Chapter 282: Thunderbolt General

The person who suddenly appeared and vied with Luo De for the Archon's authority.

It is a fragment of Duotuolei.

Although this is our first meeting.

But Luo De felt that this Duotuolei was somewhat familiar.

Whether it's the vertically faced mask unlike other fragments, or the weapon habitually made of ice element.

No matter how you look at it, this is the fragment that once stirred up trouble in Mondstadt, killed Kelipusi·Laigefende, and used that as an excuse to forcibly take many children as experimental subjects.

And if that is indeed the case,

Then the one in the human experimentation lab built in Sumeru is also him! 'A fragment studying at the Academy?'

Luo De narrowed his eyes.

From this fragment's remarks, Luo De roughly inferred the age of the Duotuolei that this fragment corresponds to.

The so-called fragment.

This is a new technique that Duotuolei devised after deeply researching Sanbing's structure; using this technique, with various precious materials he made fragments of each of his age stages, each possessing an independent personality and still connected to one another.

"Oh?"

"You know me quite well."

Upon Luo De bluntly stating his identity, the fragment before him raised an eyebrow, playing with an ice cone, and said: "Is it you who wants us fragments to kill each other, leaving only one?"

Having said that,

The fragment's hand motion stopped, pointing the ice cone's tip at Luo De, and it said sinisterly: "You have great gall."

Having said that,

The ice cone in the fragment's hand instantly split into thousands, like a sudden storm, fiercely assaulting Luo De.

"Archon."

As soon as this Duotuolei fragment made a move, Luo De's heart sank sharply.

Just as he had guessed.

Only an Archon-level fragment could come here to vie for the Archon's authority.

It's just unknown how many such powerful fragments Duotuolei still has.

Moreover,

How many fragments are lying in ambush here?

These are all questions.

However, there is one thing Luo De can confirm.

That is, even if he were ultimately defeated, his life would at least be safe.

Luo De saw this very clearly.

Given Duotuolei's personality,

and combined with the timing of this fragment's appearance,

the reason he could appear on Bayundao is

that seizing the Archon's authority is probably secondary.

"His true target is me."

Luo De has already roughly figured out Duotuolei's plan.

In short,

it is that both he and Nadixa have been deceived by him.

Intentionally not bringing the Gnosis.

Creating the illusion that his target is the Rock Dragon Crown.

Then he keeps silent about how to deal with the gods' wisdom.

Forcing Zhongli to only be able to guard outside his lab, constantly monitoring that fragment's movements.

Then he lets out rumors of Sanbing in Inazuma.

Making the confused Nadixa misjudge, thinking that Sanbing's goal is to take Aoluobasi's authority.

This is beyond doubt.

Because, given the modus operandi of the Fatui Harbingers, even if Nadixa is the Dendro Archon, it would be very difficult for her to obtain the movement trail of such a Sanbing who is not a publicly appearing Harbinger.

And wanting to seize the Archon's authority from Sanbing's hands,

the only person able to act in Sumeru at present is Luo De himself.

Therefore, everything,

are smokescreens laid down by Duotuolei.

His true target has always been Luo De, who possesses the Rock Dragon Crown and the soul of a descender.

For this plan,

he even factored in Inazuma's great thunderstorm.

"Wanting to control me, remake me, and make me his puppet."

Luo De, who quickly reacted to Duotuolei's plan, waved his hand to cast a rock shield surrounding himself, then immediately poured his mental power into the Thousand Night Floating Dream.

Now he no longer needs to rely on Hemanubisi's divine arts.

In the state of resonance with the Rock Dragon Crown,

Every application of elemental energy that Luo De himself uses can likewise be called a divine art.

For example, now.

As the greenish glow of the Thousand Night Floating Dream unfurled, this divine artifact forged with the Dendro Archon's authority at its core instantly centered on Luo De, creating a zone filled with Dendro elemental energy.

"All things, have spirit——"

Luo De clenched his fist and gave a soft shout.

Immediately, the plants and trees within the barrier sprang to life instantly, just as when he first used the Source of the Oasis to create an oasis in the desert.

The countless sprouting plants, as if given life, whether trees, grass, or flying birds and beasts, all rushed forward in succession toward the Dotorre dragged into the barrier.

At the same time.

Luo De's waist-worn Rock Dragon Crown burst with blinding luster, quickly turning into the crimson of flames.

"Fire Spirit."

Likewise, a soft shout.

Vigorous flames burst from Luo De's body, swirling around him once before condensing into a huge, ferocious fire dragon that let out a silent roar and then dove down upon the Dotorre surrounded by plants.

These two are Luo De's self-devised attack skills.

All Things Have Spirit is an offensive technique created using the endless vitality of grass elemental energy; even without the power of the Thousand Night Floating Dream, it can briefly bind a weak Archon-level being.

Fire Spirit is comparatively simple.

It is simply the fire elemental energy compressed to the extreme, pushing the scorching, fierce nature of fire elemental energy to the limit.

This isn't over yet.

