"Nahida… are you okay?"
"Ah, I'm fine. It's just that there's something I can't quite understand…"
"Can't understand?"
"We just saved the world. This should clearly be something worth celebrating, but why is it that… I seem to be crying?"
Her gaze shifted slightly. Aside from the sky and Irminsul becoming clear once more, Victor Wang, Paimon, Nahida… everyone appeared unchanged on the surface. Her own memories of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata were also unchanged. Yet in this regard, Nahida seemed to be different. Lumine pressed on, asking, "Do you remember what just happened?"
"Just now? Just now, we used the power of two Gnoses to successfully establish a connection with Irminsul's consciousness from five hundred years ago… and then eliminated the residual contamination within Irminsul…"
After Nahida finished answering, before Lumine could ask anything further, Paimon instead showed concern. "Yeah! What's wrong? You were there too, weren't you?"
Shaking her head, Lumine looked at Victor Wang. "You too…?"
Victor Wang looked confused. "What?"
This reaction… everyone really had forgotten Greater Lord Rukkhadevata. Only she remembered. Was it because she did not belong to this world?
Then… should she tell everyone the truth?
Just as Lumine hesitated, the entire space began to fracture from the edges. Once the shattered areas stabilized, they were replaced with brand-new scenery, as if another, much larger space were crushing and encroaching upon this one.
"This consciousness space is about to merge into the true Irminsul. We should leave now," Nahida said softly.
She activated the power of the two Gnoses, safeguarding the consciousness of Lumine, Paimon, and Victor Wang, and led everyone to sever their connection with this place.
After they left, Victor Wang—who should have departed as well—walked close to Irminsul, reached out to touch the trunk, and solemnly whispered a farewell. His entire being shattered and vanished together with this old space.
…
"Am I dead?"
"No way, right?"
The two thoughts arose one after the other.
The darkness before his eyes was so familiar. This was clearly the place one reached after dying every time, but why…?
Had The Doctor made his move outside while everyone's consciousness was connected to Irminsul?
Then wouldn't Lumine and Nahida be in danger too?
Several thoughts flashed through his mind. He had no idea how much time passed. While everything was still pitch-black before his eyes, Victor Wang's vision went dark once more, and then, finally, light returned.
He hurriedly checked his surroundings and discovered that he was back in the Sanctuary of Surasthana. Nahida, Lumine, and Paimon were all perfectly fine. Lumine was slightly furrowing her brows in thought, while the other two seemed not to have noticed his change at all.
I'm fine?
Victor Wang discreetly examined his own body and confirmed that everything was normal. Yet the pain that felt as though his mind had been torn apart when triggering memories, and the inexplicable disappearance of his murderous persona, both indicated that he had just experienced a death.
Time… the timing didn't add up. Was it only a death of the mind, or had everyone guarded his body for an entire day?
Victor Wang couldn't help but probe, asking, "Just now… what happened?"
Nahida looked up at him. Lumine frowned even more deeply, while Paimon bluntly complained, "Didn't Lumine just ask that? What's wrong with you two? You both feel so strange."
"Just now?"
"Yeah! You were here the whole time too. Why do you look like you've lost your memory?"
"Maybe I zoned out… I kept seeing hallucinations in my head just now…"
Hearing this, Nahida carefully sensed his condition. "If it's hallucinations, there are no signs of contamination on you. It should just be a normal phenomenon."
The moment her words fell, a wave of sound too subtle for the ears to catch spread out. Lumine had just exhausted herself fighting The Balladeer, and her poor mental state made The Doctor's little trick far more effective than expected. With Paimon as well, the two of them were immediately knocked out and fell into deep sleep.
Victor Wang was already enduring mental pain, and this impact caused him to collapse to the ground as well. He had never known before that pain and drowsiness could merge together. At this moment, his five senses were nearly lost. Yet in order to hear a certain secret, he forced himself to remain teetering on the edge of being in so much pain that he fell asleep.
However, what he saw and heard came only in fragments—
"That sound…" Nahida suddenly turned around, spreading her arms slightly to shield Victor Wang and Lumine behind her as she shouted at The Doctor, who was approaching step by step. "What did you do to them!"
"Relax. I'm here to negotiate. I know that if anything happened to them, you would never forgive me."
The Doctor strolled leisurely, stopping only when he reached Nahida. "So, this is merely a sound wave that quickly induces dreams. Of all the things those sages researched, this was the only mildly interesting one. I just picked it up and tried it—and sure enough… it's ineffective against a god."
"Negotiate with me? According to the intelligence I have, you should have left Sumeru long ago."
"The one who left was me, and the one who stayed was also me. Even the god of wisdom is bound by fixed perceptions? That's a bit disappointing."
"You mean… there are many different versions of you existing in the world at the same time?"
"Precisely. Observation is the first step of experimentation. I wanted to preserve every perspective from which I observe the world, but I lacked the crucial dimension of 'time.' I could only possess the present perspective. Thus, I preserved 'segments' of myself from different ages and operated them as independent individuals."
…
"Since you were within the Akademiya all along, why did you only appear now? You clearly had the ability to help that false god."
"Isn't the answer obvious? What staff member would help a test subject during an experiment? Besides, the experiments I conduct never involve interfering with the results."
"A madman… If you succeeded, you would have created a god. When that time comes, how would you face the one you serve? And where would you place yourself?"
"I am a scholar. Matters outside of experiments should be judged by my other selves."
…
"Let's end the conversation here. The experiment is over, and it's time to retrieve the useful materials—for example, the Gnosis. Lesser Lord Kusanali, you are a wise god. You should understand the disparity in our combat strength. That Electro Gnosis—you can't apply it in battle, can you?"
"Weren't you here to negotiate? This looks more like a violent seizure."
"I'm merely stating reality. As a scholar, when facing the god of wisdom, I naturally wish to offer sufficient respect and decorum."
"To speak with such confidence, you seem absolutely certain of yourself. I understand your intentions. However… what if I were to directly destroy the Gnosis and awaken the Heavenly Principles?"
"Awaken… the Heavenly Principles?"
The Doctor fell silent for a moment. He recalled the Mirrormaster's words and Victor Wang's prophecy, yet he refused to yield verbally. "Do you think that's possible?"
"The Heavenly Principles have indeed been dormant for many years. But as the symbol of their dominion over Teyvat and all its laws, if a Gnosis were destroyed, would it draw their gaze once more? And how would everything the Fatui have done be concluded then?"
Nahida's tone was serious and cold. "Do you dare to gamble on that possibility with me?"
"…You win. I cannot ignore that possibility. Very well—state your conditions."
"Erase all of your other 'segments.' How about that?"
"…If you believe that so many 'me' are worth less than a single Gnosis… deal. But I want to know—how will you ensure that I truly erase those 'me'?"
"I will see it. Through consciousness, you cannot deceive me."
…
"Then what about your Dendro Gnosis?"
"Do not be greedy, Fatui Harbinger."
"It seems you don't intend to hand it over easily. In that case, since you are the god of wisdom, how about I exchange knowledge with you?"
"Using knowledge… to trade for something belonging to the god of wisdom? Though arrogant, I am indeed curious."
"Heh. You who possess all knowledge—have you ever heard such a rumor? That the sky of Teyvat is fake."
"Oh…?"
"This is a secret about the truth of the world, hidden away by Irminsul."
"..."
"It seems I've piqued your interest. Wait a moment."
The Doctor looked toward Victor Wang, who was clinging to his last shred of consciousness. The device in his hand activated once more. A wave of sound swept through. The secret he most wanted to hear never reached him, and Victor Wang finally fell into deep sleep.
===BREAK===
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