The night over Liyue Harbor had turned restless.
Dark clouds drifted above the sea while countless lanterns illuminated the harbor streets below. The people of Liyue had long since locked themselves inside their homes after rumors spread about increasing tensions between the Fatui and the Millelith.
Yet beneath that uneasy silence…
War was about to erupt.
Deep inside a hidden section of the city, chained behind thick iron bars, Aether sat quietly inside his prison cell.
His body was bruised from days of abuse.
There is no visible wounds on his body thanks to his abnormal physique, but the exhaustion inside his mind remained.
For an entire week, the Millelith had beaten him daily.
Starved him.
Humiliated him.
Yet Aether never confessed.
Because he had committed no crime.
The dim torchlight flickered against the prison walls as he leaned his head against the cold stone.
"…How did things become like this?"
For the first time since waking up in this world…
Aether truly felt lost.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Liyue Harbor…
A group of heavily armed Fatui soldiers marched through the streets.
Their footsteps echoed loudly against the stone roads.
Watching them carefully from every corner were the Millelith guards.
The atmosphere between both sides felt suffocating.
One wrong move…
And everything would explode.
Near the harbor entrance, a Millelith captain stepped forward.
"Halt."
His spear blocked the road.
"What business do the Fatui have at this hour?"
One of the masked Fatui agents answered calmly.
"We are merely conducting official diplomatic movement under the authority of Snezhnaya."
The Millelith captain narrowed his eyes.
"At midnight?"
The Fatui soldier smiled faintly beneath his mask.
"Since when did Liyue start questioning diplomacy?"
The surrounding Millelith tightened their grip on their weapons.
More soldiers slowly appeared from nearby streets.
The tension kept rising.
Then—
A Fatui agent suddenly drew his blade.
"Now."
BOOM!
The streets exploded into chaos.
The Fatui attacked first.
Hydro bullets and Electro blasts erupted across the harbor while Millelith soldiers rushed forward to retaliate.
Steel clashed violently.
Explosions echoed across the city.
Civilians screamed while running for safety.
Within moments—
Liyue Harbor had transformed into a battlefield.
"Defend the city!"
"Protect the civilians!"
"More Fatui are entering from the western district!"
The Millelith quickly mobilized their forces.
But the Fatui soldiers kept pouring into the city endlessly.
It was obvious now.
This was not a simple conflict.
It was an organized assault.
Near the center of the city—
Keqing leapt through the battlefield with lightning flashing around her blade.
Several Fatui Skirmishers charged toward her.
"Out of my way!"
Purple Electro energy exploded outward.
Her sword moved like lightning itself.
One strike.
Two strikes.
Three.
The Fatui soldiers collapsed instantly.
Nearby, Ganyu calmly drew her bow.
Frost gathered around her fingertips.
"Please stop this…"
She released her arrow.
A massive Cryo lotus exploded among the advancing Fatui troops, freezing several soldiers instantly.
Not far away, another figure moved silently through the battlefield.
Yelan.
She dashed across rooftops using her Hydro threads like flowing water.
Her sharp blue eyes analyzed the battlefield rapidly.
"The Fatui are stalling us…"
"They're targeting something else."
She immediately understood.
"This attack is a distraction."
Far above the city—
Inside the floating Jade Chamber—
Ningguang stood near the balcony while several Adepti observed the situation below.
The battlefield lights reflected across Ningguang's calm eyes.
Beside her stood:
Cloud Retainer (Xianyun)
Moon Carver
Mountain Shaper
And Madame Ping.
Only Xiao was absent.
Moon Carver frowned deeply.
"The Fatui grow bolder with each passing day."
Cloud Retainer narrowed her eyes.
"This conflict feels unnatural."
Ningguang folded her arms.
"They are after something."
Madame Ping quietly spoke.
"…Aether."
Everyone fell silent.
Ningguang's expression darkened slightly.
"Yes."
"The prison."
