Something's not right. Dr. Edward couldn't possibly be unaware that his attacks are ineffective against me, Neuvillette thought, staring at the sky choked with black vines. For a moment, he hesitated.
Neuvillette sensed that Dr. Edward must have another plan, but he couldn't discern the man's true intentions in the short time available.
Then I'll switch targets for now.
With that decision made, Neuvillette immediately shifted his attacks to No. 2. Under his overwhelming power, No. 2 struggled only briefly before being torn to shreds by the surging water.
But then something astonishing happened. In the next instant, No. 2 reappeared nearby and immediately launched another attack without hesitation.
This completely unexpected turn of events left Neuvillette utterly stunned.
Yet in that split second of distraction, Neuvillette felt a bone-chilling dread.
A massive Spatial Rift suddenly tore open behind him, releasing an ancient and oppressive aura. Neuvillette narrowed his eyes slightly as his own power surged anew.
Then, dozens more Spatial Rifts tore open in the sky, and Primordial Sea Water cascaded into the Dream World like a torrential waterfall.
In an instant, the once-empty realm—save for Irminsul and a few figures—was completely submerged in the azure Primordial Sea Water.
Simultaneously, No. 2's attacks and Dr. Edward's black vines were utterly crushed by this overwhelming force, dissolving into pure Elemental Power that dissipated into the air. This revealed the hollow, void-like Pitch-Black Egg hidden within.
Wielding the Great Authority of Water, Neuvillette could draw limitless power from the Primordial Sea. At that moment, he stood at the peak of his power since gaining this authority.
A deep, profound azure light emanated from Neuvillette's entire being, his presence akin to that of a divine being. His expression remained calm and serene as he slowly raised his right hand toward Dr. Edward and No. 2, then pressed it down with crushing force.
In the next instant, both No. 2 and Dr. Edward, along with the pitch-black tendrils, were pulverized into dust by an invisible yet utterly irresistible force.
Scaramouche's legs went weak, his body trembling slightly.
Neuvillette's invincible form had burned itself deeply into Scaramouche's mind. He was utterly convinced that even with cheat codes, he stood no chance against such an opponent.
After all, No. 2 was no weakling. He could effortlessly crush a hundred Scaramouches. Yet this powerhouse had been utterly helpless before Neuvillette.
Scaramouche now felt immense relief. Thank heavens he hadn't chosen Fontaine as his arena for mayhem!
Back then, both the Dendro Archon and the Hydro Archon had only ascended to their thrones five hundred years ago. To Scaramouche, it didn't matter where he made his name. He chose Sumeru simply because Dottore was stationed there, making things more convenient.
Now, looking back, if he had chosen Fontaine, the grass on his grave would likely be three feet tall by now.
Scaramouche wasn't afraid of death, but he wanted to at least disgust the woman who had abandoned him before he died. Otherwise, she might have forgotten he ever existed, making his death utterly meaningless.
Even Nahida and Lumine, who were still far from the battlefield, were stunned, their backs drenched in cold sweat.
Only Paimon, oblivious to the overwhelming pressure, remained her usual carefree self.
"Nahida, can't we go any faster?" she exclaimed. "Monsieur Neuvillette is going in alone—he might be in danger! We have to hurry and help him!"
Hearing Paimon's worried words, Nahida and Lumine blushed in embarrassment.
Help Monsieur Neuvillette?
You really overestimate us, Paimon!
Could Dr. Edward have already transformed by now? Or even...?
Nahida swallowed hard, finally understanding why Neuvillette had said the Power of Faith was useless to him. Using the Power of Faith would be Neuvillette deliberately lowering his own status!
Though she sensed the battle was likely over, Nahida pushed herself harder, urging the Ship of Dreams to accelerate. After all, Lumine's relationship with Dr. Edward was complicated; rushing might at least allow them to recover his body.
Suddenly, Nahida shuddered violently before collapsing to the ground, her face deathly pale. The Ship of Dreams ground to a halt.
"Nahida!"
Sensing something amiss, Lumine and Paimon rushed over to check on her.
Nahida's eyes were wide with disbelief. After a long, dazed moment, she stammered, "My connection to Irminsul... has been completely severed!"
"But why?"
"Didn't Monsieur Neuvillette already...?"
At the roots of Irminsul, the Primordial Sea that had once filled the sky had completely vanished, leaving a profound shock etched on Neuvillette's face.
Clearly, Neuvillette hadn't withdrawn the Primordial Sea himself.
In that instant, every trace of the Primordial Sea had been purged from the Dream World. This wasn't some illusion—Neuvillette could genuinely no longer sense its presence.
Simultaneously, Dr. Edward and No. 2 reappeared before Neuvillette. Though the Spatial Rift in the sky persisted, continuously pouring Primordial Sea Water into the Dream World, Neuvillette's spirits had plummeted to rock bottom.
