Ryan looked at the hysterical Noble Eldest Son, once again pushing his body for power.
He dodged his Sword.
He held the long Sword and thrust forward.
The artifact's power barrier blocked the ten Sword shadows that were instantly unleashed.
"It's not working?" Ryan frowned, "Could it be that the opponent's enhancements are all for DEF, turning him into a turtle shell?"
"You can't hurt me! Every one of my artifacts has ascended to perfection!" The Noble Eldest Son laughed, his training Claymore swinging again.
Ryan remained silent, his steps shifting, easily avoiding the crippled man's attack.
Without the Swift Steps of Favonius Bladework, its power was halved.
And artifacts provided almost no boost to speed.
Speed could only be gained through training, or for Vision wielders, by strengthening their bodies with element power in daily life, and using elemental skills or elemental bursts in combat to achieve the effect of instantly teleporting a thousand miles.
Ordinary people on horseback couldn't catch up to powerful God-Favored.
The battle was at a stalemate; the Noble Eldest Son couldn't hit Ryan, and Ryan, with his wu feng sword, found it difficult to break through his DEF.
"But... artifacts have their limits!" Ryan's eyes reflected the Sword's gleam, "Even if there's only one three-star Flower of Life, no matter how powerful it is, it can't protect you!"
His eyes closed and opened.
He gently inhaled, and the Sword in his hand vibrated continuously.
Sweat dripped onto the blade, instantly Vaporized by the scorching edge.
"Even if I don't use the artifacts on me, my Favonius Bladework... can still cut you down!"
The Sword, like a storm, converged into a single line.
The Anemo seemed to contract, and the air tore like Fabric.
Within the blue artifact light, a black shadow appeared.
The defensive barrier formed by the resonance of four two-star artifacts was instantly breached.
The wu feng sword, full of cracks, cut into it, shattering into more than a dozen iron pieces that embedded themselves into the flesh.
"I broke my promise! I've left you with severe injuries that even a doctor would shake his head at, after thirty-six Sword strikes!" Ryan held the remaining Sword hilt, letting out a helpless sigh.
The two-star artifact, which had been integrated after its subjugation, couldn't be seen with the eyes, but its invisible barrier could be felt through touch, and its strength perceived.
"It seems you haven't enhanced it perfectly enough!"
The Noble Eldest Son, hearing the mockery, spat out mouthfuls of blood.
He felt the iron pieces on his body sever a row of ribs and pierce his lungs, kidneys, and stomach.
The pain almost made him faint, and death seemed to beckon.
But the vitality of the three-star Adventurer's Flower forcefully sustained his life, making him suffer even more.
"Kill him for me!"
He shouted weakly, glaring at the other hesitant Noble allies.
"Remember how your Family's status is maintained? Who is the Great Noble?"
His words seemed to have an effect; several people, using their artifacts, shakily stood up.
Ryan moved his steps, dodging.
"Ryan, and you all..."
The crowd watching from above suddenly parted.
A delicate shout, full of anxiety and anger, accompanied by a golden light descending from the sky.
A shining golden Claymore landed in the Training Field, sweeping left and right with the ferocity of clearing a battlefield.
The Claymore trainers using artifacts were sent flying one by one to the walls, leaving human-shaped imprints before falling into stacked wooden crates.
A golden multifaceted circular shield shimmered.
Her silver-gray hair and the rose on her Priest hat were more vibrant than blood.
Ryan looked at Noelle, moved his lips, and rationally remained silent.
Before him was the perfect Maid,
and also the Knight full of madness.
"Ryan! Why are you dueling them here?" Noelle dropped her Claymore, looking at Ryan, who was covered in blood and tattered clothes, and roared.
"Is it because of me?" she questioned in a tearful whisper.
"No!" Ryan denied, "It's just a normal spar for a Martial Artist to pursue strength!"
"Does a spar require broken legs, bleeding, and shattered Sword blades?" Noelle approached, "You... are lying?"
Ryan put his hands behind his back and dropped the Sword hilt.
"No!"
"If you don't believe me, ask the onlookers?"
Ryan, in a panic, pointed to the shining eyes of the surrounding crowd.
Among them were Ellin and many other Sword trainers who had rushed back, as well as ordinary Mondstadt citizens and Adventurers, foreign merchants, and Fatui from Snezhnaya...
They were being driven away by the Knights of Favonius!
Shouting, "I want to keep watching!"
Noelle tugged at Ryan's clothes, pleadingly: "I don't like violence! I don't want you all to fight again!"
Ryan was silent, then spoke after a long pause: "It won't happen again!"
Teams of Favonius Cathedral nuns entered, carrying white bandages to provide emergency first aid to the injured.
"Noelle? Why did you run so fast?"
A melodious and energetic voice seemed to clear the gloom from the Training Field.
It invigorated people's spirits, and their wounds no longer hurt.
Ryan looked back; it was a girl bending over, hands on her knees, with light golden naturally curly Horsetail hanging down, breathing softly, slightly panting.
She lifted her fair, jade-like face, her blue-gray eyes looking at Noelle, who was holding Ryan.
Her petite figure wore a small white and blue-rimmed Priest hat with a golden emblem, and a long Priest dress with golden outlines, black and blue lace, predominantly white, and a large matching bow tied at the chest.
Her lower body consisted of white tights with petal patterns and cute Damselette black boots.
At her waist was a metal-cased, seemingly knock-out-capable blue-gold book, with a blue glowing Hydro Vision embedded in its center.
"Barbara?" Ryan's spirits lifted.
Having always seen the Damselette in a swimsuit in the game, he was a bit unaccustomed to seeing her in a Priest uniform.
Noelle, seeing her frequent tea-drinking friend arrive, regained her composure.
A Knight's training involves emotional management; since Ryan was injured, the primary task was treatment, and everything else could be postponed.
"Barbara, Priest of the Church of Favonius."
"She will help you with your treatment!"
Noelle adopted a Maid-like posture, her tone filled with dissatisfaction and the anger of settling scores later.
Today, on her way to have tea and snacks with Barbara, she received a message from the Knights of Favonius that a fight had broken out at the Training Field.
Thinking about how mysterious Ryan had been yesterday, and how he had seen her off to the carriage in the evening.
She immediately realized the situation and rushed over with the Priest of the Church of Favonius.
"Don't worry, leave the treatment to me!"
Barbara stepped forward, her Vision brightening, and the surrounding Hydro element surged towards her.
"It'll be over soon!"
She looked at the man Noelle was concerned about.
Although tattered and covered in wounds, his face was calm, but there was a dazzling sharpness about him, like the Anemo of autumn, omnipresent.
A young man from another world, a guest at Amber's Family, very good at studying, with powerful Talents.
Also, the special chef for Good Hunter, skilled at making Mapo Tofu.
This was Barbara's impression of Ryan, gathered from conversations among her good friends and rumors from the Knights of Favonius.
She had personally tasted that Hell-spicy Mapo Tofu, a memory that kept her energized all day.
A gentle hum began, and the beautiful singing summoned swirling water, manifesting as individual notes, leaping like spirits.
Elemental Skill — Let the Show Begin!, started!