"I've cleared out plenty of hilichurls before…" Amber asked, genuinely confused. "So why didn't I ever get that kind of energy?"
Kaito gave her a look like she'd just answered her own question.
"Have you ever fought hilichurls near Mondstadt that were actually strong?"
Amber's cheeks warmed.
Individually? Not really. Compared to the ones inside this temple, the ones outside were basically harmless.
The only times she'd needed to run were when she accidentally drew an entire group at once.
"Move," Kaito said, pressing close to the wall and peeking into the next hall. "Three wooden-shield hilichurls, two archers, and one carrying a Pyro Slime."
"Want to lure them to the doorway and ambush?" Amber whispered.
"That could work," Kaito said. "But we'll do it differently."
He pointed lightly.
"I'll cut off the two archers. Lumine handles the slime-carrier. Amber—those three shield hilichurls are yours."
Amber's eyes went wide. "M-Me? One versus three?!"
"Kiting is literally what bow users are best at," Kaito said, like it was the most normal thing in the world.
If it were Fischl, she could delete three shield hilichurls without taking a scratch—even with a bigger brute mixed in.
For Amber, it was harder… but not impossible.
"I… I'll try," Amber said, not sounding fully confident.
At that moment, golden Geo energy flowed around Kaito like shimmering sand.
Amber and Lumine both stiffened.
"G-Geo?!" Paimon yelped, darting back. "Wait—Boss Kaito, aren't you an Anemo user?!"
Kaito glanced at her. "Do you see an Anemo Vision on me?"
Then he raised his hand toward the hall.
"Stone Wall."
RUMMMM—!
A thick wall of rock erupted from the floor, splitting the hall into separate lanes. The two archer hilichurls vanished behind stone.
"Ya-yaika!"
The monsters reacted instantly.
"Lumine!" Kaito called.
"On it."
Lumine didn't have time to be shocked. She sprinted straight for the hilichurl carrying the Pyro Slime and slashed in hard.
That type was support—tossing explosive slime bombs into fights to punish anyone stuck trading hits with shield units.
One-on-one, it was actually easier than the wooden-shield kind.
Lumine planned to finish it fast—then loop around the wall and hunt the archers.
Kaito didn't move.
The Geo around him stayed steady—not to attack, but to shield Amber if she got pressured.
"Your turn, Amber," he said calmly.
Three shield hilichurls charged.
Amber fired a charged Pyro shot the moment she had a line—straight into the nearest shield.
The wood ignited.
The hilichurl shrieked, heat scorching its hands as it shook the shield violently to snuff the flames.
Amber rolled hard to the side, opening space before the other two could close in.
She nocked again.
Pyro gathered—
Thump!
Blocked—again. Another shield.
She stole a glance at the first one. The flames had already died down. Judging by how damaged the shield looked…
At least two charged shots to fully burn one.
Amber wanted to cry.
She kept moving, taking routes that wouldn't let them corner her.
"Is Boss Kaito seriously not helping?" Paimon whispered.
"He is helping," Kaito said. "If I step in and finish them, Amber gets less of the energy."
He wasn't here to steal kills.
He was here to build them up.
On the other side of the wall, Lumine finished her fight in a burst of sparks and scattered embers.
Her Favonius Sword carved a clean arc, then settled behind her.
The slime-carrier collapsed—still burning.
Lumine felt the energy sink into her, steady and warm.
She was getting stronger.
A small, satisfied smile tugged at her lips.
As she moved to circle the wall, she couldn't help glancing toward the one person calmly overseeing everything.
"Breakthrough?" Kaito asked, not even needing to look. The System would tell him either way.
Meanwhile, Amber was in trouble.
She'd burned down two shields, but the third hilichurl was still intact—and the other two were already closing back in. She was running too much to safely charge another shot.
Kaito sighed.
Enough.
He snapped his fingers.
Another thick Stone Wall rose between Amber and the hilichurls, cutting the fight into a clean choke.
Amber's eyes lit up.
Footsteps—closing in.
She nocked an arrow. Pyro packed tight at the tip, aimed at the edge of the wall—
The moment a hilichurl stepped into view—
BOOM!
The charged shot detonated into its face.
The hilichurl flew backward like it had been kicked by a horse.
Amber exhaled once, retreated two steps, and charged again.
This time she fought smarter—circling the wall, forcing predictable angles, punishing the instant they overcommitted.
It took effort.
It took sweat.
But she did it.
When the last one fell, Amber stuck her tongue out, chest heaving.
"That… was weirdly satisfying," she admitted.
Her hair clung to her cheeks. Her hands trembled slightly. Even her voice wobbled.
And despite all of that—
Amber grinned, eyes bright.
She felt… amazing.
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