Chapter 194: Go, Paimon Star! Destroy Them!
Lumine knew exactly what Paimon was thinking. She could see it in her companion's shifty eyes and the way she was clearly puffing out her chest to act tough.
She knew Paimon far too well. If that little lazy glutton were to suddenly start practicing diligently every day, the sun would rise from the west, and Zhongli would remember to bring his own Mora when he went out. There had to be some other reason for this, something Paimon was too embarrassed to admit.
However, not wanting to dampen Paimon's newfound and exceedingly rare enthusiasm, Lumine decided to play along. She let a look of just the right amount of admiration and encouragement bloom on her face and nodded vigorously. "So that's it! Paimon, you're truly amazing! To think you've been practicing so hard behind my back!"
"When we get back, that big feast we talked about will definitely be on me! Keep it up in the future and keep practicing hard!"
Lumine's sincere (and only slightly acted) praise was clearly effective. Paimon's faint guilt was immediately swept away by an inflated sense of accomplishment. A smug, happy smile spread across her small face, washing away much of her earlier nervousness.
"Hmph, hmph~ Of course! When Paimon gets serious, she's worth two of anyone else! Alright, Lumine, let's go! Let these rock-lumps see how powerful Paimon is!"
The burly, muscle-bound Paimon Star, still bearing Paimon's face, needed no detailed instructions. It seemed to possess an innate enemy-seeking and combat instinct, charging like a humanoid tank toward the nearest squad of Damned monsters. Its speed was so explosive and its movements so swift that even Lumine almost couldn't react in time.
The wandering Damned Hunters, Damned Troupes, and even the slightly larger Damned Gladiators were like paper toys before Paimon Star.
Its rock-hard, casserole-sized fists, imbued with immense power, swung out with brutal simplicity.
Bang!
A Damned Hunter, just raising its energy bow, was blasted into a cloud of scattered stone fragments by a single, direct punch.
A Damned Troupe tried to chant an interference spell, but before the discordant notes could even leave its mouth, it—and the very air around it—was flattened into the ground by a descending fist.
A Damned Gladiator roared and charged with swinging arms, only to be met with a casual backhand from Paimon Star. The blow sent it flying into a nearby stone wall, where it was embedded like some bizarre, abstract mural.
Paimon Star's fighting style was devoid of any flashy moves; it was simply an absolute, crushing display of power and speed. It charged left and right through the area, its fists swinging so fast they left tangible afterimages. Wherever it went, monsters exploded into pieces, utterly unmatched.
In just a dozen seconds, a corner of the quarry that had seemed quite lively moments before was completely cleared, leaving only slowly dissipating motes of black energy and a few treasure chests that had quietly materialized.
Lumine and Paimon stood rooted to the spot, their eyes wide and mouths agape. They stared at the battlefield where the fight had ended in a flash, unable to utter a single word for a long time.
A strange silence permeated the air.
Finally, Lumine was the first to snap out of her shock. She blinked, her voice laced with disbelief. "Pai-Paimon… your Paimon Star… isn't it a bit too strong? And…"
She pointed into the distance. "It charged out so far just now, that must have been over a hundred meters! Aren't Stands supposed to stay near their user to protect them?"
"Huh?" Paimon was brought back to her senses by Lumine's words. She finally registered the distance issue, a puzzled expression appearing on her small face. "Oh, right… Can Paimon Star go this far from me? No, no, that's too far!"
A sudden lack of security gripped her, and she instinctively shouted, "Come back! Get closer to me!"
Before her words even finished echoing, Paimon Star, which had been standing like a god of war a hundred meters away, vanished with a silent whoosh. In the exact same instant, it reappeared as silently as a ghost beside Paimon, standing perfectly still. The entire movement was so fast it exceeded the limits of visual capture, not even stirring a single breeze, as if it had been standing there all along.
"…Alright, it seems distance isn't an issue for you at all," Lumine said with a helpless smile, watching its teleportation-like speed. This Stand's abilities just kept astounding her.
After this experience, Paimon looked at the sturdy "muscle mountain" beside her, and her initial embarrassment about its appearance was quickly replaced by an unmatched sense of security.
'Although its appearance is a bit embarrassing,'she thought,'it… it really does make me feel safe.'
Paimon suddenly felt that perhaps she could accept this uniquely styled Stand after all. She was even starting to get used to it, to rely on it.
However, before Paimon could revel in this newfound sense of power for long, new challenges arrived one after another.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Five heavy thuds echoed from ahead, shaking the very ground beneath their feet. Five Damned Vanguards crashed to the ground in the classic "hero landing" pose, kicking up a thick cloud of dust.
They rose to their full, intimidating height, their eyes flashing with a savage red light. Their giant stone greatswords were all pointed in Paimon and Lumine's direction, exuding an oppressive, suffocating aura.
If this had been the Paimon from before, seeing such a lineup would have sent her screaming and hiding behind Lumine.
But the Paimon of this moment was not the Paimon of a minute ago.
Feeling the raw power emanating from Paimon Star beside her, an unmatched confidence welled up within her. She folded her arms across her chest (doing her best to imitate the demeanor of a grandmaster), raised her small chin slightly, and, in what she thought was the coolest tone she could muster, forcefully waved a small hand forward.
"Go, Paimon Star! Take them down!"
Paimon Star responded instantly, charging out like a fierce tiger descending a mountain to actively confront the five Damned Vanguards.
The battle was still a one-sided affair, but compared to clearing out the lesser mobs, this was slightly "more difficult."
Facing the Damned Vanguards' thick stone armor, Paimon Star's terrifying punches now needed to strike the same spot consecutively to completely break through their defenses.
BOOM! The first punch landed with a heavy impact. Spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the stone armor of a Damned Vanguard's chest, its massive body stumbling backward.
BOOM!! The second punch followed without a pause, striking the exact same spot. The stone armor completely shattered.
BOOM!!! The third punch landed in the same instant! The Damned Vanguard froze, then exploded with a deafening roar, turning into a shower of scattered rubble.
One down. In just three punches.
Following the same pattern, Paimon Star's figure darted among the remaining four Damned Vanguards. Its movements were less a dance and more a series of violent, straight-line charges, its fists thundering like pile drivers. The Vanguards' clumsy attacks couldn't touch it in the slightest; instead, they were precisely detonated one by one.
In just another dozen seconds, five Damned Vanguards—a force that would make even elite warriors stand on high alert—met the same fate as the earlier cannon fodder, becoming nothing more than a pile of wreckage.
They didn't even possess the qualifications to force Paimon Star to use its time-stopping ability.
Paimon watched the scene unfold, her small heart thumping with excitement and a thrilling surge of power. She suddenly realized that combat… wasn't so scary after all. As long as she didn't think too hard about Paimon Star's unique appearance, she, the great Paimon, seemed capable of becoming a formidable ace on the battlefield.
"That's great, Paimon!" Lumine immediately offered timely praise, her face beaming with genuine joy. "You did very well! Paimon Star is truly reliable!"
Hearing the praise, Paimon broke into a brilliant smile, and was just about to put her hands on her hips in a triumphant pose—
When a sudden change occurred.
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