fury.
"Save me!" Scaramouche roared. "I've already abandoned my dignity! I willingly became your pawn! Are you going to break your word?!"
Lumine reached out to Scaramouche, and as her hand drew closer, his panic intensified.
Scaramouche glared fiercely at Lumine, his body surging with violent Electro Elemental Power. But in the next instant, Lumine unleashed a torrent of overwhelming Dendro Elemental Power that completely suppressed his aura. Her hand continued its relentless advance, reaching for Scaramouche's neck.
Just then, the space around Scaramouche began to warp violently. A massive rift tore open beside him, and an overwhelming aura, as heavy as a mountain, slammed down on Lumine.
Lumine's expression twisted in shock as she tried to retreat, but to her horror, she found she couldn't move.
Not just Lumine—every living creature in Sumeru City, down to the smallest bird, was frozen in place. Even ordinary people's consciousnesses had completely solidified.
Even Nahida, without the Power of Faith and weakened physically, was completely immobilized. Only Neuvillette was slightly less affected, but he still struggled to move.
With a grave expression, Neuvillette watched the forcibly opened spatial rift. Soon, a tall, imposing figure emerged from it.
The figure's chillingly detached expression, combined with the iconic disc on his hand, immediately revealed his identity to Neuvillette.
No. 2!
Yet the aura emanating from him now was terrifying, far surpassing the threshold of an god and even dwarfing ordinary gods in power.
Coupled with the formidable methods he had just demonstrated, Neuvillette's mood grew even heavier.
It seems his power had been slow to reach its peak due to his recent Awakening, Neuvillette mused. No wonder Clorinde's reports indicated his progress had been terrifyingly rapid.
Clorinde had mentioned that she could initially hold her own against No. 2, but by their second encounter, she was completely overwhelmed.
As for now...
Neuvillette never imagined that No. 2 would possess such a higher-dimensional power. Under the weight of time itself, even he was inescapably affected.
Watching No. 2 pluck Scaramouche from the Shouki no Kami like a chick, then turn to leave, Neuvillette unleashed his full power, seizing a brief window to break free from the temporal stasis. Without hesitation, he launched a devastating strike at No. 2.
A column of water, charged with terrifying power, surged toward No. 2's position. Yet its momentum steadily waned until it froze completely, stopping several meters short of its target. Suspended in mid-air, it resembled a magnificent work of art.
Without so much as a glance back, No. 2 tore through space, vanishing with Scaramouche in tow. The moment their figures vanished completely, everyone regained control of their bodies.
The suspended water column resumed its torrent, crashing into the spot where No. 2 and Scaramouche had vanished with a deafening roar that shook the earth. The impact left an unfathomably deep crater in the ground.
As the tremors subsided, the people of Sumeru City slowly regained their composure.
Ordinary citizens remained oblivious to the extraordinary events that had transpired, merely puzzled by Scaramouche's sudden disappearance.
Those whose minds were still barely functioning wore expressions of shock and horror. The situation had been incredibly perilous; had their opponent harbored malicious intentions, they would have been slaughtered without resistance.
"Monsieur Neuvillette," Nahida asked, "what was that just now?"
Neuvillette's face twisted with a complex mix of emotions as he replied, "He wields a power that transcends even Elemental Power—a higher-dimensional force."
Upon hearing Neuvillette's words, the group's shock deepened.
A sense of urgency welled up in Neuvillette's heart. This mysterious organization was terrifyingly powerful. If allowed to grow unchecked, even the combined might of the Seven Nations might prove insufficient to thwart their plans.
Although he had gleaned some intelligence from Emily earlier—that this group's ultimate goal seemed to be saving Teyvat—their methods were appallingly extreme. By comparison, even Rene, who had resorted to equally drastic measures, seemed like a paragon of benevolence.
For instance, if Neuvillette hadn't intervened in time, the casualties in Sumeru would have been unimaginable, and even the Dendro Archon Nahida might have perished. This starkly demonstrated the group's cold indifference and cruelty.
The alliance of the Seven Nations could no longer be delayed. Originally, Neuvillette had hoped to wait until Lumine continued her journey and established friendly relations with each nation.
Time was clearly growing short, but fortunately, Lumine had already visited several nations, making it possible to begin building cooperative relationships.
With this in mind, Neuvillette felt an even stronger urgency to resolve the situation in Sumeru quickly and focus his full attention on the Seven Nations' cooperation. He turned to Nahida and spoke again:
"However, this power must originate from elsewhere, as his inherent strength is insufficient to comprehend such abilities."
"Even No. 2 has come to Sumeru. It seems their ambitions this time are far greater than we anticipated."
"Moving forward, I would appreciate it if you could provide me with a detailed explanation of their plan, so that we can coordinate our next actions effectively."