This isn't right! Not even close!
The crowd's emotions were indeed running high, but their anger wasn't directed at Furina. Instead, they were attacking Neuvillette.
Furina's eyes were rimmed with red, as if she were on the verge of tears. But her reaction stemmed from recalling Neuvillette's sacrifices for Fontaine over the years and witnessing his centuries of tireless efforts reduced to ashes before her eyes.
The scene before her bore a striking resemblance to the Prophecy, yet everything felt profoundly off.
Focalors couldn't comprehend what variables had thrown this world off course. Since when had events begun deviating so drastically from the future she had foreseen?
That mysterious organization, hidden somewhere in Fontaine even I can't locate: Grett, No. 6, Emily, Amos...
Focalors had no idea where these entities had emerged from. She felt as though she no longer understood Fontaine itself.
The ever-shifting Fontaine Law, the Fontaine Research Institute propelling technology centuries ahead, Rene as the embodiment of hope, and the enigmatic birth of Dark Furina...
Focalors felt an overwhelming headache. Why had all these crises converged on the eve of the Day of Prophecy, distorting the Prophecy itself and leading to the current predicament?
If the Prophecy itself had already changed, would the great flood it foretold still come to pass? Or could it be that her efforts hadn't been in vain after all?
Focalors unconsciously clenched her fist. To save the Fontainians, her first step was to deceive Celestia. If she couldn't even accomplish this, even returning the Great Authority of Water to Neuvillette wouldn't prevent Celestia from seizing it at any moment.
The discrepancy between the Prophecy's predictions and reality was far from reassuring for her or Fontaine.
Or could it be that today wasn't the Day of Prophecy at all, but some future date?
Come to think of it, there had been signs that the Day of Prophecy was approaching ahead of schedule. Could her initial calculations have been flawed? Perhaps the Day of Prophecy hadn't actually been advanced?
Or could it be that the one weeping was actually Dark Furina, not Furina?
To make Dark Furina cry... Hmm, I wonder if I could just beat her until she cries?
Although Focalors was the Hydro Archon, she was equally overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information before her. She needed to pinpoint the exact Day of Prophecy and act before the great flood submerged all of Fontaine.
If she waited even a moment too long—until the Fontainians were already submerged in Primordial Sea Water—it would be too late to return the Great Authority of Water to Neuvillette.
Adding to her concerns, Focalors sensed her own Authority weakening as Dark Furina steadily siphoned away her believers' faith.
Originally, Dark Furina lacked this ability. But after seizing a portion of Rene's Authority over Water, she had, in a sense, become a Hydro Archon of Fontaine herself—albeit a weaker one.
However, this gap was steadily closing under Dark Furina's machinations. Now, Focalors could no longer guarantee victory against her dark counterpart without resorting to external aid.
Yet the Indemnitium couldn't be touched, not even a fraction of it. Any reduction could jeopardize the salvation of all Fontainians.
Sigh. For now, she could only continue observing and adapt to the situation as it unfolded.
Just like when she gave Furina her Vision, there were two reasons behind it. First, seeing the Hydro Archon constantly wielding Anemo Energy was simply absurd. Second, Fontaine's military strength had advanced so rapidly that she struggled to comprehend it. Even Vision holders might struggle to defeat a Gardemek. If Furina didn't gain some self-defense capabilities soon, she feared she might be taken down by some random minion appearing out of nowhere.
I pray nothing goes wrong with the plan...
"Alright, hurry and activate the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale! I can't wait to see what fate awaits that hypocrite Neuvillette!"
"How naive! Have you forgotten who built the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale?"
"You think Neuvillette willingly accepts Judgment? He's just putting on a show for you!"
"The Hydro Archon Furina could simply tweak the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale's verdict, and nothing will come of it in the end!"
"Lady Furina is our Hydro Archon, the God of Justice of Fontaine! How could she possibly protect the guilty?!"
"Heh, what's impossible about that? Those two are practically best friends!"
Unlike Neuvillette, Furina lacked such remarkable patience.
Upon hearing the slander against her, Furina briefly composed herself, then rose and pointed toward the speaker.
"Maison Gardiennage officers! Seize that rumor-monger immediately!"
At Furina's command, the officers sprang into action, detaining the man who had made the earlier remarks.
Even so, the man remained defiant.
"Ooh, did I strike a nerve? Can't argue your way out, so you're resorting to your authority to silence me, are you?"
"Look, everyone! Hydro Archon Furina is abusing her power to arrest innocent people just because she's been exposed!"
"Gag him!"
Obeying Furina's order, the officers stuffed a cloth gag into the man's mouth.
This scene sparked intense revulsion among the audience toward Furina's actions.
Though Furina's actions were technically justified—the man had indeed spread baseless rumors—the crowd, still seething from Neuvillette's perceived betrayal, had lost all reason. They now hated Furina by association.
Once hatred takes root, people tend to dwell on the target's past flaws.
And Furina, a deity with a notorious history of misdeeds, provided ample fuel for their growing animosity. Their hatred for her rapidly reached new heights.
Neuvillette observed everything, refraining from intervening in Furina's ill-advised actions. Instead, he turned to the Justice ahead and urged him to activate the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale swiftly.
It was time to bring everything to an end.
Faced with Neuvillette's urgency, the Justice dared not delay and immediately activated the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale.
As the Opera Epiclese lit up with the glow of the machine whirring to life, the audience quieted slightly, awaiting the final verdict.
Would Furina shield Neuvillette after all? The answer would soon be revealed.
But just then, the ground suddenly began to tremble violently.
The unexpected tremor sent people staggering and tumbling to the ground. At that moment, a sharp glint flashed in Neuvillette's eyes.
So, she couldn't resist after all.
