Zhongli stared at Venti, his golden eyes filled with profound, unvoiced exhaustion.
A single flask of wine. A bottomless flask, certainly, but merely vintage alcohol at the end of the day.
And for that alone, the Anemo Archon had willingly surrendered every shred of his sovereign dignity.
How utterly cheap was the pride of the wind?
Even when promised an infinite pouch of Mora, Zhongli had refused to compromise his station.
Zhongli let out a slow, silent breath, turning a deeply complicated gaze back toward Ryen.
"So, to summarize... the newly introduced world bosses within this Genshin Impact module are the Seven Archons and a select circle of our companions?"
Ryen spread his hands, offering a bright, innocent grin.
"I never claimed the boss was you. You reached that conclusion entirely on your own."
Zhongli pressed his lips together, wrestling with his thoughts for several seconds before speaking in a strained cadence.
"So... I have become a world boss? Is eliminating this entity strictly mandatory?"
"Naturally!" Ryen shook his head with firm conviction before casually correcting himself. "Or rather, eliminating the world boss designated as Morax is mandatory."
"Is there a practical difference?"
"Of course there is. Boss Morax is a geometric, voxel construct made of blocks, much like a zombie."
"Picture that in my mind only brings a deeper wave of revulsion."
Zhongli let out a heavy sigh. Back during the darkest chapters of the Archon War, when his immortal companions fell one after another across Guili Plains, he had never felt such lingering, undignified torment.
After a long pause, he asked with visible hesitation, "So your intent is for me to execute myself?"
"What purpose does that serve? Am I hunting my own form for a pure Geo Gnosis, or am I farming my own flesh for talent materials?"
Ryen paused, adopting an expression of absolute, deadpan sincerity.
"Strictly speaking, we require both."
Ignoring Zhongli's crumbling composure, Ryen turned toward the rest of the table with an enthusiastic smile.
"Consider the wider bounty. Slaying Boss Azhdaha yields Dragon Lord's Crowns, Bloodjade Branches, and Gilded Scales."
"Defeating Tartaglia drops Shards of a Foul Legacy, Horns of the Monoceros Caeli, and Shadows of the Warrior."
"Vanquishing the Raiden Shogun rewards Mudras of the Malefic General and pure Electro Gnoses."
"Every single one of these items serves as a core catalyst to elevate your elemental talents."
"Your intrinsic combat parameters rely directly on these drops to ascend."
"Therefore, to scale our strength toward absolute perfection, farming these bosses on a routine rotation is non-negotiable."
Tartaglia scratched the back of his neck, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.
"So we are genuinely expected to put down our own duplicates?"
"It is merely clearing a world boss," Ryen replied, waving a hand dismissively. "You have all cleared dungeon bosses before. These entities simply happen to share your likeness and titles."
His breezy reassurance did nothing to comfort the room; if anything, the atmosphere grew heavier.
Everyone at the table knew Ryen far too well. The module was undeniably magnificent, but his primary motive in staging this reveal was pure, unadulterated amusement.
Noticing the pervasive silence, Ryen raised an eyebrow, his smile turning sly.
"Naturally, if striking down your own namesake proves too distressing, I understand completely. But we cannot simply abandon the materials, can we?"
"Hunting your... that is to say, hunting the bosses who share your titles is essential to developing the module."
"We cannot halt our military expansion over sentimental discomfort."
"If raising your own blade is out of the question, you can always provide tactical assistance from the sidelines."
Ryen shifted his eyes toward Zhongli, his tone rich with mischief.
"For instance, Zhongli, you could outline your attack patterns or stand on the perimeter to direct strike teams as their tactical commander."
"You would not need to set foot into the arena, sparing you all personal awkwardness."
A bitter chill settled in Zhongli's chest as he stared back at him.
"You are suggesting that I act as the supreme commander directing an execution squad against myself?"
"Not against you. Against Boss Morax."
"A transparent attempt to mask reality."
"Come now, Zhongli," Ryen teased, leaning forward. "You wouldn't want Xiao and the adepti to charge into the arena blind, only to be wiped out because they misunderstood Morax's attack rotations, would you?"
Zhongli froze.
Beside him, Xiao, whose gaze had been darting nervously between them, turned pale as parchment. He surged to his feet, his golden eyes wide with sheer panic.
"I... strike down Lord Mora... strike down Rex Lapis?! No! Absolutely not! I refuse under all circumstances!"
"Blasphemy! It is the highest treason against the heavens!"
The normally quiet Conqueror of Demons was pushed into a breathless, desperate stammer.
