A Dream Yet to Wake

"Hey, I'm not trying to be mean, but when someone goes through all that trouble to find you, just wanting to say a few words, you should listen carefully to what I have to say and answer my questions, instead of just saying..."

He asked questions like, "Who are you? How did you get in? Get out of my house."

Xingsu deftly dodged the oncoming attack by sidestepping, and casually joked.

"Arrogant fool!"

The Scaramouche missed their target, their eyes blazing with fury, and a barrage of attacks followed like a sudden downpour.

But Xingsu simply dodged and weaved, occasionally raising his hand to deflect the fierce attacks.

"I've come all this way, and I haven't even done anything yet, and you're already chasing after me and hitting me. Is this how you treat your guests?"

"A bunch of rats and sparrows!"

With a sharp shout, the Scaramouche leaped into the air, launching a powerful flying kick straight at Xingsu's head.

Xingsu quickly raised his arms, crossed them horizontally above him, and steadily received the blow.

Using the recoil, the Scaramouche spun in mid-air, several thin, cicada-wing-like lightning blades crisscrossing and tearing through the air as they hurtled towards Xingsu.

Xingsu took a half step back. The gleaming lightning blades whistled past her clothes and pierced the ebony pillar behind her.

"Are you underestimating me by constantly dodging me?"

"Sigh, how many times do I have to tell you before you understand? I'm not here to fight you. Can't we sit down and talk about some terms?"

"You think you're worthy?!"

The Scaramouche let out a low shout, Electro power wrapped around his body, transforming into a swift streak of light as he suddenly charged forward.

The fist, crackling with heavy, violent Electro, hurtled straight at Xingsu's face.

"Damn it, are you sick?!"

Xingsu, who had been scolded and beaten for so long without fighting back, finally got angry.

He no longer simply retreated; he stepped back with his right leg, gathering his strength to meet the powerful punch head-on.

Bang!

A muffled boom erupted, and a violent shockwave swept in all directions, scattering all the wood chips suspended in the air.

The Scaramouche felt as if their all-out punch had been plunged into deep, flowing water, the surging force slowly dissipating layer by layer, most of the impact silently dissolving.

Before he could retract his fist and change his move, Xingsu gently twisted his wrist, slightly guiding the direction of his force.

The Scaramouche staggered forward half a step involuntarily. He reacted extremely quickly, immediately using the momentum to flip over, his heel sweeping sharply to strike Xingsu's side; at the same time, his other hand summoned lightning, and a surging lightning snake shot out from his palm, coiling around and wrapping around Xingsu's arm.

Xingsu swiftly dodged the sweeping leg, then with her other hand, she flicked her fingertips, striking Razer's "head" squarely.

The roaring lightning suddenly froze for a moment, then burst apart, turning into countless dancing sparks that dissipated into the air.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Xingsu raised his hand, and with his other arm, he wrapped it around the Scaramouche's sweeping leg. Using the soldier's own strength, he gently twisted the leg, causing the soldier to lose his balance and fall heavily onto the wooden floor.

He then leaped onto his back, pulled out a dagger, and aimed it straight at his neck.

Before the Scaramouche could get up, Xingsu immediately leaned down and straddled them, a flash of cold light appearing at his fingertips as his dagger was drawn and aimed directly at the stragglers' neck.

The cold blade finally rested firmly against the Scaramouche's neck.

"Ha, too scared to make a move? You're still just a cowardly rat."

"Alright, nobody dies in a dream anyway, so neither of us can do anything about it."

"Then..."

The Scaramouche suddenly exerted their strength, and Electro power exploded from their bodies, violently pushing Xingsu back.

He rolled over and stood up, the indigo lightning gathering again in his palm.

Xingsu sighed, picked up his one-handed sword, and assumed an attack stance.

Just as tensions were about to rise, the wooden door to the secret room creaked open.

A little boy stood at the doorway, clutching something, his round eyes peering into the house. "Big brother, I'm back! Hmm? Are there any guests?"

"Don't come any closer!" The Scaramouche' hearts tightened, and they quickly shouted to stop them.

But Xingsu was faster than him; in a flash, he was already in front of the child.

