The road toward Pardis Dhyai stretched closer with every step, its outline beginning to form in the distance. Just before the path dipped into the trees leading toward the place, I slowed down, then finally stopped.
"Hey guys," I called out, scratching the back of my head. "Why don't you go on first?"
The group paused ahead of me, turning in confusion. Nilou tilted her head, worry already clouding her gentle eyes. "Why? Shigeru… what's wrong?"
I gave her my best lazy grin, though it didn't reach my eyes. "I kinda have something to do first, you know? Serious business and stuff."
Dehya's brow arched, sharp and questioning. "Serious business?" she muttered, clearly not buying the vague excuse. "You've been acting different today, Shigeru. Don't think I haven't noticed."
I let out a small chuckle. Great. Of course she'd notice. Cats always catch on to things—especially ones with sharp claws.
Nilou took a step closer, her hands clasped together tightly. "But… can't it wait? It sounds dangerous."
Before I could answer, Lumine's voice cut through, calm but edged with concern. Her golden eyes locked on me with that piercing gaze of hers. "Do you really have to do it alone?"
Her words lingered heavier than the others. I chuckled, rubbing the back of my neck as if it would erase the weight in the air. "Not really. But you don't have to worry, you know? I have Greg with me." I tapped the little lizard perched on my shoulder, trying to lighten the mood.
Greg flicked his tongue and tilted his head, staring at me like don't drag me into this mess, human. Then he slowly crawled up onto my head like some kind of battle helmet.
"See?" I grinned. "Best headgear around. Stylish, practical, bite-sized intimidation."
Paimon snorted, crossing her arms. "Pfft! More like bite-sized disaster waiting to happen. Greg probably has more survival instincts than you!"
I gasped dramatically. "Wow. Betrayed by my own support fairy. Cold. Very cold."
Nilou's worry deepened, her voice soft. "Shigeru… please be careful. I don't like this."
I laughed, though it came out softer than usual. "You guys worry too much. I'll be fine. Really." …Lies. But hey, if I say it with enough confidence, maybe it'll sound true, right?
Paimon zipped closer, arms crossed and puffing up like a tiny storm cloud. "No way! Paimon doesn't like this either! Just tell us what it is and we'll do it together!"
Her sincerity tugged at me, but I shook my head, still grinning. "Relax, floating gremlin. It's nothing I can't handle."
Dehya narrowed her eyes, arms crossing. "You better not be underestimating yourself. Or us." Her voice was steady, but I caught the faintest hint of respect buried under her suspicion.
Lumine exhaled slowly, then closed the distance between us. Before I could react, she wrapped her arms tightly around me. Her voice was steady but quiet. "Just… be safe, okay? If you can't handle it on your own, we'll always be here to support you."
The hug caught me off guard, but I found myself smiling faintly, my hand resting briefly on her head. "Be careful, Blondie. Don't get too worked up. There's just something I have to do."
Nilou, unable to hold back, rushed forward and hugged me as well. Her arms squeezed tight, her voice shaky. "You better come back safe, Shigeru. Promise me."
Paimon zipped into the hug pile, glaring daggers at Greg. "And you! You better keep this idiot in check or Paimon will unleash her Paimonial wrath on you!"
Greg froze like a criminal caught red-handed, his little claws raised halfway in surrender. His eyes blinked slowly like he was pleading innocence. Then, with all the grace of a tiny king, he flicked his tongue once in agreement.
I laughed again, patting them both gently. "No need to worry. Just do what you have to do, okay? I'll catch up."
Dehya lingered for a moment longer, her gaze locked on me. "Don't die, idiot. I don't like wasting time on people who throw themselves away."
I gave her a two-finger salute. "Yes, ma'am. Loud and clear."
The three of them reluctantly pulled away, though not without one last look of worry. Together with Dehya, who gave me a lingering glance of her own, they continued toward Pardis Dhyai.
The road ahead stretched quiet again. I drew in a deep breath, the weight of what I was about to do pressing in on my chest. Man… this is the worst part. Not the fighting, not the danger… but leaving them with those looks in their eyes. Makes me feel like the bad guy in my own story.
"Before I face that puppet, I have to see my Master again."
I glanced down at Greg, who was now perched back on my shoulder. He blinked at me once, calm as ever.
"Let's go, buddy," I muttered, before taking my first step off the path.
***
The air around me felt heavier the moment the others disappeared down the path toward Pardis Dhyai. I stood there for a long while, staring at nothing, until finally I let out a sharp breath and muttered to myself.
