On Yujing Terrace, Keqing's unwilling cries of
"Fresh beef offal! Three hundred Mora!"
still echoed awkwardly in the air.
But no one in Liyue was laughing anymore.
A was wrong.
B was wrong.
C was wrong.
Only D remained.
And now—
It had been confirmed.
When the System declared D correct—
The golden light in the sky shattered.
The clouds split open.
A colossal shadow descended.
And then—
Impact.
The Exuvia of Rex Lapis crashed upon Yujing Terrace.
The earth trembled.
The dragon's body lay still.
Lifeless.
For the first time in thousands of years—
Liyue stood beneath a silent sky.
Panic erupted.
The Millelith formed ranks.
Civilians screamed.
The Adepti's fury rippled through the mountains.
Ningguang stepped forward, hands trembling only slightly.
"…The Lord of Geo… has been assassinated."
The words rang like a funeral bell.
Across Teyvat, shock turned to dread.
Mondstadt fell quiet.
Inazuma's sakura petals seemed to freeze midair.
Sumeru's scholars forgot to breathe.
Even Venti did not smile.
Then—
The System resumed.
[System]: Answer D confirmed by reality.
[System]: Executing punishment for @Raiden Ei.
[System]: Divine Trial – Culinary Challenge.
In the Plane of Euthymia, a kitchen manifested.
Raiden Ei looked at the utensils.
"…Cooking."
Her voice was calm.
"A disciplined art. If approached with unwavering focus… it should yield stable results."
Across the chat—
A certain fox felt her spine chill.
[Chatroom – Yae Miko]: …Oh no.
The livestream split in two.
Left side: chaos in Liyue.
Right side: The Shogun's Kitchen.
Ei selected ingredients with the solemnity of forging Musou no Hitotachi.
There was no slicing—
Only decisive downward strikes.
No seasoning—
Only electro infusion.
No simmering—
Only overwhelming elemental discharge.
Soon—
A dish emerged.
Purple.
Sparking faintly.
Unsettlingly alive.
[System]: Dish created — "Eternity's Abyssal Stew."
[System]: Selecting tasters.
The names appeared.
Yae MikoKujou SaraGrand Sage AzarIl Dottore
Across Teyvat—
Collective horror.
Yae attempted to smile.
"Now, Ei… perhaps divine cuisine transcends mortal digestion—"
She vanished—
Only to reappear immediately, pinned in place.
Ei, expression neutral, held a spoon.
"Open."
"…Ei, dear—"
Spoon inserted.
Silence.
Then—
Yae's eyes widened.
Her tail fluffed to maximum volume.
"…I can see the primordial void…"
She collapsed gracefully.
Dottore scoffed.
"Please. A god's cooking is merely—"
He took a bite.
His mask cracked slightly.
"…Fascinating. The flavor profile induces neurological—"
He tipped sideways.
Unconscious.
Azar adjusted his glasses nervously.
"Ahem. As a scholar, I must—"
One cautious taste.
"…Knowledge… is dissolving… I glimpse forbidden equations—"
Down.
Now only Kujou Sara remained.
She looked at the fallen three.
Then at her Archon.
"…If this is your will… I shall endure."
She lifted the bowl.
Drank it.
All of it.
A purple aura pulsed.
Her face cycled through five distinct shades.
She trembled—
But remained standing.
Raiden Ei regarded her calmly.
"…And?"
Tears streamed down Sara's face.
"…It is… sublime… my Shogun…"
A faint electro spark escaped her mouth.
She smiled bravely.
Then fell backward.
Silence.
Back in Liyue—
The Exuvia lay unmoving.
The Qixing prepared to seal the scene.
The Millelith formed a perimeter.
And somewhere—
In Wangsheng Funeral Parlor—
Zhongli quietly set down his teacup.
Unbroken.
Undisturbed.
His gaze was unreadable.
Across the world—
Paimon clung to Lumine's leg.
"…Traveler…"
"…Paimon suddenly thinks…"
"…Maybe not tasting food…"
"…isn't the worst fate…"
She sniffled.
"…Let's never make Ei cook for us."
Above them—
The sky over Liyue remained heavy.
A god had fallen.
But whether by blade—
Or by design—
Was a question yet unanswered.