Balladeer's arrogant and chuunibyo laughter echoed through every corner of the Divine Innovation Workshop. He looked at Lumine, who lay on the ground, with disdain.
"I can make countless mistakes, but you, you can only make one. That is the fundamental difference between me and you ants!
The confrontation between us can't even be called a battle; it was merely my unilateral Ravage. However, you did help me stretch my muscles, and for that, I am satisfied.
Traveler, although you have thwarted my plans many times, you have peered into my divine consciousness and understood my past. As such, you are qualified to become my second follower.
If you become my follower, I might even consider forgiving your previous insolence. Now that I have just ascended to divinity, I need the worship of followers. This means I am truly stepping towards divine authority, and your reverence will forge my glory. How about it? Am I not very benevolent?"
Lumine struggled to get up, her hostile and disdainful gaze unchanged. This greatly displeased Balladeer, but it was also at this moment that Balladeer noticed something was off.
His previous attack had been with full force, creating such a large crater in the ground. Yet, despite such severe injury, there wasn't a single scratch on Lumine, not even a drop of blood. What was going on?
Click!
Just then, Balladeer heard a faint sound of shattering, and then, as if a chain reaction had occurred, the entire space shattered.
Balladeer's vision blurred for a moment, and when he opened his eyes again, he found himself back at the exact moment they had first met, and even the corridor bridge he had initially smashed was now perfectly intact.
Balladeer: "The power of a dream? When did it start?"
Balladeer immediately recalled the scene where Nahida first made her move. Could it be that he hadn't managed to avoid it after all?
Amidst his shock, Balladeer's expression instantly turned extremely ugly. His eyes glared fiercely at Buer. He had just been played like a clown in front of a bunch of ants; it was a complete humiliation!
Balladeer: "Buer..."
Nahida finally spoke: "Indeed, just as Miyashiro said, a god with brute force but lacking in temperament. My existence is their greatest nemesis."
Hearing Buer mention that man, Balladeer couldn't help but recall their previous encounter at sea, and he snorted coldly: "You couldn't even defeat me in a dream, let alone in reality? What's the point of such petty tricks?"
Nahida: "Do you know? Although the dream only lasted a dozen minutes, the Traveler has fought you 152 times in the dream, which is exactly the number of Sabzeruz Festival cycles the people of Sumeru were forced to endure to create you."
Nahida gently raised her right hand, and a jar of knowledge appeared in her grasp. Nahida handed it to Lumine and said: "Here, just like before, let me help you awaken your memories from the dream."
The moment Lumine touched the jar of knowledge, the experience of 152 battles with Balladeer surged into her like a tide. In that instant, Lumine felt as if Balladeer was stripped bare before her.
Balladeer's attack wind-up, casting preparation, move types, attack habits, and even verbal taunts were all clearly understood. She knew exactly what countermeasures to take against Balladeer's various moves.
At the same time, the Paimon-shaped Akasha Terminal that Nahida had previously created was now fully charged with an unimaginable amount of mental energy.
Nahida: "And that's not all. In the name of a god, integrating the wisdom of the people – this was Akasha's original function. I have already transmitted everything that just happened as knowledge to all the people of Sumeru, and I've asked them to help you find a way to defeat that false god. Now, the wisdom of Sumeru is at your disposal."
Everything that had just happened gave Balladeer an ominous premonition, but he quickly composed himself and sneered: "Playing mind games, tch! You've run out of tricks, haven't you? This time, can I consider this a true confrontation between gods?"
Nahida placed her hand on Lumine's shoulder and said: "Yes, I'm counting on you, my Buer's... first sage!"
...Inside the Divine Innovation Workshop, muffled explosions and violent tremors occasionally resounded. Although the mech controlled by Balladeer still held the advantage, compared to before, even though Lumine's strength hadn't significantly changed, her attacks and movements were infinitely more agile. She faced Balladeer's offense with ease.
Most importantly, behind Lumine now was a Paimon-shaped Akasha Terminal, filled with the mental power voluntarily contributed by all the people of Sumeru. It occasionally launched mental shocks at Balladeer, testing his mental defenses again and again.
Lumine was now like a slippery loach; no matter what moves he used, or what attack rhythm, she could effortlessly counter, and even intersperse several effective attacks against Balladeer.
This frustrating feeling made Balladeer furious. He was a god, yet he was being played by a human like this; it was utterly ridiculous.
At this moment, Balladeer also realized for the first time that the flaw of his weak mental power could lead to such severe consequences. He couldn't continue like this.
He possessed sturdy armor, indomitable strength, and an inexhaustible energy core, but his inner self was not strong enough. No wonder Dottore said he still needed divine wisdom; it was to compensate for this flaw, wasn't it? Damned sages, always ruining my grand plans!
Since Buer had figured out his attack style, what he needed to do now was to create an unexpected change in rhythm, breaking his previous offensive pattern.
In simpler terms: I'm going to abandon all martial ethics!
Balladeer suppressed his anger and forced Lumine into the farthest corner from Nahida. Then, instead of pursuing Lumine, he turned and instantly teleported directly in front of Nahida.
In Lumine's horrified gaze, Balladeer controlled the mech, slamming a palm directly at Nahida, then lifted her up to his eye level.
Lumine: "Nahida!"
Paimon: "Nahida!"
Balladeer sneered: "I said before, I can make countless mistakes, but you, you can only make one. Buer, I'll gladly take your Gnosis!"
Then, Balladeer decisively performed a 'Black Tiger Steals Heart,' plunging his hand into Nahida's chest. Balladeer felt a strange object inside her chest, believing it to be her dendro gnosis. Overjoyed, Balladeer grabbed the object and forcibly pulled it out.
But the smile on Balladeer's face instantly froze, because what he had pulled out was a person's arm. Most crucially, from behind this arm, a laugh echoed.
"You pulled me out yourself, Kunikuzushi!"
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