Following the mission prompt, Chen Xiyao teleported to Guili Plains.
To her surprise, Paimon immediately spotted Diluc hurrying along the road.
"It's Diluc!" Paimon exclaimed.
This was Chen Xiyao's first time seeing Diluc in his Crimson Red Dead of Night attire within the game's storyline. He looked incredibly handsome, and the palpable sense of duty emanating from him deeply resonated with her.
The mission title appeared on the screen:
The Last Day
Having already been "stabbed in the heart" by the game's plot before, Chen Xiyao's radar went into overdrive. This title... this title!
No way, no way! Rola's already gone! Why this again?
Could it be... is this final day Diluc's? He's been hunting that scum to avenge his sister, but he's not strong enough. He got badly injured, and now he only has one day left to live?
No! Please, no!
In the game, the Traveler and Paimon had just met Diluc when he immediately asked for their help. What followed was utterly unexpected.
That damn dog had stolen Rola's soul?!
Thankfully, Diluc managed to retrieve it in the end.
[That goddamn dog! Even after she's dead, it still steals her soul! Aaaah, I can't take it anymore! Mihoyo, give this bastard a health bar now! I want to beat it a thousand times! A THOUSAND TIMES!]
[Waaah, Big Bro Diluc is still the best! Thanks to him, my precious Rola's soul can finally rest in peace...]
[Wait, if her soul was stolen, shouldn't Venti have noticed? Why didn't we know anything about this?]
[Leave this crucial mission to me! We'll protect Rola's last soul with our lives!]
[Ah... now I finally understand why this quest is called "The Last Day."]
-
Teyvat.
Liyue, Guili Plains.
Just as Lumine and Paimon reached the Teleport Waypoint and were about to depart, Venti appeared beside them.
"Leave Rola's soul to me," Venti said earnestly, extending his hand.
Paimon, upon seeing Venti, immediately stopped calling him "tonedeaf":
"Venti! You're here! Great! Quick, help us figure out what's happening to Rola!"
Lumine carefully handed the Jade Ring to Venti, being extra cautious not to drop and break it.
Diluc stepped forward. "We're counting on you, Lord Venti!"
"Hmm," Venti replied.
Receiving the Jade Ring, Venti immediately channeled divine power into it.
Gradually, the purple-black color of the Jade Ring began to fade, transforming into a bright yellow.
Diluc, Lumine, and Paimon watched Venti's actions with rapt attention, barely daring to breathe.
When Venti finally stopped, Diluc urgently asked, "What's the situation?"
Lumine, who had been tense the entire time, also pressed, "How is Rola?"
Venti: "I've purged the Abyss from it. I can indeed sense Rola's soul within, but... it's incredibly weak, only one-tenth the strength of a normal soul."
"Ah, why is it like this?!" Paimon exclaimed in disbelief.
Venti: "To a soul, the Abyss's power is a curse. It slowly devours the soul, bit by bit, until nothing remains. And this process is excruciatingly painful..."
Venti's tone grew noticeably harsh, but he quickly regained his composure.
"If we were any later, even just one day, Rola's soul would have ceased to exist, vanishing completely."
Upon hearing that the soul-devouring process was agonizing, Diluc clenched his fists so tightly that his hands trembled slightly.
Paimon lowered her head:
"Venti, is there anything else you can do to save Rola? She's truly pitiful!"
Venti shook his head gently:
"The dead cannot be brought back to life. This is a fundamental law of Teyvat, and even I, as an Archon, cannot alter it. Rola has already departed; our duty now is to ensure her peaceful departure."
Lumine, not native to Teyvat, had journeyed through many worlds and knew that this principle held true across them all. Worlds where the boundaries between life and death were blurred invariably descended into chaos and corruption, ultimately leading to their destruction.
Diluc fell silent.
He knew Venti spoke the truth, but...
Seeing their expressions, Venti sighed. "I'll seek help from the Old Man," he said. "He might grant Rola one more day on Teyvat. But after that, she must depart."
The instant Venti finished speaking, Diluc seized his hand. "Lord Barbatos, what did you say?!"
Diluc was so shocked he had even addressed Venti as "Lord Barbatos."
Feeling the force of Diluc's grip, Venti gently patted his hand and repeated his earlier statement.
Tears streamed down Diluc's face, overcome with emotion. He would gladly trade his life to see Rola again, even if only for a single day.
"Venti, can you really do this?!" Paimon's eyes widened with anticipation.
"I can't do it alone," Venti replied, "but with the Old Man's help, it should be possible."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go! We need to find Zhongli now!" Lumine urged.
Diluc, equally impatient, pressed the Anemo Archon to leave immediately.
Venti, also eager to get started, addressed the group:
"Traveler, since you and Paimon can use the Teleport Waypoints, you two go find the Old Man first. He's currently in Liyue Harbor listening to stories—you know the place. I'll bring Diluc along shortly."
Paimon and Lumine nodded and hurried off. Before leaving, Paimon turned back to urge them:
"Hurry up, you two!"
As soon as they were gone, Diluc suddenly fixed Venti with a piercing gaze, making the Archon feel guilty.
"Uh... is there something wrong?" Venti stammered.
"Did you know all along that the Abyss had taken Rola's soul?" Diluc demanded.
"Uh... well..."
Diluc took a deep breath and said:
"I understand your concerns, and I truly appreciate your care for me. However, some things are more important than life itself. This matter, for instance, is worth risking my life for. As her brother, I have a right to know, no matter what."
Diluc turned to Venti, who was deep in thought:
"Let's go, Lord Barbatos. It's time to set out."
-
Rola, who had been residing within the Jade Ring, exclaimed:
"???!!!"
Venti, you've got moves I never knew about!
Jiang Mumu, who had assumed her portion would be swiftly sent to the afterlife, had already prepared to let Rola return to her original form after their departure. She never anticipated that Barbatos would pull off such a move.
The realization immediately electrified her. She had resigned herself to bidding Rola a final farewell, but now—
Hehe...
On her last day, would it be okay to see her dear friends?
Would it be okay to pour out the agony of being consumed by the Abyss?
Would it be okay to long for one last sunrise, even if she couldn't see it?
Would they really care if she took Klee to go fish blasting?