Today marked the launch of Genshin Impact. As a beta tester, Zephyr had been eagerly waiting for this moment.
"If I don't outplay those show-offs in the group and mine every last resource today, I'll write my name backward!"
The game was already downloaded and installed; all he had to do was wait for the servers to go live. Suddenly, a notification popped up on the main game screen:
> "Due to your exceptional performance during the beta, we invite you to participate in the testing of Genshin Impact Version 10.0. Would you like to accept?" <
"What?" Zephyr blinked, confused. Genshin Impact 10.0? When did we get to version 10.0?
He was about to ask in the group chat when another message appeared:
> "Accepting this invitation will reward you with 100 pulls." <
"Sign me up!" Zephyr eagerly hit the confirm button—100 pulls were too good to pass up!
The moment he clicked confirm, the game screen went black.
> "Welcome to the Genshin Impact 10.0 test. This game is now bound to your soul. Uninstallation will result in the player's death. If the protagonist dies in-game, the player will also die. Please enjoy the game." <
"What?!" Zephyr stared in shock. Is this a bug or some kind of joke?
Before he could process it, the screen lit up, and the game began.
---
"So, you're saying you drifted here from another world?"
In the dead of night over Teyvat, two golden meteors streaked across the sky.
"But when you tried to leave this place and head to the next world, an unknown god blocked your path?"
In the sky, space tore open as a proud, unfamiliar woman emerged.
"Outlanders, your journey ends here."
"Who are you?"
"I am the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles. The arrogation of mankind ends now!"
A battle broke out instantly. The twins fought with all their might but were effortlessly subdued by the mysterious god. One of them was sealed within a golden rectangular structure.
"Aether!"
"Wait! Don't go! Give my sister back!"
Watching the cutscene, Zephyr froze in disbelief and blurted out, "Wait a second! Isn't Aether supposed to be the twin brother? When did he become the sister?!"
No matter his confusion, the story continued.
"Just like that, the unknown god took my sister away. I, too, was sealed and stripped of my original power. Once, we traveled across countless worlds, but now we are trapped here…
How long has it been? I've lost count. But every time I think about my sister being taken, the pain in my heart is unbearable. I want power. I want to break free from this seal. I want to save my sister...
But even if I could break the seal, what then? Neither my sister nor I are a match for her.
Now, even if I escape this prison, what can I really do…"
"Traveler…"
"And so, I made a wish to this world. I swore I would pay any price if someone could save my sister."
"Fortunately, my wish was answered."
Suddenly, the screen's Lumine turned to look directly at Zephyr.
"A strange existence told me that if I were willing to give up my freedom, my wish could be fulfilled.
In the near future, a person called 'Player' would appear—someone who would replace me, control me, and lead me to gain a power surpassing anything I once had."
"And that person… I've finally found them. It's you!"
Lumine's gaze locked deeply onto Zephyr, as if she could see him through the screen.
Zephyr's pupils contracted, his entire body trembling in shock.
"She… She's talking to me?!"
"How is that possible?"
Characters in a game couldn't possibly speak to someone in the real world!
Suddenly, he recalled the earlier message that had appeared on the screen.
> Hello, welcome to the Genshin Impact 10.0 test. <
> This game is now bound to your soul. If uninstalled, the player will die. If the in-game protagonist dies, the player will also die. <
> Please enjoy the game. <
"Fuck!" Zephyr couldn't find any other word or phrase to describe his current mood.
At that moment, two lines appeared on the screen:
> Main Quest Activated: Save Mondstadt, drive away or kill Stormterror, and restore peace to the city. Completing the quest will grant substantial rewards. <
> Main Quest: Gain significant rewards for each Vision-wielding character who joins your team. <
Just then, Paimon's voice echoed from the screen.
"Huh? You said that person is here? Paimon don't see anyone!"
Paimon flitted left and right, scratching her head in confusion.
Lumine shook her head and said, "I can't see him either. I just… feel like he's here."
"Oh, it's just a feeling," Paimon muttered, touching her cheek. "But Paimon wonder, is this 'Player' a man or a woman? Are they good-looking or ugly? … And come to think of it, since we can't see them, could this 'Player' actually be a Hilichurl?"
Zephyr's face twitched, and he roared, "Who are you calling a Hilichurl?!"
Lumine immediately shouted, "Who are you calling a Hilichurl?!"
