Despite being the most severely wounded, Diluc was the first to reach Rola's side.
He stumbled over, his legs suddenly giving way, and collapsed beside her.
"Rola, what's wrong? Don't scare me! Open your eyes, please look at your brother."
Tears streamed down Diluc's face as he gazed at the blood staining the ground and the gruesome knife wound on his sister's chest, where the bleeding had begun to slow.
His hand trembled as he reached out to try and stop the bleeding, only to withdraw it helplessly midway.
The Pyro Vision that Rola always carried at her waist flickered and went dark...
"No, no! Rola, don't... don't leave me!"
Diluc pulled Rola into his arms, gazing at her pale, lifeless face.
This was his only sister, the sister he loved most, the sister he couldn't bear to speak harshly to, the sister he had doted on since childhood!
Diluc refused to tell her the truth about their father's death, shielding her from the dark underbelly of Mondstadt. He only wished for her to retain her innocent nature and live a happy, carefree life.
But why did it have to be her? Why her?!
"Aaaaaah!!!"
Diluc pounded the ground with furious blows, venting his boundless sorrow and towering rage.
His heart felt like it was being flayed alive, the excruciating pain rendering him speechless. Even breathing normally was difficult; it felt like something was lodged in his throat.
-
Player World.
Though Guojia sensed something was amiss, she hadn't yet grasped the gravity of the situation.
Seeing Rola unleash her power, she subconsciously dismissed the earlier scene of Rola bleeding, her excitement bubbling over like a toddler's. The corners of her mouth stretched into a wild grin.
"Aaaah, so badass!"
During the final moment when Rola stood majestic as the collapsing Ruin Grader exploded behind her, Guojia frantically screenshotted the scene multiple times.
Guojia found the scene unsettling, but when Rola smeared her face into a bloody mess, she finally realized: Rola had been bleeding from her mouth and eyes just moments ago!
This started to feel like a death flag...
Guojia imagined Diluc's answer to Rola's question:
"Rola is amazing! Truly amazing! Rola is the strongest!"
But after answering, she suddenly realized something: Isn't this the kind of question characters often ask right before they die in novels?
Coupled with the mission's title, Guojia's heart clenched with dread.
No way... would a game company really dare to kill off a character like this?!
The thought haunted her, and even Rola's final thumbs-up gesture felt like a farewell.
Unlike the streamer, the viewers in the chat were paying attention to many things.
Something's off... something's really off... why do I have such a bad feeling?
[That Abyss bastard! He's not dead yet! The dog's been hiding all along!]
[Oh~ I remember what I forgot! Damn it, they didn't even notice! We can't let our guard down—that bastard is cunning as hell!]
Guojia finally realized what she had forgotten.
So, that's what I forgot! That damn bastard!
Just as the players thought of it, the Traveler in the game did too.
But as soon as the Traveler's warning appeared, the players witnessed a scene that shattered their composure.
"Aaaah!!! No! Noooo!"
[Holy shit, what the hell?!]
[???!!!]
[Did they actually do it?!]
[Stupid miHoYo, I'm done! Why kill Rola of all people?!]
[Sobbing sounds]
[Damn it! Who wrote this scene?! I'm going to—]
[I always thought this was a casual game... Ha...]
[I'm quitting! Seriously, how can we keep playing after Rola's death?!]
[So, "The Little Spark That Burned Away" meant this, huh? You're ruthless, miHoYo! You really are!]
Guojia stared blankly at the screen, covering her mouth with both hands as large tears streamed down her face.
The computer speakers crackled to life again:
"Is this... my curtain call?"
"I suppose so..."
The final shot lingered on a close-up of Rola's Vision, which had been glowing brightly moments before, suddenly going dark.
Guojia could no longer contain herself and burst into loud sobs:
"Waaaaah..."
-
Mondstadt.
"R... Rola..."
Kaeya stood behind Diluc, his eyes bloodshot as he fought back tears, scanning their surroundings warily. "Damn you, you bastard! Come out!"
Jean, Eula, and the others gathered around, their faces etched with sorrow and fury, shielding Diluc and Rola in the center.
Jean gently stroked Rola's small face, channeling her healing powers, but it had no effect on the girl.
Rola lay still, her eyes closed peacefully.
Eula's grip on her Claymore tightened until her knuckles turned white, her gaze fixed intently on their surroundings.
Amber and Noelle stood their ground at the front, their faces streaked with tears, weapons clutched firmly as they scrutinized every flicker in the air.
Noelle repeatedly wiped away her tears, then resolutely tightened her grip on her Claymore.
Sucrose bit her lip so hard she drew blood without even realizing it.
Rosaria closed her eyes, two clear tears slipping down her cheeks.
Razor remained silent, focusing solely on gathering his strength.
Lumine stared at Rola's lifeless body, her lips trembling. She never imagined it would end like this.
Rola, the first friend she and Paimon had made in Mondstadt (aside from Paimon), had been so kind to them—giving them gifts, smiling with a radiant, sunlit beauty...
Lumine clenched her jaw so tightly her gums bled.
She still gripped the longsword Rola had given her, but the giver was no longer there.
Malice suddenly reappeared.
Though they had been prepared, the suddenness of his attack still caught them off guard.
"Cryo Spike!"
"Sanction!"
"Gone with the Wind!"
"DIE!!!"
Malice narrowly dodged the group's furious strikes, immediately creating distance and positioning himself at the foot of the fallen Ruin Grader.
The longsword, transformed from Malice's right hand, still dripped with fresh crimson blood. He raised the blade to his face, leaning in close.
Was he sniffing it lightly, or... licking it?
The people of Mondstadt, already consumed by fury, felt their eyes burn with rage at this sight.
Lumine, the swiftest among them, charged forward with her sword raised. Her enraged strike collided with Malice's blade, sending both combatants staggering backward.
Malice, who had been about to advance, suddenly glanced skyward and vanished from the spot.
Lumine and Kaeya's attacks struck empty air. Assuming Malice had concealed himself again, the group immediately tensed, bracing for another ambush.
Only when Dvalin's roar echoed from the heavens did they finally relax.
-
Venti's battle against Durin hadn't lasted long. Had the zombie dragon not possessed such tenacious vitality, the fight would have ended even sooner.
Before engaging the Fell Dragon, Venti had already cleared most of Mondstadt's monsters. He never imagined a scoundrel like Malice would dare attack the city while he was away.
Only after Venti had completely slain the Fell Dragon, its every cell pulverized by his raging winds, did he realize something was amiss.
A barrier had been erected around them, its sole purpose to sever his connection to Mondstadt. The one who cast it had clearly exerted considerable effort, managing to conceal its presence even from him for a time.
If Venti hadn't utterly destroyed the Fell Dragon, causing the barrier to shatter automatically, he might have remained oblivious for much longer.
The instant the barrier crumbled, Venti rushed toward Mondstadt with his utmost speed.
His heart was in turmoil. He didn't know what had befallen his beloved city, but he could sense that it couldn't be anything good!
In an instant, Venti stood outside Mondstadt's gates.
He saw the aftermath of a fierce battle: the incapacitated grader lying on the ground, the wounded Knights of Favonius, and the crowd gathered around Diluc, who cradled the lifeless body of—Rola!
The winds of Mondstadt suddenly grew violent, mirroring the turmoil in Venti's heart.