The black-robed figure's arrival disturbed the furious thunder raging here—the Thunder Manifestation.
A creature easily slain by the Traveler posed no challenge to the black-robed figure.
However, since the Thunder Manifestation could revive endlessly, the figure, after killing it once, concealed its presence and that of its belongings to prevent interference with its plan.
With this precaution, the Manifestation would remain dormant unless someone approached its core.
The black-robed figure produced a sacrificial altar and placed a portion of Yuna's body upon it. Using Abyssal Power, it formed a massive dome to encase the altar, mirroring the structures at the previous five locations.
The moment the Hexagram Array was complete, another dome materialized outside the altar's dome, enveloping the entire platform where the Thunder Manifestation resided.
This outermost transparent dome was exceptionally resilient, forged from accumulated Emotional Value. Even Ei's Musou no Hitotachi, her ultimate blade strike, would require multiple strikes to crack its surface.
Having completed these preparations, the black-robed figure produced a purple egg and crushed it with a sharp squeeze.
As the egg shattered, its contained energy exploded outward. Caught off guard, the black-robed figure was thrown back violently, nearly falling from Amakumo Peak.
Dense Abyss Power began to seep into the Hexagram Array's endpoints. At the two points submerged in the sea, the surrounding waters turned a sinister purplish-black.
Black tendrils emerged from the dome at each endpoint, converging toward the center of the Hexagram Array.
-
Lumine and her companions immediately teleported to the Waypoint above Amakumo Peak.
The moment they arrived, Lumine spotted the altar shrouded in a black barrier. The altar made her uneasy.
After releasing everyone, Itto hurriedly tried to fly toward the platform, but Kuki Shinobu grabbed his arm.
"Be careful! There's a barrier over there!"
The others also noticed the barrier. Yae Miko surveyed the surroundings and remarked, "This barrier wasn't here before. It must be the work of that black-robed figure. Everyone, step back."
Yae Miko brandished her Gohei, channeling Electro energy into a massive Thunderbolts strike that slammed into the barrier.
The collision echoed with a deafening roar, but when the lightning dissipated, the barrier remained completely intact.
"Let me try!" Itto declared.
The crimson patterns on his body thickened and intensified, radiating an overwhelming aura. Ignoring everyone's warnings, he leaped forward and slammed his fist into the barrier with full force.
An even greater shockwave reverberated through the air, sending Itto flying backward. Kuki Shinobu and Lumine rushed to catch him.
Yet the barrier remained unscathed!
"Damn it!" Itto slammed his fist into the ground, venting his fury.
Buzz—
Far overhead, in the distant sky, dark purple Abyss Energy coalesced, slowly forming a swirling vortex.
With a crackle, a blade of lightning-infused light slashed through the vortex, cleaving it in two.
As the blade dissipated, the Abyss Vortex swiftly reassembled itself.
Yae Miko gazed into the distance. "It's Ei!"
Lumine looked up. It was indeed Ei, but not only Ei.
A cyan arrow stirred the entire vortex, and a black blade of energy hurtled toward it.
"It's Venti!" Paimon exclaimed, recognizing the arrow's owner.
"The God of Wind..."
-
At the center of the Hexagram Array, before the Abyss Vortex.
The black-robed figure sensed the arrival of the Three Gods of Anemo, Geo, and Dendro. Initially, It considered activating the backup plan, but ultimately decided against it.
Sometimes, what one reveals proactively pales in comparison to what others painstakingly uncover themselves.
As luck would have it, Rukkhadevata, the god renowned for her wisdom, had also arrived. She would undoubtedly attempt to unravel the Abyss's true purpose.
However, to convince others, one must first believe oneself.
Completely shrouded in Abyss Energy, the black-robed figure materialized before the Vortex, wielding a blade in each hand, facing the Four Gods of Anemo, Geo, Electro, and Dendro.
The black-robed figure remained silent.
-
Live Stream
[Uwaaaah, Old Man, you're finally here! I got beaten so badly, uwaaaah~]
[Hurry, kill the black-robed figure! Make sure to torture It! Just looking at It makes me sick!]
[No, no! Get Yuna's information out of It first, then kill It!]
[Rukkhadevata's here too! We can't let her escape again this time!]
[Slice It apart, piece by piece, with a small knife!]
-
Inazuma.
One had to admit, the black-robed figure received truly exceptional treatment.
It had clashed with the Three Gods upon its first appearance, and now, despite being severely wounded, it was facing the Four Gods!
"You truly are relentless!" the black-robed figure snarled.
If it was furious, the Four Gods before it were even more so.
Especially Barbatos, Morax, and Buer. Their initial carelessness had allowed the black-robed figure to escape with its life, and now it had resurfaced in Inazuma, claiming another Pure Soul...
Though the exact purpose of Pure Souls remained unclear, the Abyss's desperate pursuit and fervent protection of them suggested they held paramount importance.
Beelzebul had already raised her blade, Morax had conjured his Geo Spear, Barbatos had sealed off the battlefield, and Buer's divine sense enveloped the entire arena.
"Ho ho ho~"
The black-robed figure chuckled coldly, merging its twin blades. The black soul-tethering lines radiating from the six vortices thickened a hundredfold, and faint wails Yuna echoed through the air.
-
Meanwhile, in Fontaine, the mature woman making a small cake for Furina suddenly clutched her chest as a sharp pain tore through her heart. She spat a mouthful of blood onto the cake on the counter, knocking it over. The excruciating agony forced her to her knees with a thud.
Hearing the commotion from outside the door, a Melusine rushed in. Seeing Lady Fidaelle kneeling on the ground, the Melusine covered her mouth and hurried over. "Lady Fidelle, what's wrong?"
-
In Natlan, the gentle sister, who had been talking to Ajaw and made him cry with her words, suddenly clutched her chest, her face twisting in pain. She gasped, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.
Kinich, who had rushed over from nowhere, helped her sit down, and whirled around, his rare fury erupting as he bellowed:
"Ajaw!!!"
Ajaw panicked, frantically waving his short arms. "No, it wasn't me!"
How could he ever dare to defy his sister?!
-
In Snezhnaya, Angie, who was enjoying a reunion dinner with her family, suddenly shuddered. She quickly set down her plate and rushed outside.
After calming his family, Tartaglia got up and followed her. He found Angie lying on the ground near the front door.
"Little Sister, what's wrong?" Tartaglia helped her up, but his heart leaped in alarm when he saw blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. "What happened?!"
Clutching her chest, Angie gasped, "Don't... don't make a scene..."
-
Inazuma.
Ei could no longer restrain herself, unleashing the Musou no Hitotachi, while Morax hurled his Geo Spear.
The vortex behind the black-robed figure rapidly expanded, and a colossal, crimson eye materialized at its center.
The eye's pupil was like a bottomless black hole, its edges shimmering with arcane runes that radiated an ancient, overwhelming power.
As the gods met its gaze, a primal terror gripped their hearts.
Ei's blade and Morax's Geo Spear froze mid-strike, unable to advance even an inch further under the eye's oppressive stare.
In the System space.
Jiang Mumu was peering through a telescope, her gaze fixed on a small patch of Black Fog ahead.