Tartaglia had always considered himself a natural-born warrior, a genius among geniuses. This pride was rooted in his legendary experiences as a youth. A mishap had caused him to fall into the Abyss, where he earned the appreciation of a mysterious swordsman and studied exquisite sword techniques under him for three months. Upon his return, he single-handedly defeated an entire, fully armed Fatui recruitment platoon. At that time, Tartaglia was merely fourteen years old.
But now, this pride was being shattered, piece by piece, by the Traveler's sharp and unparalleled swordsmanship and his masterful control over the elements.
At the beginning of their duel, Tartaglia could still hold a firm advantage, forcing the Traveler to do nothing but desperately dodge the sharp arrows he fired. But after only a short while, the Traveler was able to handle his attacks with ease and even launch fierce counterattacks in the gaps between his onslaughts.
Forced onto the defensive, Tartaglia decisively dismantled the longbow in his hands, instantly transforming it into two gleaming daggers, determined to engage the Traveler in a close-quarters, high-stakes duel. He thought he could quickly suppress his opponent.
But the reality was far from it.
The Traveler displayed an astonishing adaptability, quickly grasping Tartaglia's combat rhythm. The Dull Blade in his hand seemed to have a spirit of its own, accurately intercepting Tartaglia's attacks every time and always finding an opportunity to cleverly strike at Tartaglia's openings.
What Tartaglia found even harder to accept was that as the battle raged on, his stamina was depleting faster and faster, while the Traveler seemed to grow more spirited with each exchange, his combat power increasing rather than diminishing.
Tartaglia remembered the words Lin Yide had spoken earlier, and the unwillingness in his heart grew stronger. He knew he could hesitate no longer.
Thus, the Delusion on his body began to flicker with an unprecedentedly brilliant light. Currents of water and flashes of lightning, as if summoned, slowly swirled around and enveloped him. Immediately after, a suit of blue-black armor covered his entire body as if it were alive, and behind him, a blue cape billowed as if in a phantom wind.
At this moment, Tartaglia exuded an aura several times more powerful than before. He was like a demonic warrior emerging from the Abyss, preparing to launch his final, decisive battle. Tartaglia skillfully combined his two daggers into a formidable double-bladed polearm and charged toward the Traveler with the force of a thunderbolt.
At this moment, his heart burned with a fiery fighting spirit, solely to defeat the Traveler and thereby prove Lin Yide's earlier words completely wrong.
Undoubtedly, Tartaglia was a gifted warrior. However, the Traveler he encountered today was a being even more powerful than those with cheat-like abilities. In this desperate situation, the Traveler unleashed his deeply hidden potential, and his combat power soared. With near-perfect angles and timing, he lightly dodged Tartaglia's tide-like, surging attacks.
After half an hour of intense fighting, the severely exhausted Tartaglia reluctantly chose to give up. He deactivated his combat state, returning to his previous appearance.
"I concede," he accepted the result frankly, without any hesitation. "You weren't this strong in Mondstadt. What is the reason for this?"
The Traveler, holding his Dull Blade, said with a cold expression, "Why should I reveal that to you?"
Tartaglia didn't mind this. "I understand your aversion to me, but everything I do is for the noble dream of Her Majesty, the Tsaritsa. Even if some things disgust me, I must still see them through."
Immediately after, catching the Traveler off guard, his figure flashed and he swiftly appeared before the Exuvia. He reached out his hand without hesitation, aiming for the heart.
However, in the next second, his expression suddenly froze. Because there was no Gnosis there at all.
This sudden discovery made Tartaglia instantly realize that he might have been played by both Rex Lapis and Ningguang. "If that's the case, then I'll have to resort to the backup plan."
With a complex expression, he pulled out the thick stack of Sigils of Permission from his pocket, took a deep breath, and then forcefully threw them into the air. The talismans, as if imbued with life, revolved rapidly around his body, forming a mystical array.
"What are you doing?" the Traveler demanded warily, a trace of confusion and worry in his eyes.
Tartaglia replied nonchalantly, "Releasing Osial, the Overlord of the Vortex, who was sealed away. As the world knows, the method we Fatui are best at is creating chaos, and then taking what we want in the confusion."
Hearing this, Paimon became extremely angry and shouted, "You're a truly, thoroughly evil villain!"
Faced with Paimon's accusation, Tartaglia merely smiled faintly. He opened his arms, like an actor who had just completed a wonderful performance, giving a final thanks to the audience.
"Let us wait and see if a nation that has lost its god can withstand this ancient malice."
Before his words had faded, Tartaglia's figure transformed into a white stream of water, escaping from the sight of the Traveler and Paimon like a phantom.
At the same time, the heavens began to change drastically. The once-clear sky was quickly shrouded in gloomy dark clouds, and the entire world plunged from bright daylight into darkness in an instant. A furious gale roared and swept through, and the sea off Liyue Harbor churned with monstrous, towering waves, as if to swallow the entire port.
In the waters of Guyun Stone Forest, a hundred li from Liyue Harbor, a powerful aura faintly emanated from beneath the sea. It was the long-suppressed Overlord of the Vortex, Osial. Its massive body was faintly visible in the water, speeding towards Liyue Harbor at an astonishing rate.
…
The white stream of water slowly came to a halt outside the Golden House, and Tartaglia's figure gradually materialized. He looked up at the sky, and the apocalyptic scene brought a twinge of regret to his heart.
Suddenly, a voice full of mockery broke his reverie. "Class-A war criminal, it's time to come with me!"
Tartaglia followed the voice and was surprised to find that the newcomer was his former colleague, now a high-ranking agent of the West Factory, Thunderclap.
"Class-A war criminal?" he asked, stunned. "What kind of novel title is that?"
Thunderclap glanced at him with contempt. "Naturally, it's the title for a heinous fool like you."
Tartaglia felt a wave of frustration. He waved his hand helplessly. "I don't accept this ridiculous label."
Thunderclap sneered. "Then come with me to the West Factory. We have plenty of time for you to explain yourself. Now, lower your head!"