Chapter 87: Started to Run Away
Before the Abyss Lector could even finish his sentence, a jagged spatial rift tore open the air behind him. Enjou scrambled backward, diving into the starry void with a frantic flail of his limbs before the tear snapped shut, swallowing him whole.
Lumine stared at the empty space, her golden eyes narrowing slightly. A faint crease formed between her brows. Enjou was as elusive as smoke, his true motives buried under layers of theatrical nonsense. Yet... this time, the chaotic scholar had actually done something right. For now, at least.
Pushing the thought aside, she pivoted on her heel. Anemo energy swirled around her boots, kicking up a localized gale. With a sharp burst of speed, she launched herself back toward the battlefield.
By the time Lumine skidded to a halt near the towering Wayob manifestation, the chaotic clash of elements was already reaching its climax.
Mualani darted across the battlefield, her Sharky Surfboard leaving a trail of glowing Hydro markers in her wake. Every precise tag locked onto the monstrous Abyssal entity, Comonqui. The creature's armored shell was already webbed with deep, jagged fissures, groaning under the relentless assault.
High above, Kachina seized the opening. Her Geo energy flared, burning brighter and fiercer than ever before. "Take this!" she roared, her voice trembling with a potent mix of lingering fear and newfound, unshakable determination.
Riding atop her Turbo Twister, the young warrior plummeted from the sky like a golden meteor. The massive drill spun with terrifying velocity, tearing through the heavy air.
"No—! The Abyss... is eternal...!" Comonqui shrieked, raising its shadowy limbs in a futile defense.
The monster's unwilling cry was instantly swallowed by a deafening, devastating explosion. Kachina's drill slammed into the creature's core. A blinding shockwave of Geo energy erupted outward, shattering Comonqui's physical form into a million scattering crystal fragments that dissolved into the dark mist.
"We won! We won! We actually won!" Kachina cheered, hopping off her drill as it vanished into golden dust.
Mualani dismissed her surfboard with a flick of her wrist. A brilliant, sunlit smile broke across her face as she lunged forward, sweeping the smaller girl into a tight, spinning hug. "You were amazing, Kachina! Absolutely flawless!"
Kachina's cheeks flushed a deep, happy red, her large ears twitching with excitement. "Hehe... we really are a golden duo, aren't we?"
Lumine stepped into the clearing, her Anemo aura fading. Before she could announce her return, a towering, ethereal giant materialized from the lingering elemental dust. The ancient spirit leaned down, its voice echoing like grinding stones as it spoke to Mualani.
"Before the blood runs dry, please strike the blade with flint, leaving a small lamp." The giant's glowing eyes softened. "In this way, the flame will be connected to the gaze of all of Natlan. Even eternal darkness cannot separate you and me."
Mualani raised her fist, her expression uncharacteristically solemn. The giant mirrored the gesture. As their knuckles met in a silent, ancient pact, the massive figure dissolved into glowing embers, scattering into the wind.
Lumine opened her mouth to ask what had just happened, but a sudden surge of energy cut her off. Mualani gasped, her body glowing as her Nightsoul power activated entirely on its own.
Ancient memories—flashes of a forgotten Natlan—flooded the guide's mind. Yet, miraculously, the overwhelming influx didn't break her focus. Mualani's eyes widened as she absorbed the lost history, her breathing steadying as the glow slowly receded.
She opened her mouth, clearly eager to spill every detail of the revelation, but a quick glance at the oppressive, swirling shadows of the Night Kingdom stopped her.
"Okay, wow. That was... a lot," Mualani exhaled, shaking her head. "These memories aren't exactly a quick campfire story. It's way too much to explain in a few words, and this place gives me the creeps anyway. Let's save the lore drop for when we're back under a real sky, deal?"
She then turned her attention to Lumine, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.
Lumine offered a reassuring nod. The silent gesture was enough—Enjou had been dealt with.
Wise stepped out from the periphery of the battlefield, his calm, analytical gaze sweeping over the group. He adjusted his collar slightly, suppressing the dozen tactical questions he had about Lumine's solo detour with the Abyss Lector. The fact that she was standing here without a scratch was data enough. He chose to keep his silence.
"Right," Kachina said, her small hands balling into fists. "First things first. We need to save the Wayob."
The four of them turned toward the massive, ancient totem. Thick, suffocating veins of Abyssal corruption pulsed across its surface, oozing a foul, purple-black miasma.
Kachina stepped forward, her golden eyes burning with absolute resolve. "Lady Wayob, please hold on... We're going to get this off you right now!"
Instantly, both Kachina and Mualani flared their Nightsoul states. Neon tribal patterns illuminated their skin as they pressed their hands toward the totem, channeling pure, unyielding Nightsoul power to burn away the encroaching darkness.
Standing slightly behind them, Wise frowned. His mind raced through his extensive database of proxy knowledge, only to hit a blank wall. He leaned closer to Lumine, lowering his voice.
"Lumine," Wise murmured, his tone strictly pragmatic. "I don't possess any mechanics or ether-arts capable of neutralizing Abyssal energy. Do you have a workaround? If we leave the purification entirely to Mualani and Kachina, the time expenditure will be dangerously high."
Lumine blinked. A sudden realization hit her. She had been so accustomed to relying on Paimon's bizarre, muscular stand to punch problems away lately that she had completely forgotten her own innate cheat code.
