<h4>Chapter 61: Viin Simtor, Ch 61</h4>


    "Burp!" The dragon Ursa opened her mouth and let out a loud belch. "A bit tough to chew," she muttered in a deep voice.


    With a sharp "plop," she spat out a crushed lump of metal—a mangled mess of armor and shield that her dragon teeth had ground down.


    "Eberhart, you actually teamed up with the dragon Ursa..." Vennessa finally grasped the situation and muttered in disbelief, "You betrayed Mondstadt... No, you betrayed humanity!"


    "So what?"


    Lucas sneered, his body turning into a blur. With a swift motion, he spun his spear behind his back and struck with lightning speed. Vennessa couldn''t even see the attack clearly before feeling a sharp pain in her shoulder. The razor-sharp spearhead had already pierced through her left shoulder.


    As a seasoned diator who had endured many wounds, a stab like this shouldn''t have posed much of a threat.


    But unexpectedly, after being stabbed, Vennessa''s arm wentpletely numb, as if she had lost all sensation.


    This was the product of Eberhart''s years of research into the "Line of Death" technique used by spear witch—a derived ability called the "Line of Injury." Unlike the Line of Death, which delivered deadly strikes, the Line of Injury acted like a pressure point technique that caused the targeted body part to lose sensation upon impact.


    Of course, this technique had its limitations. It could only be used effectively with needle-like weapons, such as the "Flowing Moon Needle" spear of Spear Witch.


    "What... what have you done to me?" Vennessa looked at her now-useless arm with fear for the first time.


    It was a natural human reaction. She might not have feared death, but this strange ability left her unsettled.


    "I thought about it—killing you outright would be too merciful," Lucas said with a crazed grin. "Since you love freedom so much, I''ll punish you by making you live... in the most unfree way possible."


    Before Vennessa could react, Lucas struck again, this time targeting her knee. Pain shot through her leg, and soon after, her knee also went numb.


    With her leg disabled, Vennessa stumbled and fell, kneeling before Lucas.


    The citizens of Mondstadt, who were fleeing in panic, witnessed this scene.


    "Lady Vennessa... why is she kneeling before Eberhart?"


    "She must be begging for mercy... damn it, wasn''t she supposed to be strong?"


    "We''re doomed... we''re really doomed!"


    "No... if we beg for mercy now, maybe Lord Eberhart will spare us!"


    One of the Mondstadt citizens, nowpletely broken by fear, fell to his knees, bowing repeatedly as he pleaded, "Lord Eberhart, we were wrong! Please stop your punishment!"


    Ironically, the first to kneel was the very person who had been shouting the loudest against Lawrence''s rule just moments before.


    Above, the dragon raged in the sky.


    Below, their former ruler stood strong.


    Around them, bodiesy in ruin.


    And in the distance, Vennessa knelt.


    Compared to this nightmare, their previous lives had been paradise.


    Then, like a wave of contagion, one person after another began to kneel—two, three, then hundreds, all begging for Eberhart''s forgiveness.


    "Do you see?" Lucas shook his head in mock regret. "These are the people you liberated. Do you still believe they wanted true ''freedom''?"


    Vennessa stared in confusion at the masses kneeling before her. "Then what do they... really want?" she murmured.


    "Power," Lucas sneered. "They just couldn''t stand that the nobles had more power than them. If given the chance to be nobles themselves, they''d take it faster than anyone."


    "That''s not true... they are my followers!" Vennessa, still unable to ept this truth, protested weakly. "We swore an oath before the Anemo Archon together."


    "Unfortunately, they don''t follow you. They follow ''strength,''" Lucas said as he turned to face the groveling citizens of Mondstadt. "Vennessa has fallen at my feet. Are you now begging for my mercy?"


    The people, sensing a sliver of hope, hurriedly responded:


    "Yes... yes!"


    "Please forgive our foolishness!"


    "It was her... that woman who bewitched us into rebellion!"


    "Lord Eberhart! I swear eternal loyalty to you!"


    "Do you see?" Lucas turned his face slightly, a mocking smile on his lips. "This is the limit of their character."


    "You''ve won..."


    Finally defeated in spirit, Vennessa let out a bitterugh. "I should have epted your deal. What was I even fighting for?"


