Menma and Hashirama, what happened in Teyvat

After Noel left, Sora and Paimon quickly said goodbye and left [Wind Embrace]. After all, they had nothing else to do here, not to mention that they had actually wanted to leave a long time ago, but were temporarily delayed by Noel's sudden visit.

Now that Noelle's problem has been resolved and she has left, Sora and Paimon will naturally not stay any longer.

"But what to do?"

After leaving the hotel, Kong suddenly asked this question. It was not too late, but there were no commissions to complete for the time being.

It always feels too early to go to bed, but if I continue to stay outside, I don’t know what to do...

"Right!" After hearing Kong's question about life, Paimon suddenly remembered something, "Some time ago, I seemed to hear many people in the city talking about a topic that seemed to be about a person."

"Oh?" Sora was a little curious. What on earth was it that Paimon knew that he didn't? "Tell me about it?"

"I don't know the exact name, but I heard people call him... "Dark Night Hero." Paimon said mysteriously, "I always feel... he should be a very unusual character."

"Maybe." Sora nodded, "What else?"

"As for more, I don't know." Paimon spread his hands, "I just overheard some people chatting when I passed by. At that time, we were busy on the way to fulfill the delivery commission, so I naturally didn't have time to hear more information."

"I see..." Sora scratched his head. So that's how it was. No wonder Paimon knew about it but he didn't, because at that time he didn't have the time to listen to the idle chatter of passers-by.

"Let's go to the tavern to inquire about this matter." Paimon suggested, "After all, that's the most likely place to get this kind of information."

"That's true." Sora agreed. "It's just right. There's nothing else to do right now. Let's just go explore what this so-called 'Night Hero' is all about."

……

(Soon after, [Angel's Gift])

"So you're also the type who likes to join in the fun." After hearing what Kong was up to, Charles, who was mixing drinks, said, "I have to say, the guests who have been patronizing us lately are really talking about...

Rather than calling it a "hot topic," it's more like an "urban legend." Even if I don't listen to it, my ears are almost callused.

"No...it can't be some scary legend..." Paimon felt a little scared when she heard the words "urban legend". After all, in her opinion, most things that can be given this name will contain horror elements. "First, give me some mental preparation!"

"It's not scary, at least for most people..." Charles shook his head and said, "...it's the legend of the man known as the 'Hero of the Dark Night'."

"Wow!!" Despite Charles' explanation, Paimon still let out a ghost cry in a daze.

"Paimon, this doesn't seem so scary..." Sora felt a little confused, so he asked.

"Um, what did the bartender say just now?" But at this time, Paimon seemed to have just woken up from a dream, and looked at Charles with a confused face.

"So you weren't listening at all." Charles was a little speechless, and Paimon's reaction also made Kong feel very embarrassed, "I'm talking about the "Dark Night Hero". It is said that this mysterious person only appears at midnight and punishes evil and promotes good."

At this point, Charles' tone suddenly became indifferent: "But to be honest, I'm not interested in this kind of legend...

Unless he can help control the drunken troublemakers in the middle of the night... then I am still willing to acknowledge his existence."

Obviously, although the true identity of the "Night Hero" is Diluk, he has done a good job of hiding his identity. At least, even Charles, who is Diluk's old friend, did not find out that the so-called "Night Hero" is actually his master.

"So, has anyone seen the 'Night Hero'?" Sora asked.

"It is said that there were several witnesses, but it was impossible to see his appearance clearly at night. Maybe this is why he only appears at night." Charles replied, "But at least it proves that the legend of the 'Dark Night Hero' is not groundless."

"Also, why does he want to hide his identity?"

"Maybe he's the only one who knows the answer to this question." Charles put the wine he had just mixed on the tray and picked up a glass of juice while answering, "Maybe he just likes to keep this mystery...

After all, men like that are more appealing to women... similar to some of the tricks commonly seen in taverns?"

"Uh..." After hearing Charles's analysis which made some sense, Kong didn't know what to say.

"Anyway, this is about all I know." Charles put the juice on the counter. "If you are interested, why not go to the square and ask around. Now I have something else to trouble you with."

"what's up?"

"Can you help me bring these glasses of wine to the guest's table? I'm a bit stuck here." Charles pointed to Quinn sitting at the table in the corner and said, "As a reward, this glass of apple wine is my treat for you."

