The grind
I stood up, the pouch of Mora now securely stashed in my inventory, the new title, "Shield of Mondstadt," echoing in my mind. "Thank you, Grand Master," I said, a genuine respect in my voice. "I will do what I can to help."
Jean gave a curt nod. "Good. Lumine here can help you get acquainted with how things work within the city's support systems. We look forward to working with you, Lance."
As we left Jean's office, Lumine offered me a small, knowing smile. "That's quite an honor, Lance. Not many get a title from the Grand Master on their first visit."
"Yeah! 'Shield of Mondstadt'! Paimon thinks that's almost as good as 'Emergency Food'!" Paimon giggled, zipping circles around my head.
I chuckled. "It's certainly a change from what I was doing before. So, what's next? You mentioned getting acquainted with 'support systems'?"
Lumine nodded. "Exactly. Since you're clearly an adventurer, and a very capable one at that, the first place we should go is the Adventurers' Guild. It's where most official quests are posted, and where you can get proper support and resources."
We made our way through the bustling streets, the vibrant life of Mondstadt still a marvel to me. Lumine pointed out a few more landmarks as we walked – the Cathedral looming proudly, the familiar scent of food from Good Hunter. The city, despite the recent attack, felt incredibly resilient, a testament to its people and the Knights.
Soon, Lumine stopped before a sturdy building, not as grand as the Knights' headquarters but clearly a hub of activity. A large sign with a compass emblem marked it as the Adventurers' Guild. Through its open doors, I could hear a constant murmur of voices, the clinking of Mora, and the rustle of papers.
"Here we are," Lumine said, gesturing inside. "It's always busy, but it's the best place to find work and meet other adventurers."
We stepped inside. The air was thick with a sense of purpose and camaraderie. Adventurers of all types, from grim-faced warriors to scholarly types, milled about, some studying notice boards covered with quest scrolls, others chatting in hushed tones, or handing in completed tasks. At the main counter, a woman with long, dark hair and a professional demeanor was speaking with an adventurer.
"That's Katheryne," Lumine whispered to me, nodding towards the woman at the counter. "She's the Guild Master here in Mondstadt. She's the one you'll want to talk to."
Lumine led me directly to the main counter, where Katheryne was efficiently managing a queue of adventurers. When our turn came, Lumine greeted her with a polite nod.
"Katheryne, we have someone who'd like to sign up with the Adventurers' Guild," Lumine said, gesturing towards me. "This is Lance. He's been quite effective in clearing out Hilichurl camps, and he was instrumental in helping during Dvalin's recent attack."
Katheryne's professional demeanor didn't waver, but a flicker of interest appeared in her eyes as she heard Lumine's words, especially the mention of Dvalin. "Oh? Is that so?" She turned her attention to me, her gaze assessing. "Welcome, Lance. I am Katheryne, the Guild Master here in Mondstadt. So, you wish to become an adventurer?"
"Yes, ma'am," I replied, feeling a strange mix of formality and excitement. This was a concrete step, a path forward in this new world.
"Excellent," she said, pulling out a form and a pen. "The process is quite straightforward. We'll need some basic information, and then we'll assess your current capabilities. Your initial rank will be determined by your experience and proven skills." She paused, looking at my well-used spear and bow. "From what Lumine tells me, you already possess considerable combat prowess."
I filled out the basic details, though I kept my true "level" and "mastery" numbers to myself, simply confirming my experience in combat and monster hunting. Katheryne asked a few standard questions about my preferred weapon types and experience with different monster categories. When I confidently listed my proficiency with both spears and bows, and detailed my encounters with Brute Hilichurls and even my solo attempts against Dvalin, her eyebrows rose slightly.
After a moment of review, she gave a crisp nod. "Given your demonstrated abilities and direct involvement in such a significant event, there's no need for an initial assessment mission. You clearly possess the necessary skills." She stamped the form with a flourish.
"Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild, Lance," Katheryne announced, handing me a small, bronze badge shaped like a compass. "You are now officially a Beginner-Rank Adventurer."
Paimon clapped her tiny hands. "Yay, Lance is an adventurer now!"
I took the badge, feeling its solid weight in my palm. It wasn't just a piece of metal; it was a symbol. A formal recognition of my journey, and an open door to a new purpose. After months of aimless, lonely survival, I finally had a clear direction, a new identity. I was an adventurer.
"Thank you, Katheryne," I said, a genuine smile on my face. This felt right.
