The moment Azhdaha's foot came crashing down, Alatus's pupils contracted violently. In an instant, he became a whirlwind and vanished from where he stood.
BOOM!!!!!
A deafening explosion followed as the spot Alatus had occupied moments before was crushed into a deep crater.
Seeing this, Alatus's mouth twitched slightly, his brows furrowing tightly.
"Azhdaha! It's me—Alatus! Have you forgotten me!?" He never imagined Azhdaha would actually attack him.
The only response he received was a massive fireball hurtling straight toward him.
As Alatus prepared to dodge, his peripheral vision caught sight of the miners in The Chasm. They had frozen where they stood, staring up at the colossal fireball in sheer terror.
"Tsk…"
A long spear materialized in his hand. With a powerful stomp, he left a shallow crater in the ground and thrust his weapon toward the incoming fireball.
BOOM!
His spear struck the blazing orb. Two immense forces clashed violently, neither yielding to the other.
"General Alatus! We're coming to assist!"
Seeing the situation turn dire, the Millelith rushed forward, spears raised as they charged down the slope.
"Stay back!" Alatus gritted his teeth and let out a low, commanding growl.
At his words, the soldiers froze mid-step.
BOOM!!!!
With a final push, Alatus pierced through the fireball.
He turned sharply toward the others, shouting, "Retreat! Take everyone and fall back! Return to Liyue—go to Tianheng Mountain and find the Adepti! Tell them what's happening here!"
"Go!!!"
At his command, the Millelith sprang into action, swiftly organizing the miners and beginning the evacuation.
By now, Morax had long since abdicated his position as an Archon, though only the Yaksha and Guizhong knew this fact. Even the other Adepti were kept in the dark—Morax feared that Cloud Retainer's talkative nature might accidentally expose the truth.
Azhdaha's rampage was entirely unforeseen. Even five Yaksha combined would struggle to subdue him; only Morax himself could intervene.
Alatus's order for the Millelith to alert the Adepti was also meant to ensure the Yaksha could relay the news directly to Morax.
At the bottom of The Chasm, Azhdaha erupted in a storm of lightning, discharging wild bolts in every direction.
The retreating miners screamed in panic as the ground beneath them collapsed, sending them plummeting into the abyss.
"Demon Conqueror Mask!"
In an instant, Alatus donned his mask, his eyes glowing with a ghostly green light. He vanished from sight, reappearing just in time to catch the falling miners and teleport them out of The Chasm.
"General Alatus, we—"
"Return to Liyue at full speed. That's your duty. Now, go!"
The Millelith who had approached him halted as his sharp voice cut them off.
In the next heartbeat, Alatus returned to the depths of The Chasm, buying time for the evacuation.
From above, eerie green light flickered in the darkness below, flashing amidst thunderous crashes that echoed through the caverns. Fear was etched on every face.
BOOM!!!!!
Alatus was struck and flung backward, slamming into a rock wall. Blood seeped slowly from beneath his mask.
Even unleashing his full power, he could barely hold his ground.
As he tried to free himself from the shattered stone, a massive sphere of ice came hurtling toward him. His eyes widened in alarm.
Just as it was about to strike, the sphere suddenly veered downward, as if deflected by an unseen force.
Seizing the moment, Alatus broke free and looked up—fifteen armored Millelith soldiers stood atop the giant ice sphere.
They pulled their spears free from the ice and leapt down.
"Millelith, heed my command! Form ranks!"
At once, the fifteen soldiers dispersed into formation.
Each held their spear firmly, faces set with grim determination as they fixed their gaze on Azhdaha.
"I told you to leave!" Alatus shouted, landing in front of them.
"Reporting, General Alatus! The civilians have been evacuated and are en route to Liyue. We remained to assist you."
Alatus frowned deeply. He knew Azhdaha's strength all too well—he had personally witnessed the battle between the Dragon King and the Emperor, a clash so fierce that even the God of War himself could not prevail.
These mortals… facing Azhdaha was nothing but suicide.
"I'll draw his attention. Support me—but don't attack directly. Just hold him off."
Words were useless now. Every second they could buy mattered.
"Yes, sir!" the fifteen soldiers answered in unison.
Alatus charged straight at Azhdaha, drawing the dragon's gaze entirely toward himself.
Azhdaha released a surge of jagged ice spikes from the ground. The dense, razor-sharp spears of ice erupted beneath Alatus's feet. He leapt high into the air—only to be met by a barrage of fireballs like a torrential rain.
He spun his spear furiously, forming a barrier that deflected each one.
As he fought to block the fiery storm, a shadow suddenly eclipsed the light above him. Looking up, he saw a massive boulder plummeting straight toward his head.
"Great Celestial Cryo Serpent!"
The Millelith leader swept his arm, summoning a giant ice serpent that surged upward, striking the boulder squarely and deflecting it aside.
The move caught Azhdaha's attention instantly. The rain of fire, once aimed solely at Alatus, now turned toward the Millelith.
"Disperse! Spear Dance!"
The soldiers split apart, each raising their spear high and spinning it rapidly.
Their positions interlocked perfectly, forming a seamless, airtight shield. The falling fireballs struck and vanished, extinguished as though dropped into water.
Seeing his attack fail, Azhdaha stomped the ground. A massive sphere of water began to gather beneath him as violent lightning arced across his body.
"Damn it!" Alatus's pupils contracted sharply.
That torrent could obliterate their formation—and if the lightning struck afterward, none of the Millelith would survive.
He had to stop it.
That was his only thought.
"Piercing Dust!"
He swung his spear fiercely, the howling winds scattering the flames overhead. In the opening that followed, he launched himself forward, transforming into a raging gust as he struck toward Azhdaha.
Just before his spear could pierce through, a golden shield formed, blocking his strike.
Gritting his teeth, Alatus poured every ounce of strength into his weapon. Gale-force winds burst from his body, veins bulging as he forced all his energy into a single point.
"Break!!!" he roared. Cracks began spreading across the golden barrier.
But before he could shatter it completely, the massive sphere of water came crashing down toward the Millelith.
Alatus's eyes widened as he watched it fall—followed by a massive bolt of lightning that crackled with devastating power.
The moment the soldiers were drenched, the lightning would strike, and they would be annihilated.
But just before the impact, the soldiers suddenly rose into the air.
Looking closely, they realized the very ground beneath them had transformed into a colossal stone pillar, lifting them skyward.
At the same time, the lightning struck the torrent below, the blinding arcs dancing wildly beneath their feet, sending shivers through everyone's hearts.
"Alatus! We're here!"
A familiar voice echoed from above.
When Alatus looked up, he saw the four other Yaksha standing side by side atop The Chasm.