Ryen suppressed his laughter, maintaining an expression of earnest admiration.
"Do not sell yourself short, Xiao! You are the primary vanguard destined to fell Morax!"
"I am not! I possess no such capability!" Xiao denied frantically, taking a step backward.
"Modesty! Pure, unvarnished modesty!" Ryen sighed theatrically, shaking his head. "Who does not know that the Golden-Winged King boasts supreme martial prowess, standing second only to Rex Lapis himself? You have served at his side for millennia and understand his every combat movement."
"When it comes to neutralizing Morax, who could possibly be more qualified than you? Do not decline the honor, Xiao. Who else could bear this mantle?"
Xiao was on the verge of total collapse.
"I am not qualified! I harbor no such thoughts! Mr. Ryen, I beg of you, cease this jest!"
Turning toward Zhongli, Xiao pressed his hands firmly against his chest, his voice trembling. "My Lord, I have never entertained such treachery! Please believe my loyalty!"
Zhongli opened his mouth to intervene. He understood Xiao's character better than anyone alive; Xiao would rather turn his polearm upon his own heart than point a weapon toward his Archon.
Yet Xiao was simply too earnest. Ryen had found an endless well of entertainment and was systematically dismantling their dignity one by one.
Before Zhongli could utter a word of comfort, Ryen cut in smoothly.
"Or would you prefer that Zhongli strike down Morax with his own hands, Xiao?"
"I hold no such desire! I..."
The battle-hardened yaksha looked close to tears, trapped in an impossible ideological vice.
Xiao felt that detonating his own life force and respawning after the conference concluded would be infinitely more peaceful.
Striking Morax himself was unpardonable treason.
Forcing Zhongli to do it was unfilial, disloyal, and utterly vile.
Seeing that Xiao had reached his absolute limit, Ryen relented, choosing not to torment the young yaksha further.
He had never truly expected Xiao to lead an assault against Morax, at least not during the opening days. Given Xiao's fanatical devotion, he would undoubtedly hold back in combat, perhaps even deliberately falling to Boss Morax's attacks just to uphold his lord's honor.
Ryen let out a sigh of mock sympathy.
"I suggested this purely to protect your pride!"
"Think about it carefully: these bosses share your names and appearances."
"Taking the field yourselves might feel awkward, but watching another nation's warriors slaughter your duplicate would surely feel far more humiliating, wouldn't it?"
"What do you say, Tartaglia? How would you feel watching Diluc and the Knights of Favonius cut down a boss bearing your exact name and Foul Legacy transformation?"
Tartaglia rubbed the back of his neck, his expression turning sour.
"Admittedly... that would feel extraordinarily irritating."
"Exactly!" Ryen clapped his hands against the table with deep satisfaction.
"Then the policy is settled!"
"Every nation shall handle its own designated entities. For example, Kujou Sara, you and your command division can organize strike teams to hunt Boss Raiden Shogun."
Hearing her name called, Kujou Sara stiffened violently.
Meeting the calm, impassive gaze of the Raiden Shogun sitting nearby, Sara waved her hands in frantic denial.
"Impossible! Out of the question! I am no match for Her Excellency, nor would I ever dare raise a weapon against the Almighty Shogun!"
"It is merely a monster construct," Ryen reasoned smoothly. "It is not the true sovereign. There is no need for such distress."
"Even so... it is... entirely unacceptable!" Sara stammered, her rigid discipline crumbling into pure panic.
Ordering her to execute Boss Raiden Shogun?
Setting aside whether she possessed the martial prowess to survive, for a general whose entire existence was dedicated to absolute loyalty, carrying out such an act was worse than death.
Even if it was merely a voxel construct, facing an entity bearing the Shogun's countenance would rob her hands of all strength.
More critically, what would Makoto, Ei, and the Shogun think of her?
General Kujou Sara of the Tenryou Commission, consumed by greed for talent scrolls, ruthlessly executed the likeness of her own sovereign?
If she slays the Shogun within the block world today, will she turn her bow upon Makoto in Teyvat tomorrow?
The mere thought sent a wave of icy dread through her veins.
Ryen spread his hands with a helpless shrug. "Then how do you propose we harvest the module's resources?"
Sara fell silent for a moment, her eyes darting across the table before locking onto Tartaglia.
"I can lead our vanguard to eliminate Tartaglia!"
Tartaglia blinked, pointing a finger at his own chest with rising indignation.
"Excuse me? Do you take me for an easy target? Fine!"
"Then I shall personally lead an assault division to hunt the Raiden Shogun!"
