[Location: Floor 12, Chamber 2, First Half]
[Objective: Defeat the Maguu Kenki Trio within the time limit.]
[Additional Info: Different completion times will result in different ratings. Achieve the highest rating in all chambers to leave this place.]
[Countdown: 5:56]
During the battle, Lumine glanced up and saw the countdown timer. In that moment of distraction, the Maguu Kenki: Lone Gale seized the opportunity. Three Anemo blades followed by a Flash Slash sent her flying!
Before she could land, two Circular Slashes caught her mid-air, launching her again!
Finally, the Maguu Kenki: Galloping Frost's ground-slam attack finished her off. Lumine typed "GG."
The world... chewed me up...
Revived, Lumine stared blankly at the large "DEFEATED" text on the screen. It was hard to tell if she was dazed from the relentless combo or contemplating the meaning of life.
After Lumine decided to unleash the mysterious power within her, her strength surged dramatically. She effortlessly annihilated four Ruin Drakes, thinking she'd be unstoppable—slaying gods and buddhas alike. But she grew careless and forgot about slaying ghosts. And just like that, she found herself stuck on the Maguu Kenki Trio.
Lumine was utterly disgusted by the Maguu Kenki Trio. Their coordinated combos were one thing, but getting hit by a single stray attack often meant she could just type "GG" right away.
She had no way to counter the Frozen Floor attack—she couldn't perform infinite aerial combos.
Even if she pulled back, not only would her own attacks become less effective, but the Maguu Kenki: Lone Gale's Anemo blades were fast and fierce, and it could suddenly unleash a Flash Slash.
At mid-range, the two consecutive Circular Slashes were no joke; their massive AoE left almost no room to dodge.
And even if she managed to evade them, what if a few Anemo blades came flying at her at the same time...?
Taking a huge step back, even if she dodged everything, she simply didn't have enough time to kill the Kenki one by one. So, she had to figure out how to manually group them and how to hit as many targets as possible with each attack...
Pain. So much pain!
Lumine's frustration was boiling over, and she mentally cursed the designer of this challenge with every fiber of her being.
But could she give up?
Nahida was still waiting for her to find help and save her
I wonder how Nahida is doing... I have to find Neuvillette quickly!
Seeing the rest timer about to end, Lumine took a deep breath, gripped her Dull Blade again, and charged the moment the Maguu Kenki Trio appeared.
Maguu Kenki Trio, I'll fight you to the bitter end!
Nahida, hang in there! Once I clear this, I'll bring Neuvillette to save you!
-
Meanwhile, as Scaramouche's face twisted into the same smile as Lofan's, immense fear gripped everyone watching the Akasha Terminal.
For some unknown reason, everything in the Akasha's projection had frozen in time. Neither Nahida, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, nor the invincible Neuvillette seemed spared. This scene plunged the onlookers into endless despair.
"Save the world? How arrogant! He really knows how to flatter himself!"
"We don't need you to save us!"
"Move, you two!"
"Monsieur Neuvillette, save Sumeru!"
But no matter how much the people prayed or shouted, no one affected by the Laws of Time could break free.
This time, Lofan had unleashed all his remaining power over the Laws of Time. Combined with the fact that this Neuvillette was not his Prime, the threat he posed was drastically reduced.
However, there was still a chance that pushing Neuvillette too far could provoke him into attacking Lofan's Prime directly.
Of course, even if Neuvillette did that, Lofan couldn't care less.
Lofan, controlling Scaramouche's body, unleashed the Void Power all at once. Combined with the parts he had secretly corrupted, Irminsul, at some unknown point, had almost entirely fallen under his control.
Then, Lofan smirked inwardly. With a grand wave of his hand, he isolated Scaramouche's life experiences, found a prominent spot, and began looping them for all to see. He made sure to give special emphasis to the scene where Scaramouche had learned to bark like a dog.
Lofan didn't just want to kill Scaramouche physically; he wanted to destroy him socially.
As the saying goes: To truly kill a man, you must first crush his spirit.
"I have been thrice betrayed..."
