Safe Zone, Night Kingdom, Natlan, Teyvat.
Noah was tinkering with multiple holoscreens in front of him, his hands flying across the interface as lines of code scrolled by. After confirming that Nahida had received Elysia's selfie, he immediately set to work with Void Archives. The group was in a 'safe zone' within the Night Kingdom, the place where Noah conducted his experiment. Using the power of Trailblaze, he upgraded 'path' (the local leylines). Few days back, after clearing the Abyss Pylon that appeared directly above of this are, he had planted the 'Seed of Sumeru,' a blessed and modified tree prepared by Nahida and Buer, designed to act as a fully functional server and signal-receiving tower for the Inteyvat network.
"This is truly an amazing invention," Mavuika said with genuine admiration. "Being able to connect with the seven nations instantly… this could change everything."
"Not only that, Archon!" Burkina added eagerly. "It will help our work immensely — faster information flow, proper archiving of data… no more waiting weeks for messages."
"It will also boost business!" Tupac's eyes lit up. "Imagine it — all of Teyvat learning about our springs. They'll flock to our tribe. Tourism will grow, and so will our nation's wealth!"
The other heroes exchanged nods of agreement, murmuring in excitement.
"Since this runs through the leylines, we could even perform volatile rituals in a controlled, safe environment," Sanhaj pointed out thoughtfully.
"And we can post announcements — competitions from our Collective of Plenty tribe!" Wanjiru grinned. "Like the Spring Festivals — but this time, the whole of Teyvat can join us!"
Tupac chuckled, "Careful, Wanjiru, we might end up hosting half the continent here."
"Then we'll just have to make sure they never want to leave," Wanjiru shot back with a wink, earning a round of laughter from the group.
"Not only that! The tools and inventions from our Children of Echoes will spread across Teyvat, as well! Ahahaha!" Sundjatta laughed, his eyes gleaming as he pictured the possibilities.
Menilek crossed his arms, thoughtful. "Hmm… we'll need to think about how to make the most of this. I'll bring it up with the chief once we're back in the Flower Feather Clan."
Lumine smiled faintly at their enthusiasm. "Hehe, I like this. You're thinking about a bright future instead of just constant fighting."
Her words pulled Mavuika and the heroes from their thoughts.
"Ahahaha! How could we not, Miss Lumine?" Sundjatta grinned. "We can already see it—no more fighting just to survive!"
"True," Mavuika chuckled, glancing at Noah. "Even I, who have always prepared for the worst, can't help but imagine the bright future you've given us."
"The Archon is right," Wanjiru agreed, his tone warm. "After seeing us all fight and win against the Abyss, I can't help but feel… we will win this war. No more sacrifices need to be made. We can use our strength for competitions and games instead of spilling blood."
The other heroes nodded, some smiling at the thought.
"Maybe even a festival or two," Sanhaj chuckled, earning a few laughs.
Lumine's smile widened at their optimism. "Then I'm truly happy for you all. May Nathan's flame always shine brightly."
"Thank you, Miss Lumine," Mavuika replied, her voice catching slightly with emotion.
—
"Done," Noah announced with a small flourish as he entered the last line of code, leaning back slightly in his seat. "VA, you're up—start it."
[Order received. System starting up.] Void Archives replied in its measured tone, the projection lit up as it meticulously began bringing the Seed of Sumeru online.
"....I didn't think you could also do this kind of thing." Citlali said in awe.
"Sadly this is not entirely my idea. This kind of network is common in my world and any other advanced civilization outside of Teyvat." Noah said casually, "So I can't claim the honor of breaking your expectation, Itztli!!" he said dramatically.
Citlali deadpanned at him, "It's Citlali."
"So we can now contact Nahida and Buer?" Kiana asked from Noah's other side.
"...yes," Noah answered Kiana with a pout, sulking over Citlali's total lack of reaction.
[Captain, connection established. Seed of Sumeru is now linked at the Aru Village's Receiver tree tower. We are now connected on the Inteyvat network,] Void Archives reported.
"Thanks, VA," Noah said, fingers already swiping the interface to open a holo-screen. "Let's give Nahida a call." Within minutes, the small screen lit up with the adorable face of the young Archon.
"Yo! Can you see and hear me, Nahida?"
[Big Brother!!! Yes, we can see you and hear you clearly!] Nahida's voice bubbled with excitement, her little hands almost reaching out as if she could hug him through the connection.
