At noon, the sun hung high in the sky, its scorching rays beaming down on Mondstadt.
By Starfell Lake, Hiroshi stood once again by the shore, the cool breeze brushing his cheeks, making him narrow his eyes comfortably.
"Traveler from another world, prepare to complete your final task and return in triumph. The Eye of Judgment shall gaze upon your future," Fischl said, pointing to the small island in the middle of the lake. "That will be the place of your ultimate trial, the resting ground of the Anemo Archon Barbatos' statue."
Hiroshi gazed toward the center of the lake, where he could indeed see a blurred statue. It was the same statue he had seen at the beginning of the game.
However, unlike the game, Starfell Lake was vast. It wasn't a mere pond like in the game, but a genuine lake.
"Alright, I'll head over to catch some fish. Fischl, please wait here for me. It might take a while since I need to catch several bass."
Fischl subtly moved to a nearby shaded spot beneath a tree. The cool breeze brought her comfort. Hearing Hiroshi's words, she replied casually.
"This is your trial, and the more spoils you reap, the better. I shall keep my watch over you from here."
"Alright, I'm heading out," Hiroshi said.
Looking toward the distant island, Hiroshi waved his hand and retrieved a piece of metal. He circulated his spiritual power, activating his Spirit Control - Gold ability.
The metal swiftly reshaped itself into a metallic surfboard. Hiroshi placed it at the water's edge and got ready.
"Is this your ability too? I can sense energy somewhat similar to Geo but also very different. And you don't have a Vision, yet you can control this element—it's quite remarkable," Oz's deep voice echoed, filled with surprise as he watched the transformation of the metal.
Glancing at the curious Oz, Hiroshi maneuvered the surfboard to hover over the water's surface and explained, "This is a power from another world. It's based on a different system than Teyvat's. But Oz, why did you come over? Shouldn't you stay with Fischl?"
Flying to the front of the surfboard, Oz chuckled lightly.
"Miss Fischl was worried you might not make it to the island, but it seems she worried needlessly."
"Oz!" Fischl's embarrassed voice called out, her eyes peeking over in their direction.
Waving toward Fischl, Hiroshi stepped onto the surfboard, leaned forward slightly, and set off, leaving Oz with some instructions.
The surfboard carved a high wave as it moved like a sharp blade over the water toward the heart of the lake.
A burst of spray soared high, and after drifting along the surface, Hiroshi landed at the island in the lake's center.
Retrieving the surfboard, Hiroshi stared at the five-meter-high statue of Barbatos before him, momentarily lost in thought.
In the game, this was where his character first gained power, embarking on a journey through Teyvat in search of his sister. He recalled the countless chests hidden on high mountains and in treacherous places, all of which he had looted. The numerous Hilichurls that he had fought from top to bottom, leaving no stone unturned.
He wondered if he would truly meet the twin travelers on this real Teyvat. Would it be Aether or Lumine? And what about Paimon's taste—Hiroshi admitted he was genuinely curious about that. After all, her "Let's come back and explore this area later" line had gotten him killed so many times, his blood pressure had soared countless times.
Taking a bold step forward, Hiroshi placed his hand firmly on the statue of Barbatos, closing his eyes with a serious expression.
Oz looked at Hiroshi curiously. After landing, he watched as Hiroshi gazed at the statue nostalgically, seemingly familiar with it for a long time. His face then changed to something akin to irritation, mumbling something about roasting and grilling. Now, with both hands on the statue's feet, he looked solemn—an odd sight indeed.
Hiroshi channeled all of his spiritual power, calming his mind and hoping to resonate with the Anemo element. After all, gaining a new ability for free would be pretty fantastic.
Buzz!
The statue emitted a resonant hum as Anemo energy, invisible to the naked eye, turned into a faint green aura that encircled both the statue and Hiroshi. Their bodies radiated a soft, gentle light.
On the shore, Fischl, who was resting, received Oz's vision in her mind. Her expression shifted to worry. In a flash of lightning, Oz appeared beside her.
"Manifest Night Illusion," Fischl said without hesitation.
Oz rushed toward her, and with a burst of thunder, a massive black raven charged into the sky, wielding lightning.
On the island in the middle of the lake, a breeze, as if responding to a god's call, converged from all directions, forming a massive wind sphere.