In that instant, Neuvillette realized he was facing an opponent against whom his usual methods were useless.
Moreover, he began to speculate about the nature of his adversary's abilities.
Time reversal?
No, that seemed unlikely. Even stopping time was a power beyond what someone at this level could comprehend. No. 2 could only manipulate time through some external artifact. If Dr. Edward had mastered such a profound power, his strength would be comparable to No. 2's.
"Your ability is... the Conversion of Reality and Illusion?"
Upon hearing Neuvillette's words, a flicker of surprise crossed Dr. Edward's face.
"So you've discovered it so quickly? I thought I could keep it hidden a bit longer."
"But even if you know now, it doesn't matter much. I can transform any disadvantage into illusion. With just this ability, no one can stop me."
Dr. Edward smiled at Neuvillette before continuing, "Not even you, Monsieur Neuvillette."
Though his guess had been confirmed, Neuvillette's mood grew even heavier.
The opponent's ability was a perfect counter to his own, rendering his superior strength useless.
Yet Neuvillette refused to believe such an ability could be without weaknesses. Otherwise, Dr. Edward would be far too formidable.
The doctor's designation was only fourth. If the rankings were based on strength or status, his ability couldn't possibly be this overwhelming.
The most likely weakness lay in its energy consumption. Transforming already-occurred events into illusions involved manipulating the very laws of reality. Even with such a power, the energy cost would be astronomical.
Setting aside the several times the opponent had revived earlier, completely obliterating such vast quantities of Primordial Sea water must have consumed an unimaginable amount of energy.
Wait, could it be...?
Neuvillette suddenly realized something, his mood plummeting.
Clearly, Dr. Edward couldn't possibly sustain such a massive expenditure. The only logical conclusion was that he had transferred the cost elsewhere.
To Irminsul? Or to the Sumerian people as a whole? Neither answer brought Neuvillette any comfort.
He finally understood the source of the intense unease that had been gnawing at him.
Just then, Neuvillette noticed that the originally small patch of blackened roots had expanded exponentially, now covering an area dozens of times larger. The pitch-black stain had even begun to creep up the trunk of Irminsul.
The enemy was corrupting Irminsul!
"Found you!"
Dr. Edward abruptly waved his hand, and a semi-transparent figure materialized in his grasp.
Nahida?!
Once Neuvillette clearly saw the figure, he found it odd that Nahida would be here, but he immediately crushed Dr. Edward again and rescued her.
Soon, Dr. Edward reappeared, and the pitch-black darkness at the base of Irminsul spread further.
When Neuvillette brought Nahida to safety and saw the expression on her face, he immediately realized he had mistaken her for someone else.
As the Dendro Archon, Nahida lacked a certain aura, but Neuvillette could now sense that missing quality in the person before him.
"Who are you?"
Faced with Neuvillette's question, the woman made no attempt to conceal her identity. "Greetings, Monsieur Neuvillette," she said. "I am Greater Lord Rukkhadevata."
"I never anticipated such a twist of fate. Though I tried my best to prevent it, as this is merely the last vestige of my consciousness in the world, I failed."
-
"Heh, I should be thanking Monsieur Neuvillette for this very outcome."
"Without your intervention, how could I have breached Irminsul's defenses so quickly?"
When Neuvillette heard the other man reveal his identity, a flood of surprise washed over him, despite his prior suspicions.
Dr. Edward's subsequent words left a bitter taste in Neuvillette's mouth.
So I was manipulated all along...
Even with No. 2's assistance, Dr. Edward had only managed to corrupt a small section of Irminsul. Yet, after Neuvillette's intervention, nearly one-fifth of the tree's roots had turned pitch-black.
I caused this myself!
He had come to help, only to become a crucial piece in his opponent's plan. This realization left Neuvillette with a long-forgotten sense of defeat.
Scaramouche, meanwhile, was utterly stunned.
He couldn't believe that even someone like Neuvillette could be so thoroughly outmaneuvered. Dr. Edward's power was truly terrifying!
A thrill of excitement coursed through Scaramouche's veins. Perhaps, with this man's help, he could finally exact his revenge on that woman.
"Monsieur Neuvillette, don't let his words influence you."
"The situation hasn't reached the point of no return yet. We need Nahida's power."
"Nahida, like me, was born from the purest branches of Irminsul."
"Although they severed Nahida's connection to Irminsul, there's still a chance to reconnect her."
Though Greater Lord Rukkhadevata tried to conceal her emotions, her hurried speech betrayed her inner anxiety.
Neuvillette nodded and, taking Greater Lord Rukkhadevata with him, transformed into two streaks of light, racing toward the Ship of Dreams.
Dr. Edward watched their retreating figures, his smile deepening.
He then turned to Scaramouche and said, "You desire power, don't you?"
"I can strengthen your connection to Irminsul, transforming you into an entity equivalent to the will of Irminsul itself, granting you an immortal and indestructible form. This will give you the opportunity to challenge the Raiden Shogun."
