So that's how it is…
Well, it made sense. If it wasn't an artifact left behind by the Great Lord Rukkhadevata, what right did the Grand Sage have to imprison a god?
Nolan mused to himself, already suspecting this.
After a moment of thought, he sent another mental transmission to the Grand Sage, skipping any small talk and getting straight to the point:
"Good. Next, take me to release the Lesser Lord Kusanali—without drawing attention."
What?! Who is this person—and why are they targeting me like this?!
The Grand Sage was inwardly seething with rage, but he was powerless to refuse the voice's command.
Instead, he instinctively opened his mouth and replied:
"Understood. However, it's currently working hours. If I leave suddenly, the two sages assisting me may start asking questions.
I recommend we go during the midday break. That way, it'll attract less attention."
Seeing that the Grand Sage was even thoughtful enough to offer advice, Nolan responded with satisfaction:
"Alright, we'll do it your way. In the meantime, carry on with your duties as normal. Don't reveal anything about me."
No! Damn it! You can't do this!
_Sumeru needs a god who is "omniscient and omnipotent" like the Great Lord Rukkhadevata—not that ignorant, childlike Lesser Lord Kusanali!_
The Grand Sage wanted to roar those thoughts aloud, but the constraints of the Command Seal forced his words and actions to stay "inconspicuous," just as Nolan had instructed.
So no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't speak out.
He knew that if he actually obeyed the command of this unknown bastard and released the Lesser Lord Kusanali, then everything he had worked for would be over.
After being imprisoned for so long, even someone as pure and kind as the Lesser Lord wouldn't be smiling kindly at him anymore.
And facing a true god—there was no way he could resist, no matter how you looked at it.
Unless the Doctor, his collaborator, realized something was wrong in time.
But both the Doctor and that experimental subject "Scaramouche" were currently in the lab.
That lab was practically a hidden realm—there was no way they'd notice anything amiss in time!
_Damn it… He didn't even know who had ambushed him, or whether it was a person or some monster!_
The Grand Sage kept a calm façade, but inwardly, he was drowning in despair. He followed through with the original plan—retrieved the documents he needed, and returned to the upper level of the Akademiya.
Nolan, still cloaked in invisibility, silently followed behind him.
As noon drew closer—
Nolan had already used the Sword Gods of Lumine to clear out six Withering Zones.
On top of his previous gains, that had earned him another 700,000 to 800,000 EXP points.
His total EXP now reached approximately 3.3 million.
With a rare bit of free time, it was the perfect opportunity to strengthen himself further. His level had been stuck at 91 for a while now.
And with 3.3 million EXP points, he could easily level up three times.
The remaining EXP would even be enough to max out Musou no Hitotachi.
Thinking this through, he didn't hesitate any longer and dumped a huge amount of EXP into his level!
> EXP - 2,759,638
> Lv91 (362/910,000) → Lv94 (0/940,000)
An unprecedented surge of energy flooded into Nolan's body—but it didn't feel uncomfortable at all.
It was like a gentle spring rain nourishing parched soil. The power melted silently into every cell and fiber of his being.
He could clearly feel his strength growing—slowly, but surely.
And since he had dropped back into the Shallow Layer after applying the Command Seal, no one had sensed the change in his aura.
Before long, his level-up was complete.
Nolan felt like his strength had multiplied several times over.
At this point, he was practically _invincible_ beneath the level of a god.
If he used the power that once contended with the Oceanid god Osial, he now figured that even against a weakened version of that 107-level divine being—
He could hold his own.
At the very least, he could stall such a foe for quite a while, even if he couldn't outright win.
Nolan felt a surge of confidence swell in his chest.
With godlike combat strength, he was now standing on the same tier as the strongest beings in Teyvat.
Of course—there's always a higher mountain.
If he had to face Raiden Ei or her puppet, the Shogun… he'd probably still get one-shot.
After all, every level after 90 brought massive power gaps.
And once you broke into the triple digits—the realm of true gods—those differences only grew wider.
Still, the fact that he could even contend with lesser gods at this stage was nothing short of a miracle.
Much of that was thanks to his many extraordinary skills, powerful talents, and the Constellation Gifts granted by the girls who had maxed out their Affection Levels with him.
All of this combined gave him a clear edge over other beings of the same level.
At the moment, his EXP bar still held 553,600 points—more than enough to max out _Musou no Hitotachi_.
So naturally, he didn't bother saving them. He poured it in immediately!
