As Skirk watched the Burning watchtower and the agile red figure moving through the forest, a tiny spark of hope ignited in her heart!
A savior!
A champion of Mondstadt’s justice!
Quickly!
Drive away these Hilichurls who were treating her like a human showerhead!
Free her from this absurd predicament!
“Amber!
You can do it!” she silently cheered in her heart, almost waving her watery streams to cheer on this gliding champion.
However, what happened next completely overturned her script!
The Hilichurls, who had just been enjoying their “shower,” after their initial panic, did not scatter and flee or charge at Amber as Skirk had anticipated.
On the contrary!
The Hilichurl Shaman suddenly raised its staff, pointed in the direction the flaming arrow came from, and let out a strange cry: “Lata movo!
Biat ye!
(Enemy!
Protect the water!)”
“Ye!
Biat Upa Lata!
(Protect the water!
Protect the water!)” The other Hilichurls, as if receiving a sacred command, instantly erupted with astonishing enthusiasm to “protect their master”!
Howling, they grabbed wooden clubs, wooden shields, and even that recently extinguished torch (now just a stick) from the ground.
In a swarm, with incredible bravery…
they tightly surrounded Skirk, who was still standing dumbly on the rock!
Several Hilichurl Berserkers raised wooden shields in front of her, baring their teeth in Amber’s direction.
The Hilichurl Berserker that had been sprayed most comfortably was especially loyal, guarding her flank, brandishing its club, striking a pose that seemed to say, “If you want to touch our gold-medal technician, you’ll have to get through me first!”
Skirk: “!!!”
She was utterly petrified on the spot, even forgetting to stop the water stream she was subconsciously spraying.
Like a human fountain, she continued to splash water noisily onto the grass at her feet, also drenching the backs of the Hilichurls in front of her.
“Wait!
This isn’t how the script goes, hey!
Why are you protecting me?
I’m just a shower attendant forced into service!”
“Amber!
Don’t get the wrong idea!
I’m not with them!
I’m a good citizen!
A good citizen!”
“System!
Translate quickly!
Tell them I’m not their water god!
Tell them not to block me from being saved!”
[Pfft—Hahaha!]
The System’s electronic voice was rolling with laughter in her mind.
[Host!
See that?
This is the value of being a ‘gold-medal technician’!
Lifetime VIP treatment at the Hilichurl Five-Star Bath Center!
They’re protecting you as a strategic resource!
(ಡωಡ)]
“Shut up, you gloating jerk of a System!”
Skirk felt like crying but had no tears.
Just as this chaotic and absurd “Water Protection War” was beginning, a Pyro Hilichurl, holding a fire stick it had just re-lit (the torch head still had a few sparks), happened to run past Skirk as it tried to rush to the outer perimeter to confront Amber.
Skirk was maintaining her “fountain” state, flustered and at a loss, her water stream sweeping unconsciously…
“Sss—!”
A plume of white smoke rose.
The pitiful few sparks on the Pyro Hilichurl’s stick were precisely, mercilessly…
Extinguished by the water stream Skirk was “diligently” spraying!
Pyro Hilichurl: “???”
It looked at the weapon in its hand, now just a blackened, soggy stick end, then looked up at Skirk, who was still dutifully spraying water with an innocent (actually dumbfounded) expression.
Its little eyes behind the mask seemed filled with disbelief, shock, and accusation.
It pointed sharply at Skirk and let out an indignant accusation to the Hilichurl Shaman: “Upa lata gusha!
Mi muhe movo!
(The water is bad!
It’s a traitor!)”
Skirk: “Wow, switching sides without losing points…”
I’m not!
I didn’t!
Don’t spout nonsense!
Unfortunately, the battle was intense, and no one (Hilichurl) had time to investigate the “traitor” issue.
Amber moved as fast as lightning.
Like a forest spirit, she nimbly weaved between the trees.
Her flaming arrows precisely avoided the girl surrounded in the middle, constantly striking at the Hilichurls’ feet, shields, or nearby wooden crates, creating chaos and fire barriers.
“Rain of arrows!”
Amber’s clear voice rang out as another flaming arrow accurately shot and exploded the Hilichurl Shaman’s staff just as it was gathering frost mist!
“Woc!” The Shaman cried out in pain, its staff flying from its grasp.
Losing its commander, the Hilichurl formation instantly fell into disarray.
Seizing the opportunity, Amber charged into the camp like a red whirlwind!
Her movements were agile.
Baron Bunny dolls (Skirk finally saw clearly what they were) were cleverly thrown by her, detonating to create small shockwaves and flames.
Wooden clubs met with trained kicks; her bow blocked and evaded attacks.
Her movements flowed seamlessly, full of power and grace.
“Bam!
Thud!
Oof!”
“Muhe dada…” (That hurts…)
“Zido…”
“Man!”
Under Amber’s clean and efficient attacks, the Hilichurls were knocked down one after another, entering a baby-like slumber.
The entire battle happened so fast it left Skirk dazzled.
When the last Hilichurl Berserker was sent flying by Amber’s beautiful spinning kick, crashing into a wooden crate and falling unconscious, the entire camp finally quieted down.
Only the crackling of the campfire and…
the sound of Skirk’s still “splashing” water stream remained.
Amber clapped her hands, placed them on her hips, let out a long sigh of relief, her face bright with a victorious smile.
Only then did she turn around to look at the strange silver-haired girl who had been standing dumbly in the center of the camp from the start, “protected” by the Hilichurls, and was still spraying water continuously.
“Hey!
You there, miss!”
Amber called out to Skirk, her voice crisp and filled with concern.
“Are you alright?
Did those Hilichurls hurt you?”
This sudden call exploded like thunder in Skirk’s blank mind!
“Wah—!”
She was so startled her whole body jolted.
Already highly tense and extremely unfamiliar with controlling Hydro, the Abyssal Power (Hydro version) within her instantly went out of control and ran wild!
The water stream, originally at a showerhead level, suddenly surged in pressure the moment Skirk was frightened!
A thick, fierce jet of water, comparable to a small fire hose, erupted from her panicked, raised palm with a loud “whoosh”!
Its target—
Was aimed directly at Amber, who had just spoken to her with concern!
Amber: “?!”
The Outrider’s reaction was incredibly fast, but the distance was too close, and the water jet’s area was too wide!
She only had time to sidestep to avoid the direct impact, but the raging water flow still swept fiercely across her side!
“Splash—!!!”
It was like being drenched head-on by a waterfall!
Amber was instantly soaked to the bone!
Her signature red knight attire, white shirt, brown shorts, red hair ribbon, even those adorable bunny ear accessories—all were dripping wet, clinging to her body, water trickling down.
Her fiery red hair was also wet, plastered to her cheeks and neck.
She looked like a rabbit that had just been fished out of the water, bewildered and bedraggled.
The water jet came quickly and left just as fast.
Realizing what she had done, Skirk was terrified and immediately cut off the power.
The water stream stopped abruptly.
She stared at the completely drenched Amber, who was still dripping water, her brain completely shutting down, her mouth forming an “O” shape.
The air seemed to freeze.