"Alright. Time to face my fate seriously."
Greg shifted on my shoulder, his tiny claws digging into the fabric of my shirt. His black eyes blinked slowly at me as if asking if I was truly ready. I placed a hand over him briefly, the faintest of smiles tugging at my lips. "Don't worry, buddy. You'll be with me."
But their voices still echoed in my head. Nilou's pleading tone—Promise me you'll come back safe. Lumine's quiet but fierce hug—If you can't handle it on your own, we'll always be here to support you. Paimon's indignant storm—Paimon doesn't like this! Don't do stupid things without us! Even Dehya's sharp stare, unspoken but loud as thunder—Don't die, idiot.
I chuckled weakly under my breath. "Guess I've got more people worrying about me than I deserve."
Greg tilted his head at me, slow blink. Finally noticing, huh? At least, that's how I read it. I poked his snout lightly. "Don't give me that look. You're included too, you know."
I thought back to how Nilou grabbed my sleeve before I left. Her voice trembled, but her eyes burned. "Don't shoulder everything alone. Please… come back." Lumine added, with that strange way she has of saying so much in so few words: "Even if you walk into the dark, we'll be your light to return to." And Paimon—loud, stubborn, impossible Paimon—shoved her little fists against my chest. "If you don't come back, Paimon's never forgiving you!"
I swallowed hard. Their voices clung to me more than the mountain air did. "I'll come back," I whispered, though none of them were there to hear it.
I walked toward the nearest teleport waypoint, my steps echoing against the stone path. The familiar surge of energy wrapped around me, and in an instant, the world shifted. When my feet touched solid ground again, I was standing at Mt. Hulao.
The mountain loomed around me, its silence pressing down with a weight heavier than any weapon. I pulled in a long breath of the crisp air, the scent of pine and stone sharp in my lungs. My hand rose, and I shaped a claymore out of pure geo energy. The weapon materialized, humming with raw stability, and I let electro sparks course across its blade, lacing it with anemo currents. The energy fused together, trembling like a beast eager to be unleashed.
Without hesitation, I leapt onto the claymore, letting the combined force of anemo and electro propel me across the rugged cliffs. Wind howled in my ears as I rode the blade, Greg clinging tightly to my shoulder, his tail whipping against my neck like a warning not to falter. The rush carried me straight toward the domain where I knew he would be waiting.
And there he was.
Mountain Shaper stood tall in front of the domain gates, not in his illuminated beast form but in the shape of a man, robes flowing with the authority of centuries. His eyes, sharp as chiseled stone, pierced straight through me. He did not move. He did not need to. His presence alone was enough to make the mountain tremble.
"Foolish disciple," his voice rumbled, deep and timeless. "What brought you here into One's domain?"
I slid off the claymore, dismissing it into shards of geo that scattered like dust. My knees bent slightly as I bowed my head low. My voice carried no trace of the jokes or bravado I usually wore like armor.
"Master," I said, my throat tight. "Once more, please guide this foolish disciple of yours."
Silence followed, stretching long enough for the wind itself to hesitate. When I dared to lift my eyes, Mountain Shaper was already gazing at me as though peeling away every mask I had ever worn.
"One has been expecting your return," he said at last. "And it seems something has changed within you. Have you finally made up your mind and decided to take things accordingly?"
I straightened, my chest heavy but steady. "Yes, Master. No more fooling around."
Mountain Shaper's eyes narrowed further. "You claim so. But One has heard such vows before. Why should One believe this time is different?"
The question dug into me like stone spikes. I inhaled sharply, then answered, "Because this time, I've finally understood what I stand to lose. And what I refuse to let slip away again."
His gaze lingered on me, like tectonic plates grinding. "And if sacrifice is demanded of you? Would you still stand firm?"
My hand tightened into a fist at my side. "If my life is the price to keep them safe, then so be it."
For a moment, the mountain air seemed to still, as though even the wind was listening.
Mountain Shaper's expression barely shifted, but the weight in his gaze deepened. "Then tell One… for how long can you train under One's domain?"
The question cut sharper than his tone suggested. I let the words sit inside me before answering.
"A whole day or more."
Greg slapped his tail against my shoulder like are you serious right now? I almost snorted, but I kept my eyes locked on Mountain Shaper.
The ancient adeptus tilted his head slightly, the faintest narrowing of his eyes carrying more judgment than a thousand scoldings. "Are you sure you are willing to part ways with that traveler for so long? You should know well… an hour here is equivalent to a month on the outside."