> EXP - 449,999
> Musou no Hitotachi: Divine Level Lv.1 (1/10,000) → Lv.10 (Musou Musou)
A massive flood of EXP poured into the skill "Musou no Hitotachi," a divine-level sword technique on par with Lumine's Authority.
Countless insights, sword techniques, and states of mind began to slowly unfold within Nolan's consciousness.
This gave him a true understanding of the real power behind this sword technique.
Previously, when he had watched Ei unleash this move in the Plane of Euthymia, he was merely a bystander.
He knew it was powerful—but that understanding only scratched the surface. The true might of the technique could only be fully grasped by the one who wielded it.
Now that he himself had become a user of Musou no Hitotachi, he finally understood how incredibly strong and terrifying this single-strike sword technique really was!
It had not let down the foundation Nolan had built up from the very beginning—from the early days of practicing Source Flow Sword Technique: Beginner.
At max level, _Musou no Hitotachi_ would trigger a state known as "Musou" upon activation. In this state—
The user's perception of the world would approach its very root laws. And in that moment, they would strike—cutting through all that lay within their awareness with a peerless blade!
At such a moment—
Anything standing in their way would be split clean in two by that blade wreathed in endless thunder—even space itself would not be spared!
Just like in the game's story, even when Lumine and Paimon had reached the front of Tenshukaku, the Shogun could still tear open space and slash at them from afar.
This was likely because, while in the "Musou" state, Ei had reached such an understanding of the laws of space that slicing through it was no longer difficult.
Her rapid progress in comprehending the Power of Time likely also had something to do with this "Musou" state, which drew infinitely close to the world's core truths.
Nolan thought, If I use this skill often, maybe I'll gain some similar insights too. I should find a chance to learn directly from Raiden Ei if I can.
---
Name: Nolan Walker
Level: Lv94 (0 / 940,000)
Race: Human
Titles: Honorary Knight, Outstanding Citizen of Liyue, Legendary Adventurer, Honorary General of Watatsumi Island
Innate Talent: Entangling Affection
Skills:
- Lumine's Authority: Divine Level Lv.10 (Starsea Manifestation, Boundless)
- Musou no Hitotachi: Divine Level Lv.10 (Musou State)
- Abysswalker: Arcane Level Lv.10 (Deep Space Warp)
- Flowing Sky Shot: Arcane Level Lv.1 (1/5000)
- Anemo Manipulation Lv.10 (Max Level)
- Martial Arts Lv.10 (Subtle Mastery)
Specialties:
- [Descender]
- [Maiden Savior]
- [Monster Slayer]
- [Abundant Life]
- [The Gospel of the Sky]
- [North Wind]
- [Harmony]
- [Spiritual Threads]
- [Millennium Body]
- [Blue Vortex]
- [Battery Body]
- [Elemental Immunity]
- [Command Seal]
- [Spiritual Core]
- [Thoughtless Thunder]
Adventure EXP: 103,614
Nolan glanced at his character panel and saw that most of the EXP he'd worked so hard to accumulate over the past few days was now nearly spent.
But it had all been converted into real power—so there was nothing to regret.
For now, the only skill he hadn't maxed was the Flowing Sky Shot.
It could be merged with the sword-based traits of Lumine's Authority, so leveling it wasn't urgent.
However, if he fused it without first awakening its full potential, it would only contribute the archery-specific traits. Without unlocking its true form, its benefits might not be fully realized.
Better to hold off for now.
After all, for someone like him, gathering another 100,000 or 200,000 EXP wouldn't be too hard.
Once _Flowing Sky Shot_ hit max level, it would be the right time to merge.
---
While Nolan was still celebrating his significant power-up, in the Surface Realm, the Grand Sage—seated in his office—had just wrapped up his official duties.
Seeing that the time was just right, he instinctively began following the mysterious voice's earlier instructions and headed out to release the Dendro Archon.
Though he resisted it with every fiber of his being, his body no longer obeyed him.
Nolan, who had stayed nearby the entire time, noticed the Grand Sage's movements and silently followed behind.
There was still some distance between the Akademiya and the Sanctuary of Surasthana, so he had to trail the Grand Sage through a few turns and detours before they finally arrived at the sanctuary's gates.
There, two guards stood on watch.
They respectfully greeted the Grand Sage.
Whether these guards knew that the Lesser Lord Kusanali inside was actually being _imprisoned_ remained uncertain.
If they were merely following orders to guard this place, then perhaps it was fine.
But if they did know, they'd likely be dealt with once Nahida was freed.
Most likely, they'd end up like the Grand Sage's faction in the original story—exiled to the rainforest and forced into a life of monastic solitude.
