Chapter 10: Favored by Bennett
Mondstadt Cathedral, the plaza at the foot of the statue.
"Hey, look over here—"
Amber's energetic voice rang out across the plaza in front of Mondstadt Cathedral. A few people immediately looked up, startled by her boldness.
She had somehow climbed up the southwest tower of Mondstadt Cathedral and was now waving at them.
But she was standing on the very edge of the tower, at least six stories above the ground. One wrong step could easily send her plummeting into the abyss.
The other citizens in the plaza were initially startled too, but when they spotted the flash of red, they quickly lost interest.
Only a few whispered to each other:
"Hey, buddy… do you think the little scout knight's flight license is going to get revoked this time?"
"Yeah… I'd say probably not."
Su Han's expression hardened as he shouted, "Amber! That's too dangerous! Come down immediately!"
Lumine and Paimon called out in worry as well.
But in the next moment, Amber, like a bird, spread her beautiful wings and glided toward them.
"What is this… some kind of otherworldly glider?" Su Han muttered under his breath, though he secretly exhaled in relief.
In no time at all, Amber safely landed in front of them, smiling brightly.
"Heehee, how was that? Fun? Exciting?"
"This is the gift I wanted to give you—the Wind Wings. Scout knights use them to travel through the skies, and the citizens of Mondstadt love them too."
"Eh… eh? Su Han… what… what are you planning, standing so close?"
Amber's fair face colored slightly as she seemed to recall some past misadventures.
Su Han stepped forward expressionlessly. In Amber's shy gaze, he pinched her cheek and rubbed it repeatedly.
Finally, he nodded in satisfaction. "Feels nice. This is punishment for deliberately teasing us."
Amber pouted, "Waa… I just wanted to give you a surprise…"
Lumine shot her a glare. "We nearly had our hearts jump out of our chests."
Paimon chimed in, "Yeah, yeah! I was ready to fly over and save you… Hey, what are you all staring at?"
Amber giggled. "Thanks for your concern, but don't worry—I'm the flight champion of Mondstadt!"
"That's why I brought you here—to let you experience it firsthand."
"Come on, let's try it! It's simple to use, but you have to follow my instructions."
At that moment, the system notification sounded.
[Beginner Quest ③]
[Objective: Complete your first flight using Wind Wings under Amber's guidance.]
[Reward: (Spirit Particle Conversion Technique)]
[(Spirit Particle Conversion Technique): Allows the user to absorb free-floating elemental energy in the air and convert it into (spirit particles), which condense into (spirit power). (Spirit power is essential for learning and casting advanced spells.)]
Su Han and Lumine each received a box containing their Wind Wings.
Su Han's were pure white, like angelic feathers from legends.
Lumine's were as black as crow feathers, with wing-like patterns resembling an eagle's spread wings embroidered in the center.
"Stand on the high platform over there, then fly straight to the Fountain Plaza. Keep your body stable in the air, don't tilt too much," Amber instructed as she ascended the platform and demonstrated, spreading her wings like a graceful bird soaring freely in the wind.
[Option 1: Fly normally and land safely. Reward: 10% reduced chance of encountering strong air currents while flying.]
[Option 2: Perform an aerial acrobatics display over Mondstadt, completing a high-difficulty flight. Reward: +5 Mondstadt fame.]
[Option 3: Hover high above Mondstadt and shout, "Paratrooper Number One, Lu Benwei, ready!" Reward: Achievement: Paratrooper—reduces 50% of damage taken at high altitude.]
"Paratrooper Number One, Lu Benwei, ready!"
Su Han shot forward with a loud whoosh. His posture was awkward, but he managed to maintain balance in the air.
"Paratrooper Number Two, Paimon, ready!"
Little Paimon found it amusing and zipped off after him.
Lumine covered her face, speechless. She had never felt so dumbfounded in her life…
For her, gliding had always been effortless, and with the Wind Wings assisting, she quickly caught up with Su Han and Paimon.
"Hmph, from now on, this place shall be known as 'Lu Benwei Plaza,'" Su Han declared seriously as they arrived at Mondstadt's Fountain Plaza.