Greg's claws dug into me harder at that reminder, like he was anchoring me to reality. My hand rose and brushed against his scales, grounding myself as I looked straight into Mountain Shaper's eyes.
"If I want to protect them, and ensure the safety of everyone else—of the entirety of Teyvat—then it is nothing compared to these two years of suffering."
The words tasted like iron, heavy and unshakable. They were not spoken lightly. They were not meant to be.
Mountain Shaper's brow furrowed. "Bold words. Yet boldness alone cannot shield the world. Show One that your conviction is more than fleeting fire."
I bowed my head deeper, voice steady. "Then test me, Master. Break me if you must. If my resolve shatters, it means I was never worthy to begin with."
For the first time, the corner of Mountain Shaper's lips curved upward. It was not a smile of warmth, but one of acknowledgment. "Finally," he rumbled. "You are now worthy of becoming One's disciple."
But then his gaze sharpened again, cutting through the air like a blade. "But I alone am not enough."
The mountain stirred. The silence broke. And in a rush of divine presence, the others appeared.
Moon Carver stepped forth, his Deer-like elegance radiating wisdom older than nations. Cloud Retainer descended, her robes fluttering as her voice echoed with endless calculation. Xiao, quiet and sharp, materialized from the shadows, his golden eyes like burning lanterns in the dusk. And finally, the air itself trembled as Morax—Zhongli, Archon, God of Contracts—took his place among them, his gaze steady, his presence inescapable.
I blinked. For half a second, my lips twitched like I wanted to crack a joke. Really? All of you at once? That's overkill. Greg gave me a side-eye blink, as if warning me don't you dare. But then Zhongli's eyes met mine. This was the same man I had shared tea with, debated contracts with, sometimes even annoyed for fun. My buddy. My mentor in a way. Yet here, standing as Morax… he was more than a friend. He was judgment itself.
I clenched my jaw, forcing away the easy grin. "Alright, old friend… guess it's time you see me at my best—or at my worst."
Mountain Shaper lifted his hand toward me. "Disciple. Show us how much you are willing to push through and sacrifice to save those you love… and the world you wish to protect."
The others said nothing, but their very existence pressed against me, testing me before the trial even began. Their silence was louder than thunder, heavier than stone. A storm of judgment without a single word spoken.
I exhaled slowly, steadying the thrum in my chest. Greg shifted again, looking up at me with his blank but oddly supportive lizard stare. It was ridiculous to find comfort in those tiny eyes, yet I did.
My grip tightened on the hilt of my blade. My voice carried no hesitation, though my heart thundered loud enough to shake mountains.
"Now come, Disciple!" Mountain Shaper commanded.
I smiled faintly, a steel edge to the curve of my lips. "I'm ready."
______________
End of Chapter 142
Quests Completed:
*Confronted Mountain Shaper and declared the resolve to undergo training, no matter the cost.
*Parted ways with Lumine, Nilou, Paimon, and Dehya, carrying their worries and hopes while choosing the harder path forward.
*Swore to accept any trial, even death, to protect Teyvat and those you hold dear.
*Summoned not only Mountain Shaper but also Cloud Retainer, Moon Carver, Xiao, and Morax, proving conviction before all.
* Received Greg's quiet but unwavering loyalty, the little lizard anchoring him against doubt.
Rewards:
*+1 Title: "Disciple of the Adepti" (Provisional)
*+500 Conviction EXP
*+1 Hidden Buff: "Two Years in One Day" (Time distortion awareness)
*+1 New Passive Skill: Silence That Speaks (Your lack of jokes is now terrifyingly powerful)
*+200 Respect Points (Adepts, reluctantly granted)
*+50 Greg Loyalty Points (He didn't fall off during claymore surfing)
*+1 Lucky Charm: Voices of Your Companions (Carried in your heart)
*+10,000 Pressure Points (the kind that crush bones)
*+1 New Weakness: Teammates' Hug Flashbacks (debuff mid-training)
*+1 Unlock: Adepti Training Arc
* +1 Aura of Maturity
*Permission to train under the Adepti
*Recognition as Mountain Shaper's true disciple
*Trust acknowledged by the Adepti and Morax
*Strengthened bonds with Lumine, Nilou, Paimon, and Dehya
*Hidden knowledge of the Adepti domain's flow of time
Achievement Unlocked:
"Where Jokes Cannot Reach"
-You resisted the urge to defuse divine judgment with humor. Instead, you stood firm, bared your resolve, and demanded to be tested.