Chapter 30. The Enraged Harbinger!
"Waaahhhhh—!!!! Why—!!!! Why—!!!!"
Three hours after A Bite of Liyue had ended, Paimon finally woke up. However, the moment she opened her eyes, what greeted her was not gourmet food, but Lumine's overwhelming "affection."
"Yes, yes, look at this one," Lumine said calmly, holding up the photos and notes she had recorded. "This dish had a very rich aroma, and the taste—"
"I don't want to see that!!!" Paimon immediately protested, her expression collapsing. "I want to eat gourmet food!!! Where is the gourmet food?!"
Her consciousness had remained at the moment she ate Hu Tao's cooking. Now that she had woken up, reality hit her instantly. The event had already ended three hours ago, and everything she had been looking forward to was gone.
"If you woke up earlier, you could have eaten something," Lumine added lightly, as if stating a simple fact.
"Waaahhhhh!!!" Paimon wailed loudly, rolling in mid-air. "I want to go back in time! No—one day earlier!!!"
Lumine sighed softly on the surface, but inwardly, she found the situation somewhat amusing. After all, everyone had warned Paimon not to eat Hu Tao's cooking, yet she had insisted. Now, the consequences were entirely her own.
"~~"
Futsu Mitama quietly looked away, pretending not to notice anything. There was no need to say more; the result had already proven everything.
Kuki Shinobu and Sangonomiya Kokomi also placed their hands on their foreheads, unsure how to respond to Paimon's dramatic reaction.
"Alright, alright," Lumine finally said, her tone softening slightly. "Stop making a fuss. Tonight, we'll still make some food using the legendary kitchenware."
Paimon froze mid-air.
"Really?!" she asked, her eyes lighting up instantly. "Who's making it?!"
"Me and Kokomi," Kuki Shinobu replied calmly.
Sangonomiya Kokomi nodded with a gentle smile.
Paimon's expression became subtle for a brief moment, as if slightly disappointed.
Futsu Mitama noticed this immediately and spoke up.
"Shinobu's cooking skill is only slightly below Xiangling's. If she participated seriously, she could easily make the top ten."
He paused slightly before continuing.
"As for Kokomi, her dessert-making skills are excellent. Even Ei acknowledges her taste."
Paimon's expression changed instantly.
"Then what are we waiting for?!" she said excitedly, clapping her hands. "Let's go buy ingredients! Hurry, hurry, hurry!!!"
Her sudden shift left everyone momentarily speechless.
Lumine rubbed her forehead, clearly used to this behavior by now, while Futsu Mitama simply shrugged, already accustomed to Paimon's nature as a glutton.
"Alright, let's go," he said.
However, just as they were about to leave—two figures appeared in front of them.
"Fatui?" Kuki Shinobu frowned slightly, recognizing the uniforms immediately.
Sangonomiya Kokomi stepped forward, her gentle expression fading as her gaze turned cold.
"Yep, the Fatui…" Paimon muttered, her tone filled with dislike.
Lumine also became alert, noticing the shift in atmosphere. She had already learned enough about her companions to understand that if even they reacted this way, the situation was not simple.
"The Harbinger requests your presence."
The two Electro Cicin Mages spoke in unison, their eyes fixed on Futsu Mitama. Despite his identity, they showed no visible fear.
"What is it?" Futsu Mitama asked directly, his tone calm but firm.
The two remained silent.
"Not speaking?" Futsu Mitama said lightly. "Then go back."
He turned as if to leave, clearly having no intention of indulging their attitude.
"Wait!" one of the Electro Cicin Mages quickly spoke. "The Lady Harbinger wishes to discuss something with you."
"It concerns The Chasm," the other added immediately. "Childe also tacitly approves of this matter. We sincerely invite you."
They lowered their heads slightly.
"Our status is low. We cannot speak freely before someone of your standing. Please forgive us."
Paimon blinked in surprise, looking at Futsu Mitama. She had not expected the Fatui to show such restraint.
"Really?" Futsu Mitama asked, his tone unchanged.
"I swear on the Geo Archon's name," one of them said without hesitation, raising her hand.
