"For me?"
Having traveled with the Traveler for so long, Paimon had seen all sorts of ups and downs.
But someone gifting her a Vision—and one that could actually be used...
She truly hadn't seen that before.
"You, as travelers, made many contributions in the battle against the Abyss monsters in Natlan."
"Both emotionally and rationally, I should repay you."
Rios said.
"But this repayment is too... amazing, isn't it?"
Paimon was at a loss for words for a moment.
This was a Vision, after all.
How many people in Teyvat dreamed of obtaining a Vision, even willing to give up their lives just for one.
"Doesn't this make your contributions to Natlan even more significant?" Rios said.
"Your Excellency, the Pyro Archon, you're so kind!"
Seeing that Rios had said so much, Paimon quickly hugged the Vision in her hands.
The next moment, the Vision resonated with her, and she could use Pyro elemental power as well.
"Your Excellency, the Pyro Archon, you didn't have to go to such expense." The Traveler took out her own Pyro Vision. "If I can resonate with the Statues of The Seven now, then I could give my Vision to Paimon—no need for Your Excellency, the Pyro Archon, to give another one."
"Don't say that." Rios thought for a moment and said, "If people from other nations heard, they might think we can't afford it."
With the conversation reaching this point, the Traveler and Paimon didn't refuse anymore.
Paimon happily played with the Vision she'd just obtained, not even in the mood to watch the matches in the arena anymore.
Rios then brought up another matter with the Traveler: "After the matches end, come find me. There's something I want to show you."
The Traveler felt a bit puzzled but nodded in agreement.
The Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame didn't take long to conclude. Mavuika successfully proved herself the strongest among all participants and took the Gnosis from Rios in a legitimate manner, becoming the new Pyro Archon.
According to tradition, after a new Pyro Archon ascended, a banquet had to be held that same evening.
While everyone was preparing for the banquet, the Traveler brought Paimon to a certain spot outside the Stadium of the Sacred Flame.
It was a monument.
Commemorating Natlan's complete victory over the Abyss monsters.
Logically speaking, calling over a few people with Geo elemental power, paired with engineers and designers, it could be completed quickly.
But for some reason, even now it was just a rough draft.
"This is something Mavuika persuaded me to build. She felt that defeating the Abyss was something truly worth commemorating and should be done as soon as possible."
"But I wanted to delay the completion a bit, so even after Mavuika became the Pyro Archon, this monument still isn't finished."
Rios said.
"Is it related to Mavuika?" the Traveler asked.
"Could it be that Your Excellency, the Pyro Archon, wants to surprise Mavuika?" Paimon asked as well.
"Something like that." Rios smiled. "Though Mavuika might end up crying when the time comes."
"Th-that... impossible, right?"
The Traveler and Paimon couldn't imagine what could make a strong woman like Mavuika shed tears.
Even if the people around her were killed by Abyss monsters, Mavuika would just take up her weapon and fight them to the death—after the battle, she might not even cry.
"Who can say for sure about the future?" Rios looked at the blonde girl. "I called you here mainly to share the battle I had in the Abyss earlier."
"The next destination you're heading to, Nodkrai, is also a place afflicted by the Abyss, and its Abyss is different from Natlan's."
"Having more experience battling the Abyss, I think, would be beneficial for your upcoming journey. What do you think?"
Rios saying all this was basically just opening the weekly boss for the players.
These weekly bosses were all recollections of past battle intensities.
Rios's recollections weren't recollections too?
The Traveler nodded, finding it reasonable, and thus asked, "What should I do?"
"I've used a special method to leave the memories of my battle with the Abyss at the monument. Anyone can place their hand on it and experience how I fought back then."
"This is something I just finished. You're the first to try it." Rios led the girls to the front of the monument.
"Will there be any danger?" Paimon asked worriedly.
"This is just a recollection; there won't be any danger." Rios said. "If there's any risk, it's at most feeling the pain when hit, and if you're defeated, you'll be forcibly ejected—something like that mode."
Hearing there was no danger, Paimon's eyes lit up as she rubbed her hands. "Then can I join?"
She had just obtained a Vision and was feeling utterly inflated, already wanting to truly fight side by side with the Traveler.
"You and the Traveler just place your hands on it at the same time."
And so, the Traveler and Paimon looked at each other, nodded mutually, and together placed their hands on the monument.
The next moment, their consciousness entered Rios's recollection, arriving in the Abyss.
At the same time, the players going through this storyline were surprised to find that their party suddenly only had the Traveler left, with Paimon following alongside.
Opening the character menu, they saw that the Traveler's skill description had an additional mechanic for Paimon.
[Another expert?]
[They really made Paimon follow in battle?]
[No way, I thought it was a joke—turns out Paimon can actually get a Vision and fight with us.]
[Fast-forward to my little Paimon is no pushover.]
[Let me check Paimon's mechanics... In battle, she'll throw the Traveler a Sweet Madame roasted with fire to heal the Traveler.]
[I'll be damned with that Sweet Madame.]
[Food-type soul master?]
[Is that all?]
[They say the later areas require self-exploration.]
[Official team playing memes, huh?]
[So that means Paimon has other mechanics, right?]
[Even if she does, she won't be that strong—after all, it's free.]
[As long as she's stronger than a boar, it's a success.]
[Too bad Paimon has no damage skills; otherwise, I'd really want to take her for nuke damage.]
[This Pyro Archon's memory—isn't it just a weekly boss?]
[I thought weekly bosses were gone; turns out they're still here.]
As the players advanced with the Traveler, they soon encountered the enemy in the weekly boss... Gosoythoth.
The powerful foe that drew Ley Line power and mimicked the Pyro Sovereign.
After the players engaged Gosoythoth in battle, they were instantly stunned.
[No way, why is this Gosoythoth so good at dodging?]
[It's standing outside—how are we supposed to hit it?]
[Only one Traveler—how do we even fight?]
[I'm about to get one-shot!]
[Didn't die?]
[Wait, Paimon jumped out to block the knife for me?]
[Holy shit, did Gosoythoth just kill Paimon? You bastard, I'm going all out against you!]