Hearing his sister's heart-piercing words, the Prince of the Abyss, Aether, felt his expression darken into a mask of cold shadow. He had assumed that after her time in this world, Lumine would choose to leave with him. He was gravely mistaken.
"Lumine... you don't understand... you don't understand at all," Aether said slowly, a trace of memory flickering in his eyes. The fall of Khaenri'ah, the true nature of the Abyss, the secrets of this world—his kin understood none of it. No matter how they struggled, they could not stop that from coming, nor could they defeat the Heavenly Principles.
"Enough, Brother! You've become someone I don't recognize. Look at yourself... how many lives have you slaughtered? How many innocent people have died because of you? Do you feel no guilt as those souls vanish?"
Faced with Lumine's interrogation, Aether fell silent. After a long moment, an Abyss Lector beside him spoke: "Your Highness... let us begin. Since she cannot fathom your grand dream, there is no need for further words."
"I know," Aether replied, his voice regaining its chilling edge. He looked at Lumine one last time. "When the Abyss drowns the Thrones, you will know the truth. No matter how much you hate me, I must take you away! I cannot let you stay with this dangerous man any longer. Attack!"
[The Abyss Tide]
At his command, the sea of monsters surged forward. A thick, suffocating black mist rolled out from the Dainichi Mikoshi. This concentrated Abyssal power made Xiangling and the others wince in disgust.
"This is nauseating..."
"So the Abyss was hoarding its strength here all along?"
Through the TBN cameras, the world watched as a tide of black mud erupted from the central hall. Su Han immediately pulled Lumine behind him. He had already guessed Aether's intent. If the Abyss wanted this place, he would let it burn—but he would not let them have her.
"I may not be at my peak yet," Su Han's voice resonated with a murderous intent that made the air freeze. "But if you think you're 'worthy' of taking Lumine from me, you're dead wrong."
As Su Han spoke, a pressure akin to an Asura's roar erupted from his body. The ground beneath the monsters instantly collapsed. The entire Dainichi Mikoshi began to groan and tremble.
"This power... is it gravity?" Paimon gasped.
The monsters were pinned to the spot, unable to move. Seeing the opening, Xiangling unleashed the full power of her Mera-Mera ability. "Flame Purgatory: Incinerate!" Fireballs rained down like gatling rounds, turning the frontline into a burning hell.
Su Han's Tessaiga shifted into its Kirin form. "Hearth-Fire Kirin!" A hundred-meter-tall flaming beast roared from his blade, charging directly at Aether. To end this, he had to take down the Prince.
"Heh... impressive power," Aether smiled faintly, a swirl of purple-black energy easily swallowing the flames. "But you're still a step behind."
[The Reinforcements]
In the towers, Beidou watched the live broadcast and couldn't sit still. "I'm heading to the center. That Prince is a monster; Su Han might need backup. The rest of you, finish the seals and head back!"
"Sister Beidou!"
"Don't worry, I've got this!"
Beidou prepared to soar on her sword, but Kikyo stepped forward. "Take me with you. My Purifying Arrows are the natural enemy of the Abyss."
Beidou looked at the priestess's determined face and nodded. Together, they streaked through the dark sky toward the Dainichi Mikoshi.
High above the central plaza, Su Han and Aether were locked in a mid-air clash. With his advanced Observation Haki, Pure Yang Flame, and Purifying Light, Su Han's Tessaiga met Aether's void-blade in a shower of sparks that split the sky. Aether's strength was beyond that of an ordinary Archon, and with the Abyss backing him, Su Han was fighting a battle of pure attrition.
[The Trap Within the Light]
While the air battle raged, Paimon looked at Lumine. "We have to save Kokomi! Aether is busy with Su Han—now's our chance!"
Lumine fought her way through the Abyss Heralds, her blade clearing a path into the heart of the Dainichi Mikoshi. Xiangling provided cover fire, her flames incinerating the Riftwolves that tried to swarm them.
Lumine reached the top of the structure. The defense here was strangely light. Sangonomiya Kokomi and a blue-robed shrine maiden (Enjou's captive) were suspended in a cage of energy.
"Kokomi! We're here!" Paimon cheered.
But as Lumine reached out to break the cage, the blue-robed maiden cried out, "Run! It's a trap!"
It was too late. A massive magic circle erupted beneath Lumine's feet, pinning her to the ground. Simultaneously, a void-rift opened within the Dainichi Mikoshi, threatening to swallow all three of them into the dark dimension.
[The Sovereign's Choice]
Outside, Aether saw the trap spring and sneered. "Everything is going according to plan."
He knew Su Han would block him, so he left the path to the center open for the one person he actually wanted to capture: his sister. By trapping her and Kokomi together, he could move them to the Abyss.
"As for you..." Aether's voice turned cruel as he crushed a glowing orb in his hand. "Go down with the ruins of Byakuyakoku! Let's see what you choose... will you try to save your girl, or will you save these 'useless' lives?"
The Dainichi Mikoshi began to detonate. Massive chunks of the structure crumbled. Suddenly, thousands of captured Shogunate soldiers and Watatsumi civilians—previously hidden—were dropped into the crumbling ruins.
If the Dainichi Mikoshi fell, the entire landmass would plummet into the infinite void. Thousands would die. But if Su Han turned to save them, Lumine would be swallowed by the rift.
Yoimiya, recording from the air, gasped. Even she didn't know how to react. But when the camera zoomed in on Su Han, he was smiling.
"Aether... I'll admit, your scheme is clever. But did you really think I'd accept a loss?" Su Han's voice boomed, drowning out the sounds of destruction. "In my dictionary, there is no such thing as surrendering! Today, I'll teach the Abyss a lesson it will never forget."
"Abyss or not... BLADE, COME!!!"
With a roar that pierced the heavens, the Xuanyuan Sword, resting miles away in the Liyue Grand Temple, erupted with a light that turned the night of Teyvat into a golden dawn.
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