Ch 17

"But I still want to thank everyone on behalf of Mondstadt." After a round of gratitude and pleasantries, Barbara got down to business. "Alright, so did you bring Skyward Sonnet with you?"

"The Acting Grand Master's endorsement isn't unlimited. His Eminence has been urging for a while," Paimon scratched her head and said somewhat reluctantly. "Well... we did bring it, but... um... it's a little... you see..."

"Hmm? Don't worry; you won't be charged rent. The Church has always set aside a special offering fund," Barbara chuckled, unfazed.

However, she had yet to realize the gravity of the situation. When the Traveler presented the battered Skyward Sonnet, Barbara was struck like lightning.

"Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah! Skyward Sonnet...!! Barbatos, even if I spend the rest of my life atoning, it wouldn't be enough!"

Venti: "..."

Seeing this, the surrounding players, including Amber, couldn't help but chuckle. After all, as players, they knew that the bard before Barbara was the genuine Barbados.

"Alright, hand over Skyward Sonnet."

Venti took Skyward Sonnet, and in a gathering of swirling winds, the damaged Jean was restored to her original state as if by magic.

"Why... Skyward Sonnet?"

"Although I don't understand how it was repaired, I can't let you guys touch it again!"

Barbara flew away cradling Jean.

Venti then spoke, "Well, we should get going."

"After all, the illusion... I mean, magic I used to fix Skyward Sonnet is not entirely reliable."

"Bard!"

"Hey, don't run!"

The third act of the storyline seemed to be concluding in this lighthearted and humorous atmosphere. The players in the crowd had smiles on their faces. After going through so much, Mondstadt had finally embraced peace. It was a satisfying ending for everyone. Including the little tricks played by the Wind God at the end, it was an interesting experience for the players.

However, just as they had just exited the Knights of Favonius' headquarters, the atmosphere suddenly changed. Two dark shadows appeared behind Venti. Debt collectors from the Fool's guild emerged without a word and launched an attack on Venti.

Everyone was still immersed in the humorous atmosphere from earlier, so when this unexpected situation occurred, they were all taken aback. No one had expected that the Fool's guild would set up an ambush right at the cathedral's entrance!

Fortunately, the Traveler reacted swiftly. Using the resonating power of the Wind Element, they helped Venti fend off the debt collectors' ambush. As the Traveler prepared to counterattack, the two debt collectors turned into shadows and disappeared underground.

At the same time, behind the group, a figure wearing high heels approached. She lightly snapped her fingers, and a biting cold wind immediately rose. Paimon instantly turned into a frozen snack. While the Traveler and Venti managed to ward off the cold wind, Venti's legs were encased in ice.

Two debt collectors reappeared at some point and instantly subdued the Traveler. A tall figure strolled over unhurriedly.

"Oh my, you finally found your hamster at home," the arrogant woman said, wearing a black coronet-shaped mask.

Amber couldn't help but exclaim, "The Fool's guild Executive [Lady]!"

Some players didn't know who this person was, but after Amber's shout, they all sensed that something was amiss.

She seemed to be casually strolling, yet exuded an extremely strong aura.

"Gnawing on wooden stakes, nibbling on sacks of rice... You've caused so much trouble for Mondstadt."

The lady arrived in front of Venti, gripping his face with one hand.

"You're not talking about a hamster but a rat—"

Venti argued, but the lady slapped him directly in the face.

This scene immediately filled the watching players with anger!

The experiences they had gone through so far had deeply helped them understand Venti. Although this Wind God could be extremely unreliable at times, in crucial moments, he always displayed his unique brand of kindness. He was no longer the aloof deity, but rather a good friend who shared their love for Mondstadt. While players didn't say it out loud, they had already accepted and acknowledged the current Wind God. They were more willing to call him Venti.

However, now, the Fool's guild Executive treated Venti in such a manner—so arrogant and disdainful. How could this not make people furious?

....

"You have no right to speak now, impertinent bard," the lady said, not even addressing Venti by his name, only referring to him as the impertinent bard.

Among the watching players, many clenched their fists and gritted their teeth. If the situation allowed, they would all have rushed to fight the lady. Venti's body began to emit swirling Anemo energy. The ice on his legs gradually dissipated.

The lady initially displayed a hint of surprise but quickly sneered.

"Heh, giving up the dominion of Mondstadt's god, you're left with just this bit of power."

"Are you mocking my capital, which I borrowed from my master?"

Venti retorted. The lady's face turned ice-cold as she waved her hand forward. Venti was instantly pushed back by the cryo elemental power.

Undeterred, the lady caught up with him.

"Silver-tongued."

A pale glint penetrated Venti's chest.

"Bang!"

Amidst the green light, the lady retrieved an item surrounded by wind energy.

"Is this... the [Heart of the Divine]?"

"Heh, it's far less magnificent than my cherished chess set."

"That's probably because your taste... is really terrible, isn't it?"