"Please… stop talking… this is embarrassing…"
Lumine hurriedly held up a hand to cover his mouth, explaining to the curious onlookers: "My friend… might have some mental issues."
The citizens of Mondstadt immediately understood and looked at Su Han with a hint of sympathy.
[Congratulations! Reward earned: (Spirit Particle Conversion Technique), Achievement: Paratrooper.]
[You completed the quest exceeding expectations, earning an extra reward: (Spirit Pressure Control Technique).]
[Effect: (Spirit Pressure) is tied to (Spirit Power). The higher your Spirit Pressure, the greater your usable Spirit Power. Spirit Pressure can also be released to suppress opponents on a spiritual level.]
"Looks like you've got a handle on—" Amber approached smiling, but before she could finish, the clear sky instantly darkened.
"Huh… what's happening to the sky?"
"Damn it… that little Bennett isn't about to say something like 'Lovely weather' again, is he…" Su Han muttered.
A young nobleman with bronze skin, dressed in finery and wearing a pirate eye-patch over his right eye, shouted loudly:
"A storm is approaching! Everyone, quickly go indoors and lock your doors and windows!"
The patrolling knights of Mondstadt seemed prepared. At the command, they rushed to evacuate people.
Little Paimon instinctively grabbed Su Han by the hair and pointed at the distant sky.
"Look! What's that?"
"A windwyrm?!"
Su Han's pupils constricted. The instant he glimpsed the turquoise-blue shape, he grabbed Lumine's and Amber's arms, fleeing in the opposite direction.
"Paimon, hold on tight! Don't let go!"
The massive dragon blotted out the sky, rampaging through Mondstadt and smashing buildings.
But its destructive urge was not yet satisfied. Slowly, the windwyrm steadied itself and let out a long, piercing roar into the sky.
In an instant, a destructive hurricane swept through the town.
Back-to-back with the windwyrm, Su Han pushed the limits of [Wind Riding]. At this moment, he surpassed Liu Xiang, he surpassed Bolt… he—
"AAAHHH—"
Perhaps touched by Bennett's favor, a sudden tornado appeared directly in front of them, lifting all of them into the air.
Just as they feared being torn apart, their bodies felt surprisingly light. The Wind Wings automatically unfolded, carrying them higher and higher, away from the storm's vortex.
Amber: "Phew, that was close… I thought we were goners."
Paimon: "Good thing we grabbed Su Han's hair."
Lumine frowned, glaring at him: "I didn't expect you could run that fast…"
Su Han gave a wry laugh: "Is now really the time to talk about that?"
Paimon: "Yeah! I didn't think Wind Wings could fly this high!"
"It is I, the millennia-old flowing wind, aiding you so you won't fall."
"Now imagine gathering this wind and slicing through the clouds…"
A mysterious voice echoed faintly in their ears. The wind roared, making it nearly impossible to hear clearly. Whether the speaker was male or female, or who they were, remained a mystery.
Paimon trembled, clutching Su Han's hair: "Who… who's that?"
Amber frowned: "Forget it for now… we've got bigger problems."
The windwyrm abandoned the city's buildings and ascended higher, eyeing them intently.
The windwyrm, once known as Dvalin, the East Wind Dragon, now seemed to have a new plaything.
[Option 1: Push Amber toward the windwyrm and escape with Lumine and Paimon alone. Reward: Achievement [Cowardly Escape], A-rank skill book ×1, -70% good alignment favor, permanent hostile with the Knights of Favonius.]
[Option 2: Push Lumine and Paimon toward the windwyrm and escape with Amber alone. Reward: Achievement [Betrayer], A-rank skill book ×1, -70% good alignment favor, risk of monster pursuit.]
[Option 3: Reveal your true feelings about Amber and Lumine. Reward: (Blink Step, Basic).]
[(Blink Step, Basic): One of the four fundamental abilities of a reaper, allowing rapid movement to near or distant locations at speeds nearly invisible to the naked eye. Requires mastery of spirit particle concentration.]
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