Childe takes the stage

Neuvillette: "You're right. What's depicted on the third stone tablet is exactly what we're doing now!"

Navia: "I understand what you mean. According to you, we began this trial precisely because we wanted to stop the [prophecy] from coming true... but now it seems the prophecy is still proceeding as before, and what we're doing is actually helping it come true!"

Hearing this, Paimon couldn't help growing anxious. "Then I... what should we do now..."

Lumine shook her head. "I don't know... we're being completely... led around by the nose by fate..."

Clorinde: "The [prophecy] will definitely come true... is this what it feels like when fate can never be changed?"

Neuvillette spoke again. "Traveler, there was actually another misconception in your earlier deductions!"

"When we discussed the fourth stone tablet earlier, you said that [the Primordial Sea crisis that erupted in the Fortress of Meropide] proved it. That was incorrect."

"Rather than seeing it as proof, we should regard it as a small omen of the impending disaster."

"In fact, Traveler, you've already seen the true reason the disaster will occur..."

"I... have seen it?" Confusion was written all over Lumine's face. She lowered her head in thought, and a fragment suddenly flashed through her mind. Her eyes lit up. "Was it that..."

Neuvillette nodded. "The Primordial Sea crisis in the Fortress of Meropide was merely a small omen. What we truly need to focus on is the source of all these disasters..."

Paimon: "I've thought of it too! As for the true cause of the disaster, the only thing capable of doing something like this would be that giant whale Lumine saw in her dream last time!"

Lumine: "Dreams are also a reflection of reality. Original sin, the truth, the trial, and... the origin of the disaster."

[Yae Miko: I've never read a plot like this in a novel before. History truly offers the greatest drama!]

[Xingqiu: Life is like chess, and chess is like life. Who can know what the next move will be?]

[Tartaglia: Why does the whale they're talking about feel a little familiar? It seems so familiar. Could it be that one...]

[Nilou: After watching all this, I suddenly feel so hopeless. Humans are still far too insignificant before fate. There's nothing they can do!]

[Mona: This is fate. Between my astrological readings and some things I've experienced before, I've felt this helplessness more times than I can count!]

[Ganyu: I feel like fate is toying with them, giving them a little hope only to shatter it all!]

[Diluc: If you try to toy with fate, fate will naturally toy with you as well. Fate has only one path. Once you learn your fate and try to resist it, even that has long since been arranged by fate!]

[Zhongli: The fate of Teyvat is by no means easily shaken. Even gods have only the slightest chance, let alone humans like us.]

[Jean: Isn't Furina sitting in the defendant's seat crying right now? Isn't this exactly the scene on the stone tablet? In other words, the prophecy...]

[Ningguang: I'm afraid so!]

[Navia: Sigh, Fontaine...]

[Charlotte: No, I don't believe it! There must still be a way! Fontaine absolutely won't just disappear like this!]

[Lyney: Yes, we still have to hold on to hope. Haven't the Traveler and the others in the video already found the source? I believe they'll definitely find a way to resolve this!]

[Arataki Itto: Stop chatting, stop chatting! Look at the video!]

In the video.

The Traveler, Paimon, and the others were still digesting what they had just heard Neuvillette say.

Suddenly.

A violent tremor struck. The entire opera house began to shake, and pieces kept falling from its walls. Every Fontainian still present was utterly terrified, scrambling to flee outside, afraid of falling behind.

Another tremendous crash rang out. The floor where the audience seats had been began to collapse, revealing a bottomless hole.

A gigantic whale emerged from the hole and circled a few times above the opera house.

Neuvillette darted forward. Several aqua-blue orbs of light appeared around him and blasted toward the [whale].

The [whale] twisted its massive body and rammed toward Neuvillette. Seeing this, Neuvillette swiftly raised a barrier before himself.

Bang!

The whale slammed into the barrier. After the two remained locked in a stalemate for a few seconds, Neuvillette struggled to hold it back and was forced several steps backward.

Rather than continuing its pursuit, the whale opened its gaping maw and charged toward the fleeing crowd, moving so fast that even Neuvillette had no time to stop it.

Just as they thought those spectators would be unable to escape disaster, a purple figure shot out of the fissure from earlier and caught up with the whale.

With just one strike, the figure left an enormous gash across the whale's massive body.

Seeing this, Neuvillette wasted no words. He gathered another blue orb of light in his hand and blasted it toward the gash.

"Roar-"

The whale cried out in pain, its agonized voice seeming about to overturn the entire opera house. Then it plunged toward the fissure from earlier at incredible speed and vanished without a trace.