Chapter 33: The Akademiya's Evil Scheme
[ Honkai: Star Rail – Aventurine: "Between people, there only exists a relationship of lending and borrowing?" What an intriguing perspective! ]
[ Honkai Impact 3rd – Cocolia: Hmm… it seems to be the case of a young man abandoned by his mother, one who never received guidance on proper values. ]
[ Genshin Impact – Mona: You lot had better not underestimate this guy, Scaramouche. If not for me last time, the Traveler would have been finished off by him! ]
…
"Before the Rite of Descension in Liyue, a meteor shower descended, blanketing both Mondstadt and Liyue. The meteorites that struck the earth contained elemental energy, radiating mental suggestions that ensnared nearby residents in dreams."
"Pierro entrusted the task of investigating these meteorites to Scaramouche. While studying those who had fallen into a slumber near Stone Gate, Scaramouche chanced upon the Traveler, Aether, who had twice disrupted the Fatui's schemes."
"Upon encountering him again, Scaramouche intended to dispose of Aether, but Astrologist Mona Megistus, who was traveling with Lumine, divined his identity as a Harbinger and led the Traveler and Fischl to safety."
"Just then, the largest meteorite fell. Scaramouche abandoned the pursuit of the Traveler's party to investigate it instead. Through the dreams within the meteorite, Scaramouche uncovered the essence of Teyvat's starry sky—a 'false sky'—realizing that the heavens as perceived by everyone in Teyvat were, in fact, an illusion."
"Later, Scaramouche traveled to Inazuma. There, he began plotting for the Raiden Shogun's Gnosis with Signora—Rosalyne-Kruzchka Lohefalter—the Harbinger responsible for facilitating the Vision Hunt Decree. He sowed discord and secretly established a Delusion factory on Yashiori Island."
"Scaramouche took Signora's place in garrisoning the area, secretly distributing Delusions to the resistance under the guise of a benefactor. After some time, the Delusions' side effect of accelerating aging became increasingly apparent."
"Eventually, following calculations by Sangonomiya Kokomi, the leader of the resistance, the location of Scaramouche's Delusion factory was discovered. Driven by the death of Teppei, Lumine charged into the factory without any preparation, and in her recklessness, she fell straight into Scaramouche's trap."
"Because Yae Miko needed Lumine for her plans concerning the Raiden Shogun, she arrived at the Delusion factory just in time, trading the Raiden Shogun's Gnosis for Lumine's life."
"Having obtained the Gnosis, Scaramouche severed ties with the Fatui and his whereabouts became unknown, until he later appeared in Sumeru alongside the Second of the Fatui Harbingers, Dottore."
"Because Scaramouche had left Inazuma with the Electro Archon's Gnosis without notifying Signora, she, unaware of the situation, stormed the Tenshukaku intending to seize the Gnosis herself. However, Lumine challenged Signora to a duel before the throne. Lumine defeated her in the duel, and as a result, Signora was executed by the Raiden Shogun!"
…
[ Honkai: Star Rail – Robin: What a tragic woman! ]
[ Honkai Impact 3rd – Theresa: Indeed! ]
[ Genshin Impact – Signora: I am a Harbinger of the Fatui of Snezhnaya, the very face of my nation! How dare the Raiden Shogun execute me? Does she not fear sparking a war between Inazuma and Snezhnaya? ]
…
"Later, Scaramouche formed a partnership with Dottore and traveled to Sumeru. With Dottore's assistance, he persuaded four of the Sages, including the Acting Grand Sage, and imprisoned the two dissenting Sages in the dungeons of Sumeru."
"With the aid of the Sumeru Akademiya and the Acting Grand Sage, Dottore quickly constructed a vessel for a so-called god, based on Scaramouche's exquisite puppet frame. They also utilized the cycle of the Sabzeruz Festival to harvest dreams, maximizing the output power of the Akasha Terminal."
"Simultaneously, with Dottore's help, the Akasha, operating at peak output, successfully extracted the power contained within the Gnosis, enabling it to serve as the core of a god."
"The Sages of the Akademiya then determined that for this newborn god to possess omniscience and omnipotence, it required a vast quantity of canned knowledge. They discovered that in Aaru Village, there lay knowledge that had remained undeciphered for centuries, which they believed to be the legendary knowledge of the previous God of Wisdom—Greater Lord Rukkhadevata!"
"Thus, to ensure Scaramouche attained omniscience and omnipotence, they secretly apprehended numerous deranged scholars in Aaru Village, extracting divine knowledge directly from their brains!"
…
[ Genshin Impact – Cyno: Grand Sage, I require an explanation! ]
[ Genshin Impact – Nilou: To actually use the Sabzeruz Festival to harm the people of Sumeru… Grand Sage, your crimes are unforgivable! ]
[ Genshin Impact – Alhaitham: So this was your plan all along? To create a new god using human bodies, Grand Sage! ]
At this moment, the people of Sumeru watching the broadcast were struck with immense shock. They attempted to remove the Akasha devices worn on their ears, only to find that no matter how hard they pulled, they could not detach them.
The next second, a strange electromagnetic wave emitted from the Akasha devices, instantly knocking everyone in Sumeru City unconscious. Only those residing in places like Gandharva Ville were spared.
"Damn this broadcast room! You've forced my hand!" The Acting Grand Sage, currently in his office, pressed a button with a crazed expression.
"Although Scaramouche has not yet obtained the Electro Archon's Gnosis, and gathering their dreams now is somewhat hasty, it is the only option we have!" Dottore, standing behind the Acting Grand Sage, shook a test tube incessantly.
"Dottore, do not forget what you promised me!" the Acting Grand Sage said, glaring at Dottore with a dark expression.
"Rest assured, I shall fulfill my promises. Once we have collected sufficient dream energy, we shall depart for the desert. I have a secret base there. We will conduct the research on the new god there, and then your dream—and mine—shall be realized!" Dottore straightened up, smiling at the Acting Grand Sage.
"I hope so." Although he had received Dottore's affirmation, a sense of unease still lingered in the heart of the Acting Grand Sage.
…
"Later, in the desert, the Traveler, Lumine, having learned of the Acting Grand Sage's and the other Sages' insane plan to forge a god, decided to rescue Lesser Lord Kusanali and resolve the chaotic situation in Sumeru!"
"While conversing with the mercenaries Dehya and Tighnari at Pardis Dhyai, Lumine unexpectedly encountered the scholar Haypasia. After dealing with the Fatui who had been pursuing them, they were astonished to discover that Haypasia had become Scaramouche's first devotee!"
"Through Haypasia, Scaramouche sensed Lumine and actively entered Haypasia's consciousness to observe those engaging in futile efforts. With his deification nearly complete, Scaramouche was in an uncharacteristically good mood, and he conveyed his current feelings to Lumine. As a reward for her role as a listener, Scaramouche unleashed a bolt of lightning to repel the Fatui, though the indiscriminate strike also injured Tighnari, the Forest Watcher who had been protecting Haypasia."
"Later, on the day of the Sabzeruz Festival, after Lesser Lord Kusanali—Nahida—was rescued by Lumine, Cyno, Alhaitham, and the others, they rushed to the base where the Acting Grand Sage and Dottore were manufacturing the false god!"
"Inside the base, they encountered Scaramouche, who had already achieved deification. Although he had not yet reached the state of omniscience and omnipotence from integrating the divine canned knowledge, he still possessed the power of a god!"
…