A month blurred into a whirlwind of quests, monster hunts, and relentless self-improvement. After signing up with the Adventurers' Guild, Lumine and I decided to split up for a while. She had her own urgent mission to pursue regarding Dvalin and her brother, while I was eager to make my mark, understand the system, and truly integrate into this new world.
My life became a methodical cycle: wake up, check the Adventurers' Guild notice board, select quests that maximized my gains, and then head out into the wilds of Mondstadt. I cleared out countless Hilichurl camps, including even more Brutes, dispatched intimidating Ruin Guards, and hunted down elemental creatures. Each successful quest, each defeated monster, yielded EXP and crucial understanding of Teyvat's diverse ecosystem.
My natural aptitude, combined with my rigorous training and the constant flow of experience, saw my capabilities skyrocket. The numerical increases in my stats, though not explicitly shown, were reflected in my effortless movements, the crushing power of my blows, and my uncanny precision.
By the end of that relentless month, a profound transformation had occurred.
Archer Combat Mastery: Through countless shots fired, from precision long-range assassinations to rapid-fire volleys, my mastery had truly reached its zenith. It now proudly displayed Lv 30. My arrows seemed to find weak spots instinctively, and even moving targets became trivial. Lancer Combat Mastery: My spear was an extension of my very will. Every thrust, every sweep, flowed with deadly grace and overwhelming power. My mastery had also ascended to Lv 30, turning me into a true master of the polearm. Adventurer Rank: The steady stream of completed quests elevated my standing within the Guild. From a mere Beginner, I was now a seasoned Adventurer Rank 15, gaining access to more challenging commissions and better rewards.
And with this new peak in my combat masteries, two powerful new skills awakened within me:
For the Archer Class: Volley of the Tempest. This skill allowed me to rapidly loose a devastating barrage of arrows, far more numerous and faster than even Multi-Shot, capable of saturating an area with projectiles or annihilating a single target with sheer volume.For the Lancer Class: Dragon's Tooth Thrust. A highly concentrated, singular thrust capable of piercing even the toughest defenses, designed to penetrate heavily armored foes or exploit the smallest of weak points with lethal precision.
But the most significant milestone, the one that truly cemented my transformation from a bewildered newcomer to a force of nature in Teyvat, was the chime that had echoed in my mind just yesterday:
Ding!Level Up! You are now Level 30!
The raw power surge was palpable. My body felt even lighter, stronger, and more resilient. My senses were sharper, my movements faster, and my very presence seemed to exude a quiet, controlled power. All my core attributes – Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution – had likely seen another significant increase, pushing them even further beyond the average human limits.
Today, I was scouting around the Thousand Winds Temple, an ancient, dilapidated structure shrouded in history and whispers. The ruins were vast, windswept, and usually home to a mix of Hilichurls and a few scattered Ruin Guards. I moved with practiced stealth, my senses alert, when a distinct chilling sensation filled the air, far more intense than the usual Mondstadt breeze.
I quickly took cover behind a crumbling stone pillar, peering through a gap in the ancient masonry. What I saw sent a shiver down my spine, unrelated to the cold.
In a clearing ahead, rising from the earth like some malevolent, icy bloom, was a colossal plant. It was a Cryo Regisvine, its massive, crystalline petals shimmering with frozen energy. A dense, blue core pulsed ominously at its base, radiating an intense cold that frosted the ground around it. Jagged ice shards continuously erupted from its thorny vines, slamming into the earth.
I recognized it immediately from the Adventurers' Guild board. These were Elite Bosses, rare and incredibly dangerous elemental creatures, always marked with high-level warnings. They required specific strategies, often involving elemental reactions, to defeat. This was far beyond any Brute Hilichurl.
The Cryo Regisvine slowly rotated, its thorny "head" sweeping the area, searching for trespassers. Its chilling aura solidified the air around it, making every breath visible. This wasn't just a monster; it was a living, breathing blizzard, a true test of my advanced skills.
Given it's a Cryo Regisvine, a core weakness is usually Pyro. While Lance doesn't have elemental powers himself, his "Dragon's Tooth Thrust" and "Volley of the Tempest" are about raw physical power and penetration. I'll focus on him trying to hit its vulnerable core to start.I remained hidden behind the crumbling pillar, the intense cold radiating from the Cryo Regisvine a physical presence. My mind raced, recalling the general knowledge from the Adventurers' Guild postings. These elemental bosses had cores, often exposed at the base or on their head, that were their true weak points. And for a Cryo Regisvine, elemental reactions like Pyro were devastating. I didn't have elemental powers myself, but my mastery of the bow was paramount.
