Genshin Impact: Back From Teyvat - The Archon Follows Me Home!

Lu Chen placed the small commemorative mirror on the coffee table, and everyone's attention turned to it.

Ever since this thing showed up, a lot had started happening.

"If I'm not mistaken, this artifact isn't just for seeing ghosts."

[Manifestation of Obsession — through this, one can observe eerie phenomena that normally shouldn't exist. Best used at night.]

He had focused on the second part of that description before. But now, looking again, it was clear the key point was the first line—Manifestation of Obsession.

"Manifestation of obsession..." Ei repeated thoughtfully after Lu Chen explained. "But they were just dreams. Makoto and Kitsune Saiguu didn't show up here in reality."

"They felt too real," Venti added with a shake of his head. "It was like the silhouette of that boy was standing right in front of me..."

"This thing's spooky as hell!" Hu Tao snatched up the souvenir mirror, examining it curiously.

Lu Chen recalled playing with it the night before right before going to bed—when everyone else had already turned in.

He was now sure it had influenced their dreams.

So he quickly snatched it back, and the mirror vanished from his hand, returning to the system's storage.

"I wasn't done looking yet..." Hu Tao muttered in protest.

"Better to put it away, just in case," Lu Chen said.

They discussed it for a long while, but came to no real conclusion. Eventually, everyone returned to their rooms, heavy-hearted.

Lu Chen had the growing feeling that this artifact deepened emotional fixations. His current life was fulfilling—he hadn't thought about Inazuma in ages.

But those faces kept showing up in his dreams—twisted, haunted, demanding answers. It left his thoughts weighed down and his brows furrowed.

Ei was the same. Distracted and silent, they walked together to the arena for the fourth day of competition.

The gym was as lively as ever, but without friends or family watching from the stands—everyone else had stayed back to rest.

When the coach saw how tired they looked, his worry deepened.

"Today's not just your individual elimination rounds—we've also got Haizhou's first team match. You two really need to be focused..."

Lu Chen nodded and tried to reassure him. "Don't worry."

The team competition used a single-elimination format—one loss and you were out. Brutal.

Each team had to send out three competitors, plus one substitute. Matches were still three minutes per bout, making a total of nine bouts per match.

For the men's team, the coach chose:

Lu Chen, the captain, and a reasonably skilled crew-cut classmate.

The captain glanced at Lu Chen's distracted expression, visibly worried.

He clapped Lu Chen on the shoulder and gave him the classic hot-blooded sports anime look.

"Lu Chen, we've come this far—we can't give up!"

"The other team may have a genius fencer from the Normal University, but I believe in your strength. More than that—I believe in the power of teamwork!"

"Believe in me! Believe in all of us! As long as we're united, we can overcome anything!"

"Well said!" Crew-Cut was clearly inspired, eyes nearly tearing up.

"The national championship trophy is waiting for us!!"

Lu Chen looked bewildered but still smiled politely. "Well said..."

"Well said! Let's go!" the coach shouted, starting a cheer that all the Haizhou students and staff joined in on.

"Let's go! Let's go!"

"Champions! Champions!"

Lu Chen kept smiling awkwardly. What he wanted to say was—if it weren't for you guys holding me back, that championship would've been a cakewalk...

And now in this team match, he wouldn't even need to throw the game on purpose. Who knew what absurd score those two were going to rack up?

The coach had him scheduled as the final competitor, so Lu Chen waited comfortably on the bench.

The captain went up first. The match was unimpressive, but Lu Chen noticed a sharp gaze fixed on him from across the arena.

That must be the "genius" the captain had mentioned.

Lu Chen didn't recall his name—only that the guy looked 16 or 17, tall and sharp-featured, with a good bit of charm. The girls from the Normal University were all cheering for him.

Lu Chen hadn't looked up any opponent profiles, so he asked the coach.

The coach gave him a look like he was from another planet, which just confused him more.

Turned out the guy really was something—already scouted by the national sports bureau despite his age. He was only here to represent his school, but his skills were on another level entirely. In a "Youth Championship," this was practically a dimensional mismatch.

No wonder the captain had been trying to give him a pep talk earlier.

Unlike Lu Chen's low-key approach, this young man—surnamed Li—stood out with every match. He dominated every round, crushing his opponents by wide margins.

When Lu Chen's turn finally came, he glanced at the scoreboard and was silent for a long time.

Haizhou College: 10.

Normal University: 40.

...

And that was only the sixth match.

The Normal University team was already half-celebrating, the crowd roaring in triumph.

The coach gave Lu Chen a pat and a few words of encouragement, though with a note of resignation—just do your best.

Fair enough. The other team only needed five more points to win outright, and there were only three rounds left.

If Lu Chen wanted to pull off a miracle comeback, he needed to score 35 points in the final nine minutes.

The captain, ever the hopeful protagonist, kept the fire alive.

"Lu Chen! I believe in you! As long as we're united, we can..."

Lu Chen mentally muted him.

Standing on the 14-meter-long piste, just as expected, the opposing team brought out their ace—the young pro surnamed Li.

"At last, we meet!" the opponent said, barely able to contain his excitement under the mask.

"Huh?" Lu Chen hadn't realized he'd been this closely watched.

"This is the final showdown. Don't hold back—give it everything you've got!"

Lu Chen shook his head with a wry smile.

"I'm just saying... if I give it my all, you might not make it out of the arena."

It was the truth—but in the other guy's ears, it sounded like arrogant provocation.

"Hmph! I've studied your matches. You're decent, but your movements are unprofessional. You rely solely on speed to take shortcuts. But now you're facing me—destined to become the greatest in the fencing world!"

Lu Chen didn't respond. He simply smiled.

This guy was definitely on the dramatic side...

Their short exchange stirred tension across the arena. The referee had to issue a warning to keep things civil.

Both fencers fell silent and raised their blades for a salute.

"En garde... ready... begin!"

The timer lit up.

The match officially began.