Vale took a few cautious steps down the hill, his eyes flicking between the swaying trees and the tall grass.
He muttered to himself as he walked.
"Okay… which way should I go?"
A low growl cut through his thoughts. Vale froze.
Ahead, behind a cluster of boulders, shapes started moving—broad, hunched figures wearing crude masks, holding clubs made from bones and stone. Three of them. Hilichurls.
His mind blanked for a moment. He'd fought hundreds of them in the game, farmed their drops, even laughed at their strange dances. But seeing them in real life… it was different. Scary.
"Oh no…" he whispered, stepping back.
One of them screeched and charged, its club scraping the ground.
Vale stumbled over a root, panic surging.
"Crap—!"
The Hilichurl swung its club, but it missed. Its foot slipped on loose dirt, and it crashed sideways, smashing the club into the second Hilichurl's knee with a sickening crack.
The second howled, shoving the first in rage. "Graaaagh!!"
They started fighting each other, swinging their crude weapons wildly. Vale scrambled to his feet, staring in disbelief.
"What… what the hell is happening?!"
The first Hilichurl tried to stab again, but its spear hit a rock, glanced off, and pierced the second's chest. The dying creature let out a roar, blood spilling from its mask. In a final swing, it buried its axe in the other's neck before collapsing.
Silence. Just the wind in the grass.
Vale stood frozen, breathing hard. Both Hilichurls lay still. The last one, badly hurt, tried to crawl toward him, but its arm gave out, and it slumped face-first into the dirt.
He hadn't touched them.
The system interface flickered beside him.
[Predestined Shadow Activated]
[Outcome: User Unharmed — Threat Neutralized]
[Deviation Probability: 0.00021%]
Vale stared, numb. A shaky laugh escaped.
"You've got to be kidding… they just killed each other?"
He pressed a hand to his chest, feeling his heart hammering.
"Okay… that's something crazy."
Vale took a deep breath, trying to calm the rush in his chest. The wind carried the faint metallic scent of blood, and the sight of the fallen Hilichurls made his stomach twist.
He swallowed hard and forced himself to move.
"Okay… no more random exploring for today," he muttered shakily. "Let's… just get somewhere safe."
His eyes turned toward the distant shimmer of the Statue of The Seven—the one he'd seen earlier, It gleamed faintly under the sunlight, a serene beacon amidst the chaos.
"Yeah… there. That's where I should go."
The walk back felt longer than before. Every rustle of grass made him tense. Every distant chirp sounded sharper. He couldn't stop glancing over his shoulder, half-expecting another monster to burst out of the trees.
By the time he reached the clearing beneath the great oak and the statue's gentle glow, his legs felt heavy.
He stopped before the statue, gazing up at it—the serene face of Barbatos, the Anemo Archon, watching over Mondstadt.
Vale let out a long breath and sat down on the soft grass, leaning his back against the base of the statue. The cool stone felt solid and calming against him. His eyes grew heavier with each passing moment as the wind brushed gently over his face. Before he knew it, sleep pulled him under.
...
When he woke up, the sun had already dipped lower, painting the sky in warm shades of orange and gold. His neck ached from the awkward position, and when he moved, his shoulder gave a small crack that made him wince.
He rubbed his eyes, blinking the sleep away. A faint light flickered at the edge of his vision — a system message: [Vitality Restored: +15%]. He waved it away with a thought.
The air felt cooler now, carrying the smell of grass and evening. The wind was soft, brushing through his hair like gentle fingers.
He stretched and yawned — and that's when he someone.
Just a few meters away, under the shade of a tall oak, sat a woman in a clean white cape and fitted uniform. Her blonde hair was tied in a ponytail that glowed in the fading sunlight. She sat cross-legged, eyes closed, one hand resting on the sword beside her.
Jean.
The Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius.?????