Player World.
Guojia Chen Xiyao watched her quest interface update: [We Will Be Reunited, Part I] completed. But instead of unlocking the next part of the series, the screen displayed...
[The Little Spark That Burned Away]
Hmm, The Little Spark That Burned Away?
"Chat, I thought Mondstadt was out of the main storyline now, but miHoYo just pulled a sneaky move! Looks like Mondstadt still has a big boss lurking around."
Guojia rubbed her hands together, brimming with enthusiasm.
Mondstadt, the starting point for every player, held a special place in everyone's heart.
Lumine, having journeyed so far, felt a surge of anger at seeing Mondstadt ravaged by monsters, the familiar faces of its residents devoid of their usual smiles.
"But this title is a bit odd. Whose spark burned away? The big boss's?"
[Absolutely! They didn't even mobilize this many people to fight Dvalin back then. If it's not the enemy's spark burning away, whose else could it be?]
[Remember Venti was there last time? He might seem unreliable, but without him, I wouldn't feel so secure.]
[So, this is the Dragonspine map from the new update? Hiss... it looks huge, almost as big as Mondstadt itself!]
[Does anyone remember Angie, the girl we met in Dragonspine back then? She seemed so mysterious. Could this incident be their doing behind the scenes?]
[Guys, this storyline is really hooking me. I'm logging in to play now. Bye~]
[Damn, I wish I could too, but I'm stuck at work!]
[At work +1]
Guojia put on her headphones, ready to fully immerse herself in the experience.
Genshin Impact's music and visuals were absolutely stunning—she loved them.
-
Mondstadt.
Lumine, Paimon, Diluc, and the others officially set off, leaving Rola at the city gate, sighing as she watched their departing figures.
Every single person leaving was someone she knew and cared deeply about, yet why wouldn't they let her join them?
"Head back now, Rola," Eula called, waving.
In Mondstadt, Amber and Rola were Eula's closest friends. Their cheerful personalities had rubbed off on her, influencing her in more ways than she realized.
It was they who helped many Mondstadters accept her.
Rola was even younger than Amber. To Eula, she was like her youngest sister—not even Amber was allowed to join, let alone Rola.
Once they left the city, everyone quickened their pace.
Everyone present was an experienced veteran. Though Lisa spent most of her time in the Library, her stamina was surprisingly robust.
Even Paimon, who flew alongside, might have been the fastest of them all when she really picked up speed!
As they hurried onward, Eula asked, "Dragonspine is vast. Searching it inch by inch would be impossible. Do we have any more precise information?"
Having frequently operated in the Dragonspine region, Eula was arguably the most knowledgeable about the area among them.
Diluc replied, "Whatever caused such a massive monster uprising must be something substantial."
Lisa added, "The monsters seem to be shrouded in a faint black aura, something invisible to the naked eye. It's highly likely this is the power of the Abyss."
"Those damned Abyss Order bastards again!" Rosaria cursed.
Lisa: "I have a stone here that detects Abyss Power. The stronger the Abyss Power in your location, the brighter it will glow."
Lumine remained silent. By now, she had her own suspicions—the Abyss seemed to be inextricably linked to her brother.
The journey from Mondstadt to Dragonspine was long and arduous. It took the group considerable time before they finally spotted the snow-capped mountain in the distance.
As they drew closer, an explosion suddenly erupted from the mountainside, sending countless boulders tumbling down and triggering massive snowslides—a full-scale avalanche.
Kaeya quipped with feigned nonchalance, "Looks like we won't be needing that stone after all."
Diluc snapped, "Enough banter! Pick up the pace!"
-
Dragonspine.
Nourished by Abyss Power, the fallen Dragon Durin began to reconstruct its body, using its heart as the foundation.
The instant its physical form was complete, a violent explosion ripped a massive crater in the ground. Durin's crimson eyes slowly opened, brimming with endless distortion and murderous intent.
The Durin created by Malice possessed only a body and its primal instincts. Compared to the living Durin, it was akin to the difference between a living person and their zombified corpse.
Lacking consciousness or independent thought, it relied solely on the Abyss Power-granted instinct for slaughter.
Yet precisely because its body was largely composed of Abyss Power, Malice, as the creature's creator, retained the authority to control it.
The Fell Dragon, as massive as Dvalin, emerged from the explosion's gaping hole.
ROAR!
The deafening roar, accompanied by the thunderous flapping of its wings, sent every small animal in the Dragonspine region scattering in panic.
Inside a Dragonspine base, Albedo heard the roar and swiftly rushed outside.
"That's... Durin? How is that possible?!"
His shock lasted only an instant. Albedo quickly regained his composure and sprinted toward the source of the roar.
Meanwhile, just a few hundred meters from the explosion site, Diluc and his group slammed on the brakes, coming to a sudden halt. Everyone froze in place.
Paimon pointed fearfully at the visibly malevolent dragon.
"W-what is that thing?!"
Lisa: "The Fell Dragon Durin. I've seen its likeness before. Though its appearance has changed somewhat... it must be the same dragon. This is precisely where it fell long ago."
Paimon: "But it's supposed to be dead! Why is it here now?"
Lisa pulled out the stone, which now radiated a blinding light.
Diluc: "The conclusion is obvious. The Abyss used some means to resurrect the long-dead Fell Dragon. It's highly likely they were behind the recent monster rampages as well."
Rosaria: "What do we do now? I don't think we stand a chance against this dragon."
Eula: "Everyone, it's spotted us."
The Fell Dragon's massive crimson eyes stared unblinkingly at them.
Kaeya: "No choice then. Everyone, take care of yourselves. Let's move out!"
"Ehh? We're really going to fight? That big guy looks seriously dangerous!" Paimon's eyelid twitched as she shoved the others behind her protectively. "Damn it! At this crucial moment, the tone deaf bard is nowhere to be found!"
Despite declaring they were ready to fight, no one made a move.
But the Fell Dragon had no patience for their hesitation. It charged forward with terrifying speed, its claws massive and razor-sharp.
"Watch out!"
Just as they braced themselves for a desperate fight, the Fell Dragon swooped past them and soared away without attacking.
Diluc glanced at the dragon's flight path, his eyes widening in alarm.
"Damn it! Its target is Mondstadt!"
"What?! Quick, we have to get back!"
They all sprinted back the way they had come, moving even faster than before.
Lisa: "How troublesome..."