Lumine had read her fair share of web novels before.
Sure, she could travel between worlds —
but all the power she possessed had been earned through her own struggles.
Yet Jiang Chen, who just told her he came from a totally ordinary world,
was now claiming he had Karna's Spirit Origin?
Good grief.
What next? The walking cliché system-novel protagonist?
Lumine stared at him, expression growing stranger and stranger.
"…Do you have a system?"
Jiang Chen's lips twitched upward.
He knew she was going to ask that.
"Nope."
"This might just be my own ability."
"Or maybe a blessing from Mother Earth."
Lumine narrowed her eyes at him, deeply suspicious.
Then—after a long moment—her face lit up with sudden realization.
"…Ohhh, I get it."
"The system won't let you admit it, right?"
"I've read novels. I know how it works."
She nodded wisely.
Understanding! Absolute understanding!
Jiang Chen: …
"I really don't have a system."
What he had didn't even qualify as one.
No quests, no rewards.
Stuff just got dumped straight into him.
If anything, he believed it was more like Earth's mother giving him a divine buff.
Lumine nodded again, satisfied enough to drop the subject.
At that moment, Paimon floated closer, utterly lost.
"What are you two talking about?"
"What's a 'system'?"
"Why can't Paimon understand anything??"
"Kids shouldn't pry into adult matters," Jiang Chen said seriously, rolling his eyes.
Paimon puffed up indignantly.
Lumine nodded in agreement.
Yes, children shouldn't pry.
After learning more about Jiang Chen's abilities, Lumine silently made up her mind—
She was absolutely going to hug this golden thigh.
She knew exactly how strong Karna was.
Even if Jiang Chen wasn't at full power, if he fully unleashed those Noble Phantasms…
he could probably beat 99% of Teyvat.
Against armies, against nations—
even against gods.
Especially gods.
In Teyvat, where seven literal Archons existed, having an anti-god Noble Phantasm was outright absurd.
So yes. Thigh. Must hug.
If she ran into trouble, she'd just point at Jiang Chen and say, "Go."
Of course, Jiang Chen had no idea she was planning to freeload off him.
They left Starfell Lake and headed toward Whispering Woods with Paimon guiding the way.
Mondstadt, in reality, was huge.
Whispering Woods was an enormous forest filled with its own dangers—
Hilichurls, slimes, boars, the usual residents.
They hadn't walked long before a group of Hilichurls blocked the path.
Just like those daily-commission camps, they had even built lookout towers.
Jiang Chen's eyesight was excellent now—
his nearsightedness and astigmatism had been cured upon transmigrating.
Spotting the Hilichurls, his eyes lit up.
In the next moment, the Immortal Blade appeared in his hand.
"Brahma— cover the land."
Lumine stared blankly.
Was that really necessary?
Jiang Chen held up his weapon—
and directly activated its True Name Release.
Flames spiraled around the spear, and he hurled it.
The weapon transformed into a beam of golden fire that roared straight toward the Hilichurls.
BOOOOM!!
Fire engulfed the entire camp.
The Hilichurls didn't even have time to scream before turning to ash.
Lumine froze.
"…Bro, that's too much."
Using a Noble Phantasm to clear trash mobs?
That was peak killing-chickens-with-a-dragon-slayer move.
"Just testing the power," Jiang Chen said casually.
"Feels pretty good."
He hadn't even used full strength.
If he had, the entire forest would've turned into a sea of flames.
Even this light version was more than enough.
He could feel the immense mana flowing through his body—
Karna's mana, but amplified.
Because this was reality, not a game, the amount he received was monstrous.
And then there was the divine nature—
not a stat buff, but literal divinity.
A real enhancement to every facet of his existence.
With divinity, in Teyvat?
He was practically a god.
And his power felt endless—
not the kind of protagonist who fires two shots and collapses.
No, he could keep going forever.
Comfort level: MAX.
"Th-that's so scary!!"
Paimon squeaked, hiding behind Lumine.
She had not expected the handsome stranger to be this ruthless.
Seeing Hilichurls → immediate annihilation.
Terrifying.
Jiang Chen didn't mind her reaction.
What could a flying emergency food even do?
Feed her once and she'd be fine.
He raised his hand and the Immortal Blade flew back to him.
A spear, a greatsword, a bow, even a thrown projectile—
he could use it however he wanted.
Unlike Karna, he didn't need to worry about class restrictions.
They continued deeper into the forest—
until the wind abruptly stirred.
Lumine sensed the Anemo flow and instinctively looked up.
A massive dragon soared overhead.
Her eyes widened instantly.
"That—!!"
A dragon?
Jiang Chen saw it too.
Dvalin.
The story was officially beginning.
Meaning Lumine would soon battle it and begin the Mondstadt questline.
Jiang Chen suddenly felt—
Why not skip the script entirely?
"Let's go."
"Follow it."
He dashed forward, weapon in hand.
Lumine quickly summoned her sword and chased after him.
"Wait for Paimon!!"
The three hurried into the depths of Whispering Woods—
and soon spotted a green-haired boy in white, speaking with the dragon.
But the moment Jiang Chen and Lumine got close,
the boy turned sharply—
and vanished.
The dragon, on the other hand, fixed its murderous gaze on them.
Clearly, it was very unhappy about being interrupted.
Advance Chapters available on Patreon