Location: The Akademiya (Corridor to Sanctuary)
Current Form: Human
Status: Dismantling a Harbinger, eager for the main course
The corridor was silent, save for the humming of the strange mechanical devices floating around Il Dottore. The segment of the Doctor adjusted his mask, his red eyes glowing with clinical curiosity.
"Subject: Raiden Ragnvaldr," Dottore mused, circling Raiden like a shark. "Body structure: Carbon-based but density mimics neutron star material. Energy signature: Void. You are a walking contradiction."
"And you are a walking recycle bin," Raiden replied, standing perfectly still. "You talk too much for a spare part."
Dottore chuckled. "Arrogance. A common trait in powerful specimens. Let's see what happens when I destabilize your biological rhythm."
Dottore snapped his fingers.
Six floating devices fired concentrated beams of sonic disruptor waves. It was a frequency designed to liquefy internal organs.
HUMMMM.
The walls cracked. The floor turned to dust.
Raiden stood there. He didn't blink. He opened his mouth and yawned.
"Great Sage. Analysis of frequency."
"Analysis complete. Sonic vibration. Counter-frequency generated."
Raiden hummed a low note.
VWUM.
The counter-wave hit Dottore's devices. They didn't just stop; they exploded.
"Is that it?" Raiden asked, picking his ear. "My alarm clock is louder."
Dottore's smile faltered. "Interesting. Physical resistance is absolute. How about chemical?"
He threw three vials. They shattered at Raiden's feet, releasing a green gas - Archon Residue Neurotoxin.
"This killed a Vishap in three seconds," Dottore noted.
Raiden took a deep breath.
Inhale.
The gas vanished into his nostrils.
"Minty," Raiden critiqued. "With a hint of... arsenic? You really need to work on your flavor profile, Doctor."
Dottore stepped back. For the first time, the clinical detachment was replaced by calculation. 'This entity defies standard physics. Engagement is illogical. Retreat is recommended.'
"Going somewhere?" Raiden asked.
[Shadow Step].
Raiden appeared behind Dottore. He grabbed the Harbinger by the head with one hand.
"You hurt Collei," Raiden whispered, his voice dropping to a growl that vibrated in Dottore's bones. "You hurt Scaramouche. You hurt Nahida. You treat life like a toy."
"I advance evolution!" Dottore choked, clawing at Raiden's arm. His claws scraped against diamond-hard skin uselessly.
"Evolution favors the strong," Raiden's grip tightened. "And right now? You're just prey."
[Gluttony: Matter Deletion].
Raiden's hand glowed with black light.
"Wait—!" Dottore screamed.
SQUELCH.
There was no blood. Raiden's hand simply absorbed the clone. Metal, flesh, mask, and ego - all sucked into the Void Stomach.
Raiden wiped his hand on his pants.
"Tastes like cold medicine and bad decisions."
He looked toward the Sanctuary. "Now, to get the Radish."
Inside the Sanctuary of Surasthana, Aether and Paimon found the glowing green sphere.
"Nahida!" Paimon banged on the energy barrier.
Inside, the small Archon looked up. "Traveler? You... you made it?"
"We're getting you out!" Aether shouted.
He channeled his Dendro element. The terminal hacked by Alhaitham lowered the shields.
The barrier dissolved.
Nahida floated down. She looked at her hands. For the first time in five hundred years, she was free.
"I..." Nahida teared up. "I can leave?"
"We're leaving," Raiden walked in, kicking the door open. "And we're going straight to the workshop. Your replacement is throwing a tantrum."
Nahida wiped her eyes and nodded firmly. "Yes. We must stop the Shouki no Kami. He has the Gnosis. He believes he is the new God of Wisdom."
"He's a god of scrap metal," Raiden said. "Let's go."
They descended into the depths of the Akademiya, into the massive underground factory.
The room was colossal. In the center stood a machine that defied reason.
Shouki no Kami (The Prodigal).
A massive, multi-armed mechanical god, fueled by the Electro Gnosis and Divine Knowledge. In the cockpit sat Scaramouche, wired into the system, his eyes glowing with manic power.
"You are late!" Scaramouche's voice boomed, amplified by the machine. "Worms! Look upon me! I have been reborn! I have surpassed the fragility of humanity! I have surpassed the Creator!"
He raised a massive mechanical hand. Elements swirled around him - Electro, Anemo, Hydro, Pyro, Cryo.
"I AM THE NEW GOD OF SUMERU!"
"He's loud," Raiden commented, standing on the viewing platform.
"He is connected to the Akasha," Nahida analyzed. "He is processing millions of combat simulations per second. He anticipates every move."
"Can he anticipate a punch in the face?" Raiden asked.
"Not usually," Nahida admitted.
Phase 1: The False God
Scaramouche saw them.
"Traveler! And YOU!" The mechanical head turned to Raiden. " The Anomaly! You humiliated me in Inazuma! You called me a spare part! Now, I will crush you beneath my heel!"
The giant robot slammed its fist down.
Aether dodged. Nahida cast a shield.
