Tartaglia loved to fight, but he did not enjoy one-sided battles.
What he savored was the joy of dueling a strong opponent and the pleasure of growing stronger through combat.
Therefore, those he challenged were either on par with his own skill or stronger than him.
The first time he met Bai Luo, he had sensed that Bai Luo was extraordinary. His combat instincts told him that this seemingly harmless fellow was likely much stronger than he imagined.
At that time, he had only wanted to spar with Bai Luo, but it was far from a point where they absolutely had to fight.
But after Bai Luo returned from Inazuma, Tartaglia's instincts once again sensed something different about him.
Although he didn't seem to have changed much, and even looked half-dead from a recent fight, he... felt a dangerous aura from Bai Luo.
That's right, a dangerous aura.
This meant that Bai Luo now possessed the strength to kill him. This discovery excited him to the extreme, as it had been a long time since he had fought such a dangerous opponent.
And now...
Tartaglia raised his head and looked at Wuwang Hill before him.
Bai Luo was up there, waiting for him.
At this thought, his pace quickened.
"No wonder he never specified the exact location on Wuwang Hill. So he had a plan all along."
Upon entering Wuwang Hill, Tartaglia was pleasantly surprised to find that this time, Bai Luo had not concealed his aura as he usually did. Instead, he allowed that dangerous feeling to freely affect everything around him.
Within Wuwang Hill, he was like a beacon in the night, exceptionally obvious... and alluring.
This dangerous feeling even made Tartaglia tremble with excitement. To be able to fight an opponent of this caliber, it would be worth it even if he died.
However...
Tartaglia enjoyed battle, but that did not mean he was foolish.
As the youngest-ever Harbinger of the Fatui, Tartaglia was fully entitled to act as he pleased, unrestrained.
Although this maverick attitude did not make him very popular among the Fatui and clashed with the styles of the other Harbingers, beneath his willful demeanor lay a commitment to his responsibilities and a flawless sense of caution.
Therefore... as he lowered his mask, thunder and water instantly enveloped his entire body. When he broke free from the elemental shackles, the one who appeared on Wuwang Hill was no longer the previous Tartaglia.
But the Foul Legacy - The Devouring Deep form.
Carrying the might of thunder, Tartaglia broke the sound barrier, rushing towards the sole point of light in the darkness.
"Hm? You've come?"
Just as the Morax did not hide his aura, Tartaglia responded in kind.
That powerful and malevolent feeling allowed the Geo Archon to detect his presence immediately.
"No wonder he agreed so readily that day. So he was hiding this kind of power. With this power... he indeed has the qualification to point his sword at a god."
Zhongli did not doubt whether the person who arrived was Bai Luo. Besides him, no one else knew of the contract between them.
Moreover... the contract they had established was completed the moment the other party arrived.
Unless that fellow Bai Luo had found another loophole in the contract...
But a contract is a contract. How could there be so many loopholes for people to exploit? He was probably overthinking it.
After all, the other party's overflowing battle intent was completely undisguised. How could it possibly be faked?
"Shatter!"
A spear crackling with lightning spun through the air towards Morax. The earth, streams, and trees were all shattered by this single move. Even some of the more famous Vision bearers would likely not dare to receive this blow lightly.
Zhongli calmly turned and leaped gracefully.
"Boom—"
The rapidly spinning spear, upon being stepped on by the Morax, was suppressed as if by a colossal boulder.
It plunged completely into the ground, leaving only a small section exposed.
With his hands behind his back, Morax stood on one foot on the end of the spear and looked at the newcomer.
[This guy changed his look again?]
This was the thought that occurred to both of them simultaneously upon meeting.
As the two who had interacted with Bai Luo the most, they were well aware of his ability to change his appearance at will.
Moreover, this change was not merely a change in appearance; he could alter his aura, his moves, and even his own fate.
The Geo Archon had personally witnessed Bai Luo change his appearance, transforming from a harmless black-clad assassin into a dashing Inazuman ronin.
And after he transformed, there would be a very obvious mark on his body: the insignia of the Fatui.
Taking a closer look, oh ho.
It was indeed there.
It seems it really is Bai Luo.
Compared to him, Tartaglia didn't think as much. The Foul Legacy Transformation enhanced his strength but also eroded his reason.
He only remembered that Bai Luo had once taken on the appearance of a red-robed swordsman and had eaten and drunk his way across Liyue, to the point that even the Pyro Debt Collector who had spent the most time with him hadn't discovered his true identity.
The Morax's divine attire seemed very familiar to him, but he couldn't recall where he had seen it.
For it to feel familiar, even with a changed appearance, it had to be him, right?
"I have been waiting for you for a long time."
His diamond-shaped pupils glanced lightly at Tartaglia. Morax tapped the spear, and it floated up in response, flying back along its original trajectory at an even faster speed.
"Boom—"
The stable Geo element clashed with the ferocious Electro element, bursting into dazzling elemental crystals. The immense force sent Tartaglia sliding back dozens of meters before he managed to stop.
Just a casual blow carried such incredible power. This "Bai Luo" was truly formidable. It seemed the Tsaritsa's decision to make an exception and appoint him as the Twelfth Harbinger was not without reason.
"As expected of you. It seems that using my full power from the start was the right choice."
Feeling the oppressive presence from "Bai Luo," Tartaglia felt no fear. Instead, his fighting spirit grew even more intense, his grip on his spear tightening.
The stronger the enemy, the more excited he became.
This was the very meaning of battle.
Only by constantly breaking through one's limits can one become stronger. This was how he had become the Eleventh Harbinger.
"Devouring Whale!"
Water began to swirl around the spear in his hand. As the water churned, it transformed into a whale that blotted out the sky. The azure and pure whale formed a stark contrast with Tartaglia's ferocious Devouring Deep armor.
Accompanied by an ethereal whale song, the whale smashed directly towards "Bai Luo."
He had fulfilled his promise: throw a whale at the start of the fight.
"Planet Befall!"
Perhaps it was to respond to "Bai Luo," or perhaps it was simply to get revenge for the two previous slashes, or perhaps... there were too many reasons, listing them all would feel like padding the word count, why don't you all summarize it yourselves.
In short, after witnessing "Bai Luo's" power, the Morax also chose to open with his ultimate move.
"Do you feel my intense battle spirit?"
"Come and fight me!"
"Bai Luo!"
"Bai Luo!"
Morax: "???"
Tartaglia: "???"
________________________________________
[A/N: Hahahahah....Poor Morax and Tartaglia. I swear the next time they meet Bai Luo, they are going to roast him alive. Zhongli will provide his Rock Spears as grill and Tartaglia will use Lightning as heat]
_______________________________________
Hey guys, A little support will be appreciated. As you know, we don't earn on fanfiction.
Check my P@treon for advance chapters:-
Their are 10+ advance chapters available on P@treon.
[email protected]/AnimeDarcx