Chapter 95: Something Feels Missing

Diluc and Xianyu didn't get along very well, but it wasn't enough for them to become enemies over such trivial matters.

The mechanisms were quickly dealt with, and when the three layers of barriers outside the tower were eliminated, the group assembled inside the tower once again.

Venti: "Let's wait for a while. It's too dangerous to go in now. We need to wait for the wind to dissipate a bit."

Indeed, the wind inside the tower had taken on a deep color, signaling danger at a glance.

With the barriers gone, the winds were free, quickly blowing outward and reducing the vegetation.

"The intensity... shouldn't pose too much of a hindrance now. Let's go down! But stick close to me; otherwise, falling down would be dangerous."

Venti led the way, and the others followed suit with a leap.

As one who had once resisted the solitary king of the tower, Venti was quite familiar with the situation inside.

Not long after they descended, at the base of the tower, Dvalin opened its eyes, raising its head to look up, wings flapping.

In an instant, the wind speed intensified, and it flew upward.

"Not good! Dvalin is coming up! We need to find a foothold quickly; otherwise, fighting in the air is completely futile!"

Venti's words were barely spoken before a colossal creature carrying a hurricane rushed towards them.

Given the circumstances, it was unlikely they could evade in time.

However, let's not forget, Venti was the Anemo Archon after all. Although he didn't want to reveal his identity, he could still use various coincidences to his advantage.

The wind generated by Dvalin blew them away, conveniently landing them on a nearby platform. Doesn't that make sense?

"That was close. Fortunately, the chaotic winds here helped us land on the platform nearby," Venti explained, earning a glance from both Jean and Xianyu, then they looked back at Dvalin above.

The wounds left by the battle with Durin continued to erode Dvalin even after hundreds of years. By now, it was almost completely corroded.

With its corroded body, Dvalin was very aggressive. After its initial attack missed, it immediately swung its tail and attacked the group again.

"Pay attention, the source of pollution is at the back of Dvalin's neck, that dark red blood clot."

"What we need to do is shatter it, and then leave the rest to me."

While Venti's words raised many questions, such as how he knew the blood clot was the weak point, and why he was so confident he could save Dvalin, Aether could somewhat understand given his experience with Dvalin. Jean also figured it out, so she didn't question it. But what about Xianyu? He knew Venti's identity.

That left Diluc, who was kept in the dark, but he didn't voice his doubts. This wasn't the time to ask such questions.

...

Shattering the source of pollution in Dvalin's body? Easier said than done.

This meant facing Dvalin head-on rather than simply avoiding it.

Compared to Dvalin's colossal body, they were hardly larger than ants. If hit, death would be imminent.

The only good news was the blood clot, which was larger than them and easier to hit.

"Look, there are Anemo Crystals on this platform. We can use them to create an Anemo field for quick movement, to dodge Dvalin's attacks," Venti suggested.

Anemo Crystals? Xianyu had glanced around earlier and hadn't noticed any.

"Tsk, Venti's manipulation of the wind is indeed impressive. He truly lives up to being the Anemo Archon."

Just relying on an Anemo field wouldn't be enough for swift movement, especially in such turbulent conditions. But since Venti said so, he probably had a plan to utilize the environment here.

As the Anemo Archon, manipulating the wind was second nature to him.

Although the platform was spacious, there wasn't much space for evasion, especially considering Dvalin's sweeping attacks.

Upon activating the Anemo field, they narrowly avoided Dvalin's attacks and took flight.

The moment they flew into the air, they felt no different from standing on solid ground.

But Diluc remained the only one puzzled...

He still hadn't suspected that Venti was the Anemo Archon. Well, after all, having the long-lost Archon by your side, who would believe it?

It's like meeting an ordinary person you've known for two days and suddenly realizing they're the God, right?

...

Unable to explain this phenomenon, Diluc simply considered it a coincidence. What if the wind field inside the tower was indeed as Venti described? Who could deny it, considering the many unknowns in the world?

There wasn't much time for contemplation.

Facing the former "Lord of the Skies," even in its weakened state, Xianyu and the others had to be cautious.

Fortunately, they could now move swiftly through the wind, and the situation wasn't too dire.

Dvalin's colossal body hovered around the tower, its attacks relentless.

If not for the tower's unique structure, it would have been dismantled long ago.

Nevertheless, there were occasional collapses of walls, adding to the danger.

"This won't work. If we keep this up, the tower won't hold much longer. Once it collapses, we'll be buried along with it!" Jean exclaimed.

"Right! How about we lure Dvalin outside? That way, we don't have to worry about the tower collapsing," Aether suggested.

"No! Going outside will make us even more vulnerable. Although we'll have a broader range of movement, Dvalin's agility will increase as well!" Venti countered.

Venti's words made Aether realize the situation. Watching Dvalin repeatedly strike the walls with its tail, they fell silent.

Indeed, once the dragon had the vast sky as its domain, they would have almost no chance.

At this point, it seemed like Venti had made a decision.

"Listen up, I'll use my power to enhance your movement in the wind. Take the opportunity to attack the blood clot when you can. My power won't last long, so we need to make the most of it!" Venti declared.

With Venti's assistance, they felt much lighter, making it easier to evade Dvalin's attacks and occasionally counterattack.

...

Attacking other parts of Dvalin's body proved futile, so they refrained from such risky behavior.

However, being able to attack didn't mean they could hit. Coupled with the need to avoid Dvalin's head strikes, the difficulty increased.

Perhaps growing tired of these "ants," Dvalin let out a resounding roar.

In the next moment, countless wind projectiles rained down from above.

Unable to dodge every attack, they sustained injuries.

First was Diluc, whose left hand was accidentally hit, causing numbness.

Jean had a large bruise on her back.

The other three were uninjured for the time being, which was good news.

"Damn it!"

Seeing his left hand, Diluc immediately threw his sword at Dvalin's eye.

This wasn't an act of anger but a distraction. Diluc had noticed the blond youth attacking from the side, so throwing the sword was just to draw attention.

The weapon aimed at its eye, Dvalin instinctively closed it, a natural reaction even for a dragon.

And that was the opportunity they needed.

"Clang!"

A somewhat subdued sound of impact echoed amidst the howling wind.

The impact resonated with everyone's hearts.

Next moment, the sword in Venti's hand shattered.

"The weak spot has been hit." With Dvalin momentarily disoriented...

...

The scene shifted, showing Diluc falling onto the platform, while Jean leaned against the wall, looking pale.

Only Venti and Aether remained in the air.

"The source of pollution in Dvalin's body has been shattered. The venom is dispersing; it shouldn't take long for him to regain his senses. Let's hold on!" Venti and Aether looked at Diluc and Jean on the platform, as well as Xianyu who had been knocked down by Dvalin.

But now, there was little they could do except hold on.

As time passed, the frenzied Dvalin gradually stopped its wild attacks.

Looking at the people in front of him with clear eyes, it seemed to want to say something, but rocks began to fall from above.

Unable to say anything else, Dvalin used the wind to lift them onto its back and took flight.

In the vast sky, the group exchanged silent glances, but mostly felt relieved.

Meanwhile, Venti lay on Dvalin's back, gently stroking its scales.

By now, Venti and Dvalin had communicated, but the others were unaware.

The communication between dragons and the Anemo Archon was always discreet.

Blue skies, white clouds, sunshine, and a gentle breeze.

How intoxicating.

But still, the group felt like something was missing.