With a deafening roar, the recently repaired roof of the Opera Epiclese was ripped open once more by an overwhelming force. Dark Furina's imposing figure appeared before the stunned audience, immediately plunging them into stunned silence.
They had never expected Dark Furina to appear today, especially after her prolonged absence.
Furina stared at Dark Furina in utter shock. How could the other me make such a cool entrance?
When the crowd snapped out of their stupor, they frantically sought shelter. What they failed to notice was how orderly their evacuation was, with no panic or chaos. This remarkable discipline allowed the crowd to disperse with astonishing speed.
As they sought refuge, some comforted themselves with the thought that Dark Furina only wanted to reclaim her rightful position and wouldn't harm them.
A few even shouted at Furina, who remained seated on her throne high above:
"Lady Furina, your sister's come to settle the score! Why don't we just give her the Hydro Archon's Seat back?"
"Get lost! She's not my sister, and don't try to cozy up to me! Just go find shelter!"
Furina seethed with anger, but this time she restrained herself from arresting the speaker. The situation was far too perilous.
Dark Furina's brazen appearance made it clear she had come prepared.
Could today be the day of the final showdown?!
Panic gripped Furina as she realized the gravity of the situation. She turned to Neuvillette, who remained standing nearby, and shouted, "Neuvillette, what do we do now?!"
However, Furina's words seemed to fall on deaf ears. Neuvillette wasn't even focused on Dark Furina; instead, his gaze was fixed on the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, its light suddenly halting midway through its operation.
The battle below must have already begun.
Neuvillette couldn't sense beyond a limited distance. Dark Furina had sealed the Opera Epiclese with her immense power, and he could even hear the surging tides echoing in his ears.
"You should take shelter too, Monsieur Ron," Neuvillette said. "Thank you for your hard work today. I'll treat you to a meal once this is over."
Ron chuckled at Neuvillette's words.
"Don't go setting death flags now... Fine, I'll hold you to that dinner."
With that, Ron hurried away.
Only then did Neuvillette finally turn his gaze to Dark Furina, who was hovering in mid-air. She met his gaze with cold, impassive eyes.
Suddenly, a dazzling azure aura erupted from Neuvillette, and his body levitated into the air. In an instant, he hovered a short distance from Dark Furina, their auras clashing violently, yet ultimately achieving only a stalemate, neither able to overcome the other.
Seeing Dark Furina's power intensify further, Neuvillette remained calm. After all, he had anticipated this.
"The one who created you is gone. You are no longer bound by any constraints."
"If you withdraw now, I will consider leniency in your judgment."
Hearing Neuvillette's counsel, Dark Furina shook her head, her voice chillingly cold as she replied, "Destroying Fontaine was always my own desire. He could never control my will."
"This hypocritical nation, these contemptible, utterly vapid citizens—they fill me with genuine loathing."
"Destroying it all is the sole purpose of my existence in this world."
"And you, Neuvillette."
Dark Furina stared at Neuvillette with chilling indifference, as if regarding a corpse.
"You too have been tainted by this place. I hope the next Hydro Dragon Sovereign won't be so foolish."
After uttering those words, Dark Furina's aura surged violently, instantly overwhelming Neuvillette's.
The sky shattered into several gaping holes, and torrents of Primordial Sea Water poured down from the breaches.
"The Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale is incapable of judging your crimes! Your sins shall be judged by me personally—by Focalors, the Hydro Archon!"
Dark Furina clashed with Neuvillette, and from the moment the battle began, Neuvillette found himself at a disadvantage. Her current skill and power were worlds apart from when she had first obtained the Authority over Water.
Watching this unfold, Furina panicked like an ant on a hot pan. Knowing she couldn't offer any meaningful assistance, she refrained from interfering with Neuvillette's battle. Instead, she rushed toward the cascading Primordial Sea Water, desperately trying to find a way to slow its spread.
We're doomed! Is the Prophecy starting today?!
Gazing at the apocalyptic scene, Furina bit her lip hard to force herself to remain calm.
But just then, cracks suddenly appeared on the ground... no, they were rifts in space itself!
Crack!
The sound of shattering glass echoed as a colossal Giant Whale, unimaginably massive, emerged from the widening rift, locking eyes with Furina.
Furina froze, utterly bewildered by the situation unfolding before her.
Just then, someone shouted:
"The Cult of No. 6 has reappeared!"
The cry snapped Furina out of her daze. Regaining her senses, she looked around and realized that members of the Cult of No. 6 were already clashing with law enforcement officers, bursts of Pyro energy illuminating the chaotic scene.
"How could this be happening?!"
With so many incidents converging, even Furina, never the sharpest, sensed something was deeply wrong. This was clearly a premeditated operation, and Dark Furina was in league with the Cult of No. 6!
This was the worst possible scenario. Dealing with the Cult of No. 6 alone had already been beyond their capabilities. Now, with the addition of Dark Furina, whose power might even surpass Neuvillette's current strength, Furina was at a complete loss.
"Lady Furina, what are you still doing here? Quickly seek shelter in a safe place!"
A familiar voice called out from behind her. Turning, Furina saw Charlotte, her face etched with worry. Without another word, Charlotte grabbed Furina's hand and pulled her away.
Neuvillette had instructed Charlotte to take Furina to safety in case of any trouble. Though Charlotte didn't quite understand why Neuvillette would worry about Furina, the Hydro Archon of Fontaine, she followed his instructions without question.
Furina didn't resist. Completely at a loss for how to handle the situation, she reasoned that having someone lead her might help her regain her composure.
However, after only a few steps, Charlotte abruptly stopped, her face tightening with vigilance as she stared warily at a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties who had suddenly appeared nearby.
Furina's gaze followed, and at that moment, the man flashed a sinister smile.
"The show's only just begun," he drawled. "Where do you two think you're going?"