No, no, no...
Upon hearing March 7th's words, Stelle and Kiana, who had initially been tempted, immediately suppressed their urge to take advantage of the offer.
After quelling their thoughts, both Stelle and Kiana cast complicated glances at Hu Tao before similarly declining her promotional offer for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's services.
Having refused Hu Tao, the trio worried she might take offense, so they decided to shift the topic by introducing themselves.
March 7th was the first to speak, waving her hand cheerfully with a bright smile: "Hello, Hu Tao! I've heard about you from Mr. Zhongli. I'm March 7th, a Trailblazer from the Astral Express.
I've been looked after by Mr. Zhongli before, so don't worry—I'll hold back during the fight and make sure you don't get hurt."
Hu Tao smiled faintly at March 7th's words but remained silent. She wasn't foolish—before the match, she'd consulted Zhongli and knew full well that her strength paled in comparison to these individuals.
Thus, she didn't argue. After all, if the other party was willing to hold back, questioning it might just earn her a beating.
Hu Tao reasoned that since this was her first time meeting March 7th, it was only natural to be cautious, right?
She really didn't want to get thrashed.
After March 7th finished, the other two introduced themselves as well.
Kiana, putting on her usual cool warrior demeanor in front of others, followed up:
"I'm Kiana Kaslana, a warrior of the Kaslana family, a student of St. Freya Academy, and the current Herrscher of Flamescion. Nice to meet you all."
Then came Stelle's turn, though her introduction remained as abstract as ever: "Hello, I'm the Galactic Bat Warrior, also a Trailblazer from the Astral Express."
As she spoke, she pulled out her baseball bat and gave it a swing through the air.
What she didn't notice, however, was Kiana sneaking glances at her bat, her eyes filled with awe and burning desire.
(Kiana: So cool, so stylish, such a beautiful bat... I want it so bad (﹃).)
...
The audience in the stands burst into laughter at the scene.
"Hahaha, classic Stelle—still as abstract as ever!"
"Hu Tao's no different, promoting funeral services right in the middle of the Luotian Grand Ritual."
"Director Hu, sign me up for a Wangsheng Funeral Parlor package!!!"
"Hehehe... I'm Hu Tao's loyal dog."
"Whoa, how did a pretender sneak in here? Get this guy out!"
"Look at Kiana's eyes—they're practically glued to Stelle's bat. Guess the Mihoyo weapon legacy really is irresistible, huh?"
"Such dedicated cosplayers, even nailing the in-character introductions!"
"Right? With their spot-on outfits and looks, it's like they jumped straight out of the game."
"Didn't expect March 7th to have been helped by Zhongli before. smirks"
"Genshin Apocrypha, now playing: 'March 7th, Who Walked Out of Teyvat.' According to legend, before losing her memory, March 7th was a..."
"...Only apocrypha would dare write something like this."
"Shocking! When Mihoyo characters meet, this happens..."
"You've mastered the art of clickbait. Report to the Clickbait Department tomorrow."
...
Meanwhile, the guardians—Himeko, Fu Hua, and Zhongli—watched with quiet amusement.
"They seem to be getting along well. Though Miss Hu Tao is certainly... unique?" Himeko remarked, sipping her coffee elegantly before subtly frowning and putting it away.
Dan Heng, Welt, Mei, and Bronya, meanwhile, stared at Zhongli in shock.
Fu Hua, familiar with Genshin Impact's storyline, wasn't surprised by Hu Tao's antics, but her gaze still drifted toward Zhongli, brimming with playful teasing.
"This girl, really..."
Under everyone's odd looks, Zhongli could only massage his temples, utterly exasperated.
Why must you promote funeral services during a match? Now it's just awkward.
Just as Zhongli was struggling to respond, a sudden cry from the audience cut through: "Quiet down! Look, the fight's starting!"
...
Arena Stage
Indeed, the atmosphere on the stage had turned tense.
The moment Stelle finished her introduction, she struck with lightning speed.
While March 7th was still basking in the joy of making new friends, Stelle flashed behind her, raising her electro-charged bat high—
—and swung down without warning.
But March 7th wasn't just slacking off in the group chat all this time. After so many battles, her danger sense had been honed to a razor's edge.
Feeling the rush of wind at her back, she dodged instinctively, sidestepping just as the bat whizzed past her, slamming into the ground with a thunderous THUD.
"BOOM—"
The impact left a gaping crater where March 7th had stood moments earlier, spiderweb cracks radiating outward like some grotesque mosaic.
—
(Additional Setting Note: Reason for Toned-Down Combat Displays)
(Participants in the Luotian Grand Ritual have self-imposed power limits to prevent catastrophic collateral damage. Without these restrictions, even a city might not survive the clashes between Pathstriders. Each fighter sets a threshold—exceeding it counts as forfeit. Hence, the modest destruction here is intentional. The event tests skill refinement under equalized conditions, not raw power.)
(End of Chapter)