Noah's smile softened at her joy—until he caught sight of a familiar figure standing behind her. Pink hair. Blue-pink eyes. A face that looked far too youthful for someone nearing her fifties.
His eyes widened. "Grandma?!!"
[Hello, Noah-chan,] Mitsuki greeted, her tone carrying a touch of awkward warmth.
"Grandmother?! This lady is your grandmother, Captain?!" Kiana's blue and golden mismatched eyes went wide, her voice overlapping with Sirin's in perfect shock.
"…such a young grandmother?" Citlali murmured, absently smoothing her hair as if preparing for inspection.
"What's with all the shouting?" Elysia asked, curiosity sparkling as she arrived with Lumine and Miss A in tow.
Before anyone could answer, Noah suddenly straightened like a soldier caught slacking, cold sweat trailing down his temple. On the screen, Mitsuki's eyes narrowed, locking on him with the kind of stare that could stop time.
[Noah-chan,] she began in a firm, no-nonsense tone, [no matter how passionate you are with your wives, you must never forget to be gentle with them. Understood?]
"Ha?! W–Wait, what?!" Noah yelped, looking between her and the others in panic. "Where did that even come from?!"
—-
[...so, if you are doing those things to them, you must always be considerate to their feelings, okay?] Mitsuki's tone left no room for argument as she fixed Noah with a grandmother's unshakable authority.
"...yes, grandmother," Noah replied mechanically, shoulders slumping. Deep inside, he felt like his soul had just left his body. The heroes of Natlan — Mavuika included — couldn't hold back their laughter at the sight of the mighty Captain being scolded for not being gentle enough with the girls.
Meanwhile, the said girls were all blushing furiously as Mitsuki scolds Noah about what happened on their little vacation. Kiana (with Sirin inside), Elysia, Lumine, and Citlali were glaring daggers at Miss A, who was kneeling in front of them, desperately trying to hide her face under her witch hat.
Nahida, who had been watching from the side, tilted her head in confusion. [Did Nahida do something bad?]
[Don't worry, Nahida-chan. It's not you who did something wrong — it's your big brother,] Caelus assured her, patting the little Archon's head with a fond smile.
[If you say so, Grandpa,] Nahida replied, still looking a little puzzled.
[Are we clear now, Noah-chan?] Mitsuki asked, her voice carrying finality that only a grandmother could wield.
"Y-yes, Grandma, I understand..." Noah replied, eyes brimming with tears and a sniff escaping before he could stop it.
[Good. Now, step aside and let me see and talk to your wives,] Mitsuki said, dismissing him with a wave of her hand. Her tone was warm but absolute, and Kiana and the rest flinched for being called out
Noah slowly stood from his kneeling position, shuffling out of the camera's view. The moment he was clear, he dramatically curled up on the ground, whimpering. Tupac, Sundjatta, and the rest of the heroes exchanged sympathetic looks, with one of them muttering, "Poor guy… even legends can't dodge a grandma's scolding."
As the camera now focused on Kiana and the others, they straightened at once, fixing hair and clothes before lining up neatly. Mitsuki's face softened into a smile as her eyes scanned the group.
Kiana stepped forward, clearing her throat. "H-Hello, Grandmother. It is nice to meet you. My name is Kiana Kaslana."
[My, such a polite child. Noah-chan is lucky to meet you, my dear,] Mitsuki said warmly, making Kiana's cheeks flush. [Let me introduce myself: I am Mitsuki Alden, Noah-chan's grandmother. You may call me Granny, Grandma, or Grandmother — whichever you prefer.]
Mitsuki's eyes lingered on Kiana, an expectant glint in them. Kiana fidgeted under the gaze until her expression went to surprise, hesitation flash across her face. Finally, with a shy nod, her eyes fully turned into gold. "H-He… hello, Granny. I'm Sirin," she said, her voice soft and with a hint of embarrassment.
[Fufufu, relax, my dear. I won't scold you or anything. But thank you for appearing and telling me your name,] Mitsuki replied warmly, her tone gentle enough to make Sirin's blush deepen.
Sirin nodded quickly before stepping back. Elysia then stepped forward, the two pink-haired women locking eyes in silent exchange as if speaking without words. Mitsuki gave a small nod of approval, and Elysia let out a subtle sigh of relief.
