The warm but not scorching sunlight fell upon him, the salty sea breeze swept by, and in his ears came the rhythm of the waves and the clear calls of unknown forest creatures.
Orien lay sprawled on the soft sand for a long while before he finally shook off the dizziness of teleportation and the haze of narrowly escaping death.
"I'm alive… I really survived…" he muttered, pushing up his weak body to sit and scan this unfamiliar shore.
Golden beaches stretched out into endless, lush tropical rainforest. The towering trees, bizarre shapes, and dazzling colors overflowed with primal life. The air was hotter and more humid than Mondstadt or Inazuma, and after only a short time he was already sweating.
"Where is this? Guyun Stone Forest in Liyue? Doesn't look like it… Watatsumi Island? Doesn't fit either… Could it be… Sumeru?"
The more he thought, the more likely it seemed. Only near Port Ormos or Avidya Forest would there be such a tropical coastline.
"Random teleport really tossed me all the way from Mondstadt to Sumeru? That's insane…" Orien clicked his tongue, but felt relief. The farther he was, the safer he'd be. Raiden Shogun's blade couldn't reach him here, and even that fox priestess's reach would weaken.
Much safer now.
But his body ached all over, as if he'd been beaten by a pack of Hilichurl brutes. His energy reserves were empty, and he needed rest.
"First, find a safe place to recover." He staggered to his feet and stumbled toward the rainforest edge, looking for a hollow or crack to hide in.
But just as he neared the trees, a faint rustle mixed with the wind and leaves, reaching his sharpened ears.
Not the wind.
Orien froze, holding his breath, eyes sweeping the brush.
The rustle stopped.
Silence returned, only leaves swaying in the breeze.
But the warning in his heart didn't fade. After Eula's interrogation and surviving a god's strike, his danger sense was razor sharp.
He slipped half a step back, left hand rising, quietly gathering Dendro energy. He had little left, but one Verdant Feather Strike (Midori Hane Sasu) was possible.
Then—
Whoosh!
A sharp whistle from behind in the treetops!
Too fast!
He had no time to look. Instinct alone triggered his lifesaving move.
"Thunder Shadow Flash! (Kaminari Kage Sen)"
Zzzap! Boom!
His body burst into lightning, darting aside just in time. A purple vine-thorn stabbed down, hissing as it corroded the ground, grass blackening at once.
"Shit!" Orien rolled, cold sweat on his back. A direct hit would've pierced him.
He looked up. In the branches lurked a strange figure, emerging from camouflage.
A monster unlike any he had seen. Sickly green, like a giant Fungi but more grotesque. A spotted cap, beneath which dangled vine tendrils dripping violet venom. No face, only a single glowing eye, locking coldly on him.
"What the hell is that?!" His scalp tingled. Not only strange attacks, it used distraction tactics—intelligent!
[Detected Hostile: Ambush Vine Fungusbeast (Mutant)]
[Traits: Camouflage ambush, vine stabs carry neurotoxin. Weakness: Fire.]
Fire? Perfect.
The beast lashed more tendrils like whips, sealing his escape.
Orien's eyes sharpened. No retreat—only attack.
"Thunder Shadow Flash!"
Lightning burst, and he slipped through the whips, rushing close.
"Dreams Reveal Truth! (Yume Makoto Iu)"
A blazing fireball burst from his palm, like a tiny sun, hurled point-blank at the cap.
The fungus shrieked, terrified. Fire was its bane. Too late to flee—
Boom!
The blaze ripped through its body, igniting it. The monster writhed in agony, tendrils thrashing helplessly as the flames consumed it. Within seconds it was a black husk.
[Defeated Ambush Vine Fungusbeast (Mutant). Minor XP gained. Break Value +15.]
Orien panted, heart racing. Too close. If not for Yoimiya's Burst, even incomplete, he'd have fallen to this first Sumeru foe.
"Sumeru… truly deadly." He wiped sweat, checked the surroundings, then relaxed.
But his energy was gone, wounds worsened, fatigue overwhelming.
He found a hollow under massive roots, barely enough to hide, and sat cross-legged to recover.
"This won't work. Recovery's too slow…" He frowned. "System, faster methods?"
[Reply: Break Value may be spent to heal and restore energy.]
[Repair Light Injuries: 500 Break Value.]
[Refill Energy Pool: 300 Break Value.]
"Pay to win? Finally! Do it!"
[800 Break Value spent. Healing complete. Energy restored.]
A warm current surged through him, pain fading, energy replenished. His state was better than ever.
"Worth it!" Orien grinned.
He turned back to his huge Break Value reserve. He had spent twenty-five thousand on Epic draws, eight hundred to heal, leaving one hundred fifty-six thousand!
Too much to hoard.
"System, Epic pool, five draws!"
The wheel spun.
Purple flash: [Skill Scroll: Favonius Sword Arts – Essence]
Purple flash: [Sacrificial Fragments (4-star Catalyst)]
White: [Bird Eggs ×10]
Purple flash: [Skill: Elemental Burst – Dreams Reveal Truth (Yoimiya) (Initial)]
Purple-gold streak: [Special Item: Fragment of False Sky]
Jackpot. A sword skill, 4-star weapon, Yoimiya's Burst, and a mysterious fragment.
"Epic pool, awesome!" Orien nearly jumped.
"Again! Five more!"
Rewards poured in: gear, consumables, a passive skill Guerrilla Tactics, and even rare monster materials.
Just as he readied a fourth five-pull—
[Notice: Break Value exceeded 200,000. System Upgrade unlocked. Spend 100,000 to upgrade to LV2?]
"The system can upgrade? Yes!"
[100,000 spent. Upgrade complete.]
[Break Broadcast System LV2]
[New Functions:]
Break Value Conversion: Permanently boost energy and physique.
Broadcast Perspective Switch: Stream from another's viewpoint (Scaramouche's eyes! or Ei's perspective [Raiden Shogun]!). Costs Break Value.
Shop Refresh.
Epic Pool pity: guaranteed purple or higher every 10 draws.
Orien's eyes went wide.
Conversion meant permanent growth. Perspective Switch meant chaos. Refresh and pity meant steady gains.
"Worth it!" He laughed, testing. "System, convert 10,000 Break Value to boost energy!"
Power surged through his veins, strengthening body and spirit.
"Ha! Stronger already!"
He stepped out of the hollow, eyes blazing at the dangerous rainforest.
"Sumeru… Akademiya, Lesser Lord Kusanali, desert, jungle, abyss…"
"Ready for the storm?"
His grin spread, the familiar smile of a troublemaker.
(End of Chapter)
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