    Lucas knew that Vennessa was now dead inside.


    This fate, where her spirit was crushed, was far crueler than physical destruction.


    History often has turning points.


    In the real world, Vennessa had the help of the Anemo Archon Barbatos to defeat the dragon Ursa and overthrow Mondstadt''s old aristocracy.


    But in this simtion, Barbatos never appeared, and the ruling nobles weren''t entirely useless.


    Naturally, the oue was different.


    "As for your apology, I''m very moved. Unfortunately..."


    mes began to flicker on Lucas''s body, almost as if they were part of him. "I... do not ept."


    Before anyone could react to what he meant, Lucas raised his hand. With a loud boom, a massive column of me, nearly two meters wide, shot from his palm and mmed into the densest part of the crowd.


    After absorbing the powers of both Vennessa and the dragon Ursa, Lucas''s strength had reached a whole new level.


    The mes, burning at temperatures of over 10,000 degrees Celsius, didn''t even give the victims a chance to scream. They were incinerated instantly, leaving only human-shaped scorch marks on the ground.


    A few unlucky ones who were not fully engulfed screamed in agony as parts of their bodies were burned away. Some had entire limbs melted off, while others saw their charred internal organs spill out.


    Those around them stood frozen in shock. Several copsed, their legs giving way beneath them.


    "What are you standing there for?" Lucas calmly blew out the fire on his fingertips and smiled. "Aren''t you going to run?"


    Lucas wasn''t particrly interested in ughter, but this was a perfect opportunity to "cleanse" Mondstadt.


    The rotten nobility, the ignorant masses, the reckless rebels.


    None of them were worth saving. Better to burn it all to the ground.


    After all, if things had gone ording to his original n, he might have already defeated Ursa and returned to Mondstadt, ready to abolish the "First ss of Red Wine Decree."


    If only...


    But there are no "if onlys."


    Since they wanted destruction, he might as well help them along.


    Those citizens of Mondstadt, frozen in terror, finally realized what was happening and began to flee in all directions, their wails filling the air.


    Meanwhile, the towering statue of the Anemo Archon continued to gaze ahead, showing no sign of concern for the worshippers who had so long revered him.


    Having just enjoyed a hearty meal, the dragon Ursanded beside Lucas in her human form, her previously t belly now slightly bulging from overeating.


    "Hey, don''t burn everything to ash," Ursa said,zily cleaning her teeth with a w. "It''s a waste."


    In her eyes, the fleeing humans were no different from pigs headed for the butcher.


    "You''re one to talk," Lucas shrugged. "Didn''t you turn them to ash with your fire?"


    "Can''t help it," Ursa replied, frowning slightly. "I can''t control the strength of my dragon fire. Can you control how bad your farts smell?"


    Hearing such crude wordse from her otherwise regal face was oddly amusing.


    "And what about them?" Ursa gestured toward the people fleeing toward the city gates. "Are you just going to let them escape?"


    "It''s fine," Lucas said with a smile as he watched their retreating figures. "Let the bullets fly for a while."


    Mondstadt, a typical medieval city, was built on an ind in Wine Lake with only a single bridge connecting it to the maind. Thisyout was meant to protect the city from monsters and invaders.


    Now, that same bridge had be the only escape route for the citizens, who rushed to cross it—only to find that the bridge had been destroyed.


    Their only way out was to cross the moat, a wide stretch of water over thirty meters across.


    In desperation, many of the fleeing citizens jumped into the moat, trying to swim to safety. But to their horror, the temperature of the once-cool water began to rise rapidly.


    Soon, the surface of the moat started to bubble and boil, and the people who had jumped in screamed in agony before their cries were abruptly cut off.


    "I see now..." Ursa muttered. "Your power is so great that it can even boil the water?"


    "They''re probably cooked by now," Lucas remarked indifferently. "Why don''t you go try a taste? I hear Liyue has a simr dish called ''hotpot.''"


    "I''d love to!"


    With that, Ursa transformed back into her dragon form and flew over to the riverbank. She scooped up the now-boiled people in her jaws and swallowed them whole.


    For Ursa, this was avish all-you-can-eat buffet. For the remaining citizens of Mondstadt, it was nothing short of hell on earth.