Even lying on the ground, Venti didn't forget to taunt.

As a result, he was kicked by the lady and fell unconscious to the side.

"Venti—!" the Traveler shouted, but she was suppressed by the two debt collectors and couldn't break free.

The lady's gaze shifted towards them.

"Never mind, we already have the [Heart of the Divine]."

"Let's go before the Knights arrive; we can't leave any evidence."

With that, they left quickly.

The Traveler lost consciousness amidst her unwilling gaze.

After all this was over, the surrounding players remained stunned for several seconds before reacting.

"The Fool's guild... they're despicable... they're too arrogant!"

"Ah, why did they have to attack my Venti!"

"Lady, show your health bar! Even if I have to repeat it a thousand times, I'll take you down!"

"Damn the Fool's guild! I knew they had bad intentions!"

Many players, if not outright furious, were close to it.

They were ready to grab brooms and shovels and march to Mondstadt to clean up the Fool's guild.

"Everyone, calm down. This is just a storyline in the game; it hasn't happened in reality!" Amber quickly intervened.

Upon hearing Amber's words, the players finally calmed down from their excited emotions.

"Right, the Fool's guild executive has already been expelled from Mondstadt by Mr. takumi!"

"I heard that Mr. takumi also destroyed a Fool's guild base. Besides the lady, there was another executive there, and Mr. takumi personally slew them!"

"Is that true? Where did you hear this news?"

"Is Mr. takumi really that strong?"

"Didn't you all see that night, the thunder and lightning in the sky over Mondstadt? That's Takumi's power!"

"I guess Mr. takumi and the Wind God are good friends, and they both deeply love Mondstadt!"

"That's stating the obvious, isn't it? Do you even know who created this mobile game?"

"I really love this mobile game, and I love Mr. takumi. With Takumi in Mondstadt, it's truly our honor!"

"With Mr. takumi around, the [Heart of the Divine] of Venti will never be taken by the Fool's guild again!"

The players were completely won over by Takumi. They had decided to be loyal guards for Takumi.

Whoever dares to speak ill of Takumi or make trouble in the gaming hall will definitely face consequences.

Once they calmed down, they returned to the storyline.

"After some time passed," the Traveler woke up from unconsciousness.

He was unharmed, but Venti, who had woken up earlier, had gone to the "Symbol of Mondstadt."

Barbara's healing had no effect on Venti's injuries, which was understandable. Mortals' injuries could be healed by deities, but the injuries suffered by deities themselves were incurable.

With the wind blowing beneath the ground, Venti stood before a massive ancient tree, emitting a faint green light.

"So... what is the [Heart of the Divine]?" the Traveler asked.

"Well... this isn't a topic that can be discussed with ordinary people, but I can tell you in secret," Venti replied. "You should know that the Vision is an external magical organ possessed by very few in this world. They use the Vision to guide elemental energy."

"In fact, every [Eye of the Divine] holder is eligible to become a god and is called an [Archon], possessing the qualification to ascend to the Sky Island."

"[Archon]?" Paimon was a bit puzzled. "I've never heard of that term before."

"Heh, because it's a secret known only to true deities. Anyway, we don't need primitive organs like the [Eye of the Divine]."

"Instead, the magical organ of the deity resonates with the entirety of Sky Island... that's the [Heart of the Divine]."

At this point, there was some commotion among the crowd.

They didn't expect the Vision to have such secrets.

However, even if they knew this secret, it didn't hold much significance for them. Obtaining the vision as ordinary people was already an unattainable dream, not to mention becoming a god.

It was like knowing there were solar systems beyond Earth, and beyond solar systems, there was the Milky Way, yet the Milky Way was just a speck of dust in the vast universe.

Compared to this, they were more concerned about the development of the storyline.

"Although not all the relationships among the Seven are very harmonious, I never thought she would actually be plotting to seize the [Heart of the Divine] from other deities."

"The Cryo Archon, what kind of god is she?" the Traveler couldn't help but ask.

"Ah... how should I put it?" Venti pondered for a moment before answering, "I knew [her from five hundred years ago], but I'm already quite unfamiliar with [her now]."

"After a major catastrophe five hundred years ago, she severed all communication with me."

"Traveler, you will need to find all Seven Archons. There will likely be many difficulties on your journey."

"Let's head to the neighboring nation of Mondstadt - there's the Geo Archon who governs Liyue."

"He only descends officially once a year, bestowing divine oracles to guide the direction of Liyue throughout the year."

"Anyway, this year's [Rite of Descension] seems to be starting soon. If you miss it, you'll have to wait another whole year."

"Wow?! Why didn't you mention this important information earlier? Goodbye, Traveler, we have to go quickly—" Paimon suddenly became anxious.

"Wait a moment, [Outlander of the Wind]."

In the final chapter, Venti offered a sincere admonition.

"Traveler... when you embark on your journey again, remember the meaning of the journey itself."

"The birds, poems, and cities of Teyvat, the queen, the fools, and the monsters... they are all part of your journey."

