The Final Battle of Consciousness

Lumine's fingers brushed the neural interface points inside the NERvGear helmet, its cold surface reminiscent of ancient Khaenri'ahn machinery. Nahida's hologram flickered into the cognitive realm, Dendro roots entwining the Irminsul's projection—its canopy choked by a thunderous black cloud, Scaramouche's corrupted code pulsing at its heart. 

"Remember: five minutes here equals five hours in reality," Kazuha adjusted the Akasha Terminal's stabilizer. "If an 'Error 404' pops up, trigger the forced logout protocol." 

Data torrents cascaded through Lumine's consciousness as the helmet activated. She blinked awake amid the Irminsul's roots, the inverted Akademiya looming beneath her feet. Scaramouche perched on a storm-wreathed throne, puppet joints extruding cables that siphoned Forbidden Knowledge from the World Tree. 

"Another acolyte of the Lesser Lord Kusanali?" Scaramouche's fingers crackled with Abyssal lightning. "Insects never learn to kneel." 

Lumine's blade sliced through data mist. "Return the Greater Lord's authority!" 

Electro and Geo collided, fracturing the cognitive space. 

In reality, Kazuha monitored code cascading across holograms while Cyno's Electro crackled through neural links. Nahida's body floated in a nutrient tank, Dendro energy coursing through Irminsul roots to counter Scaramouche's corruption. 

"Got it!" Kazuha isolated an encrypted command—the Akademiya's resurrection protocol for Scaramouche. He scrawled on a *Death Note* page: **"SD-114514 will execute self-diagnostics..."** 

"WARNING: Illegal access detected!" The Akasha Terminal spat crimson alerts, shattering Kazuha's coffee cup into pixels. Cyno's spear jammed into the port, Electro suppressing countermeasures: "Thirty seconds left!" 

In the cognitive realm, Scaramouche froze mid-strike, command runes glowing on his chest. Lumine vaulted onto the throne, sword at his brow: "Your 'divinity' is just Akademiya code!" 

"Silence!" Scaramouche's eyes bled data storms. "When I ascend—" 

The Irminsul erupted in jade light. Nahida's projection pierced the storm, touching Scaramouche's divine sigil: "Awaken, Kunikuzushi." 

The Greater Lord's remnant materialized atop the World Tree, her robes woven from binary code. The Electro Gnosis tore free from Scaramouche, streaking into Nahida's palm. 

"No! That's mine—" Scaramouche's puppet body disintegrated, artificial godhood crumbling. Lumine severed the final data chain, purging the corruption. 

Nahida's eyes now held dual patterns—fresh foliage in the left, ancient rings in the right. The fading Greater Lord whispered: "Now you see why I entrusted tomorrow to you." 

Reality's tank burst open as Nahida emerged, nutrient fluid glinting in her hair. Kazuha clutched his temple—NERvGear's interior flashed forbidden memories: a crown-clad version of himself clinking glasses with Abyss Heralds. 

"Kazuha?" Lumine noticed his hollow stare. "Your elemental sight..." 

"Overload residue," he forced a smile. 

Unseen, the *Death Note* page bearing his true name dissolved under Dendro roots. 

Scaramouche's remains lay at the Irminsul's base, Electro Gnosis shards crystallizing on his chest. Nahida planted a seed in his mechanical heart: "When you're no one's pawn… perhaps it will bloom differently." 

As the cognitive realm collapsed, Lumine glimpsed the Akademiya's secret lab—rows of Scaramouche clones disassembling, a Fatui-masked figure smirking at monitors. 

Back in reality, Kazuha kicked the fried NERvGear aside. Cyno's spear purged all data. "The Akademiya out-maddened even my nightmares," he growled, crushing a Gnosis fragment. 

Nahida studied her reborn sigils: "True authority belongs to those who believe in dawn." 

Outside, children rebuilt storm-shattered treehouses in Aaru Village. A dewdrop—wholly inorganic, yet wholly alive—slid down Scaramouche's puppet cheek.