After the Fatui appeared in large numbers, a barrage of attacks came at the team from all directions.
Lumine initially planned to rely on past combat experience—maneuver around using the terrain and take the enemies down one by one.
But when she looked over, she saw Lu Chen not retreating at all. Instead, he was standing alone at the very front.
"Lu Chen! Be careful!"
"Relax." Lu Chen smiled, raised his left hand, and with a gentle wave, all the Pyroslinger Bracers' enchanted bullets crashed harmlessly against a golden shimmering shield.
Ei and Nahida didn't even need to act. Lu Chen calmly tanked attacks from all directions, advancing steadily step by step.
"Wow!" Paimon's eyes lit up. "That shield's almost on par with Zhongli's!"
"It's still a bit weaker," Lu Chen replied modestly.
The old man's Jade Shield was practically the most versatile skill out there—even if you gave him something stronger, he wouldn't trade it.
Seeing how effortlessly Lu Chen handled the onslaught, Lumine finally relaxed and followed close behind, ready to provide cover.
As Lu Chen pressed forward, the rest of the Fatui started to panic.
"What kind of monster is this? We can't even scratch him!"
"Let me try!" A burly Electrohammer Vanguard roared and raised a massive hammer—one even bigger than Nahida—then brought it crashing down toward Lu Chen.
Still, Lu Chen didn't flinch. He clenched his fist slightly, focusing more Geo energy into a single point.
A loud bang echoed through the air.
"AAAAAH—!"
The Electrohammer Vanguard's hammer flew from his hands. The backlash tore his palms open, forcing him to his knees, blood pouring from his hands.
"Had enough fun?" Lu Chen swept his gaze over the now terrified Fatui. "Then I guess it's my turn."
The moment he finished speaking, he and Ei vanished in a flash. The next instant, the two of them had already charged straight into the enemy ranks.
Lu Chen gave a casual swing of his sword. A wave of piercing sword qi burst out, slicing the front row of Fatui in half like they were made of paper.
On Ei's side, it was even more brutal. Under her thunderous barrage, the Fatui couldn't even leave behind whole corpses—just a pile of mangled remains.
"This is..." Lumine stared in shock at their performance. She'd braced herself for what they could do, but she hadn't expected it to be so overwhelmingly one-sided.
"Whoa—so gory! So terrifying..." Paimon clung to Lumine, too scared to keep watching.
"But... the tour chef got so strong!"
"Tour chef?" Lumine looked at her in confusion.
"Hmph! That's what he gets for being all cryptic just now!" Paimon huffed, floating midair and stomping in frustration. "So I'm giving him a dumb nickname!"
"Tour... chef...?" Nahida let out a small laugh. "So that's Lu Chen's role when you travel?"
"Hmph! Yep, he's in charge of cooking!" Paimon crossed her arms defiantly.
Lumine rolled her eyes. "Lu Chen cooks, and you eat?"
Paimon giggled sheepishly. "Well, what can I say? You're the one who does all the fighting. Think about it—back when we traveled, you handled combat, Lu Chen cooked, and I... I ate. It's a perfectly balanced setup!"
Lumine didn't bother replying. She kept her eyes on Lu Chen, whose figure flickered in and out of view with ghostlike agility. She turned to Nahida.
"When Paimon and I first found him, I already thought someone this mysterious must have a hidden background. I never underestimated him, but even so... I didn't expect..."
"That he'd be this powerful?" Nahida smiled.
Lumine nodded.
"If you knew what kind of person he used to be, you'd be even more shocked..." Nahida said quietly.
"Can you tell me?" Lumine was filled with curiosity.
"Well..." Nahida hesitated.
"Come on, tell me!" Lumine urged.
"You'll have to hear it from him when you get the chance." Nahida shook her head. "But don't worry—no matter how strong he becomes, he's still on our side."
...
The battle ended in a blood-soaked mess. Lu Chen looked around—on both his side and Ei's, not a single enemy was left standing.
Only the trembling Electrohammer Vanguard remained, sprawled on the ground.
Lu Chen walked over with a smile and patted him on the shoulder.
"Don't just freeze up. Tell me where the Watatsumi Army squad is, and I'll let you off the hook."
The Electrohammer Vanguard glanced around at the carnage, despair growing in his eyes.
"Relax. I always keep my word."
To this battle-hardened member of the Fatui Skirmishers, Lu Chen's smile looked more terrifying than a devil's.
...
Guided by the Electrohammer Vanguard, Lu Chen and the others ventured deeper into the Delusion Factory. The aura of the evil god grew thicker the further they went.
Lu Chen looked into the production rooms lining the corridor. In addition to the foul air, there was a heavy scent of blood—clearly, many had died on those experiment tables.
This was where the Fatui used the remnants of dead Archons to manufacture Delusions—devices that mimicked Visions and allowed ordinary people to unleash immense power.
If Diluc were here, he'd recognize the place. There was a time he himself had used one of these Delusions.
Even for a Vision bearer like Diluc, the Delusions carried backlash—let alone for ordinary people.
Using one rapidly drained a person's life force. Death came quickly. The cost of power was steep, because it was never theirs to begin with.
Avoiding the patrolling Fatui, the group moved cautiously. Lumine glanced at the equipment inside the production room, her expression thoughtful.
"I've heard rumors lately... strange cases of premature aging in the Sea God Army..." she said softly.
Lu Chen looked toward her as she frowned and continued.
"I thought it was just gossip, but recently, a few rising stars have suddenly appeared in the military. It's like they had some kind of martial breakthrough overnight. Looking at it now... maybe they've been using these things."
Lu Chen feigned ignorance. "Your analysis makes sense. That's probably it."
But Lumine was clearly troubled by her own speculation.
Lu Chen asked, "By the way, is Teppei one of those rising stars?"
"Teppei?" Lumine thought for a moment. "He doesn't seem to have changed much."
"I see." Lu Chen recalled that Teppei hadn't yet become a squad captain—so likely hadn't obtained a Delusion yet.
"You should keep an eye on him," Lu Chen added, noting Lumine's confused look. "On the way here, I could feel his deep desire to grow stronger. He's exactly the kind of person Delusions attract."
"...Got it. I'll be careful."
...
With the Electrohammer Vanguard leading the way, they navigated through the winding corridors, descending deeper and deeper until they reached a dark prison area.
From afar, Lu Chen spotted Gorou and his men, just as he'd hoped—along with Fatui guards.
"You bastards! How many of our soldiers have died because of those things?! I'll never forgive the Fatui!"
Only Gorou and three wounded soldiers remained inside. Gorou was shouting at a tall, seductive woman who looked down at him with an air of superiority.
"So angry, hmm? Hehehe..."
"Do you even know who you're yelling at? In a way, I've done your precious Watatsumi Island a favor~"
Gorou glared at her. "What nonsense are you spouting? As if someone like you would ever have ties to Watatsumi Island!"
The woman didn't explain. She just gave a short, mocking laugh and walked off gracefully, surrounded by the Fatui.
Lu Chen stared at her back, falling into deep thought.
A Fatui Harbinger—La Signora.
Which meant both of the Harbingers involved in Inazuma... he'd be seeing them soon.