Neuvillette stared at Furina. He had initially thought her possessing a Hydro Vision was already absurd enough, but now an Anemo Vision had materialized as well.
What's next? Will she guest-star as the Anemo Archon in Mondstadt next time?
Neuvillette was barely holding his composure. Yet, seeing Furina's desperate attempts to bluff her way out of this, he couldn't bring himself to expose her outright.
"I believe you. I believe you wholeheartedly."
Hearing Neuvillette's words, Furina finally relaxed.
"Good. As long as you believe me."
Strange. Neuvillette actually bought this excuse—one even she didn't believe.
Could it be that Neuvillette is actually... a fool?
At this thought, a sudden surge of inexplicable superiority welled up within Furina. Her gaze toward Neuvillette even carried a hint of pity.
For some reason, Furina's current look stirred an almost violent urge within Neuvillette.
Suddenly, Neuvillette noticed something and immediately moved to Furina's side.
Startled by his sudden movement, Furina panicked, fearing he had seen through her thoughts. She quickly closed her eyes, raised her hands in front of her face, and shouted:
"Neuvillette, don't be impulsive! I absolutely don't think you're stupid!"
Neuvillette's face darkened. He pressed down on his fidgeting right hand with his left, then pointed his cane at the hole in the ground.
"Look here."
Hearing his words, Furina finally calmed down. Recalling her earlier slip-up, she gave him an awkward yet polite smile before turning her gaze to the ground where she had been standing. Her expression immediately turned serious.
The hole they had inadvertently created revealed a vast underground space beneath the Tower of Gestalt, clearly indicating the presence of subterranean facilities.
The two recalled how the Tower's defense systems had suddenly reverted to their dormant state. It seemed likely that the Tower's occupants had descended into this underground space.
If they were only planning to escape, that would be one thing. But if they were plotting something else, the situation could become perilous.
Let's hope we still have time.
Wait a minute... wouldn't this mean she'd achieved a great feat?!
Furina suddenly realized this, her spirits soaring once more.
Neuvillette watched Furina's sudden outburst with a bewildered expression. He then raised his hand and unleashed a torrent of hydro energy, widening the cave entrance several times over.
"Lady Furina, you should remain here for now, or retreat from the Tower of Gestalt to a safer location."
Neuvillette, who had been about to depart, paused, hesitated, and looked up at Furina to speak.
"Absolutely not!"
Furina refused without a moment's thought. After all, for her, there was no safer place in the world than by Neuvillette's side.
Letting me go alone? That's far too dangerous!
"Neuvillette, are you just going to abandon me here?"
"I'm merely assessing that there might be significant danger below. You'd be safer staying here. The ordinary Clockwork Mekas within the Tower of Gestalt pose little threat to you."
Neuvillette shook his head and began to explain.
"Neuvillette, don't forget—I am the Hydro Archon!"
"As the Hydro Archon, how could I possibly fear such a trivial danger?"
"You're telling me to seek shelter? Are you treating me like an ordinary person?"
Aren't you?
Neuvillette nearly blurted out the question, but he managed to restrain himself.
Although Furina now wielded two Elemental Powers, her strength hadn't even reached the threshold of an Archon. In Fontaine's current crisis, she ranked at the bottom of the combat hierarchy. Neuvillette truly doubted he could rely on Furina for anything significant.
He considered laying his cards on the table and urging Furina to wait in safety while he handled everything. However, given her tendency to cause trouble, he realized she might be safer by his side after all, so he abandoned the idea.
In the end, Neuvillette cast Furina a deeply complex look before silently moving ahead to clear the path.
Furina felt a shiver run down her spine at Neuvillette's final, deeply meaningful glance. Snapping out of her daze, she noticed his movements and quickly followed after him.
Meanwhile, Jacob and Virlick, riding the elevator, heard the commotion above and their hearts clenched with anxiety. The sound was much clearer than before, indicating that Neuvillette and the Hydro Archon Furina had likely found them.
"Sir Jacob, they seem to be catching up," Virlick said nervously.
"I don't need you to tell me that!" Jacob snapped impatiently, his mind already made up.
In the next instant, an indescribable Abyss Aura erupted from Jacob's body, twisting his humanoid form into a grotesque Abyss Monster.
The Abyss Power exploded outward from Jacob, forcing Virlick, who was closest to him, to retreat into a corner of the elevator. Even there, Virlick struggled to withstand the Abyss Power's corrosive influence.
Fortunately, Jacob quickly regained control of his power, preventing Virlick from being twisted into an Abyss Monster as well.
"Lord Jacob?!"
Seeing Jacob's current state, Virlick was so shocked he couldn't speak.
"Don't be afraid or surprised. This is merely a grand sublimation to achieve a great aspiration."
"Feel this power. In the future, you may wield even greater strength than I do now."
"I believe in your potential."
Jacob paused, then spoke to Virlick with utmost solemnity.
"Virlick, I've always known about the latent talent within you."
"It was precisely for this reason that I exceptionally granted you the First Rank."
"I've been watching your performance all along. Your loyalty to The Narzissenkreuz Ordo is beyond question. I've always placed you in a position of utmost importance, and you haven't disappointed me in the end."
"Lord Jacob... I never realized you valued me so highly..."
Hearing Jacob's words, Virlick was so deeply moved that he wept uncontrollably.
"Waaah, I'm so guilty! I used to think Lord Jacob didn't value me enough. How narrow-minded I was!"
"I understand now! All those past trials were tests from Lord Jacob, weren't they?!"
"How could I have doubted Lord Jacob's sincerity? I deserve to die!"
Hearing Virlick's words, Jacob suddenly felt a bit awkward. Fortunately, he was currently in his Abyss Monster form, so Virlick couldn't see his expression.
"You're right, but don't be too hard on yourself."
