Lumine recoiled in shock, completely unprepared to see this unexpected figure.
"Dr. Edward!"
Dr. Zachariah's heart trembled even more at the sight before him. He had long considered Edward his teacher.
"Why are you doing this?!" Zachariah demanded.
Edward replied coldly, his expression impassive.
"Dr. Zachariah, I am a rank VI (6) of the Fatui Harbingers, reporting directly to Lord Dottore."
"I harbor no ill will toward you all. Our positions simply differ."
Edward's revelation left everyone stunned. They had never suspected he was secretly a Fatui Harbinger.
"Dr. Edward, how could you be one of Dottore's men?!" Paimon exclaimed, her face contorted with shock as she struggled even more frantically.
"Stop moving!" Dr. Edward's eyes flashed coldly, and his grip tightened. Paimon immediately cried out to Lumine for help.
"Save me, Traveler!"
"Dr. Edward has gone mad! He's really trying to crush me to death!"
"I can't breathe! I'm suffocating!"
Hearing Paimon's desperate pleas, Lumine's heart sank. Just as she was about to act, Dr. Edward's warning glare froze her in place.
How did things escalate to this point?
Lumine stared at the scene before her, dazed, as if everything were a dream.
Dr. Edward was one of Dottore's men—he had truly deceived her. Lumine never imagined Nahida's warning could be true.
At that moment, a chaotic and malevolent aura began to emanate from Lumine's body. When Enjou sensed this power, he was immediately stunned.
Holy shit, holy shit!
He had originally believed Lumine opposed the Abyss Order, but now he realized she had secretly cultivated an immense Abyss Power—one that even surpassed Aether's.
So who exactly is the leader of the Abyss Order?!
Enjou was completely stunned.
Could Lumine be a crucial chess piece secretly planted on the Teyvat Continent by Aether?
Suddenly, Enjou remembered Aether sending him to Lumine. Could he be a key step in their grand scheme too?!
I get it now! Everything makes sense!
Aether had meticulously orchestrated this entire plan. His expulsion from the Abyss Order wasn't out of disappointment, but because he wanted to use him for something greater.
If I perform well under Lumine, I'll be recognized as the mastermind behind this operation when rewards are distributed!
Meanwhile, Nahida's thoughts diverged sharply from Lumine's. She refused to believe Dr. Edward was a mere subordinate of Dottore. Nahida suspected Dr. Edward was feigning loyalty, biding his time for the perfect opportunity.
"Hahahaha..."
Great Sage Azar suddenly erupted into unrestrained laughter.
He had thought he was being outmaneuvered by this group and cornered into a dead end, but now the situation had taken an unexpected turn.
Dottore actually managed to make Dr. Edward obediently follow his orders! Great Sage Azar, while relieved he had handed Dr. Edward over to Dottore, grew even more wary of the man.
Dottore's methods were virtually impossible to defend against. Great Sage Azar couldn't guarantee that none of his own people had been controlled by Dottore.
Over the past few days, Dottore might have turned many of Azar's inner circle against him. It seemed his earlier purges had inadvertently weeded out some traitors after all!
However, hearing Dr. Edward declare himself to be one of Dottore's men still grated on Great Sage Azar's nerves.
Dr. Edward was a brilliant physician, a treasure of Sumeru, a treasure of his, Great Sage Azar's! How dare that shameless scoundrel Dottore try to claim him for himself?
Despite his simmering resentment, Great Sage Azar knew this wasn't the time for petty arguments, now that he was in the hands of his enemies. He immediately shouted at Dr. Edward,
"Dr. Edward! I'm Dottore's collaborator!"
"Since you're one of Dottore's men, you should order them to release me at once!"
Great Sage Azar's words earned only a fleeting glance from Dr. Edward before he was completely ignored.
This blatant dismissal nearly made Great Sage Azar vomit blood in fury. He had been utterly disregarded!
Damn them! Damn them all!
Why is everyone turning against me today?!
Do you all want to die?!
I am the Great Sage! I am the one who will bring about the great undertaking to create a new God! I am the protagonist!
By this point, the Great Sage was on the verge of madness. The dozens of slaps had brutally shattered his pride, grinding it into dust again and again.
