Chapter 90.
"Difficult? Then let's not do it!"
La Signora directly flipped the table. She could no longer suppress the anger in her heart. This guy was simply taking advantage of her goodwill!
So what if I made your Akademiya offend Futsu Mitama?!
I don't want to deal with Futsu Mitama either! Is venting your anger on me going to solve anything?! If you're so capable, then go vent your anger on Il Dottore! Let's see what he does!
Azar was equally furious. He knew very well that he could not take the blame. If he did, then once Futsu Mitama intervened, the experiment would very likely fail.
With their interests no longer aligned, there was no possibility for Azar and the Lady to see eye to eye.
Now, the situation was very simple.
Azar wanted the Harbinger to stay.
Then he would hand her over to Futsu Mitama and prove that she was the true culprit behind everything.
As for the Lady's claim that she would be killed by Futsu Mitama, what did that have to do with him?
Azar would never care about the Lady's life or death.
If she survived, then it meant Futsu Mitama's anger had subsided. If she died, then this matter would be completely settled.
As for offending the Fatui, Azar understood the situation very clearly. The Harbinger did not represent the entire Fatui.
However, he was the Great Sage, and he could represent the entire Akademiya.
The Lady could not represent the whole Fatui, but he could represent the entire Akademiya. Between the two, it was obvious whose life was more valuable to sacrifice.
Moreover, the reason he had given the Great Sage's token to the Lady in the first place was because he had already prepared for this possibility.
If she did anything excessively outrageous, then he would place all responsibility on her and minimize his own losses.
The Lady was calculating him.
And he was calculating the Lady as well.
Because of this, both sides were now filled with anger.
The guards beside Azar tightened their grips on their weapons.
The two Electro Cicin Mages beside the Lady also narrowed their eyes. Electro Element energy flickered around their bodies as they silently entered a state of readiness.
The atmosphere within the meeting room instantly became tense to the extreme.
Neither side was willing to back down.
Neither side was willing to become the one left holding the blame.
Their cooperation had originally been built upon mutual interests.
Now that those interests had begun to clash, the cracks hidden beneath the surface were exposed without reservation.
The Lady looked at Azar coldly and said,
"Don't think that just because you're the Great Sage, you can push all responsibility onto me. You Akademiya people were the ones who wanted to create a god. You were the ones who sought cooperation with the Fatui."
"You were the ones who approved every stage of the God Creation Project. And now that trouble has arrived, you suddenly want to wash your hands of everything?"
Her voice grew colder and colder.
"Azar, do you really think everyone else is a fool?"
Azar's expression became equally unsightly. He stared at the Harbinger and said in a low voice, "And do you think the Fatui are innocent?"
"Il Dottore provided the technology. The Fatui provided the resources. The Fatui provided the manpower. Without your support, the God Creation Project could never have reached this stage."
The two glared at one another.
For a moment, neither side showed any intention of yielding.
The atmosphere in the room felt as though it had frozen.
Everyone present understood one thing.
If not for the fact that Futsu Mitama was already on his way to the Akademiya, then the cooperation between the Fatui and the Akademiya might very well have collapsed completely at this very moment.
However, neither side wanted to make the first move, knowing that the Akademiya and the Fatui currently had a cooperative relationship, sealed by a contract.
The Fatui acted in the name of Her Majesty the Tsaritsa, and the Akademiya in the name of Maha Rukkhadevata.
Neither side wanted to make the first move, but Azar was calm because he knew that as long as he could hold La Signora, he would win.
"Knock, knock, knock."
At this moment, a knocking sound came from the door.
This made everyone look towards the door, and La Signora's heart suddenly grew tense.
She was afraid, could it be Futsu Mitama and his group? They couldn't be that fast, could they?! If it really was them! Wouldn't she be doomed?!
"May I come in?"
A gentle voice came from outside the door. La Signora breathed a sigh of relief, while Azar frowned.
Soon, the conference room door opened, and the person who entered was Dottore. He looked at La Signora and Azar with a smile.
"It seems you're quite relieved to see me, La Signora."
Dottore looked at La Signora with a smile, naturally understanding why she had breathed a sigh of relief. Because no one knew whether the person behind the door was a friend or an enemy.
"Dottore, you talk to this madman!" Seeing Dottore arrive, La Signora immediately said, "I have nothing more to say to him."
"I'm going to Mondstadt to retrieve the Anemo Gnosis; there are still a lot of things waiting for me to do there."
Saying this, La Signora stood up, preparing to leave.
"You cannot leave."
But Azar stood up, stating that La Signora could not leave. If she left, the Akademiya would truly become the scapegoat.
Futsu Mitama and his group would be here soon. How was he going to explain it to them then?
If they asked who the mastermind behind this incident was, and he said it was La Signora, then they would ask where La Signora went.
Was he supposed to tell them that La Signora had already left Sumeru for Mondstadt? Was he playing a game? Anyone would suspect that the Akademiya had received news early and told La Signora to leave Sumeru quickly to avoid the storm, right?
So Futsu Mitama would definitely be furious, and the Akademiya would undoubtedly become the target of his anger.
