(T/N: Time flashed forward from last chapter.)
Inside an ancient ruin, Lumine was locked in combat with a group of Hilichurls, wielding her Skyward Blade with sharp precision.
Nearby, Su Bai and Paimon stood completely relaxed, each holding an apple and crunching away without the slightest hint of tension.
"Lumine! Dodge to the left!"
"Don't listen to her! Lumine, roll to the right!"
Lumine gritted her teeth, barely suppressing the urge to beat Su Bai and Paimon unconscious on the spot. If this weren't such a cramped environment, she would have finished off these Hilichurls long ago.
"Su Bai," she snapped, "are you sure fighting this many Hilichurls is a prerequisite for learning some amazing technique?"
"Of course," Su Bai replied confidently. "I've studied Madame Ping's spear techniques, Xiao's aerial combat, Raiden Ei's Musou no Hitotachi, the Kamisato Clan's swordsmanship from Inazuma, and even picked up a bit of Oni-style staff combat."
"Back in Inazuma, I was known as a Weapon Master. Any weapon—give it to me and I can use it. Honestly, even a streetlamp would do."
He finished his apple in three quick bites, then had Paimon pull out both a Dull Blade and a Mercenary's Greatsword from her storage before charging straight into the mob.
Ten seconds later—
"Helphelphelphelphelp—!"
Half a minute later, a bolt of lightning crashed down from above, instantly reducing the remaining monsters to ash.
"…That's it?"
Su Bai tossed the sword aside, looking slightly disheveled. He had wanted to demonstrate seamless switching between one-handed and two-handed swords, but after not touching a blade for years, he had fumbled—missing the greatsword mid-throw and accidentally cleaving a monster instead.
"Su Bai, your swordplay is really… strange," Lumine said cautiously. "Is this what being a Weapon Master looks like? It feels more like… juggling."
"Are you sure you weren't lying to us? Paimon is very smart, you know!"
Paimon scratched her head, growing increasingly suspicious.
Lumine stood with her hands on her hips, staring at Su Bai—she was now absolutely certain she'd been fooled.
"I really didn't lie," Su Bai said helplessly. "I've just been focusing on adeptal arts these past few years and let my physical skills get rusty."
"I don't care!" Lumine declared. "You lied to me, you jerk! I'm giving you an awful nickname!"
"Hmm… I'll call you The Juggler."
Su Bai gave a bitter smile. He truly hadn't been exaggerating—his combat skills used to be excellent. But two years without practice had dulled them badly. This was… genuinely embarrassing.
"Adeptal arts?" Lumine asked. "Like the technique you used to make Diluc's father appear?"
She looked genuinely curious. If adeptal arts could do something like that, maybe they could help her find her brother.
Su Bai didn't hide anything and nodded directly.
"Yes. It's an adeptal technique that temporarily slows the dissipation of a soul, allowing it to communicate with the living."
"Temporarily…?"
Su Bai didn't answer—he simply nodded again.
Lumine finally understood why Su Bai had insisted on pulling her away from Dawn Winery, claiming he would teach her powerful techniques. That reunion between Diluc and his father was something deeply personal. As an outsider, she shouldn't have stayed.
Realizing she had doubted Su Bai earlier made her feel even worse.
Before she could speak, Paimon had already flown over to Su Bai.
"Um… Su Bai, I'm sorry. I was rude earlier. I shouldn't have doubted you."
"If you're not mad at me," she added eagerly, "can I touch your tail? Please don't swat me away."
Before she even finished speaking, her chubby little hands had already grabbed his tail.
Seeing her plan succeed, Paimon giggled smugly.
"Um… Su Bai. Sorry," Lumine said softly.
"Shouldn't an apology be a little more… enticing?" Su Bai teased.
"You perverted fox! Die! Gust Surge!"
Lumine immediately realized she'd been provoked. Her guilt turned into pure embarrassment, and a violent surge of Anemo erupted—sending Paimon, who had been enjoying the show, straight into the wall.
Crackling Electro surged through Su Bai's body, forming a thin shield that blocked the attack—and conveniently pulled Paimon off the wall.
"Alright, alright," Su Bai laughed. "I was just teasing you. Look—you've already unlocked a pretty powerful move, haven't you?"
"That's because you made me angry!" Lumine protested. "And I already knew Gust Surge!"
"Doesn't matter whether you knew it before," Su Bai replied. "Just tell me—wasn't it stronger than before?"
Lumine hesitated. She could clearly feel it was stronger… yet something about this logic felt off.
"Um… Lumine," Paimon said weakly, "I think it's because you got angry and increased your Anemo output."
"Wow," Su Bai said approvingly. "Didn't expect Paimon to be smart for once."
Paimon shook her still-dizzy head and huffed. Of course she knew—she'd experienced it firsthand.
Ignoring the flustered Lumine, Paimon floated behind Su Bai and hugged his tail again.
Perhaps because of the earlier commotion, the path ahead contained nothing but Hilichurls and Slimes—no other monsters appeared.
"How many Hilichurls is this already?" Lumine muttered after slaying the last one in the corridor. "There are way too many in this ruin."
She leaned against the wall, panting heavily. Even Su Bai—who usually just watched—had been forced to help deal with the monsters.
"No. We can't keep going like this," Su Bai said, rubbing his lower back. "Most of my adeptal energy went into sustaining that soul earlier. If this continues, I'll be back to drinking Baizhu's medicinal tonics."
"But this ruin is enormous," Lumine said. "We have no idea where the Abyss Mage is hiding."
As Lumine recovered her stamina, Su Bai frowned, thinking hard.
"Crunch. Crunch."
The sound of someone eating fruit interrupted his thoughts.
Paimon, munching on a Sunsettia, noticed Su Bai staring at her. Without hesitation, she pulled out another one and handed it to him.
"Here, Su Bai. It's really sweet! Lumine, want one?"
"Why do you give Su Bai one directly, but ask me first?" Lumine complained. "We're supposed to be partners!"
"But Su Bai is Paimon's good partner too," Paimon replied innocently.
Lumine shot Su Bai a resentful look.
I was here first. He's just stronger… a bit handsome… and has two fluffy tails…
…She really wanted to touch them again.
"Paimon," Su Bai said with a bright smile, "help me with something. If it works, you'll be well rewarded."
Seeing that smile, Paimon—completely unaware she was about to be set up—imagined treasure and snacks.
Without a second thought, she nodded enthusiastically.