Great Sage Azar had never endured such humiliation. This left his psyche dangerously fragile; even a glance could ignite his murderous rage.
Dr. Edward's complete disregard for his presence finally broke Azar's composure.
Damn it!
If I can't have you, then I'll destroy you utterly!
The most brilliant doctor in Sumeru's history is just like all the others—anyone who can't be controlled is a threat and must be eliminated!
And how dare he ignore me? This is an insult to my very being!
"Dottore! Where is he?!"
"Tell me! Where is that bastard?!"
Scaramouche's furious roar echoed through the chamber. He refused to believe Dottore hadn't known about the massive vulnerability within him, and a tidal wave of murderous intent surged through his heart.
Gazing at Dr. Edward's figure, Scaramouche could no longer restrain himself. He lunged forward, his hand reaching out to seize the doctor.
The Shouki no Kami's attack met no resistance from Dr. Edward, who showed no sign of evasion.
Nor did he need to. Someone else would intervene on his behalf.
Fearing for Paimon's safety, Lumine unhesitatingly raised her Dull Blade and slashed at the Shouki no Kami's arm with all her might.
"Princess, I'm here to help!"
Seeing Lumine attack, Enjou immediately joined the fray. He was already fantasizing about Lumine dismissing Paimon as a burden and instead relying on him, so he threw himself into the fight with extra zeal.
Alhaitham and Cyno exchanged serious glances with Dr. Edward before joining the battle. Leaving Nahida alone here was more than enough.
Initially, even with Lumine and Enjou's combined strength, they were no match for the Shouki no Kami. But with Alhaitham's arrival, who could slightly influence the Shouki no Kami, the tide turned dramatically. Scaramouche even suffered a significant setback, further fueling his rage.
"Insignificant insects!"
"Vanish completely!"
"Setsuna Shoumetsu!"
Scaramouche unleashed a terrifying surge of power, instantly conjuring dozens of energy beams crackling with concentrated Electro Elemental Power. These beams targeted every figure present, triggering a palpable sense of imminent danger among the combatants.
Without hesitation, those targeted by the Electro beams immediately dodged to evade the lethal strikes.
One of the attacks targeted Dr. Edward. Seeing this, Lumine had no choice but to abandon evasion and block the attack head-on with her Dull Blade.
"Azar, make him stop!" Nahida cried out to Great Sage Azar, knowing Lumine couldn't hold out for long. But Azar merely glared, showing no intention of halting the Shouki no Kami.
Just then, Scaramouche locked his sights on Lumine, his arm surging with concentrated Pyro Element before he slammed it down toward her. At the last possible second, Lumine barely managed to dodge the attack.
The attack missed its mark, but the powerful impact shattered the ground, revealing the smooth experimental floor beneath.
Losing her footing, Lumine plummeted to the lower level.
"Traveler!" Paimon shrieked in alarm. But a moment later, Dr. Edward's grip tightened around her neck, choking her until her face turned crimson.
Fortunately, Dr. Edward quickly loosened his hold, allowing Paimon to breathe again.
By now, Paimon was on the verge of tears. Why had they taken her hostage? Why not Dr. Zachariah instead? Her luck was truly terrible!
If she'd known things would turn out like this, she would have preferred staying in the Detention Room, enjoying hotpot and singing karaoke. Wouldn't that have been better?!
Being a hostage was a high-risk occupation—you could easily end up being killed!
Seeing the scene unfold, Nahida grew anxious. She wanted to help the others, but when she spotted Dr. Edward and the captive Paimon nearby, she hesitated.
"What exactly do you want? What was Dottore's purpose in sending you here?" Nahida asked.
Dr. Edward replied softly, "I'm merely here to ensure the battle proceeds as planned. Wouldn't you like to see just how powerful your masterpiece can become, Lesser Lord Kusanali?"
"What do you mean by that? You're the one who tampered with Lumine!" Nahida countered.
Dr. Edward shook his head at Nahida's accusation. "I never imagined the Dendro Archon would try to shift responsibility for her own actions onto others. Or perhaps Lesser Lord Kusanali believes someone as ordinary as me, with no extraordinary powers whatsoever, could accomplish such a feat?"
