Chapter 277: A Brief Reunion
"To mobilize the laws governing the cycle of life and death, and to declare protection over 'all'life..." Zhongli's gaze was fixed on the'artificial sun' blazing in the sky, his golden eyes deep with contemplation. "The price for wielding such authority must be staggering. Perhaps... it is an ultimate contract, one paid for with the declarer's own life, or even their very existence."
His understanding of Teyvat deepened once more. This world was not merely defined by its unique elemental power system; it possessed the means to directly access and manipulate conceptual forces as fundamental as life and death. The underlying principles of this reality were far more complex and potent than he had ever estimated. It was entirely possible that even more unimaginable secrets and powers lay hidden beneath the surface.
With Mavuika's declaration, Natlan's full-scale counteroffensive officially began.
Save for the warriors required to guard the continuous stream of civilians flooding into the Holy Fire Arena, every other Natlan native who could still lift a weapon surged forward. They were a roaring tide of humanity, their fighting spirit ignited by the divine flame, thundering toward the front lines to clash with the monsters of the Abyss.
Fear was gone from their eyes, replaced by the unyielding resolve to protect their homeland. They knew, with absolute certainty, that the power of the Pyro Archon watched over them from the heavens.
High above, Mavuika did not pause for a single moment. The sun totem blazed behind her as she stretched out a finger, pointing down at the Abyssal Tumors scarring the landscape.
A condensed, crimson-gold beam of light, imbued with divinity and the pure essence of fire, descended from the sky, striking one of the grotesque growths with unerring accuracy.
The twisted, fleshy shield encasing the tumor, a barrier that had thwarted even elite warriors, shattered like brittle glass. Its dark purple, constantly pulsating core was laid bare.
"The shield is broken! Now! Destroy it!" a warrior on the ground roared, seizing the opportunity. A deluge of elemental attacks and martial techniques rained down upon the unprotected core, swiftly annihilating the tumor completely.
Mavuika acted as a divine sniper, firing beam after beam with lethal precision. She disintegrated the shields of one dangerous Abyssal Tumor after another, creating decisive openings for the warriors below.
Watching the magnificent counterattack unfold, everyone in the chat group let out a collective sigh of relief. The people of Natlan had found their own way to fight back, and in doing so, had unleashed an astonishing power.
With their crucial escort mission complete, these "foreign aids" now found themselves somewhat idle.
"Looks like we don't need to jump into the battle here for now," Paimon said, floating beside Lumine with her small hands on her hips, affecting an air of seasoned experience.
"Since the last group of civilians has also arrived safely..." Lumine's gaze drifted over the crowd inside the Holy Fire Arena, landing on a few familiar figures. Stelle, Dan Heng...
Stelle's perception was the sharpest. She immediately felt Lumine's stare, and her head whipped around. A wide grin split her face as she began to wave her arms with unrestrained excitement. "Hey—! Lumine! Paimon! Over here, over here! Hurry!"
After providing support across worlds and enduring their own intense battles, these companions from different universes finally had their chance for a long-awaited, face-to-face reunion at the edge of the Holy Fire Arena, in a brief lull amid the war.
"Auntie Himeko—! Long time no see! I really missed you all!"
Like a swallow returning to its nest, March 7th let out a joyful cry and was the first to move, pouncing on Himeko, who had just arrived with Welt. She threw her arms around the older woman in a tight hug.
That subconscious "Auntie" made Welt reflexively push up his glasses, while Stelle, standing nearby, hid a mischievous grin.
Himeko only paused for a fraction of a second before a gentle, total smile spread across her face. She hugged March 7th back, patting her softly on the back. "Mm, we've been thinking about you all, too, March. It's good to see you're all safe."
On the other side of the small gathering, Stelle watched Dan Heng give Welt a steady, reassuring nod to indicate that everything was fine. She subconsciously straightened her posture, mimicking Dan Heng's calm and composed demeanor, and gave a somewhat stiff nod in Welt's direction as well.
Her deliberately stern little face and the serious expression she tried so hard to maintain were exactly like a child attempting to imitate an adult—a bit clumsy, but utterly adorable.
The sight made Welt chuckle. "You've worked hard, Stelle," he responded gently.
As expected, Stelle's "composure" didn't last even three seconds.
She immediately abandoned the act and scurried over to Himeko's side, though not to act cute. "Himeko!" Stelle tugged on her sleeve. When Himeko's warm gaze turned to her, she immediately put on a deeply wronged expression and pointed an accusing finger at March 7th, launching into a complaint.
"You have to get March under control! When we were in Amphoreus, she kept hitting me!"
With that, Stelle pointed to her own head for Himeko to inspect. "Look, there's still a mark here! And, and... she might have even made me shorter!"
"Hey! Stelle! What nonsense are you spouting!" March 7th immediately lifted her head from Himeko's embrace, her cheeks puffed out indignantly as she retorted, "You were the one who provoked me first! And I didn't even use that much strength!"
Watching Stelle and March 7th instantly devolve into their usual bickering, Himeko and Welt exchanged a glance, a shared, helpless yet doting smile in their eyes. No matter how many adventures they went on, these two always brought a whirlwind of energy wherever they went.
Not far away, Hu Tao was circling Wise and Belle, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Hey, you two must be the young man Wise and the lovely Belle, right? Allow me to formally introduce myself! I, Hu Tao, am the 77th Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!" she announced with a theatrical grin. Then, her tone shifted, carrying a hint of worldly insight.
"Looking at you two, is this your first time experiencing such a big scene? It's natural to be nervous! But don't you worry, nothing is a big deal when you're not the one six feet under."
She leaned in conspiratorially. "The road ahead is still long. Since we're still alive, we should be happy, do what needs to be done, and protect the people who are still with us! Too much pressure will stunt your growth, you know!"
Her words were eccentric, yet they held a simple, deep philosophy. In her own unique way, she was subtly easing the tension and unease that Wise and Belle felt after participating in a world-class war for the first time.
Wise nodded steadily. "Thank you for your guidance, Director Hu. We understand."
Belle also bowed slightly. "Mm, we'll be sure to adjust our mindset."
Just then, Lumine and Paimon, the last to arrive, finally joined the group. Paimon immediately zipped over to Stelle and March 7th, curiously asking what they were arguing about this time. Meanwhile, Lumine smiled and nodded to Zhongli and Venti before being pulled over by Hu Tao to help "guide" the new friends.
A long-lost, relaxed atmosphere settled over them, seeming to temporarily dispel the oppressive gloom of war.
However, this hard-won warmth was not destined to last.
In the sky, the Abyssal Entity, which had been driven back above the Cragfall Canyon, seemed to have been utterly enraged by the concentrated will of resistance from the ground and the fiery declaration of war.
[Inorin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me!
Want to read ahead on our official home, or unlock 50 advanced chapters (plus an Ad-Free experience) to feed your addiction? Help keep this shameless translator alive here:
(P.S. Replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
🌐 Official Website: elysianreads[.]com
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters & Ad-Free): patreon[.]com/InorinTL
☕ Ko-fi (Support / Sponsor): ko-fi[.]com/InorinTL
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]