Everyone unleashed their full power, and Osial was suppressed to the point where it could only defend itself.
The Jade Chamber continued to approach Osial, and Lucian took out a system item—a talisman. Once they were close enough, Lucian threw the talisman forward, and it hovered in front of Osial. The talisman took effect, and the seal gradually took shape.
Osial sensed the danger and suddenly lashed out with one of its heads, attempting to bite the talisman to pieces.
"Meteor!" The Traveler swung her hand, and a "falling star" smashed into Osial's head. This alone wasn't enough to stop Osial, only causing it to pause briefly. But that momentary pause was enough—Xiao's spear was already at Osial's eye. With a "whoosh," Xiao pierced straight through Osial's serpentine head.
"ROAR—!" Osial roared in pain, the injured head recoiling. Xiao gave it a cold glance before plunging downward, infused with karmic wind energy. His spear exploded within Osial's head, the force splitting into multiple spears that stabbed into its body.
This attack truly hurt Osial. With an enraged bellow, it unleashed a burst of Hydro energy like a bomb, forcing Xiao back. The seal continued to form, and in its fury, Osial summoned whirlpools in an attempt to shred the talisman.
However, with Madame Ping, Ganyu, and Shenhe present, the whirlpools couldn't even fully materialize. Osial made one last attempt, this time attacking with two heads while the others focused on defense. One head was intercepted by Xiao, just like before, while the other continued its advance.
Shenhe's frost briefly froze it in place, and Ganyu's arrows followed up, freezing it again. Though the freeze duration was short, it bought enough time for the seal to complete. Osial crashed against the barrier but failed to break it. With two final roars of unwillingness, it gradually fell into slumber, sinking into the depths along with the seal.
The sea returned to calm, and the skies slowly cleared.
"Did we... succeed?" A Millelith soldier asked uncertainly. Had they truly defeated such a terrifying ancient god?
"Indeed, we have won." Keqing raised her sword in declaration. "Let us celebrate!"
"OOOOOH—!!"
"We've protected Liyue Harbor!"
The Millelith cheered, jumped for joy, and embraced one another. It had been a hard-fought victory. Had Osial been a terrestrial god, the battle wouldn't have been nearly as difficult.
"Thank you, Lucian," Ningguang said.
"No need for thanks. I didn't do much," Lucian replied with a smile. Even without his help, they would have won—though the price would have been Ningguang's Jade Chamber. Ningguang smiled but didn't elaborate. Her gratitude wasn't just for his contributions to Liyue.
"There's no need for modesty. This adeptus also acknowledges your merits," Cloud Retainer spoke up.
"Cloud Retainer speaks truly," Madame Ping nodded. "I heard from her that you've been studying adeptal arts. If you're interested in the 'Realm Within' technique, you may seek me out."
"When it comes to the Realm Within, this old woman is more skilled than Cloud Retainer."
"Hmph." Cloud Retainer snorted but didn't refute it.
"We, too, have our own specialties. You are welcome to learn from us," Mountain Shaper and Moon Carver added.
Lucian's eyes lit up. It seemed defeating the boss had unlocked new skills. Leaving aside Mountain Shaper and Moon Carver, the Realm Within technique was an incredibly useful thing to have. His current house—one master bedroom and two guest rooms—was starting to feel a bit cramped.
He'd originally bought a two-guest-room house because Hu Tao and Zhongli occasionally stayed over to listen to his stories. Come to think of it, the house could practically be considered a gift from Hu Tao. There was no way he could've bought it in just a year on his salary alone. Thanks to Hu Tao frequently giving him bonuses and rewards, he'd managed to afford it.
By the way, Lucian had since upgraded to a larger three-bedroom house in Fontaine. This was a reward from Furina and Navia, funded under the pretext of the Vacher case, though no one lived there yet.
"Since the Traveler journeys far and wide, this old woman has a gift for you," Madame Ping continued, not overlooking the other contributor.
The Traveler's eyes sparkled—this was post-boss loot!
"What kind of treasure?" Paimon's eyes also gleamed. No wonder the two got along so well.
"Hmm... calling it a treasure isn't wrong, but crafting it will require a few small steps," Madame Ping said.
The Traveler frowned, sensing something amiss. This sounded like a quest she'd have to complete. But that was fine—she didn't have anything else to do lately anyway.
With the battle concluded, Beidou and Ningguang ferried everyone back to shore. Since the Qixing and the adepti hadn't clashed this time, Ningguang hadn't arranged for any planted civilians at the harbor. But there was still more to come—Ningguang decided to hold a grand celebration aboard the Jade Chamber to commemorate their victory.
"A victory banquet?" Lucian pondered, then thought of someone.
Far in the distance, Venti had already finished his wine. "What a splendid performance," he applauded.
"The wisdom and strength of humanity are truly captivating," Nahida remarked. From within the void, she clapped gently, her expression warm like a mother praising her child.
"Well then, I'm off to join the victory banquet," Venti said, casually tossing his empty bottle into the spot where Osial had just been sealed.
"Huh?" Nahida blinked. From what she knew of victory banquets, weren't they supposed to be for those who contributed to the battle? "Barbatos, Senior... what exactly did you do to deserve an invite?"
Meanwhile, Zhongli arrived at the Northland Bank.
"Mr. Zhongli?" Tartaglia was utterly confused.
"Welcome, Morax, the Geo Archon," Signora rose from her seat. Arlecchino stood further back, silently observing the scene.
"Huh? What's going on?" Tartaglia was lost.
"I told you before—I had a way to obtain the Geo Archon's Gnosis," Signora said, casting him a disdainful glance.
Zhongli paid no mind to their bickering and spoke:
"The 'contract' is fulfilled. As agreed, I bestow upon you that which was promised."
Though Zhongli's tone carried an air of superiority, Signora didn't retort this time.
"Wait—just like that? How?" Tartaglia still didn't understand.
"This was the 'contract' between Her Majesty and the Geo Archon. It's only natural you wouldn't comprehend it," Signora replied.
"It's not that I don't understand—it's that you never told me!" Tartaglia grumbled. Was this how colleagues treated each other?
"Because keeping you in the dark was part of my 'contract' with the Geo Archon," Signora answered.
"..." Tartaglia finally realized—he had been part of the contract all along.
"No wonder..." Tartaglia sighed. So everything had been Morax's plan. Now that he thought about it, if the Geo Archon hadn't allowed it, there was no way he could've unsealed Osial in the first place.
"Mr. Zhongli, are you satisfied now?" Tartaglia asked helplessly.
Zhongli nodded. "Extremely so. Liyue has given me an answer beyond my expectations."
"The Tianquan, Ningguang, fought desperately even knowing I was alive, never once considering seeking my aid."
"The Millelith knew the least, yet they risked their lives on the front lines without hesitation."
"I believe I can now confidently return governance to the people and bring an end to the age of 'gods.'"
===✧✦✧===
Character Voice: Zhongli – About the Trial
"I am satisfied. However, due to young Lucian's involvement, I was forced to add an additional trial... I hope Liyue can pass this one as well."