The two massive black hands that suddenly appeared gripped the formation tightly.
The golden light of the seal was already visible above them.
The group guessed it was the exit's seal.
But in their current situation, Xiao couldn't spare any effort to attack the black hands.
He had to continuously channel his Adeptus power into the Fantastic Compass
to maintain the blue formation and prevent it from being crushed.
Any lapse could send them plummeting back into the bottomless abyss.
Worse, if the Fantastic Compass's reversal was interrupted and destroyed,
it was uncertain whether it could ever be activated again.
Xiao, wearing his Yaksha mask, kept his expression hidden.
But everyone knew he was giving his all to hold the formation together.
Yet, the obsession of this space was too strong.
It had no intention of letting them leave.
Lumine and Yelan glanced toward Mu Yang.
They knew his earlier strike, though it looked effortless, was an extremely energy-draining attack.
It had the flair of cutting through chaos with a single swift strike,
all to return to the surface quickly and avoid further complications.
After all, such a powerful strike could only be used twice.
Now, he had only one left.
Though Mu Yang's posture remained upright, his breathing was no longer as steady as before.
Lumine and Yelan knew it was their turn to act.
Yelan drew her [Lifeline] bow to its fullest, aiming at the right black hand and unleashing her strongest shot,
infused with her family's mystic arts to ensure a one-hit kill.
Her power was nearly depleted.
After firing the arrow, her exhaustion multiplied, nearly causing her to collapse.
Lumine was in a similar state.
Facing the massive entity, she wielded her Geo greatsword, the [Curry Stick].
With one swing, she cleaved the left black hand.
Then, the accumulated fatigue in the space erupted all at once.
Lumine propped herself up with her sword, barely standing.
She had never felt this exhausted before, as if she hadn't slept in days.
Yanfei was about to support her when
the formation shook again.
One wave had just settled, and another arose.
This time, the two hands were smaller but still held the formation, preventing its escape.
Kuki Shinobu, seeing Lumine and Yelan's states, knew that their last strikes had pushed them to their limits.
She entrusted Arataki Itto to Ushi and Paimon.
Then, she and Yanfei attacked simultaneously.
Kuki Shinobu channeled her power into her blade, plunging it into the black hand and detonating it, neutralizing the enemy in one strike.
Yanfei gathered her remaining power into her book, unleashing a torrent of blazing fire that incinerated the lingering obsession.
[They gave it their all, everyone did!]
[This is too much. Whoever wants to tackle this Chasm dungeon can have it!]
[Even Paimon's pulling her weight this time. What a group performance!]
[Why do these ultimates feel so much cooler than when I use them in-game?]
[It's all about the music and visuals, just for the vibes.]
[We should be out now, right?]
Not only did the players think so, but the group on the formation thought the same.
Except for Mu Yang.
He still had one sword strike left. If he could easily slash open the seal and let everyone escape,
wouldn't Zhongli's presence outside be for nothing?
It would miss out on so many iconic moments—too much of a waste.
Moreover, Mu Yang's mission wasn't just to use this house of horrors to convey information.
He also needed to take something from Lumine's backpack.
So, this journey wasn't over yet.
The group on the formation platform supported each other as they gathered around Xiao.
Though Xiao hadn't fought directly, he was the most drained of all,
as only he could reverse the Fantastic Compass and sustain the formation platform's existence.
Mu Yang didn't stand idle, starting to channel power to Xiao.
Xiao, however, said, "Save your strength. I'm fine."
Paimon glanced at the ceiling, where the golden light had grown to the size of a bowl.
She patted her chest, "It should be fine now, right? The exit's right there."
Feeling the gazes around her, she mimed zipping her crow's mouth shut,
signaling she wouldn't dare plant another flag.
But it was too late.
The space above cracked.
They had seen this entrance before.
Rifthound Whelps—four of them.
[???]
[I'm done with your jinx powers!]
[Is this the power of the God of Jinxes?]
[This is absurd; we're nearing the end, aren't we?]
[They've got to leave one behind, right?]
At this point, everyone's heads were spinning.
Their remaining strength was nearly gone.
And the closer they got to the exit, the heavier their exhaustion felt.
Just standing was already pushing their limits.
Even in peak condition, fighting Rifthound Whelps in this confined space would be a long shot.
Let alone now?
Mu Yang stepped forward. He was the only one left who could face these four Rifthound Whelps.
He still had one final strike.
But if he used this strike to slay the Rifthound Whelps instead of breaking the seal,
his power would be exhausted without replenishment. Wouldn't that mean…
Yelan's expression was complex. Unnoticed by others, her right hand clenched tightly…
Would someone else have to be sacrificed again to ensure their safety?
Lumine grabbed Mu Yang, seemingly trying to stop him.
But Mu Yang patted her hand, gave a faint smile, and said softly, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
[Family, I'm triggered by that line!]
[No way, Mihoyo, if he's gone, I'll never forgive you!]
[You're always smiling, but not now, please! Not like this!]
Hearing Mu Yang's words, Lumine let go.
Whether or not he truly had a plan, she had no choice but to accept it.
It was Mu Yang's decision, and Lumine couldn't interfere.
Yelan wanted to intervene, but the overwhelming exhaustion left her gasping for breath.
Moving was out of the question, let alone speaking.
Mu Yang didn't look at the others in the group.
The Rifthound Whelps' claws were nearly upon them. If he didn't act, they'd all be crushed.
Mu Yang closed his eyes, but not to charge a big move.
He was calculating.
This strike couldn't be at full power—full power would likely shatter the seal along with the beasts.
After all, his weakness was just an act.
This strike had to be precise.
It needed to slay the Rifthound Whelps while only tearing a small crack in the seal.
Calculations complete, he began reciting:
(Doesn't the heavens always leave a path for man? As long as I wish to walk… click! Change the disc.)
"Starlight feathers gleam from the scabbard, one sword leaves no trace, snow blankets the mountains!"
The line was delivered with the gusto of an all-out strike,
but the sword energy was as precise as a scalpel.
The sword energy swept through, slaying the beasts formed from obsession one by one.
Finally, it struck the seal of the Chasm.
A small crack appeared in the glowing light.
But in an instant, it closed again.
Seeing this, the group's emotions varied.
There was the joy of surviving the beasts' claws, but also the despair of failing to break the seal.
"Mu Yang, your hand… You're joking, right?!"
It was Lumine's voice.
Being closest to Mu Yang, she saw his right hand gradually turn to faint frost and cried out in shock.
As the group came to their senses, Mu Yang's entire body had dissipated…
A faint glow flickered at Lumine's wrist, though no one noticed.
They were all too stunned by the scene before them.
[???]