"What do you mean by that?"
Furina was stunned by his words.
Become an Archon?
Could they have already found the Hydro Archon Focalors, or even...?
No, impossible! Lady Focalors would never fall prey to their schemes so easily!
"You don't need to understand now, Lady Furina. You'll understand soon enough," Lofan said with a smile, his hands never pausing in their work.
At that moment, Lofan was analyzing the entire Covenant Seal using Jacob's method for reversing the Four Quadrant Circle.
Initially, Lofan had assumed that the portion of Rene's Authority over Water came from the Covenant Seal. But as his analysis progressed, he realized it likely originated from something else entirely.
This setback didn't concern him. Besides this method, he had several other ways to seize authority from Rene.
The simplest approach was to directly seize control through consciousness. Theoretically, the consciousnesses that coalesced after being dissolved in the Primordial Sea Water would merge, with the strongest consciousness becoming dominant.
Of course, if the initial mass of consciousnesses was too large, the dominant consciousness would gradually weaken, eventually coalescing into a new individual consciousness.
This was the main reason Lofan opposed this method. Humans are defined by their complexity—multiple consciousnesses coalescing into a single, unified consciousness. This process is already the Swarm's method of survival.
There's no point arguing about who's right; ultimately, power dictates.
Rene, who hasn't yet gathered enough consciousnesses to transcend, is no match for Lofan. In essence, Lofan has already achieved transcendence—a perfect one, in fact—with a single dominant consciousness while the others merely retain their memories.
However, forcibly seizing the Authority using this method would yield only two outcomes: either Lofan absorbs Rene's consciousness, or he completely annihilates it. Neither outcome appeals to him, so he resolves to persuade Rene through reason.
Theoretically, as long as the Primordial Sea Water remains undried, Rene, who possesses partial Authority over Water, should be immortal.
Yet in his weakened state, his control over this Authority is at its weakest.
Now, with a superior vessel available—Dark Furina—Lofan can wrest the Authority from Rene.
Exchanging for this body cost Lofan dearly. He had initially hoped to dissect Dottore's Segment and replicate it using technology, but he discovered that Dottore's techniques were too primitive, falling far short of the required sophistication.
Left with no choice, Lofan gritted his teeth and made the exchange, hoping to recoup his investment someday. Given the exorbitant cost, he didn't even dare dream of turning a profit.
Yet, he had originally embarked on this endeavor with the expectation of losing everything. Considering that, even recovering some of his investment felt like a victory.
At worst, I can always earn it back from Furina later!
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Lofan's lips as he thought this.
At that very moment, Furina shivered violently, as if sensing the gaze of something unclean upon her.
"Now, let us begin."
Finally, Lofan's manipulation of the controls was nearing completion.
He needed to reverse the Four Quadrant Circle by the smallest possible margin, awakening Rene while preventing him from drawing excessive power from the Primordial Sea Water.
"Witness the birth of Fontaine's new Archon!"
As he pressed the final command, the surroundings suddenly blazed with light, and intricate, complex lines materialized across the ground.
Crack!
The sound of space shattering echoed through the air.
Before the trio's eyes, a cerulean world unfolded.
The spatial fissures continued to widen, the new reality gradually engulfing the old. Furina desperately wanted to flee, but Dark Furina once again seized her fate by the nape of her neck.
The trio soon entered a brand-new space filled entirely with Primordial Sea Water, devoid of any other elements. The surroundings stretched out without discernible boundaries, as if the space were limitless.
The moment Furina entered this realm, she felt as though her consciousness was about to detach from her body and drift away. But in the next instant, a blue-black water bubble enveloped her completely, and the sensation vanished.
"What do you mean by this?"
Surprised by Dark Furina's intervention, Furina stared at the identical figure beside her, confusion etched on her face.
"Such a momentous occasion would be far too dull without an audience."
Furina hadn't expected Dark Furina to actually answer her.
