Ryen had always understood what truly made this block realm incomparable. It was never the Sword of the Cosmos, nor the Totems of Undying, nor the Master-tier casting staves. It was not even the raw physical baseline granted by his Steve constitution.
The true foundation lay within the underlying programmatic logic of the world itself.
When the framework described Steve's constitution with a simple, offhand note stating that his strength had no upper ceiling, the rule immediately took root, enabling Ryen to lift the entirety of the Teyvat continent for daily squats without breaking a sweat.
The base logic of this realm was utterly unreasonable.
Across the infinite expanse of the cosmos, nearly every plane adhered to a quiet, unspoken equilibrium of natural laws. Yet this sandbox dimension was an absolute anomaly. It mimicked the outward appearance of universal laws while enforcing its own immutable internal code.
If another universe claimed mortal power possessed an absolute ceiling, this realm simply rejected the premise, spawning the boundless physiology of the blocky entity. If an ancient law declared that mortality was unavoidable, the realm dismissed the notion entirely, ensuring no blocky character would ever succumb to natural aging.
From the perspective of conventional realities, this world acted like an absolute, tyrannical outlaw, brushing aside external principles to declare its own parameters as supreme.
What made the situation even more extraordinary was the integration of Ryen's system. Through its anomalous tether, the eccentric laws of this sandbox reality extended beyond its borders, actively rewriting the physical frameworks of outside domains. Without that connection, whether his unique physical template could function within Teyvat, or across the vast reaches of the Sea of Quanta, would have remained an open question.
The convergence of these two factors produced a singular anomaly: one force recognized only its own immutable logic, while the other projected those rules across the multiverse. With both pillars supporting him, Ryen was functionally uncontested.
Had the cosmos possessed a sentient mind, even the core of the Imaginary Tree would have cursed in frustration at such brazen disregard for natural law.
Then came the modules, which possessed the authority to rewrite even the foundational logic of the block realm at will.
When ancient laws decreed that a shattered soul could never return to life, the system could introduce a Resurrection Totem mod. The framework would immediately alter its code, pulling dispersed souls back into physical form without regard for universal doctrines.
In simple terms, the sandbox framework and the system operated in tandem, establishing their own mandates across reality.
Ryen had grasped this fundamental truth only recently, after coming into contact with the primordial energy of the Imaginary Tree. The Sword of the Cosmos possessed sufficient conceptual authority to sever the Imaginary Tree itself, a fact that bordered on the absurd.
Once he understood the reality of his position, he chose to embrace it fully. Having two unyielding, rule-breaking forces serving as his absolute foundation was an undeniable luxury.
The charting of the New Continent proceeded without incident. Given its immense expanse, fully mapping the territory would take at least a month or two. The certainty of locating Library ruins and ancient Obelisks within its borders made the expenditure of time worthwhile.
Beidou remained in high spirits, already planning future maritime expeditions once the current landmass was mapped. The baseline framework of the world was infinite, stretching on without a boundary. Its true volume was impossible to measure, perhaps possessing enough scale to swallow the entirety of the Sea of Quanta.
At the border separating Sumeru and Fontaine, the atmosphere was far less serene.
While Ryen and his vanguard enjoyed the scenic wilderness of the New Continent, Arlecchino was enduring a grueling, relentless march.
Following the brief intervention of the Iniquitous Baptist days prior, the offensive pressure organized by Pierro had temporarily subsided. Yet that lull lasted only two days. By the third, the assaults resumed with unprecedented ferocity, as if the Jester were launching a desperate, final gamble.
Pierro had systematically detonated multiple modified soldier laboratories across the region, deploying more than ten thousand augmented combatants to surround and eliminate her detachment.
Unable to establish direct communication with the Tsaritsa, Arlecchino relied entirely on updates relayed by Pulcinella. Intelligence indicated that the bases belonging to Pierro, Pantalone, and Dottore in Snezhnaya were simultaneously under heavy assault by Abyssal forces and gathered monsters.
Pierro had vanished into uncharted territory, Pantalone was critically wounded and in hiding, and four of Dottore's operational segments had been completely eradicated, leaving the Doctor's whereabouts unknown. The Abyss Order was actively scouring the northern perimeters to finish the purge.
With those rogue factions neutralized within Snezhnaya, domestic unrest had settled considerably, allowing Pulcinella to consolidate national assets and reorganize the remaining military units under the Tsaritsa's banner.
While the Abyss Order might appear vulnerable when measured against the overwhelming martial might of Liyue and Mondstadt, that comparison was fundamentally skewed. Liyue held ancient adepti alongside multiple combatants wielding power that rivaled high-tier deities, backed by a mortal vanguard far deadlier than immortal beasts.
The Dragon Cavalry alone possessed sufficient firepower to sweep across the Abyss Order, leaving only rare entities like the Iniquitous Baptist capable of offering meaningful resistance. Even then, a single pass from the modernized Jade Chamber could level the field with kinetic artillery, rendering terrain to ash. If conventional measures failed, tactical ordnance would settle the engagement permanently.
The Abyss Order, which operated within conventional parameters, could never be measured against an allied coalition augmented by the laws of the block world. When Abyssal soldiers fell, their casualties were permanent; the allied nations possessed Totems of Undying, Resurrection Totems, and Master-tier staves.
