Three hours later, Beidou and her group boarded the Crux Fleet to return to Liyue.
On the way, Mona looked at Beidou and asked, "Just now, I seemed to see your arm turn black, and you were even able to touch those ice lances with your bare hand. That wasn't an elemental power, was it? Is it a power from another world?"
Among the seven elements, there was no black-colored power. Moreover, having had a very knowledgeable teacher, Mona's own store of knowledge was quite rich.
Beidou nodded. "It is indeed a power from another world. This power is called Haki. It's an ability that all living beings possess, but our world just doesn't know how to develop it. You can think of it as the power of life itself."
"However, I've only reached the entry-level. If I can enter the second stage, I'm sure I'll be able to defeat that Fatui Harbinger."
Just Armament Haki Hardening alone was not enough to defeat La Signora; that was a bit naive. But it did give her the power to fight back.
"A power from another world? It seems my guess was correct. How incredible," Mona said. "My old hag of a master said that every one of the Fatui Harbingers possesses terrifying power. Even she would not have an easy time dealing with them."
"Hmph. Just you wait. In a few more months, I'll be able to surpass her," Beidou declared.
She was a Level 2 group member now, with an independent mission every half-month. At worst, she would just accumulate more points, exchange them for some treasures to increase her strength, and sooner or later, she would surpass that Harbinger.
The next morning, they finally arrived within Liyue's borders. Beidou had Hailong and the others deliver the materials to the Guili Plains, while she herself took Mona back to Liyue Harbor.
When they arrived at the Jade Chamber, Su Han was sparring with Kaedehara Kazuha. Seeing them return, he stopped the fight.
"Yo, you're back so soon?"
"Yeah, and I even had a run-in with a Fatui Harbinger. That woman is definitely not simple. If I didn't have Haki, she would have used my convoy to distract me, and I would have been the one to lose," Beidou said with a shrug, recounting the details of the battle.
Hearing this, Su Han shook his head. "She wasn't using her true strength. She was only fighting you with the power of her Delusion."
"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Beidou was a little unhappy. Was he implying that Signora was just toying with her?
Su Han explained, "La Signora's real name is Rosalyne-Kruzchka Lohefalter. She is the Crimson Witch of Flame who once studied in Sumeru. From that name, you should understand. Her true power is not Cryo, but Pyro."
"What? An existence who has earned the title of 'Witch'? And Rosalyne-Kruzchka Lohefalter… I remember… that's someone from Mondstadt, isn't it?" Mona was shocked.
Wasn't Rosalyne that famous witch from long ago? She had disappeared for several hundred years for some unknown reason. Now she finally understood: she had joined the Fatui.
Beidou looked at Mona and asked, "Is the 'Witch' title very strong?"
"It's not just strong; it represents the pinnacle of power. The old hag's rival, Alice, is an existence who holds the title of Witch."
Anyone who could become a Witch was, without exception, an individual whose power had reached the apex of the world.
After listening to Mona's explanation, Beidou felt a bit dejected. "Is the power difference between us really that great? She didn't even need to use her Pyro powers to fight me. Damn it, I refuse to accept this!"
She had been quite happy thinking she had fought a Fatui Harbinger to a draw. Now, after hearing what Su Han said, Beidou felt disgusted.
What she hated most was when an opponent didn't use their full strength in a fight. Who were they looking down on?
Seeing the indignant Beidou, Su Han comforted her. "It's normal that she didn't use the power of the Crimson Witch of Flame. Because that power is a taboo. It consumes her life."
"Huh? You're not lying to me, are you?"
"Why would I lie to you? The Witch of Purple Rose in Mondstadt City, Lisa. Have you seen her?"
"Seen her? Isn't she that incredibly lazy woman who's always yawning? That's her, right?" Beidou recalled. She had often seen that woman when she was drinking at the Cat's Tail tavern, so she had a strong impression. She seemed to be Mondstadt's librarian.
Su Han nodded. "That's her. Lisa Minci, a genius witch from the Sumeru Akademiya, the likes of which is only seen once every two hundred years. With such high talent, why do you think she chose to hole up in Mondstadt?"
"Could it be…"
With his hint, Beidou finally understood.
The power of a Witch was a taboo.
Only those who obtained this power could be called a Witch. For example, the ultimate mastery of fire made one the Crimson Witch of Flame. And Lisa was the Witch of Purple Rose.
However, the power of a Witch came with a powerful side effect: it constantly drained one's own life force.
In order to live a better life, Lisa chose to seal her power and live a peaceful, comfortable life as a librarian.
And the Crimson Witch of Flame was the same. La Signora used her Delusion but was unwilling to use her Witch's power, which was proof enough of its danger. Perhaps if things went wrong, the Harbinger would die from her own power running out of control.
"So, with that time, you'd be better off thinking about how to cultivate the power of Haki," Su Han concluded. "As long as you enter the second stage, defeating a Fatui Harbinger will be as easy as reaching into your pocket to take something."
"Hah, you make it sound so easy. The second stage isn't that simple to reach," Beidou said, rolling her eyes at the guy. He only knew how to talk big.
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