"The destination doesn't mean everything. Before reaching the end, use your eyes to observe this world more."

....

The night had grown quite late. Takumi and Eula had already gone upstairs to rest, leaving the space fully to the players in the hall. This could be seen as a form of trust in them.

In the past, at this time, perhaps three or four players accustomed to staying up late would still be battling in the game. However, today was different. There were thirty-four players who refused to put it down, still lingering in the hall.

Some were actively discussing the plot, while others were immersed in the world of Genshin Impact. It could only be said that the plot updated today was exceptionally extraordinary. After the series of tasks last night, the immersion factor had reached its peak, making it difficult for people to calm down.

Undoubtedly, those who completed the mission had already fallen head over heels for this game. Although there were no scenes that would bring tears to one's eyes, the continuous emotional build-up through the experiences was evident.

"Takumi Boss is amazing!"

"This isn't just a game; it's an epic of Mondstadt!"

The players gave high praise to the three acts of the plot.

And this praise would affect the entire city of Mondstadt. The plot had revealed too much crucial information. The most critical of all was that the Wind Archon, Barbatos, had returned and taken on the guise of Venti, the bard.

However, those who hadn't experienced the plot would probably find it difficult to understand or accept, especially the people from the church. They might think these players had gone mad or been brainwashed.

They said, "Has the illustrious Lord Barbatos actually become a bard? How is that possible? Do you really understand the Wind Archon, or do we?"

But watching those players speak with reason and even articulate some of Lord Barbatos' understanding of freedom, such as "But the wind direction can change," and "Someday it will blow toward a brighter direction," caught the church's attention.

They decided to send Barbara to investigate the situation at the gaming hall. They wanted to see what kind of content was being discussed in this recently sensational game that made players praise it to this extent.

In addition, as the game's storyline spread wider and wider, it also attracted the attention of some members of the Adventurers' Guild.

"Fantasia from Another World, this princess would like to see if it can recreate even a fraction of my realm where I reside."

Amidst the astonished gazes of everyone, a golden-haired girl entered the gaming hall with a raven.

"I heard this game has a 'Wishing' function. Hmm... I'm not quite sure what it is, but I want to give it a try!"

A white-haired young man also enthusiastically entered the gaming hall. However, the moment he stepped inside, he caused panic among all the players.

"Oh my god, Bennett is here!"

"Quick, stop rolling for today!"

"Bennett, what are you up to, buddy? I was just about to roll for Venti, why did you have to come now?!"

Bennett scratched the back of his head and grinned, "What do you mean by rolling for Venti? Can I take a look?"

"Don't come over, bro, I'm kneeling for you!"

However, not everyone was afraid of Bennett. Some players weren't planning to roll, so they had nothing to fear.

"Look, your character is in this game too!"

A player pointed to the character panel and said to Bennett, "Wow! It really is!"

Bennett's eyes lit up, but he soon sighed, "Ah, as unlucky as I am, even if I'm recreated in the game, I'm probably just a useless character, right?"

"Well... I've just figured out character attributes and talents. At the moment, you're just a four-star character. The strongest characters in the game are five-star characters, like Diluc and Acting Grandmaster Jean."

In any case, the atmosphere at the gaming hall today was unprecedented. A large influx of newcomers had arrived. There were four or five people gathered around almost every seat.

Those who managed to secure a seat felt extremely lucky and started playing the game under the envious gazes of others.

Undoubtedly, Takumi's gaming hall had become extremely popular throughout Mondstadt. On the first day of the new version update, the revenue broke the previous records, earning over 30 million Mora in just one day! This clearly showed the players' enthusiasm for in-game purchases.

Players who had previously sworn not to roll for Venti were now saying, "It's really worth it!" after experiencing the new storyline. The Wind Archon held a special significance for the people of Mondstadt. However, now they preferred to call him by his bard name - Venti. This was because Barbatos had created this city of freedom and granted true freedom to Dvalin. So, players chose to respect Barbatos' choice. This was the meaning that the game had brought, allowing the people of the Windborne region to understand the Wind Archon in this way.

Takumi was also pleased to see this change. In this world, Genshin Impact had taken on a more special meaning. And this was only the prologue of the story, the first nation on the journey. Next were Liyue, Inazuma, and Sumeru. More astonishment and emotion would be harvested in these nations. Of course, there would also be plenty of Mora.

...

These days, when Takumi had nothing to do, he would check the items in the shop through the system interface. There were quite a few interesting items or abilities, but most of them were relatively insignificant in the world of Teyvat, so Takumi didn't want to waste Mora on them.

However, he did come across one item - the "Momentary Space."

"After binding to the host, it becomes an exclusive space companion for the host, which can be continuously expanded, forming a small world accompanying the host."

"The host has the highest control over the space and can forcibly pull living beings within a 200-meter radius into the space."

When Takumi saw this item, he was tempted. It was priced at 10 million Mora.