Could the Tsaritsa save these humans?
Of course. Had she appeared in person, rescuing them would've been effortless.
But her current form was merely a phantom—releasing enough power to grant them painless deaths was already her limit.
The icy winds brushed against Bai Luo's scarred body, as if consoling him.
You've done all you could.
As the blizzard subsided, several plump Cryo Slimes coalesced on the frozen surface.
They playfully shook their little heads, scattering snowflakes, then blinked in confusion at their surroundings.
Such elemental creatures usually spawned in Cryo-rich environments—mountains, Mist Flowers.
Cryo Slimes at the shipwreck
Bai Luo had once wondered why Cryo Slimes appeared near this Electro-charged wreck. Were Abyss Mages controlling them?
Now it was clear—they'd manifested under Her Majesty's influence.
The Tsaritsa glanced at the prostrate Tatyana, then waved a hand.
An ice path wide enough for a carriage materialized over the Tatarigami and cannon-polluted waters.
Her meaning was obvious.
Bai Luo sheathed his reverse blade, about to speak—
But the snowflakes coalesced into invisible hands, gently pushing him away from the wreck.
Upon reaching shore, the Shogunate soldiers dared not approach.
That single arrow had shattered their morale.
Such power surpassed mortals—even Vision bearers couldn't achieve it.
A yokai? A god? An adeptus?
Whatever Bai Luo was, he was beyond their reach.
Only after watching him and Tatyana vanish down Tatarasuna's beach did they exhale in relief.
The Tsaritsa's power guided Bai Luo beyond Tatarasuna, back to Nazuchi Beach.
As the force faded, Bai Luo turned toward the sea. In the distance, a mast still protruded above the waves.
He'd claimed not to care about those people, yet the old musician's fate weighed on him.
Not grief—more a sense of... helplessness.
It drew a sigh from his lips.
"A song that breaks the heart... as twilight falls."
The moment these words left his mouth, both Tatyana and the spectral Tsaritsa froze.
Then Bai Luo's hand moved toward his reverse-bladed sword—
"Whoosh... CRACK—"
The surrounding frost coalesced beneath the Tsaritsa's phantom, forming a spherical energy mass that compressed to its limit before exploding midair.
Glittering snowflakes descended, blanketing the beach in white.
When the light cleared, the Tsaritsa had vanished—only ice crystals remained, shimmering in the dawn.
Bai Luo: "..."
He hadn't even taken out a sunsettia, had he?
True, he'd considered offering one to Her Majesty—but only in thought, never aloud!
Who knew if she'd dispatch Tartaglia to torment him afterward?
He was well aware how... ahem... sweet his fruits were.
Sigh. "Let's return to the resistance first."
The refugee ship incident at least provided closure for his pet fish.
This journey had been soul-draining—time to seek solace in his puppy and fish companions.
...
"To allow another god to act so freely within her territory... intriguing."
On a Tatarasuna cliffside, a black-robed figure observed the wreckage, as if discovering something fascinating.
Beneath the robes flickered glimpses of outlander attire.
The voice was deep—genderless, yet carrying youthful undertones.
Likely young.
But in Teyvat's boundless possibilities, appearances often deceived.
That tea-drinking debtor by the roadside might be a millennia-old elder.
"Your Highness."
Violet light shimmered as a furry creature materialized behind the figure, bowing reverently.
An Abyss Mage—a denizen of the void.
Without turning, the figure asked: "Report?"
"The Lector has successfully infiltrated Enkanomiya. As for here..."
The mushroom cloud earlier hadn't gone unnoticed. The mage had assumed it was their master's doing—
But apparently not.
"That wreck should hold clues. Investigate and report."
The figure's eyes narrowed. The attacker's methods seemed... alien to this world.
Could it be...?
"But with this incident, the Raiden Shogun will surely come. What if we draw her attention?"
Against Vision bearers, the mage could manage.
But the Shogun? No chance.
"Worry not. She's already come and gone. Inazuma won't know peace these coming days."
Though Inazuma's god was but a puppet, her programmed instincts had detected the anomaly.
The moment the Tsaritsa unleashed her power, she'd appeared nearby—
Alongside her familiar.
The robed figure didn't know why they'd withheld intervention, but after learning of their subordinates' blunders, Inazuma City would likely undergo purges.
At the very least, she would act.
"As you command."
The mage bowed, then hesitated.
"Will Your Highness still proceed to Inazuma City?"
"No. I'm bound for Mondstadt."
The figure stepped to the cliff's edge, sitting precariously as they gazed seaward.
That place was both an end—and a beginning.
Their presence was required.
"Leave Enkanomiya to the Lector. Seek his aid if needed. I won't return soon."
"Will Your Highness deal with the Anemo Archon's familiar?"
Recalling the ongoing operation in Mondstadt, the Electro Abyss Mage whispered.
Only that dragon warranted their master's personal attention.
"Yes. And no."
A portal of Abyssal energy yawned behind the figure. The robe flared, revealing golden hair strands.
Standing, they readjusted the hood to conceal their face.
As the void's essence swallowed their form, the Abyss Mage remained alone on the windswept cliff.