Chapter 143: A Growing Unease
Meanwhile, in the fiery nation of Natlan, Lumine and Paimon had also resumed their adventure.
Yesterday had been dedicated entirely to filming food vlogs for Wise and Belle, a culinary marathon that had left Paimon so stuffed she could barely float. Today, they were determined to make sure she got some proper exercise.
However, beneath this veneer of peaceful exploration, an invisible sense of urgency had begun to spread through the chat group, seeping into the hearts of its members.
As night fell, Lumine rested by the crackling campfire, her fingers unconsciously tracing the hilt of her sword. She opened the group chat interface, which had been silent for far too long. The last message was still a series of photos from yesterday afternoon, shared by March 7th, showcasing the peculiar architecture of Amphoreus.
A full day had passed. Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng hadn't said a single word. This was deeply unusual.
Knowing Stelle's personality, if she had discovered something new or fought a particularly thrilling battle, she would have been clamoring for attention in the group, showing off her latest exploits.
This abnormal silence could only mean one thing—the situation on their end was likely dire.
That place, Amphoreus, was clearly not as safe as it seemed.
Paimon fluttered beside Lumine, her usual chatter about the sights and sounds of Natlan now tinged with an uncharacteristic strain. Her small face, normally a canvas of carefree glee, was etched with worry. She drifted a little lower, closer to her companion. "Lumine… Stelle and the others, they'll be okay, right? They haven't said anything for a whole day…"
Lumine pushed herself to her feet, brushing stray grass from her clothes. Her gaze hardened, becoming sharp and resolute. "They're strong. They'll definitely be fine. But we need to make the most of our time, too."
In his lounge, Wise sat with his brows drawn into a tight knot. He, too, had noticed the unnerving silence in the group.
The Astral Express crew had been out of contact for so long. Combined with the few cryptic words they had shared before—being caught in an attack, continuous battles, a mysterious Golden Bloodline—the thread of worry in Wise's heart pulled tighter.
The chat group's commissions had always been born of necessity. Stelle and her friends had already encountered numerous crises and variables in Amphoreus, which meant the next World Commission was very likely to descend upon that very location.
'And right now,'he thought,'Belle's and my abilities are still in their exploratory stages. When faced with a world of that magnitude, will our current strength be enough?'
At the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Zhongli sipped his fragrant tea. His gaze seemed to penetrate the curling steam, settling on some distant point in the void.
Hu Tao was still chattering beside him, pestering him about new toys, but Zhongli's thoughts were elsewhere.
He was keenly aware of the unusual quiet in the group and the subtle anxiety it conveyed among his companions.
Whatever Stelle and the others were facing, it was probably more than just visible enemies.
'Power...' he mused. Whether to protect Liyue or to provide aid across worlds when the need arose, he knew he had to advance further.
And so, three groups of people, without any communication between them, all coincidentally began preparing to enhance their abilities, steeling themselves for the upcoming World Commission.
After several rounds of gacha pulls, the heartache from the point expenditure had faded considerably for the group members, though it still stung. The initial tension had eased, but the necessary "metaphysical rituals" for good luck remained a staple. After all, who wouldn't want to borrow a bit of good fortune?
Lumine and Paimon decided not to waste another moment, immediately heading for the nearest Teleport Waypoint.
"Lumine, what do you think we should get Klee as a gift?" Paimon asked, flying alongside her. Her small face was a picture of indecision as she counted on her fingers. "The latest fairy tale collection?"
"But Acting Grand Master Jean said last time that Kaeya and Albedo already bought her a bunch. What if we get a repeat? Or... we could take her to Liyue for Wanmin Restaurant's Black-Back Perch Stew? But Klee seems to prefer Mondstadt Grilled Fish…"
The more Paimon spoke, the more tangled her thoughts became, and she spun in a frustrated circle mid-air.
Lumine's brow furrowed slightly. Klee was an innocent and cheerful soul; the most important part of any gift was that it made her happy.
But this gacha pull was different. With Stelle and the others missing in action in Amphoreus, a heavy pressure hung over them like a storm cloud.
For this pull, they needed to obtain as much power as possible to deal with whatever complex situations lay ahead.
A gift that Klee would genuinely love and that could bring them good luck… it required careful consideration.
Compared to Lumine and Paimon's dilemma, Wise and Belle's approach was far more pragmatic.
"It's a shame we didn't bring Bangboo Number One with us from the video store, but it's okay!" Belle said, patting the cute, rabbit-like Bangboo standing quietly beside her.
"We still have our reliable Bangboo Number Two! Its good luck is definitely just as good!"
"Yes, Number Two has always been very reliable," Wise nodded in agreement.
The siblings exchanged a knowing glance, a silent consensus passing between them. The metaphysical ritual was a go.
Under the Bangboo's puzzled gaze, Belle giggled and reached out, gently patting its head. "Good boy, Number Two. Lend Belle a little bit of your good luck~"
Wise was next. A gentle smile touched his lips as he also reached out to pat the Bangboo's "head." "Please, Number Two."
With the ritual complete, they both immediately opened the chat group's gacha interface.
The prompt for point deduction flashed, and familiar swirls of light danced before them.
As the light dissipated, the outlines of the items gradually sharpened. Their luck was as good as ever—they had both drawn weapons.
Belle's most significant prize was a sword. Its blade was a deep, glacial blue, naturally etched with patterns of frost and dragon scales that seemed to be permanently frozen in time. The handguard was an eight-pointed star formed by overlapping crosses, and an iron chain extended from the sword's pommel, ending in a crescent-shaped blade.
The chat group's item information appeared right on cue.
[Hyōrinmaru: Purple Quality. An Ice-type Zanpakutō, widely known as "the strongest of its kind." It contains the ultimate power of ice, capable of not only cutting physical entities but also touching and harming souls. The wielder's own ice abilities will be greatly enhanced and will connect with the blade.]
[Note: This sword contains a deep spirituality. Its Shikai and Bankai true names require the wielder to communicate and harmonize with it from the heart to fully unleash its power (Shikai state not yet unlocked).]
"Wow!" Belle's eyes lit up with delight as she looked at Hyōrinmaru, which radiated a evident cold and possessed a magnificent design.
Although the information mentioned she would need to unlock its Shikai and Bankai herself, the potent energy emanating from the sword and its strong resonance with her own Ice-Ice Fruit ability made her feel the points were truly well spent.
At the same time, Wise examined his own reward—an ancient-looking red wristband.
The surface of the band was engraved with deep, flame-like patterns that seemed to pulse faintly, as if alive. A primal, wild fire power was restrained within it, and one could almost hear a low, powerful beast's roar echoing from its depths.
[Fire-Quencher Bracer: Blue Quality. A peculiar weapon formed from the essence of a fire-attribute demon beast from an exotic world. In its normal state, it is a wristband. The wearer can greatly enhance their affinity for and control over flames. In combat, with a single thought, it can instantly transform into a bracer, unleashing scorching demonic flames for both offense and defense.]
[Note: This weapon emphasizes close-quarters combat and precise timing. It requires extremely high martial arts proficiency, reaction speed, and close-combat skills from the user. Recommended for those with a foundation in martial arts.]
Wise immediately slipped on the Fire-Quencher Bracer. Feeling the surging flame power contained within the ancient band on his wrist, his heart pounded with equal excitement.
This was the perfect partner for his Flare-Flare Fruit ability! Though it was only blue quality, phrases like "formed from a demon beast" and "essence weapon" hinted at its extraordinary potential.
They both saw the surprise and deep satisfaction reflected in each other's eyes.
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