"Hello, Granny. Elysia's the name. Please give me your advice for the future," Elysia said with respectful cheer.
[Hehehe, I do think we'll have a very good relationship, Ely-chan,] Mitsuki replied, clearly amused.
As Elysia stepped back, Lumine moved forward with a polite smile. "Hello, Grandmother. It is nice to meet you. My name is Lumine—please take care of me for many years to come."
Mitsuki blinked and tilted her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. [My my, it seems Noah-chan has no shortage of polite girls around him. Please take care of me as well, Lumi-chan.]
Lumine returned the smile with a graceful bow before stepping back. Miss A hesitated, fidgeting as she took a step forward. "H-hello, Grandmother… I-I am Alice. Sorry for the trouble I caused."
Mitsuki arched her brow and lightly touched her cheek. [So, it's you—the Sister Alice that Nahida-chan mentioned.]
Miss A nodded quickly, a bead of cold sweat running down her temple. She could almost feel Mitsuki's gaze sharpen. D-Did I just doom myself?! Will I fail the Captain's grandmother's inspection?! Will Klee be fatherless in this timeline too?!
After a pause, Mitsuki's expression softened. [Well, next time, be more careful with what you say to a child, alright?]
"Yes, ma'am! Thank you for your consideration!" Miss A straightened and gave a quick salute, exhaling in visible relief.
After Miss A stepped back and wiped away a tear of relief, Citlali stepped forward with a composed smile. "Greetings, Grandmother. My name is Citlali, priestess of the Masters of the Night-Wind of Natlan. I may be inexperienced, but please do take care of me for many years to come."
[My, such amazing spiritual energy. Your talent must be comparable to our Mahiru-chan,] Mitsuki remarked, sensing Citlali's aura and genuinely impressed.
Mahiru's eyes widened at the praise, her surprise deepening as Mitsuki compared Citlali's potential to her own.
Touya gave a low whistle and glanced at his twin. "That's high praise coming from Grandma."
"T-thank you for such praise," Citlali replied, cheeks dusted pink as she bowed her head slightly, clearly touched by the compliment.
[It seems that Noah-chan has found wonderful people to stand by his side. With you girls, along with Masha-chan and Sylvie-chan, our family's future is both secure… and likely far more chaotic,] Mitsuki said with a mixture of pride, relief, and a touch of worry. She glanced over the group, taking in their beauty, strength, and talent, and sighed inwardly. With the Alden blood running strong — and Noah already called the strongest of this generation — any children born from these unions would almost certainly surpass even him.
[Which means,] she continued with a half-smile, [I'll have to team up with Elena-chan to make sure you ladies are properly trained to handle your inevitable little ones… who will no doubt be even more of a handful than Noah-chan himself.]
Kiana, Sirin, Elysia, Lumine, Miss A, Citlali — even Masha and Sylvie — froze, their cheeks heating before quickly paling at the mental image. The thought of tiny, powerful chaos-bringers tearing through their lives just like their father made more than one of them shiver.
"Ahh, sorry to interrupt, but," Mavuika's voice cut through the awkward air as she strode over to the downed Noah and the flustered girls with a faint, knowing smile. "It's time for us to move."
Noah peeked up from the ground, still nursing his wounded pride. "Already? Can't I recover my dignity first?"
"Afraid not, Captain," Mavuika chuckled, motioning for him to get up. "The world won't wait for your ego to heal."
—---
Kiana fired a quick shot from her pistols at the incoming Breacher Primus. Archon spears materialize around her, piercing straight through the Tenebrous Mimiflora. Suddenly, a Geo Rifthound lunged at her from behind—but she sensed it instantly. Her blue and golden eyes gleamed with Imaginary power as she dismissed her pistols. An Archon spear formed before her, condensing and transforming until it took the shape of a baseball bat, drawing power from Hunt path covering her bat. With a sharp grin she swung, sending the Rifthound flying.
"Home run!" Kiana cheered, twirling the bat on her shoulder.
She dashed through the battlefield, smashing aside axe-wielding Mitachurls, swatting Rifthounds, and striking down Hilichurl rogues and Abyss Mages that dared get close. Every swing cracked with energy, every impact clearing a path for her allies.
