A system prompt flashed across Kaito's vision.
[System Notice]
New target registered — Amber
Name: Amber
Level: Lv.5
Element:Pyro
Skills:Baron Bunny Lv.1, Fiery Rain Lv.1
Kaito scanned the panel.
Amber had helped take down three shield hilichurls earlier outside with Lumine… then soloed another three inside.
That was enough progress to climb quickly.
Lumine had climbed too—now Lv.4.
He wasn't surprised. Early levels rose fast. He'd already seen it with Fischl.
"Here." Lumine pulled out a white handkerchief embroidered with tiny golden flowers and offered it to Amber.
Amber laughed. "Shouldn't you be the one using that?"
She wiped sweat with her sleeve like it was nothing.
Lumine wasn't much cleaner—between slime blasts and archer harassment, her outfit was scuffed and singed too.
"I'm fine," Lumine said, shaking her head.
Then she frowned slightly at the far end of the hall.
A short platform. Beyond it—only a broken drop.
No road forward.
But a Pyro totem stood there, untouched.
Amber's eyes sharpened. "There we go."
She raised her bow and fired a charged shot into the totem.
Flames climbed the stone.
A moment later, from below the ledge—
a strong updraft burst upward.
The entire platform trembled under their feet.
"So it's a mechanism," Lumine realized.
"Exactly!" Amber said. "Let's fly!"
She unfolded her Wind Glider and jumped.
Kaito and Lumine followed. The updraft carried them cleanly into the temple's highest chamber.
In the center of the room sat a dark-green stone wrapped in turbulent Anemo, pulsing like an infected wound.
"That's the focus point," Amber said, pointing. "The dragon's influence—condensed."
"Lisa said Stormterror is borrowing the ruins' residual power through something like this."
Amber didn't waste time. She fired—using Pyro to disrupt the Anemo flow.
The stone cracked—
then shattered.
The air immediately felt lighter.
Amber let out a long breath. "Done. The Temple of the Falcon of the West Wind is cleared."
She smiled—proud and relieved.
"At least we've taken some pressure off Jean."
On the way back out, Amber rambled—half to calm her nerves, half because the adrenaline still hadn't worn off.
"Before, our defense strategy worked because Jean held the city together."
"But Stormterror attacked inside the walls this time…"
She glanced toward Mondstadt in the distance, still buried under storm clouds.
"The wind changed. So our strategy has to change too."
"That sounded wise," Lumine said, not fully following but appreciating the confidence.
Amber flushed. "…That's something Lisa says."
Then she added quickly, "If you don't understand something, ask Lisa! Not because I'm clueless—she's just… the librarian. Her knowledge is on another level."
Lumine hummed, eyes sliding toward Kaito.
Honestly… this one knows plenty too.
At the temple entrance, Mondstadt was clearly visible.
Still storm-bound.
Still under pressure.
Meaning the real problem wasn't solved yet.
"Kaeya and Lisa aren't done," Kaito said, reading it from the sky alone.
Amber nodded. "The other temples are farther—North Wolf and South Lion. More dangerous too. Even Kaeya and Lisa won't clear them that fast."
Lumine stepped forward, eager. "Should we go help?"
She looked… almost excited.
Kaito stared at her for a beat.
Is she… kind of a battle maniac?
He was about to answer when movement near Mondstadt's bridge caught his eye.
At this hour, civilians should've been indoors. Only Knights should've been active.
Anyone else out here was suspicious.
A figure emerged from the city, moving with purpose.
Black-and-gold formalwear over a white shirt. Red hair tied back in a ponytail, the ends slightly curled. Sharp crimson eyes. Gloves. Boots.
Handsome and refined—dangerous in the way a blade is beautiful.
He noticed them too.
A faint, amused smile appeared.
"Boss Kaito," the man drawled, "since when do you enjoy working with the Knights' little girls?"
Amber's fist clenched. "Little—?!"
Paimon floated forward instantly, furious on Amber's behalf.
"Hey! Red-hair! I'm talking to you! Amber is amazing, okay?! Don't look down on her!"
The man's smile didn't change. "Oh? Is that so."
Paimon surged forward to argue—
Kaito caught her midair and held her back with one hand.
Then he looked at the red-haired man.
"At a time like this… where are you going, Diluc?"
Diluc's eyes gleamed faintly.
"With your brains, Boss Kaito… you already know."
He waved once—casual, effortless—and walked past them without slowing.
Kaito watched him disappear down the road.
Then he glanced sideways at the very determined, very adorable Outrider beside him—
and a quiet, dangerous thought surfaced.
If I already have Amber to train… do I still need to train Diluc too?
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 60 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/StrawHatStudios