Raiden caught the fist.
BOOM.
The ground shattered, but Raiden didn't move. He held the massive mechanical finger with one hand.
"Is that all you got, Pinocchio?" Raiden shouted up.
"INSOLENCE!"
Scaramouche unleashed a laser barrage.
"Traveler, take the lead!" Raiden shouted, letting go and jumping back. "I want to see what Nahida can do!"
Aether engaged the mech. With the Neo Akasha Terminal (the little flying device Nahida provided), they gathered energy to shoot back at Scaramouche.
It was a bullet-hell battle. Lasers, fire, ice.
Scaramouche laughed. "Useless! I am omniscient!"
"Now!" Nahida shouted.
She activated a Samsara Loop.
Scaramouche blinked. "What? Why does this feel... familiar?"
"Because you've lost this fight 168 times in your head already," Nahida said sadly. "We just needed to find the glitch."
Phase 2: The Glutton enters the Chat
Scaramouche roared, breaking the mental illusion through sheer rage.
"NO MORE TRICKS!"
The robot stood up fully. Gravity distorted. A massive Setsuna Shoumetsu (Instant Annihilation) sphere formed - a miniature black hole of Electro energy.
"Die!" Scaramouche threw the sphere.
"Okay, my turn," Raiden cracked his neck.
He stepped in front of Aether and Nahida.
"Hey, Scaramouche!" Raiden yelled. "Remember what I told you about your hat?"
"WHAT?!"
Raiden transformed.
Partial Dragon Release.
His arm didn't just turn into scales; it expanded. A massive, spectral dragon claw made of black void energy materialized over Raiden's body.
Raiden punched the black hole.
[Void Impact: Star Crusher].
CRACK.
The black hole shattered like glass. The force of the punch continued, slamming into the chest of the Shouki no Kami.
CRUNCH.
The giant robot was knocked backward. Metal screamed. Armor plating ripped off.
Scaramouche was thrown around in the cockpit. "Impossible! My calculations... my divinity!"
"Your divinity is running on batteries!" Raiden leaped into the air.
He landed on the robot's chest. He ripped the plating open with his bare hands.
"And I'm here to revoke your warranty!"
Raiden reached in. He ignored the lightning burning his skin. He grabbed the Electro Gnosis embedded in the core.
"NO! THAT IS MINE!" Scaramouche screamed, trying to grab Raiden with the robot's arms.
Raiden looked Scaramouche in the eye.
"You don't need a heart to be real, idiot," Raiden said. "You just need to stop being a brat."
He yanked the Gnosis out.
POWER DOWN.
The Shouki no Kami groaned. The lights died. The massive machine collapsed, falling to its knees.
Scaramouche fell out of the cockpit. He was connected by wires, dangling helplessly. He reached for the Gnosis in Raiden's hand.
"Give... it... back..." Scaramouche wept. "I... I don't want to go back..."
"Go back to what?" Raiden asked, holding the Gnosis out of reach.
"To being... nothing."
Raiden sighed. He looked at Nahida.
"He's all yours, Radish. I recommend therapy. Lots of it."
Scaramouche lost consciousness, the wires snapping. He fell toward the ground.
Nahida caught him with a Dendro leaf construct, lowering him gently.
"He has caused much pain," Nahida said softly. "But he is also a victim of his own creation. I will hide him away. I will show him the truth of his past."
"Good luck," Raiden tossed the Electro Gnosis to Nahida. "Here. Another chess piece for your collection. Don't let Dottore have it."
Nahida caught it. "Thank you, Raiden. You saved Sumeru."
"I just smashed a robot," Raiden shrugged. "But I am going to take some of this scrap metal. It looks tasty."
He bit a chunk out of the Shouki no Kami's arm.
"System Report. Consumed: Divine Mech Alloy. Defense increased by 2%."
"Crunchy."
Location: The Grand Bazaar
Status: Massive Party
The Sages were arrested. Azar was exiled to the rainforest (Raiden suggested feeding him to crocodiles, but Cyno insisted on 'due process'). Nahida was reinstated as the Archon.
The celebration was legendary.
Nilou danced. Collei (cured of Eleazar thanks to Nahida purifying Irminsul) laughed with Tighnari. Cyno told terrible jokes. Alhaitham tried to read a book in the corner but was dragged onto the dance floor by Kaveh.
Raiden sat at a massive table filled with food.
"So," Raiden raised a glass. "To Wisdom. And to not being an idiot."
"Cheers!" Dehya clinked her glass against his.
Nahida sat next to him, eating a candied ajilenakh nut.
"Raiden," Nahida asked. "You are leaving soon?"
"Yeah," Raiden nodded. "Next stop is Fontaine. I heard the Hydro Archon is a drama queen. Sounds entertaining."
"Be careful," Nahida warned. "Fontaine's prophecy... the rising water... it is not just water. It is the Primordial Sea. It dissolves all life."
Raiden grinned.
"Primordial Sea? Sounds like soup."
He stood up.
"Don't worry, Nahida. If the world tries to drown, I'll just drink the flood."