"Blazing Reversal!"
Diluc roared as Pyro surged from his hand into the greatsword. The flames wrapped the blade thicker and hotter until it looked forged from pure fire.
The Cryo Abyss Mage spun around and raised its staff in a desperate block.
It didn't matter.
Fire swallowed ice in an instant.
And in raw power, Diluc was on a different tier entirely.
The mage slammed into a stone pillar with a thunderous crack and went limp, robes charred black as smoke curled off the fabric.
"Tch." Diluc clicked his tongue. "Good. I didn't hit too hard."
He stepped forward, grabbed the unconscious mage by the collar, and hauled it up.
He was taking it for interrogation.
"I didn't expect you to be among the people who came to save me." Kaeya leaned against a pillar, wearing a tired, self-mocking smile.
"I came for the Abyss Mage," Diluc said flatly. "Not you."
"If anyone fits the 'hero who saves people' role, it's Kaito."
"And if Kaito hadn't told me to hurry," Diluc added, "you'd be a corpse by the time I arrived."
"I was being cautious," Kaito said lightly. "Didn't think you'd be this unlucky, Kaeya—running into an Abyss Mage with the same element."
"Yeah… it set an ambush." Kaeya exhaled, relief obvious. "Either way, I'll remember this, Kaito."
He pointed to the altar at the far end of the hall.
The condensed focal point—the crystal carrying Dvalin's lingering influence—was still intact.
"After I got pinned down, I deliberately left that crystal untouched," Kaeya said. "If you came in and saw Mondstadt's storm still raging, you'd know something was wrong and come looking."
He gave a self-deprecating shrug.
"Looks like that was… unnecessary."
He flicked his wrist. Several ice lances snapped out.
Crack—crack—crack.
The crystal shattered into fragments.
With that, the Temple of the North Wind Wolf was cleared.
"You're still calm even when you're cornered," Diluc said, glancing over.
"Is that praise… or sarcasm?" Kaeya laughed quietly.
"Interpret it however you want," Diluc replied.
"Since you're already here," Kaeya said, "do me a favor and lend a hand."
"I told you. I'm here for the Abyss Mage."
Even so, Diluc moved in and let Kaeya lean on him.
Kaito took Kaeya's other side.
The two supported him out of the temple—Diluc still carrying the unconscious Abyss Mage like a sack.
"I wonder how Lisa is doing," Kaeya said, looking south.
"Lisa?" Kaito shook his head. "Don't worry about her."
Kaeya blinked. "You sound confident."
Kaito didn't bother hiding it.
"Because I know her level. You're Lv.10. Lisa's Lv.18."
Kaeya froze.
He couldn't see those numbers, but Kaito said them like they were common sense.
"Put it this way," Kaito added. "Jean's around Lv.15."
Diluc—rarely in the mood to compliment anyone—gave a low, reluctant nod.
"If she wanted to, she could become the Knights' most reliable pillar."
"She gets that much recognition from you?" Kaeya sounded genuinely surprised.
"Wounded people shouldn't waste energy worrying about others," Diluc muttered.
By the time they reached Mondstadt's outskirts, the chaotic turbulence from earlier was gone.
"The elemental flow and leylines have stabilized," Kaeya said. "Looks like Lisa finished the Temple of the South Wind Lion."
Diluc released Kaeya like he'd suddenly remembered he hated physical contact.
"Kaito. He's yours."
Before Kaeya could react, Diluc vanished into the darkness with the Abyss Mage in tow.
Dragging a prisoner through the main gate would mean endless questioning from the Knights… and an attempt to seize custody.
"That guy…" Kaeya sighed, forcing a smile. "Sorry to trouble you, Kaito."
"We're already here," Kaito said. "No need to make it dramatic."
Kaeya was about to feel touched—
when Kaito jerked his thumb toward the gate.
A Knight on duty jogged over.
"Captain Kaeya… Boss Kaito."
The Knight—Lawrence—saluted properly, then hesitated.
"Here," Kaito cut in, shoving Kaeya neatly into Lawrence's arms. "Your Cavalry Captain. Get him back to Headquarters and treated."
Then Kaito turned and walked into the city without another word.
Kaeya stared after him, speechless.
"…So that's what 'we're already here' meant."
He suddenly felt extremely, deeply unwanted.
Inside Mondstadt, lanterns glowed warmly. Knights kept order while citizens repaired roof tiles and storefronts.
Kaito returned to Good Hunter and spotted a suspicious figure lurking near the entrance—peeking around like a thief.
A wide witch's hat bobbed in the shadows.
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