Genshin Impact: Spoiling the Future

”Although I’d like to keep moving forward, the path ahead is blocked,” Paimon said, spreading her hands.

”Yeah, the path ahead is blocked,” Venti repeated.

”Then tell us what to do, Tone-Deaf Bard!” Paimon was annoyed that Venti kept repeating himself.

”Hmm...” Venti fell silent for a moment. Then he pointed to the side and said, ”We might be able to use the wind current here.”

”Then let’s take the detour and go up,” Paimon agreed with the plan.

”Then let’s take the detour and go up!” Venti continued to repeat.

”Ugh, I’m giving you an awful nickname!”

”But little Paimon, you’ve already given him one,” Lumine chuckled.

”Then I’ll give him another one! I’ll call him... the Slacker!”

Calling the Anemo Archon ”Tone-Deaf Bard” and ”Slacker” right in front of his people—only Paimon could pull that off.

Jean facepalmed, somewhat worried about whether this team could actually complete their mission.

Diluc was usually all about efficiency, but this time, he surprisingly didn’t rush them, just standing there with a stern expression. The Abyss Order wasn’t an opponent to be taken lightly. So even though Diluc usually prioritized efficiency, he wouldn’t push his teammates in a situation like this.

===✧✦✧===

The group arrived at the wind current. Jean and Diluc prepared to take off normally, but Paimon got excited.

”Lumine, that line! Quick!”

Lumine immediately understood what Paimon meant and, without hesitation, cleared her throat. ”The wind says... it’s time to fly!”

With that, she spread her glider and leaped down, soaring upward with the help of the wind current.

”Achoo!”

Amber, who was busy clearing out monsters near Mondstadt, suddenly felt her nose itch and sneezed. ”Why do I feel a chill? Did I catch a cold?” Amber wondered.

Fortunately, only Paimon and Lumine were being silly. If Diluc and Jean had joined in, they might have actually given Amber a cold.

===✧✦✧===

Using the wind current, the group smoothly flew into the tower. Paimon couldn’t help but marvel.

”What a conveniently placed wind current. It’s just right.”

”Ehe,” the Slacker chuckled.

There was no such thing as coincidence—someone was just carrying the weight behind the scenes.

”By the way, this ruins isn’t already taken over by the Abyss Order, is it?” Paimon asked nervously. Hiding behind Lumine, she patted her chest and added, ”Luckily, we have Master Diluc with us. He’s really good at dealing with the Order.”

”Don’t underestimate the Order,” Diluc shook his head. ”That inhuman organization has many unimaginably dangerous things.”

This was also why Diluc hadn’t rushed the group—the danger here was far greater than it seemed. If he had read the story of the third act, Diluc wouldn’t have been so worried. Unfortunately, Venti didn’t want to wait.

At this point, none of them knew what the future held or what dangers lurked here.

”Exactly, which is why I came along this time,” Venti nodded. The Abyss Order was indeed full of dangers. This was also why Venti hadn’t acted immediately after learning of their involvement.

Venti had stolen the lyre to summon Dvalin partly to gauge how much control the Abyss Order had over him. Fortunately, it was just an Abyss Mage—the Abyss’s infiltration of Mondstadt wasn’t too severe yet.

”All of this is because I care about your safety, you know.” As he spoke, Venti began boasting. ”Ah, I’m just too diligent. So diligent that I’m hardly fit to be a poet.”

Venti wasn’t just saying this to praise himself. He simply felt that in the works of that author ”Shikikan,” he was portrayed as someone who loved slacking off. So there was no way that writer would include a line where he called himself hardworking, right?

Unfortunately, this line was exactly what the author would have written.

”You were drinking in the tavern the whole time! The tab you owe Master Diluc could cover months of expenses. I don’t see any diligence there,” Paimon retorted.

”Ehe.”

===✧✦✧===

The group pressed on, exploring the ruins and dealing with monsters until they came across another wind current. By ’coincidence,’ this wind current was not only at the end of the path but also seemed capable of carrying them straight to the top of the tower.

They rode the wind current and, sure enough, it delivered them right to the summit.

”That was unexpectedly easy,” Paimon remarked.

”Indeed, but the seal ahead won’t be so simple,” Venti said.

”You can’t break it?” Paimon asked, surprised. Though she often teased Venti, she actually trusted him a lot. This was also why she hid behind him whenever enemies appeared.

She had a knack for identifying the strongest person in the group and positioning herself behind them.

”The barrier of the Stormterror, but it’s not made of Anemo,” Venti shook his head.

”Stormterror? Dvalin has a title like that?” Lumine asked.

”...That’s a story from Old Mondstadt. I’ll tell you someday, Traveler. Dvalin is only staying here temporarily. This structure itself is even older than the era of the Four Winds.”

Lumine grew intrigued. She wasn’t sure when, but she had started taking an interest in this world’s stories. When had it begun? When her brother disappeared? Back then, she wanted to understand this world to find him.

Or when she met Paimon? Paimon was always telling her fascinating tales. Or perhaps when she first read the book of prophecies? She was no longer an outsider—she was part of Teyvat’s story now.

Lumine wasn’t sure when her curiosity about Teyvat had sparked, but now she was eager to learn more.

”This seal’s design... I’ve seen it in archaeology books. It should be a ’Light Guide Mechanism,’” Diluc interjected, cutting off Lumine’s follow-up questions.

Right, the stories could wait. There were more pressing matters now.

Diluc explained how to deactivate the Light Guide Mechanism, and Venti nodded in approval. ”Let’s give it a try,” Venti said.

After some effort, the group successfully dismantled the seal. However, this was only the first layer. Three more seals awaited them elsewhere, but by splitting up, they quickly resolved the issue.

”Now, for the final step. I think I’ll turn this into a song afterward. Alright, let’s return the dragon’s freedom,” Venti declared.

===✧✦✧===

With the seals broken, Dvalin appeared before them.

”Barbatos... have you come to kill me?” Dvalin stared intently at Venti.

”Dvalin, I’ve come to answer the question you asked before. [’Why do the people despise me now?’] We’ve never despised you. We never wanted to hunt you down.”

”Grr—ROAR!” Dvalin let out a pained roar, the poisoned blood on his body glowing ominously.

”Dvalin!” Venti gasped, summoning a bow into his hands. He fired an arrow at the corrupted purple blood, seemingly alleviating some of Dvalin’s suffering.

But Dvalin’s eyes were filled with madness as his massive claw descended, as if to crush Venti.

Diluc raised his sword to block—and actually withstood the terrifying strike. Though Diluc was no larger than one of Dvalin’s claws, he held firm against the attack. After gauging the force behind it, even Diluc had to acknowledge Dvalin’s strength.

”Aim for the corrupted blood,” Venti reminded everyone.