The experiment was at a critical juncture now, and Azar did not want La Signora to leave just like that. Even if she had to leave, she must meet Futsu Mitama first!
La Signora ignored Azar's words. Anyway, the task Dottore gave her was complete. She didn't have time to stay in Sumeru and play around.
Staying in Sumeru now also carried the risk of being killed by Futsu Mitama and Black Aila. How could she possibly stay here?
But Dottore silently blocked the doorway, preventing La Signora from leaving, a gentle smile still on his face.
Seeing Dottore not move, La Signora immediately understood that he also didn't want her to leave. Her face instantly darkened, and she said with ill intent,
"Are you going to stop me?! Do you want me to go to my death?! You and I are both Fatui Harbingers. If you dare to intentionally send me to my death, Her Majesty the Tsaritsa and Pierro will not let you off!"
At this moment, La Signora was threatening Dottore. She had previously agreed to do things beautifully for him.
Futsu Mitama had been forced out, and she should leave here and go to Mondstadt to complete her own mission.
Sumeru was Dottore's responsibility, and it had nothing to do with her.
As a fellow Fatui Harbinger, knowing that Dottore was very busy recently, La Signora had only reluctantly agreed to do things for him.
But now that the matter was done, did he intend to discard her after using her?
Azar also looked at Dottore with some surprise. He had thought Dottore was here to help La Signora leave, but he unexpectedly stopped her.
Why was this? Were the two of them at odds with each other?
If that was the case, it would be wonderful!
"Don't be so anxious." Dottore said unhurriedly, "I know you're in a hurry, but don't you want to know what happened in Inazuma back then? This matter is a secret known only to me, Scaramouche, Pierro, and Her Majesty the Tsaritsa."
La Signora frowned slightly. At this moment, she really wanted to say that no matter what secret it was, she didn't care!
She only cared about the Gnosis!!!
But Dottore wouldn't keep her in suspense for no reason. This made La Signora suppress the anger in her heart and say seriously,
"Tell me quickly. Futsu Mitama could come at any time. If he comes, with your current strength, you won't be able to stop him!"
Although Dottore in front of her was strong, he wasn't strong enough to be despair-inducing.
La Signora knew very well that the powerful slice was still conducting the [experiment] at this moment. He was only here to prevent her from leaving or to deliver some message.
"Hehehehe." Dottore smiled; he seemed very pleased with La Signora's situation.
One moment she was eager to leave, the next she had no choice but to stay and wait for his answer.
"Actually, it's very simple." Dottore looked at La Signora and said gently, "Back then, I went to Inazuma to obtain the Electro Gnosis, hoping to gamble that the Electro Gnosis was either with Futsu Mitama or with Yae Miko."
"Based on the situation at the time, I knew that neither of them would be easy to catch, so I used—"
La Signora frowned. She suddenly waved her hand and said loudly, "Dottore! Get to the point! I know the situation in Inazuma better than you do!"
Time was running out now, and La Signora didn't have that much time to waste on [listening to stories].
How could she not know the situation in Inazuma? The matter of colluding with the Kanjou Commission and the Tenryou Commission was handled by her personally.
Although the Kanjou Commission was directly ruined because of that bastard Scaramouche, the Tenryou Commission eventually shone brightly.
The acquisition of the electro gnosis was also the result of her efforts, not in vain.
"…"
Dottore's smile seemed to fade a little. He sighed helplessly, shook his head, and said, "Signora, you're still so impatient."
La Signora sneered; she didn't say much. Impatient? She was indeed impatient!
Because when someone knows that the person who will kill them could arrive at any moment, you can see if the person involved is impatient or not.
Azar was a patient person, but as soon as he heard that she was leaving and throwing the blame on him, he immediately turned hostile.
"Tell me quickly." Azar also urged Dottore. He also didn't want to make things worse.
If Dottore could make La Signora stay, that would be great, because it meant there was someone to take the blame.
It didn't matter who took the blame, as long as it wasn't the Akademiya. This was Azar's main thought.
Seeing La Signora and Azar both urging him to speak quickly, Dottore's expression seemed a little stiff, but soon he slowly said,
"The electro gnosis was with Yae Miko. I threatened Sangonomiya Kokomi's life to make her hand it over. But at that moment, Shenhe, an Adeptus Disciple from Liyue, suddenly flew over from afar. To be honest—this was beyond my expectation."
"However, with the Electro Gnosis in hand, it also meant the plan was complete, so I didn't get entangled with them and chose to leave decisively."
"Later, I discovered that Scaramouche had been defeated by Futsu Mitama. When I went to rescue Scaramouche… guess what I found?"
Dottore seemed to enjoy this suspenseful approach. He spoke halfway and then looked at La Signora and Azar with a smile.
"…" x2
La Signora and Azar were speechless, cursing Dottore inwardly. They had told him to speak quickly! Did he really enjoy playing these games?!
But due to Dottore's strength and the fact that he seemed to be hiding some important information.
La Signora suppressed her anger and asked, "What did you find?"