"Woof! Woof! Woof!"
The Sumerians, who had been drowning in despair just moments before, were now utterly dumbfounded. They even forgot they were supposed to be afraid.
Wait, you guys play this dirty?
Although Lofan had already muted Scaramouche's consciousness, he knew the man was surely cursing him even more fiercely now.
But it didn't matter. He couldn't hear it anyway.
With that done, Lofan proceeded to the final step.
Previously, while Scaramouche had been drawing most of the attention, Lofan had already completed all his preparations.
Now, it was time to unveil these preparations for all to see.
Lofan glanced at the still-incapacitated group, raised his hand, and snapped his fingers.
And then... the sky went dark.
Not just in the Dream World, but in the real world as well. The people of Fontaine suddenly felt the light around them dim. Confused, they looked up at the sky, only for expressions of utter horror to spread across their faces.
At some unknown point, the sun had turned a grayish-black. Its cold, desolate light bathed the world in a monochrome gray, and an overwhelmingly dense aura of death sent shivers down the spines of the Sumerians.
What in the world is happening?!
Although the Sumerians had witnessed Lofan's power firsthand, this spectacle far surpassed anything they could have imagined.
To possess power that could affect the real world on such a scale—even among the Archons, only the most powerful could achieve such a feat.
Many collapsed to the ground, their eyes vacant, muttering incessantly.
"It's over... We're finished..."
"Sumeru... is completely doomed..."
Sensing the dire situation, Neuvillette no longer hesitated. He controlled his consciousness, preparing to return to his Prime and take drastic measures to stop Lofan's actions. However, Lofan wouldn't give him the chance.
If Neuvillette's consciousness hadn't left his Prime, restricting his movements would have been difficult. But now, Lofan's message was clear: Since you're already here, don't be in such a hurry to leave.
Lofan simply raised his hand and severed the connection between Neuvillette's consciousness and his Prime, leaving Neuvillette completely blind.
With Lofan's current mental fortitude, even the multiply-enhanced Nahida couldn't compare, let alone Neuvillette, who was unskilled in this area.
As the one who knew Neuvillette best, how could No. 6 not have thoroughly understood his weaknesses?
"Don't be in such a hurry to leave, Monsieur Neuvillette!"
Lofan smiled at him.
"You are all witnesses to the New World."
Neuvillette gazed at Lofan's relaxed, smiling face, his heart sinking with dread.
At this moment, he somewhat regretted sending his consciousness into this space; it was clearly part of the enemy's plan to trap him.
But to have even anticipated this... If the girl named Emily wasn't involved, then the enemy's understanding of mental power had reached a truly transcendent level.
In truth, Neuvillette suspected Emily's hand in the plan. If she had orchestrated it, the outcome might not be entirely disastrous. But he dared not gamble—the stakes were far too high.
New World?
Nahida latched onto Lofan's choice of words. It wasn't the first time he'd said it. If it wasn't a slip of the tongue, then his true goal was clearly not the plan he had previously stated!
Nahida's heart raced with frantic anxiety. She wanted to demand what Lofan was truly planning, but in reality, she was completely immobilized, unable to perform even the simple act of opening her mouth.
Meanwhile, Parchamdar Rukh Shah, upon seeing Clorinde, was driven to madness. He had a tool that could free Nahida and the others from their predicament, but he had no way to deliver it. He felt as if he were watching Sumeru march helplessly toward its doom.
At that moment, Clorinde also received an Akasha Terminal. With no time to marvel at its convenience, she watched the battle unfolding in the Dream World, her heart equally frantic with anxiety.
Although Clorinde didn't know when Neuvillette had arrived in Sumeru, it was clear the nation had reached its most critical juncture. She had to find a way to deliver the item.
But Nahida and the others were trapped in the Dream World, and Clorinde had no idea how to get the item to them.
In the end, she and Rukh Shah could only agree to broadcast the information through the Akasha, hoping Nahida would notice.
After doing so, Clorinde noticed a disturbance in the distance. She quickly looked up and saw the Black Sun beginning to pour grayish-white energy down toward the ground.