"Okay, no problem." Sora nodded and picked up the tray with the wine glasses. It was just a small favor, and he could earn a cup of apple wine, so Sora was happy to do it.

"Thank you for what happened last time." Just as Kong finished serving wine to Quinn, returned the empty tray and picked up the cup of apple wine, Charles said again, "Traveler, your cooking skills are really good. In my opinion, you are not inferior to the chef of the Deer Hunter Restaurant. It was really great to have you as the chef for that banquet.

You have also played an indispensable role in the fact that the master was able to get together with Captain Qin. "

"Hehe, Miss Sarah said that at the beginning." Paimon said with a smile when he heard Charles' praise for Kong.

"This is actually all thanks to everyone. The real heroes are Mr. Uzumaki and his colleagues who organized this event." Sora waved his hand modestly, "What I did is just a tiny part."

……

After leaving the tavern, Sora and Paimon returned to the topic of "Heroes of the Dark Night".

"'Hero of the Dark Night', it seems like the kind of story that is circulated in every city." Paimon said, "It's just that he seems a little...dark?

What kind of person could he be? Let’s go to the square and ask him.”

Sora nodded, then he and Paimon came to Mond Square.

Perhaps because it was not too late, there were still some people in the square. They were either taking a walk, worshipping the statue of the wind god in the center of the square, or surrounding the bard to listen to his singing.

Soon, Kong and Paimon found a familiar face among them: Margaret, who was preparing to return to the Cat's Tail Tavern.

"Oh, you're here to ask about the 'Dark Night Hero'." Seeing Sora and Paimon walking straight towards her and stating their purpose, Margaret wanted to make a joke, "The 'Dark Night Hero' is me."

"Ah, this..." Kong was speechless for a moment, "You...are you kidding me..."

"Yes, I'm kidding."

"..."

"Um……"

Silence is the city of Mondstadt tonight.

"Haha, actually what I want to say is that I feel an aura in him that is similar to mine." Seeing that her plan to tease the two people in front of her was successful, Margaret stopped pretending and began to answer their questions.

"Similar aura?"

"Guarding Mond through countless nights, enforcing one's own justice, and sticking to one's own beliefs." Margaret spoke these words like reciting a poem, as if she had experienced these things herself.

The innocent Paimon was immediately fooled: "So Ms. Margaret is such a remarkable person?"

But Margaret shook her head: "No, no, I mean he must be very rich."

"Huh?" Paimon was stunned when he heard this completely unexpected answer that seemed to have nothing to do with the question.

"People often pursue spiritual wealth only after they have material wealth," Margaret explained. "Many heroic stories are written in this way, aren't they?"

But Kong could hear the barely concealed pretense in Margaret's words: "...So you're just showing off your wealth."

"Haha, that's not the case. I'm just very free every day." Margaret said something very self-aware.

"It's all the same. After all, she's the proprietress of the Cat's Tail Tavern." Paimon came back to his senses and waved his hand. After all, this woman was also a wealthy woman. It would be better not to do so if possible to avoid offending her.

"Why don't you go ask the guards at the city gate?" Margaret suggested, pointing in the direction of the city gate. "They often work night shifts and may have seen something."

……

……

……

Just as Sora followed Margaret's advice and started walking towards the city gate with Paimon, his sight returned to [Embrace of Wind] once again -

"Owner?"

"Mr. Uzumaki?" x2

After Menma's hand moved for the second time, Wendy, Brize and Zetsu finally noticed the situation. In an instant, the three of them gathered around Menma's bed.

However, to their great disappointment, judging from his facial features, Menma actually had no intention of waking up.

But suddenly, Menma's body began to tremble inexplicably, and this change scared both Wendy and Blaise.

"Mr. Uzumaki...what happened to him?"

"Hmm? Not good!" Unlike the other two, Zetsu's expression suddenly changed, and he immediately turned Menma's body over, making him lie on the bed with his back facing up. Then, he took off Menma's robe and bandages and put them aside, exposing his back.

At this time, at the left back of Menma's waist, the face of Hashirama, which was originally located there, had long disappeared, leaving only a tightly closed three-magatama Sharingan. However, the pale white skin formed by Hashirama's cells, which was originally only distributed in that position, now spread to almost the entire back waist, and even the entire left waist and part of the flank were affected, becoming a large piece of pale white flesh connected together.