She flashed Wise a confident, slightly mischievous grin. "Of course I do. Watch and learn."
Stepping up beside the two Natlan girls, Lumine reached out and placed her bare palm directly against the corrupted surface of the totem. Instead of repelling the darkness, she pulled.
The effect was instantaneous. Like a vacuum, Lumine's body began siphoning the dense, toxic Abyssal energy straight out of the wood. Thick tendrils of black mist rushed up her arm, sinking into her skin.
Wise tensed, instinctively taking a half-step forward, while Mualani shot her a panicked look. But as the dark energy vanished into Lumine without leaving so much as a scratch or a corrupted vein, their alarm quickly faded into awe. The blonde traveler simply absorbed the lethal miasma like it was a refreshing glass of water.
With Lumine acting as a living sponge, the purification process accelerated exponentially. The suffocating black mist thinned, and the sickly purple glow clinging to the Wayob slowly dissolved, revealing the pristine, ancient wood beneath.
Finally, the last trace of corruption vanished. A warm, resonant hum vibrated through the air as the Wayob awakened, its spirit projecting a soothing, motherly presence.
"Thank you, my dear children," a gentle voice echoed in their minds.
Kachina took a hesitant step forward, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her clothes. "Lady Wayob... my Ancient Name... what does it truly mean? Am I doing it right?"
The totem pulsed with a soft, affectionate light. "Just be yourself, little one. You are already writing a new history for your Ancient Name. Whatever the outcome, it does not matter. I love you, just as deeply as your parents love you."
The words washed over Kachina like a warm embrace. The young, often timid warrior took a deep, shaky breath, her eyes shining with unshed tears. The heavy burden of doubt that had plagued her small shoulders finally lifted, replaced by a quiet, unshakeable resolve.
But the touching moment was fleeting. The Wayob's light flickered, taking on an urgent hue.
"Though I wish I could linger and speak with you all, time has run out," the voice warned, the motherly warmth replaced by grave urgency. "I can feel it... The Abyss is churning in the depths. A massive, darker power is gathering. A counterattack is imminent. Go! Flee while the passage remains open! You must leave the Night Kingdom immediately!"
The temperature in the cavern plummeted. The Wayob wasn't exaggerating—the previously stagnant air was already beginning to violently churn. The oppressive scent of ozone and decay flooded back into the environment as the shadows along the cavern walls began to writhe.
"We understand! Thank you for everything!" Kachina bowed deeply to the totem, her voice ringing clear over the rising wind. "Please, stay safe!"
"Move!" Mualani barked, her usual playful demeanor entirely gone. She grabbed Kachina's hand, yanking her toward the exit path.
Lumine and Wise didn't need to be told twice. Sprinting after the Natlan locals, they simultaneously accessed their multiversal system interfaces, their minds rapidly typing out emergency broadcasts.
[Genshin Impact · Lumine]: [@everyone Emergency! Kachina is safe, and we've successfully purified a Wayob manifestation!]
[Genshin Impact · Lumine]: [But the Abyss is brewing a massive counterattack. The Wayob just warned us to evacuate the Night Kingdom immediately!]
[Zenless Zone Zero · Wise]: [The situation is critical. We are currently moving toward the coordinates of the light beam in the sky!]
[Zenless Zone Zero · Wise]: [Dan Heng, what are the current positions and distances of our three sub-teams? If the gap is too large, I advise abandoning the rendezvous protocol. Each team needs to rush to the exit at maximum speed!]
[Honkai: Star Rail · Dan Heng]: [Received. Calculating coordinates now.]
Barely a second later, the archivist's calm, methodical analysis populated the chat.
[Honkai: Star Rail · Dan Heng]: [Location confirmed. Your two squads are in close proximity. The third team should intercept your path momentarily.]
[Honkai: Star Rail · Dan Heng]: [Due to the extended duration of our previous engagement and our initial drop zone, my squad is currently the furthest from the exit point.]
[Honkai: Star Rail · Dan Heng]: [I suggest your two teams merge immediately and proceed as a single unit. We will bypass the rendezvous and head directly for the exit at full speed. Do not wait for us. Move!]
The very second Lumine finished reading the tactical update, a deafening, mechanical roar echoed from the rocky mountain pass ahead.
VROOM—!
Headlights pierced the swirling black mist. A pack of rugged, heavy-duty motorcycles tore through the darkness, their engines screaming. The lead bike hit the brakes hard, the rear tire kicking out in a flawless, sweeping drift that sent a shower of gravel flying into the abyss. The convoy came to a perfect, synchronized halt, forming a protective barricade right in front of Lumine's group.
Sitting astride the lead motorcycle was none other than Stelle.
Planting one long leg on the ground to stabilize the heavy machine, the tall Trailblazer casually brushed a stray ash-blonde bang from her forehead. Her golden eyes locked onto the small, bewildered girl standing between Mualani and Lumine, and a wide, utterly relaxed grin spread across her face.
"Yo! Finally caught up to you guys," Stelle called out, her voice carrying that trademark, effortless swagger that completely ignored the apocalyptic doom closing in around them. She leaned over the handlebars, winking at the young warrior. "And this must be Miss Kachina, right? Gotta say, you are a hundred times cuter in person than in the photos!"
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