However, perhaps there were also victors five hundred years ago?
Perhaps those 'Sinners' who divided the power were the true victors.
They brought about disaster and divided the power, yet no one stopped this calamity.
This is also why Khaenri'ah's Schwanenritter helped Sumeru fight against the Abyss, because Khaenri'ah was actually also a victim of the Abyss's power.
Unfortunately, no matter how hard Dain's 'Sword of Twilight' and the Schwanenritter tried, it was useless.
Even if they fought until only one person remained, they could not prevent Khaenri'ah's destruction.
Unable to stop this disaster, Pierro deeply regretted it. Not being highly regarded by the 'King', he later pledged allegiance to the Tsaritsa as The Jester.
The events of Khaenri'ah were a disaster for the whole world, because the true enemy came from outside the world.
Back to the story, Dain and the Traveler together pursued the traces of the Abyss Order.
After eliminating some Abyss Mages and Ruin Guards, Dain revealed more useful information.
[Dainsleif: "The name 'Ruin Guards' was given by modern people based on modern 'impressions'."]
["These machines, now called Ruin Guards, were codenamed 'Land Plows' in Khaenri'ah back then."]
["'Land is not plowed with farming tools, but seized with iron and blood.'—Based on this philosophy, the 'Land Plows' were born."]
This was beyond the expectations of many modern people; most did not even know that Ruin Guards originated from Khaenri'ah.
They never expected that these killing machines, guarding ruins and covered in destructive weapons, would actually be called 'Land Plows'.
Khaenri'ah, is your understanding of 'plowing' too extreme? Did Khaenri'ah not have conservatives?
Is it true that the radicals believed land should be contended for with iron and blood, while the conservatives believed the radicals were too conservative?
[Dainsleif: "After Khaenri'ah's destruction, these 'Land Plows' lost their masters and went out of control."]
["Perhaps out of sympathy for other ancient civilizations that also met their demise, they often stayed in various ruins, in dormant slumber."]
This made people understand why the same model of Ruin Guards appeared in ruins, and they inexplicably gained some archaeological knowledge.
However, many people agreed with the Traveler's subsequent words.
['Five hundred years of aimless wandering... It seems... I need to end their suffering more often.']
You're absolutely right, Traveler! These Ruin Guards should indeed be terminated, because no matter what, they have caused too many casualties to modern people.
Jean, however, was thinking that these Ruin Guards also had historical value. If they could be terminated without too much damage, collecting them for exhibition would be a good idea.
Alhaitham also believed that such machines with research value should be eliminated more efficiently, then collected and studied.
And what they thought, Xiao achieved. He eliminated Ruin Guards by piercing their core with one spear, leaving almost no damage except for the core.
It's just a pity that Xiao was not interested in studying these machines and left after dealing with them.
The Traveler in the story was the same; after quickly dealing with the Ruin Guards, he wanted to leave, but found a letter on an Abyss Mage.
[...Use the enemy's faith as fuel, and offer glory to the noble Prince—'Fate Weaving Machine', Primordial Plan.]
Readers couldn't understand these riddles at all, but thankfully Dain, who was good at riddles, provided an explanation.
["In a nutshell, the initial plan is related to the 'God of the Vortex', Osial."]
Dain said that the Abyss wanted to corrupt Osial's consciousness just like they did with Dvalin back then.
Moreover, this time they not only wanted to corrupt his consciousness but also to further transform his body, turning him into a 'mechanical God'.
The readers were sweating as they read; this story was getting a bit hard to understand. Why was the information in this story so vast?
Previous stories only involved a few people or one nation, but this time it directly involved the whole world?
Although many things were still unclear, readers understood one thing: Osial was going to have bad luck again.
It's a good thing Osial can't see this story, otherwise he'd really be cursing.
How long have I been sealed? I finally got out for a quick look, and then I'm sealed again.
Now, just sealing me isn't enough; you want to transform me too? Who did I provoke while sealed?
Besides, I'm a God with a wife; I don't want to be transformed into some 'mechanical God'. For something like that, you might as well go find Morax; he doesn't have a wife anyway.
[Dainsleif: "The letter says they will use that 'defiled statue' as a base, combined with Osial's limbs, to create a mechanical God."]
["And the 'new core' used to replace the gem in the statue's hand is... 'the eye of the world's first tractor'."]
["Placing the 'eye' in the hand of the 'defiled statue'..."]
["Will grant the newly born defiled God the power to 'shake the divine throne on Celestia'."]
Shake Celestia! Is it talking about that island that is even taller and larger than the Jade Chamber? Can it really be shaken? How powerful! But... why shake it?
This story is getting more and more explosive! Although I don't know what it's saying, it sounds very powerful!
Now, not only ordinary people can't understand it, but even the Traveler and Dain in the story don't know where the world's first tractor is at this moment.
They had to start with the statue; the defiled statue they saw at the time was the Anemo God's statue.
The Traveler and Dain came to the Mondstadt Cathedral to inquire about the statue.
[Dainsleif: "A huge statue, a magnificent cathedral. The Mondstadter must have spent massive resources and effort to build them."]
["But how much did the Anemo God feel, and how much did he repay, after receiving this gift?"]
Dain disliked the Seven Gods, so as soon as he arrived at the cathedral, he began his sharp commentary.
Venti read his book with a carefree smile, not caring about Dain's sharp commentary at all.
Barbara, however, was very angry. How could this guy talk about Lord Barbatos like that!
"Nonsense! ..." Barbara's face flushed with anger, but she still couldn't say anything harsh.
How could it be that Lord Barbatos had to repay them? Given Lord Barbatos's contributions to Mondstadt, they should be the ones repaying him!
The Anemo God did so much for Mondstadt; they only built a huge statue. Whose repayment is less?
As for how much the God felt from it, that actually doesn't matter at all.
The gentle and free Anemo God never asked them to build a statue; building the statue was an act done by the people of Mondstadt to fulfill their own faith.
The ones who truly received feedback and felt something from the huge statue were actually their citizens who believed in the Anemo God.
[Paimon: "'Faith' is selfless, isn't it?"]
Barbara expressed that Paimon said it well!
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Character Voice · Barbara: About the Anemo God Statue
"That was built voluntarily by the Mondstadter. Ultimately, it's just a creation to satisfy our 'faith'. If Lord