Having unleashed the two divine techniques, Luo De swept his Halberd of the Piercing Rainbow sideways; as his left hand brushed past, a purple lightning that made one's whole body tremble attached itself to it.

Using grass elemental energy as the base, fire elemental energy as the attachment, and lightning elemental energy as the killing move.

Under the dual acceleration of wind and lightning elemental energy.

Luo De's speed increased to the highest gear, reaching the limit of his body.

If before one could still see the lightning when Luo De moved, now his actions can be said to be hardly different from teleportation.

Luo De's explosive surge attack is too fast.

Moreover, he is exerting his full strength without reservation.

Even though this fragment of Dotorre likewise possesses Archon-level strength, when instantly suppressed by elemental energy and bound by All Things Have Spirit, Luo De's spear and the flames of Fire Spirit arrive together; after a brief silence, a violent elemental reaction rapidly detonated the entire barrier—grass, fire, and lightning elemental energies intertwining—so much so that even someone like Rosalyn, the Eighth Seat Executor, kilometers away, felt a chill run through her liver and gall at the sight of that enormous explosion seemingly linking heaven and earth.

Archon-level battle.

Although it was only Luo De's unilateral strike, such a fierce elemental energy collision easily blasted a huge gap in the Archon's resentment coiled above Tatarigami Island.

Such a phenomenon naturally caused the shogunate army and the rebels, locked in fierce combat, to cease fighting and all turn their gaze toward Tatarigami Island.

Although the earlier sudden clearing of wind and rain on Tatarigami Island, followed by suddenly coiling black mist, had already drawn the attention of senior officers from both sides.

But due to the outbreak of the Archon's resentment on Tatarigami Island, the main battlefield was shifted to Namekata Beach.

Consequently, the two sides engaged in battle tacitly chose to abandon investigating.

But after Luo De's strike.

Even the celestial changes visible on Narukami Island have seriously affected the morale of both combatants.

The legend of Narukami's single slash cleaving the Mutsuki Blade Canyon is just a tale.

Luo De's explosion, capable of covering half an island, is undeniably right before our eyes.

Tatarigami Island, Kujo encampments.

As the commander of the shogunate forces.

The eldest son of the Kujo family, who serves as the Tenryou Commissioner, Kujo Masahito, quickly called off the frontline fighting and swiftly recalled the shogunate general—who is also the Kujo family's adopted daughter, nominally his sister, Kujo Sara.

While waiting for Kujo Sara, Tatarigami Island then experienced two more large explosions of the same scale as before.

Since the battlefield is really too close.

Kujo Masahito also issued successive orders, canceling the original battle plan and recalling all frontline troops to avoid needless casualties from the strange occurrences on Tatarigami Island.

Regarding his decision.

Kujo Sara also expressed her agreement upon her return.

"Something major must have happened on Tatarigami Island."

Kujo Sara is not human; she belongs to the Tengu clan of Inazuma's youkai, possessing the greatest speed and explosive power among monsters when in combat.

Moreover, she is the most loyal shogunate general in all of Inazuma to the Electro Archon; her everyday catchphrase is "The Everlasting Way, the Eternal Narukami."

Likewise.

As the shogunate general most valued by the Electro Archon, Kujo Sara well knew that such an abnormality on Tatarigami Island would surely startle the Shogun.

Out of concern for the shogun, Kujo Sara volunteered: "I will go to Tatarigami Island to investigate; if it is again the rebels damaging the seal of the Watatsumi Grand Deity, I fear it will bring even more disaster."

"Very well."

Kujo Masahito did not stop her; he immediately agreed to her request to bring people to Tatarigami Island for inspection.

The same thing also happened at Tatarigami Island's Tōdō fort.

Inside the rebels' main base.

A blond man with beast ears and a long tail, holding the rebels' leader's command— the decree of Sangonomiya Kokomi, the living goddess of Watatsumi Island—carrying the rebels' elite, crossed the Mutsuki Blade Canyon, sealed off by violent lightning elemental energy, and entered Tatarigami Island, now completely shrouded in the Archon's resentment.

The battlefield between Luo De and Dotorre had already shifted from the Serpent God's head to the other side of Tatarigami Island.

After suffering successive full-force attacks from Luo De.

At this moment, Dotorre was no longer that arrogant masked man.

But rather a gigantic monster over ten meters tall.

Luo De's earlier sense of familiarity from this fragment was not mistaken.

This fragment he is currently fighting.

It is the one responsible for using Archon remnants to make human-strengthening potions.

The potion injected into Ke Lai's body was also personally made by him.

This is why Luo De, upon meeting him, immediately attacks without hesitation.

And this Archon residue is made into a potion.

Its effect is not merely to give the user the black fire ability based on the Archon's resentment; other successful potions can also transform the user into a huge monster capable of wielding Archon power.

As the developer of the Archon residue potion,

Duo Tuo Lei's slice naturally will keep for himself the most effective potion.

Now his appearance.

This is the result of using the Archon residue potion, with his power further swollen.

Hahaha—

Do you still have strength?

