As Persephone finished speaking, the Plane of Euthymia completely lost the ability to contain her presence, and Raiden Ei threw her out just before it collapsed entirely.
When Yae Miko saw Persephone's figure again, she immediately retreated a long distance in terror, while also covering her chin to prevent it from being grabbed by the other again.
Suddenly, the seawater that was originally rushing toward the center where the Raiden Shogun had fallen instantly parted, and a blinding flash of thunder rose into the sky, transforming into a terrifying sword strike that chopped down toward Persephone's head.
"Hmph, can you still move?"
Persephone calmly watched the scene before her, without making any movements.
It was only when the sword light was about to fall on her that she extended a hand and slapped at the thunderlight in front of her. A deafening boom echoed, and the dazzling thunderlight was simply shattered by a single slap.
"A pity, your power is much weaker than before."
Persephone shook her head and spoke with a look of regret.
The next second, Persephone swung her fist and struck out at the figure standing in the sea.
The instant she struck, a large section of the sea water beneath her immediately collapsed. At the same time, the Raiden Shogun seemed to have been struck by an invisible heavy blow, falling deeper into the seabed while shedding various parts from her body.
Afterward, the seawater that had been parted by the Raiden Shogun lost the power supporting it and once again rushed toward the center.
A dazzling light suddenly erupted from Yae Miko's body, and then the Musou Isshin autonomously pulled itself out from her chest.
Once the Musou Isshin had completely detached from Yae Miko's body, Raiden Ei immediately controlled it, transforming into a bolt of lightning that shot out toward the place where the Raiden Shogun had disappeared.
Persephone did not hinder Raiden Ei's actions, then turned her gaze to Yae Miko, who was present, causing the tails behind Yae Miko to stand up one by one.
Yae Miko was stunned.
Wait, although she understood Raiden Ei's desire to save the Raiden Shogun, was she not worth saving?!
Is she just screwing over the fox here?!
However, at this moment, Kitsune Saiguu suddenly tore open space and arrived beside Yae Miko, bowing slightly to Persephone.
"You want to plead for her?"
Persephone looked at Kitsune Saiguu with amusement and spoke.
Kitsune Saiguu shook her head and then said.
"Yae Miko has not betrayed anyone, so how could there be a need to plead for mercy?"
"Heh, then keep a close eye on your person, there will be no next time."
"Also, get ready, it's time for you to show your performance."
After leaving those words, Persephone withdrew and departed.
"Lady Kitsune Saiguu, thank you!"
Yae Miko finally breathed a sigh of relief after seeing Persephone's aura completely vanish, then spoke gratefully to Kitsune Saiguu.
"You, you actually brought Ei along too, truly courting death."
Kitsune Saiguu shook her head and spoke.
"Fortunately, it's not yet the time she's prepared to strike, otherwise we would only be able to reunite in another world."
Hearing Kitsune Saiguu's hell-tier joke, Yae Miko couldn't laugh at all; just now she indeed had a feeling of being about to kick the bucket.
"Lady Kitsune Saiguu, what do you mean by 'it's not yet the time she's prepared to strike'?"
Yae Miko asked somewhat curiously.
Kitsune Saiguu looked at the still turbulent sea, completely unable to sense the auras of the Raiden Shogun and Raiden Ei. She felt a slight worry in her heart, but still took a moment to explain to Yae Miko.
"Persephone enjoys the process of war, not the result."
"In her view, the current Teyvat continent has no possibility of stopping her steps at all, so she has given a portion of pre-war preparation time."
"During this period, she will not strike, and even if she does, she will leave a glimmer of hope, just like this battle."
"To use her words, 'it's not yet time for the main course'."
"The reason Persephone would do this is because she is confident that no matter what methods others use, or whatever help they find, in the end, it will only add to her amusement."
Kitsune Saiguu shook her head, then continued speaking.
"That is why I went to find you before, just to prevent you from kicking the bucket before you even understood the situation."
