Rover silently counted the timing of his opponent's strike. In the next second, he abruptly threw a punch, sending a fierce gust of wind rushing forward.
The opponent's eyes widened as he gasped sharply, watching the fist stop steadily just a centimeter before his face. Swallowing hard, he reluctantly admitted:
"I concede."
"Well fought."
Rover responded with Liyue's customary courtesy before moving on to search for another contestant named Jin You.
Yes, that was the overly confident young man. But before Rover could witness his supposed brilliance, he received news that the guy had been eliminated in an instant—reportedly taken down with a single kick. Rover immediately lost interest.
After that, there were no further surprises. The last two standing on the arena stage were Aether and Rover.
Before the fight even began, Aether raised his hand with a bitter smile.
"I concede."
Aether knew full well what Rover was capable of. Compared to the other contestants, he might last a few more rounds at best.
Once the martial arts tournament was officially declared over, Kaedehara Kazuha approached.
"Your performance was nothing short of spectacular, just as I expected. Perhaps you can make it shine anew."
Kazuha gave Rover and Aether a meaningful look, signaling them to follow.
As they stepped onto the beach, Kazuha gazed at the tranquil sea of clouds before him, plucked a leaf, and began playing a soft, melancholic tune.
The melody was slow, carrying a subtle, profound emotion.
"A humble performance. The reason I brought you here is that I can hear the whispers of the wind. It tells me that the breath of the sea lingers here—I've always loved this place."
Kazuha explained softly, then opened his palm, letting the wind carry a leaf into the sky.
"Before I hand this over, may I ask—can you truly wield elemental power without relying on a Vision as a medium?"
Rover nodded, while Aether demonstrated by summoning Anemo into his palm, then clenching his fist before stomping the ground, causing jagged Geo spikes to erupt.
"Two elements…? That's… unbelievable."
A flicker of surprise crossed Kazuha's face before he handed the dim Vision to Aether first.
Aether took it, but nothing happened when he held it.
"As expected… still a failure."
Kazuha didn't seem particularly shocked, as if he had long accepted this outcome.
But when Rover took the Vision, it suddenly ignited, a brilliant violet light flooding the surroundings as the gem trembled violently, crackling with Electro.
The moment Rover blinked, the scenery around him was no longer Guyun Stone Forest—instead, he found himself in an unfamiliar place.
He seemed to be standing atop a building, overlooking a dueling platform below where a wandering samurai steadily advanced, raising his sword to point at him.
The crowd around them was deathly silent, not a single voice daring to speak. Everyone's eyes were fixed on him.
Whose body is this?
Rover was puzzled, but in the next instant, the body moved—its grip tightening on the blade as thunder roiled within the darkened clouds. With every flash of white light, lightning channeled into the weapon, the edge radiating a wild, storm-like aura.
Then, the body lunged.
A blur of motion, followed by the deafening sound of steel shattering.
Rover watched as the bisected blade hung mid-air, its surface reflecting the samurai's smirk amidst the lightning.
Before the remaining Electro energy could fully disperse, the body redirected it outward, obliterating the entire platform in a devastating explosion.
With a raise of his hand, the samurai's Vision floated toward Rover—but then, a familiar figure rushed in and snatched it away.
Kazuha?
Clenching his teeth, Kazuha's eyes burned with fury—and a trace of confusion—as he glared at the body. Then, his Anemo Vision flared, summoning a gust that carried him away, leaving only a retreating figure in Rover's sight.
"You… are the enemy of eternity."
The scene shifted once more.
Shattered ruins floated in the air, the sky a canvas of apocalyptic devastation. Before him stood a woman—her expression that of a foe facing her sworn enemy—advancing with a naginata in hand.
Though Rover didn't fully grasp the situation, one thing was clear: another battle awaited.
"Here, not a single variable shall be permitted."
The instant she finished speaking, she transformed into a streak of lightning, charging at Rover. His eyes narrowed. He didn't retreat—merely raising his scabbard to parry.
A sharp clang of metal, sparks and thunder colliding.
The woman stepped back, swinging her blade horizontally. Rover dodged, only for lightning to strike from above. Drawing his sword, he slammed the scabbard toward her while his blade unleashed a surge of Havoc—a violet arc clashing against the Electro.
Realizing she couldn't overpower him, the woman summoned a storm of lightning, absorbing it into her body before launching a relentless barrage.
Rover frowned. In this state, evasion was possible, but counterattacks would be difficult—letting her dictate the pace.
So, his hand reached for the gourd at his back.
A monstrous humanoid figure materialized—clawed left hand, small wings, exuding an eerie aura as it locked onto the flickering woman.
Had Aether been here, he would've recognized this Tacet Discord as Tempest Mephis (colloquially known as "Second Brother," considered easier than the Crownless—mastering deflects prevents its clone summons).
In the next instant, Tempest Mephis outpaced the woman, appearing before her in a flash. She barely had time to react before claws descended.
She teleported frantically, yet the creature predicted every movement, arriving at her destination before her. To an observer, it would seem as if she was deliberately throwing herself into its attacks.
Finally, after a brief but fierce exchange, a claw pierced through her torso. Suspended mid-air, her form began dissolving into lightning. Even in her final moments, her cold gaze remained fixed on Rover.
"Next we meet, the Musou no Hitotachi will end your fragile life."
As the vision faded, Rover scoffed at the empty space where she had vanished.
"Next time, I'll cut you down again. Hope you're less boring then."
With their mutual threats exchanged, a familiar voice echoed in Rover's ears.
"Rover! Rover!"
His eyes snapped open to see Paimon shaking him anxiously.
"This Vision is yours now."
Kazuha's voice rang out as Rover suddenly realized—the once-dim Vision in his hand was now shining with an intense, radiant light.