Only two enemies remained on the field: a Treasure Hoarder Pyro Potioneer and the Electro Cicin Mage.
Plus, her three buzzing Cicins.
"Let's roast you alive!"
The Potioneer continued hurling flasks of fire, while the Cicins kept firing Electro orbs in rapid bursts.
Fischl raised a brow and aimed an arrow at the Electro Cicin Mage. Unexpectedly, upon taking the hit, the mage vanished in a blink—and reappeared right in front of them.
"Oh, now you've really made me mad~"
Sparks of Electro danced visibly around her as the Cicin Mage floated into the air, surrounded by a translucent purple barrier. Above her, a flickering Electro lantern pulsed ominously.
As soon as she spoke, Victor Wang shouted, "Back! Now!"
The three of them split and retreated. The Cicin Mage chose to chase Victor.
Even though he'd already moved back several steps, electric arcs still lashed out, licking his body with crackling energy.
The sheer volume of Electro being released overwhelmed Victor's elemental shield. Had it been anyone else, they'd already be drained dry and left to fight her with pure weapon skills. But Victor's whole playstyle centered on quantity.
Though the tingling wasn't entirely unpleasant, he didn't hesitate—he reinforced his elemental barrier and retreated further, trying to escape her range.
"If you can catch me, I'll let you~ heehee~"
Whether or not the Cicin Mage had real intelligence, Victor shot back with a taunt and kited her for a solid ten seconds before her ultimate finally ended.
"Ugh~ isn't anyone going to play with me?"
As soon as her feet touched the ground again, Victor spun around and cast Gale Blade, pulling her into the air.
"Ah!"
Flailing helplessly, she was launched seven or eight meters upward, then slammed down like a ragdoll.
"Hahaha~ hahaha!"
Before Victor could close in for a follow-up, the Cicin Mage teleported away.
"If it's playtime~ then let me call some friends~!"
Her lantern flared, summoning three new Cicins—only to have them shredded instantly by Victor's wind vortex.
Meanwhile, Bennett and Fischl had already taken care of the Pyro Potioneer. No new enemies spawned.
A righteous 3-on-1.
But the Cicin Mage wasn't the least bit afraid. She twirled her lantern and purple Electro rings formed under each of them. Lightning bolts rained down from above.
The three scrambled. The rings tracked their movements, fast and relentless. None were struck, but the chaotic lightning made maneuvering difficult.
"You really do know… how to please me! Hahahahaha!"
She unleashed her ultimate again.
"I'm ready!" Bennett shouted, charging forward.
"Shadow, we strike as one!"
Just as the Cicin Mage's shield materialized, Bennett punched the ground—igniting a Pyro field in the shape of a giant thumbs-up.
Cracks instantly spread across her barrier. Though the shield briefly recovered through raw elemental feed, Bennett's Passion Overload broke it once more.
Victor raised his sword and saw it was imbued with Pyro. He slashed—Pyro Wind Blade! A spiraling firestorm erupted from the blade.
With her shield shattered and surrounded on all sides, the Cicin Mage crumbled under their onslaught.
"Let me… gaze upon you… one last time…"
Nearly three minutes had passed. Challenge complete.
This kind of close-quarters and ranged synergy, chaotic team battle—it was a first for Victor Wang. And easily the most intense fight of his life.
Aside from the Debt Collector and the Cicin Mage, the other enemies had been fairly weak—but he was more than satisfied.
He looked around the domain. The countdown on the ceiling had vanished. The energy barriers blocking both ends of the palace were gone. At the far end, above the withered tree, a new beam of light had appeared—making the tree glow even more vividly.
Bennett waved him over. "Let's go! Time to collect our rewards!"
Victor stepped once more onto the energy platform below the tree. He was about to ask if they needed stamina or Resin or some other item, but when he saw Bennett and Fischl place their hands on the tree, he followed suit.
