Was Jarilo-VI truly destined to welcome an existence even more terrifying than Bella?
Belobog — Underworld
March 7th, Star, and Dan Heng watched Bronya, who stood frozen in place, her hands trembling.
Even Seele had lost her usual sharp composure.
Bella's terror was undeniable—but above her stood an existence beyond comprehension.
And that existence might descend upon Jarilo-VI because of Bella.
"Hey, hey, don't lose hope just yet," March 7th forced out a smile, trying to cheer Bronya up.
"Even if there's bad blood, it's between Bella and that guy—Aerin."
"Aerin might not come to Jarilo over something like this."
"R-Really?"
Bronya looked up as if seeing a ray of sunlight, a faint glimmer returning to her eyes.
"I actually think the people of Teyvat are right," Star said seriously, stepping forward.
"If they all call Aerin their Master, that means they've been through things."
"They're experienced. That's why the moment Bella took the Engine of Creation, they were certain Aerin would come."
"They say 'investigation,' but to me—"
"It sounds more like he's coming to pass judgment."
Star's blunt honesty instantly crushed the fragile hope Bronya had just regained.
March 7th's mouth twitched.
"…This is really not the time to be that realistic."
[The pitch-black cosmos]
Space suddenly trembled.
A colossal mechanical giant stepped out from a裂缝 in space.
Far away, a planet floated quietly—
A world not particularly large by cosmic standards.
"That planet… is Teyvat?"
the Engine of Creation spoke in a disjointed mechanical voice.
"My objective is to destroy it."
"Target locked."
"Energy accumulation initiated."
As it raised its arm, superheated steam poured from its body, melting nearby asteroids into slag.
Only when its palm aligned with Teyvat did it stop.
Blinding light erupted from its frame, converging into its hand.
"Energy fully charged. Firing."
The command echoed through the cosmos.
A beam of energy the size of a meteor roared through space, racing straight toward Teyvat.
Asta: "Whoa—cybernetic Engine of Creation?"
Silver Wolf: "It's way bigger than before."
Fu Xuan: "No planet could withstand that blast…"
The beam reached Teyvat's orbital range in an instant.
Then—
Something strange happened.
The beam struck nothing visible, yet space rippled violently.
More bizarre still—
The beam wasn't colliding with resistance.
It was being absorbed.
Until the light vanished completely.
Then—
From Teyvat's orbit, an identical beam erupted outward.
Straight back at the Engine.
"…Reflected?"
The Engine barely reacted in time, drawing on its Stellaron cores to form a defensive barrier.
The reflected beam slammed into it—stopped at the last moment.
"Hmph."
"Energy-based attacks ineffective?"
"Then let's try something physical."
The Engine raised its arm again.
The surrounding asteroid belt suddenly lurched, as if seized by an invisible force.
Asteroids smashed together, compressing violently.
In moments—
A massive celestial sphere formed in its grasp.
A planet, crudely born.
"What?!"
Kafka laughed in disbelief.
"This cyber Engine… just hand-molded a planet?"
Firefly and Silver Wolf collapsed into the sofa, utterly speechless.
Was this even a battle anymore?
Bella's modified Engine of Creation was manufacturing planets bare-handed.
"Feel what it's like to be struck by a planet,"
the Engine intoned coldly.
It hurled the asteroid planet forward.
But before it reached halfway—
A flash of light pierced straight through its core.
Then—
Daylight exploded outward.
With a thunderous roar, the planet vanished without leaving behind even dust.
"Who did that?!"
The Engine roared.
"Wow! Lumine!"
"But… isn't sound supposed to not travel in space?"
"Then why can I hear that thing yelling?"
A strange, white void
Lumine floated calmly, armored and cloaked, standing atop a glowing magic array.
Below her lay an even larger formation.
Nothing else existed.
"It can transmit sound through the vacuum?"
Lumine frowned.
She slowly raised her head.
In the cosmos—
A white mech mirrored her stance, arms crossed, gazing at the Engine.
"Who are you?"
"Why are you attacking Teyvat?"
The Engine froze.
That voice—
It lowered its head, staring at the white mech.
"…That voice…"
Suddenly, its consciousness trembled.
Bella's will replaced it.
"You."
"Teyvat's Fourth Descender."
"No—"
"You're Aerin's slave now."
Inside the mech, Lumine and Paimon exchanged looks.
"This thing's weird… it sounds like it knows you," Paimon whispered.
"Did you make enemies while traveling the stars?"
Lumine flicked Paimon's forehead.
"Don't talk nonsense."
"But it mentioned Master," Lumine's expression darkened.
"…Is it her?"
"Bella!" Lumine demanded.
"Is that you?"
"Tch. You remember me?"
Bella scoffed.
"Didn't you die to Benares a century ago?"
"A century?!" Paimon yelped.
Bella paused.
"…So a hundred years passed in Teyvat before the worlds synchronized?"
That was unexpected.
"And you lot haven't improved at all."
"Did your Master not grant you greater power?"
"You're using this tiny mech to show up in space?"
She pointed mockingly.
"Hey! You don't know anything!" Paimon snapped.
"This is an Elemental Demon King—its power scales with its summoner!"
"And you? You sealed your consciousness in that clunky thing."
"Trying to imitate the Remurian golems?" Lumine added, hands on hips.
Bella's consciousness shuddered.
"Elemental Demon King…?"
No memory of such power.
"Hmph."
"I'm not possessing this thing."
"I just got excited seeing you Valkyries and wanted to deal with you personally."
"Let's see if you've improved enough to survive my toys."
Energy flared again.
A massive orange-red sphere formed in its palm.
"One Stellaron can destroy a world."
"All of them together exceed even stellar energy."
"Don't hide in Imaginary Space."
"Block this."
Paimon stared at the blazing sphere.
"Uh… what's a Stellaron?"
Lumine shrugged calmly.
"No idea. But she told us to take it."
"So let's take it."
"Anyone can look down on us—just not Bella."
"I'll roast you along with that mech!" Bella snarled.
Then—
The sphere froze solid.
"…Who are you?" Bella snapped.
A blue-white figure stood atop the Engine's palm.
"I'm not Eula," a cold voice said.
"I'm Shenhe."
"Master finally came to Liyue to enjoy Rex Lapis' cooking—"
"And you dared interrupt."
"That is our failure."
"So you must be dealt with. Quickly."
Lightning erupted.
"By my radiance—be purged."
A single flash—
The Engine was sliced into fragments.
"…Tch. Sneak attack," Bella scoffed.
Frozen energy.
Shattered armor.
She hadn't expected the Valkyries, using Demon Kings, to be this strong.
"…I wanted Aerin himself to come."
"And he's eating?"
"Damn it."
She calmed.
"This power… worth studying."
Her consciousness withdrew.
"By the way—"
"Engines explode when damaged."
"Hope you enjoy it."
"Hmph."
Lumine raised her hand.
A barrier formed.
She clenched it—
The Engine collapsed into a point of light.
Gone.
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