"The Yokai Fox Clan has fallen, and you carry the hope of its revival. Of course I will not stand by and watch you."
"After this, just stay by my side and quietly wait for the outcome."
"Even if you want to do something, in a situation where even the gods are powerless, it will not have any good effect."
After saying these words, Kitsune Saiguu vaguely sensed something and immediately waved her hand, pulling Yae Miko into the spatial portal with her to leave.
And shortly after Kitsune Saiguu left, the slightly calmed seawater surged again, and not long after, Musou Isshin shot out from under the seawater, followed by the figure of the Raiden Shogun.
The Raiden Shogun grabbed the hilt of Musou Isshin and was pulled out of the seawater, rising into midair.
At this moment, the Raiden Shogun's appearance was even more wretched than before, the Electro Element Oni Armor around her body had completely collapsed and could no longer be maintained, completely dissipating.
There was a bowl-sized hole in the Raiden Shogun's abdomen, and as she coughed, more precious components fell from her body.
After confirming that Persephone was no longer nearby, Raiden Ei used the Musou Isshin to pull the Raiden Shogun onto a small island and then gently laid her down.
"Shogun, hang in there!"
Raiden Ei urgently re-established the spiritual connection with the Raiden Shogun and then carefully examined her current condition, her eyes trembling.
At this moment, the battle damage to the Raiden Shogun's body already exceeded seventy percent. Her condition was unimaginably dire; the fact that she could even move was an extreme miracle.
Even if she had not taken the final punch, the Raiden Shogun's battle damage would have already exceeded fifty percent. Yet the opponent was still able to strike that powerful final blow; Raiden Ei had no idea how she had managed it.
The only thing that brought Raiden Ei some relief was that the Raiden Shogun's core had not been severely damaged. All she needed to do was repair her, and the Raiden Shogun would be able to recover.
However, the materials required to repair the Raiden Shogun were simply too precious. Although Raiden Ei still had some left from before, they were not enough to restore the Raiden Shogun to her fully intact state.
Of course, since things had already reached this state, she couldn't ask for more.
"Shogun, you've worked hard, take a short rest."
After Raiden Ei found the critical node, she shut down the Raiden Shogun's core. Instantly, the Raiden Shogun's eyes dimmed.
But the next second, the Raiden Shogun's eyes burst with astonishing brilliance again. She grabbed the hilt of the Musou Isshin sword and spoke word by word.
"Protect Inazuma..."
After saying these words, the Raiden Shogun's eyes completely turned gray, and her arm also fell weakly.
The Raiden Shogun's final words brought great shock to Raiden Ei. She slowly lowered her head, and the Plane of Euthymia, filled with countless gaps and cracks, descended thousands of lightning bolts.
However, very soon, the gaps and cracks in the Plane of Euthymia were gradually repairing, and the lightning also gradually calmed down.
"Perhaps for everyone else, what I am about to do is wrong."
"But I know, for me, this is the most correct path!"
"Even this world will not be more important than Raiden Makoto!"
"What I need to do is just bring Raiden Makoto back, protecting Inazuma is something she will consider."
"And Sasayuri, Kitsune Saiguu, Torachiyo... I will bring them all back!"
"Anyone who stands in my way is my enemy!"
A brilliant purple light bloomed from Raiden Ei, from the Musou Isshin, and the purple blade gradually stained with a hint of crimson.
The Musou Isshin, which had condensed countless wishes, changed form because of Raiden Ei's wish, and its power became even more terrifying.
Just at this moment, a series of brilliant spheres of light suddenly rose into the sky from Seirai Island, then scattered in all directions, and one of the spheres flew straight toward Raiden Ei and the Raiden Shogun.
Raiden Ei didn't have time to dodge before she was hit by the sphere of light. She immediately inspected her body thoroughly, then suddenly noticed something and looked at the back of her right hand.
At some point, a black cross mark had appeared there.
At the same time, Raiden Ei understood its purpose.
