The physical exhaustion remained, but her mind was abnormally excited.
She tried moving her fingers, recalling the feeling of stirring the pool water in desperation just moments ago in the bathroom.
A cold, profound energy, as if connected to the bottomless Akasha, flowed slowly within her like a dormant undercurrent.
Is this Abyssal Power?
It feels…
kind of cool, yet kind of scary.
Besides, she remembered, weren’t Skirk’s limbs already…
[Damn Host, I seem to remember I said you were her younger sister.]
“It really is…”
“Right!
The gift pack!”
She suddenly remembered the newbie task reward and instantly sprang up from her corpse-like state, her movements appearing somewhat clumsy due to her lack of familiarity with the new body, nearly falling back down.
[Ding!
Detected that the host is in a safe environment, meeting the conditions for claiming.
Distributing the Newbie Gift Pack…]
A virtual gift box that only she could see, emitting a faint purple-black glow, appeared out of thin air, then burst with a “pop,” turning into specks of starlight that merged into her body.
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining:]
Slight increase in Abyssal Affinity: Perception and control over abyssal energy are smoother.
Basic elemental power unlocked (Hydro): The initial external manifestation form of the host’s Abyssal Power has been determined as ‘Hydro element’.
Please explore and use it yourself.
Abyssal aura concealment (Beginner): In a non-combat state, you can faintly hide your abyssal traits, reducing the risk of being perceived by others and specific existences (such as the Seven Archons or Abyss members).
(Effect on the homologous Skirk is questionable.)]
Teyvat Common Language Proficiency”: Mom doesn’t have to worry about me giving myself away when I speak anymore!
And “Sister Radar.” Currently, there is no movement.
“Hydro element?”
The protagonist (Skirk) paused for a moment, subconsciously opening her palm.
With a slight movement of her mind, that cold power within her flowed along her fingertips.
Splash…
A small stream of clear water, carrying faint blue specks like starlight, gathered and swirled flexibly above her fair palm like the most docile little snake, forming a crystal-clear little water ball.
Under the starlight, the water ball refracted a dreamy luster, blending strangely with her own cold and mysterious temperament.
Without a reference, she had no idea how strong this water flow was.
Can it summon a giant whale like Tartaglia?
Or can it only be used to wash hands?
She tried flicking the water ball toward a rock half a person’s height away.
Pfft!
The water ball hit the rock, making a deafening…
soft sound, leaving an obvious water stain, and then…
that was it.
The rock didn’t budge.
Squirtle used “Water Gun” on Onix!
Squirtle fainted.
“…”
The protagonist (Skirk) looked at the wet rock and was silent for two seconds.
Well, it seems for now I can really only wash my hands, or…
wash an enemy’s face?
With this combat power, let alone finding the original to get close to, I’d probably have to run if I encountered a Hilichurl Berserker.
A deep sense of powerlessness and bewilderment about the future welled up.
She retracted the water flow and sat back down on the cliff edge, this time hugging her knees.
Her silver-white long hair slid down from her shoulders, blown by the night wind, gently brushing against her delicate jawline.
Those deep purple eyes reflected the galaxy across the sky, yet appeared somewhat hollow and lost.
“System, what should I do next…”
She asked silently in her heart.
“Turning into this, wearing her face, possessing this…
uh, barely useful Hydro elemental power.
Who am I?
Skirk’s younger sister?
Silky?
A transmigrator wearing Skirk’s skin?”
“Return to the original world?
How?
Get hit by a truck?”
“And that ‘get close’ task…”
Thinking of the original Skirk’s freezing gaze and terrifying strength, she couldn’t help but shudder.
“This is an impossible task!
Next time we meet, she will definitely slash over without hesitation, right?”
The galaxy flowed, the night wind whispered.
The lights of Mondstadt shone warmly in the distance, yet they were completely out of place with her current situation.
Countless questions swirled in her mind, as numerous and distant as the stars in the night sky.
She hugged her knees, resting her chin on her arms, looking at this strange and beautiful Teyvat starry sky, falling into a long, silent contemplation.
The night dew dampened the ends of her hair and the hem of her clothes, bringing a chill, and also allowing her chaotic mood to settle slightly.
Hm…
Since things have come to this, let’s sleep first.
…
On the other side, inside a secret little space where the flow of time was particularly slow.
Skirk (Original) woke up.
Was it…
a dream?
She shook her head.
Too ridiculous, probably just brain self-protection from fatigue!
Only swung the sword with full force ten thousand times today and got tired, no, must practice more!
Younger sister.
If she really had a younger sister…
Forget it.
…
The night wind blew, the galaxy was bright.
Skirk (Let’s use this name from now on!
