Chapter 280: Chapter 280: Scaramouche and the Stolen Mecha

"Dottore? Dottore! Where are you?!"

Arriving at the factory beneath Sumeru City, Scaramouche stared at the empty facility, confusion filling his mind.

There was no Dottore waiting for him.

No Sumeru scholars either.

Only a lone mech stood in the center.

"Where is everyone? Where did they go?"

Scaramouche glared irritably at the machine meant to help him ascend to godhood.

Unfortunately, he had failed to obtain the Electro Archon’s Gnosis.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be in such a predicament.

Ever since Inazuma fell under "the Genius’s" control—

It had become a place he dared not return to.

Baalzebul had emerged from the Plane of Euthymia.

She would even strike at him personally.

Scaramouche truly did not dare set foot in Inazuma again.

But without a Gnosis, he couldn’t become a god.

So he shifted his target—

To the Dendro Archon’s Gnosis.

"Stop yelling. I’m here..."

As the mechanical god’s mask slowly opened,

Dottore appeared inside, his face pale, body restrained within the cockpit.

"You... Why are you inside?! That’s my position!"

Seeing his rightful place occupied, Scaramouche’s anger exploded instantly.

"Be quiet! Do you think I wanted this?!"

Pipes and conduits pierced into Dottore’s flesh.

The pain was immense.

But this Segment was already fully synchronized with the mech.

If something went wrong—

He would die here.

And as the most self-serving of his Segments,

That was the last thing he wanted.

"It was the Genius! That bastard!"

No matter how much Dottore had once praised Su Ran,

Now he couldn’t help but curse him.

He had assumed cooperation between colleagues.

Instead—

He was openly targeted.

Even Dottore’s patience had limits.

Especially since this particular Segment was the most selfish.

"The Genius? Him again?"

Even Scaramouche showed irritation at the name.

The Genius’s reputation within the Fatui was overwhelming.

Every stronghold buzzed with discussion about him.

Scaramouche knew how terrifying he was.

The man had granted Tartaglia power rivaling a god—

Without side effects.

That fact made Scaramouche extremely envious.

Previously, only the top three Harbingers possessed god-level power.

And those three were unfathomably strong.

Even the "Maiden," who merely guarded the gate—

Scaramouche could only guarantee escape from her.

Victory? Never.

"Hmph. As far as I know, that guy has never even set foot in Sumeru."

Though wary of the Genius, Scaramouche kept careful tabs on him.

He had received no information about Su Ran arriving in Sumeru.

"You forgot about the Akasha. All he has to do is invade it. That’s no different from being here in person."

That was what shattered Dottore’s composure.

Losing to Su Ran directly was one thing.

But losing to someone remotely controlled through the Akasha?

And that someone had merely been a scribe—

A frail intellectual.

That was humiliation.

It made Dottore painfully aware of the gap between them.

And it wasn’t a gap easily bridged.

"Your turn now, Scaramouche. Get me out of this machine! This was supposed to be your position!"

Being treated like an experimental subject infuriated Dottore.

His only hope now was Scaramouche.

"Hmph."

Though reluctant,

Scaramouche understood cooperation was necessary.

Without Dottore—

Even with a Gnosis, he couldn’t ascend.

This mech was the key to godhood.

Just as he moved closer—

The mech’s mask snapped shut.

He hit solid metal.

"Are you playing with me?!"

His anger surged.

But—

"Damn it. The mech’s auto-activation has started. Handle it yourself. Try not to die."

Dottore felt his body resonate with the machine.

He couldn’t control it.

He could only watch as it activated.

And it was only a prototype.

The strain on the pilot was immense.

He feared he might die from overload—

Before Scaramouche did.

A colossal mechanical hand descended from above.

Scaramouche dodged swiftly.

But in the next instant—

Lightning flooded the chamber.

He didn’t even hesitate.

He fled the factory at full speed—

Without looking back.

As for saving Dottore?

That hope was gone.

Even without direct combat,

He could see—

This mech was beyond him.

Better to escape than die pointlessly.

Dottore had plenty of Segments.

Losing one didn’t matter.

After Scaramouche fled,

The mech fell silent once more.

Inside the cockpit, Dottore’s arms hung weakly.

The mech’s power impressed him.

That brief burst exceeded projected parameters.

But—

He wasn’t meant to be inside.

"This Segment is probably finished."

The burden was too great.

Even his body couldn’t sustain long-term operation.

And after witnessing its automated defense system—

No one was coming to save him.

"In that case..."

A slow smile curved on his pale face.

"Let’s make a spectacle of it. I might as well witness the power of a false god firsthand."

He didn’t believe Su Ran left him here to rot.

Someone would come.

To stop something.

Who that was—Didn’t matter.

He only needed the right moment—

To perfectly showcase the mech’s power.

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