Dottore looked at Azar, seemingly eager to hear what he would say.
Seeing Dottore's gaze shift to him, Azar also suddenly felt a surge of anger, but he still thought for a moment.
"Hehehehe." Dottore smiled profoundly. Finally, he stopped playing coy and slowly said to La Signora and Azar, "I saw the Anemo Gnosis."
"And the Anemo Gnosis was on Futsu Mitama. This is what I saw with my own eyes, so Signora, do you understand what I mean?"
After Dottore said these words, his smile remained, as if he was looking forward to the next scene.
"!!!" X2
As soon as these words came out, everyone present was shocked.
Azar and La Signora's pupils constricted slightly, because the amount of information brought by these words was too terrifying.
The Anemo Gnosis?! On Futsu Mitama?! How is this possible?!!
The Gnosis! This was the Gnosis!!! Something only The Seven Archons could obtain!!!
Simply put! This was equivalent to the Archons' proof of identity!
Why did Raiden Shogun rush to Snezhnaya to fight Her Majesty the Tsaritsa and the top three Harbingers back then?
Wasn't it because Dottore took the electro gnosis, violating Raiden Shogun's taboo, otherwise Snezhnaya would not have suffered such a great disaster.
Of course, according to the original plan, Raiden Shogun should not have cared about the existence of the Gnosis, because if she truly cared about it.
She should have kept the Gnosis close to her, instead of letting Yae Miko guard it.
Look at Rex Lapis in Liyue next door; he kept the Gnosis close to him. With his strength and the potential terrifying powerhouses in Liyue.
Snezhnaya directly assigned the task to Tartaglia, the last of the Harbingers, and then Her Majesty the Tsaritsa personally drafted a contract, allowing La Signora to negotiate with Rex Lapis.
They wanted to obtain the geo archon's gnosis through a contract.
Therefore, from any perspective, the Gnosis was very, very precious.
But now Dottore actually said that Futsu Mitama was carrying the Anemo Gnosis?! What did this mean?! Was he the next Anemo Archon?
But didn't Raiden Shogun of Inazuma publicly state that Futsu Mitama was the next Raiden Shogun?
"How is this possible!!! How is this possible?!"
La Signora was somewhat distraught. She never expected that the Anemo Gnosis would actually be on Futsu Mitama. She instinctively refused to believe it, because if the Anemo Gnosis really was on Futsu Mitama, then they were truly doomed.
No, she was truly doomed.
La Signora had personally witnessed how terrifying Futsu Mitama's strength was. He had defeated her and Tartaglia without even using his full power.
If he went all out, perhaps only those among the Fatui Harbingers ranked three or higher could contend with him.
La Signora was very clear about this, which was why she wanted to rush to Mondstadt without stopping, to fight Anemo Archon Barbatos and snatch the Anemo Gnosis from him.
Because from La Signora's perspective, the power of a god comes from faith, and Barbatos, who had long abandoned his people and lacked their faith, was not worth mentioning in terms of strength.
Perhaps even Lesser Lord Kusanali, who was born 500 years ago, might be stronger than Anemo Archon Barbatos.
Now that Barbatos had actually given the Anemo Gnosis to Futsu Mitama, what was La Signora going to Mondstadt for? Was she going there to play?!
But could she defeat Futsu Mitama? She absolutely couldn't!!! How could she complete the mission then?!
"This is troublesome now."
Azar narrowed his eyes, feeling that things were becoming even more troublesome. His gaze intentionally or unintentionally shifted towards the Lady.
He became even more determined in his heart to betray her later. No one knew how powerful the Gnosis's power was better than Azar, because they had paid a great price to activate the energy within the Gnosis.
According to Dottore, Futsu Mitama was clearly able to freely use the power of the Gnosis.
In that case, their Akademiya could even less afford to offend him.
Dottore saw La Signora and Azar fall silent, and he continued to smile, saying,
"Half a year ago, Futsu Mitama's strength was not enough to rival Scaramouche in the Prototype. But he had Shenhe, that Adeptus Disciple, by his side. With the two of them working together, Scaramouche was no match."
"Later, it was probably because Guuji Yae secretly sent a message that Shenhe came to stop me. Futsu Mitama then exposed the existence of the Anemo Gnosis. Scaramouche tried to snatch it, but he was too useless. He didn't get it and almost got himself killed instead."
Dottore seemed a little helpless as he said this, as if trying to express how useless Scaramouche was. Despite being stronger than Futsu Mitama, he still couldn't defeat him. He had even specially created a piece of equipment to enhance Scaramouche's strength.
Even so, he was no match for Futsu Mitama. Indeed, a puppet is always a puppet, and even a puppet created by a god has limited potential.
Human potential, however, is limitless!
"What do we do now?"
La Signora had also calmed down by now. She stared at Dottore and said, "Dottore, do you want to snatch the Anemo Gnosis from Futsu Mitama?"
At this point, La Signora no longer mentioned that she wanted to leave, because wasn't her urgent departure for Mondstadt precisely to ambush Anemo Archon Barbatos?