At that exact moment—
Deep inside the prison beneath Liyue Harbor—
Multiple Millelith guards were suddenly thrown violently across the hallway.
CRASH!
A masked figure walked through the smoke calmly.
Childe.
Though his face remained hidden beneath a dark mask, his confidence was unmistakable.
Several Millelith soldiers rushed toward him.
"Stop him!"
Hydro blades formed instantly around Childe's arms.
"Too slow."
SWISH!
The soldiers collapsed one after another.
None of them could even react properly.
Childe walked deeper into the prison while casually knocking guards unconscious.
"Honestly…"
"You people make this too easy."
More soldiers appeared.
But Childe moved through them effortlessly.
His objective was simple.
Rescue Aether.
Make him indebted.
Control him later.
Everything was proceeding perfectly.
Until—
A cold killing intent filled the hallway.
Childe immediately stopped walking.
"…Hm?"
A figure slowly emerged from the darkness ahead.
Golden eyes glowed sharply in the dim prison corridor.
Green tattoos shimmered faintly beneath pale skin.
Xiao.
The Yaksha pointed his spear directly toward Childe.
"You will proceed no further."
Childe tilted his head slightly.
"…An Adeptus."
His grin widened beneath the mask.
"Now this is interesting."
The prison hallway exploded violently.
BOOM!
Xiao lunged first.
His spear pierced through the air with terrifying speed.
Childe instantly summoned Hydro blades to block.
CLANG!
The collision sent shockwaves through the prison corridor.
The walls cracked instantly.
"Fast," Childe muttered.
Xiao disappeared.
Anemo energy burst across the hallway.
Lemniscatic Wind Cycling!
Xiao lunged forward at extreme speed.
One strike.
Then another.
Then another.
The spear became impossible to track.
Childe narrowly dodged backward while firing multiple Hydro arrows.
"Tracking Arrows!"
The water projectiles curved through the air toward Xiao.
But Xiao moved like a phantom.
Every arrow missed.
"Too predictable."
Xiao suddenly appeared above Childe.
"Plunging Attack!"
BOOM!
The prison floor shattered violently.
Childe rolled away just before impact.
"Ha!"
Hydro energy exploded around him.
"Water Waves!"
Massive horizontal Hydro slashes surged through the hallway.
Xiao crossed his spear defensively.
CRASH!
The entire corridor trembled.
But before the water settled—
Xiao appeared directly before Childe again.
His spear struck six consecutive times with brutal precision.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Childe blocked rapidly using Hydro blades.
But Xiao's speed kept increasing.
His Anemo aura intensified further.
The Fatui Harbinger narrowed his eyes.
"…Interesting."
Purple lightning erupted around his body.
"Then let's get serious."
Electro energy exploded violently.
Phase Two.
Electro Delusion Activated.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Childe vanished.
Then suddenly appeared beside Xiao.
"Melee Combo!"
Five consecutive Electro slashes exploded toward the Yaksha.
Xiao blocked the first three strikes—
But the fourth slash cut across his shoulder.
Blood splattered across the hallway.
Childe smirked.
"You bleed after all."
Xiao's eyes turned colder.
Anemo energy surged violently around him.
Then—
A terrifying Yaksha mask materialized over his face.
The prison shook.
Bane of All Evil.
A horrifying pressure filled the entire underground prison.
Even Childe's smile faded slightly.
"…Now this feels dangerous."
Xiao vanished again.
This time—
Far faster than before.
BOOM!
Childe was launched backward through a stone wall.
Before he could recover—
Xiao struck again.
And again.
And again.
Each use of Lemniscatic Wind Cycling increased Xiao's momentum further.
The damage kept stacking.
Childe wiped blood from his mouth.
"HAHAHA!"
Instead of fear—
He became excited.
"Excellent!"
Electro energy erupted wildly around him.
"Ultima Dark Leap!"
Black lightning marked Xiao's location.