The moment those words were spoken, a vast and majestic presence seemed to descend briefly upon the area. It was subtle, yet unmistakable, causing everyone present to feel a faint pressure.
"This…?!" Paimon trembled slightly. "She actually swore?!"
The presence vanished as quickly as it came.
Which meant—the words were true.
Seeing this, Futsu Mitama no longer pressed the matter. He turned to Sangonomiya Kokomi and Kuki Shinobu beside him and spoke calmly,
"The plan is temporarily canceled. Let's go. We'll follow them."
"Alright,"
Sangonomiya Kokomi and Kuki Shinobu responded almost at the same time, nodding without hesitation. Although they were unsure of the Harbinger's intentions, they had no reason to refuse at this point.
"We're going too!"
Paimon immediately raised her hand, her tone firm despite her earlier complaints. Although she still cared about the gourmet food, she understood that this matter took priority.
Lumine also gave a slight nod, her gaze steady. "We'll come along as well."
"Okay."
Futsu Mitama smiled faintly, showing no objection.
The two Electro Cicin Mages exchanged glances, a trace of difficulty flashing across their expressions. The Harbinger had clearly instructed them to invite only Futsu Mitama, yet the situation before them had already deviated from that order.
"What should we do?" one of them conveyed silently with her eyes.
"There's no choice," the other responded in the same manner. "If we refuse again, he won't come at all."
Having reached an unspoken agreement, they said nothing further and simply turned to lead the way.
However, their destination was not the familiar Northland Bank, but the outskirts of Liyue Harbor.
"This is a trap!" Paimon whispered urgently, quickly flying closer to Futsu Mitama. "If we leave Liyue Harbor, we won't have the Geo Archon's protection anymore!"
"It's fine," Futsu Mitama replied with a light chuckle, shaking his head. His tone remained relaxed, as if he had already considered every possibility. "Even if they intend to harm me, it's a bit too late for that."
He paused briefly before continuing, his confidence evident. "I know my own strength. Below the Archon level, I'm essentially invincible. Even against someone at that level, I can still hold my ground."
"Wow…" Paimon's eyes sparkled immediately, clearly swayed by his confidence.
With that, the group followed the two Electro Cicin Mages out of Liyue Harbor. The atmosphere remained calm, but beneath that calmness, a faint tension lingered.
Before long, they arrived at their destination.
Standing ahead were two figures.
Tartaglia, wearing a somewhat helpless expression, and the Lady, whose lips curled into a cold sneer.
After completing their task, the two Electro Cicin Mages silently returned to the Harbingers' side, lowering their heads slightly.
"Yo, long time no see, Futsu Mitama," the Lady said, her tone carrying a trace of restrained anger.
Futsu Mitama looked at her, his expression relaxed, almost amused. "Indeed, long time no see. What's wrong? Didn't you go look for the Anemo Archon? I even gave you the address."
"You still dare to bring that up?!" the Lady snapped immediately, her composure cracking as anger surged forth.
The memory of that incident clearly left a deep impression on her. The humiliation, the danger, and the consequences she had faced were not something she could simply ignore.
"Anemo Archon's address?"
Paimon tilted her head, confused. She knew from the Chat Group that the Anemo Archon was currently trapped somewhere, yet hearing this exchange made her even more puzzled.
"Shut up! Noisy creature!"
The Harbinger's gaze snapped toward Paimon, her aura surging outward in an instant. The pressure she released was sharp and oppressive, clearly reflecting her current state of anger.
At this moment, she had no patience for interruptions, regardless of who it was.
An indescribable pressure surged toward Paimon, carrying with it displaced anger that had nothing to do with her. The force of it was overwhelming, far beyond anything she had ever experienced, and for a moment, she froze completely, unable to move or even react.
"?!"
Seeing this, Lumine stepped forward without hesitation, placing herself directly in front of Paimon and taking the pressure head-on. Her expression remained steady, her posture firm, as she endured the Harbinger's aura without retreating. As a Descender who had once faced one of the Shades of Heavenly Principles, even in her weakened state, she was not someone who could be easily intimidated.
