“Haha~”
Venti swirled his cup of cider, smiling cheerfully, but he politely declined Jia Changjiang’s challenge. “Fighting? Oh, no, no. I’m just a humble bard with a Vision—nothing more.”
This wasn’t the first time Jia Changjiang had challenged Venti in the past few days, leaving the bard slightly puzzled. Why does he keep looking at me like I’m some sort of expert warrior? I don’t even look the part!
“Pfft, a Vision, huh… There’s no telling how many people wish they could have one.”
A nearby adventurer, already drunk, hiccupped and chimed in, “A Wind Vision! That’s gotta be incredible, being chosen by Lord Barbatos himself! Must be such an honor to have a Vision bestowed by the Anemo Archon!”
“I’d rather have a Pyro Vision!” slurred another adventurer. “That Darknight Hero in Mondstadt? He uses a Pyro Vision! Those things are amazing for combat!”
“Right? Even Amber in the Knights of Favonius has a Pyro Vision,” someone else added, tongue thick with cider.
“Ah, but don’t forget about Electro Visions! They’re crazy powerful too! Every time I borrow books at the library, just walking past Lisa makes my skin tingle!”
“Tch, come on. That’s not because of her Vision—it’s because she’s Lisa!”
The adventurers grew louder, boasting and debating over which type of Vision was the best. They even fantasized about which one they’d choose if they ever received one.
Jia Changjiang, meanwhile, stayed quiet, sipping his drink as he listened intently.
“Jax, aren’t you going to join the Vision debate?” Venti asked, a hiccup punctuating his words.
“Visions, huh…” Jia Changjiang rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Now that I think about it, doesn’t Jean use a Wind Vision too?”
He mulled it over. “I wonder… how should I fight her tomorrow?”
“Hmm?” Venti tilted his head curiously. “Don’t tell me… Jax, you don’t want a Vision of your own?”
“Want a Vision?” Jia Changjiang considered the question for a moment, his hand idly spinning his mug. “From what I’ve heard, Visions are a testament to someone’s faith and desires—granted to those acknowledged by the gods, right?”
“That’s right. What’s strange about that?” Venti’s curious gaze locked onto Jia Changjiang. His expression… it was different from anything the bard had seen before.
“Why… would I want a Vision?” Jia Changjiang said plainly. “Why would I need the approval of gods I’ve never even met?”
Venti blinked, momentarily taken aback. “But a Vision would make you stronger, wouldn’t it? Isn’t that what you’re always after?”
“Getting stronger is my responsibility—what’s that got to do with the gods?” Jia Changjiang waved off the notion as though it were absurd. “And speaking of these Visions—aren’t they gifts from the Seven Archons? Just how strong are these gods, anyway?”
His eyes lit up with curiosity as he turned to Venti. “You’re a bard—you must know some stories about the Seven, right?”
“Ahaha…” Venti scratched his cheek, suddenly feeling a bit awkward. “Well, some of them are indeed very powerful. Morax, the Geo Archon, was once called the ‘God of War.’ The Pyro Archon is famously battle-hungry too. Honestly, none of the Seven could be considered weak…”
…except maybe me, Venti thought to himself.
“So, are you asking which Archon gives out the strongest Visions?” he ventured cautiously.
“Nope.”
Jia Changjiang grinned wide, the spark of excitement gleaming in his eyes. “What I really want to know is whether I can fight them one day.”
Venti froze.
“To fight them, win, and claim victory with my own strength,” Jia Changjiang continued, his words brimming with unshakable confidence. “Tell me that wouldn’t be thrilling!”
His voice carried no reverence for the Archons—only the raw excitement of a warrior imagining a worthy challenge.
The audacity left Venti speechless. Glancing around the tavern, he saw only drunken adventurers too lost in their cups to register Jia Changjiang’s outrageous declaration.
Keeping his voice low, Venti asked, “You do know that according to legend, those with Visions have the chance to ascend to Celestia, right? To gain the power of a god themselves. Doesn’t that interest you?”
“Not even a little.” Jia Changjiang downed the rest of his drink in one gulp, then slammed the mug on the table.
“Besides,” he added, voice resolute, “who says you need a Vision to grow stronger? I’m proof that it’s possible to fight and improve without one!”
A grin spread across his face. “If the Archons are truly as strong as you say, wouldn’t defeating them with sheer power alone be the ultimate thrill?”
He laughed heartily, raising his empty mug toward Venti. “Battle itself is exhilarating! And I’ve got full confidence in myself.”
“Cheers!”
Venti, momentarily caught off guard, raised his mug half-heartedly to clink with Jia Changjiang’s.
“To combat!”
Watching Jia Changjiang’s boisterous enthusiasm, Venti sighed and shook his head.
What an utterly unique individual. At least, Venti thought with some relief, he doesn’t seem like a bad person.
Quietly, almost to himself, Venti murmured, “If you’d been born in another era, who knows what kind of chaos you might’ve caused…”
“A pure warrior through and through…”
—
Meanwhile, in the headquarters of the Knights of Favonius, Jean had just finished her day’s work. She set her pen down and reached for her coffee, needing the caffeine to stave off exhaustion.
“That traveler…”
Jean frowned as she remembered the promise she had made a week ago—a battle with Jia Changjiang.
And tomorrow was the day.
She sighed, rubbing her temples. “How should I handle this?”
“What’s on your mind, Acting Grand Master?”
Kaeya strolled into her office, catching sight of Jean’s troubled expression.
“Oh, Kaeya. I was just thinking about that duel I agreed to… with the traveler who calls himself Jax Lancelot. He doesn’t have a Vision, so…”
“If you’re planning to hold back, I’d advise against it,” Kaeya interjected smoothly.
Jean blinked in surprise. “Why not?”
“I’ve been observing him these past few days,” Kaeya explained. “And if there’s one thing I can tell you, it’s that he’d be insulted if you didn’t give it your all. Besides…”
Kaeya smirked, his tone light but deliberate. “I wouldn’t underestimate him if I were you. Haven’t you heard Amber’s reports?”
“Is his strength… really that extraordinary?” Jean asked, her expression growing serious.
“Let’s just say,” Kaeya replied, “you might need to fight him seriously—if you want to win.”
—
This is a fan translation of 武器大师在原神绝不死于徒手 by 徐人双. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
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