Nolan wasn't too concerned about their fate.
Following the Grand Sage into the Sanctuary of Surasthana, he found the interior layout to be a bit unusual.
From the entrance, a stone corridor gently curved downward, leading to a room shaped somewhat like a flower bud.
It was hollow in the center, with what appeared to be a sunken stone bed—not exactly a place that looked comfortable for sleeping.
It looked more like a meditation chamber, perhaps one frequently used by the former Dendro Archon, the Great Lord Rukkhadevata.
After all, suspended directly above that stone bed was a semi-transparent, green orb—a divine relic once used by the Great Lord for deep contemplation.
And inside that orb floated the small figure of the Lesser Lord—Nahida.
She hovered weightlessly, with nothing beneath her for support.
Her hair was snow white, adorned on the side with a green accessory. She wore a one-piece dress that flared at the bottom—very similar to the style Klee often wore.
She looked like a tiny green shuttlecock—incredibly cute.
Although she had been locked up for quite a while, Nahida hadn't exactly been suffering. After all, she didn't need a Akasha Terminal to connect to the Akasha System.
Each day, she would immerse her consciousness into the Akasha and study various fields of knowledge. It was part of her daily routine.
And when she got tired from studying, she could even use the Akasha System to—
Project her consciousness into anyone wearing an Akasha Terminal and personally observe the outside world.
Though... no one else knew about this little trick—not a single soul besides her.
Day by day, with all the knowledge she'd accumulated within the Akasha System, Nahida could now be considered a proper god.
Through possession of others, she had also learned a great deal about how people interact, how the world works, and how to read emotions.
She knew full well that the Grand Sage's act of imprisoning her—an innocent and unknowing god—was absolutely wrong. Which is why she didn't like him at all, especially when he walked in and woke her up the moment he stepped through the door.
Of course, Nahida wasn't someone who easily got angry. Instead, she just blinked her big eyes and quietly activated her unique mind-reading ability to see why the Grand Sage had suddenly come here.
After all, ever since she discovered that he had colluded with the Fatui and was plotting to create an all-knowing, all-powerful false god to replace her—
He had kept himself so busy that it was like he'd completely forgotten she even existed. He hadn't visited once.
So, Nahida was naturally a bit curious about his unexpected appearance today—and instinctively began to read his thoughts.
---
(Damn it! Who the hell is controlling my body?!?!)
(Turn back! Turn around!! I said turn around!!!)
---
"Huh?"
Nahida blinked in surprise after reading the Grand Sage's thoughts.
Wasn't it his own idea to come here?
Perplexed, she continued reading his mind:
---
(Why do I have to release the Little Lucky Dendro Archon?! Tell me!!!)
---
By now, the Grand Sage had already walked to the center of the room, all the while screaming internally at the one who had seized control of his body.
Unfortunately, Nolan, who was quietly trailing behind, didn't have mind-reading abilities—so he couldn't hear any of the mental shouting.
But Nahida understood clearly. After summarizing the chaotic thoughts inside the Grand Sage's mind, she realized—
Someone mysterious was controlling him through unknown means, forcing him to come here and release her.
Who could it be? And why were they doing this?
These questions sparked a hint of confusion in Nahida's heart.
After all, aside from the Grand Sage and the few who supported him, she hadn't even spoken to many people.
Though she had learned a lot and thought of herself as quite the "grown-up" by now, in this moment, Nahida suddenly felt she still hadn't learned enough.
---
While she was lost in thought, the Grand Sage had already started to carry out the instructions that Nolan had secretly planted in his mind earlier.
No matter how hard he roared in protest inside, his uncontrollable hands still moved on their own—reaching out to retrieve the key that once belonged to the Great Lord Rukkhadevata, the artifact used during her meditation and contemplation.
It was another semi-transparent green orb, smaller than the one currently imprisoning Nahida.
It looked like a miniature version of her prison.
Black glyph-like patterns flowed inside the orb.
The Grand Sage had claimed it had been "modified" so that only he could use it—probably by embedding some sort of identity recognition function into those black glyphs.
Watching silently from the shadows, Nolan couldn't help speculating about this.
Before long, the Grand Sage removed the black glyphs from the small green orb and then raised his hand to release it.
The green orb floated up by itself—and within two seconds, it merged with the larger orb that had been holding Nahida.
Almost instantly, although the large translucent sphere didn't visibly change...
Nahida, who was inside, suddenly realized—she could move freely in and out of it!
(End of Chapter)
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