The Stormterror's Lair ruins stood as a haunting monument to Old Mondstadt's fall, their crumbling stone towers casting jagged shadows under the midday sun. The air was thick with the scent of ancient decay, the faint tang of dark magic mingling with the crisp breeze that swept through the ruins, stirring up dust and leaves in a restless dance. The ground was a patchwork of broken cobblestones and moss-covered debris, the remnants of a city that had once thrived under the tyrannical rule of Decarabian, the Tower King. The wind howled through the ruins, a mournful wail that seemed to carry the echoes of the past, its gusts rattling the skeletal remains of ancient structures. At the heart of the ruins stood the central tower, its massive form surrounded by a swirling wind barrier, the Anemo energy crackling with a corrupted purple hue, a testament to the Abyss Order's influence over Teucer, the Wind Dragon.
Xander stood at the forefront of the group, his cloak billowing in the wind, the Shadowfang Blade in one hand and the Power Blade materializing in the other with a shimmer of blue magic. His senses were sharp, honed by his unique ability to detect high-level life forms, a skill that had allowed him to uncover Venti's true identity as Barbatos, the Anemo Archon. Jean stood beside him, her blue cape fluttering, her Anemo Vision glowing at her waist, her blonde hair catching the sunlight as she gripped her sword, her expression a mix of determination and concern. Eula followed, her silver-blue hair shimmering like frost, her Cryo Vision glowing at her hip, her claymore strapped across her back, its blade shimmering with a faint icy sheen. Ying brought up the rear, her golden eyes sharp with focus, her blonde hair shimmering in the sunlight, her sword in hand, her Anemo powers swirling around her like a protective storm. Paimon hovered beside her, her starry cape fluttering as she clutched her tiny fists, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and excitement.
The group had just confirmed Venti's identity as Barbatos, a revelation that had left them reeling. The carefree bard they'd known—always drinking, singing, and slacking off—was none other than the Wind God of Mondstadt, a deity they had revered but never expected to meet in such a casual guise. Venti had explained his weakened state, his recent awakening leaving him unable to confront Teucer directly, forcing him to rely on the group to save his old friend from the Abyss Order's corruption. But before they could strategize further, the sky darkened, a powerful gust of wind sweeping through the ruins as a deafening roar echoed from above.
Teucer descended, his massive form casting a shadow over the ruins, his scales marred with streaks of purple, the Abyss Order's corruption pulsing through his body like a dark heartbeat. His eyes glowed with a malevolent light, his wings beating with a force that sent gusts of wind tearing through the ruins, uprooting trees and scattering debris. A dark crystal was locked around his neck, its surface shimmering with a sinister energy, and atop it stood an Abyss Mage, its cloaked form radiating arrogance as it sneered down at the group.
"Barbatos!" Teucer roared, his voice a mix of rage and pain, the sound reverberating off the stone walls. "Are you bringing these people here to kill me?"
Venti stepped forward, his lyre in hand, his teal eyes filled with sorrow as he tried to reach his old friend. "No, Teucer, we're here to save you!" he called, his voice steady despite the emotion in his tone. "Don't listen to the Abyss Order—they're using you! I know you're still in there—fight their control!"
But Teucer's mind was too far gone, his reason eroded by five hundred years of torment from the blood of the demon dragon Durin, compounded by the Abyss Order's manipulation. The Abyss Mage cackled, its voice dripping with malice as it taunted Venti. "Hahahaha, give up, Barbatos! Teucer will not be deceived by your hypocritical words again—he belongs to the Abyss Order now!"
Xander's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on the Shadowfang Blade as he muttered under his breath, "You talk too much." In a flash, he unleashed a Dimensional Slash, the blade's energy cutting through the air with a sharp hum, slicing through the Abyss Mage before it could react. The creature let out a choked scream, its body disintegrating into a cloud of dark mist as it was sent back to the abyss, leaving the dark crystal on Teucer's neck exposed.
The attack was a signal for war, and Teucer roared in fury, the sound waves shaking the ruins as he lunged toward the group, his claws extended, the wind around him swirling into a vortex of destructive energy. Venti stumbled back, pretending to be knocked off balance by the sound wave, his expression a mix of feigned weakness and genuine concern. "Guys, I can only restrict Teucer a little bit—I'll leave the rest to you!" he called, retreating to a safe distance with his lyre in hand. "There are three dark crystals on his body—smash them to liberate him!"
Paimon followed Venti, her tiny body trembling as she hovered beside him. "Yeah, we'll… uh, support from back here!" she shouted, her voice a mix of nervousness and determination, though it was clear she had no intention of joining the fight.
Xander rolled his eyes, a wry smile tugging at his lips as he thought, Really fishing, huh? He gave Venti a mental middle finger but quickly refocused, his gaze locking onto Teucer. The Wind Dragon was a formidable opponent, a proper A-level demon god's dependent in his prime. But after five hundred years of torment, his strength had been reduced to a quasi-A level, a fact that gave Jean confidence that the Knights of Favonius could handle him. Still, Teucer was no pushover, and the group would need to work together to bring him down.
"I'll take the crystal on his neck!" Xander shouted, his voice carrying over the wind as he turned to the three girls. "Use the opportunity to break the other two crystals—let's do this!"
Jean nodded, her Anemo Vision glowing as she prepared to move. "Understood—let's split up and strike!" she called, her voice a rallying cry as she summoned a gust of wind to propel herself forward.