My bow materialized in my hand, the string pulled taut. I focused all my attention on the glowing blue core at the very base of the Regisvine, where it seemed to be rooted to the earth. It pulsed with a captivating, yet terrifying, icy light. This was the target.
I drew the string back fully, feeling the familiar hum of raw power gathering. This wasn't just a simple shot; this was a manifestation of my Archer Combat Mastery Lv 30. I channeled every ounce of focus into a Charged Shot, imbuing the arrow with maximum kinetic force and precision.
THWOOM!
The arrow shot forth like a bolt of lightning, a sharp whistle preceding its impact. It struck the glowing blue core at the Regisvine's base with an audible CRACK.
A blinding flash of blue energy erupted from the impact point, followed by a violent shriek that tore through the frigid air. The entire colossal plant shuddered violently. Massive ice shards erupted from its body, slamming into the ground around it, and the cold intensified dramatically, swirling into a localized blizzard.
The Cryo Regisvine's rotation ceased abruptly. Its thorny "head" snapped down, its single, glowing eye-like bloom focusing directly on my position with malevolent intensity. It knew I was there.
The sneak attack hadn't killed it, or even crippled it, but it had certainly gotten its attention. And I had landed a critical hit on its core. The fight had begun.
Having landed a powerful opening blow, I knew relying solely on my bow wouldn't be enough to finish this monstrous plant. It was time to get close, to truly put my Lancer Combat Mastery Lv 30 to the test.
My bow vanished, replaced in a fluid motion by my spear. The familiar weight felt reassuringly balanced in my hands. The Cryo Regisvine, its glowing eye fixed on me, began to prepare a counter-attack. I could feel the air around it growing denser, colder, anticipating a surge of ice.
I didn't wait. Unleashing a Dash Burst, I surged forward, closing the distance to the Regisvine's base with incredible speed. Just as I reached it, a volley of sharp ice shards erupted from its thorny vines, slicing through the air where I had been moments before. My Combat Reflexes and Dexterity allowed me to weave through the deadly projectiles, a blur against the white background.
My target was clear: the still-glowing, albeit now agitated, core at its base. With a primal yell, I launched into a furious assault. My spear became a whirlwind of precision strikes, activating Multi-Thrust, slamming repeatedly into the crystalline base. Each strike was aimed at the weak point, trying to exploit the damage I'd already inflicted.
CRACK! CRUNCH!
The Regisvine shrieked again, its massive petals flailing wildly. It lashed out with one of its thick, thorny vines, tipped with jagged ice. I had to dodge, a sharp dash to the side saving me from being impaled. But as I avoided one attack, the ground beneath me pulsed, and a jagged spire of ice shot up from below, forcing me to leap back, narrowly avoiding being trapped.
The Cryo Regisvine was a close-quarters nightmare, constantly erupting with frozen projectiles and sweeping attacks. My Elemental Resistance passive skill helped to mitigate the constant, biting cold, but the sheer force of its attacks was still a threat. I needed to be relentlessly aggressive, continuously moving, looking for the tiny windows of opportunity to land my devastating blows.
I ducked under a sweeping vine, then thrust my spear upward, activating Dragon's Tooth Thrust. The concentrated power of the strike drove deep into a section of its root-like base, causing a groan to reverberate through the colossal plant. The core pulsed even more erratically.
The battle with the Cryo Regisvine raged, a desperate dance of ice and steel. My spear, fueled by Dragon's Tooth Thrust, tore into its crystalline form, making the colossal plant shriek and shudder. I dodged its ice shards, its sweeping vines, and the treacherous ice spires erupting from the ground, relying on my Dexterity and Combat Reflexes.
But the Regisvine was a relentless foe, a force of elemental fury. It twisted, writhed, and countered with an unpredictable ferocity. My own stamina was beginning to wane, each Dash and Multi-Thrust burning through my reserves.
In a sudden, desperate counter, the Regisvine's massive head snapped down with blinding speed. It unleashed a torrent of frigid energy, not as a projectile, but as an expanding, freezing wave. I saw it coming, felt the biting cold instantly, but I was already committed to a thrust, deep within its attack range. My Elemental Resistance passive flared, trying to absorb the impact, but the sheer force of it was overwhelming.
