The Ruin Guard before them was likely at a level where each member of the Five-Color Squad would struggle in a one-on-one fight, but two working together could easily resolve it.
Because of this,
although Oz issued a warning, he was not panicked.
"A Ruin Guard?"
"How did it get here?"
Ruin Guards usually patrol fixed areas, entering a dormant state when there are no enemies, much like a pile of scrap metal.
However,
once a dormant Ruin Guard detects an approaching enemy, it immediately reactivates to deliver an iron-fisted punishment.
A mandatory lesson for new Adventurers is learning how to discern the state of a Ruin Guard.
Every year, quite a few rookie Adventurers mistake a dormant Ruin Guard for scrap metal, only to be soundly beaten.
Noelle had already drawn her Claymore and assumed a combat stance.
"No matter where this Ruin Guard came from, we can't just ignore it."
"This is the main route between Springvale and Mondstadt; many travelers pass through here daily."
"Noelle, attack!"
Noelle cast a shield on herself and prepared to charge forward with her Claymore.
"Wait!"
Suddenly,
Barbara reached out and stopped her.
Barbara's eyes shone with fire—it was her surging fighting spirit.
"Let me handle it!"
Barbara's eyes lit up terrifyingly as she excitedly swung her fists and moved her body.
"I've been looking forward to an opponent like this for a long time."
Inside the Underground Mine, Barbara and the others had accumulated considerable experience fighting slime monsters.
Those monsters were always plotting sneak attacks or were poisonous; they were just incredibly disgusting.
So, even against minor monsters they could easily defeat in one shot, Barbara and the others dared not relax their vigilance or hold back, fearing they might fail in a trivial situation.
Moreover, the monsters in the Underground Mine were generally overpowered; occasionally, an Elite monster would appear, requiring the members of the Five-Color Squad to join forces to fight it.
Compared to that, the Ruin Guard before them seemed incomparably cute.
Seeing the high-spirited Barbara, Noelle silently cast a shield on her, then stepped back a few paces, quietly enjoying Barbara's performance.
Kacha.
The Ruin Guard continuously approached them. Its nearly three-meter-tall steel body left heavy footprints on the ground with every step.
The Little Grass by the roadside was ruthlessly trampled, leaving imprints in the mud.
Kacha.
Kacha.
The sound of rotating bearings conveyed a sense of immense power.
Buzz!!!
The single eye on the Ruin Guard's head flickered with a dangerous red light.
Incomprehensible mechanical sounds emitted from its vocalizer.
&%￥#! (Enemy locked!)
Bang!!!
The Ruin Guard's two iron fists collided, sending airwaves rolling outward. The compressed air let out a sharp roar.
The massive air blast caused the edges of Barbara's and the others' clothes to fly wildly.
If they were ordinary rookie Adventurers, they would probably be terrified and scrambling away right now.
However,
at this moment, the members of the Five-Color Squad remained incomparably graceful and calm.
Ellin had not yet taken down the greatsword on his back.
Klee curiously looked at the large toy in front of her.
Noelle held Klee's hand, watching the Ruin Guard steadily.
Fischl covered her eyes, preparing to deliver an impromptu performance after Barbara's victory. She hadn't even drawn her weapon, and Oz watched everything calmly beside her.
Clearly, they had immense confidence in Barbara.
In front of everyone, Barbara endured the full force of the air blast.
Looking at the dust staining her pure white dress, Barbara frowned.
She clasped her hands together.
The Vision on Barbara's chest flashed with light.
The scattered light was not harsh, but it concealed Barbara's figure within the white glow.
Barbara reached out and gently pressed the button on the pendant around her neck.
Azure Anemo Element surged up from the ground, enveloping Barbara.
Bang!
The Anemo Element dispersed, turning into specks of broken light, like fluttering petals.
Against the backdrop of these Anemo Element light spots, Barbara, with her determined and sharp gaze, appeared exceptionally captivating. Her bold stance immediately exuded the aura of a strong warrior.
Seeing this scene, Fischl couldn't help but boast to her friends:
"Isn't she magnificent!"
"This is the entrance pose I designed for Barbara."
"Barbara is usually too shy to use it, but this time, since that Ruin Guard dirtied her skirt, it's definitely done for."
Barbara slightly bent her knees, leaned forward, pushed off forcefully with her feet, and shot out like a cannonball.
Behind her, dust billowed up, causing the few onlookers to get a mouthful of grit.
Bang!
Barbara's fist collided with the Ruin Guard's massive iron fist. The immense force caused the ground where they stood to heave up into a large pit.
The collision of one large and one small fist created a visually striking impact.
When the dust settled, the person and the Ruin Guard in the pit were evenly matched.
Upon closer inspection, Barbara's fist was covered in a layer of blue Hydro Element film. Protected by this Hydro Element membrane, her skin, as delicate as tofu, remained completely unharmed when colliding with the Ruin Guard's iron fist.
Seeing the stalemate, the Ruin Guard raised its other iron fist high and smashed it down toward Barbara's position.
Boom!
A heavy, powerful strike that was frightening to watch.
However, Barbara had vanished.
Where was she?
Barbara leaped high into the air, flipping once to dissipate the impact force before landing lightly on the ground.
She then naturally crouched down, bringing her legs together with her insteps tensed.
Whoosh!
She shot toward the Ruin Guard like an arrow.
Seeing this, the Ruin Guard did not foolishly remain in place but took the opportunity to launch tracking missiles.
The Ruin Guard leaned back, its long arms supporting the ground like a gibbon. The armor plate on its shoulder shifted, revealing the missiles.
At this moment, the Ruin Guard's weak point was exposed.
If Fischl had shot an arrow right then and hit the Ruin Guard's weak spot, she certainly could have paralyzed it for a long time.
But because this was Barbara's 'one-on-one,' Fischl chose not to intervene. She also didn't believe this Ruin Guard could harm Barbara.
Although somewhat reluctant, Fischl had to admit that Barbara, originally designated as a support healer, had, without realizing it, gradually surpassed her as an archer in actual combat capability.
If it came down to close-quarters combat, Barbara was the strongest on the team.
The speeding missile collided head-on with the rapidly approaching Barbara.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A massive explosion sounded.
Even though they were very confident in Barbara, everyone couldn't help but stare intently at the black smoke, ready to provide timely support if Barbara should falter.
However, Barbara did not disappoint them.
Barbara passed through the black mist completely unharmed. With an accelerated run-up, she bent her legs and shot into the sky like a spring.
In mid-air, Barbara assumed a flying kick posture.
If Arkz were here, he would surely exclaim in shock; Barbara had intuitively grasped the 'Leo Kick'!
As she struck the pose, Barbara's figure suddenly vanished.
This was due to her speed being so extreme that it created the illusion of teleportation in the observers' eyes.
Bang!!!
Barbara, now standing on top of the Ruin Guard's head, leaped lightly, flipped once in the air, and landed gracefully.
Thud!
The Ruin Guard crashed down heavily.
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