Once the other party emerged from the Isle of Time, she would immediately go to him and finally confess the feelings she had kept buried for so long.
But now, the Anemo Gnosis was no longer in his possession, so why should she go looking for him?!
How infuriating! Barbatos, you utterly useless Archon!
"Have you lost your minds?!"
Azar frowned deeply as he looked at La Signora and Dottore, both of whom intended to seize the Anemo Gnosis from Futsu Mitama.
If they did that, they would not only provoke the Electro Archon, but the Anemo Archon as well.
Even with the Cryo Archon—The Tsaritsa standing behind the Fatui, it was impossible to oppose two Archons simultaneously, wasn't it?
"Heh."
La Signora glanced at Azar's troubled expression and sneered, making no attempt to explain herself. Someone like him had no idea what their true objective was.
"Yes... and no."
Dottore answered with deliberate ambiguity. In his eyes, La Signora had yet to earn the qualifications to know what he truly intended.
In any case, after revealing the existence of the Anemo Gnosis, she would most likely abandon any thoughts of leaving Sumeru for the time being and obediently cooperate with his plans.
La Signora's brows furrowed tightly. She desperately wanted to curse Dottore where he stood, but remembering that she was no match for him, she could only swallow her anger.
For a brief moment, silence settled over the room. Both La Signora and Azar were weighing their next move.
Futsu Mitama would soon arrive. They could not afford to waste any more time.
"By the way."
At that moment, Dottore seemed to recall something. Looking toward Azar, he said,
"I know why Futsu Mitama is certain to come to Sumeru."
A terrible premonition immediately filled Azar's heart.
Dottore smiled.
"Because he's here to reclaim the Electro Gnosis, Azar. You wouldn't want the God Creation Project to be terminated, would you? The experiment has already reached its final stage. On the surface alone, your Akademiya has already offended Futsu Mitama. There's no turning back now."
As Dottore spoke, even La Signora smiled, watching Azar with undisguised amusement as she waited to see his reaction.
Azar looked at Dottore with unconcealed displeasure.
"Didn't you tell me there was absolutely nothing wrong with the Electro Gnosis? That the Electro Archon would never come after it?"
His questioning stemmed from genuine fear. The moment the Electro Gnosis appeared, he instinctively feared the Electro Archon's retaliation.
There was no helping it. Within Sumeru City, he possessed the greatest authority. Yet no matter how much power he wielded, it ultimately rested upon the legacy left behind by Greater Lord Rukkhadevata and generations of former Sages.
Aside from himself, the Akademiya only had Lesser Lord Kusanali, who had been imprisoned for five hundred years. Asking her to confront the Electro Archon?
That was simply impossible.
When the matter of the Electro Gnosis first arose, Dottore had assured him repeatedly that its origin presented absolutely no problem and that the Electro Archon would never personally come to retrieve it.
To reassure Azar even further, Dottore had even produced a contract personally signed by Her Majesty the Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya and Raiden Shogun of Inazuma.
Only after seeing that contract had Azar finally set aside all his concerns, determined to use the Gnosis's power to create an entirely new Archon for Sumeru.
But now, after every preparation had been completed, Dottore was suddenly telling him this?
The Electro Archon herself would not intervene—
But the next Electro Archon would?!
How was that any different from telling him nothing at all?!
Azar was already an old man. His chest tightened, his breathing grew ragged, and his face flushed with barely restrained fury.
"Good... good... very good, Dottore."
Every word carried unmistakable rage.
Looking at the furious Great Sage, Dottore merely chuckled.
"Wisdom has never been something that's easily obtained... has it, Great Sage?"
Azar fell silent.
Although anger caused his entire body to tremble, his mind continued racing without pause. At last, he gave a slight nod, acknowledging Dottore's words.
Wisdom was never easily attained.
The research had already reached its final stage. Just one final step remained, and they would create an Archon of their own.
It was a monumental undertaking.
No one would stop it.
Not even an Archon.
"A pleasure working with you."
Dottore extended his hand.
Azar silently shook it once before immediately producing a handkerchief to wipe his own hand clean.
Dottore paid no attention whatsoever. He understood the nature of these Sages all too well.
Every one of them preached wisdom and knowledge, demanding strict standards from everyone else while applying entirely different standards to themselves.
The Great Sage before him was no exception.
He constantly warned others against forbidden knowledge, yet when he himself stepped into taboo territory, he simply justified everything in the name of wisdom.
"Signora."
Dottore turned toward her with a smile.
"I have something I'd like you to do. Don't worry. I'm certainly not asking you to confront Futsu Mitama directly. I simply need you to capture someone."
"After all...that's your specialty."
La Signora remained silent before giving a faint nod. As long as he wasn't sending her to her death, everything else was open to negotiation.
Capture someone? Who? Had Dottore been secretly monitoring everything happening throughout Sumeru City all this time?
He was as irritating as ever, always insisting on keeping every piece on the board under his control.
La Signora enjoyed manipulating others like chess pieces. She had no intention of becoming someone else's piece. Yet, at present, everything seemed to be unfolding precisely according to Dottore's design.
