"Hey, hey, hey, Traveler, am I seeing this right? Is that little girl Griseo?!" Paimon, sitting in the audience, widened her eyes and gaped in shock.
"Hmm... that is indeed Griseo." Lumine nodded quietly, confirming that Paimon wasn't mistaken.
"Then... why is she participating in the Crux Clash? Is it for that Vision?" Paimon scratched her head, puzzled.
"I don't think so. With Griseo's power, a Vision would be useless to her. Her goal..." Lumine narrowed her eyes slightly, "might be the same as ours."
"The same... she's also going to Inazuma?"
...
"Ladies and gentlemen! The next contestant is someone you've all heard of. Let's see who it is!"
Liben shouted enthusiastically, then pointed the microphone toward the entrance on his right.
"Sometimes, under the moonlit night, I face the evil dragon alone in Zhaotan."
A soft, poetic voice echoed from the entrance, and soon, a handsome blue-haired young man walked out slowly. He wore a confident smile, one hand behind his back and the other holding a blue-covered novel.
"It's the second young master of the Feiyun Commerce Guild!"
"Wow! It's Xingqiu!"
"Go, Xingqiu!"
"Huh? I thought the Crux Clash only allowed participants without Visions? Isn't that a Hydro Vision on his waist?"
"Ah, your information is outdated. I heard Lady Ningguang sponsored this event and provided the venue. So, Captain Beidou, who loves a good show, changed the rules. Now, as long as you're human and know a few moves, you can participate."
"I see..."
Listening to the surrounding chatter, Xingqiu smiled and put away his book, then bowed to the audience. "I am Xingqiu of the Guhua Clan. Thank you all for your support!"
"That's right! Our first contestant is the second young master of the Feiyun Commerce Guild, Xingqiu... ahem, Young Master Xingqiu!" Liben nearly slipped up but quickly corrected himself.
"Ahem, everyone, let's turn our attention this way and see who the second contestant is!" As Liben spoke, the audience shifted their gaze to the other entrance.
"Whoa!"
"Wait, another little girl?"
"Is the Crux Clash treating this competition as a joke?"
"..."
The audience erupted in chatter. Just moments ago, a blue-haired little girl had appeared, which was already unexpected. Now, another one? And this one looked even younger than the last.
"Quiet, everyone! Please rest assured, both contestants, Nahida and Griseo, have been specially approved by Captain Beidou. There's no need to worry!"
Hearing Captain Beidou's name, the audience calmed down a bit, though they still found it hard to believe. These adorable little girls didn't seem like they had any combat prowess.
"Please." Nahida, having stepped onto the stage, made a polite gesture and spoke in her soft, sweet voice.
"This..." Xingqiu looked troubled. He was at a loss, unsure where to place his sacrificial sword. If his opponent were a burly man, he wouldn't be so hesitant.
But facing a delicate little girl, how could the upright and honorable Xingqiu bring himself to fight her?
"Little girl, how about we make a deal? You forfeit, and after the match, I'll buy you some candy." Xingqiu tentatively suggested, not wanting to actually fight the adorable girl before him.
"..." Nahida remained silent, then shook her head and spoke again. "I can do it. Please don't hold back."
"Sigh, little girl, be careful then." Seeing that the silver-haired girl was determined to fight, Xingqiu smiled wryly. Whether he won or lost, he would likely become the talk of Liyue.
If he won, he would have defeated a little girl who looked no older than ten—hardly a glorious victory. If he lost, it would be more than just embarrassing. Of course, he hadn't considered the possibility of losing.
"Raincutter!" The Vision at Xingqiu's waist glowed brightly, and with the output of elemental energy, several blue water swords materialized around him.
"Little girl, you..."
"Hand in hand." Before Xingqiu could finish, Nahida lightly tapped her toes, lifting off the ground. She clasped her hands together, striking a cute pose as if taking a photo.
Hum— Dendro energy flowed, attaching an elemental mark to Xingqiu from a distance.
"Huh?" Before Xingqiu could react, the lush Dendro energy reacted violently with the Hydro energy on his body, causing several verdant Dendro cores to bloom at his feet.
Oh no! Xingqiu's instincts screamed, and he quickly activated the Guhua Step to escape, but he was too late.
As the Dendro Archon, the Dendro cores Nahida created were vastly different from ordinary ones. Hers were closer to Nilou's Bloom cores—quick to react and explosive.
Boom! Boom! Boom!...
With a series of loud explosions, Xingqiu was engulfed in the chain reaction of Dendro core detonations.
"Wow! That's brutal!"
"Tsk tsk, as expected of someone recommended by the Uncrowned Lord of the Ocean."
"I wonder how Xingqiu is doing. He really got caught off guard this time."
The audience was amazed by Nahida's display, and some even began to speculate about Griseo. Since both girls were specially approved by Captain Beidou, and this silver-haired girl was so powerful, the blue-haired one must be no slouch either. This Crux Clash was going to be interesting.
"Cough, cough, how... how is she so strong?" As the smoke cleared, Xingqiu's disheveled figure came into view. The once graceful young master was now a far cry from his former self.
"I... underestimated her..." After barely managing to speak, the Guhua Clan's top disciple fainted, his sacrificial sword never having a chance to shine before he was forced to retire from the match.