Statue of The Seven Plaza.
Amber was still giving instructions.
"You have to listen to my commands, okay?"
"Every year in Mondstadt, tons of people break bones because they don't use Wind Gliders properly."
"W–Wow, that's scary?!"
Paimon looked horrified.
"Good thing I can already fly."
"As long as you use it correctly, there won't be any problems!" Amber said confidently, patting her chest.
"And with Mondstadt's flying champion here, you can relax!"
"Flying champion?"
"So Amber is actually that amazing?"
Paimon exclaimed exaggeratedly.
Amber seemed to recall something and looked a little embarrassed. Clearly unwilling to continue that topic, she waved it off.
"Ahem—anyway, don't worry about it. Let's begin."
"Lumine, just jump down from here and open your Wind Glider midair."
Amber demonstrated first, leaping off the circular stone platform in the plaza. Her Wind Glider spread open instantly, carrying her smoothly toward the fountain in front of the Goth Grand Hotel. After landing, she waved up at Lumine.
"Mm."
Lumine jumped.
Whoosh!
Her body, which had been falling rapidly, steadied the moment the Wind Glider opened—as if an invisible current was supporting her.
She experimented with controlling it, gliding smoothly toward Amber.
"As expected of you, Lumine—you're a natural!" Amber encouraged her.
"If you keep practicing, you might even compete with me in Mondstadt's Flying Championship someday."
"There's a flying competition too?" Paimon asked.
"If there's a champion, of course there's a competition!"
"Then what's the prize for first place?!"
Paimon immediately got excited.
"Can I join too?"
"Uh…"
Amber was, for once, at a loss for words.
"Amber," Lumine said suddenly,
"the situation in the city feels… strange."
From the air, she had noticed many Knights of Favonius moving about—far more than usual patrols.
"Is that so?" Amber blinked.
"Then we can ask someone later."
She was curious as well.
"Uh… that guy?" Paimon pointed.
At the entrance of the Goth Grand Hotel stood a man with short brown hair, wearing black and red attire and goggles.
Noticing their gaze, he snapped irritably,
"What are you staring at? If you've got nothing to do, stay away! This is Fatui territory!"
"…"
Amber stuck out her tongue and pulled Lumine and Paimon away.
"Those guys—let's keep our distance."
"Hmph. Just because they rented the Goth Grand Hotel, they think it's their turf. So arrogant."
Her tone carried clear hostility.
"If I catch even the slightest slip-up, the Knights of Favonius won't let them off."
"Who are they?" Lumine asked.
"The Fatui. A diplomatic delegation from Snezhnaya," Amber replied casually.
"Our relationship with them isn't exactly close."
She waved her hand.
"Anyway, let's continue. Next, we'll fly to the fountain plaza in front of the Good Hunter Restaurant. Once you make it there, your trial counts as a pass!"
Amber led Lumine behind the Goth Grand Hotel and jumped first.
Lumine quickly followed.
From the air, she saw that the Good Hunter Restaurant had already closed—its doors and windows tightly shut. Even the general store across the street looked the same.
The fountain plaza, once lively, was now eerily silent.
Just as she was feeling puzzled—
A violent gust blew in from beyond Cider Lake, carrying a bone-chilling cold.
The great windmills of Mondstadt, which had been turning lazily, were suddenly forced into rapid motion. Posters, flyers, trash, and countless leaves were swept into the air.
The sky visibly darkened as storm clouds gathered at alarming speed.
"A storm?"
Amber pulled the goggles hanging at her neck over her eyes, disbelief filling her voice.
"Mondstadt is under the Anemo Archon's protection. A storm this violent shouldn't be possible."
"The wind direction…"
Lumine clenched her fist.
Roar!!
A dragon's roar thundered across Mondstadt's skies, echoing all the way from Stormterror's Lair.
The six-winged Stormterror descended, wrapped in raging gales and sea-like torrents of wind.
Its massive body smashed rooftops as it swept through the city at low altitude.
Screams of terror erupted—quickly swallowed by the howling storm.
"You've got to be kidding—it really came!"
At the Knights of Favonius Headquarters.
Jiang Yan, Kaeya, Jean, and Lisa all rushed outside.
They stared at Stormterror as it streaked through the skies above Mondstadt.
"Good thing we evacuated early," Kaeya said grimly.
"Why would Stormterror suddenly attack Mondstadt?"
Jean's voice was tight with anxiety.
Even though the Knights had already begun evacuating civilians, if Stormterror wasn't driven away—or calmed down quickly—the damage would only escalate.
"This chaotic elemental flow…"
Lisa brushed her arm lightly.
"It's certainly enough to make anyone irritable."
Roar!!!
As they assessed the situation, Stormterror climbed higher into the sky. Its towering body rose upright, facing the Statue of The Seven as it unleashed an earth-shaking roar.
It was manipulating Anemo.
—or perhaps—
Blaspheming the Anemo Archon.
Raging Anemo energy condensed into a black tornado, descending from the storm clouds and sweeping toward the statue.
Yet an unknown force caused the tornado to veer off course, redirecting its devastation toward the city.
"Not good!"
Jean's expression changed instantly.
"That's—"
Jiang Yan spotted a figure being swept into the air by the black tornado.
"I'm going!"
He spoke urgently.
His Wind Glider spread open as he leapt, borrowing the chaotic winds to launch himself skyward.
This wasn't a game.
If something went wrong—
He couldn't afford the consequences.
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