While the storyline on the players' side had concluded, Teyvat remained bustling with activity.
When Lumine, Paimon, Yuna, and Chu Xi returned to Yuna's stall, Itto and the others were nearly finished cleaning up.
"Yuna, you've been working all day. Leave the rest to us and go get some rest," Itto said, hugging the large bucket Yuna used to store ice cream, the massive container completely obscuring him.
"You guys keep up the good work, Boss. Tell my sister I'm staying with the Traveler tonight and won't be back. Don't let her worry."
"Oh, okay!"
Clutching the bucket awkwardly, Itto waved at Yuna before heading toward the Arataki Gang's headquarters.
Following behind Itto were Genta and his two friends, trailed by the Little Yokai Trio. Judging by their formation, they had likely already joined the Arataki Gang.
After Itto left, Ayaka, Ayato, and Yoimiya approached. They had stayed behind specifically to bid farewell to Lumine and Yuna.
"Thank you for your hospitality," Ayaka said gracefully. "Today's meal was, as always, perfect."
Ayaka, ever poised and refined, carried herself with the impeccable grace of a noble lady.
This was Ayaka's nature, regardless of whether she was addressing friends or family.
In contrast, Yoimiya was much more casual.
She strode over boisterously, slung an arm around Yuna's shoulder, and said, "Alright, see you later! Let's hang out again in a few days."
Yuna smiled warmly as she bid farewell to her two dear friends. After walking a short distance, Yoimiya suddenly turned back and called out to Yuna, "Thanks for the braised pork at the Test of Courage! It was seriously delicious..."
Yuna grinned so wide her eyes nearly disappeared.
I thought I'd managed to keep it a secret from Yoimiya...
Once Itto and the others had disappeared from sight, Yuna went to bid farewell to the remaining guests. It couldn't be helped—she was well-liked and had many friends.
As Yuna busied herself, Lumine, Paimon, and Chu Xi stayed close by.
Paimon chattered incessantly in Chu Xi's ear, recounting how worried she had been these past few days.
This only deepened Chu Xi's guilt.
Finally, after bidding farewell to Yae Miko, the four of them entered the Serenitea Pot...
-
Time flew by; in the blink of an eye, more than half a month had passed.
Since Chu Xi's arrival in Inazuma, she had maintained a close friendship with Yuna.
By now, no one would likely object if she were considered an unofficial member of the Arataki Gang.
"Yuna, should we take all the big pumpkins over here?" Chu Xi asked.
"Mm-hmm, that's right, Sister Chu Xi! Bring them all over."
Though Yuna and Chu Xi were roughly the same age, Yuna's petite stature led her to address Chu Xi as "Sister." Chu Xi found this endearing.
As Yuna began peeling the pumpkins, Chu Xi stood beside her, watching.
Lumine noticed their close bond. She had seen a similar connection with Silaya before. Could it be because they were both People of Pure Soul?
Regardless, it was a relief to see Chu Xi no longer drifting aimlessly as before.
She seemed to have found a new way of life in Inazuma and had successfully convinced herself to embrace it.
Lumine was delighted with this outcome, as it meant she could now fulfill her promise to Silaya.
As a Traveler, Lumine was destined not to linger in any one place for long. Her extended stay here had been entirely due to Chu Xi and Yuna.
Rubbing her slightly rounder belly, Lumine felt she had gained a bit of weight.
She was ready to leave soon. If nothing changed here in the coming days, she would set off.
Paimon would certainly come along. As for Chu Xi, it would depend on her wishes...
Lumine believed Chu Xi would be much better off staying here than leaving.
-
Player World
Just as Chen Xiyao had predicted, Mihoyo took nearly a month to update after the last Test of Courage event. This update was packed with content.
However...
When she saw the name of the new quest series, Chen Xiyao nearly choked on her own spit.
Mihoyo!!!
Compared to this, even Qingxu's character teaser felt insignificant.
Mihoyo really dared to do this! ! !
At that moment, Chen Xiyao resembled a groundhog whose most beloved food had been snatched away, periodically screaming at the screen and live stream: "Aaaah—!"
And there, emblazoned in large, glaring letters, were the words:
Reverence in the Hollow Depths — Where Water Runs Dry
The comments section was flooded with messages, mostly "greetings" to Mihoyo. Chen Xiyao glanced at them briefly before looking away.
These netizens... their combat power is truly terrifying!
But Mihoyo deserved it!
How dare you! How dare you extend your blade toward my most beloved Yuna?!
Aaaah!
How dare you! ! !
-
Inazuma, on a certain island.
The black-robed figure reached out its right hand, touching the massive skeleton before it.
Orobashi, Great God of the Sea...
The serpent who, having glimpsed secrets it should never have known, chose to sacrifice its life to secure a final refuge for its people.
Its petrified bones lay scattered across the island.
As black energy surged from the black-robed figure into the massive skeleton, the bones seemed to dissolve at a visible rate.
The bones melted slowly, seeping into the earth and merging with the black energy emanating from the figure!
The slumbering king's first fusion with the world's pitch-black depths...
Orobashi had long since perished. The black-robed figure couldn't revive him, nor would it be foolish enough to try.
What it sought to harness was Orobashi's formidable Godly Status and physical form, while the true core remained the Black Serpent itself.
The fusion process was agonizingly slow. From the moment Orobashi's bones began to disintegrate until the black-robed figure felt a response from the depths below, eleven long days passed.
During this time, the workers who relied on collecting Crystal Marrow were left numb with dread.
They discovered that the Great Serpent's skeletal remains were slowly vanishing!
This alarming discovery quickly drew the attention of Inazuma's official authorities, who dispatched experts to investigate.
However, their efforts yielded no results.
Even the so-called professionals couldn't understand why the bones were vanishing, nor could they devise any means to stop the process.
In the final days before the bones were completely gone, Lumine accepted the quest and arrived at the site.
Like those who had come before her, Lumine first explored several nearby locations before circling the area around the skeleton.
"Lumine, any luck? Have you found anything?"
Lumine frowned and shook her head.
Such a peculiar phenomenon...
Just as the words left their lips, the last remaining fragment of the serpent's skull vanished before their eyes.
Lumine was about to give up, but at the exact moment the skeleton completely disappeared, her heart suddenly clenched.
Her expression changed drastically as she surged toward the direction she sensed in the depths of her being.
Shortly after Lumine departed, the black-robed figure slowly materialized in the spot where she had been standing.
"The fourth one—"