Beside Sara, Gorou snapped his head up, his canine ears pinning back as he glared across the table.
"Insolent! How dare you show such blatant disrespect toward the Almighty Shogun!"
"Your people just threatened to hunt me down! Why shouldn't I retaliate? This is lawful self-defense!"
"Absurd! General Kujou referred strictly to the world boss residing within this realm! She did not threaten your physical person! Do not attempt to sow discord within the alliance!"
"Is there any real difference? If that entity is Tartaglia, it represents me! You are simply picking the softest target! If you have the backbone, go hunt Morax instead!"
"Silence!" Mountain Shaper bellowed, his wings flaring. "Disrespect toward Rex Lapis will not be tolerated! Do you seek a thrashing, mortal?!"
"Splendid! Every single one of you is ganging up on me!" Tartaglia shouted, throwing his hands in the air with a manic grin. "Then I shall hunt every single one of your bosses in sequential order!"
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Hold on," Diluc interjected, his tone calm, steady, and entirely practical. "Hunting Boss Barbatos is entirely acceptable. You are welcome to assist me; I hold considerable interest in the Skyward Pride it drops."
Venti's jaw dropped, looking at Diluc with utter betrayal. "Master Diluc, surely you jest! I am the sovereign deity of your homeland! Even if hunting is required, shouldn't we keep it within Mondstadt?"
"Once Boss Barbatos falls, the Bottomless Flask is yours."
Venti's expression shifted instantly, his eyes gleaming with sharp focus. "Name the hour. My schedule is entirely clear."
"You absolute scoundrels!" Tartaglia yelled, clutching his head. "We were discussing how you are all targeting me!"
"Actually, we could form a joint coalition to eliminate Scaramouche first," someone suggested from the corner.
"An intriguing proposition," another voice agreed. "What division of loot do you propose?"
"Tartaglia, you traitorous bastard!" Scaramouche snarled, his eyes narrowing with venom.
"What if we target the Abyss Prince instead?"
Aether slammed both palms onto the table, his face flushed with fury. "Are you all insane?! What does your petty squabble have to do with me?! I never agreed to target any of your bosses!"
"Which means you secretly considered it! Hunting the Abyss Prince first remains the most logical course!"
The grand hall descended into absolute bedlam. What had begun as Tartaglia defending his honor had rapidly spiraled into a multi-national free-for-all, with commanders shouting over one another, trading targets, and forming temporary alliances.
Ryen glanced toward the recording crystal on the side table, confirming that every glorious second of the chaos had been preserved in pristine detail.
Satisfied, he clapped his hands firmly, cutting through the noise to end the farce.
"Enough. Regardless of their titles and forms, these world bosses remain distinct entities from your true selves."
"There is no need to agonize over the distinction between the self and the avatar."
The leaders turned their eyes toward Ryen, their expressions heavy with dark, lingering suspicion.
It was easy for him to preach detachment when there was no Boss Ryen listed on the bounty board.
Though even if a boss version of him existed, none of them were certain they could defeat it anyway.
Ryen shook his head with an amused sigh.
"To preserve diplomatic harmony and avoid unnecessary feuds, each nation will hold exclusive hunting rights over its own regional bosses."
"Liyue will manage Morax and Azhdaha. Inazuma will handle the Raiden Shogun. Snezhnaya will oversee Barnabas and Rosalyne, and so forth."
"All drops will be shared across our mutual resource pool, sparing us further jurisdictional bickering."
Seeing Zhongli prepare to raise another objection, Ryen cut in smoothly.
"Unless, of course, you genuinely prefer foreign divisions hunting your divine avatars?"
"Zhongli, would you truly prefer Venti leading an execution squad against Boss Morax?"
Venti's eyes lit up. Leaning across the table, he lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper.
"Old man, if you cannot bring yourself to strike, leave it to me."
"I have already mapped out an optimal strategy."
"Knowing your unmatched strength, Boss Morax is bound to be a formidable titan."
"I plan to deploy a thousand-man artillery division to saturate his coordinate with rocket barrages, follow up with heavy automatic fire, apply wither curses via casting staves, and conclude with close-quarters blade executions."
"I guarantee Morax will be dismantled in under three minutes. What do you think?"
Listening to the bard's detailed battle plan, Zhongli's expression turned as dark as compressed obsidian.
The wind spirit had no intention of farming a boss; he was orchestrating the public execution of Rex Lapis.
After a long, suffocating silence, Zhongli parted his lips, delivering a single, unyielding directive.
"Begone."
"Understood!" Venti chimed, leaning back with a cheerful grin.