"If this realization has made you aware that it was a test, then the test itself has lost its purpose."
"I'm very pleased with your performance. Now, I have one final task for you to complete."
"Lord Jacob, rest assured! Whatever it is, I'll devote myself to it wholeheartedly. Even if it means dying here right now, I won't even flinch!"
Virlick pounded his chest so hard it echoed with loud thumps. Jacob was very pleased with this display, and the lingering unease in his heart vanished.
"I need you to awaken Master Narzissenkreuz."
"Me?"
Virlick was utterly stunned by this revelation.
"He lies deep within this place. All you need to do is reverse the Four Quadrant Circle..."
After explaining the method to Virlick, Jacob had completely severed all earthly attachments.
In truth, Rene had also prophesied Jacob's demise, though the timing had indeed come much sooner than expected.
Jacob couldn't fathom what cataclysmic event had altered the world's course. He'd leave that for Rene to ponder.
"Once this task is complete, he will awaken from his slumber, shatter his seals, and grasp the Source of Water..."
"The purest Water of Life will engulf the entire world, and a new universe will be born from the chaos..."
"Our collective consciousness will merge, granting us the power to defy the apocalypse..."
"Lord Jacob, are you...?"
Noticing Jacob's strange demeanor, Virlick suddenly realized what was happening, his face twisting with sorrow.
Jacob nodded solemnly and continued, "Go, Virlick. The responsibility of ushering in the new world rests upon your shoulders!"
"I'll buy you the final moments you need."
"And then... we'll meet again in our new world."
With those words, Jacob soared into the air, smashing through the elevator ceiling as he flew resolutely toward the source of the earlier commotion.
"No, Lord Jacob!"
"We can't create the new world without you!"
"Lord Jacob!"
Virlick shouted after Jacob's retreating figure, but between the elevator's ascent and Jacob's speed, the man quickly vanished from Virlick's sight.
Seeing this, Virlick's heart overflowed with grief.
"Lord Jacob, I will definitely fulfill the mission you entrusted to me."
"I will cherish Master Narzissenkreuz's Authority over Water, you can rest assured!"
Virlick wiped away the tears at the corner of his eye, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
Virlick—no, Lofan—had stumbled upon Jacob's clandestine activities in Fontaine, uncovering a centuries-long scheme that left him astonished.
Rene, a name steeped in legend. Even his loyal follower, Jacob, was no ordinary man; both possessed extraordinary talents far beyond those of ordinary people. They had even deduced the World Formula and foreseen the world's impending destruction.
To avert the apocalypse, Rene had devised such an intricately planned Salvation Plan—a plan that Lofan had now discovered.
Lofan felt a twinge of awkwardness. He disapproved of this Salvation Plan and would never allow it to succeed.
Merging everyone's consciousness to gain the power to resist the apocalypse... Why does this premise sound so familiar?
Wait a minute... isn't this the very concept I devised for myself? Someone's actually plagiarizing my idea!
What? They conceived this centuries ago? Well, that's alright then!
In any case, the Salvation Plan did possess a degree of feasibility. However, after merging all consciousnesses, each individual would lose their sense of self under the immense spiritual power—or, more accurately, they would completely fuse into a single entity.
At that point, Lofan wondered whether those people could still be considered alive, or whether they had evolved into a new, unified being.
Moreover, whether this world would ultimately be destroyed still depended on the whims of the Yellow-haired man.
Lofan suspected this was likely an experience pack for some Yellow-haired Toolman, but he had intercepted it first.
Of course, the plan wasn't entirely without merit. Firstly, it helped him refine his own concept. Secondly, Lofan discovered that Master Narzissenkreuz possessed a fragment of the Authority over Water.
This time, Lofan had come precisely for that fragment of the Authority over Water, hoping to secure a second layer of insurance.
Since Jacob was the only person Lofan knew who could break the seal, he had meticulously planned every detail to force Jacob to reveal the method.
Now, the final moment had arrived, and even Lofan felt a surge of anticipation.
"It's your turn now."
As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding Hydro Element began converging toward a single point, forming a massive water sphere.
The sphere burst open, and Dark Furina emerged, striding forward until she stood just a few meters from Lofan, silently gazing at him.
Lofan stroked his chin, scrutinizing Dark Furina with evident satisfaction.
This time, the replica was perfect, unlike the previous Clorinde incident. After all, he had spent countless days and nights with Furina, becoming intimately familiar with her.
But what exactly was their relationship? Were they besties, or just close friends?
Never mind. It hardly matters to me anymore.
Lofan shook his head and refocused on Dark Furina.
Originally, Lofan had intended to give Dark Furina a "triple zero" personality—no emotions, no desires, no attachments. However, considering that his future plans required someone with a more ruthless demeanor, he settled on a cold and aloof persona instead.
This version of Furina possessed a unique charm, and under the System's upgraded AI control, the results were quite impressive.
What truly mattered was maximizing loyalty. Knowing the subject would obey any command, no matter how outrageous, made the thought all the more exhilarating.
Just then, the elevator jolted violently and came to a sudden halt, as if it had reached its destination.
The doors slid open from both sides, revealing a vast, azure world that filled Lofan's vision.
"Let's go. We'll try to claim the Authority over Water directly first."
"If that fails, we'll have a proper discussion with the Master."
"If he still refuses, we'll try to persuade him through reason, making him understand our predicament."
Lofan strode confidently ahead, convinced his judgment was sound. This time, he believed he could save a considerable amount of Points.
Although his current Points were sufficient to address the crisis foreshadowed by the Prophecy, every bit saved counted.
This was a completely unexpected delight. Even if it failed, he had nothing to lose, so Lofan's mood was buoyant.
Hearing Lofan's words, Dark Furina nodded and silently followed him out of the elevator.