"No... I don't want you to go, Teacher. You haven't seen me become a captain yet... You haven't seen Amber become a scout knight..."
"Teacher, please... don't do this. Let's go home... back to our home..."
"If you leave... Amber will be heartbroken... She'll cry and look for you..."
"Teacher... the people of Mondstadt are finally starting to accept me. You were the one who taught me to believe in my own path..."
"Now that Eula has found her way... Teacher, please come back to Mondstadt with me..."
Eula clung tightly to Elliot, sobbing uncontrollably.
She knew exactly what would happen once he left. She knew it all too well.
Liyue would be plunged into chaos, countless lives would be lost, and Mondstadt would fall into disorder.
She understood the consequences—but people are selfish by nature.
She didn't want Elliot to go off and make some noble sacrifice. She just wanted him to teach her a little more... even one more day would be enough.
To her, Elliot An wasn't just a teacher anymore.
He was like a parent, someone who had shown her what "home" truly felt like, and who had helped her find her place in the world.
"Eula, this is your final lesson."
"After I'm gone, you'll have to learn how to let go."
"As for Little Amber... please look after her for me."
"Tell her—her grandpa died looking cool."
With that, Elliot reached his left hand toward Xiao once more.
Xiao understood. If they wanted to stop the God, there was no other way but to entrust everything to Elliot.
He slowly reached out and clasped his hand.
In that instant—
Countless streams of violet energy burst from Xiao's body, flooding into Elliot through their joined hands, and gathering at the Demonbane Sword in his right hand.
The surge of power knocked Eula back, but she scrambled forward again, tears streaming down her face, gripping their hands with all her might, trying to pull them apart.
"Teacher... please... don't... let's just go home..."
"Eula will play the bone whistle for you... Eula will dance for you..."
"I even learned to cook something new... I haven't made it for you yet..."
"Don't go... please, I'm begging you... let go... let's go home..."
"If you go... I won't have a home anymore..."
"Please... Teacher... I don't want to lose my home..."
"Eula and Amber... we need you... we need a home..."
But Elliot held onto Xiao's hand with a grip like iron, not allowing Eula to break them apart.
A flood of malevolent energy surged into his body, sending blinding pain through his skull.
Even so, he forced a painful, twisted smile onto his face.
"Eula... where there are waves... there's home..."
"Little Amber... I left her a home too..."
"Ah..."
The agony was unbearable. Every second stretched on like eternity. A thousand years of karmic burden was enough to drive any mortal insane, to turn them into nothing but a vessel of destruction.
Even though the karma only briefly flowed through Elliot's body, it brought unimaginable suffering.
Seeing him like that, Xiao's brows furrowed deeply.
He didn't understand how a mere mortal could endure such pain... or why he would even try.
Even among the Adepti, few would willingly lay down their lives this way.
After five minutes of channeling, the Demonbane Sword in Elliot's hand had turned a deep, glowing violet, radiating a sinister aura—the full embodiment of the karma he now bore.
"I was once a Liyue native too..."
"So let this so-called traitor... make one last contribution to Liyue..."
With a contorted face, he raised the blade in both hands.
"This strike... carries a thousand years of karma..."
"If you've got the courage—try to survive it!"
He stomped the ground, creating a crater beneath his feet, his eyes wide, all his strength focused into his grip.
"Demonbane Slash!!!"
BZZZ...
The instant he swung the blade, a massive wave of black-violet energy shot forward, surging with unstoppable power.
The slash tore through the void, ripped the clouds apart, and split the sea itself—everything in its path was forced to give way.
If one looked closely, they could see countless evil spirits writhing within the slash, like a sea of vengeful ghosts surging forth.
In that moment...
All of Liyue—
No.
All of Teyvat felt it.
The people of Liyue Harbor, closest to the blast, were left wide-eyed and frozen in place, speechless.
The God of the Whirlpool, previously writhing with excitement, suddenly sensed something.
As the slash approached, its body froze mid-motion, paralyzed in the sea.
And then—like it had seen something truly terrifying—it bolted, fleeing into the ocean depths.
All four of its serpent bodies withdrew just before the blade could make contact.
Seeing this, Elliot gave a faint smile.
"Even a god wouldn't dare take that blow..."
With those final words, his body began to disintegrate, slowly dissolving into countless particles and fading from the world.
As she stared at his last smile, Eula's memories rushed back...
...
"If you'd like... this place can be your home."
...
"Eula, look what treasure I brought you."
"What is it?"
"A bone whistle. It's yours."
...
"Why not try combining the Favonius sword style I taught you... with your ritual dance?"
...
"If giving something brings you even more in return... would you hesitate to give?"
"But Eula hasn't given you anything in return, Teacher."
"Silly girl. Teachers don't gain things from their students. Seeing you live freely and happily—that's more than enough for me."
...
"Come now. Eula, you're not a sinner. No matter what anyone else says, in my eyes, you're not a criminal. You're my best student... and my only student."
"You can't return the bone whistle. It's my gift to you. Keep it close. I'm old. Someday, I'll be gone. When you miss me... just play the bone whistle."
...
"Eula, do you know what I want most?"
"What is it?"
"For you and Amber to find your own paths—and walk them with all your heart."
...
"Don't dwell on my injuries. I chose this. I've never regretted it—not for a second. I was lucky."
"Lucky to have met a student like you."
...
"Eula... this is your final lesson."