Chapter 16: Hydro Support

(Authors Note: I am alive!)

(Alexander POV)

With Chloe accepting my invitation to join my adventuring party, I would now be able to ask her about what the Fauti is here on Dragonspine for. But first, I accompanied her to the place Ivankov brought them last night in the name of a mission unaware that it was simply a trap to dispose of the unwanted pest.

As we arrived, I saw the gruesome sight of the body that was partly covered by snow. An Icepick was lodged in his nape as it pierced completely with the tip coming out of the neck. The back had very bad bruises that made the tan muscular skin turn dark with a hint of purple most likely coming from the Hydro gun. But the most disturbing one was the head. It was badly disfigured that even Chloe would fail to recognize it if not for knowing that this was her brother.

Chloe broke down at the sight of her brother's cold corpse. A heart-wrenching cry could be heard as I pulled her into my arms while continuing to pat her back.

After quite some time of comforting Chloe, I showed her the inventory as I stored the corpse. Since we would be at a party from now on it would be inevitable that she would discover the inventory so it would be better to expose it earlier making her feel that I trusted her as I disclosed such a secret.

With Chloe's brother's corpse now secured, we headed towards a place Chloe frequently visited when she had free time.

It was a plain filled with flowers on the border of Dragonspine and Liyue.

Summoning two swords, both of us used them as shovels as we started digging a grave in an inconspicuous spot in the flowery field. With a hole huge and deep enough, I summoned the corpse as I gazed at Chloe who was now tearing up. She gazed at her brother saying her goodbyes before we slowly filled up the hole.

"Wait here for a second" I said to Chloe after filling up the grave.

I then approached an appropriate-sized rock we could use as a tombstone before storing it inside the inventory. 'I should store more boulders later. A rather sturdy and huge boulder would make a great shield, a discount geo construct. Sadly, I cannot summon stuff on the inventory remotely, if I could, I would summon massive boulders atop of enemies as a weapon.' I said to myself as I returned to the grave.

"Uhm, this is rather late and quite awkward but what's the name of your brother Chloe?" I said while scratching my head.

Chloe chuckled as she wiped her eyes and said "Dominik, my brother's name is Dominik."

I then summoned the huge two-handled hammer and the makeshift tombstone. The hammer was placed upside down with the handle on top behind the tombstone as I used my spear to carve the words. 'R.I.P. Dominik.' Chloe then placed a couple of flowers in front of the tombstone as she silently wept.

I patted her cute little head as I stood silently beside the lonely cicin mage.

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(Alexander POV)

A week has passed since Chloe joined the party and we are now grinding together trying to improve our teamwork and synergy.

"Make it Rain~" Chloe chanted as a Hydro sphere appeared a few meters above her head.

The Hydro sphere then dispersed into clouds as raindrops started falling with a radius of 15 meters in all directions from where Chloe used the skill. The rain has a 30-second up time with a minute cooldown.

Make it Rain is Chloe's elemental burst. The skill applies the Hydro element effect "wet" to everyone inside its area of effect. Allies then continuously regenerate HP for 15 seconds and gain a 10% Attack buff.

All the Hilichurls, Mitachurl, Samachurl, and Frostarm Lawachurls were affected by the wet effect, I then activated my elemental skill 10x bombarding the mobs. With the additional effect from Dragon's Bane dealing extra damage to enemies with Hydro or Pyro effects applied, the Hilichurls and Samachurls got wiped out.

"Protection~" Chloe chanted as a shield made of Hydro elements encapsulated me before the still lively Frostarm Lawachurl collided with the barrier.

While I could've dodged, I intentionally tanked the hit as I knew Chloe would activate her elemental skill. We are here to practice our teamwork so she must learn to support me as I am the frontline fighter.

Chloe's elemental skill has a simple effect. A shield that can nullify any damage and reflect status effects once before disappearing.

The Frostarm Lawachurl that crashed into the shield got knocked back and staggered. I then activated my elemental burst as my spear pierced the spot in the middle of its eyes killing the Lawachurl and turning it to ashes.

My gaze then went to Chloe who was fighting the last enemy, a Mitachurl without a shield.

Using the Skyrider Sword that I gave her. She was fighting the Mitachurl with graceful moves.

Because she received a Hydro Vision, I banned her from using the Cryo Delusion and I explained to her its side effects.

Surprisingly, the Fatui informed the agents that overusing the Delusion would kill them so she knew but she had no choice but to use it before. She still has it for emergency use as using her delusion with the vision can easily activate the Freeze effect but I told her not to use it unless it really was necessary which she replied she would.

Retiring from being a Cicin mage, I asked Chloe what weapon she knew how to wield and she answered that she was taught basic swordsmanship when she and Dominik were still orphans staying at the House of the Hearth. With that in mind, I gave her the Skyrider Sword which I got on the Gacha before.

'Still, it would be troublesome if any Fatui recognizes her. I'll deal with it later after we leave Dragonspine.' I noted to myself.

"Protection~" She said as the Mitachurl staggered after hitting the shield giving Chloe an opening to stab the monster and turning it to ashes.