The Signora strode slowly into the arena.
"Here, I shall demonstrate the authority and elegance of a Harbinger—as you wished."
Every step she took caused the temperature in the room to drop further.
However, this was nothing to Lumine.
When Mu Yang had tested his blade, she had already experienced true, bone-chilling cold.
Not to mention, she had even climbed the Skyfrost Nail.
What was a mere fragment of the Cryo Archon's power to her?
The Signora summoned jagged ice to attack, but Lumine remained utterly unfazed, countering with ease.
Her mastery over Anemo, Geo, and Electro was on full display—not only shocking the Signora but even drawing a frown from the Raiden Shogun watching from above.
The Signora's frost attacks proved completely ineffective, and she grew impatient.
She encased herself within a cocoon of ice.
"The authority of a Harbinger is cumbersome. I shall make my destiny... manifest once more."
"Tremble and await my rebirth."
Suddenly, amidst the freezing air of Tenshukaku, pyro crystalflies appeared.
Then, the ice cocoon shattered, the ensuing explosion sending Lumine flying back.
"Seems like all the Fatui Harbingers have a trick like this up their sleeves."
The Signora, now transformed, had shed her Cryo form and emerged as the Crimson Witch of Flames.
This was her true visage.
Flapping her blazing crimson wings, she soared into the air, looking down at Lumine with disdain.
"Pale flame has melted the frost. Now, witness my suffering."
"Within the flames of sin and punishment, I shall burn your soul to ashes!"
——————
In the livestream, Guinaifen stared at the long string of names, deep in thought.
"The Crimson Witch of Flames, Rosalyne-Kruzchka Lohefalter..."
"That's one hell of a long name. And that mask—is she supposed to be a moth or something?"
[It really does look like a red fluttering moth.]
[Nah, more like a humanoid pyro crystalfly.]
[Raiden Shogun: Seriously, just fight—why are you burning my house down?]
[If you wanna know about the Signora's past, go watch Silver Wolf's video.]
[Alright, alright, when's Little Gui doing another collab with those guys?]
"There aren't any co-op events right now, how am I supposed to collab?"
It wasn't that Little Gui didn't want the clout—it was just that Genshin hadn't released another high-difficulty event like Mu Yang's in a long time.
Enough digressions—the Signora's cutscene had finished playing.
Now, the battle began...
——————
Back in Teyvat.
The Raiden Shogun seemed to have isolated this dueling space with some special means, preventing the flames from actually burning Tenshukaku.
Still, the temperature kept rising.
Lumine had dealt with Dragonspine's cold before, but pyro enemies? Not so much.
The Signora lashed out with a whip of fire, her body wreathed in flames.
Lumine couldn't find an opening to approach.
Her sword's reach wasn't enough.
Geo-infused greatsword strikes were too slow to land.
Then, suddenly, a technique flashed in Lumine's mind—Flying Flowers and Plucked Leaves.
"Why do I feel like I just learned this out of nowhere? Like with Osial back then..."
"But Mu Yang isn't even here right now."
Lumine glanced around. "Did he leave some kind of preparation behind, like Kokomi's stratagems?"
This was the battlefield—no time to overthink.
Lumine stealthily formed a small Geo dagger behind her back.
Then, in her mind, she recited the mantra of Flying Flowers and Plucked Leaves.
She moved.
Her right hand flicked the dagger forward at blinding speed, aiming straight for the Signora's neck.
The Signora reacted swiftly, but not swiftly enough—a thin cut still appeared on her throat.
This was where the players' post-battle cutscene began.
The Signora touched the wound on her neck, her expression shifting. "This is..."
Her gaze sharpened—behind Lumine, a faint silhouette had appeared.
A ghastly figure in blood-red robes and a coin-patterned mask.
Through the mask, the Signora could almost see a mocking grin...
"...The Swordsman Slayer?!"
She would never forget this presence.
This arrogant monster, the one who had disgusted her so much she couldn't sleep that night—how dare he predict the death of a Harbinger?!
Even if he turned to ash, she'd recognize him!
As if reading her thoughts, the Swordsman Slayer's eerie voice echoed through Tenshukaku.
"...The one turning to ash... is you..."
Yet, neither Lumine, Paimon, nor the Raiden Shogun seemed to hear it.
This only deepened the Signora's confusion.
——————
Meanwhile, the players were busy discussing the skill Lumine had used to finish off the Signora in the cutscene.
"Isn't that Mu Yang's Flying Flowers and Plucked Leaves?!"
[It totally is! And the Signora recognized it too—but why 'Swordsman Slayer'? Wasn't that title revoked?]
[The Fatui's intel network is really sloppy, lol.]
Guinaifen asked her chat, "Hey guys, did I miss some lore? When did Mu Yang teach her this move?"
[No idea, da-da-di-da-da~]
[You call yourself the most hardcore Mu Yang fan online, and you're asking me?]
[Maybe Lumine had a sudden epiphany?]
"That's possible. Her combat IQ is insanely high—she could've improvised a solution on the spot."
That was the only explanation Guinaifen could think of.
Otherwise, it made no sense.
"Unless the devs thought we were short on storage space for one more quest or something."
——————
Lumine, being farther away, didn't hear what the Signora had muttered.
But Mu Yang's martial arts were seriously effective!
The Signora thought she was hallucinating.
Yet, this phantom was interacting with her in real time—when Lumine attacked, it even gave warnings.
"...This blade is aiming for your heart..."
"...Careful, this time it's three..."
"...Now it's five..."
Distracted, the Signora misjudged.
A Geo dagger buried itself in her abdomen.
The Signora cursed inwardly. 'She threw ten daggers—why'd you say five?!'
The phantom circled her mockingly.
"...I was just messing with you. Did you really believe me...?"
Injured and mentally thrown off, the Signora was swiftly overpowered by Lumine's final strike, forced out of her empowered state.
She collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, her chest heaving...
[So big! (Referring to her accessories)]
[So white! (Referring to her pristine outfit)]
[So soft! (Referring to her fallen posture)]
[Hah, talk all you want—still couldn't win!]
[That final move was so damn cool! Anemo daggers, Electro teleport, and a Geo greatsword finisher!]
[Is this the protagonist's power? I can't even imagine what she'll be like with all seven elements.]
Lumine sheathed her sword with a flourish—only to hear footsteps behind her.
The Raiden Shogun?!
She was approaching, Musou Isshin in hand...
Lumine was in danger!