In the dense fog, Oronyx was not there.
Only then did Tribbie and Trinnon belatedly realize that the constantly flickering spacetime and the memory notebooks that had appeared out of nowhere earlier were not a test from Oronyx, but a warning!
On the screen, the audience watched the dense fog as well, a sense of foreboding rising in their hearts.
How could a perfectly fine Titan just… vanish like that?!
This is bad! The three… nothing terrible will happen to them, right?!
Just as this thought surfaced among the audience, the scene shifted again, returning to Okhema, where Anaxagoras and Phainon were talking.
"Are you saying that the black-robed swordmaster is not just tied to the black tide... but is also hunting for Coreflames everywhere?"
Phainon looked at Anaxagoras in shock. Even he needed quite a while to process the words that had just come out of Anaxagoras's mouth.
Anaxagoras crossed his arms and nodded. "This is the most plausible possibility. First, it has a vessel that can hold Coreflames. Second, I'm one of its targets."
"Let's start with the first premise. Its peculiar "ceremonial blade" can interact with the Coreflame, as evidenced by the pull I felt when it stabbed into my chest. I hypothesize that the blade can sense, absorb... or even retain Coreflames."
At this point, Anaxagoras let out a cold laugh.
"The second premise is even more explicit. When it was engaged in fierce battle with many of us and was heavily distracted, it remained consistently focused on me, or rather, on the Titan Cerces inside me."
Phainon's expression grew grave.
The conclusion Anaxagoras spoke of was too shocking. In other words, aside from them, someone else was now hunting Coreflames.
This undoubtedly touched the very core of the Flame chase journey and the prophecy.
In a sense, the threat brought by this black-robed swordsman far surpassed even the Black Tide.
The audience immediately reacted.
Damn it! Oronyx might have been taken out by the black-robed swordsman!
The conversation between Phainon and Anaxagoras was after the Tribbie and the others' journey. Only after Tribbie and the others sensed something wrong did Xia Wen finally reveal this part of the truth.
Countless fans' hearts sank to the bottom.
...
: Ahhhhhh!
: No, don't! Are you abusing children, MiHoYo?!
: Damn, that black-robed swordsman is seriously messed up!
: Sending three kids with no ability to fight to face him, is that okay?!
: Answer me!
: Damn it! Both the swordsman and the director!
: You actually put such important info at the back!
: Crap!!
: I saw nothing in the temple and thought nothing would happen!
: Please, don't let anything happen!
...
The audience began to panic.
On screen, Anaxagoras and Phainon's conversation continued.
"Heh, so it's plundering the flames..."
Phainon squeezed out the words through clenched teeth, unease evident in his expression. "But if your argument holds up, wouldn't he be headed to Okhema soon? The Vortex of Genesis is full of the Titans' Coreflames."
"Not necessarily. Let's call that person the "Flame Reaver" for now."
After giving the black-robed swordsman a name, Anaxagoras continued, "If my presumption holds, that person has three targets."
"The first target is me. The second target is Oronyx, who hasn't yet fallen. And the third is Okhema and the Vortex of Genesis, where the Coreflames are housed."
"But I suspect Okhema won't be their first target."
"Kephale's Coreflame is guarded by the Council of Elders' arcane power, and Phagousa's water curtain should be able to block out any external perceptions."
Anaxagoras's reasoning was very sound.
In terms of difficulty, Okhema would clearly rank last. After all, it was heavily guarded and had two demigods.
"What about Thanatos and Aquila? Their Coreflames are yet to be restored..."
Phainon thought of the Death Titan and the Sky Titan.
"The whereabouts of Thanatos remain a mystery to all. As for Aquila..."
Anaxagoras paused and asked with a subtle expression, "Can you fly?"
"No, I can't. Why are you asking that?" Phainon replied, puzzled.
"Can that swordmaster fly?" Anaxagoras asked again.
"...Ah, good point. But what if he does grow wings..."
Phainon finally understood, though he still felt uneasy.
"If they had wings," Anaxagoras said calmly, "you wouldn't be here chatting with me, you'd be attending my funeral."
He glanced at Phainon, clearly exasperated by his lingering worry.
If the swordsman could fly, Anaxagoras wouldn't have returned alive from the Grove.
Seeing that Phainon fully understood, Anaxagoras continued, "That's a relief. Anyway, since the Flame Reaver has two targets, we need to move fast..."
"With the distances between Okhema, the Grove, and these potential targets, I believe we should bolster our defense in..."
Before he could finish, he was interrupted. Dan Heng rushed in.
"Bad news, Phainon, Tribbie is missing! The last time the three of them were seen was in..."
'Missing?!' Phainon's eyes widened suddenly, as if struck by lightning.
Ever since the Flame Reaver appeared, nightmares seemed to arrive one after another, just like back at Aedes Elysiae.
He didn't have time to sort out his emotions and hurriedly asked, "Where?!"
"The Abyss of Fate!"
Phainon said no more, he didn't even have time to say goodbye to Anaxagoras, rushing off with Dan Heng.
Stelle, Dan Heng, and Phainon. If the three of them hurried at full speed, they could indeed reach the Abyss of Fate as quickly as possible.
Hopefully, it would still be in time!
At this moment, no more words were needed.
The audience's hearts were all in their throats. Without a doubt, danger awaited ahead.
