When Neuvillette and Greater Lord Rukkhadevata found the stalled Ship of Dreams, Neuvillette's brow furrowed again upon seeing only Nahida and Paimon aboard.
He quickly noticed something was wrong with Nahida and hurried back onto the ship.
The sound of Neuvillette and Greater Lord Rukkhadevata landing caught Paimon's attention.
"Monsieur Neuvillette?!"
Paimon froze the moment she saw him, her face then breaking into an expression of immense relief and joy.
"You're back! Thank goodness!"
"Paimon doesn't know what happened to Nahida, she suddenly just... Nahida!!!"
Paimon's gaze fell upon Greater Lord Rukkhadevata standing beside Neuvillette, and she let out a startled cry.
She glanced from Greater Lord Rukkhadevata to Nahida, who lay on the deck with vacant eyes, and fell into deep thought.
"I've got it!"
Paimon suddenly clapped her hands, having realized something.
"This must be Nahida's lost consciousness!"
"Monsieur Neuvillette, you actually found it! That's amazing! Now Nahida can be saved!"
Hearing this, Neuvillette's mouth twitched.
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata walked over to Nahida, examining her condition as she spoke to Paimon.
"Paimon, having a vivid imagination isn't a bad thing."
"But unfortunately, I am Greater Lord Rukkhadevata. Your judgment is slightly off."
"Greater Lord Rukkhadevata?"
Paimon scratched her head, feeling the name was vaguely familiar. Soon, she remembered.
"But didn't Greater Lord Rukkhadevata die?!"
Neuvillette's mouth twitched again, his expression tinged with exasperation as he looked at Paimon.
"I did indeed die five hundred years ago," Greater Lord Rukkhadevata replied. "What you see before you is merely a lingering fragment of my consciousness."
"As for why I look like Nahida, it's to make it easier for you to recognize my identity."
Having anticipated Paimon's next question, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata began to focus on examining Nahida's condition.
"I see," Paimon nodded, still a bit confused, then turned to Neuvillette and asked, "Monsieur Neuvillette, have you seen the Traveler?"
"I was just about to ask the same thing. I didn't see any sign of her on my way here. Did she go looking for me?"
Paimon nodded at Neuvillette's words.
"That's right. Nahida's condition looked really bad, and the Traveler was worried her body wouldn't hold out if we waited any longer, so she went to find you alone."
Paimon's face clouded with worry.
"I wanted to go with her, but she wouldn't let me."
"Sigh... I wonder where the Traveler is now. I hope she's not in any danger."
Neuvillette sighed and offered some reassurance.
"She was right not to let you go with her."
"The Traveler's strength in her normal state already touches the threshold of an Archon. If she were to use her full power, she could unleash Archon-level strength, so she's unlikely to encounter any danger."
"But you're different. If you left the Ship of Dreams, I'm afraid you'd quickly find yourself in a perilous situation."
Neuvillette paused before continuing his explanation.
"Moreover, this place is unique. It's possible for you and the Traveler to be less than a meter apart and still be unable to see each other. So even if you had followed her, it would have been useless."
Hearing Neuvillette's words, Paimon's face paled. She felt incredibly relieved that Lumine had sent her back. With her tiny arms and legs, how could she possibly endure such hardship?
At that moment, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata broke through Nahida's inner defenses. After a round of encouragement, she successfully pulled Nahida out of her self-contained world. Nahida's physical condition temporarily stabilized.
"That's great! Nahida, you're finally awake!" Paimon exclaimed happily as she saw Nahida rise from the deck.
"I'm sorry for worrying you all. I feel much better now."
Nahida looked around but couldn't find Lumine. A worried expression immediately appeared on her face.
"Isn't the Traveler here?"
"The Traveler... she..."
Faced with Nahida's question, Paimon quickly explained the entire sequence of events to her.
Upon hearing that Lumine had risked leaving the Ship of Dreams because of her, Nahida's face filled with self-blame.
"Don't worry too much," Greater Lord Rukkhadevata reassured her. "Even if the Traveler truly gets lost, with her strength, she won't encounter any danger. After this is over, we can all go look for her together."
Hearing Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's comforting words, Nahida nodded and then asked, "Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, how do we stop Dr. Edward's plan?"
Nahida looked at Greater Lord Rukkhadevata with excitement. She had long idolized her, and now that her idol was standing right before her, how could her heart possibly remain calm?
"Because Dr. Edward possesses the ability to transform any reality unfavorable to him into illusion, our only chance to defeat him is within the Mental World."
"The first thing we must do now is re-establish our connection with Irminsul."
Suddenly, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata lowered her head and looked at Nahida with hesitation.
"Nahida, do you want to become me?"
"Yes! Of course I do! I've dreamed of becoming a Dendro Archon as great as you, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata!"
Hearing Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's question, Nahida replied eagerly.