Even so, the Abyss Order remained a formidable military apparatus, fielding tens of thousands of seasoned fighters dedicated to opposing Celestia. Provoking their wrath was not something Pierro could brush off lightly.
As an ancient court mage of Khaenri'ah, Pierro understood the true depth of the Order's strength. The moment the Order escalated its offensive, he had gone into immediate concealment. Pantalone and Dottore had simply been caught in the collateral fallout of his choices.
Denied an open field in Snezhnaya, Pierro vented his frustration entirely against Arlecchino's detachment as they moved across the frontier. He funneled massive waves of augmented infantry to encircle her column, turning the journey into a prolonged trial of endurance.
Over the past several days, her troops had suffered heavy strain, losing over a hundred soldiers along the route. Without periodic reinforcement from Abyssal escorts, the column would have been overrun long before reaching the frontier.
After days of relentless skirmishing, Arlecchino finally sighted the border of Sumeru.
Looking out toward the distant, rolling dunes, a trace of relief washed over her exhausted features. "Once we cross the perimeter, the worst will be behind us..."
She turned to survey the battered, weary faces of her remaining soldiers and raised her voice with steady authority. "Maintain your focus! Push through this final stretch into Sumeru territory, and the ambushes will cease!"
The command injected a surge of resolve into the ranks. Tightening their grip on their weapons, the soldiers picked up their pace toward the border markers.
Arlecchino did not notice that a short distance behind them, concealed within an intricate hydro ward, a petite blue-haired girl and a tall, dignified gentleman were silently observing their movements.
"Should we inform them of the Fatui ambush waiting ahead?" Neuvillette asked in a low, measured voice.
Furina shook her head, a trace of theatrical amusement playing across her face. "What concern is it of ours? Allowing a massive military force to traverse Fontaine's territory while overlooking the skirmishes they sparked is already stretching the boundaries of strict impartiality."
Neuvillette offered a quiet, resigned sigh. That rationalization might satisfy young Sigewinne, but it was clear the Hydro Archon simply wished to observe the spectacle unfold.
Given the light judicial schedule at the Opera Epiclese, they had traveled to the frontier to survey the scale of hidden Fatui encampments within the borders and evaluate the operational strength of the Five-Nation Alliance firsthand.
Her eyes fixed on the desert horizon, Arlecchino missed the subtle tremors in the surrounding terrain. By the time she registered the danger, dense, synchronized footsteps echoed from every quadrant.
Her expression hardened instantly. "Ambush! Double time toward the Sumeru line!"
The soldiers braced their formations, quickening their advance while raising their shields.
A few moments later, Arlecchino came to an abrupt halt.
A bead of cold sweat traced down her temple as she stared down the massed ranks blocking the canyon ahead. An estimated three thousand augmented soldiers held the frontal vector, while dense flanking detachments sealed the rear and sides.
Over ten thousand modified soldiers formed a suffocating ring around her unit, an operational concentration far larger than anything encountered over previous days.
Their coordinates were fully compromised.
Arlecchino gritted her teeth, reaching into her coat to retrieve a fresh Ley Line sprout. Against a siege of this magnitude, calling for external support was her only recourse. Yet the Abyss Order was stretched thin across multiple theaters, occupied with resettlement, securing hilichurl populations, and hunting down the remaining traitors in the north. How many combatants could they spare on short notice?
The augmented soldiers uttered no battle cries, their hollow eyes devoid of reason. Spotting Arlecchino's formation, the vanguard surged forward in absolute unison.
Vast currents of volatile elemental energy rippled across the earth like a rising tide, causing Furina's brow to furrow as she observed the field from the heights.
"The Fatui have established this many covert installations within Fontaine?"
Hearing the icy edge in her voice, Neuvillette sighed quietly. "I cannot give a precise ledger. Our primary investigative divisions have been concentrated on monitoring the remnants of the previous Hydro Archon's faction. While we were aware of Fatui encampments, our available forces lacked the capacity to eradicate them systematically."
Furina let out a cold, displeased scoff. "Send word to Clorinde. The moment Arlecchino's line buckles, mobilize our units and eliminate these Fatui remnants entirely."
"Clorinde is currently overseeing investigative sweeps..." Neuvillette noted, pausing as he caught Furina's darkening gaze. He inclined his head with a slow nod. "Understood. However, to encircle a force of this scale, we would need to redeploy the Special Security and Surveillance Patrol alongside our standing army."
He paused, adding with legal precision, "If those assets are pulled from the capital, the stability around the former Hydro Archon's remnants and the Fleuve Cendre will be compromised."
Furina's expression shifted, a flicker of irritation crossing her eyes. Were it not for the domestic dissidents constantly undermining national administration from the shadows, dealing with foreign infiltrators would never have posed such a dilemma.
Fontaine's internal landscape was severely fractured, balanced between Abyssal contaminations, covert plots beneath the city, maritime anomalies, and competing agendas within the Research Institute and the Narzissenkreuz circles.
After a heavy silence, Furina drew a steady breath. "Deploy whatever forces we can spare without collapsing domestic security. I will take the field myself if necessary."
Neuvillette bowed slightly, his voice calm and resolute. "Understood."