"If you're just an ordinary person, then how did you prevent me from entering your Mental World?" Nahida pressed.
"That's all thanks to Lord Dottore," Dr. Edward said with a faint smile, offering no further explanation before turning his attention back to the battle between the Shouki no Kami and Lumine.
"This battle seems too tame. Such a superficial engagement holds no research value for Lord Dottore. It appears we need to stoke the flames further."
Hearing Dr. Edward's words, Nahida immediately grew wary. Without hesitation, she projected her consciousness outward, attempting to infiltrate his Mental World. However, this attempt failed once again.
His Mental World appeared completely sealed off, offering her no point of entry.
To put it simply, it was like a computer without an internet connection—no matter how powerful the virus, it would struggle to find a way in.
Could Dr. Edward truly be one of Dottore's followers?
The thought involuntarily crossed Nahida's mind.
At that moment, Dr. Edward pulled a button from his pocket and, under Nahida's apprehensive gaze, pressed it without hesitation.
As Dr. Edward pressed the button, inside the Shouki no Kami, a massive syringe plunged into Scaramouche's body with brutal force, injecting its entire contents of dark green liquid into him as Scaramouche watched in terror.
"Dottore..."
"I'll remember you!"
At that moment, Scaramouche felt an unimaginable surge of Elemental Power coursing through his body, so intense that it threatened to tear him apart from within. His head throbbed violently, and a deadly sense of foreboding gripped his heart.
To release this overwhelming energy, Scaramouche roared like a wild beast, and the Shouki no Kami erupted with a tempestuous, hurricane-like aura.
The crowd was stunned by this suffocatingly immense power. Under their horrified gaze, the Shouki no Kami's colossal form rose into the air, its arms outstretched. Three Electro Orbs radiating an aura of utter death materialized above their heads.
In the blink of an eye, annihilation!
Under the despairing eyes of the crowd, three cataclysmic Electro Orbs plummeted downward.
Against such overwhelming power, all resistance seemed futile.
Enjou swallowed hard, wondering if his "locked health" buff would withstand this level of Elemental assault.
Despair gripped Lumine's heart, but she quickly regained her resolve. The Dull Blade, which had nearly slipped from her grasp, was now firmly gripped. A fierce determination blazed in her eyes.
Lumine crouched slightly, then unleashed every ounce of strength as she slammed her feet against the platform. The explosive force shattered the specially reinforced platform, spiderwebbing it with countless cracks.
Just as Lumine was about to collide with the Electro Orb, she completely immersed herself in the darkness sealed deep within her.
In an instant, the world seemed to drain of color, transforming into a monochrome landscape of black and white. All sound vanished into absolute silence, and even time appeared to pause momentarily.
The sheer power of this force far exceeded Lumine's expectations. This was an energy far beyond her current capabilities; in a heartbeat, her control over it shattered completely.
But the very next moment, a familiar consciousness connected with her. Lumine's mind cleared instantly, and she barely managed to regain control of the surging power.
Nahida?!
Lumine's eyes widened slightly, unsure of how Nahida had intervened.
But she quickly realized this wasn't the time for questions. Focusing all her attention, she immediately tried to manipulate the power again.
Success!
Though the control was minimal, Lumine had genuinely succeeded this time. She not only minimized the power's area of effect but also channeled a portion of it into the Dull Blade in her hand, instantly dyeing the blade a grayish-purple hue.
At that very moment, Lumine was about to make contact with the three Electro Orbs. Without hesitation, she swung the Dull Blade at them.
In an instant, an overwhelming white light erupted from the point of contact, bathing the entire God-Making Workshop in blinding brilliance!
But as quickly as it appeared, the light vanished as if devoured by a black hole, swallowed whole in the blink of an eye.
Lumine's strike cleaved the Electro Orb into six pieces, which then silently disintegrated. With undiminished momentum, she lunged toward the Shouki no Kami and severed its entire right arm.
Yet even this wasn't the end. The remaining force of her strike coalesced into a blade of energy, tearing open the roof of the God-Making Workshop and splitting the clouds above in two!