Lumine: I'm Done… My Scene Got Stolen!
Mondstadt's sky had been bright and clear just moments ago.
But now—
WHOOSH—
WHOOSH—
WHOOSH—
Violent gusts erupted through the city without warning.
Dust, leaves, and debris were swept up into the air, swirling wildly.
The wind grew stronger and stronger.
Above Mondstadt, dark clouds rapidly gathered—
gray, heavy, oppressive.
Like a storm was about to swallow the world.
Or more accurately… like the end of days were descending.
And in truth, that wasn't far from reality.
The massive shadow in the distance grew larger—
WHOOSH!
A colossal figure tore through Mondstadt's sky with a thunderous roar.
Stormterror had arrived.
ROAR!!
The dragon's maddened bellow shook the air.
Its six wings beat fiercely, whipping up devastating winds.
Buildings collapsed as if made of paper.
Fortunately, thanks to the warnings, very few civilians were on the streets.
There were no casualties yet.
[Supernal Chat Group]
Xiangling: T-This is Stormterror? That destructive power is terrifying!
Keqing: Much worse than what the light curtain showed!
Ayaka: Judging by its force… this is god-level strength. I hope Mondstadt survives this.
La Signora: Heh. The Wind God's beloved pet now returns to punish His people—quite poetic, isn't it?
Alhaitham: So it was an attendant of the Anemo Archon. No wonder it's so strong.
Navia: If it was once a guardian, why does it look like this now? It seems enraged… but also not fully lucid.
La Signora: Ask your useless Wind God.
Jean: This is Mondstadt territory. If you dare insult Lord Barbatos again, I won't be polite.
Barbara: No slandering Lord Barbatos!
La Signora: You'd better focus on surviving first~
Stormterror circled the city once more, raging wildly, then hovered above Mondstadt again.
Twisted by Abyssal corruption, it stared down at the city it once protected—
its eyes filled with hatred and pain.
ROOOOAR!!
Wind surged.
Six shimmering wings trembled.
Elemental energy spiraled violently.
Above the Anemo Archon statue, a black vortex tore open.
BOOM—!
A torrent of chaotic wind poured from it, forming a massive black tornado.
From afar, it looked like a pillar connecting sky and earth, devouring all in its path.
Two more tornados erupted elsewhere in the city—
growing rapidly under Stormterror's power.
The destructive range expanded at frightening speed.
Barbara had just stepped out from the Cathedral.
She wasn't far from the Anemo statue.
She had been busy arguing with La Signora in the chat—
and failed to notice the danger.
When she finally realized it—
It was too late.
Her small body, in front of the monstrous tornado, was like a tiny boat in a storm.
She was swept into the sky instantly.
"Barbara!"
Jean shouted through the light curtain, panic flooding her face.
She nearly rushed out right then—
But a gentle voice sounded in her ear:
"Do not worry. I am here.
Barbara will be fine."
Jean froze.
That voice—
The bard?
He had such power?
Could it be…
Jean was no fool.
After everything the light curtain had revealed,
plus his behavior in the chat,
and now this…
She was already 90% sure of his identity.
If it was that person, Barbara would indeed be safe.
Jean forced herself to calm down and nodded.
She couldn't panic now.
She turned to Lisa.
"Barbara has help. She'll be fine.
We need to wait for our moment to strike."
Lisa exhaled in relief.
If Jean said so, then things were truly under control.
Near the Anemo statue
Venti stood quietly in the shadows, looking up.
He had only come to retrieve the Sky Lyre.
But instead, he witnessed this scene.
Watching Dvalin rampage, twisted beyond recognition, Venti's expression dimmed.
But this was not the time for sorrow.
Better to sever the pain now, than let it drag on forever.
For Dvalin's sake, and for Mondstadt's, he had to act.
With a thought, he sent a surge of Anemo energy to the girl spiraling in the sky.
Barbara had panicked when she was first thrown upward.
But feeling the solid weight of the Enhanced Sky AK-47 in her arms calmed her heart.
After steadying herself, she unfurled her Wind Glider.
But then—
"Huh…?"
"Why can I hover in place for so long?
Did my old glider break or something…?"
A serene voice drifted into her mind:
"It is I who guides the thousand-year winds beneath you…
so that you do not fall.
Dvalin is not at his full strength.
Devotee of Barbatos,
use that power from another world—
and help him return to himself."
"This voice…"
Barbara frowned slightly.
It sounded oddly familiar.
But she had no time to ponder.
Her eyes focused on Stormterror, firm and resolute.
"By Lord Barbatos' grace—
Dvalin, former Four Winds Guardian—
let me help free you!"
Not by killing him.
But by weakening him.
Barbara readied the AK-47 and aimed at the dragon.
Bang!
A bullet shot out—
this time imbued with Hydro.
It splashed against Dvalin's scales, barely damaging him.
Barbara wasn't surprised.
The weapon was strong, sure—
but she was firing at the Archon's own companion.
Of course it wouldn't be easy.
But as that mysterious voice said,
Dvalin wasn't at his prime.
And she had infinite ammo, with random elemental rounds.
Her confidence rose.
Barbara squeezed the trigger again.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Bullets of every element shot forth—
Pyro, Cryo, Electro, Hydro—
triggering vaporize, melt, overload, superconduct…
a chaotic symphony of elemental reactions.
The sky lit with rainbow muzzle flashes.
Gradually—
Dvalin began to falter.
And Barbara…
Barbara was thriving.
Her little face flushed with excitement.
This was fun.
Shooting was unbelievably—
unbelievably—
FUN!
Meanwhile, Lumine and Paimon were still rushing toward Mondstadt.
Watching the light curtain mid-run, Lumine's expression twitched hard.
"That—
Wait.
Wait wait WAIT."
"Isn't this MY scene from the original future?"
"So why—
Why is my whole plot…
being STOLEN?!"
She looked like she was about to cry.
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