"Stop this," Furina pleaded, her voice trembling with fear at what was to come. "It's not too late."
"If the world truly ends and everyone vanishes, wouldn't that be even more boring?!"
"That... is precisely what I desire."
Dark Furina fixed Furina with a deep, penetrating gaze.
"This filthy world has no right to exist."
"Are you insane?!" Furina cried out in disbelief. "Didn't that man say your actions were meant to save this world?!"
Hearing Dark Furina's words, Furina's expression twisted with incredulity.
"Ah, you mean that pathetic fool still dreaming of saving the world?"
Lofan glanced at Furina, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"Sorry, but I'm not with him. I belong to Lady Focalors. I only worked with him to get something I needed."
Furina was stunned.
What? They weren't working together?!
Suddenly, Furina felt a pang of sympathy for Jacob, who had stayed behind to cover their retreat.
"Don't you think you're going too far? He trusted you so completely!"
"He's still fighting Neuvillette with all his might right now!"
"We're all adults here, Furina. Stop talking about such ridiculous nonsense," Lofan replied, shaking his head.
"Instead, why don't you take a look at this? He's the one you've been looking for."
Lofan pointed to a massive water orb hovering nearby. Due to the Four Quadrant Circle's limited reverse rotation, the entity hadn't fully regained its power and remained in a semi-conscious state.
"He's one of the founders of The Narzissenkreuz Ordo, Master Narzissenkreuz himself."
"What? It's Master Narzi... what was it again?"
Lofan nearly lost his composure at Furina's words.
Didn't The Narzissenkreuz Ordo once wield considerable power? So Furina knows absolutely nothing about them?!
"Never mind."
"You're truly not suited for this role at all," Lofan said, shaking his head in exasperation. He then tossed a device into the distance.
When the device landed, it detonated with a silent but violent explosion. The sudden burst of pitch-black flames made the scene even more unsettling.
A hole was swiftly torn in the fabric of space, and a slender leg emerged from the rift, followed by the rest of the figure.
When Furina finally recognized the newcomer, she was utterly stunned.
Why... why is he here?!
"Monsieur Dottore, the rest is in your hands," Lofan said, bowing respectfully.
It's always better to let the right person take the blame.
"Hmm, as per our agreement, you'll get what you want."
"Of course, you must put some effort into obtaining what I desire as well."
Dottore nodded slowly.
"Naturally."
Hearing Lofan's words, Dottore glanced at Furina.
"Heh, isn't that the Hydro Archon Furina?"
"You've invited quite a distinguished audience."
"Hydro Archon? Just an ordinary human with negligible power."
"To be honest, she's the one who's been deceiving everyone all along."
Hearing these words, Furina felt like she was about to explode with rage.
"You know nothing! You have no right to judge me!"
"Oh well, since she's just an ordinary person, there's no point in keeping her around."
"She saw me appear. Let's take care of her too while we're at it."
Dottore spoke these chilling words with utter composure, while Lofan chimed in.
"Of course. The Primordial Sea Water will purify everything."
"Lady Furina should feel honored to be the first obstacle we eliminate in our world's destruction, don't you think?"
"Who would think that way?! You criminals! Neuvillette won't let you get away with this!"
Hearing even the details of her death being planned out intensified Furina's terror.
"And you, Dottore! Do the Fatui know what you're doing? Does the Cryo Archon know? Are you trying to provoke a war between Fontaine and Snezhnaya?!"
"Heh, haven't you noticed I've taken precautions to cover my tracks?" Dottore's lips curled into a slight smile.
"Once you're dead, no one will ever know about our cooperation. So just wait quietly there for your end to come."
With that, Dottore turned and walked directly toward the sphere of water.
"Wait... Waaah!"
Furina tried to speak, but Dark Furina silenced her with her power. Then, she and Lofan ignored Furina entirely, following Dottore out.
Furina desperately tried to use her own power to stop them, but the seal prevented her from exerting even a trace of her strength.