But since Okhema had already noticed, and the three had set off, it meant the situation wasn't hopeless yet.
The audience still couldn't believe it. Those three little kids were so cute, how could Mihoyo bear to kill them off?
The next second.
The scene switched again.
Returning to the Abyss of Fate. Some time had already passed.
They tried every method, but received no response from Oronyx.
Realizing that Oronyx was telling them to run, Tribbie kept trying to persuade Trianne to leave.
But the childish Trianne stubbornly insisted on seeing Oronyx no matter what.
Although she couldn't remember most things clearly, the one thing she remembered perfectly was that Oronyx would help them recover their memories.
Not only because Tribbie had reminded her before, but also because if she couldn't remember things, she wouldn't be able to guide everyone anymore.
"Oronyx! Are you in there?"
Trianne stubbornly stood at the edge of the platform, looking out and calling.
Meanwhile, Tribbie and Trinnon were already unable to wait any longer.
Because the most perceptive Trinnon had sensed something unusual.
"Tribbie... We should leave. This temple..."
"...Has other people in it."
Trinnon turned her head. Though her eyes were covered, she stared firmly in one direction.
Feeling the fluctuations coming from there, she said, "Listen, footsteps, fast ones. Three or four people, coming this way."
Tribbie glanced back at Trianne, who was still searching for Oronyx, and finally made up her mind.
"Okay! Come on, we need to hide! Whoever they are, we can't let them see us!"
Just as the two decided to withdraw, Trianne suddenly called out, "Tribbie, Trinnon... Come check this out."
Tilting her head, finger resting before her lips, she stared at something by her feet in confusion.
"It feels like… Trianne has seen this somewhere."
The camera lowered, revealing what she was looking at.
It was a piece of torn cloth.
Its appearance… was exactly the same as the fragment of the Flame Reaver's cloak from before!
With a bang, the audience, who still held a trace of hope, instantly had two words pop into their minds:
It's over.
Before Tribbie and Trinnon could see clearly what it was, a sudden fluctuation appeared.
Tribbie instinctively looked up. All she saw was a tall black figure crashing down from the ceiling in an instant!
The longsword raised high in its hand slashed straight toward Trinnon! It was the Flame Reaver!
At the critical moment, time seemed to freeze.
The shocked Trianne, the stunned Trinnon, and Tribbie pushing Trinnon away, all were shown one by one in slow motion.
And of course, the Flame Reaver's chilling mask!
Boom!!
Time returned to normal.
The Flame Reaver's sword carved out a violent arc of energy. The instant it struck the ground, it sent the three flying!
The electric guitar sound representing the Flame Reaver echoed at this moment, resounding through the Abyss of Fate.
"…Mm."
Leaning on his sword, the Flame Reaver slowly stood up and walked toward the three step by step.
The heavy footsteps, more oppressive than the tolling of death's bell.
At this moment, Trianne still hadn't remembered anything.
But instinctively, she looked behind her. Tribbie lay unconscious on the ground, held in Trinnon's arms.
Facing the advancing Flame Reaver, the small Trinnon had no way to escape immediately and could only instinctively clutch Tribbie, inching backward.
But… it was useless.
Space twisted, and three phantoms emerged, blocking their retreat.
And ahead, the Flame Reaver strode forward dominantly, getting closer… closer.
When the distance was short enough, two more phantoms appeared beside his shoulders, rushing forward!
Trianne moved as well. She quickly scrambled up from the ground, ran on her short legs to stand in front of Tribbie and Trinnon, and raised both hands high!
A Century Gate unfolded instantly!
Brilliant light and gravity surged, pinning the Flame Reaver and the two charging phantoms in place!
"Fly…!" Trianne gritted her teeth, arms raised. Though still some distance away, she looked as if she were pushing an invisible weight, struggling to step forward and force the Flame Reaver into the gate.
However, the Flame Reaver was too terrifying! Last time he was pulled in because of outside help.
But this time, relying on Trianne alone, it wasn't enough to drag him inside.
The black-robed swordsman clenched his fist and, against the gravity, began struggling toward them.
Is he even human?!
For the first time, the ever-reliable Century Gate met resistance.
In that split second, Trianne stared blankly at the struggling Flame Reaver, and her expression suddenly relaxed.
Her raised hands abruptly lowered. The gate's gravity vanished, and the Flame Reaver instantly regained ease of movement.
Yet Trianne ignored him even as he approached, instead turning to look at Tribbie and Trinnon.
Her left hand lifted toward them.
"Trianne?"
"Tribbie..."
"See you tomorrow."
On screen, Trianne gave them a sweet smile, her eyes curving into crescents.
Behind that smile, the Flame Reaver's tall figure loomed, casting a shadow over her.
The next moment, another Century Gate opened.
Tribbie and Trinnon were pulled inside.
And the last thing the audience saw was the Flame Reaver lunging forward, the great sword in his hand thrusting ahead in a strange posture.
At that instant, countless eyes around the world watched in shock.
They couldn't believe what they were seeing. Nor could they accept that the adorable Trianne would end like this…
Some even closed their eyes in fear of seeing what came next.
Shock, fear, sorrow, and anger, all kinds of emotions surged.
The chat fell silent.
Until a giant comment exploded across the screen:
...
: Flame Reaver! Damn, you bastard!