"I mean, do you want to live on in everyone's hearts as Greater Lord Rukkhadevata?"
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's words stunned Nahida into silence.
Without waiting for Nahida's reply, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata continued, "I am nothing more than the last lingering remnant of my consciousness in this world, and even this consciousness cannot last much longer."
"Back then, in order to combat the Forbidden Knowledge, I myself was corrupted by it."
"So I have been waiting for you to arrive, to take my place. Then, I will completely erase my existence from this world, which will thoroughly cleanse the Forbidden Knowledge."
Seeing that Nahida was about to speak, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata raised a hand, gesturing for her to let her finish.
"Previously, this was the only way to combat the Forbidden Knowledge."
"But now, Dr. Edward has somehow managed to completely separate me from Irminsul, leaving the Forbidden Knowledge that corrupted me behind on the tree."
After hearing Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's words, Nahida froze for a moment. Then, an expression of immense joy spread across her face, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata gently reached out and wiped away the tears from the corners of Nahida's eyes before continuing, "There is no longer any need for me to erase my existence from this world. So, Nahida, I will give you two choices."
"The first choice is that I will announce you as my successor before all the people of Sumeru."
"The second choice is that you will inherit all my memories and become a second me."
After hearing Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's words, Nahida fell into hesitation.
The first choice was easy to understand: she would remain herself, and Greater Lord Rukkhadevata would endorse her. Whether she could meet the expectations of the Sumeru people would then be up to her.
The second choice meant Nahida could instantly gain all of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's experience and knowledge, almost guaranteeing she would become a god as great as Greater Lord Rukkhadevata. However, her own five hundred years of memories would be overwhelmed by the impact of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's thousands of years of memories, making it nearly impossible to retain her purest self. As Greater Lord Rukkhadevata had warned, if she made this choice, she would become a second Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.
"I hope you choose the former, Nahida," Greater Lord Rukkhadevata said, her gaze gentle as she looked at Nahida.
"Although we are both the purest branches of Irminsul, you and I are different. You don't need to become me.
"I believe you can become an excellent god and forge a path uniquely your own.
"In my eyes, Nahida, you are no less capable than I am. You simply lack a bit of confidence."
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's words solidified Nahida's resolve.
"Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, I will strive to become a worthy god through my own strength!"
As Nahida made this choice, Neuvillette felt an undeniable presence begin to radiate from her.
Hearing Nahida's decision, the smile on Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's face grew even more brilliant.
"Since you have made your choice, I will now announce to all the people of Sumeru that you are my successor.
"If you wish to re-establish your connection with Irminsul, Nahida, you will need a considerable amount of support."
Hearing Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's words, Nahida nodded, her eyes no longer filled with confusion or fear.
At that moment, the images displayed in the Akasha Terminals of everyone in Sumeru suddenly shifted. Two faces of Nahida appeared on the screen together.
At first, most people were bewildered. What was happening? Why were there two Nahidas in the Akasha? Could it be that their Lesser Lord Kusanali was actually two people?
Countless people also harbored doubts. Had the crisis facing Sumeru City truly been resolved?
Was it the being who looked just like their next Dendro Archon who solved it, or was it Nahida?
Then, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata briefly reverted to the form everyone remembered and revealed her identity. The people of Sumeru erupted in an uproar!
"Greater Lord Rukkhadevata... isn't dead!"
"This is wonderful! Greater Lord Rukkhadevata is back! Sumeru is safe! With Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's return, justice has been restored!"
"Waaaah, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata! Life has been so hard without you!"
(Wait, Neuvillette looks like the next Dendro Archon?)
Pah! Greater Lord Rukkhadevata isn't dead yet!
Though Nahida had mentally prepared herself, she couldn't help but feel a pang of bitterness as the Power of Faith surged toward her like a torrential flood.
But as she gazed at Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's heart-healing smile, Nahida took a deep breath, trying her best to calm her racing heart.
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata had ruled Sumeru with order and prosperity for thousands of years. Nahida had only been in power for five hundred, and she had only just revealed herself to the people of Sumeru recently. Otherwise, hardly anyone would have even recognized her. It was only natural that she couldn't compare.
But that didn't mean she would be inferior to Greater Lord Rukkhadevata in the future. She believed she could become a worthy Dendro Archon!
Nahida's gaze fell upon Greater Lord Rukkhadevata. The former Archon possessed a unique charisma that made people trust her instinctively.
As the Power of Faith converged, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's somewhat transparent body even solidified slightly. This meant that if she wished to remain the Dendro Archon, she had a real chance to stay in this world. And if Nahida were to compete with her, she stood no chance of winning.
But this only intensified the pressure on Nahida. She now deeply understood just how much Greater Lord Rukkhadevata was giving up.
"All my children of Sumeru," Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's voice rang out, "I have, in truth, already passed away. What appears before you is merely the last remnant of my consciousness."