Eula gripped her claymore, her Cryo Vision shimmering as she targeted the crystal on Teucer's left wing. "I'll take the wing—don't get in my way!" she shouted, her tone sharp but her movements fluid as she charged into the fray.
Ying's Anemo powers swirled, her vortexes pulling at Teucer's right wing as she aimed for the crystal there. "I've got the other wing—let's free him!" she called, her golden eyes blazing with determination as she darted forward, her sword glowing with Anemo energy.
Xander shot a phantom sword at Teucer's head, the spectral blade distracting the dragon as he teleported into the air, landing on Teucer's neck near the dark crystal. He swung the Power Blade with all his might, the blue energy crackling as it struck the crystal, the impact sending a jolt of pain through Teucer. The dragon roared, shaking his neck violently to throw Xander off, but Xander held on, his grip firm as he braced himself against the dragon's scales.
Teucer retaliated with a massive claw swipe, the strike as powerful as a locomotive, the wind around it howling with destructive force. Xander teleported back to the ground, narrowly dodging the attack, his cloak fluttering as he landed. Without missing a beat, he unleashed two Dimensional Slashes at the crystal, the energy blades slicing through the air with a sharp hum. The crystal cracked under the assault, a spiderweb of fractures spreading across its surface, but it held firm, its dark energy pulsing defiantly.
The attack drew Teucer's attention, his glowing eyes locking onto Xander as he roared in fury. The distraction gave Jean, Eula, and Ying the opening they needed, the three girls moving in unison to strike at the other crystals. Venti, from his vantage point, strummed his lyre, the notes weaving a melody that enhanced Ying's Anemo powers, the buffs making her temporarily stronger than Jean and Eula. The wind around her glowed with a vibrant green light, her strikes infused with a power that rivaled the dragon's own.
Jean and Eula flanked Teucer's wings, their attacks coordinated as they targeted the crystals. Jean summoned a whirlwind, the Anemo energy lifting Teucer's left wing as Eula struck with her claymore, the icy aura freezing the crystal before shattering it with a single blow. On the other side, Ying's vortexes pulled at Teucer's right wing, her sword glowing as she struck the crystal, the Anemo energy cracking it open with a burst of light.
Teucer roared in pain, his wings spreading as he took to the sky, the wind around him swirling into a storm of destructive energy. He unleashed a barrage of wind element bombs, the massive spheres of Anemo energy falling from the sky like heavy artillery, each one exploding on impact and blasting craters into the ground. The ruins trembled under the assault, the few remaining structures collapsing into rubble as the group scrambled to avoid the blasts.
A breath of storm energy followed, the dragon's roar unleashing a torrent of wind that swept through the ruins, the force shaking the very foundations of Old Mondstadt. Xander, Jean, Eula, and Ying were caught in the storm, the wind pressing down on them with a crushing force, their movements slowed as they struggled to stand their ground. Venti's expression tightened, his fingers pausing on his lyre as he prepared to intervene, his Anemo Vision glowing with a soft green light.
But before Venti could act, Xander's voice cut through the chaos, a slight smile playing on his lips as he spoke. "It seems I need to get more serious," he said, his tone calm but laced with a newfound intensity.
Jean, Eula, and Ying exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of surprise and anticipation. They assumed Xander had been holding back, hiding a trump card up his sleeve. In truth, Xander had just activated a magic power enhancement card, a secret boost that pushed his abilities beyond their previous limits. His magical power surged, breaking through the B-level threshold and propelling him into the A-level realm, his aura flaring with a vibrant blue energy that crackled around him like lightning.
Xander's personal panel updated in his mind, the stats reflecting his newfound power:
Name: Xander
Strength: A- (Congratulations, you can barely push the coconut sheep—keep going!)
Agility: A- (The bullets are not as fast as you—be careful not to hit the coconut sheep.)
Constitution: A- (The butt of the coconut sheep will definitely not kill you, even if you don't count your immortal body.)
Spirit: A- (You can do Dimensional Slash all day, as long as your hands don't get sore.)
Abilities: Devil Immortal, Phantom Sword, Phantom Sword · Blade of Power, Infinite Martial Arts.
Equipment: Shadowfang Blade, Super Invincible and Indestructible White Food Stall Plastic Chair.
Number of Draws Remaining: 1.
The surge of power coursed through him, his senses sharpening as he faced Teucer, the dragon's storm breath no longer a threat. He teleported into the air once more, his dual blades glowing with a fierce blue light as he struck at the dark crystal on Teucer's neck. The Power Blade's heavy strikes sent shockwaves through the dragon's body, the blue energy crackling with each blow, while the Shadowfang Blade's dimensional energy sliced through the crystal's defenses, the fractures deepening with each hit.
Teucer roared, his movements growing more erratic as the corruption began to weaken, the combined efforts of the group finally taking their toll. Venti resumed his melody, the notes weaving a purifying wind that enveloped Teucer, the green light clashing with the purple corruption as the dragon's eyes flickered, a glimmer of his true self breaking through the Abyss Order's control.
The ruins of Old Mondstadt became a battlefield, the ancient stones trembling under the force of the dragon's attacks, the wind howling as the clash of Anemo energies filled the air. But through it all, the group stood united, their resolve unshaken as they fought to save their friend and protect Mondstadt from the Abyss Order's schemes.
***
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