The voice of karmic debt crashed into Elliot Yuan's mind like a tidal wave.
Clutching his head in agony, he staggered and thrashed as if something were clawing at his very soul.
"Brother!"
"Your Majesty!!"
Seeing Elliot's sudden distress, everyone rushed over, faces full of alarm and confusion.
They had never seen him like this before. To them, Elliot Yuan had always been calm and composed—someone who faced every crisis with absolute control. Even the mighty Morax, the God of War himself, called him "Brother" and treated him with the highest respect.
Yet now, this seemingly invincible being was clutching his head and trembling in pain.
"Don't come any closer…" Elliot's voice was low and strained.
The day he had dreaded had finally arrived.
Ever since learning that the Abyss was being driven by karmic corruption, he had feared this moment.
During that time, he would often remove his mask and listen quietly to the whispers of the karmic debt, trying in vain to find a solution. But no matter how he searched, nothing worked.
The only anomaly he ever sensed came from Qingce Village—but even after three years of searching, he found nothing there.
His warning halted everyone in their tracks, though anxiety still twisted across their faces.
"Brother, what's happening to you?!"
Morax stared at Elliot, whose condition had grown worse by the second, and a deep unease settled in his chest.
Elliot stumbled forward like a drunkard, clutching his head, his breathing ragged. He could feel his consciousness being eaten away bit by bit. His vision blurred, and an overwhelming drowsiness swept through him, threatening to pull him under.
His black pupils began to shift, darkening to crimson.
At that moment, he felt an irresistible pull coming from the direction of Qingce Village.
As his awareness began to fade, he suddenly remembered the purpose of the mask he wore.
[Mask of Good and Evil]
When worn, it grants full control over the evil power within the body (currently possessed: karmic debt, Abyssal corruption). Each time the user draws upon this dark power, it grows stronger, its increase proportional to duration and intensity of use.
Control over dark power—freely.
Elliot's eyes snapped open. The mask that once bore both a smile and tears now transformed—its weeping half completely replaced by a single, unwavering smile.
In that instant, Elliot seized back the sanity he had nearly lost.
The power of the karmic debt was now under his control. His strength surged once more, ascending to an entirely new level. The vast, corrupted energy within him filled his body with unimaginable might.
"It's nothing… just an old problem," Elliot said, his voice regaining its calm steadiness.
"Brother, your mask…" Morax said softly, noticing how it had changed in form.
"The mask…?" Elliot repeated, puzzled.
At that moment, the ever-prudent Bonanus spread a sheet of Hydro across the ground.
As the ripples faded, Elliot caught his reflection—and saw the mask's transformation for himself.
"Sigh… At this point, there's no need to hide it from you, Morax."
"I have some matters to deal with. I'm afraid I won't be returning to Liyue anytime soon."
He let out a long, weary sigh and lifted his gaze to meet Morax's.
"What is it? Is it serious? Let me come with you, Brother—I can help," Morax insisted, his voice filled with urgency.
He could sense that this was no simple matter. He knew Elliot better than anyone. Since the day they met, he had never once seen such helplessness on his face.
Whether it was the Archon War or the invasions on Liyue, everything had always been within Elliot's grasp.
"This matter… I must handle it myself."
"Don't worry. I'll return before the Archon War ends."
"But while I'm gone, you must protect Liyue well."
Elliot's tone softened—like that of an old mentor entrusting his student with a sacred duty.
"Brother, I've grown stronger now. I'm capable—I can go with you. Let me help!"
Morax, usually composed and steady, now sounded like a stubborn child unwilling to be left behind.
He didn't care who was watching. None of them could possibly understand what Elliot meant to him.
Morax's current power, his wisdom, his very position—all of it had been shaped by Elliot's guidance.
Elliot had taught him how to fight properly, how to abandon useless techniques and build a foundation for true strength.
He had guided him to live among mortals—to eat, rest, and work as they did—allowing Morax to understand human joy and suffering firsthand. Because of that, his attitude toward humanity had forever changed.
When war came, it was Elliot who told him never to pity the enemy or accept their survivors, teaching him the cruel truth of battle.
Because of that, Liyue had remained steady through the chaos of the Archon War.
Likewise, Morax knew Elliot deeply. In his eyes, Elliot was the very embodiment of a true god—powerful, omnipotent, all-knowing.
But now, even he was in trouble.
"I'm out of time, Morax."
"Do you remember our wager? You still owe me two conditions."
"When I leave, don't come looking for me—that's my condition."
"Don't worry. I'll return. After all… you still owe me one."
Elliot smiled faintly as he patted Morax's shoulder.
And then, before anyone could react, he vanished—so fast that not even the water beside him rippled.