This was the entry ticket, and also the proof of the winner.
When only the last piece of proof remained, it meant the winner had appeared.
Raiden Ei gently stroked the mark on the back of her hand, then controlled the Musou Isshin to enter the Raiden Shogun's body.
The Raiden Shogun's eyes regained their radiance, then she turned into a stream of light and fled in the direction of Narukami Island.
"What is this?"
On the Jade Chamber, Keqing, leading the Liyue Expeditionary Force that was about to reach Inazuma, heard the voice that echoed across the heavens, and her heart immediately sank.
"It's Persephone."
She had thought it was a siege, but she hadn't expected this to be something the other party had deliberately planned.
"Persephone, is that the person you told me before who caused so many casualties in Liyue?"
Artoria, who was beside Keqing, asked.
"Yes, it's her."
Keqing nodded.
"She is very strong, so even if we have the advantage in numbers, we must remain cautious."
"And perhaps Inazuma has traps she has carefully prepared for us, so we cannot afford to let our guard down."
"However, her schemes will not succeed. As soon as we establish contact with the Inazuma side, we will immediately launch a counterattack!"
After speaking, Keqing was about to turn around to relay the orders, but she suddenly saw Hu Tao, whose eyes were somewhat vacant, and her heart immediately tightened.
She had completely forgotten how great the temptation of this matter was for Hu Tao.
"Hu Tao, are you all right?"
Keqing asked Hu Tao with some worry.
Hu Tao snapped back to her senses, took a deep breath, and then forced herself to put on a calm and composed appearance.
"What could possibly be wrong with this Director?"
"Don't worry, this Director won't believe her words. When the time comes, this Director will personally find Consultant Chen Feng."
As she said this, Hu Tao's left eye was slightly tinted with a layer of darkness, and her temperament instantly became somewhat deep and cold.
Hu Tao was not saying these words to put Keqing at ease. She knew that if Chen Feng were to be resurrected, the price to be paid would be unimaginable.
After all, back then Chen Feng used himself to offset hundreds of thousands of ordinary people.
However, what Hu Tao couldn't understand was that Chen Feng's abilities were so powerful, what kind of means had Persephone used to obtain this ability.
Hu Tao pondered for a moment, then shook her head, subsequently faintly sensing something, she cast her gaze on Zhongli beside her.
At this moment Zhongli lowered his head slightly, and although his body did not emit a very powerful aura, there was a feeling that one could not ignore.
Could Zhongli be Rex Lapis?
Hu Tao was not completely certain. She had never asked Zhongli face to face, and the other party had not exposed any flaws, but Hu Tao had a feeling that her conjecture should be correct.
But whether this matter was true or not, she felt no need to expose the other party's identity. Nevertheless, a flicker of worry crossed Hu Tao's eyes at this moment.
What if Zhongli really was Rex Lapis, and what if he wavered because of Persephone's words? What would they do then?
"Keqing, this matter is not so simple."
At this moment, Yelan took two steps forward and spoke with a serious expression.
"Perhaps we can indeed resist this temptation and fight Persephone with all our might."
"But judging from the other party's previous words, the forces currently present in Inazuma are far more than just us."
"If even one or two of these forces fall into the other party's trap, this encircment and suppression will become a complete joke."
After hearing Yelan's analysis, the mood of everyone present became somewhat heavy.
Although Yelan did not say it explicitly, many people had heard that the gods of Inazuma were originally a pair of sisters, but the elder sister had met with an accident five hundred years ago.
Faced with the temptation of being able to resurrect their closest kin, would the gods of Inazuma really still join forces with them?
And not only the gods of Inazuma, but even their own Rex Lapis had clearly hesitated, as had the Adepti...
At this thought, everyone turned their gazes toward Xiao, who stood silently in a secluded corner with his arms crossed.
Despite such undisguised stares, Xiao seemed lost in his own thoughts at this moment, completely oblivious to them.
Sigh.
Keqing sighed silently in her heart. It seemed the internal problems were much larger than she had anticipated.
