Ei: "Then let the Yashiro Commission organize it."
Since the Shogun had spoken, the great bootli... Great Tengu Kujou Sara naturally nodded furiously.
Everyone else voiced no objections.
Kujou Sara: "Still, I didn't expect everyone here to have a Vision."
Paimon: "Paimon doesn't have a Vision."
Yun Jin said, "We're all from the Elite Livestream Room, after all. Xingqiu, you didn't answer a question, so why are you here too?"
Xingqiu crouched on the ground. "I had no choice. The livestream room said there weren't twelve people, so I was brought in to make up the numbers."
Everyone watching the livestream across the four nations laughed.
"None of us have been to the Spiral Abyss before. We'll go in groups of four. How about leaving the hardest one, the ninth floor, to the Shogun?"
Everyone looked at Ei.
"Very well. We shall do as you suggest."
Kamisato Ayato rested a hand against his chin. "The Shogun's combat prowess is unmatched. Although there are twelve of us... little Paimon can only help by scouting. I propose that the Shogun, General Kujou Sara, and I take Paimon with us to challenge the ninth floor. What do you think?"
Paimon swallowed. She was still a little afraid of the Electro Archon.
Arataki Itto: "As long as I'm not with Kujou Turtle, I don't care how hard it is!"
Kamisato Ayato continued, "Then..." He studied everyone carefully. He had to distribute their combat strength evenly. "Which of you fight regularly?"
After all, they didn't know each other very well.
"I've played thousands of duels in games!" Arataki Itto looked rather proud of himself.
"..."
"..."
[Kuki Shinobu: @Kamisato Ayato, Boss is a strong fighter. He can handle the seventh floor.]
Hu Tao took out her weapon. "When it comes to fighting, this director has some experience."
Rosaria gripped her spear. "I fight and kill quite often."
"A sister is good at that too?"
Rosaria tilted her head. "There are some things lurking in the dark that a sister who only prays can't deal with."
She carried a chill about her, her presence forming an aura all its own. The instant her eyes met Kamisato Ayato's, he had a thought.
This woman is no ordinary person.
Kamisato Ayato was an excellent judge of character.
"Then how about Sister Rosaria leading the first-floor team, along with Xiangling, Sucrose, and Miss Yun Jin?"
Sucrose: "I'll do my best."
Yun Jin: "Let's do this in one go!"
Xiangling drew her spear, with Guoba beside her. "My spear is polished and ready!"
"That leaves Director Hu, Arataki Itto, Master Xingqiu, and Miss Fischl. Be very careful on the seventh floor."
Arataki Itto: "What's the big deal? Just watch me handle it!"
Xingqiu: "With Cliff-Jumping Bro and Director Hu here, I can provide support from the sidelines."
Fischl struck a pose. "Praise my arrival!"
Hu Tao strode forward. "Then let's get going! Off we go!"
The three teams were assembled, and all twelve headed toward the Spiral Abyss.
Everyone in the Elite Livestream Room watched the feed.
Jean and Lisa were at the Knights of Favonius headquarters, Amber and Eula were in Windwail Highland, and Kaeya and Diluc were on the tavern's second floor.
Ningguang, Yae Miko, and Ganyu were in the Jade Chamber, while Chongyun, Beidou, and Yanfei were behind Wanmin Restaurant...
Everyone had moved somewhere less crowded.
There were some things ordinary citizens were better off not seeing.
Khaenri'ah... monsters... things like that.
As they approached, ripples swirled across the entrance, and three gates appeared, each marked with its corresponding number.
"Let's go!"
They rushed through the gates to their respective floors, and the livestream feed switched to the first floor.
[Thoma: Why are we only seeing the first floor? What about the other two teams?]
[Kamisato Ayato: We're in a dark space and can't move. We can see the livestream feed.]
[Hu Tao: We can't move either. Do we have to wait until the first floor is cleared before it's our turn?]
[Xingqiu: Doesn't that mean our half hour has been cut to a third?]
[Zhongli: You cannot calculate it that way. If the first floor takes twenty minutes, the seventh and ninth floors will have only ten minutes left.]
[Yanfei: @Xiangling, give it your all!]
But-
The first floor of the Spiral Abyss has opened. Communication with the outside world is unavailable once it opens.
[Kamisato Ayaka: Oh no, the four of them have no idea their time has been cut to a third.]
[Kamisato Ayato: I failed to consider that. I only thought the first floor should be the easiest.]
Everyone else grew nervous.
No matter how they looked at it, the four assigned to the first floor didn't seem particularly strong.
Sucrose was terribly shy, and Yun Jin wore an opera costume. Kamisato Ayato knew that Miss Yun was a famous opera performer in Liyue, but she probably wasn't much of a fighter.
Xiangling was a chef at Wanmin Restaurant, and the pet beside her didn't look strong either. They could only pin their hopes on Sister Rosaria's extensive combat experience.
The first floor was a vast, dark green space.
Rosaria walked in front, while Sucrose clenched both fists and swallowed.
Xiangling held her spear on the left, while Yun Jin stood on the right with what looked more like a stage spear.
[Xiao: There's something wrong with that purple energy rising from the ground. Ordinary people who get near it will have their bodies shrivel, while monsters will become considerably stronger.]
Rosaria gripped her spear in her right hand. "Everyone, be careful. I have a bad..."
With a rapid series of whooshes, ten slimes appeared.
Before you continue