The moment the group escaped the ruins, the entire structure suddenly collapsed behind them.
"Whew, good thing we ran fast—otherwise, we'd have been crushed!" Paimon said, staring at the wreckage with lingering fear.
Rover kept replaying the earlier events in his mind. He turned to look at Dainsleif, who had fallen silent.
"What was that upside-down Statue of The Seven?"
Aether also quickly turned to Dainsleif, hoping for an answer.
"Divine power. The Abyss Order seeks to corrupt the divine energy of the Statues of The Seven into the power of the Abyss. Their next move will undoubtedly be to search for the mechanical core of the Prototype. Do you remember Osial, whom you defeated?"
Rover nodded. Dainsleif's expression grew even more solemn as he continued.
"By combining divine power, Osial's remnants, and the activation core of the machine, they could create an artificial god born from the Abyss."
After sharing what he knew, Dainsleif prepared to leave.
"What's the Prototype?" Paimon asked, voicing the question on everyone's mind.
Dainsleif paused and explained further:
"All Ruin Guards are replicas based on the original Ruin Guard. That original possesses immense energy and power, hence why it's called the Prototype. Now that the Abyss Order is weakened, I can seize this opportunity to find the Prototype's mechanical core before they do."
Seeing that Dainsleif didn't need their help, Rover didn't insist. Before leaving, Dainsleif turned to Aether.
"Every journey must eventually end. Since you've chosen a path different from your sister's, prove to her that your choice is not the same as hers."
With those words, Dainsleif vanished from sight, marking the conclusion of their investigation into the Abyss.
...
That night, Aether sat on a chair, gazing at the clear sky where a bright moon hung.
"Can't sleep?"
Rover walked over and handed him a cup of tea. The leaves had been a gift from Zhongli—though apparently, Childe was the one who paid for them.
"Yeah… I keep thinking about what my sister must have gone through after we were separated, during the time I was asleep… She's changed so much. So much that… it feels like I barely recognize her anymore."
Aether's words were disjointed, as if he couldn't quite organize his thoughts. After a long silence, he stopped speaking and simply stared at the sky, his eyes fixed on a drifting shadow above.
Seeing that Aether didn't want to talk, Rover simply sat beside him, quietly enjoying the night view.
"Rover."
As the tea cooled, Aether suddenly lifted the cup and drank it all in one go. A trace of self-doubt flickered in his eyes.
"Traveling with you these past days… I feel so useless. I haven't been able to help at all. If one day you leave, I don't know if I'll still have the courage to keep going… At least, against powerful enemies like Dvalin and Osial, I couldn't defeat them."
His tone was filled with uncertainty, his voice tinged with self-questioning. Rover patted his shoulder reassuringly.
"But you defeated Childe, didn't you? Strength comes through trials. I believe you'll only grow stronger from here."
Aether let out a soft "Mm," his eyes brightening slightly. He raised his hand toward the window, letting the night breeze brush against his fingers.
"Sister… we'll meet again in Inazuma."
...
Some days later, Ningguang sent word to Rover that she had arranged a meeting with Beidou, captain of the Crux Fleet, at Xinyue Kiosk.
"So you two are the famous Rover and Aether, huh? I've heard about you—heroes of Liyue!"
Beidou's voice was loud and boisterous, prompting Ningguang, who was overseeing the meeting, to cough lightly in response.
A white-haired, red-eyed ronin sitting with them stood up and greeted the two politely before introducing himself.
"My name is Kaedehara Kazuha. This is Captain Beidou."
Once everyone had exchanged introductions, the conversation turned to business.
"Captain Beidou is a renowned sailor. Her flagship, the Alcor, has broken through Inazuma's storm barrier many times. Coincidentally, the Alcor is currently resupplying near Liyue, so I thought it would be a good opportunity for you to meet.
"And these two are Liyue's heroes, Rover and Aether. Captain Beidou enjoys befriending remarkable individuals, so I'm sure you'll get along well."
After Ningguang's formal introduction, she fell silent. Beidou thumped her chest proudly.
"I've heard all about your deeds in Liyue and wanted to see your skills for myself. Actually, I have a request—wondering if you two would be willing to accept?"
Rover, curious, asked what it was.
"Would you participate in the Crux Clash?"
Paimon, intrigued, chimed in.
"The Crux Clash? Is that some kind of martial arts tournament?"
Kaedehara Kazuha took over the explanation.
"The Crux Clash is a martial arts competition hosted by Captain Beidou—a stage for participants to showcase their skills. There are two conditions: first, participants must have some renown, and second, they must not possess a Vision."
As he spoke, Kazuha glanced at the two of them meaningfully before sitting back down.
Rover initially wanted to ask if Echoes were allowed, but then reconsidered—using them would be far too overwhelming. So he simply smiled and agreed to Beidou's request.