A look of shock spread across Clorinde's face; this scene far surpassed anything she could have imagined. She instinctively took two steps back, only to realize the ground beneath her feet felt different.
Clorinde lowered her gaze again, and the sight before her made her feel as if she were dreaming.
The ground was now covered in a dense web of interlocking black vines, their veins pulsing with grayish-black energy like blood.
A chill ran down Clorinde's spine. Looking up again, she saw that pitch-black vines had crept up the surrounding buildings at some unknown point, unceasingly emitting a deeply ominous aura.
Though Clorinde didn't know what would happen next, she had a gut feeling that she couldn't stay in contact with these vines any longer.
But as she prepared to seek shelter, she suddenly realized: where in Sumeru was safe now?
The other Sumerians had also noticed the terrifying scene unfolding. Their once-familiar surroundings were rapidly becoming alien, and an immense sense of dread enveloped them.
Anyone, please, save Sumeru!
Lofan's immense power was deeply seared into everyone's minds. Now, Sumeru shared Fontaine's firsthand experience of his might.
At this moment, Paimon was likely the only one with a moment to spare.
Alone on the Ship of Dreams, Paimon watched the scenes unfolding in the Akasha, desperately hoping Lumine would return soon.
If she doesn't come back soon, everyone's going to be toast! I'm only slightly safer here...
Just as Paimon had that thought, she suddenly noticed that the Ship of Dreams itself had become overgrown with pitch-black vines.
Irminsul began to tremble slightly, as if weeping for Sumeru's cataclysmic transformation.
Lofan sensed that the time was right and spoke to No. 2.
"You may leave. You are no longer needed."
No. 2 didn't speak, merely nodding before tearing open a rift in space and departing. However, the object capable of invoking the Laws of Time remained behind.
At that moment, everyone saw what it was: a coffin.
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's heart filled with bitterness. She had suspected the source of this familiar power, and now, seeing her suspicions confirmed, she felt utterly helpless.
He truly did borrow the Goddess of Flowers' power... To think I would be betrayed by a deceased friend.
But even knowing this was useless now. His plan was unstoppable.
But... does he truly intend to destroy Sumeru?
Thinking back, she realized that not only had the Forbidden Knowledge been devoured from her, but she had also lost something else—something she had borrowed from the Sumerians.
His scheme was so meticulously planned; it was unlikely he would make any superfluous moves. If her guess was correct, his true objective might be...
In the Dream World, Irminsul's branches completely engulfed the Pitch-Black Egg containing Scaramouche and Lofan, merging with it as one.
As for No. 2, he had already departed. The plan never included sacrificing him in Sumeru.
Sensing the immense power he now wielded, Lofan's heart surged with excitement, but his reason firmly suppressed the urge to court death.
(Spy-heh)
Of course, this restraint was only temporary. He had to court death eventually; otherwise, he would miss this rare chance to probe Celestia.
But he couldn't be the one to do it—or rather, Dr. Edward couldn't be the one.
Moreover, he needed to bring his grand scheme in Sumeru to a definitive conclusion.
With this in mind, Lofan refocused his attention on the motionless figures before him. He and Scaramouche's body slowly ascended, finally positioning themselves within the Black Sun—an exact replica of the one in Sumeru's reality. His figure gradually merged with it, becoming one.
The moment Lofan completed this act, the pitch-black vines in the Consciousness Space, the Dream World, and the real world began to grow wildly, capturing every living thing they could sense—not even sparing a single dog.
Countless people took up arms to resist, but their efforts were futile. No matter how powerful they were, they couldn't withstand the onslaught. Soon, they were captured and bound by the pitch-black vines, then dragged toward several fixed locations.
Before long, the sky was filled with figures cocooned in the pitch-black vines like silkworm pupae, their eyes tightly shut.
The area around the Divine Tree was especially crowded with these figures, creating a horrifying sight that sent shivers down the spines of anyone who looked from afar.
"May you all have sweet dreams," Lofan murmured with a faint smile, then fully immersed himself in the new world he had created.