After all, Skirk and Keqing have the same voice actor…?) quickly fell into a deep sleep.
In her dream, there was no truck, no murderous sister, only…
um, a bunch of dancing Slimes?
And Apple cider that you could drink infinitely?
On the cliff deep in the high heavens, the cool wind blew.
The young girl lay on the ground in a spread-eagle shape, which was both comfortable and stylish.
However, good times didn’t last long.
A standard middle school wake-up bell.
It was that kind of sound that echoed in the dormitory punctually at 6:30.
Skirk had listened to this damn sound for six years in her previous life, finally got a break after finishing exams, and now, hearing it again, she was instantly triggered!
“Those who haven’t gotten up yet, hurry up!”
A roar comparable to a square dance speaker turned to maximum volume, complete with low-quality electronic synthesis effects, sounding like a grade director, suddenly exploded in Skirk’s mind like thunder!
“Waaah—!”
Skirk was so scared that she sprang up from the ground, moving so fast that she even left an afterimage (purely out of fear).
“Earthquake?!
Enemy attack?!
Did my sister come to kill me?!”
Her heart raced, eyes bleary with sleep, looking around in a panic, clumsily striking a defensive pose she didn’t even recognize herself.
It gave a sense of “Thug Excitement Fist.”
[Ding!
‘Full of Vitality’ wake-up service experience successful!
Host spirit +1 (probably)!]
The system’s electronic voice carried a sense of joy from a successful prank.
“System!!!”
Skirk was so angry she almost stomped her feet, but unfortunately, her body wasn’t fully coordinated, so she stumbled halfway through, paired with her frizzy silver hair and just-woken-up confused expression, she looked exactly like a startled, frizzy-haired cat.
“Are you sick?!
What time is it!
It’s not even dawn!
Why are you yelling!
Do you know that disturbing someone’s dream will get you struck by lightning!”
She let out a cute, fierce roar with that cold, mature-woman voice.
Using the words of a celebrity who once reached the world’s highest city, the auditorium, oh isn’t this ‘dingzhen’ (a meme reference):
What are you yelling for in the early morning!
[Host, that is incorrect!
A day’s plan starts with the morning!
The early morning is the perfect time to absorb the essence of heaven and earth and strive for success!]
The system argued eloquently,
[Moreover, this system has detected your deep concern regarding the ‘water ball hitting a rock’ performance, and hereby issues the ‘Newbie Guide · Strength Improvement Chapter’ task in advance!
Don’t miss this opportunity, it won’t come again!
(｀・ω・´)]
A huge virtual task box, flashing with colorful neon effects, forcibly filled Skirk’s field of vision:
[Newbie Guide · Strength Improvement Chapter (I)]
Task Objective: Integrate into Teyvat!
Participate in or witness one ‘Main Storyline’ related event (0/1).
Task Description: A true powerhouse needs to experience the baptism of wind and rain (and plot)!
Go, Host!
Towards the dawn, towards the direction of Mondstadt, take your first step to becoming stronger!
Task Reward: Slight increase in Abyssal Power (Hydro elemental power enhancement)!
Hilichurlian Crash Course · Greetings and Begging for Mercy Chapter”!
Failure Penalty: Within the next 24 hours, the host’s speech will automatically include Hilichurlian suffixes (Ya!
Dada!).
Skirk: “…”
She rubbed her eyes, which had been dazzled by the system’s light pollution, and looked at the task description and that shameful failure penalty.
Participate in the main storyline?
With her current “combat power of five” level, is she going to be cannon fodder background or feed the villain?
And “towards the dawn”?
It’s clearly the middle of the night where you can’t see your own hand!
Towards the star…
Thank you…
Two sentences suddenly fell into Skirk’s ears.
“System, do you have any misunderstanding about ‘integrating into Teyvat’ and ‘participating in the main storyline’?
If I go to the gate of Mondstadt now, I will most likely be arrested by the Knights of Favonius as a suspicious person, right?”
Skirk held her forehead, feeling her future was pitch black.
[That’s what normal people say!
Please depart immediately!
System navigation is enabled, Target: Direction of Mondstadt, Sanka!
GOGOGO, let’s go!
(ノ≧∀≦)ノ]
The system’s electronic voice was filled with baseless excitement, even simulating meaningless drum beats.
It felt like these drum beats were full of power!
God ♦ “That’s what normal people say”!
“…Fine, fine.”
Skirk sighed resignedly, anything was better than being punished to learn Hilichurlian.
She resignedly patted her butt covered in grass clippings (the movement was still not very elegant), and with the help of the faint starlight, began to grope her way down the mountain, stepping unevenly.