"Away with the wind... let it go... haha... there are still so many... I really have no strength left..."
After leading this group of hilichurls for almost an hour, Ying, whose stamina had long been exhausted, was finally caught by a hilichurl brute that had been following closely behind.
"Ah?!" Ying quickly tried to use her sword to push away its hand, but because her body, which was already at its limit, was suddenly interrupted by the long run, she couldn't muster any strength. She couldn't even hold her sword, and it fell to the ground.
"Ha... ha... it hurts... I'm really done for this time... I hope Diona has already escaped back into Mondstadt..."
Just as a hilichurl brute raised its axe to chop down at Ying, the axe stopped in mid-air.
"Waaah?! ≥﹏≤... Huh? Why... did it stop..."
"Hmph... letting you die so easily would be letting you off easy?"
"This voice... are you... the Abyss Mage from yesterday... who was blown away? Are these hilichurls... controlled by you..."
"Hmph, hmph, how is it? Have you seen the gap in strength? For revenge, I've brought almost all the hilichurls I could mobilize."
"Ha... ha... do you have to be so... vengeful..."
"Hmph... if you want to live, I can give you a chance. You just need to get me a defense map of Mondstadt City. What do you say? This is a very good deal, right?"
"Mmm... indeed... very good... phew... Okay! I promise, let me go now." (Not!)
"You agreed so readily? Even if you're pretending, you need to act the part! It seems you're not sincere enough... Hit her!"
"Eh?! Waaah?! Don't hit my face! ≥﹏≤"
After a series of beatings...
"Have you considered it now?"
(Wuwu... My body was already in pain from running for so long, and now that I've finally caught my breath, I'm being tortured by these hilichurls again... If I don't come up with a good idea soon, I really won't be able to hold on anymore (╥﹏╥))
"I... I'm fainting... uh... (＞﹏＜)"
"You dare to mess with me again?! You're fainting, right? Wake her up for me!"
"Mmm mmm mmm?! I'm awake, I'm awake! Let's talk properly, don't be rough anymore (t^t)"
"Hmph... I've changed my mind. You must die here today. Of course, before I deliver the final blow myself, I will definitely let you know that sometimes, death is a release! Guards..."
"Hey! What the hell are you doing bringing so many troops here?! Do you know that some of our brothers were killed because they couldn't find cannon fodder to cover their retreat when they encountered enemies?!"
Just as the Abyss Mage was about to give an order, a portal suddenly appeared out of thin air in front of them. A Pyro Abyss Mage slowly floated out and roared angrily at the Hydro Abyss Mage.
(Waaah?! Another Pyro Mage?! Suddenly appeared?!)
"Eh?! I... I want to catch someone..."
"Catch someone? ... You brought so much cannon fodder for the sake of catching a little girl?! Damn it, I'll kill you today!"
"Wait, wait, wait... Ah!!!"
(Ah, this... are they arguing amongst themselves...?)
"Host is right, it's unexpected..."
At the same location, with different characters, another round of beating...
"Hmph... I'll take these cannon fodders. I'll leave two hilichurls for you to deal with your personal grudges. If I find out you're mobilizing so many troops for a trivial matter again, I'll definitely kill you!"
(Hehe... I have to say, it's really satisfying to see him getting beaten.)
"Host, your fate later might be worse than his..."
"Hiss... I know, I know... Damn, you hit hard... What are you laughing at? Is it funny? Then I'll let you have a taste too!"
"Haha... ha... Huh?! Not funny, not funny?! Waaah... ≥﹏≤"
The third beating... the process is omitted again...
"Phew... phew... Damn... I'm exhausted... Forget it, I'll just crush you to death with gravity..."
"Cough... cough..." (This damn guy hit really hard... (╥﹏╥))
Before Ying could recover from the previous beating, she felt a huge pressure suddenly appear on her body.
"Ngh?! This move again... my body... Ah..."
"Hmph... Don't say I didn't give you a chance. As long as you can climb to me under this gravity, I'll let you go today."
"Cough cough... Hehe... Even if I really do it, you damn guy will never let me go, right..."
"Oh? I still want to see you struggle for survival, but it's good that you're self-aware."
"Damn it... How can I die at the hands of such a small fry... Body, get up for me!"
"Huh?! Wants to unleash potential, this guy?!" Seeing that something was wrong, the Abyss Mage immediately increased the gravity on Ying to its limit.
"Get! Me! Up... [Pfft———?!] Damn it... so unwilling... Ah..."
"Phew... finally fainted. Hmph... This gravity has even caved in the ground. You can just die here with peace of mind!" Seeing Ying lying on the ground, motionless and unconscious, the Abyss Mage smiled triumphantly and said.
Lumine: "Ying?! You're looking for death!"
Diona: "Ying! I've called for reinforcements! Are you okay?!"
"Huh?! Reinforcements are here so quickly?! You two, go!"
"Get lost!"
Lumine immediately condensed a Gale Blade and pressed it onto the faces of the two charging hilichurls, turning them into a pile of dust. Then, she rushed to the Abyss Mage and swung her sword.
The Abyss Mage quickly tried to activate its shield again to block the damage, but as soon as it raised its arm, its chest was pierced by Lumine's sword.
"How... how is it possible..." The Abyss Mage tried to forcibly activate its shield for a final struggle, but was kicked away by Lumine, interrupting its casting again.
"I'm not convinced... Ah... Damn Pyro Abyss Mage, I hate... you..."
"Pyro Abyss Mage? Hmph! I don't care who you hate, but since you dare to touch Ying, you must be prepared to die!"
"Damn it... Ah..."
Diona: "Ying! Ying, wake up!"
Lumine: "Ying?! Let me see... This..." After dealing with the Abyss Mage, Lumine rushed to Ying's side to check her condition.
(The ground has caved in... Ying must have been in a lot of pain under such heavy pressure... But if I tell Diona, she'll feel very guilty...)
"...Don't worry, she just fainted from exhaustion. She'll wake up after resting."
"Wuwu... It's my fault for coming to this damned place to collect materials... otherwise Ying wouldn't have..."
"Don't blame yourself. Ying would definitely not think it's your fault. Let's take her back to Mondstadt first."
"Wuwu... Mmm..."