"Just a little bug."
"As long as you fully accept me, you will possess unrivaled power!"
At this moment, a hoarse and tempting voice echoed in Keqing's ear, causing her heart to stir slightly, but she quickly regained her composure.
Keqing was not flustered by this. After all, this kind of situation had already occurred several times, and it was just Aatrox, who was lurking inside her body, causing trouble again.
"Give me a break. Your power is only useful for bullying ordinary people like us. It's completely insufficient against Persephone."
"I think if you encountered Persephone, your first priority would definitely be to run away."
Keqing mocked him mercilessly in her mind.
"Your words have no attraction to me at all. How about you practice more before coming out again?"
Right after Keqing finished saying this, her mind suddenly became quiet, but it was soon followed by a burst of furious cursing.
"You deserve to die!"
Keqing picked at her ear, finding it a bit noisy, but fortunately, she was used to it.
"I'm wondering, if we really can't avoid a civil war, should we just choose to give up?"
"Then let those who want to obtain that wish-granting qualification quickly end the fight, and finally encircle and suppress Persephone together?"
"Things should not be so simple."
After Keqing finished speaking, Neuvillette said with a serious expression.
"Fontaine has clashed with that faction several times already; the enemy probably wouldn't do something so obvious and meaningless."
"Although there are indeed some of us who desperately hope for their deceased loved ones and companions to return to their side again, there are also those whose wishes are not so strong."
"But if we were all chosen, it means that, in fact, this wish is not something that can be easily given up for us either."
Neuvillette paused, then continued speaking.
"I suppose you all noticed just now; Persephone said 'any wish'."
"I think there is one thing that everyone present here hopes will happen."
"Namely, defeating Persephone (No. 3)."
After Neuvillette spoke, Clorinde caught on and asked while looking at him.
"Monsieur Neuvillette, do you mean the final winner can wish directly to Persephone to stop her next action?"
"No, Persephone probably would not agree to such a wish."
"Right, she said before that the degree of wish fulfillment is linked to performance."
"If we really want her to agree to this wish, perhaps we would first need to destroy Teyvat continent once."
Neuvillette nodded.
"Although we cannot directly wish for her to give up her next action, I think a wish to limit her power should be granted."
"For example, making Persephone unable to use her hands, sealing her vision, stopping the replenishment of her army, and so on."
"This is the true bait she has thrown to us."
Neuvillette took a deep breath and said with some emotion.
Hearing Neuvillette's conjecture, everyone present felt a surge of shock in their hearts.
After a long while, Keqing exhaled and said slowly.
"Persephone is truly too confident in her own strength. I think she would only impose restrictions on herself so that she could enjoy this war even more."
"However, there is no denying that her strength is indeed formidable. Even if we unite to suppress her together, our chances of victory are not very high."
"If we can force her to limit her own strength, at least the casualties in this war will be greatly reduced."
"Monsieur Neuvillette, you're absolutely right. This is the bait she threw to us, one we simply cannot refuse."
At this moment, Artoria's face was filled with rage.
"Is she treating this war as a game?!"
"What does she consider human lives to be?!"
Clorinde spoke slowly.
"She truly is treating all of this as a game, but if we want to defeat her with the least casualties, we have no choice but to play by her rules..."
Just then, several balls of light suddenly flew in from the distance, streaking toward everyone present with lightning speed.
"Enemy attack! Activate shields!"
Keqing's heart jolted, and she immediately issued the order.
The Jade Chamber quickly deployed a bright yellow barrier, but those balls of light passed through it as if it were nothing, directly hitting everyone present.
"Is everyone okay?"
Keqing asked the others as she felt a strange sensation coursing through her body.
"Everyone, look at your hands."
Hearing this warning, Keqing lowered her head and saw a mark that had suddenly appeared on the back of her hand. A stream of information then flooded into her mind.
Neuvillette looked up and sighed softly.
"It seems the game has begun."