Upon hearing these words, the people of Sumeru froze for a moment, then immense sorrow surged within their hearts.
So, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata had truly left them forever. The flicker of hope that had just been rekindled was instantly extinguished, plunging countless hearts back into the abyss. The blow was devastating.
"Do not grieve," Greater Lord Rukkhadevata continued. "Even without me, I believe my successor, the current Dendro Archon Nahida, can lead you—and all of Sumeru—to new heights."
Even with Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's personal endorsement, most people remained skeptical of Nahida. After all, very few even knew of her existence as the Dendro Archon. To the majority, they had endured five hundred years without a God, only for a child-like figure to suddenly appear and claim to be their new Archon.
If Nahida had a more mature appearance, her words might have carried more weight. But she not only looked like a teenager but also acted extremely humble and lacked confidence.
If even their leader, the God herself, didn't believe in her own abilities, how could her subjects be expected to trust her?
However, today, seeing that Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's base form was identical to Nahida's, many people began to accept her as the new Dendro Archon. Many also clearly felt that Nahida seemed different from before. She no longer bowed her head timidly; her eyes were filled with confidence and determination.
At Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's prompting, Nahida finally presented herself to the people of Sumeru—not as a perfect leader, perhaps, but as one worthy of their loyalty.
In that moment, for the first time, the vast majority of Sumerians truly accepted and began to look forward to the reign of their Lesser Lord Kusanali.
Dunyarzad, who had been found and rescued by Cyno and Alhaitham, felt the familiar voice from the Akasha and silently prayed for Nahida's blessing.
At the Grand Bazaar, Nilou danced alone on the stage, with not a single spectator in the audience.
Gazing at Nahida's image in the Akasha, Nilou spoke softly.
"For the next Sabzeruz Festival, I hope Lesser Lord Kusanali can come watch my performance!"
Meanwhile, Faruzan had gathered the still-confused students of the Akademiya. She scanned their faces with satisfaction.
These students will form the core of Nahida's future support base, she thought. As for those involved in the Artificial God Project, even if they aren't punished, they will be marginalized. They made their choice, and now they must pay the price.
Faruzan's true purpose in gathering them, however, was to lecture them on the importance of ancient languages—and hopefully recruit a few more students.
Once they become successful, let's see who dares to cut my funding!
"Heh, not bad at all."
After watching Nahida's performance, Faruzan was pleasantly surprised. She had initially thought their Lesser Lord Kusanali was a pushover, but now she seemed quite promising.
Thinking this, Faruzan felt even more smug about her foresight.
"Professor Faruzan, why did you bring us here...?"
"Call me Madam!"
-
[Location: 10th Floor, 3rd Chamber]
[Objective: Defeat the Electro, Pyro, and Hydro Abyss Heralds within the time limit.]
[Additional Info: Different completion times will result in different ratings. You can leave this place only after clearing all chambers with the highest rating.]
[Current Status: Clearance Failed]
[Remaining Rest Time: 12:36]
Lumine felt her injuries healing rapidly. Though it wasn't the first time, the speed still shocked her.
She suspected she was trapped in a dream, but no matter what she tried, she couldn't escape. In the end, she had no choice but to follow the on-screen instructions and clear all the chambers.
The initial battles had been a cakewalk—mostly slimes, hilichurls, and Treasure Hoarders. Even Abyss Mages and Ruin Machines were treated as bosses. It wasn't until the 8th Floor, 3rd Chamber that she faced a slightly more challenging encounter with a Pyro Regisvine and a Cryo Regisvine. But these formidable foes, which had once taken all her strength to defeat, were now trivial for her, especially with her wealth of combat experience.
However, Lumine also discovered that the monsters here were much stronger than those in the outside world, seemingly empowered by the Abyss. While the initial floors were easy, the battles grew increasingly difficult as she ascended.
Especially in the previous fight. A single Abyss Herald wasn't unbeatable. Even three Heralds of the same element weren't that hard to deal with. But the three of them combined... the sheer agony was unbelievable!
And once they entered their second phase, these Abyss Heralds gained Interruption Resistance!
Utterly impossible!
After venting her frustration internally, Lumine watched the countdown timer approach zero and gradually calmed down.
Thinking it through, it's not impossible, she reasoned. I just need to pay extra attention to the synergy between the three Abyss Heralds' skills.
For instance, if she got afflicted with Hydro, she had to quickly use Pyro to evaporate it. Otherwise, if she got hit with Electro-Charged, the consequences would be brutal.
And if she was afflicted with Pyro, she had to cleanse it even faster. Getting hit by Electro in that state would send her flying!
As the countdown hit zero, Lumine, still strategizing, charged toward the three Abyss Heralds that suddenly materialized on the platform.
Nahida, you have to hold on! I'll clear this as fast as I can and find Neuvillette to save you!
Fueled by this conviction, Lumine fought with ever-growing courage!