In the outer ring of New Eridu, in an abandoned part of the city...
Night had fallen.
Aside from the moonlight, there wasn't a single source of illumination in sight.
Two gang members, each gripping a spiked club, were menacingly cornering a small, ragged Bangboo wearing nothing but a tattered cardboard box over its head.
"Robbery!"
"Hand over everything you've got! Not a single Dennies hidden, got it?"
As they barked threats, the two thugs pressed their spiked clubs against the top of the little Bangboo's head.
If it so much as protested, those clubs would come crashing down, smashing it to pieces.
Trapped in the corner, the cardboard Bangboo trembled, pleading, "Mm-mm, mm-mm, mm-mm, mm-mm (I don't have anything valuable, please let me go, I need to save my friends)…"
The thugs understood it perfectly.
But instead of mercy, their expressions grew even more twisted.
"No Dennies? Then we'll just smash you for scrap—might be worth a few coins."
"Mm-mm, mm-mm-mm (Please, I need to save my friends)…"
"Cut the chatter. Look at this thing—nothing but a box for clothes, no valuables at all. Let's just crush it."
As soon as the words left his mouth, the two gangsters raised their clubs high, ignoring the Bangboo's pleas, ready to bring them down.
The little Bangboo was already battered and bruised.
If those clubs landed, its internal components would be ruined.
At the last second, it darted between them, narrowly avoiding the deadly blows.
But just as it escaped danger, it stepped on a rock.
With a thud, it crashed to the ground.
It tried to get up, but the fall had broken its already-injured leg.
Straining to stand, it managed only a few limping steps before collapsing again with another painful thud.
Seeing this, the two gangsters burst into laughter, gripping their clubs.
"Keep running! Thought you were fast, huh?"
The little cardboard Bangboo was desperate. "Mm-mm, mm-mm-mm (Please let me go, I need to save my friends)…"
The gangsters laughed even harder. "We'll smash you first, then your friends."
Just as they were about to finish off the small Bangboo...
Suddenly.
The ground beneath their feet trembled faintly.
"What the hell? Is this your doing?"
"Probably an earthquake. Who cares? I'm starving—let's crush this thing already. Might be worth a few hundred Dennies…"
One of them raised his club again.
But before it could fall, the ground beside the cardboard Bangboo suddenly bulged.
A stone-like object, about the same size as Bangboo, burst from the earth, glowing faintly with golden light—it was mysterious and mesmerizing.
The gangsters froze.
"Where'd that rock come from…?"
"It's glowing! Is that gold? We're rich! We hit the jackpot!"
"Wait—it's not a rock… it's got legs… and a head… is that a Bangboo? The legendary golden Bangboo?"
They leaned in and took a closer look.
It was small like any other Bangboo—but the aura it gave off was anything but ordinary. That faint golden glow wrapped its body like a shell of pure gold.
Their eyes gleamed with greed.
Smashing one Bangboo or two made no difference—and this one looked way more valuable.
Before they could act, the cardboard Bangboo frantically pushed the strange new Bangboo beside it. "Mm-mm, mm-mm-mm (Run! They're going to kill you)…"
That push was enough to awaken Azhdaha.
The next moment, the Dragon King Azhdaha opened his eyes and gazed upon the world above.
He saw the ruined buildings flanking the alley, the cracked and pitted ground, the desolation stretching in every direction.
Nearby, a small figure clad in a cardboard box… and two humans, clubs raised, ready to strike.
Suddenly—
Smash!
The two spiked clubs slammed into Azhdaha from both sides.
But it was like striking solid rock.
Shock surged through the gangsters' hands—the impact numbed them, and the recoil nearly injured them both.
They stared in disbelief.
The strange Bangboo was completely unscathed.
The cardboard Bangboo beside it was still pleading, "Mm-mm, mm-mm-mm (Run! They're going to kill you)…"
Azhdaha seemed to understand.
His voice, filled with fury, rumbled out: "Despicable humans—"
He lifted his gaze to the two gang members.
Then slowly stood, radiating an intimidating presence, and began stepping toward them.
Though his body was small, each step shook the ground beneath him.
Boom. Boom. Boom...
The tremors grew louder with each step.
The gangsters had never seen a Bangboo like this. Not only was it unfazed by their clubs—it was marching right at them.
That thunderous sound, like boulders slamming into the ground, sent chills down their spines.
They instinctively began to back away.
Suddenly, the Dragon King Azhdaha lunged forward.
At the same time, the thugs swung their clubs at him with all their strength.
Crash!
Azhdaha's horns collided with the clubs. A flash of golden light burst out as the impact sent both gangsters flying into the night sky.
In a blink, they were gone.
With the threat eliminated, Azhdaha looked down at his current body.
It was small—even shorter than an average adult.
He'd become like this because the newly formed earth vein was far longer than he had anticipated. Digging through it had drained nearly all his power.
Even the massive body he once took pride in had shrunk to this size.
Still...
He had finally broken free of the seal.
With enough time, he could restore his full size and strength—then find the detestable Morax and take his revenge.
Azhdaha looked around again, eyes filled with hatred and disappointment.
After a thousand years, the Liyue he remembered had changed beyond recognition.
The once-rich Geo energy...
Now felt unbearably thin.