At that moment, on a distant cliff far from the battlefield, two cloaked figures with Snezhnayan accents stood observing the battle. Even they were surprised by the outcome.
"Heh heh, to think he could defeat Ursa the Drake with just a low-grade Delusion—should we call Crepus a genius or a failure? Truly astonishing."
As he spoke, he recorded every detail of the experiment—the process, the results, everything that had happened on the battlefield—into a small notebook.
His companion snorted. "Did you plan all of this from the moment you gave him the Delusion? Testing it this way—you really are something."
They had only intended to cause destruction and lure out the hidden Anemo Archon. Never did they expect the powerful Ursa the Drake to be stopped by their test subject. Whether to be pleased or disappointed, they couldn't say.
The cloaked stranger smiled. "Of course I planned everything. Though I didn't expect Crepus to actually hold off the dragon with just that Delusion. Even if we didn't lure out the Anemo Archon, this Delusion test is equally valuable to us. Let's go. There's no need to watch further. Crepus has overused the Delusion—his life force is drained, and with the Delusion's erosion, he's become a mindless killing machine. He'll kill everyone around him. His own sons. How exciting."
With that, both figures vanished from the cliff.
…
At the battlefield, they had won. Against the terrifying Ursa the Drake, against all odds, Crepus had emerged victorious. He had wounded the dragon and driven it away.
But as everyone celebrated, Crepus, who had overused the Delusion, had lost nearly all his life force. He was completely eroded by the Delusion. His remaining consciousness was fading fast.
Driven by instinct, Crepus dragged his broken body forward, baring his teeth, eyes bloodshot, like a monster. He advanced toward the survivors, growling like a beast, ready to strike at any moment.
Kaeya: "Father, are you alright?"
Diluc: "Father—"
Though they didn't understand how their father had gained such power or why he had become this inhuman thing, both Kaeya and Diluc could see he was being consumed by an evil force. His red eyes had lost all awareness. He was like a monster, ready to attack anyone.
They wanted to save him. They wanted to wake him. But no matter how they called, their father raised his sword against the survivors, ready to begin a new slaughter under the Delusion's control.
Seeing this, the surviving servants were terrified. They didn't understand why their master was turning on them.
"Lord Crepus, what's wrong?"
"Master Kaeya, Master Diluc, please stop Lord Crepus!"
"No—"
"Run! Lord Crepus has gone mad!"
Yes, under the Delusion's erosion, Crepus had completely lost his mind, fully controlled by its power. The servants tried to run, but they were already wounded from the dragon's attack. They fell as soon as they rose.
As the servants trembled in fear, as Diluc struggled to reach his father, Crepus—controlled by the evil power—hunched forward, raised his sword radiating dark energy, and charged at Diluc, growling like a beast.
Diluc cried out, "Father, no! Father, wake up! It's me, Diluc! Your son!"
Watching his father in agony, barely human anymore, consumed by evil, Diluc wept as he called out. Why? Why was his father turning on his own family?
Perhaps hearing Diluc's voice, Crepus slowed as he charged. The last shred of his consciousness had been stirred by his son's voice.
With his final trace of awareness, Crepus muttered, "Son... kill me... I can't control it... kill me."
The only way to save everyone was to kill Crepus. But Crepus was Diluc's father.
Diluc, hearing his monstrous father's plea, was terrified. "No... no... you're our father."
As Crepus's son, even if his father had become a monster, Diluc could not bring himself to kill him.
Crepus staggered like a monster, sword raised, muttering, "Kill me... protect the convoy... kill me."
His final plea echoed in Diluc's ears, tormenting him. On one side, his father, drained of life, controlled by evil, turned into a monster. On the other, the servants, himself, and his brother Kaeya.
Diluc couldn't choose. He cried out in anguish, "Father, no! Wake up!"
But no matter how he called, it was useless. Crepus's life had already been consumed by the Delusion.
Then, with a monstrous roar, Crepus, now close, raised his sword to strike everyone down.
The servants behind him screamed, "Master Diluc, stop him! Save us!"
Kaeya also shouted, "Diluc, stop Father!"
Diluc's heart was torn. What should he do?
As he hesitated, the Delusion-controlled Crepus swung his blade. When Diluc finally reacted, the terrifying strike was already before him.
Diluc panicked, gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and instinctively raised his sword to block his father's attack.