"What's going on?" Wendy, who didn't know what Hashirama's cells were, pointed there and asked. As for the three-magatama Sharingan, a small part of the skin at that location had turned into something like an eyelid and was tightly closed, so it was not discovered by the two.

"It's just... a problem with the master's physical condition." Jue didn't know how to explain it, so he could only roughly evade it, "The energy in this part is a bit turbulent, I will help the master suppress it."

Since Zetsu is a product of Hashirama cells, it can clearly perceive the aura and energy changes of similar things. At the same time, it can also regulate them to a certain extent, so Zetsu can help Menma suppress the riot of these Hashirama cells.

Fortunately, after adapting to the previous situation and under the strong power of the Sharingan, Hashirama's cells were already weak, so they were easily suppressed by Zetsu. At the same time, Zetsu could also sense that the influence of these Hashirama cells on Menma's ability had become more profound.

"Is that... okay?" Even Wendy could feel that Menma's condition had stabilized, so she asked tentatively.

"That's right." Jue nodded, "Let the masters continue to have a good rest. I have a feeling that it may not be long before they wake up."

"Huh... that's good." x2

Wendy and Brize both breathed a sigh of relief; they didn't want anything to really happen to the two of them.

……

……

……

(On the other side, near Mondstadt)

A carriage was heading towards Mondstadt at a leisurely pace. Although this was not a big deal, after all, both the locals of Mondstadt and the merchants who came and went often rode in carriages, and everyone was used to it.

However, the crest of the Leggenfinder family was printed on the carriage. And there was another thing, that is, the carriage had just left Mondstadt a few hours ago, but it returned the same way after such a short time, which was a bit strange.

And at this moment, in the carriage——

"I never thought that the other party would stand me up..." Diluk was reviewing the failed negotiation tonight with an unhappy face. "But when I think about the fact that the other party is a merchant from Solstice, I feel that this is not particularly strange or unexpected."

"Hey, relax," said Cripps, who was sitting next to him. "When I was in the winery business, this kind of situation happened a lot, and many of them happened to me. After all, people may be entangled by various things in many cases, and sometimes breaking an appointment may not necessarily be the other party's fault."

"If they can't handle this kind of thing well, then their integrity is questionable." Diluk shook his head and didn't give in. "I also heard their reasons, but I don't think that little thing can delay the entire negotiation."

"That's true." Cripps nodded. "Although I was thinking at first that this matter might be very important to him, I think that's not entirely true. If it really doesn't work out, he can just send his deputy and his trusted aides to discuss it."

"If the other party really encountered an unpredictable accident, then I would also express my sympathy and understanding." Diluk continued expressionlessly, "But that kind of reason... will never be recognized by me.

We can just forgo all further business cooperation with them, after all, they were the ones who didn’t take this negotiation seriously in the first place.”

"Okay, then you can write a letter to Eze to explain this matter, and he will take care of everything." Krips said, "We are about to arrive in Mondstadt. I plan to go directly to your house. Do you want to go to the tavern first or go back with me?"

"I...neither. I have other things to deal with." Diluk paused for a moment, then quickly said, "Also, you should write this letter. After all, Eze is more willing to obey your orders than me, right?"

Although Diluk used Ezer as an excuse to try to cover up his own uneasiness, it still did not escape Cripps' ears.

“Haha… Then I’ll go back alone first.” Cripps smiled and patted Diluc’s shoulder, saying meaningfully, “When you finish your things, come back as soon as possible.”

"......Yeah." Diluk nodded slightly, but he felt helpless in his heart, "Alas, my father has noticed it after all. Forget it, since he has no intention of stopping me, it is indeed good news.

I just hope that he won’t tell anyone about this matter later…】

While Diluk was still sighing that his father was indeed worthy of being a father, the carriage had passed the security check at the gate of Mondstadt, returned to the city smoothly, and stopped near Diluk's house in the city.

"Then I'll go back first." Klips jumped off the carriage, waved to Diluc, then turned around and took out the key to open the door and go in. In order to allow his father to live in their home at any time, both Diluc and Kaeya naturally gave Klips a key to their own house.

Diluk also got off the carriage at this time. After telling the driver to drive the carriage away and watching his father go into the house, he took out a half-face mask from his pocket and put it on, then turned and walked into the darkness.

There are still many things to deal with tonight, including but not limited to... gathering intelligence and "dealing with garbage".