Compared to Luo De, who relies solely on himself, Duo Tuo Lei, who has the Archon residue potion as backup, even though he was heavily wounded by Luo De's full-powered three-strike combo before injecting the potion, after injecting the potion he quickly recovered to his peak state and once again became entangled in battle with Luo De.

After injecting the potion, Duo Tuo Lei also became much more talkative than before.

He kept attacking Luo De with his mouth cannon, saying: "Give up struggling, obediently be my experimental subject, huh? Someone like you is good material; following the Dendro Archon is truly a waste. Come to me, I guarantee I can make you ten times stronger than you are now! Hmm? How about it, interested?"

Such endless chatter.

Even Luo De could barely endure; his emotions surged, and his movements became even more violent than before.

"Can't see."

"Completely can't see."

Luo Sha Lin, who was standing aside watching the battle, could no longer maintain her usual aloofness.

Luo De, exerting his full power, is too terrifying.

Whether it's the despair-inducing amount of elemental energy reserves, or the astonishing mastery of martial arts, plus the boost from two divine artifacts.

Even this doctor's slice appearing on Ba Yin Dao is merely a slice without any title.

Luo De can fight him to a standstill.

This truly makes people feel fear.

This is also Luo Sha Lin's first time realizing just how great the gap between herself and the Second Seat is.

This isn't even the strongest slice.

And while he fought Luo De, even if Luo Sha Lin exerted all her strength, even if tears of blood streamed from her eyes, she still couldn't catch their movements; the only thing she could do was, without interfering in Luo De and the doctor's battlefield, dig out the scattered soldiers buried under the mountain.

This time.

Luo De's inflicted wounds on the scattered soldiers are far worse than before in Mondstadt.

Pierced through the chest, all tendons and bones shattered.

When Luo Sha Lin dug him out, his body, as strong as a god‑made construct, was beaten beyond recognition, soft and limp like a pile of noodles left out overnight.

"This place is not suitable for lingering."

Realizing this, Luo Sha Lin dared not stay any longer; she picked up the scattered soldiers, who were almost completely destroyed, and prepared to leave Ba Yin Dao, this place of right and wrong.

As for whatever missions,

She can no longer attend to them.

Now preserving her life is urgent.

But just as Luo Sha Lin's foot moved, a purple figure suddenly appeared above Ba Yin Dao.

She was a purple‑haired woman wearing a purple kimono, holding a katana that flashed with lightning.

With her appearance,

A divine authority that covered the sky and earth descended from the heavens.

Whether it was the shogunate army and rebel army that had just entered Ba Yin Dao, or Luo Sha Lin and the lady fleeing for their lives, or Luo De and Duo Tuo Lei fighting until nearly exhausted,

Everyone felt as if a thousand‑jin boulder had been placed on their shoulders, involuntarily bending over, almost collapsing to the ground.

The pervasive Archon resentment, as if seeing a mortal enemy, surged toward her in an instant as soon as she appeared.

"—"

The woman said nothing; facing the sky‑covering Archon resentment, she merely gave a light swing of her sword, and in an instant lightning filled the entire sky—those Archon resentments that had annihilated an island and shaken the world, turning the heavens and earth dark, were reduced to wispy blue smoke beneath her blade, losing all ability to poison the land.

And Ba Yin Dao,

it too was cut by that sword, forming a great canyon that runs north to south.

"Too strong!"

The power of that single stroke made Luo De's pupils involuntarily contract.

Especially when the Electro Archon pointed the blade at him and Duo Tuo Lei, Luo De's pupils shrank to the size of a needle tip.

It was said that as long as one didn't provoke the Electro Archon, one's life would be safe.

But now, under Duo Tuo Lei's tugging, the Thunderbolt General who suddenly appeared here truly harbored murderous intent.

"Whoever destroys Inazuma without cause,"

"Death—"

With a solemn proclamation, the Thunderbolt General swung the long blade in her hand again.

The slice shrouded in lightning did not resist; instead, it laughed, looked at Luo De, left a taunting remark, and then vanished without resistance in the lightning.

"What I cannot obtain, I shall destroy."

"Damn it!!"

After cursing angrily, Luo De immediately removed all his gear, and before the Thunderbolt General could unleash her third strike, he displayed Nadixa's hand seal: "I am the envoy of the Dendro Archon Nadixa!!"

However, it was useless.

The Thunderbolt General is not the Electro Archon herself, but merely a puppet that follows its programming.

In her eyes,

Only the procedures set by the Electro Archon for her.

Oh no!!

Bastard, even in death I'll drag you down with me!!!

Luo De, locked onto by the Thunderbolt General's aura, could only hopelessly watch as the raised long blade awaited the descent of judgment.

Just then.

A bewitchingly alluring laugh came from the high heavens, drawing near from afar.

By the time Luo De heard it.

A woman in a revealing red shrine maiden outfit suddenly appeared beside the Thunderbolt General, smiling as she raised her hand to block his motion, saying: "General, it's against the rules to slay another deity's envoy for no reason."

(End of chapter)