From the withered tree bloomed shimmering blue light like drifting peach blossoms. Eight glowing artifacts appeared before Victor:
Two Tiny Miracle Flowers, two Tiny Miracle Plumes, two Traveling Doctor's Silver Lotuses, and two Traveling Doctor's Owl Feathers.
Neither set was what Victor had hoped for.
So, this is the best I can get with my current strength? Just 3-star artifacts?
He accepted it and turned to see what Bennett and Fischl had gotten.
"Whoa!" Bennett let out a gasp.
"What happened?"
"I—I actually got a 4-star artifact!"
Victor couldn't see any artifacts on Bennett, though.
Fischl, who had been idly sorting through her rewards without much interest, suddenly froze, then covered her surprise with a stern expression. She drew her hand dramatically across her face and cast it outward.
"All things are preordained. Why be so astonished?"
"It's the first time I've ever gotten a 4-star artifact!" Bennett couldn't contain himself, practically bouncing.
"Ah… you who have long suffered misfortune…" Fischl sighed, then turned to Victor. "Shadow, did you attain what you sought?"
"I only got eight 3-star artifacts."
"Oh! Sorry, I got too excited just now," Bennett apologized, instantly sobered by Victor's outcome.
"It's fine. I was only wearing a set of 2-star artifacts before. Upgrading to 3-stars is still progress—even if it's only flowers and feathers."
Victor removed his Adventurer's Flower and Adventurer's Tail Feather, swapping in Miracle Flower and Miracle Plume. Then he asked, "What's your 4-star set, and which slots?"
Bennett scratched his head. "It's just flower and feather—Maiden Beloved set. I'm not sure it suits me, but… they're my only 4-star pieces."
"Still an upgrade, though. Better than 3-star no matter what."
"Yeah, true…"
Victor noticed Bennett reaching out and grasping at the air before seemingly tossing something aside. Curious, he lifted one of his own floating artifacts and held it out.
"Can you guys see this?"
"We do not share a single origin. In such a wondrous realm, our perceptions are bound to diverge."
"What the young miss means is, everyone's consciousness is independent. So, our observations in this domain may differ."
So, the artifact domain is a mental realm—and artifacts themselves are spiritually bound equipment?
Victor grinned. "As expected of the Prinzessin der Verurteilung—your wisdom is unmatched."
"Hmph. This princess has studied all 15,144 volumes within the Immernachtreich's grand library. Of course, I understand such truths."
"They're all novels," Oz muttered.
Victor finished equipping his new artifacts. Bennett had done the same. Fischl, it seemed, hadn't found anything to her liking.
Victor thought about going for another round—at least to complete half a set. 2+2 was workable, but wearing two blues and three greens just looked… wrong.
He raised his hand to check again. Sure enough, the blue glow of the 3-stars was now covered in the dark light of unequipped artifacts—oddly satisfying for his OCD.
"How do we challenge the domain again?" he wondered aloud. Do I just raise my hands and think "repeat challenge"?
"You can't do it again until tomorrow."
"Huh?"
"Each person can only enter an artifact domain once per day—no matter the location."
"Huh??"
"Fischl and I ran Midsummer Courtyard off and on for two months. Took that long just to get her a full 4-star set."
Victor couldn't help but blurt out, "You did sixty runs and didn't get a full 4-star set?!"
"Maybe we just weren't strong enough back then," Bennett said with a cheerful shrug. "But today I got two 4-stars! See? Things are looking up! If you want to run again, we'll come with you tomorrow."
"Sigh~ You've got 4-star flower and feather. I've got 3-star flower and feather. I'd like to try again too. Maybe we'll both complete a set."
He turned to Fischl. "Prinzessin of the Immernachtreich, will you accompany us again?"
"Hehe~" Having her theatrics indulged, Fischl couldn't help but giggle behind her hand. "Of course. This princess would never abandon a friend in their hour of need."
The three of them made the gesture—and exited the domain.