Inside the meeting room, Dottore, La Signora, and Azar continued their discussion.
For the moment, the interests of all three parties had become aligned.
Meanwhile, Firnas was leading Futsu Mitama and his companions toward the Akademiya. At this moment, the group was no longer concealing their identities.
Along the way, every Scholar they passed stared at them in astonishment. Or more accurately—
They were staring at Futsu Mitama.
His reputation alone far surpassed everyone else's.
"Oh my goodness! Have I stayed awake for three days straight? Am I hallucinating?!"
"By Greater Lord Rukkhadevata... is that really the person from the rumors?!"
"It's him?! Why would someone that important suddenly come to the Akademiya?!"
"Oh, my Archon! I had a feeling something major would happen today! I never imagined it would be this major!"
"Huh? Who is he? Why would a Sage personally escort him? Have I been buried in research for an entire year?"
"Yeah, he doesn't exactly look all that wise. Why's everyone making such a fuss?"
"Seniors, please stop talking! That's Inazuma's next Electro Archon!"
"What?! The next Electro Archon?!"
"Yes. The next Electro Archon. In other words... someone equivalent to an Archon."
"Why would someone like that suddenly come to the Akademiya? Could it be—"
The Scholars whispered among themselves, casting shocked gazes toward Futsu Mitama and his entourage.
What could possibly bring the next Archon of Inazuma to Sumeru?
Some better-informed Scholars wore troubled expressions before quietly slipping away. Every one of those reactions was noticed by Futsu Mitama and his companions.
"It seems the Scholars aren't particularly welcoming of my arrival."
Looking toward Firnas ahead of him, Futsu Mitama smiled faintly.
"To be honest... I'm a little disappointed. I thought a nation devoted to wisdom would greet its guests with greater enthusiasm. Instead, everyone seems eager to avoid me."
Firnas forced a strained smile, not daring to answer.
After all, anyone involved in the God Creation Project knew perfectly well which nation the Gnosis powering the project had originally come from.
As for the Scholars who knew only that Futsu Mitama was the next Electro Archon, none dared approach him, much less start a conversation.
The reason was simple.
Although Sumeru officially possessed an Archon—
Everyone understood the true situation surrounding Lesser Lord Kusanali.
The Scholars might appear arrogant, but they also understood that certain existences stood far beyond anything they could hope to reach.
Recognized by the Narukami Ogosho aka Raiden Shogun as Inazuma's next Electro Archon, Futsu Mitama unquestionably possessed both the qualifications and the strength worthy of that title.
His presence was simply too dazzling.
So dazzling that no one dared approach him.
"Lord Firnas."
After entering the Akademiya, a young man with a refined appearance despite his remarkably muscular physique approached them.
Looking toward Firnas, he calmly said,
"The Great Sage has asked me to receive you."
"Alhaitham?"
A trace of surprise crossed Firnas's face.
"I didn't expect the Great Sage to send you to welcome us."
Futsu Mitama and the others also turned their attention toward the young man. Though clearly built like a warrior, he still carried the composed temperament unique to most Scholars.
"Yes."
Alhaitham answered calmly.
"To be honest, I'm equally surprised that the Great Sage assigned me this task. Logically speaking, I should be in the meeting room, recording today's proceedings."
As he spoke, his gaze swept across Futsu Mitama and his companions.
Unlike the astonishment and solemnity displayed by the other Scholars, Alhaitham's eyes remained perfectly calm, as though their arrival was nothing out of the ordinary.
"You really haven't changed."
Firnas sighed before speaking seriously.
"Then lead the way. Where is today's meeting being held?"
"The reception room."
Alhaitham answered simply.
Without another word, he turned and walked ahead.
"Please don't misunderstand."
Afraid that Futsu Mitama's group might mistake this for a deliberate display of superiority, Firnas hurriedly explained,
"He's the Akademiya's Scribe, responsible for attending important meetings and recording significant discussions."
"It seems the Great Sage considers today's meeting extremely important, so he specifically assigned him to document everything."
Kuki Shinobu studied the Scribe with interest.
"But he seems quite powerful."
After traveling with Futsu Mitama for so long, she had developed a decent sense for judging people's strength. Why would someone that capable willingly accept what was essentially a clerical position?
"He is powerful."
Firnas nodded while looking at Alhaitham's broad back.
"The Matra has tried to recruit him more than once. But compared to joining the Matra or taking another position, he seems to genuinely prefer working as the Scribe."
Hearing that explanation, everyone except Futsu Mitama looked at Alhaitham with newfound curiosity.
He was clearly someone with a rather unique personality.
Alhaitham, however, paid no attention to the discussion.
He silently continued leading the group, maintaining his characteristically detached demeanor.
Before long, they arrived outside the reception room.
"This way."
Alhaitham did not enter immediately.
Instead, he knocked lightly on the door, informing those inside that the guests had arrived.
"Very well."
Firnas nodded approvingly before stepping forward to open the door.
He then respectfully moved aside, allowing Futsu Mitama to enter first.
Futsu Mitama gave a slight nod.