Neuvillette, hurry! If you don't come soon, Fontaine will be doomed!
In the end, Furina could only pin her hopes on Neuvillette.
"Master..."
Is that a voice...?
"Master..."
Is someone calling me...?
"Narzissenkreuz!"
That's... my name!
Rene finally awoke from his long slumber. By now, he had completely shed his former cowardice and mortality. Perhaps calling him Narzissenkreuz would be more appropriate.
"Master, thank goodness you're finally awake!"
Seeing the water coalesce into a human form before him, Lofan smiled.
"You are... Your uniform identifies you as a member of the Ordo. What's the Ordo's current status? Where's Jacob? Has the Day of Prophecy arrived?"
Noticing Lofan's uniform, Narzissenkreuz felt a flicker of annoyance at the presence of the irrelevant Dark Furina, White Furina, and Dottore, but he restrained his immediate reaction.
"Master, the Narzissenkreuz Ordo has been completely annihilated!"
Lofan's words stirred little emotion in Narzissenkreuz's heart. He had long anticipated this outcome.
"I can sense that the Four Quadrant Circle has been reversed, but the extent of the reversal is minimal. How was this achieved?"
"Who did this? Even I couldn't manage such precise control. The power of the Primordial Sea Water is overwhelming; maintaining the Covenant Seal, which is on the verge of collapse under this force, would be an unfathomable challenge."
"And who are they?"
Suddenly, Narzissenkreuz froze.
Strange... why do two of them look so much like the Hydro Archon Furina from back then?
But they can't be Furina herself. I don't sense any divine presence in either of them.
Still, the resemblance is uncanny—practically identical to my memories.
The man in the Ordo uniform, however, gave Narzissenkreuz an inscrutable feeling.
As Narzissenkreuz pondered, Lofan stepped forward and spoke slowly.
"Master, who they are is irrelevant."
"What matters is that the times have changed!"
"Accept the inevitable—the world is destined for destruction!"
The moment Lofan finished speaking, Dottore struck.
But Narzissenkreuz had been on guard since Lofan's first words, so Dottore's sudden attack didn't catch him completely off guard.
However, the power he could currently wield was severely limited. He only managed to withstand a few of Dottore's attacks before his body began to fade, becoming translucent.
"Traitor!"
Narzissenkreuz's brilliant mind immediately grasped the truth. He roared furiously at Lofan, only to have his form shattered by Dottore's next assault.
The surrounding Primordial Sea Water churned violently. Complex patterns in the sky blazed with light, reflecting Narzissenkreuz's desperate attempts to control the Primordial Sea Water.
Yet Dark Furina simply raised her hand, using her absolute power to suppress Narzissenkreuz's Authority over Water.
"No! You can't do this! You can't be so selfish!"
"Every life in this world deserves respect! I won't let everyone remain eternally asleep in a false eggshell!"
Instantly, the once-calm space trembled violently.
In response, Lofan merely retrieved a new device from his Dimensional Pocket and tossed it toward Narzissenkreuz.
A deep blue light pulsed from the device, bathing Narzissenkreuz in its glow. Immediately, he felt a soul-deep exhaustion wash over him.
"What is this?!"
Narzissenkreuz was stunned to see the gears he had once despised exerting such a profound influence on him now.
"This is the latest research—a ray that can temporarily lull the consciousness governing the Primordial Sea Water into slumber," Lofan explained.
"It's the first time we've deployed it in a real battle, and the results are quite impressive."
Lofan's casual explanation didn't enlighten Narzissenkreuz; instead, it deepened his astonishment.
Though Lofan spoke lightly, Narzissenkreuz, having dealt with the Primordial Sea Water for decades, could fully appreciate the immense difficulty of achieving such a feat.
"Master, didn't I tell you?" Lofan said, a radiant smile spreading across his face as he observed Narzissenkreuz's bewildered expression.
"Times have changed!"