"... A doll." Xingsu sensed the child's presence and breathed a sigh of relief. "You seem to care a lot about this child."

The Scaramouche's pupils constricted, his heart leaping into his throat. "It's none of your business! Stay away from him!"

Seeing the comical sight of the Scaramouche, anxious yet hesitant to actually make a move, Xingsu seemed to have discovered something.

"Little friend, what's your relationship with this older brother?"

"Huh? That's a strange question. An older brother is an older brother, isn't he?"

"So he's your family?"

The little boy nodded vigorously. "That's right! They're my most important family members! And who are you, stranger?"

"I just came to chat with you for a few minutes," Xingsu coaxed patiently. "Why don't you go play by yourself for a while? We'll only say a few words, we won't bother you."

The child obediently replied, "Okay, but hurry up! I picked some new tea leaves today, and I'm going to make tea-soaked rice for my older brother later. He loves my cooking the most!"

After saying that, he took light, quick steps and obediently left the room.

Xingsu raised his hand and gently closed the door, shutting out the innocent figures of the children outside. He turned around, his gaze falling back on the Scaramouche, noticing their disgusted expressions, and spoke calmly:

"I never expected you to be so gentle with children."

Have you said enough sarcastic remarks?

The Scaramouche's murderous aura surged once more, his voice chillingly cold. "If you dare to lay a finger on him today, I will tear you to pieces!"

"Alright, I would never use a child as a bargaining chip." He stepped forward slowly, looking directly at the wary Scaramouche: "Now, are you finally willing to have a proper talk with me? What is your relationship with that child?"

I'm saying this one last time, this is none of your business!

"Hmm... fine if you don't want to say." Since you don't want to say, I'll just guess. The architectural style here is probably Inazuma, right?

If I remember correctly, Inazuma is your hometown, so the blueprint for this dream world is the story before you joined the Fatui.

That child must have had a big impact on you, right? Let me guess, you two considered each other family, and in your dreams he was a child. The ending wasn't happy. Did he die young, or was he murdered? And then you discovered what happened after his death...

Shut up!

The Scaramouche roared, and a surge of violent Electro instantly swept through the entire room. His most hidden, most untouchable wounds were so easily and incisively exposed, nearly causing him to lose control.

"Hmm? You can't even listen to this anymore? I haven't even told you the story of what happened after you joined the Fatui."

"You must be Xingsu? Just like that woman, utterly hypocritical and disgusting."

"Oh? There are generally only two types of people who dislike our House of the Hearth," Xingsu asked calmly. "One is the cowardly one who has a guilty conscience and dares not face himself; the other is the enemy whose stance is opposed to yours. Which one do you belong to?"

The Scaramouche suppressed his surging anger and inner turmoil, reverting to his usual cold and aloof demeanor, and said bluntly, "You've traversed layers of dreams to find me, surely not to revisit my boring past. Speak plainly, what is your purpose?"

"Very well, at least we're not getting into this pointless entanglement anymore." I know your purpose in Sumeru, something you've craved since the beginning of your life— the Gnosis, and the "The Doctor" is using that as leverage, promising to help you complete your path to godhood.

That's all?

"I just want to remind you—don't trust Dottore too much."

You thought he was helping you ascend to godhood, but in reality, you were just a pawn on his chessboard, manipulated at will from beginning to end.

But this advice only earned him a cold laugh from the Scaramouche.

"Ha, trust?"

He looked up, his eyes surging with an almost frenzied fervor—a century-old obsession that had never been extinguished. "You've got one thing wrong. I've never trusted anyone, not even Dottore."

"I knew perfectly well that he was using me, and I was using him to advance my own career."

The Scaramouche slowly raised his hand, his palm gleaming with lightning. "Even if he uses me or abandons me, I don't care. What I seek has never been anyone's kindness; I only seek to become a god!"

I will break free from the shackles of creation and shatter predetermined fate! I will rise above all those who have toyed with me, in the form of a god!

Xingsu quietly looked at the burning yet pathetic obsession in his eyes, and finally gently shook her head, a trace of helplessness flashing in her eyes.

Scaramouche is a demon, a demon.

Okay, I hope you won't regret it.

After speaking, Xingsu's figure vanished silently into the air, like dissipating mist.