Seeing the humanoid figure appear, Focalors immediately unleashed the oppressive aura upon Rina.
Rina was naturally no pushover either and promptly returned the favor with a pressure of equal intensity aimed at Focalors.
Of course, this was the Opera Epiclese. The energy the two released was only directed at each other. Moreover, Rina harbored no malicious intent towards Focalors; she simply didn't want to lose face.
After all, if these two beings were to truly fight, Rina would definitely lose to Focalors.
At this moment, Rina had not revealed her true form, but remained in a semi-humanoid state.
The two confronted each other for nearly five minutes, during which the magnitude of the Hydro energy they released continuously increased. Due to their inherently different power levels, Focalors maintained a perfectly calm and composed demeanor, even smiling at Rina.
'Damn it... what is she…' As the released energy grew, Rina gradually began to show signs of strain. Her face tightened, beads of sweat gradually formed on her brow. Yet she never stopped her own actions and her aura never carried a single trace of malice.
Focalors, of course, saw all of Rina's reactions.
For now, it could be determined that this individual before her held no malice. In fact, she seemed like... a cute cat?
Looking at the semi-humanoid figure making such an expression, she couldn't help but let out a soft, amused laugh.
It's just... this face... Why does it look so familiar?
'Hah? What are you laughing at!' Rina was starting to lose her patience.
Right at that moment, Focalors proactively dispelled the oppressive aura she was directing at Rina and used her own power to pull Rina down to the ground.
Rina suddenly felt the pressure on her vanish and then was abruptly pulled to the ground. She was momentarily dazed, her body involuntarily reverted to its humanoid state.
Focalors took a closer look.
"!!!"
Seeing Rina's appearance, Focalors nearly lost her balance, a rare look of astonishment crossing her face.
"Ah? Furina...?"
Now it was Focalors turn to be dumbfounded.
Focalors: My brain is about to grow. The Furina I separated has become two.
Rina also adjusted herself and realized the current situation.
'Focalors, I came here specifically to find you and this is how you treat me?' Rina's expression looked very displeased. A large Scythe appeared in her hand, which she brandished menacingly at Focalors.
Focalors ignored it. At this moment, she was carefully pondering the existence of Rina, which was beyond her expectations.
"She carries my aura... Could it be from that time?"
Focalors instantly recalled. Back when she separated Furina, a wisp of her divine was left behind. She had checked it at the time. "This accident? Wait!" Focalors suddenly noticed something else, her pupils widening sharply.
"Egeria... Is it really you?" Her expression changed drastically, her voice even carrying a hint of sadness as she spoke.
Rina didn't know what exactly Focalors had discerned. She didn't know how she herself was born either. She only saw Focalors expression change from calm to shocked to sorrowful within a few seconds.
'Could the Hydro Archon have stayed in here too long and rotted her brain?'
After some thought, Rina reached this conclusion.
Focalors gazed at the Rina before her, but the figure from her memories simply could not overlap with the Furina in front of her. She had no choice but to let go of the fantasy in her heart.
"Indeed... once a god dies, they cannot be reborn..." Focalors wiped the tear from the corner of her eye. The brief interlude was quickly forgotten by her.
"Let me see again... It's a power I cannot analyze but intuitively speaking, it should be friendly towards Fontaine and her... there's also Furina's aura on her as well..."
After scrutinizing Rina inside and out, Focalors roughly understood her situation.
"She is the 'person' formed within Furina's body after the fusion of multiple powers, right?... No wonder Furina has never come to confide in me using the mirror. It must be thanks to her accompanying Furina."
After reaching this conclusion, Focalors quickly reviewed her plan to save Fontaine and discovered that the addition of this variable greatly increased the plan's success rate.
After all, proving that a true Hydro Archon resides within Furina's body is far more difficult than proving Furina is a fake Hydro Archon.
Now, with all the buffs stacked, it's hard for Focalors not to feel favorably towards Rina.
Looking at Rina who was glaring at her fiercely with a Scythe in hand, she tilted her head slightly and smiled.
'Hah? Could there something really be wrong with you! I'm pointing a scythe at you.'
"Hello there, Other Furina!" Focalors maintained this posture, waving her hand in greeting to Rina.
'I am not her. I don't even know who I am.' When Rina heard herself being called Furina, her expression changed sharply, but it vanished quickly. Faced with Focalors enthusiasm, she appeared much colder.
Focalors keenly caught the momentary change in Rina's expression.
"Eh?" Focalors feigned surprise. "But looking at you, you seem quite similar to my Furina!"
"Furina is MINE!!!"
Rina directly latched onto the keyword and let out an anxious shriek.
Fortunately, the soundproofing inside the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale was good, otherwise Rina would have experienced social death across all of Fontaine.
"Alright, head Furina stan identified. What a good child. It's just a pity the forces that constitute her are too chaotic, shaping her current personality. But, surprisingly, she seems quite compatible with Furina? The two can complement each other perfectly. Looking at it now, she definitely has feelings for Furina! I just don't know what Furina thinks."
Instantly, Focalors was struck by the idea of shipping the twins.
"Hehehe! I'm such a genius. This way, after everything is over, Furina will have a partner. Furina can live a happier life in her later years. How wonderful. It's just a pity I probably won't get to see that day. But for now, the suffering Furina has to endure is also much less than expected. Seeing such an outcome, I should be content... Indeed, I'll have to thank her later."
At this moment, Rina didn't know that Focalors had already planned out her and Furina's life after the crisis in perfect detail. If she knew, she would probably be outwardly angry but inwardly overjoyed... right?
Is that really the case?
Focalors acted as if nothing had happened.
Focalors looked at Rina gently. "Then what is your name?"
Rina was about to answer, but found she couldn't say anything.
She... seemed to have no name yet. Seeing Rina stammering, Focalors felt a pang of heartache.
"I believe you will have the name you desire in your heart in the future. But you can't have no name for now, right? Then for the time being, may I refer to you as Rina?"
'Mhm..' Rina actually momentarily let go of her tsundere attitude.
This was the first time Rina had a name.
Before today, only Furina knew of her existence and Furina was so used to calling Rina, Other Me that she never thought to give her a proper name.
"Well then, Rina, I presume you came to find me because you have serious business to discuss."
With the introductions over, the topic was finally brought back on track.