After Kaeya's calm explanation, everyone finally understood Barbara's heartbreak.
[Lumine]:Barbara's faith… completely collapsed.
[Prince]:Another devout follower lost to Barbatos. Congratulations, I guess?
[Barbara]:I've recovered a little… It's fine now. Barely… within acceptable limits. (cries)
[Furina]:Oh, how I wish I had such a devoted believer!
[Collei]:Huh? Lady Furina, are you… a god too?
[Furina]:Ahem! Why yes! Surprised? Shocked? Overwhelmed to tears?!
[Neuvillette]:You've certainly mastered Venti's lines, Lady Furina.
[Zhongli]:So there are two gods among us. It seems this chat truly hides dragons and crouching tigers.
[La Signora]:Let's hope there are only two.
[Yae Miko]:Oh my, you may not know the others—but I do know our own god from Inazuma is here in the group~ Can anyone guess who it is?
[Kamisato Ayaka]:(confused)
[Kirara]:Ehh?! The Shogun herself is here?!
[Raiden Ei]:The Shogun… is in the chat?!
Well, well.
So the big-eyed, serious Raiden Ei can hide her identity after all.
Seeing her own message, Yae Miko couldn't help but laugh quietly to herself.
[Kokomi]:(alert)
[Childe]:Alright, while Mr. Gu Chen heads into Stormterror's Lair, why don't we figure out how many gods are actually in this chat? @[Zhongli]Mr. Zhongli, any thoughts?
[Zhongli]:In my humble opinion, gods go by many names. The official "Seven Archons" are one set of titles—but each also bears other names. For example, Lord Barbatos is known as "Venti."
[Lyney]:So it seems Lady Furina is the only one here using her real name online.
[Furina]:Ah yes, the real-name-registered Hydro Archon! My sincerest apologies for being transparent! (angry)
[Lumine]:Wait a minute!
[Lumine]:This isn't fair! When I entered Stormterror's Lair, I had to solve puzzles, dodge wind barriers, everything! But Gu Chen? He's just punching through everything! Why?!
Everyone turned back to the video.
Inside the recording—
Gu Chen and his party had reached the Lair's outer storm barrier.
Without hesitation, Gu Chen clenched his fist—
BOOM!
One punch blasted open a massive hole through the swirling winds.
They walked straight in.
Puzzle mechanisms?
To Gu Chen, they were mere decorations.
Another blow struck the ancient stone tower—
the entire structure trembled, and faint dragon roars echoed from its summit.
[Venti]:Goodness gracious—so violent!
[Zhongli]:Crude, but undeniably effective.
[Lumine]:(crying)
[Klee]:Don't cry, Honorary Knight big sister!
[Lumine]:Waaah! I only regret not being strong enough! I actually wasted time solving puzzles like a law-abiding citizen!
As the video played, Lumine's eyes filled with envy.
Gu Chen was demolishing every puzzle, smashing every monster into dust—
the very picture of absolute power.
If she were that strong, why bother solving anything?
Mondstadt is the City of Freedom—
If she wanted to solve puzzles, she could.
If not, she could just smash them to bits!
Oh, blessed strength! Please, descend upon me!!
[Venti]:He's already face-to-face with Dvalin now. @[Dvalin]How do you feel watching this?
[Dvalin]:Shut it. Nobody mistook you for mute, you know!
BOOM!
Gu Chen's fist crashed squarely against Dvalin's face, snapping the dragon's head to the side.
Before the wind could even surge, Gu Chen followed with a heavy elbow to the neck—
Dvalin nearly spiraled out of the sky.
Then came a barrage—fists like torrential rain hammering against Dvalin's body.
Finally, Gu Chen stomped down hard, pinning the dragon at the edge of the tower.
"Lumine, it's up to you!"
"On it!"
Lumine dashed forward without hesitation.
[Childe]:Miss Lumine doesn't look so fragile herself! I'd love to spar with her sometime.
[Lumine]:Hmph! I'm quite strong, thank you very much—just… less so next to Gu Chen!
[Paimon]:That's true! I can testify!
[Prince]:Disgusting.
[Kaeya]:Completely normal. No matter how strong, in front of someone you admire, you'll always seem softer. Understandable!
[Lumine]:That was just in a past life! Let's be rational here!
[Collei]:Hey, look! After Lumine purified the crystal, Dvalin's energy is calming down!
[Ganyu]:Yes, the rage in his aura has faded. He seems much more stable now.
[Ayato]:Hold on—the tower's collapsing! They're all going to fall!
[Gorou]:Mr. Gu Chen can fly, and Mr. Venti's the Anemo Archon. Should be fine, right?
[Venti]:Don't count on me! I couldn't even handle one Abyss Mage!
[Furina]:I'd believe that—unless the Abyss paid you in mora!
[Zhongli]:As I am not an Anemo god, I'll refrain from comment.
Ah, the old fox still knew how to dodge questions gracefully.
Suddenly—
BOOM!
The tower split apart completely!
Everyone lost footing and plummeted toward the earth below.
From that height, they'd be nothing but a smear on the ground…
Until—
FWOOOSH—
A massive shadow swept through the air.
Dvalin caught them upon his broad back, gliding gently in the wind.
"Dvalin…"
"Why," the dragon rumbled, "do you no longer call me as you once did?"
Venti hesitated, then smiled softly.
"I don't want you obeying the Abyss—but that doesn't mean you must obey me either, Dvalin."
He raised his hand, releasing a glowing orb of emerald wind—
it sank into Dvalin's body, suffusing him with a tranquil light.
"This… the blessing of the Anemo Archon? But I am no longer one of the Four Winds…" Dvalin murmured.
"You just protected us, didn't you?" Venti said warmly.
"From now on, Dvalin, fly freer than ever—with my blessing."
Venti leaned back against the dragon's scales, a faint, contented smile curving his lips.
[Paimon]:Yay! Dvalin's back to normal!
[Dvalin]:I hate to admit it, but Barbatos… isn't that bad. Just—barely acceptable.
[Venti]:Ehe~!
Then—
[Azhdaha]:Tch. A proud elemental dragon, reduced to a human's mount? Pathetic!
[Azhdaha]:Born of the earth and elements—how could one willingly bow beneath mortals?!
[Azhdaha]:From what I see, this "Barbatos" is weak—nothing more than an insect! @[Dvalin] What say you and I join forces? We shall crush Barbatos and Morax both, and split the lands of Mondstadt and Liyue between us! Glorious, no?!
[Zhongli]:…
[Venti]:…
[Lumine]:I'm dying! This Azhdaha guy—he's definitely a subordinate of Liyue's Geo Archon, right?!
[Xiao]:…
[Cloud Retainer]:…
[Ganyu]:@[Azhdaha]Elder Azhdaha, please, regain your composure!
[Vortex God]:I may not be a dragon, but I'd like to join this grand alliance too!
[Ningguang]:…
[Keqing]:…