Sacrificing Myself: Nine Transmigrations (Genshin Impact)

Provoked by Elliot, Xiao raised his spear and charged again.

The battle resumed in full force.

"You're slipping already? What, giving up so soon?" Elliot leaned on his spear, panting hard, barely getting the words out.

"You're one to talk."

Xiao was just as worn out—gasping for breath, his body nearly immobile.

It was already daytime on the second day.

Since Elliot had challenged Xiao yesterday morning, they'd been fighting nonstop—from morning to night, and then through half the night again.

Any evil spirits that showed up were casually wiped out along the way.

They didn't even get in the way.

Their fighting routine had become something of a system—deal with the evil spirits first, then return to pummeling each other.

By now, both had burned through every last bit of stamina. They could barely stand, relying entirely on their spears for support.

Neither wanted to collapse first. Somewhere deep down, they both believed that whoever fell first would be the loser.

That's just how it is between men.

When they were kids, it might've started with:

"Whoever pees farther is the coolest."

Cue the great pee-distance championship.

Then later:

"If you can reach that leaf, you're amazing."

A crowd of boys jumping endlessly under a tree.

What girls might see as silly and childish—was actually the unspoken true friendship between men.

No matter how small the challenge, there had to be a winner.

"You're just about done, huh? Give it up already. Holding on like this is just pointless," Elliot muttered through gritted teeth.

He was at his limit. His legs were shaking. He was seconds away from collapsing.

"Your legs are the ones shaking. Who's forcing it now?"

Xiao refused to give in. Even though his body was trembling too, he stood firm.

Their strength was completely drained.

The two of them stood there like statues, lobbing verbal jabs at each other in an attempt to break the other's will.

Still, neither could land the final blow—and in the end, they both collapsed.

"You still went down," Elliot said with a grin, lying flat on the grass.

"You fell first."

Xiao lay there too, staring at the sky, as stubborn as ever.

"No way, your knees hit the ground first," Elliot argued.

"I fell 0.2 seconds after you."

"That's just because the grass on my side is taller than yours."

"Bullshit."

At that moment, Xiao felt an unfamiliar but oddly pleasant sensation.

It was...

He couldn't remember the last time he'd talked to someone like this.

Had it been when the Geo Archon pulled him from The Abyss?

No...

That had been hope, that had been gratitude.

What he felt now—this was friendship.

"...Friends."

He whispered the unfamiliar word.

Friends...

Three were dead. One missing...

Now he remembered what this feeling was.

It was the same feeling he once had with the other four Yaksha.

Back when they fought side by side, slaying demons together.

Now, he was the only one left...

No wonder...

No wonder he'd forgotten what that felt like...

Seeing the look on Xiao's face, Elliot knew—this fight had been worth it.

"Told you," Elliot said suddenly.

"What?" Xiao asked, his memory interrupted.

"Adeptus are really just people with longer lifespans," Elliot reminded him.

Xiao paused, then replied seriously, "It's not that simple. Slaying demons may be easy—but bearing their karmic debt requires constant vigilance. One slip... and you fall back into The Abyss."

"You can do it—so why can't I? You think I'm not good enough?" Elliot immediately tried to sit up and argue, but he was too tired. He only managed to raise his torso halfway.

"I don't think you're not good enough. I just worry—"

"Worry my ass. I'm not worried, why are you? Quit yapping."

Xiao hadn't even finished before Elliot cut him off.

Then Elliot's expression shifted, like something had just clicked.

"Ohhh…"

"I get it now…" he said, grinning weirdly as he looked at Xiao.

"What do you get?" Xiao asked, puzzled.

"You're scared I'll steal your job, aren't you? What if I'm stronger than you, and the Geo Archon makes me a Yaksha instead? You'll be out of a gig!"

Elliot nodded, convinced he'd hit the nail on the head.

Xiao was so annoyed he actually laughed—and didn't even know where to start refuting that nonsense.

"You're not saying anything. That means I'm right. No wonder you don't want me touching demons. I didn't expect you to be so sneaky!"

"As long as you're happy," Xiao sighed. He didn't have the strength to argue anymore.

This guy's logic jumped all over the place.

It was hard to keep up.

If he said anything, Elliot would probably start some other ridiculous theory.

So, better to just let it go.

"Relax. I'm not interested in your Yaksha job. Your job's safe," Elliot said.

"But really—don't you think I'm awesome? Even you, an Adeptus, can't beat me."

That finally got a rise out of Xiao.

He pushed himself up too and said seriously, "Don't spout nonsense. I never lost. You fell first."

"My grass was taller. That means you hit the ground first."

"Oh come on, that logic's garbage."

"What's wrong with it?"

"Screw it! Round two!" Elliot stood up in frustration.

"Bring it on! I'm not afraid of you!" Xiao shot back, not backing down.

"Grrr~"

At that moment...

Their stomachs growled in unison.

Both froze and glanced at each other.

"Damn it. Let's eat first. I'll finish you off after," Elliot said, standing up and sheathing his spear.

"Funny. That's exactly what I was about to say," Xiao replied.

The two of them really were cut from the same cloth.

But the competition between men never ends.

Even now...

Despite barely having any strength left, they began walking toward Liyue.

Nothing wrong with that—until that damn competitiveness kicked in again.

They started walking faster. Then faster. Trying to outpace each other.

Until finally, they were sprinting.

They burst into Wangshu Inn at full speed.

"One almond tofu, please!"

Both at once.

The entire inn turned to look at them.

"I'll take two," Elliot said.

"Three," Xiao countered.

"Four!"

"Five!"

"You little—doing this just to piss me off!" Elliot growled, rolling up his sleeves.

"I think it's you who's looking for trouble!" Xiao shot back, staring him down.