The Sumeru Desert.
The air was so dry it made breathing uncomfortable.
Fine yellow sand lashed against the skin, leaving an irritating itch.
Skirk glanced sideways at Raiden Ei, who seemed distracted—clearly chatting with someone through a private channel.
She shook her head.
Skirk had followed Surtalogi since childhood.
Her strength was in no way inferior to the Seven Archons—if anything, it surpassed them.
And yet—
She still respected the Archons' courage.
Which made the existence of that puppet even more contemptible.
He hated Raiden Ei.
Yet he feared her power.
So instead of facing her, he vented his resentment on helpless civilians.
Skirk sneered inwardly.
Was that thing really made by Raiden Ei?
Compared to the Raiden Shogun's discipline and restraint,
Scaramouche's character and conduct were worlds apart.
"Hey," Skirk whispered, nudging Raiden Ei lightly.
"Stop chatting for a second. Look."
She discreetly pointed ahead.
Aerin stood completely still, unmoving.
"…What's wrong with Master?" Skirk asked quietly.
"He's not saying anything. Did that puppet you created really piss him off?"
Raiden Ei stiffened.
Cold sweat broke out instantly.
Just moments ago, Yae Miko had been complaining—yet again—about Ei's failure to deal with Scaramouche in the past.
Complaints aside, Yae knew the past couldn't be changed.
But she had warned Ei of one thing:
Do not—under any circumstances—anger Aerin.
No one alive could bear the consequences.
Following Skirk's finger, Raiden Ei looked at Aerin.
Her beautiful eyes filled with fear.
"What… what do we do?" she whispered shakily.
The two stood there, helpless.
Even the Valkyries who had rushed over earlier had already been dismissed.
What could they possibly do?
They didn't know—
Aerin wasn't angry at all.
He was simply reviewing the reward he had just drawn.
When people realized he could crush Teyvat with a single step,
their emotional reactions reached absolute saturation.
And emotions—
were fuel.
Aerin's growth had already become absurd.
But who would ever refuse more power?
This time, the gacha result was brutal.
A hundred pulls.
Only one gold.
Yet the moment Aerin read the description,
he scratched the back of his head.
[End-God of Finality]
A manifestation of pure will.
An omnipotent existence that transcends time and space.
Possesses infinite evolutionary potential.
It overlapped with Spiral Power.
Two mechanisms of infinite evolution—
stacked.
His self-amplification efficiency doubled outright.
But the true terror lay elsewhere.
[High-Dimensional Prediction]
Perfect simulation capability.
Future predictions achieve 100% accuracy.
[Causality Weaving]
When combined with High-Dimensional Prediction, allows infinite future adjustments.
Causal variables can be inserted mid-timeline, generating parallel futures.
One optimal future may be selected and forcibly realized.
Yet when Causality Weaving fused with Spiral Power—
It advanced even further.
Probability manipulation
→ Conceptual alteration.
What was conceptual alteration?
For example—
The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata had died five hundred years ago in the Khaenri'ah calamity.
If Aerin decided she was not dead,
then the concept of her death would instantly change to alive.
She would resurrect—immediately.
Another example—
If Aerin decided that a strange, gluttonous creature like Paimon could devour the cosmic Aeon "Nihility"—
Then Paimon's conceptual definition would change.
She would gain the ability and the capacity to eat it.
Of course—
No conceptual alteration could ever exceed Aerin himself.
Even if he declared someone invincible across the universe,
they would never surpass him.
Aerin exhaled slowly.
"…This really feels like I'm walking further and further down a path of absolute monstrosity."
"Master, are you alright?"
Raiden Ei and Skirk rushed over the moment he moved.
"Is the desert making you uncomfortable?" Raiden Ei asked anxiously.
Aerin waved it off.
Then—
With a single thought—
The howling sands vanished.
Oases bloomed at visible speed.
Dry winds softened into gentle breezes.
The climate became pleasant—no worse than Mondstadt's.
Skirk: "???"
Raiden Ei: "???"
Both women froze in shock.
"…Am I dreaming?" Skirk muttered.
"Barzebul," Aerin said calmly,
"Pinch her thigh."