Then Childe crashed downward like a meteor.
BOOM!
The underground prison exploded violently.
Smoke filled the air.
But Xiao emerged from the destruction unharmed.
His Yaksha mask glowed ominously.
"You talk too much."
Xiao lunged forward once more.
Their battle moved beyond the prison corridors.
The underground chambers collapsed around them.
Both warriors burst upward into the open night sky above Liyue Harbor.
The entire city saw them.
Two monstrous fighters clashing in the heavens.
"Is that… a Harbinder?!"
Keqing looked upward in shock.
Ganyu frowned deeply.
"And Xiao…"
Meanwhile, atop the Jade Chamber, Ningguang observed silently.
"They've started."
High above the city—
Childe transformed again.
Hydro and Electro energy fused violently together.
Armor-like energy surrounded his body.
Phase Three.
Foul Legacy Transformation.
A monstrous pressure descended upon the city.
Several Millelith soldiers collapsed from fear alone.
Xiao stared coldly.
"…Demonic power."
Childe laughed loudly.
"Come then, Adeptus!"
The sky exploded with battle.
"Triple Slash!"
Massive Hydro-Electro slashes ripped through the air.
Xiao dodged at incredible speed.
Then countered with a devastating plunging attack.
BOOM!
The sea below erupted upward from the impact.
Childe retaliated immediately.
"Cross Slashes!"
Gigantic water blades crossed toward Xiao.
Xiao spun through the air while launching forward.
His spear pierced through Childe's shoulder.
Blood exploded outward.
But Childe grabbed Xiao's arm instantly.
"Caught you."
Electro energy detonated point-blank.
BOOM!
Both fighters were blasted apart.
For several seconds—
The sky itself seemed to tremble from their clash.
Childe breathed heavily.
His transformation consumed enormous energy.
Meanwhile Xiao stood silently in the air.
Though injured…
His killing intent remained overwhelming.
"Impressive…"
Childe admitted.
"But I'm running out of time."
Then—
He suddenly pulled out a glowing talisman.
A Sigil of Permission.
Xiao's eyes widened slightly.
"…No."
Childe grinned darkly.
"Let's raise the stakes."
The Sigil activated.
Ancient energy erupted from the sea.
The ocean began trembling violently.
Massive waves crashed against the harbor.
Then—
Something enormous emerged.
A gigantic ancient god rose from beneath the sea.
Multiple serpent heads roared toward the heavens.
Osial.
The ancient Overlord of the Vortex.
Fear spread instantly across Liyue Harbor.
"What… is that?!"
"The sea monster—!"
"RUN!"
Childe laughed while blood dripped from his mouth.
"Now let's see how Liyue survives THIS."
Xiao immediately lunged toward him.
But Childe retreated backward rapidly.
"Not tonight, Adeptus."
With a final grin—
The Harbinger escaped into the darkness.
Xiao clenched his spear tightly.
He wanted to pursue him.
But then—
Osial roared again.
The sea itself split apart.
The entire harbor shook violently.
Xiao immediately made his decision.
"…The city comes first."
Moments later—
Xiao arrived atop the Jade Chamber.
The floating palace was already moving toward the raging sea.
Ningguang stood at the front while the Adepti gathered nearby.
Keqing and Ganyu soon arrived as well.
Everyone stared toward the monstrous god rising from the ocean.
Osial's roar shook the heavens.
The atmosphere became suffocating.
Ningguang slowly spoke.
"So…"
"It has finally come to this."
Xiao stepped forward.
"The Fatui released Osial."
Moon Carver growled angrily.
"Fools."
Cloud Retainer narrowed her eyes.
"We must stop it immediately."
Far below—
The people of Liyue watched in terror as the ancient god towered over the sea.
Meanwhile, inside the ruined prison—
Aether slowly opened his eyes after hearing the distant explosions.
The prison walls around him had partially collapsed.
And for the first time in a week—
His prison door stood open.