With swift movements, Lumine gathered Anemo energy, pulling nearby hilichurls into a swirling vortex and hurling them toward the Abyss Mage. Without missing a beat she switched to Hydro, snapping her fingers to conjure a barrage of hydro orbs that hit the multiple Tenebrous Mimesis surrounding her. She then switched to Dendro, driving her sword into the ground as a glowing lamp of Dendro bloomed, spreading dendro damage to the enemies around her. The reaction of Hydro and Dendro created dendro cores that began to sprout. Taking a breath, Lumine switches once more, this time to Electro—lightning coating her body and sword. Raising her blade high, she slashed in an arc of thundering power, triggering a Hyperbloom as the Dendro cores shot off like homing projectiles, tearing through the enemies in rapid succession.
"Not bad, huh?" Lumine muttered under her breath, catching Kiana's grin from the side.
"Show-off," Kiana and Sirin called back, their voices overlapping, their amusement can be heard from their tone.
Elysia launched another volley of arrows, adding cheerfully, "Well, at least you're making it look stylish."
Miss A ran across the battlefield, tossing her Dodoco bombs with practiced ease. Just as she was about to release another, a massive Geo Wolflord crashed down in her path, its jaws gaping wide to swallow her whole. Her steps halted, but her mind stayed sharp. With calm precision, she raised her staff the instant its maw opened, summoning a ring of glowing Pyro bombs that spun around her.
"Shoot!" she commanded.
The bombs surged forward, detonating inside the Wolflord's throat. The beast howled in agony before collapsing, its massive frame crushing waves of Abyssal monsters under it. Without sparing a glance back, Miss A, holding her witch hat strode forward, more Dodoco bombs materializing in her hands, her eyes set on the next wave of enemies.
Despite being a ranged combatant, Elysia dashed between enemy lines, her crystal arrows flying with quick precision, cutting down Abyss creatures in swift succession. Suddenly, an Electro Lawachurl hurled its massive body toward her. Instead of panicking, she calmly raised her bow, a crystal arrow already nocked and shining with power. At that moment, her memosprite Waltz — the pink manta ray — slapped the Lawachurl aside, twisting its body midair. Elysia released her arrow without hesitation. The crystal shot pierced straight through, and with a sharp crack, the Lawachurl split in half.
"Nice try, big guy. Better luck in the next life," Elysia quipped, giving Waltz a playful wink before darting off toward the next wave of enemies.
Citlali positioned herself carefully, making sure she could support not only Mavuika and the heroes of Natlan but also Kiana and the others. Her timely shields and precise bursts of Cryo struck enemy lines, opening chances for devastating elemental reactions. She directed the flow of battle with surprising skill, even using her plushies—Itzpapa bouncing forward and drawing enemy attention so others could finish them off.
"Over here, you ugly things!" Citlali called, sending Itzpapa tumbling into a group of Abyss mages. The creatures turned in confusion, only to be struck down by Kiana's bat and Lumine's elemental barrage.
"Nice timing, Citlali!" Kiana shouted with a grin.
Citlali gave a quick nod, her voice calm but firm. "Focus on the big ones—I'll keep the distractions coming."
Her quick thinking and creative tactics carved opportunities for everyone else to strike, making the battlefield feel just a little more in their favor.
Mavuika and the heroes fought side by side with the girls, never letting the overwhelming numbers push them back. Mavuika in particular displayed the might that earned her the title of God of War—her strikes precise and brutal, her voice rallying the warriors around her. With the heroes at her side, they showed the true prowess of Natlan, the Nation of War.
Meanwhile, Noah's figure blurred as his arm swung at blinding speed. Instead of his usual Lightsaber-Lux, he wielded the mimicry of the 3rd Divine Key—Seven Thunders of Retribution: Rumble Form, a katana crackling with violent lighting. Each slash tore through hundreds of Abyss creatures, clearing swathes of the battlefield with ruthless efficiency. At first he had reached for his Lightsaber, but the moment he was about to activate it, Mitsuki's sharp stare through the live screen felt like it was drilling into him, as if saying, You're facing thousands, and you'll settle for your regular blade? Don't you have something stronger—like that sun sword?
Noah trembling under that imagined scolding. So he called out his trusty partner Void Archives. "VA, Mimic the 3rd Divine Key please."
[Confirmed, Captain,] Void Archives responded, reshaping the weapon into the thunderclad katana now cutting arcs of violet light across the battlefield.
