"This is Fontaine?"
Standing amidst the modern cityscape, Shajin looked around. The towering skyscrapers reflected dazzling sunlight from their glass façades—completely different from the ancient architectural styles of Mondstadt, Liyue, and Inazuma he had seen before.
He couldn't help but grumble, "Why does it feel like the art style completely changed from the other nations?"
"Eh?!"
A familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.
Turning his head, Shajin spotted a girl with pink hair looking at him in surprise. She wore a golden monocle over her left eye and a red dress that gave her an adorably refined air.
Tilting his head, Shajin recognized her. "Charlotte? Never thought I'd run into you here."
Charlotte walked up cheerfully and gave him a light pat on the shoulder.
"Geez, three years ago you just vanished without a word. I was planning to bring you to Fontaine myself~"
She chuckled. "But now look at you—Liyue's great hero and a Fatui Harbinger, no less. Quite the status upgrade."
Her tone was teasing, but Shajin was genuinely glad to see an old friend again.
He smiled. "I just got lucky, that's all."
"By the way, Charlotte, what's going on over there?"
He pointed toward a crowd gathered in the plaza, where a large platform stood in the center.
"Oh, that? Lady Furina is selecting her new guards," Charlotte explained.
"A guard for the Hydro Archon?" Shajin's eyes gleamed. "That sounds like a pretty decent gig."
Charlotte looked at him in surprise. "Huh? You're thinking of entering the contest?"
"Yeah," Shajin nodded. "I've got a feeling something interesting might happen."
Charlotte twitched at the corners of her mouth. "Heh… you haven't changed one bit…"
Then her eyes lit up.
"But if someone as strong as you is entering, this is gonna be a huge scoop!"
Realizing the newsworthiness of it, she quickly grabbed his sleeve and dragged him toward the arena.
…
"Quiet, quiet!"
A burly guard stood atop the platform, his booming voice echoing clearly across the plaza.
"My name's Jess. I know why you're all here—every one of you wants to become Lady Furina's personal guard."
"Due to Miss Clorinde being preoccupied with her dueling duties, we're looking for a new close-range bodyguard. That's why we're holding this tournament."
Jess thumped his chest.
"I'll be the first one defending the stage. If you think you've got what it takes to beat me, come on up!"
For a moment, the crowd was silent. Then, cheers erupted like a tidal wave.
"Whoa! Did he say Lady Furina's personal guard?!"
"Haha… That position's mine!"
"Hmph, in your dreams!"
Despite the boisterous commotion, no one stepped forward to challenge Jess.
He looked down at the crowd with disdain, though inwardly he was thrilled. Becoming Lady Furina's personal guard was a rare opportunity.
"Oh? So this is a challenge stage?"
Still watching from the sidelines, Shajin furrowed his brow. That voice…
Someone leapt effortlessly from the crowd and landed lightly on the platform. Shajin's eye twitched.
Why the hell is Tartaglia here?!
The Eleventh Harbinger stood calmly, picking up a long spear from the side of the arena and resting it on his shoulder. He raised an eyebrow at Jess.
"Hey! Let's fight!"
Charlotte blinked. "That guy… he looks really familiar… Wait! Isn't he the Eleventh Fatui Harbinger, Childe!?"
Jess broke into a cold sweat.
The Palais Mermonia kept records of the most active Fatui Harbingers, and Tartaglia was not only among them—he was the youngest of all.
Jess gulped. Even if he stood no chance, he couldn't afford to give up. He had to become Furina's personal guard. The Pyro Vision hanging at his waist began to glow.
"Hmph. Harbinger or not, you think you can beat me that easily? Dream on!"
In a flash, Jess hurled a blazing fireball directly toward Tartaglia.
"Calm as the Sea!"
Tartaglia lazily swung his spear, slicing the fireball apart in midair without even drawing on his Vision.
As the fight began, the plaza reached a fever pitch.
The crowd roared for the clash between these two powerhouses, while Shajin stood quietly to the side, watching closely.
He knew this tournament was far more than it appeared on the surface.
His gaze swept across the spectators, as if searching for something—or someone.
Charlotte clung nervously to Shajin's arm.
"Are you seriously going to enter, Shajin? That Tartaglia guy looks insanely strong!"
Shajin sighed.
"Charlotte, you should know my strength by now. For me, a fight like this is nothing more than child's play."
Charlotte looked at him, understanding all too well that once he set his mind to something, nothing could stop him.
All she could do was silently cheer him on.
Meanwhile, the battle on stage had grown increasingly intense. The showdown between Tartaglia and Jess had reached a blazing crescendo.
Jess's flames roared, colliding wildly against Tartaglia's masterful spearplay.
The platform blazed with firelight and explosions, shockwaves tearing across the arena with each clash.
The spectators had gone absolutely wild, their thunderous cheers rising to the heavens, shaking the plaza with unbridled fervor.
All eyes were fixed on the platform, each person terrified to miss a single breathtaking moment.
In a flash, Jess flickered across the stage like a ghost, narrowly dodging one of Tartaglia's razor-sharp thrusts.
At the same time, he conjured a searing orb of fire in his hand, like a miniature sun, and hurled it straight at his opponent.
But Tartaglia remained unfazed. With fluid grace, he sidestepped the blazing strike, letting it fly past him harmlessly.
Then, in one seamless motion, he twirled his spear and lunged forward, unleashing a piercing strike like a thunderclap.
The two clashed in a flurry of moves, neither side backing down. Tartaglia's speed was lightning incarnate, his spear a viper flashing through the air, forcing Jess to defend relentlessly.
Jess, in turn, relied on the explosive might of Pyro to launch wave after wave of overwhelming assaults, trying to smother Tartaglia's rhythm.
_
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