"So this is the Ruler of Death..." Elliot murmured, his gaze growing darker.
Turning his head, he saw a downpour of dark red spheres raining from the heavens, completely consuming everything within his line of sight. The entire sky was filled with them—dense, endless, and terrifying, like the coming of the apocalypse.
"Demon Slaying Slash!!!!"
Elliot gathered a surge of immense malevolent energy and slashed toward the Ruler of Death. A jet-black blade of force tore through the countless crimson orbs, carving open a path.
Although the Ruler of Death narrowly dodged the Demon Slaying Slash, Elliot successfully broke through the overwhelming barrage.
What caught him off guard was the effect the Abyss's corruption had on her—half her arm had already turned a deep, sickly purple.
He didn't know whether the Abyss's corruption carried special harm against The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, or whether the karmic debt had devoured the Abyss and strengthened its power.
But one thing was certain—this was his best chance!
Elliot repeated his attack, instantly accelerating to maximum speed, circling the Ruler of Death in a relentless assault.
He could clearly feel her movements slowing. Within moments, he had already slashed deep wounds across her back and leg, allowing the Abyss's corruption to spread even faster through her body.
"Die!"
Seeing her falter, Elliot finally seized the opening. He raised his blade and swung it down toward her head with all his might.
BOOM!!!!!
A violent blast erupted as Elliot was struck by an immense force, flung backward like a meteor crashing into the ground.
"Tsk..."
"One after another."
He climbed out of the crater, blood dripping from his mask and splattering on the earth below.
When he looked up, five figures floated in the sky above.
The Ruler of Life. The Ruler of Death. The Ruler of Time. The Ruler of Space.
And the supreme ruler of all Teyvat—
The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles.
"Quite the grand entrance..."
"If I don't respond properly," he said with a cold smile, "wouldn't that make your visit here pointless?"
The dark clouds above seemed to answer his words, rapidly gathering and swirling above them. The heavens rumbled as lightning webbed through the thick, rolling storm clouds.
Elliot slowly raised his right hand. From his palm emerged a square, chain-like stone—soon after, a miniature Planet Befall began orbiting around him.
Then came the second. The third.
Until finally, five Planet Befall revolved around him in unison.
With a subtle motion of his hand, the five shot upward into the heavens, piercing through the clouds.
Moments later, the storm exploded with radiant light. The massive Planet Befall tore through the dark clouds like suns breaking through the night.
Five enormous Planet Befall floated high above, illuminating the void.
"I merely wished..."
"...to bring a few souls back to the mortal world."
"And yet, it seems I've committed some kind of divine offense."
"Yes—you are the supreme beings. You can start wars whenever you please. You wield the power to punish all that exists."
"Yet you don't even glance at the lives or deaths of mortals. Is this what you call 'God'?"
Elliot let out a bitter laugh, pressing his palms together as a familiar pattern slowly appeared across his back—
the Lotus of the Afterlife.
"Release—Candle Dragon's Fire Dance."
In an instant, five blazing Candle Dragons rose behind him, towering above heaven and earth. Upon each of their backs burned a massive, sunlike Planet Befall.
"You understand nothing."
The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles' voice was cold and detached as she watched him prepare for his final stand.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!"
"I know nothing?"
"Yes! I know nothing!"
"I know nothing about you being invaders from beyond this world! I know nothing about how you brought humans here as your creations!"
"Are you trying to claim that to protect Teyvat, you had to exterminate countless gods?"
"What—do you think that makes you righteous?"
"No... you only want to preserve the land you conquered."
"All crows are black. You're all invaders—so why pretend otherwise?"
"Have you ever cared about the feelings of the humans you created?"
"Do you even understand what it means for those newly born into this world to be forced into a war the moment they draw breath?"
"You began a thousand-year war. The whole continent burned. Countless wandered in exile, countless families were torn apart."
"If you were truly just, you would have chosen the Seven Archons from the very beginning—and destroyed all others."
"So why didn't you?"
"Because you didn't just want control—you wanted the seven strongest gods to serve under your rule."
"Why choose that way?"
"Were you afraid? Afraid that one day a third throne might appear beyond this world to claim this continent?"
"That's why you needed the Seven Archons—to serve as your champions. So that even if invaders came, your chosen seven could defend your rule."
"And that's why you orchestrated this war—like breeding venomous insects, throwing every god into one pit until only the strongest survived."
"If I'm right, there's another reason behind it."
"You were too lazy to eliminate the gods yourselves."
"There were too many of them. Killing them one by one was troublesome. Easier to start a war and let them destroy each other for you."
"All you had to do was sit high upon Celestia, watching from above. Then, once the war ended, you'd descend to announce the victor and purge the rest. That was it, wasn't it?"
"Why are you allowed to start wars at will? Even when the world drowns in suffering, you turn a blind eye. Because to you, this land is just your domain."
"When you do interfere, it's only to eliminate what threatens your rule—just as you're trying to destroy me now. You fear me. You fear this god who created the Netherworld."
"Because you know how many have died in your war."
"Teyvat's accumulated dead over millennia—gods, divine followers, and millions upon millions of humans. You fear that if I claim these souls, I'll become a threat to you."
"Am I wrong, The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles...?"
Behind Elliot, five Candle Dragons roared in unison. Above them floated five colossal meteorites, casting their shadow across the heavens.
The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles froze, unable to comprehend how this god before her could know so much.
Under her shocked gaze, Elliot lifted a hand to his mask.
"The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles," he said softly.
"I have a question for you."
He removed the mask slowly. Without the Abyss's corruption, his face returned to its serene, youthful calm.
A gentle breeze stirred his white hair as he looked up toward the heavens.
"Tell me... does the little bird still sing in hell?"
He smiled faintly, his voice quiet but steady as he asked.