As he passed by, he glanced once more at Alhaitham, whose calm expression remained unchanged, as though nothing in the world could disturb him.
The sight amused him somewhat.
This seemingly indifferent man would one day become one of the Traveler's greatest allies in Sumeru. While others stumbled about without direction, Alhaitham calmly executed each step of his own plans, serving as the group's most rational strategist.
As people from his previous life often joked—
Alhaitham was the illegitimate son of Su and Kevin—exceptional in both scholarship and combat.
(Kevin and Su are characters from Honkai Impact 3rd.)
Futsu Mitama entered the reception room first.
Aila and Black Aila followed behind him, then Kuki Shinobu, Sangonomiya Kokomi, and Shenhe.
Firnas and Alhaitham entered last.
Inside stood a large round table.
Great Sage Azar was already seated.
Beside him sat an all-too-familiar figure.
"Hello."
Dottore smiled at Futsu Mitama and the others.
"It's been a long time."
...
No one answered his greeting.
Futsu Mitama narrowed his eyes as he looked between Azar and Dottore. A trace of surprise surfaced within him. He hadn't expected Dottore to actually appear in person.
Still—this slice wasn't particularly powerful.
Its aura differed little from that middle-aged slice that had destroyed itself back in Liyue.
Although still formidable, it was probably only strong enough to contend with Kuki Shinobu. Kokomi might even be capable of defeating it on her own.
It seemed this slice had been deliberately exposed.
Dottore probably wouldn't feel the slightest regret even if it were destroyed.
Black Aila and Kokomi fixed unwavering stares upon Dottore.
One pair of eyes glowed crimson.
The other shimmered with azure light.
Both women clearly wished nothing more than to kill him, despite knowing full well that this was merely one of his slices.
Because whether it was the original—
Or merely a slice—
He was still Dottore.
Because of Dottore, Black Aila had endured unimaginable suffering and torment before being relentlessly hunted by him for an unknown length of time.
As for Kokomi, it was because of her that Inazuma lost the Electro Gnosis, despite receiving tremendous help from Raiden Makoto and Yae Miko.
Just when the dawn of victory had finally come into view, Yae Miko had been forced to surrender the Electro Gnosis because Kokomi's life had been placed in jeopardy.
This hatred—
It had long since reached its absolute peak.
Shenhe also fixed her gaze upon Dottore.
She understood that his strength was formidable, and if a battle truly broke out, it would likely become an excellent opportunity to temper her own abilities.
After exchanging greetings, Dottore's eyes settled upon Aila and Black Aila. Although he maintained his usual smile, curiosity was unmistakably evident in his voice.
"Even though the Lady already told me about it, seeing it with my own eyes is still astonishing. How exactly did you accomplish this, Futsu Mitama? I truly never imagined they could coexist so peacefully."
"Would you be willing to teach me?"
Yes.
Dottore was genuinely asking Futsu Mitama how he had resolved this problem. In Dottore's view, the situation involving Aila and Black Aila was something that not even an Archon should have been capable of solving.
Yet Futsu Mitama had succeeded.
What exactly had happened?
The question gnawed at him with irresistible curiosity. He wanted the answer immediately.
"?!" ×2
Firnas and Azar, both of whom understood Dottore's personality very well, looked back and forth between him and Futsu Mitama in visible surprise.
Naturally, they knew exactly what kind of man Dottore was.
When he had first presented the God Creation Project, he had appeared humble on the surface, yet the arrogance rooted deep within him had been impossible to conceal.
As fellow Scholars, Firnas and Azar understood the source of that arrogance perfectly.
If they themselves had achieved accomplishments of such magnitude, they would likely have carried themselves with similar pride.
Yet now...
Someone as arrogant as Dottore was actually asking Futsu Mitama to teach him.
For a moment, Firnas and Azar exchanged glances. Both clearly saw the astonishment reflected in the other's eyes.
"Luck."
Futsu Mitama answered honestly as he looked at Dottore.
"I simply happened to be fortunate enough to have both."
As he spoke, Aila and Black Aila naturally moved closer once again. One stood beside each shoulder, gently massaging him in perfect unison.
"Hehehe..."
Dottore chuckled softly, though there was a trace of dissatisfaction hidden within his laughter. He felt that even if Futsu Mitama had no intention of revealing the truth, he should not have brushed him off so casually.
After all, they were old acquaintances.
Surely there should have been a little more sincerity between them. Wasn't such a perfunctory answer rather excessive?
Dottore's laughter made it obvious that he did not believe a single word.
Futsu Mitama, however, offered no further explanation. Because he had, in fact, spoken the truth.
Perhaps Dottore believed he was simply being dismissive.
But Aila and Black Aila truly had come into his life because of sheer luck.
Without those fortunate gacha pulls, he would probably still be agonizing over how to resolve their predicament.
Or perhaps—
Had circumstances become truly desperate, he might have been forced to seal Black Aila away temporarily.
Anything to prevent them from engaging in that cursed fusion battle.
"Very well."
Seeing that Futsu Mitama had no intention of elaborating, Dottore calmly leaned back in his chair.
