"Good afternoon, everyone! Welcome to the 46th Mondstadt Gliding Competition, organized by the Mondstadt branch of the Adventurers' Guild."
"Proudly sponsored by Good Hunters, Mondstadt General Goods, With Wind Comes Glory, Floral Whisper, Schulz's Blacksmith, Mondstadt Jewelry, Cat's Tail Tavern, Goth Grand Hotel, and Springvale."
"Special sponsorship brought to you by Dawn Winery and a friendly contribution from the Knights of Favonius! I'm your host, Liben! Let me hear your cheers, people of Mondstadt!"
Liben, with a pair of Wind Glider, and balloons strapped to his back, stepped onto the stage, waving enthusiastically at the crowd. His voice, amplified by alchemical devices, resonated throughout Mondstadt.
Not only did the main spectators respond, but people at other viewing points and even those walking the streets, unable to see the stage, joined in with their cheers.
"Yay!" Klee covered her ears, but her face radiated joy.
"Now then —let me declare the Gliding Competition officially open!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Accompanied by the sound of celebratory cannon fire from the city walls, countless colorful balloons floated out from windows all over Mondstadt. Visitors, inspired by the vibrant display, released balloons they'd just purchased, adding to the spectacle.
Babies cradled in their parents' arms reached out to the sky with tiny hands, their eyes reflecting the dazzling colors above.
"Beautiful!" Amber, preparing backstage, looked up at the sky filled with balloons, her eyes sparkling.
"It really is." Shen Qin agreed, gazing upward to admire the rare sight.
The Gliding Competition was a city-wide event where every household prepared at least one balloon to release at the start of the race. The wind carried the balloons over Mondstadt, and after the event, they gently settled back into the city, making cleanup convenient for residents.
Shen Qin thought of this as a kind of subtle kindness from a certain idle bard toward Mondstadt's people.
'Romantic, wasn't it? Mondstadt was, after all, a nation of freedom and romance.'
"I'll give it my all this time! I won't lose to you!" Amber declared, clenching her fists as she looked at Shen Qin.
"The Wind Glider is already outdated; there's no way I'll lose," Shen Qin retorted confidently.
"Youth shouldn't be so overconfident," said an older-looking adventurer, adjusting his Wind Glider with a calm demeanor. "Nothing is inherently outdated. The older something is, the more experience it has—be it a person or a Wind Glider."
"Uh, and how should I address you, sir?" Shen Qin scratched his head.
The man gave him a peculiar look but remained silent. Amber, however, exclaimed in shock, "What?! You don't recognize the famous adventurer Stanley?"
'Stanley?'
Shen Qin paused, a flicker of sympathy crossing his gaze as he looked at Stanley. Hans Archibald, I wonder if the soul of your old friend still lingers by your side.
Noticing Shen Qin's peculiar expression, Stanley felt uneasy. Clearing his throat, he said, "You're the one planning to compete with a new flying device, right? No matter what you use, I'll show you what real flying is."
"Alright, I'll look forward to it," Shen Qin replied, shrugging.
His main reason for joining the competition was to accompany Klee and now to promote the flying skateboard. He had no intention of arguing with anyone.
"Ha! You're doomed, Shen Qin. You've caught the attention of the two strongest flyers," Amber boasted.
"Two experts? Besides Mr. Stanley, who else?" Shen Qin tilted his head playfully. "I only see Mr. Stanley as a real expert."
Amber pointed at herself. "Me, of course! I'm the reigning champion of the last competition!"
But Shen Qin had already put on his flight helmet and goggles, ignoring her completely.
"Ahhh! You're infuriating!" Amber stomped her foot. "Just wait—I'll show you during the race!"
While the participants backstage prepared for the race, the performances at the main stage reached their climax.
"Finally, let us welcome Mondstadt's shining idol—Miss Barbara!"
"Whoa!!!!"
"Barbara! Barbara! Barbara!"
The initial cheers soon turned into a synchronized chant that echoed through Mondstadt.
Backstage, Shen Qin was stunned. Barbara's popularity in Mondstadt was truly overwhelming.
La~ Lalalala~ Lalalala~ Lalala~
As Barbara stepped onto the stage, her cheerful song filled the air, bringing smiles to everyone's faces. The crowd stopped cheering, swaying gently to the melody, their faces glowing with happiness.
When the song ended, thunderous applause erupted, and a slightly bashful Barbara exited the stage. Liben returned, loudly announcing, "And now, let's invite our brave contestants onto the stage!"
One hundred participants filed onto the stage.
Over 9,000 people had registered for this year's competition. Through rigorous testing and selection by the Adventurers' Guild, the top 100 had been chosen. The ultimate champion would emerge from among them.
"Attention, contestants! The race features 25 checkpoints. Signals will be released in sequence; remember their order. During the race, you must pass through each checkpoint in sequence. The first to cross the finish line will be the champion!"
"Checkpoint signals, ready—launch!"
A plume of red smoke rose from a rooftop near the starting point, followed by others in more distant locations. The first five checkpoints emitted red smoke, the next five blue, and so on, with five distinct colors marking the 25 checkpoints to prevent confusion.
"Wind fields, ready—activate!"
Wind fields and acceleration rings appeared along the course. Since Wind Gliders relied on external wind forces, navigating through these elements was a test of skill.
But Shen Qin paid them no mind. His flying skateboard wasn't powered by wind.
He opened his bag, revealing the flying skateboard to everyone.
"Look, Sucrose! That's Brother Shen, and that's Klee's Dodoco skateboard!" Klee tugged at Sucrose's sleeve excitedly.
"So that is the hoverboard... but without wings, how does it fly?" Sucrose muttered, watching from afar.
Meanwhile, some contestants and spectators at the main viewing point curiously eyed the skateboard, its surface adorned with Klee's signature Dodoco design.
"Is the flying skateboard real?"
"Unbelievable! That kid's competing with such a clunky thing?"
"It looks so ugly—definitely not as sleek as a Wind Glider."
Amid the chatter, some individuals discreetly sent messages: "Confirmed—target spotted."
Liben glanced at the skateboard, intrigued, but quickly redirected the crowd's attention to the race.
"The race is about to begin! Contestants, On my mark!"
"Ready —Get Set —Go!"