The wave of supercooled air slammed into me, not just chilling, but crushing. My bones screamed as a sudden, sharp, internal pain flared through my chest. My muscles seized, and a burning cold spread through my limbs. I felt an undeniable, terrible certainty as my body was hurled backward, skidding across the frozen earth, my spear clattering uselessly from my numb fingers.
I tried to push myself up, to gasp for air, but my lungs wouldn't obey. A chilling numbness spread, stealing away all feeling. My vision blurred, the towering form of the Cryo Regisvine wavering and fading. The icy cold that had been an external threat now permeated my very core.
The world, which had gone utterly dark, flickered back into agonizing, blurry focus. That terrifying Fatal Blow Received! message still burned behind my eyes, a stark reminder of how close I'd come. My body screamed in protest, every muscle a knot of pain, every joint stiff with residual cold. I coughed, a dry, ragged sound, and felt the familiar sensation of my system pushing through the fatal damage, barely keeping me upright. It was a survival mechanism I hadn't truly understood until now, a last-ditch effort against obliteration.
My chest throbbed with an intense, burning ache, and a cold sweat broke out across my brow. I was alive, but barely. My vision was still slightly swimming, and my movements were sluggish, uncoordinated.
The Cryo Regisvine, its colossal form radiating triumph, turned its attention back to destroying the surrounding ruins, seemingly confident it had eliminated the threat. It hadn't noticed my impossible resurrection.
I slowly, painfully, began to push myself up. My spear lay nearby, glinting innocently on the icy ground. My priority wasn't glory or reckless aggression anymore. It was survival, and then, victory – achieved through caution. The raw, desperate fury I'd felt with Dvalin was now replaced by a cold, calculating resolve. I had to be smarter.
Each movement was a struggle, a battle against my own protesting body. I gritted my teeth, reaching for my spear, my fingers stiff. When I finally had it in hand, I didn't immediately charge. Instead, I surveyed the battlefield again, eyes narrowed, picking up on the Regisvine's patterns. It relied on its massive, sweeping attacks and its ground-based ice spikes. Its core, when exposed, was the key.
This time, I started with my bow. I couldn't afford to be in melee constantly. I limped back towards the cover of a half-shattered pillar, keeping a safe distance. I drew an arrow, my movements slower, more deliberate, but no less precise. My focus was entirely on the glowing core at its base.
Thwip!
The arrow flew, finding its mark again, causing the Regisvine to shriek in annoyance, but without the immediate, violent counter-attack. It was less focused on me from this range. I followed with another shot, then another, aiming for its weak points. I didn't use Multi-Shot or Charged Shot constantly, conserving my rapidly dwindling stamina. Each shot was a careful, calculated strike, a test of its reaction, a probing attack.
When it summoned ice shards, I would move just enough to avoid them, not heroically dodge. When it began to charge a large-scale attack, I would focus on hitting its core to interrupt it, or retreat further to avoid the blast entirely. My aim was no longer to overwhelm, but to chip away, to exploit every opening, to force it to expose its core, patiently waiting for the chance to deliver a decisive blow. This was a long game, a fight for survival, tempered by the brutal lesson of my near-death.
The battle against the Cryo Regisvine became a war of attrition. Despite its wounds, it kept up its furious attacks. My strategy shifted: no more blind charges. I used the ruins for cover, constantly circling and maintaining distance.
My Archer Combat Mastery Lv 30 was key. Each arrow was a precise strike at its glowing core or exposed roots. I used single shots, sometimes two, conserving strength while my Elemental Resistance dulled the biting cold.
When the Regisvine prepared a beam, I'd break cover, fire an arrow at its core to interrupt, then retreat. For ice waves, I'd find gaps or brace against the edges of the blast.
The Regisvine's movements grew slower, more desperate. Its crystalline petals cracked, and its core flickered. This was my opening.
I grabbed my spear, sprinting forward. The Regisvine swiveled clumsily. With a final surge, I plunged my spear deep into its fractured core with a Dragon's Tooth Thrust.
A deafening shriek tore through the air. The colossal plant glowed intensely, then shattered with a colossal cracking sound. Thousands of ice fragments exploded outwards. Its core dissolved into light, leaving rare materials.
I stood, aching but triumphant. I had faced and defeated the Cryo Regisvine.
Ding!You have killed a Cryo Regisvine! EXP +300Rare Materials Obtained!
The cold wind now felt like a testament to my victory.