"Now, empty your mind."
"This power is immense. You must endure the pain."
Upon hearing Dr. Edward's words, Scaramouche, filled with anticipation, allowed countless black vines to entwine him. Soon, a pitch-black egg materialized where he had stood, suspended by countless strands, eventually hanging mid-trunk of Irminsul, the World Tree.
With this task completed, Dr. Edward's face broke into a dazzling smile.
The fish have taken the bait!
He then approached the dazed No. 2 and patted him on the shoulder.
"You're falling behind the times. It's time for an upgrade."
As he spoke, countless black vines completely enveloped No. 2's body. Offering no resistance, No. 2 soon transformed into a pitch-black egg, suspended in the same position as Scaramouche.
Before long, a third pitch-black egg appeared at the same height.
By now, the roots of Irminsul had been completely stained black.
Meanwhile, Nahida's heart was filled with utter bewilderment. From the moment of her birth, she had known her mission: not only to become a worthy Dendro Archon but also to safeguard the health of Irminsul, the World Tree.
For the past few hundred years, she had watched helplessly as the World Tree became increasingly tainted by forbidden knowledge, her anxiety growing with each passing year.
Yet she lacked even the power to leave the Akademiya, let alone cure Irminsul's affliction.
Nahida had long been consumed by self-reproach. She felt she had failed on all fronts—neither becoming the competent Dendro Archon the Sumerians deserved nor finding a solution to Irminsul's crisis.
But the moment her connection to Irminsul was forcibly severed, she was utterly adrift.
Previously, Nahida had known she bore the mission of saving Irminsul. Now that this responsibility and mission had been erased, she had lost her very reason for being.
Was she truly needed anymore?
"Nahida... are you alright?" Paimon asked anxiously, her face etched with concern as she watched Nahida's body grow translucent, completely absorbed in her own world.
But Nahida, as if her soul had departed, remained unresponsive.
Seeing this, Lumine immediately grasped Nahida's small hand and channeled Dendro Elemental Power through her arm. Only then did Nahida's body regain some solidity, but her eyes remained blank and unfocused.
After Lumine channeled a significant portion of her Dendro Elemental Power, the oppressive force of the unknown pitch-black energy began to weaken. Lumine immediately ceased her risky actions.
"Traveler, what's wrong with Nahida?!" Paimon blurted out anxiously. Lumine merely bit her lip, unsure of the exact situation herself. She could only sense that Nahida's presence in this world was fading—extremely faint.
It was as if she were gradually disappearing from this world!
Lumine's heart raced with anxiety. The Ship of Dreams was entirely under Nahida's control, leaving her powerless to intervene.
Now that Nahida was in such dire straits, and they were still a considerable distance from the base of Irminsul, contacting Neuvillette was impossible.
Yet if they waited in place, Nahida might not have enough time left.
Gazing at the bizarre and surreal scenery outside the Ship of Dreams, Lumine hesitated for a moment before making her decision.
"What?! You're going to Irminsul by yourself?!" Paimon exclaimed in shock, her face paling.
"No way! That's way too dangerous!"
"Traveler, Nahida just said it's easy to get lost without the Ship of Dreams! Let's think of another way!"
Paimon pleaded earnestly, but Lumine had already made up her mind.
Though the venture was perilous, Lumine knew that if she didn't try to find Neuvillette soon, Nahida might vanish from the world entirely.
"No! Traveler, don't leave me behind!"
Seeing that she couldn't change Lumine's mind, Paimon hesitated for a moment before blurting out, "I'll go with you!"
Paimon flew toward Lumine, ready to join her in searching for Neuvillette, but at the last moment, Ann's shadowy hand grabbed her and tossed her back.
"Oof!"
Paimon landed in Nahida's arms. With that done, Lumine immediately left the Ship of Dreams.
"Traveler!"
Seeing Lumine's figure vanish the moment she left, Paimon cried out in worry, but ultimately didn't dare leave the Ship of Dreams alone.
In the end, all Paimon could do was pray.
"Traveler, you must come back safe!"
Meanwhile, the moment Lumine left the Ship of Dreams, her vision went black, and she plunged headfirst into the Sea of Clouds.
After an indeterminate amount of time, Lumine's consciousness gradually awakened.
She found herself in a completely different environment.
Lumine stood on a massive platform, enveloped in an oppressively thick Abyss Aura. Above her, a line of text materialized:
[Location: First Floor, Room 1]
[Objective: Defeat twenty-three Electro Slimes within the time limit.]
[Additional Notes: Completing the objective in different time intervals will yield varying evaluations. Clearing all rooms and achieving the highest evaluation is required to leave this place.]
[Countdown: 5:00... Starting Now...]
The next instant, five Electro Slimes materialized before Lumine, bouncing and hopping toward her.