"Reverse Flame Blade!"
Diluc shouted as more Pyro energy surged from his hands into the greatsword.
The flames wrapped around the blade grew even more intense.
It looked like a sword made purely of fire.
The Cryo Abyss Mage turned around and hurriedly raised its staff to block the descending strike.
But it had no way to resist the blazing flames.
The fire swallowed the staff in an instant.
And in terms of raw strength, the gap between it and Diluc was enormous.
The Abyss Mage was smashed into a nearby stone pillar and immediately knocked unconscious.
Its robe was scorched and smoking.
"Tch."
"Good thing I didn't use too much force."
Diluc stepped forward and grabbed the Abyss Mage.
He intended to bring it back for interrogation.
"I didn't expect you to be among the people who came to save me."
Kaeya leaned against another pillar and gave a wry smile.
"I'm only here for the Abyss Mage."
Diluc replied coldly.
"If anyone deserves the credit for saving you, it's Jiang Chen."
"If Jiang Chen hadn't insisted we hurry, you might've been a corpse by the time I arrived."
Diluc said.
"I was just being cautious."
Jiang Chen replied casually.
"I didn't expect you to be that unlucky and run into an Abyss Mage of the same element."
"Yes… it ambushed me."
Kaeya said with relief.
"In any case, I'll remember this favor, Boss Jiang Chen."
He pointed toward the altar at the far end of the hall.
The dragon energy crystal had not yet been destroyed.
"After being ambushed, I deliberately protected that crystal."
"That way, if you saw the storm over Mondstadt hadn't cleared yet, you'd realize something had happened and come rescue me."
"But it seems that precaution wasn't necessary."
Kaeya fired several Cryo icicles at the crystal.
The crystal shattered.
With that, the Temple of the Wolf of the North had also been cleared.
"You're still as calm as ever."
Diluc glanced at him.
Even in a life-threatening situation, Kaeya had been planning ways to save himself.
It had to be said—
Kaeya was truly clever.
"Heh… should I take that as sarcasm?"
Kaeya laughed self-deprecatingly.
"Interpret it however you like."
Diluc replied indifferently.
"Since you've come this far, help me out."
Kaeya said.
"I told you, I came for the Abyss Mage."
Diluc said—
but still walked over and let Kaeya lean on him.
Jiang Chen supported him from the other side.
The two carried Kaeya as they left the temple.
Diluc still held the unconscious Abyss Mage in one hand.
"I wonder how Lisa is doing."
Kaeya looked toward the south.
"Lisa? No need to worry about her."
Jiang Chen shook his head.
From the system panel, Kaeya was Lv10.
Lisa was Lv18.
What did that mean?
Jean was only Lv15.
Even Diluc was roughly at the same level as Lisa.
She had been hiding her strength extremely well.
And Electro was a very powerful element.
Diluc rarely agreed with others, but this time he did.
"That woman… if she wanted to, she could become the most reliable member of the Knights."
"Lisa is that highly regarded by you two?"
Kaeya asked in surprise.
Jiang Chen might not know her well enough yet.
But for Diluc—who rarely acknowledged others' strength—this kind of praise was unusual.
For example, Diluc considered Jean someone who slowed him down, preferring to keep his distance.
Jiang Chen, however, treated Jean very well.
Kaeya secretly suspected that Jiang Chen simply liked Jean's looks—and might actually succeed soon.
"Someone who's seriously injured shouldn't worry about others."
Diluc said impatiently.
The three eventually returned near Mondstadt.
The chaotic elemental energy from earlier was gone.
"The elemental flow and ley lines have returned to normal."
"It seems Lisa has already resolved things at the Temple of the Lion of the South."
Kaeya realized his earlier worries had indeed been unnecessary.
"Jiang Chen, I'll leave this guy to you."
Diluc suddenly shoved Kaeya aside and disappeared into the darkness with the Abyss Mage.
Carrying such a prisoner meant he couldn't enter Mondstadt openly.
Otherwise the Knights of Favonius would bombard him with endless questioning.
They might even try to take over the interrogation themselves.
"That guy…"
Kaeya gave a helpless smile.
"Sorry for the trouble, Boss Jiang Chen."
"We're already here. What trouble?"
Jiang Chen replied.
Kaeya was about to feel grateful—
when Jiang Chen waved toward the city gate.
One of the guards ran over.
"Captain Kaeya!"
"Boss Jiang Chen!"
The Knight Lawrence saluted properly.
"You two—"
"Here."
"Your cavalry captain."
Jiang Chen interrupted him and pushed Kaeya directly into his arms.
"Take him back to the Knights headquarters and let him recover."
With that, Jiang Chen turned and walked into the city.
"…."
Kaeya was speechless.
"So that's what you meant by 'we're already here'?"
He suddenly felt completely abandoned.
Jiang Chen entered the city gates.
Mondstadt was now lit by lanterns.
Knights maintained order while citizens cleaned up the damage outside their homes.
When Jiang Chen returned to the Good Hunter restaurant, he noticed a suspicious figure peeking around the entrance.
A large witch's hat bobbed up and down as the figure tried to sneak around.
If you like the story please vote using power stones and add it to your library