"Everyone doing fine, huh?" Noah muttered dryly, tilting his head just enough for an arrow to whistle past his cheek. Before he could retaliate, a Lawachurl came crashing down from above, squashing the hilichurl archer flat. Noah blinked and turned just in time to see Kiana spinning her Archon spear-turned-baseball bat before resting it on her shoulder. She flashed him a playful thumbs‑up with her usual bright smile.
Noah absentmindedly, returning the gesture.
[Another homerun from Kiana!!!] a voice shouted from the live screen. Noah turned his head to see Minami holding her hands like a mic, doing an exaggerated live commentary. [That's another score for Team Natlan! Will Team Abyss rally back, or is this the final inning?!]
Kiana laughed, pointing her bat toward the camera. "Tell them it's only going downhill from here!"
Noah sighed, deadpan. "...aren't you guys having a little too much fun?"
[Ahahaha, not as much as you, Noah‑kun,] Sylvie teased, clearly amused by his reaction.
Suddenly, Noah sidestepped as he heard a sharp cry of, "Watch out, Noah!" Tenebrous Mimesis – Iktomisaurus Warrior: Icy Tidebearer lunged past him, its icy form cutting through the air. Noah's grip tightened as he poured Imaginary energy into his Divine Key. The blade hissed with purple lightning before he swung in a clean arc, cleaving the mimicry of the Tidebearer in two.
"[Ugh… watching you fight is really bad for my heart, Noah‑kun,]" Masha sighed, pressing a hand to her chest as she tried to calm her pounding heartbeat.
Noah scratched the back of his neck with a sheepish grin. "Sorry, I'll be more careful."
"[Please do,]" Not only Masha but even Sylvie replied, their tone carrying the same concern. Both women fixed him with equally stern looks.
"Got it," Noah smiled softly, assuring them before turning back toward the fight, blade sparking as he pushed forward once more.
-
After clearing the area, Noah and the rest pushed even deeper into the Night Kingdom. With Citlali's connection to the Lord of the Night, she guided everyone toward where Gosoythoth and the Abyss's main forces are. Kiana, Lumine, and Mavuika led the charge, tearing through enemy lines with ruthless speed.
Noah, who had been near the back casually chatting with the others through the Asterisk feed and answering their questions, suddenly perked up as the Force whispered a warning. His expression sharpened. In a flash, he called upon the 3rd Divine Key, cloaking himself in lightning. His figure blurred forward, and the thunder‑clad katana met a storm of Abyss Heralds. With one powerful swing, the heralds' blades shattered, and with another, he cleaved them apart, cutting down the attackers in an instant.
"...Don't you think doing a surprise attack is a bit cowardly for you, oh great beings of entropy?" Noah said dryly, narrowing his eyes at the crumbling enemies.
Kiana bit her lips, lowering her bat. "Captain... ." Sirin's voice overlapped hers, frustration on their tone.
Mavuika frowned, shoulders tense. "Apologies! I didn't catch their presence."
"Don't blame yourself, Mavuika," Lumine added quickly. "Because we didn't sense them as well.
Then, at the center of the sky, a grotesque black hole with a sickly green eye opened, glaring down at Noah.
"Anything is fair in war. If you think this is cowardly, then you shouldn't have come here in the first place, human."
Noah tilted his head slightly, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Really now? That's the logic you throw at us? Sounds like you've picked up a little too much from humanity at some point." He leaned forward, his tone sharpening into a challenge. "Tell me, did you suffer losses back then? Is that why you decided to use the same tricks now?"
"You impudent human!!" Gosoythoth roared, abyssal energy exploding outward in a crushing wave. The heroes of Natlan dropped to their knees under the sheer pressure, while Kiana and the girls tensed, weapons raised. Mavuika narrowed her eyes, bracing herself. Even Koutarou and the others watching through the screen felt the suffocating weight. In Minami's stream, the audience broke into cold sweat. Masha and Sylvie clutched each other's hands tightly. Mahiru and Touya both flinched, while Alya and Buer instinctively reached for Touya's hand. Caelus and Mitsuki exchanged grim looks as Nahida clung to Mitsuki's arm.
Noah only grinned, his tone sharp. "Heh, looks like I struck a nerve." His eyes narrowed with confidence. "Guess you're not as terrifying as you pretend to be."
Gosoythoth's monstrous form flared in fury, commanding millions of Abyssal creatures to surge forward. The battlefield trembled as the final battle for Natlan's future began in earnest.