In a flash of lightning, Fischl appeared beside the wind sphere, feeling the tremendous Anemo energy within. Her expression turned anxious.
"Oz, what's happening here?"
Oz manifested from within Fischl's body, hovering beside her with flapping wings.
"Miss Fischl, I am unsure of the specifics either. After Hiroshi placed his hands on the statue of Barbatos, a large amount of Anemo energy suddenly began gathering here. I've never seen anything like this before."
Fischl looked at the glowing wind sphere with a serious expression. She thought for a moment, then raised her head, pointing at the sphere. "Oz, guide me to Hiroshi's position. If he doesn't respond to my call, I'll break through this wind sphere."
Oz's eyes glowed with a faint purple light as he looked in Hiroshi's direction.
Fischl nodded, raising her longbow. Lightning gathered in her hand, forming a bolt of thunder, and its bright light shone across Starfell Lake.
"Hiroshi, can you hear me? How are you doing?"
Fischl's crisp voice echoed through Starfell Lake, her anxious call reverberating across the water.
On the mountain path beyond Starfell Lake, near Starsnatch Cliff, a figure dressed in exotic attire, accompanied by a strange floating creature, appeared on the road, watching the events at the center of the lake.
Within the wind sphere, Hiroshi floated at the center. His face looked peaceful, as if he were asleep. In his mind, knowledge about the wind was flowing endlessly. At this moment, he felt as if he were one with the wind, experiencing its emotions—joy, anger, sadness, and happiness.
Suddenly, Fischl's anxious voice reached him. His mind instinctively visualized his surroundings. He saw Fischl with a bow in hand, aiming at him, her arrow charged with powerful Electro energy. Not far from the lake's edge, a familiar yet unfamiliar figure was approaching.
Hiroshi quickly opened his eyes and shouted loudly, "Fischl, I'm fine! Don't worry, I'll be right out!"
Upon hearing Hiroshi's voice, Fischl breathed a sigh of relief and slowly lowered her bow.
The massive wind sphere began to dissipate, and as Hiroshi stepped out, the Anemo energy that had gathered around him slowly merged into his body and disappeared.
"Hey, Fischl," Hiroshi called, a bright smile on his face, happily waving at her.
"Thank you for your concern. I'm alright."
Fischl strode over to Hiroshi, circling around him to examine him thoroughly. Only after confirming that he had no injuries did she relax. Seeing Hiroshi smiling, Fischl's cheeks flushed slightly, and she turned her head away. "Hmph! Under the watchful gaze of the Prinzessin der Verurteilung, your fate is under my protection, so naturally, nothing would happen."
"Hiroshi, what exactly happened just now?" Oz's voice sounded beside his ear. Hiroshi sneaked a glance at Fischl, who was sneakily watching them. He cleared his throat and extended his right hand, and a small, visible tornado formed in his palm.
"When I touched the statue of Barbatos, I somehow resonated with the Anemo element, and then I gained the ability to control it," Hiroshi explained.
Fischl, who had been secretly watching, was startled by the wind tornado in Hiroshi's hand. This was something that had never happened before—someone without a Vision could control metal, which was already beyond the realm of common sense. Considering that Hiroshi was a traveler from another world, having some unique abilities was still acceptable. But gaining control over wind just by touching the statue was simply too unbelievable.
"Fischl, have you ever seen anything like this before?"
Noticing Hiroshi approaching, Fischl, caught off guard by having been discovered peeking, blushed slightly. She cleared her throat and said, "As a Prinzessin descended from another world, I have seen countless such scenes. However, my power has not fully awakened at this moment, and my memories are not completely restored. Once I achieve my full awakening, everything in this world shall be within my grasp!"
Bang!
A loud thud sounded, and a small girl with golden hair and golden eyes, wearing a pair of blue-and-white flower accessories, landed beside Hiroshi and Fischl.
With her small body and her clothes of obvious exotic design, the girl was accompanied by a peculiar floating creature.
"Phew, I'm exhausted! I almost fell into the lake on the way. It's all your fault, Lumine, for that terrible idea. You owe Paimon some good food," the small sprite, Paimon, complained loudly beside the girl, leaving a trail of mysterious starlight in her wake.
Seeing the familiar scene before him, Hiroshi couldn't help but smile in delight. He stepped forward and greeted them, "Hello there! Welcome to Mondstadt!"