Lumine stood there, stunned.
Qiu Bai was blocking her path, but something about him felt different.
Why was he so weak just moments ago, yet suddenly this powerful?
Childe and Qiu Bai now seemed evenly matched.
On Childe side, electro and hydro elements surged wildly.
Meanwhile, on Qiu Bai side, a swirling ink-black aura erupted with equal intensity.
For a moment, it was impossible to tell who had the upper hand!
Just then—
"Qiu Bai, I'll help you!"
Lumine brandished her Nameless Sword, summoning a Geo Construct and hurling it at Childe!
At the same time, her sword became imbued with Anemo, as she lunged toward Childe with a piercing strike!
Engaged in close combat with Qiu Bai, Childe saw the Geo Construct hurtling toward him.
He swiftly leaped back.
BOOM!
The construct slammed into the ground, creating a deep crater.
Childe gaze then snapped to Lumine, who was rushing forward.
He unleashed a Hydro-Electro slash!
Lumine swiftly sidestepped the attack, avoiding it entirely.
With her Nameless Sword still infused with Anemo, she dashed at Childe once more!
Seeing Lumine charge, Childe gripped his polearm tightly and rushed forward to meet her head-on!
CLANG!
A metallic crash echoed as sparks flew in all directions.
Lumine and Childe exchanged several blows.
"Oh, come on! Lumine, stop stealing my fight!"
From behind, Qiu Bai couldn't help but twitch his lips.
Without wasting another second, he rushed forward, sword in hand, and delivered a mighty slash toward Childe!
Childe blocked the combined strike from both Lumine and Qiu Bai with his polearm.
As their weapons clashed, sparks erupted once again.
Suddenly—
Childe jumped backward.
Water element rapidly gathered around his weapon as he locked eyes with them.
"Foul Legacy: Devouring Whale!"
A deep, echoing voice from the abyss resounded.
From Childe weapon, a massive water-formed whale materialized and lunged toward Qiu Bai and Lumine!
Qiu Bai watched the monstrous whale surge forward and simply smiled.
He still remembered how this move wiped him out countless times when he played the game back in the day.
But now?
Things were different.
Dark and light energies swirled within Qiu Bai's palm.
The Yin-Yang forces began to spin rapidly.
Then, he thrust his palm forward toward the incoming whale.
In the air, the Yin-Yang energies rotated faster and faster until—
Two energies formed into a Taiji symbol!
Yin gave birth to Yang, Yang gave birth to the Four Symbols,
The Four Symbols gave birth to the Eight Trigrams—
In an instant!
Qiu Bai attack manifested as an Eight Trigrams formation, blocking Childe massive whale!
The ink-black aura of the Eight Trigrams collided violently with Childe Hydro whale!
A shockwave erupted from the impact—
Lumine, standing nearby, was blown backward, stumbling several steps.
Paimon, farther away, was nearly sent flying.
"I never expected Qiu Bai to be this powerful in battle!"
"In that case, I won't hold back anymore!"
Childe eyes burned with battle fervor as he faced off against Qiu Bai, neither side gaining the upper hand.
Then, without hesitation, he unleashed the power of his Delusion.
A surge of Electro energy erupted, flooding into his Hydro whale.
In an instant, the pale blue whale turned a deep violet, crackling violently with Electro energy!
Qiu Bai gritted his teeth, raising his arms in resistance. The sheer force of the attack pressed him down, his feet sinking into the stone floor beneath him!
"This Childe he's much stronger than before."
"Is it because of his sister's Authority over Life Extension?"
Doubt crept into Qiu Bai mind.
Back in the game, Childe had never used this move an Electro-infused whale attack.
"Qiu Bai, I'll help you!"
Behind him, Lumine rushed forward, both hands gathering Anemo energy to reinforce his defense!
She turned to Qiu Bai, who was visibly struggling, and called out:
"Qiu Bai, hang in there!"
At her words, Qiu Bai twitched.
"Lumine… do you have any idea how hard it is to control strength without killing someone?"
"Now that you're here, I have to hold back even more."
Though frustrated, Qiu Bai still felt a warmth in his heart at her concern.
"Qiu Bai!"
"Give up. You two can't beat me!"
Childe taunted as he poured more power into his attack.
"Ne… never!"
"I will never give up!"
Qiu Bai face was set in determination, pushing himself to the limit as the three-way deadlock continued.
For five grueling minutes, neither side yielded.
At some point, Lumine stamina ran out. She collapsed onto one knee, gasping for breath.
Yet Qiu Bai still stood firm, his face locked in the same tense, overexerted expression since the fight began.
Childe stared at him, utterly bewildered.
"Why… why is his stamina so ridiculous?!"
"Damn it, I'm running out of energy!"
Panic crept into Childe mind. He couldn't understand how Qiu Bai had lasted this long. [T/N: Heh, that's what she said ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]
And just then—
A voice echoed in Qiu Bai head.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host! You have completed the system mission!]
Upon hearing the notification, Qiu Bai, whose face had been twisted in strain, suddenly smiled in relief.
It was as if Childe attack no longer mattered at all.
Childe, noticing Qiu Bai sudden shift, grinned.
"Now's my chance!"
"He's weakening!"
Sensing a break in Qiu Bai defenses, Childe steeled himself and launched his final strike.
The raging Electro-infused Hydro whale surged forward, slamming violently into Qiu Bai Eight Trigrams formation!
Qiu Bai face paled as he stared at the massive whale charging toward him.
His gaze flicked to Lumine, who was still frozen in shock, staring at the enormous beast.
In that instant—
Without hesitation, he shoved Lumine away, sending her soaring several meters into the air.
"Qi-Qiu Bai!!!"
Lumine screamed midair, reaching out in a desperate attempt to pull him back.
But in her wide, trembling pupils—
She saw Qiu Bai take the full brunt of Childe devastating, long-charged attack.
The sheer force hurled him backward, his body slamming against the Golden House's second-floor wall.
The impact shattered the stone behind him, sending debris flying until he crashed violently against a solid rock formation.
His clothes were tattered, his body trembling as he clutched his chest, yet—
Qiu Bai forced himself to stand.
Step by step, he staggered toward Childe and Lumine.
The moment his eyes met Lumine, Childe, and Paimon—
"Pfft—"
A mouthful of blood burst from his lips.
Under Lumine and Paimon horrified gazes, Qiu Bai forced a weak smile toward them.
And then—
CRASH!
His body collapsed onto the ground with a heavy thud.
Paimon eyes widened in terror, her hands flying to cover her mouth.
Then with frantic speed, she darted toward Qiu Bai, shaking his motionless body with her tiny hands.
But—
He didn't move.
"Qiu Bai! Qiu Bai, don't die!!!"
"Waaaah! Paimon swears she'll never talk bad about you behind your back again!"
She pressed a small hand to his nose—
And then—
"A-AH!!"
Feeling no breath, Paimon froze, stunned midair in horror.
Lumine, too, stood motionless, staring at Qiu Bai lifeless body.
A sudden, indescribable rage erupted within her boiling over like a violent storm.
Her gaze snapped toward Childe—
Her bladeless sword now cloaked in Anemo energy, her right hand brimming with Geo power.
With burning fury, she launched herself at him!
Meanwhile, Childe was already running on fumes.
Seeing Lumine rushing in, he hesitated for a moment—
But still, gritted his teeth, summoning Foul Legacy: Devil's Armament, and clashed with her in battle once more!
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