"This person—"
The Harbinger narrowed her eyes, clearly surprised. She had not expected someone unknown to her to withstand her pressure so directly. However, that surprise quickly turned into irritation, and the anger within her surged even more violently.
"Crack! Crack! Crack!"
The pressure intensified as the Cryo Archon's authority erupted from her body, spreading outward in a chilling wave. Lumine stood her ground, her expression tightening slightly under the strain, but she did not move. Even so, the unreasonable hostility caused a flicker of anger to rise within her as well.
Just as the situation was about to escalate further—
"Are you ignoring me?"
Futsu Mitama stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Lumine. His voice was calm, but the aura that followed was anything but. In an instant, his presence expanded outward, carrying with it a force comparable to an Archon. The authority of Electro and Anemo surged simultaneously, intertwining as they erupted into the surroundings.
"Rumble—!!"
"Whoosh—!!!"
Dark clouds gathered overhead, and violent winds swept through the area as the clash of pressures triggered visible celestial phenomena. The Harbinger's aura was forced back, her expression turning extremely unpleasant as she felt herself being suppressed.
Tartaglia, standing to the side, immediately stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He moved beside the Harbinger and released his own power, sharing the burden of the pressure.
Even so, the two of them together were still being pushed back.
The imbalance was obvious.
The Lady's face darkened further, while Tartaglia licked his lips, his excitement growing. For him, this was exactly the kind of situation he desired.
Yet all three understood one thing clearly.
This could not be resolved by aura alone.
If neither side backed down, it would inevitably turn into a real battle.
"Hmph!"
The Lady snorted coldly and withdrew her aura. The oppressive cold vanished in an instant, and she no longer resisted, allowing Futsu Mitama's presence to dominate the space.
"No way?!" Tartaglia stared at her in disbelief. "You're backing down already? I was just getting started!"
"Idiot," the Lady muttered under her breath. Unlike Childe, she had a much clearer understanding of Futsu Mitama's strength. She knew very well that continuing this confrontation would bring no benefit and could easily lead to her death.
"You insulted me?" Futsu Mitama suddenly said, his expression shifting as he looked at her.
"No, I meant—"
Before she could finish her sentence—
"Buzz—!!!"
Futsu Mitama drew his blade without hesitation. The Seven Thunder of Retribution: Narukami appeared in his hand, crackling with power. At the same time, Chakra Desiderata and the Omnipresent God's Wheel manifested, and the authority of the Electro Archon surged to its peak.
There was no pause.
No negotiation.
"Boom—!!!"
A single slash descended.
Musou no Hitotachi.
The sky roared as thunder erupted, and the overwhelming force of the strike tore forward, aiming directly at both the Harbinger and Tartaglia. The intent behind it was clear—there was no restraint.
"?!"
Paimon's eyes widened in shock. "Traveler! Futsu Mitama is so strong!"
"Good thing," Lumine murmured, her gaze fixed on the attack.
She understood clearly that if she had been on the receiving end of that strike, even she would not emerge unscathed.
In front of them, the Harbinger's expression turned grim. Flames and ice erupted simultaneously from her body, merging into a violent clash of opposing forces.
"Musou no Hitotachi… again!"
She could not suppress the frustration in her voice. The memory of that technique was something she could not forget, and now she was facing it once more.
Without hesitation, she released all of her power, no longer holding back.
At the same time—
"Boom!!!"
Tartaglia laughed loudly, his voice filled with excitement.
"Hahahahaha!!! That's right! This is what I've been waiting for!"
His body was engulfed in energy as he activated his Foul Legacy Transformation. Dark purple lightning coursed across his armor, and a spear formed in his hand, shifting from pure Hydro into a darker, more ominous hue.
"Today… I'll break this move!"
There were no more words, no hesitation.
Only battle.
Futsu Mitama did not hesitate the moment he chose to act. In his view, once a fight began, there was no need for unnecessary probing or drawn-out exchanges. If it came to battle, then it should be resolved directly.
A massive whale formed from condensed Hydro Element surged upward from the ground, its presence overwhelming as it charged toward the descending slash. At the same time, flames and frost intertwined as the Harbinger unleashed attacks of Pyro and Cryo, attempting to intercept the Musou no Hitotachi from another angle.
