As erosion deepened, both Adepti and Gods would inevitably see their power fade.
Morax was no exception... Nor were the Adepti—Cloud Retainer, Moon Carver, and the others.
Yet at this very moment, the instant they laid eyes on Sam Li, Cloud Retainer, Moon Carver, and the rest of the Adepti all sensed a sudden surge in the aura surrounding him. It was as overwhelming as when they had first met Morax more than two thousand years ago.
More than that—from Sam Li, they once again felt that sharp, commanding presence, that indomitable will capable of conquering anything before him.
Seeing this, Moon Carver's expression lit up with both shock and joy.
"Geo Emperor, your power has returned to its peak!"
Overcome with emotion, Moon Carver blurted out the Archon's title without thinking. Realizing it afterward, he didn't bother to correct himself. Instead, he simply stared at Sam Li in awe, just as he had when first meeting Morax two millennia ago.
It wasn't only Moon Carver. Cloud Retainer, Mountain Shaper, and Xiao all gazed seriously at Sam Li as well.
After a brief pause, Sam Li calmly said, "In terms of universal reason, that is indeed the case."
At that moment, not just the Adepti—Nicole, Hu Tao, Hoshimi Miyabi, Zhu Yuan, Billy, and the others nearby—also noticed something subtly different about him. The previous Sam Li had carried a heavy stillness about him, his expression weary and distant despite his youth.
Now, his entire presence had changed. His energy burned sharper, his spirit brighter, his gaze alive once more.
Whatever the case, everyone felt truly happy for him.
Seeing their reactions, Moon Carver laughed heartily.
"Now that Sam Li has regained his peak strength, our coming battle will surely be much easier!"
Mountain Shaper nodded in firm agreement.
Watching the Adepti's joyful expressions, Soukaku tilted her head curiously.
"Wait, are you saying Master Sam Li wasn't fighting at full strength before?"
Cloud Retainer slowly explained, "Indeed. Even deities cannot escape the erosion of time. Yet now, Sam Li seems to have freed himself from that burden."
Moon Carver smiled proudly. "Three thousand years ago, the Geo Archon could split mountains with his bare hands and shatter the earth with a single strike—thus creating the Chasm."
Cloud Retainer continued, her tone turning nostalgic. "Speaking of the Chasm, there is a tale worth recalling. After suffering erosion, Azhdaha once took refuge there, living among the local people..."
But before she could finish, Azhdaha suddenly interrupted her, his tone sharp.
"Cloud Retainer, there's no need to speak of the past—"
Seeing Azhdaha's irritation, Cloud Retainer stopped immediately.
"Very well. I'll tell that story another time."
Nekomata let out a regretful sigh.
"Meow~ We haven't heard enough yet..."
Billy, on the other hand, was thrilled.
"It's a promise then! Miss Adeptus, please tell us all about Azhdaha's past next time!"
Azhdaha's tail flicked irritably.
"..."
After chatting for a while in the Hollow Zero Operations Department, everyone soon returned to their duties.
That very afternoon, Keqing—acting under her authority as supreme commander of the operation—summoned every participating faction to a final meeting.
Representatives from all of New Eridu's official departments, numerous civilian organizations, and many Outer Ring factions attended.
During the meeting, they confirmed the date for the all-out assault on Hollow Zero. The final decision: three days from now.
Over those last three days, everyone was to prepare themselves for a war that could erupt at any moment.
Once the meeting ended, Soldier 11 approached Keqing on behalf of the Defense Force, requesting permission to transfer the three newly completed "Hell's Eye" Ether Ray Cannons to Scott Outpost ahead of schedule.
Keqing immediately approved and personally went to Scott Outpost to oversee the process.
Time passed quickly.
In those final few days, the entire city of New Eridu bustled with frantic activity. Citizens rushed through the streets, coordinating resources and distributing supplies for the greatest battle in the city's history.
Before long, the second day arrived.
Keqing had just finished sorting through her paperwork when she heard a knock at the door.
"Keqing, are you there?" came Ganyu's familiar voice from outside.
Keqing stood and opened the door herself.
"Has something happened?"
Ganyu shook her head gently.
"Not an emergency. These are the logistics department's latest reports. According to them, most of the materials are now fully prepared."
Keqing accepted the folder and flipped it open.
Inside was a comprehensive list of equipment and resources, most dedicated to countering Ether corruption—protective suits, Ether filtration systems, and devices for collecting Etheric resources.
As the documents noted, this single campaign had consumed nearly all of New Eridu's accumulated reserves from the past decade since the city's founding.
Of course, if it meant suppressing Hollow Zero and ending the Ether disaster, it would all be worth it.
Though Keqing had become familiar with New Eridu's systems over the past weeks, she still lacked expertise in some of its specialized technology. So she immediately summoned Hoshimi Miyabi and craftsman Bell to help review the logistics documents.
But just as Keqing was focused on preparations—
Bang!
The office door burst open, and Nicole, Billy, and Nekomata rushed in, panic written across their faces.
Billy shouted before she even caught her breath.
"Miss Keqing, something's wrong! It's bad—really bad!"
Keqing quickly stood up.
"Calm down. What happened? Speak slowly."
Nicole hurried forward.
"Billy, stop yelling—I'll explain. Just now, another Hollow disaster broke out. Damn it, even at a time like this, those Exaltist Order lunatics still can't behave!"
Before Keqing could ask where it had occurred, Nicole continued grimly.
"This Hollow disaster is different from before. It was deliberate—premeditated. The entire Scott Outpost has been swallowed whole..."
Her words hit like a thunderclap.
Scott Outpost wasn't just any place—it was humanity's frontline stronghold against Hollow Zero. It was heavily fortified, manned by elite soldiers, defended by Obol Squad, and equipped with the most advanced weaponry.
Under normal circumstances, no Hollow disaster could threaten it.
But this time was different.
This outbreak had spread far faster than any previous one.
In just moments, the entire region surrounding Scott Outpost had been consumed by the expanding Hollow.