"If you're unwilling to tell me, I won't force the matter."
He casually turned toward Azar.
"The rest is yours, esteemed Great Sage."
Hearing those words, Azar's expression alternated between red and pale. Dottore's tone contained not the slightest trace of genuine respect.
Even so, Azar forcibly suppressed his irritation before politely addressing Futsu Mitama.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Futsu Mitama."
"Mm."
Futsu Mitama looked calmly at Azar.
"To be honest, this is indeed our first meeting, Great Sage of the Akademiya. However, I've long heard of your great reputation."
Back in his previous life, Futsu Mitama had been an avid Genshin Impact player.
However, before transmigrating to Teyvat, he had only progressed through Version 3.1 of the Archon Quest.
At that time, the entire player community's hatred toward Great Sage Azar had reached its peak.
Futsu Mitama had naturally been among them.
As such—the meaning behind the phrase "I've long heard of your great reputation" was quite different from what Azar imagined.
"Oh?"
Azar was pleasantly surprised by Futsu Mitama's apparent courtesy, and his expression softened considerably.
Nearby, Alhaitham silently took out a small notebook.
Without saying a word, he began recording everything.
As the Akademiya's Scribe, it was his duty to document every conversation between the Great Sage and the future Electro Archon.
Futsu Mitama looked directly at Azar.
"There is one question I'd like to ask."
"Please."
Azar responded with impeccable politeness.
Futsu Mitama's gaze never wavered.
"Why did you attempt to arrest us the moment we entered Sumeru City? Was it because we violated some law or was there another reason?"
He asked the question directly, making no attempt to soften it.
He was genuinely curious to hear Azar's answer.
Standing nearby, Firnas remained perfectly composed. Earlier, that very same question had left him completely speechless.
At the time, there had been no answer he could possibly have given.
Now...
The problem had been handed directly to Azar.
For some reason, Firnas felt a faint sense of schadenfreude. At the same time, he was genuinely curious to see how Azar intended to answer.
"That was the Lady's doing."
Azar answered truthfully.
"She used my authorization token to arrest you. All of us were deceived by her. Furthermore, I had no prior knowledge of your arrival. Had you informed me beforehand, such an unfortunate misunderstanding would never have occurred."
After finishing his explanation, Azar calmly asked,
"May I ask your purpose in coming to Sumeru?"
Firnas looked at Azar in complete disbelief.
He had never expected Azar to immediately turn the conversation around and question Futsu Mitama instead.
Please...
Great Sage...
Are you actually this foolish? Or are you merely pretending? Have you forgotten what serves as the core energy source of the God Creation Project?
At that moment, Firnas could not help cursing inwardly.
What did the Fatui's affairs have to do with the Akademiya? Wouldn't it have been better to push every bit of responsibility onto the Fatui?
Right now, the priority should have been calming the situation, directing Futsu Mitama toward the Fatui, and buying as much time as possible.
Even Alhaitham cast Azar a surprised glance.
He had not expected the Great Sage to handle matters this way.
It was rather unexpected.
However—
Dottore showed no surprise whatsoever.
Observing Dottore's composed expression, Alhaitham's thoughts quietly began to move.
As the Akademiya's Scribe, although he rarely involved himself in political affairs, he almost never missed important meetings.
Because of that, he understood Azar's character extremely well.
Although Azar was not someone who bullied the weak while fearing the strong, neither was he someone who casually offended powerful individuals.
Yet his words just now could easily be interpreted as a challenge directed at Futsu Mitama.
After all, someone destined to become the next Electro Archon naturally had every reason to conceal his identity.
Perhaps he had merely intended to visit Sumeru before quietly departing.
Even if someone wished to question his purpose, it should never have been the Great Sage.
Only an Archon—or someone of equal standing—possessed the qualifications to do so.
"My purpose?"
Futsu Mitama looked calmly at Azar.
"Your status is insufficient for me to disclose it."
"?!"
Azar's aged face flushed crimson with anger. He had never expected Futsu Mitama to answer so directly.
He was the Great Sage of the Akademiya. The highest authority in all of Sumeru.
"I came here to meet Lesser Lord Kusanali."
Futsu Mitama continued in an even tone.
"I was entrusted by an Archon to deliver something to her. As for what that is—"
"Azar, you need not concern yourself with it. Simply take me to Lesser Lord Kusanali."
The moment Lesser Lord Kusanali's name was spoken, both Firnas and Azar's expressions became noticeably heavier.
Bring Futsu Mitama to meet Lesser Lord Kusanali?
Theoretically...
That was only natural.
As the next Electro Archon, it was perfectly reasonable for him to pay a visit to the Dendro Archon.
After all, she remained Sumeru's true deity.
The Great Sage and every Sage of the Akademiya merely governed the nation in her stead. Yet deep within their hearts, the Sages had never acknowledged Lesser Lord Kusanali as the true Dendro Archon.
To them, she was merely a fortunate successor who had inherited the title after the benevolent Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's passing.
The God of Wisdom... Without wisdom.
To them, that alone was the greatest irony imaginable.