The two Electro Cicin Mages nearby were visibly shaken. They had not expected Futsu Mitama to act so decisively, let alone open with such a terrifying move. From the reactions of the two Harbingers alone, it was clear just how dangerous that strike was.
In the next instant, the enormous whale was split cleanly in two.
The meteor of flames and the spear of ice were cut apart just as easily, unable to withstand the force of the slash.
"Hmph!" the Lady let out a sharp breath as she lashed out with both fire and ice, attempting to forcibly halt the attack.
But Tartaglia moved faster.
With a flash, he teleported forward, appearing directly in front of the incoming strike. Without hesitation, he swung his spear, the power of Electro and Hydro erupting simultaneously as he met the attack head-on.
"A weakness! Fleeting!!"
The clash exploded outward.
Despite the overwhelming force, Tartaglia managed to halt the advance of the Musou no Hitotachi, the combined strength of his attack barely managing to hold it in place.
The Harbinger exhaled quietly, her tension easing slightly. Futsu Mitama's strike had been sudden, without extended preparation, yet its power was still terrifying. Without Tartaglia, she would have been forced to expend far more effort to withstand it.
Even so, her expression remained grim.
This opponent was far more dangerous than she had anticipated. However, before she could fully reassess the situation—
Futsu Mitama moved again.
A faint smile appeared on his lips as a purple spatial rift opened behind him. In the next moment, his figure vanished into it.
"Buzz—!!"
High above, another rift tore open in the sky. From within it, a colossal hand formed from pure Electro Element emerged, gripping an enlarged Seven Thunder of Retribution: Narukami.
The blade descended.
"Damn it! What are you trying to do?!" the Lady shouted, her composure finally breaking. "I'm not calling you an idiot, I'm calling Tartaglia an idiot!"
Her voice carried both anger and urgency as she continued, "Do you really intend to provoke Snezhnaya? Last time, when the Raiden Shogun attacked Snezhnaya, do you think that was settled peacefully?!"
"If I die here, the Fatui will not let this go!"
As she spoke, flames erupted violently around her, forming a spiraling inferno. At the same time, Tartaglia laughed loudly, his excitement reaching its peak as he charged forward alongside her, spear in hand.
"Come on!!!" he shouted, his voice filled with exhilaration. "Let me see how strong this really is!"
The collision came without delay.
"Boom—!!!"
The descending blade struck with overwhelming force.
The Lady was blasted back, her body reverting to its original state as blood spilled from her lips. One of her arms was severed, and she collapsed to the ground, unable to maintain her previous form.
Tartaglia's transformation shattered as well. Although he remained standing, blood gushed out from the corner of his mouth, his condition clearly strained.
"Ah—so you weren't talking about me," Futsu Mitama said as he stepped out of the spatial rift, his tone casual as if nothing significant had just occurred.
"In that case, forget it. I won't kill you."
He landed lightly and looked at the two of them.
"Now, speak. What do you want, and why did you call us here?"
As he spoke, he casually took out a white plastic chair from his private space, placed it down, and sat on it as if settling in for a conversation. The Seven Thunder of Retribution: Narukami remained in his hand, its presence alone serving as a silent warning.
"You… you…"
The Harbinger's expression twisted with anger, her chest rising and falling rapidly. However, she did not act recklessly. The two Electro Cicin Mages had already retrieved her severed arm and brought it back to her side.
"Crack."
With the power of Cryo Element, she forcibly reattached it. Although the limb was restored, it was clear that she could not use it properly for the time being.
"Heh—I understand now," she said coldly, her voice steadying. "You're acting like this because of your maid, aren't you?"
"But that thing is not your maid," she continued, her gaze sharp. "And I came here to bring you information."
She paused briefly before adding, "You'd best not act recklessly again. Otherwise, I cannot guarantee how much of that information will remain accurate."
Futsu Mitama did not respond directly.
"Who knows," he said lightly, neither confirming nor denying her assumption.
The Lady let out a quiet sneer, though she no longer dared to provoke him further. The display of strength just now had been more than enough.
For now—she could only endure.