    The dragon loomed above, casting her shadow over the city as her evil mes consumed it.


    The one-sided massacrested from day into night, and by the time it was over, Mondstadt had been reduced to a smoldering ruin.


    Even Ursa, who had gorged herself on the citizens, was now so full that her belly bulged, and shezily sprawled in the middle of the town square, asionally letting out a satisfied belch.


    The city had been nearly wiped out, with fewer than one percent of its poption surviving. Those who were still alive had been forced into the vast halls of the Cathedral by Lucas''s "guidance."


    Standing before the cathedral, mes flickered in Lucas''s palm. One snap of his fingers, and thest remnants of Mondstadt''s people would bepletely wiped out.


    "Go ahead and do it,"


    Ursa the dragon seemed impatient, saying, "If you''re hesitant, I can help speed things up."


    "I just wanted to take onest look at this city," Lucas said calmly, "I hate it, but I also love it."


    But at that moment, a figure suddenly descended from the sky,nding in front of Lucas. When he saw who it was, aplicated expression crossed his face.


    The person blocking his way wasn''t a stranger—it was his own son, Kreuzlied.


    "Well, well, isn''t this Mondstadt''s great hero?" Lucas sneered. "How does it feel, ying a game where you overthrew your father''s reign? Is it fun?"


    "I... I was wrong."


    Kreuzlied shook his head, replying, "I was too naive. But these people... they are thest spark of Mondstadt. If you kill them all, Mondstadt will be finished for good. I beg you—"


    "Kreuzlied, have you forgotten all the noble manners I taught you?" Lucas said coldly. "You don''t even want to call me father."


    For the first time, Kreuzlied lowered his stubborn head in front of his father. "Father, please... spare them!"


    "When you were studying abroad, you should have learned some basic economics," Lucas said, smiling as if having a casual conversation with his son. "I''m willing to spare them, but what will you offer in exchange?"


    "I... I..." Kreuzlied found himself at a loss for words.


    "Kreuzlied, before your mother passed away, she asked me to take good care of you. That''s why I spoiled you all these years," Lucas said with a cold snort. "You have nothing to offer in exchange because everything you havees from me. Without me, you''re nothing."


    "Then how about I take his ce in this deal?"


    Just then, a gust of wind suddenly swirled in front of Lucas. When the wind dissipated, standing there was a youthful figure in green clothes and a green hat, holding a lyre.


    Seeing the ruins, the scattered corpses, and the burning buildings, including the anemo god statue that had been partially destroyed, the youth''s face showed a fleeting expression of regret. However, he soon returned to a calm smile. "Mr. Eberhart, this isn''t our first meeting, is it?"


    Indeed, the young man dressed like a wandering bard was the same figure who had once left Lucas with three prophecies inside the simtor.


    "I should have guessed," Lucas showed no fear. "Anemo Archon... Lord Barbatos, as a former Mondstadter, I should bow to you. Unfortunately, I no longer am."


    Even the previouslyzy Ursa the dragon stood up, her mouth emitting ck mes as she watched the youth warily. "Is this a new enemy?"


    It was clear that Ursa sensed this person''s extraordinary power.


    "No need to be so tense..." Barbatos quickly waved his hands, trying to defuse the situation. "I don''t have the confidence to beat both of you."


    "Really?" Ursa immediately turned to Lucas and said, "In that case, let''s just eliminate this threat!"


    "Hold on!" Barbatos said, bothughing and crying. "I told you, I''m only here to make a deal."


    "Calm down, Ursa," Lucas shook his head. "He is, after all, one of the Seven Archons. He''s not weak by any means... So, what do you want?"


    "Strictly speaking, I shouldn''t interfere in this matter, but these people are still the citizens of Mondstadt," Barbatos'' usually yful face turned uncharacteristically serious. "So, I''m willing to offer something in exchange for their lives."


    To be honest, Lucas had some reservations about Barbatos'' strength. However, since Barbatos hadn''t directly attacked and was instead proposing a trade, it seemed he wasn''t nning to use force.


    ----


    Author''s Note: Well we did not reach 1200.. but I need to sleep so I am posting this anyways!