Thus, five hundred years ago, the Sages imprisoned her under the guise of protection.
Five centuries later, the current generation of Sages had simply lost all interest in her existence.
They genuinely despised Lesser Lord Kusanali.
Yet at the same time... They feared her.
They feared that if she were ever freed from her imprisonment, the accumulated resentment of five hundred years would drive her to retaliate against the Akademiya.
Archons loved humanity.
But... What if humanity had been the one to harm an Archon?
Precisely because they considered themselves wise, the Sages dared not gamble on that possibility. Rather than acknowledge Lesser Lord Kusanali, they would instead create an entirely new Archon.
Now, however—
Futsu Mitama had openly requested an audience with her.
The request placed both Firnas and Azar in an impossible position.
If they refused—
What justification could they possibly give?
Yet if they agreed—
What if Futsu Mitama simply shattered the seal from the outside?
If Lesser Lord Kusanali were freed—
Would she seek revenge against the Akademiya? Would she perhaps even direct that vengeance toward all of Sumeru?
If that happened—
They would forever be remembered as the nation's greatest sinners.
No one knew what would become of Sumeru if its own Archon turned against it.
Would the other nations come to its aid?
It seemed unlikely.
Yet Sumeru itself possessed no means of resisting an Archon.
The entire situation had become a deadlock.
Unable to think of any solution, Azar instinctively looked toward Dottore.
This had never been part of the plan.
Say something.
"Speaking of which—"
At that moment, Dottore calmly interrupted.
Looking toward Futsu Mitama, he smiled.
"Aren't you curious why the Lady isn't here?"
"She was afraid of dying, so she ran."
Futsu Mitama was not surprised by La Signora's absence.
Had she actually been present—
He would never have wasted such a perfect opportunity.
He would have killed her immediately.
"No."
Dottore smiled gently.
"She never left. I sent her to capture someone. As for who—"
"You're intelligent enough to figure that out. After all, you understand the way I think, and—"
Before Dottore could finish speaking, violet lightning flashed across Futsu Mitama's eyes. The Seven Thunders of Retribution: Narukami instantly materialized in his grasp.
Buzz—!
His figure vanished from where he stood.
In the next instant, he was already before Dottore, his blade descending without the slightest hesitation.
So fast!
Dottore's pupils contracted sharply. He had never imagined Futsu Mitama's speed would reach such an astonishing level.
He had unquestionably stepped into the realm of the Demon Gods.
Otherwise, with this slice's strength, it should have been impossible to completely lose sight of his movements.
Pure Hydro surged violently around Dottore as he instantly erected a protective barrier.
"Hmph."
Futsu Mitama sneered.
The Seven Thunders of Retribution: Narukami never slowed in the slightest.
The next moment—
Dottore felt the world spin.
The brilliant Doctor understood immediately.
His head had already left his body.
The elemental barrier remained completely intact. That strike had not broken through it.
Instead—
It had cut directly through space itself.
What a magnificent technique.
With that final thought, Dottore slowly closed his eyes.
His severed head struck the floor with a heavy thud.
"!!!!!!" ×3
Futsu Mitama's sudden execution instantly caused Azar's scalp to go numb.
Not far away, Firnas stood frozen in place.
Even Alhaitham had not expected someone who had been calmly conversing one moment to draw his sword and kill without the slightest warning the next.
His decisiveness was almost frightening.
Looking at Dottore's headless corpse, Futsu Mitama spoke coldly.
"Too much nonsense."
He then turned his gaze toward Azar.
The Great Sage already had one hand pressed against his Akasha Terminal, clearly summoning reinforcements or activating some hidden contingency.
Futsu Mitama paid it no attention.
He casually sheathed the Seven Thunders of Retribution: Narukami before speaking in an utterly calm voice.
"Great Sage. Tell me where Lesser Lord Kusanali is. Otherwise—"
"Today will be the day the Akademiya is reorganized."
It was a direct threat.
The moment Dottore revealed that he had sent the Lady to capture someone, Futsu Mitama had immediately realized who the target most likely was.
Faruzan.
Dottore intended to use her as leverage against him.
Fortunately, Nahida was currently by Faruzan's side.
Although Futsu Mitama could not determine whether the amount of power Nahida inside Katheryne could presently wield would be enough to defeat a veteran like La Signora—
Simply delaying her should present no difficulty.
After all, even Shinobu had once fallen victim to Nahida's surprise attack. If Nahida fought at full strength, delaying La Signora would certainly not be a problem.
Of course—
That was only if La Signora remained unaware of Nahida's existence.
Should Nahida lose the advantage of surprise, confronting La Signora head-on would likely become far more difficult.
Because of that—
Futsu Mitama had already made his decision.
Nahida had to be rescued first.
Once she was free, their side would gain another combatant at the level of an Archon. Although Nahida was admittedly weak in direct combat—
She was still, beyond any doubt, an Archon-level existence.
Just like Guizhong in neighboring Liyue.
No matter how lacking her combat prowess might have been—
She was still openly acknowledged as Liyue's second strongest combatant.