Raiden Ei snapped out of it and pinched Skirk hard.
"Ow! What the hell?!" Skirk snapped.
Raiden Ei replied flatly,
"Master told me to."
Skirk immediately shut up.
"You can feel pain in a dream?" Aerin asked with a smile.
Skirk shook her head frantically.
This wasn't a dream.
And the chat confirmed it.
[Dehya]:"Something insane just happened. The Sumeru Desert turned into a forest."
[Candace]:"It's unbelievable… and parts of the desert were intentionally preserved. For ecological balance?"
[Collei]:"From the trees, I can see the desert shrinking fast!"
[Alhaitham]:"This can only mean—"
[Faruzan]:"No doubt about it. The Fifth Descender is in the desert and changed the climate because it annoyed him."
[Nilou]:"The Fifth Descender is in Sumeru?! This is… overwhelming."
[Navia]:"He converted an entire desert into an oasis?"
[Dehya]:"Instantly. We didn't even have time to react."
[Arataki Itto]:"Th—th—th—this—"
[Kuki Shinobu]:"Please excuse our boss. He's too shocked to speak."
Liyue, the Jade Chamber.
Keqing froze mid-step.
"…Wait. The Fifth Descender went to Sumeru?"
"Shouldn't he be in Liyue?"
"Ningguang, what's going on?"
Ningguang massaged her temples.
All unqualified individuals had already been detained.
They were just waiting for Aerin to arrive and pass judgment.
And then—
He went to Sumeru instead.
"We can't question his intentions," Ningguang said tiredly.
"But waiting like this is unbearable."
Both women sighed.
The Underground Laboratory — Sumeru
Reality twisted.
Scenes and voices surfaced.
"I was betrayed three times.
Thus I know the world is nothing but deception."
"My anger will never fade."
"First—by a god. My creator. My mother.
She abandoned me, bound by power."
"Second—by humans. My family. My friends.
They feared me. Loathed me."
"Third—by one like me. A fledgling bird.
Bound by limitations, he broke his promise."
"Humans cannot be trusted. Gods are hateful.
I will fill my hollow heart with divinity itself."
"This," Aerin said calmly,
"is the root of your twisted worldview, Scaramouche."
Scaramouche glared—not at Aerin—
But at the figures in the visions.
Ei.
Niwa.
The sickly child.
Hatred burned.
Then the scenes changed.
He saw himself newly born—crying in a dream.
Ei judged him too fragile to bear Eternity.
Yae Miko advised dismantling him.
Ei refused.
She abandoned him instead—believing freedom was mercy.
Niwa sheltered him.
Nagasa imprisoned him.
Niwa released him.
And paid with his life.
"As for the child you call a 'betrayer,'" Aerin continued,
"you knew he was mortal. Young. Terminally ill."
"Yet you blamed his death on betrayal?"
Disgust crept into Aerin's gaze.
New scenes appeared.
Niwa never fled.
The villagers never fled.
They were murdered.
By the merchant—
who was in truth—
Il Dottore.
"No… no… this isn't—!" Scaramouche screamed.
Aerin's voice remained cold.
"Ei didn't abandon you out of malice."
"Niwa died to protect you."
"You called him family—yet trusted him so little."
"And the child?"
"He was more pitiful than you."
"Your so-called three betrayals—none existed."
"Only deaths caused by you."
"You blame gods you cannot defeat."
"So you slaughter civilians instead."
"Pathetic."
The vision ended.
They returned to the laboratory.
Aerin looked at him.
"Now tell me."
"How do you want to die?"
Ayaka froze in the Yashiro Commission.
"…Grandfather?"
"So… it was because of him?"
Her nails dug into her palm.
[Kamisato Ayaka]:"Scaramouche, you deserve death."
[Beidou]:"So Kaedehara Kazuha's exile was his doing."
[Amber]:"Too afraid to face the Raiden Shogun—so he targeted civilians?"
[Collei]:"He devastated Sumeru too. Death isn't enough."
[Kazuha]:"If he lives, the heavens are unjust."
[Yae Miko]:"Don't worry. He won't."
[Kamisato Ayato]:"'Three betrayals'—the most nauseating excuse I've ever heard. Scaramouche, die."
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