Paimon, startled, replied in a wounded tone, "Why are you yelling at Paimon? Paimon didn't say it was you."
Lumine quickly explained, "No, it wasn't me! I felt like my body was being controlled… Was it you? Can you tell me your name?"
"…"
"I'm Zephyr," he said, giving his long-time gaming alias. It was the same name that had once made him famous in Mondstadt for defeating Stormterror and Boreas.
Paimon stared blankly, then said, "Traveler, who are you talking to?"
"I'm not talking to myself. I'm talking to the Player."
"Really?"
She suspiciously flew closer to Lumine. "Don't think you can fool Paimon! Paimon is very smart."
"Yeah, yeah, the smartest emergency food—crunchy and delicious!"
"Paimon is NOT emergency food!" She puffed her cheeks angrily, but her reaction only made her look even more adorable.
Zephyr tested the controls with his mouse, and Lumine moved according to his will.
"Hey, Traveler, where are you going?"
"I don't know. Just follow me and don't get lost, Paimon!"
"Do you think I'm a three-year-old?"
Zephyr wandered along the beach, controlling Lumine. The game's graphics, simulation, and realism were absolutely stunning—far surpassing anything he'd played before. He could even perform actions he'd never thought possible, like mid-air 720-degree spins, singing, dancing, crawling, and rolling in circles.
He had to admit, this game was something else.
Thinking back, the message from earlier didn't seem like a lie.
"If the protagonist dies, I die…" Zephyr took a deep breath.
"How the hell am I supposed to play like this?"
Everyone knew Genshin Impact was a game filled with creative ways to die. Now, with his life on the line, how was he supposed to play? Forget powerful bosses—he was even scared to fight a Hilichurl.
What if Lumine died? Wouldn't he die too?
"As the saying goes, only swimmers drown. Maybe I should just never leave Mondstadt?"
If he didn't fight, he wouldn't die.
"I'm a genius!"
But then he paused. Would Lumine agree to this plan?
"No way. She has to agree—safety first, you know? Besides, your sister is fine. She's ruling the Abyss as the big boss. She's better off than you, so why worry about her?"
As a beta tester, Zephyr knew the story up to this point, and the sister was doing just fine. So there was no need to fret about her. Of course, he didn't know what happened after the beta story.
Suddenly, a voice rang out in his mind:
> "Ding! Congratulations, you've unlocked the Cheat System!" <
"Cheat System?" Zephyr was stunned. The game just launched today, and there are already cheats?
"What kind of functions does this cheat system have?"
> "Ding! This system includes: <
> F1: Unlock all skills—allows the use of any ability in this world (inactive). <
> F10: Enable invincibility mode (inactive). <
> F11: Enable one-hit kill mode (inactive). <
> F12: Enable world traversal—lets the player travel to this game world (inactive)." <
Zephyr was dumbfounded.
"What the… This cheat is insane! But why is everything inactive?"
"System, system, can you hear me? Could you explain?"
But the system stayed cold and unresponsive, ignoring him completely.
Zephyr asked, "System, I'm begging you, can you explain in detail? And what does F1 mean?"
The system finally responded:
> Pressing F1 allows the user to consume skill points and learn any skill in the current world! <
> No matter how extravagant the skill, as long as you have enough skill points, you can learn it! <
> For example, with sufficient points, Lumine could learn Klee's Kaboom! or Lisa's Lightning Rose. If you amassed enough points, even mastering Zhongli's Planet Befall wouldn't be out of reach. <
If Zephyr later traveled to the Naruto world, he could potentially learn Chibaku Tensei, the Eight Gates Release Formation, or other advanced jutsu.
Stunned, Zephyr exclaimed, "That's insane!"
But then the question arose—where do skill points come from?
> Ding! Players can obtain skill points by sacrificing gods or demons. The number of skill points required depends on the skill. <
"Sacrificing gods or demons?" Zephyr's face twitched. "Sacrificing gods or demons? Are we talking about someone like Venti or Zhongli? Or a being like the Vortex God?"
> Ding! Both are acceptable. <
"What the hell! I'm supposed to sacrifice who now? Do I even have the power for that?"
These were literal gods and demons!
Wait.
Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind, and his eyes landed on Paimon.
Paimon shuddered and asked nervously, "Traveler, why are you looking at me like that?"
Zephyr quickly shook his head.
No way. Paimon was his adorable companion!
How could he even think about sacrificing her? Besides, was Paimon even a god or demon? What if she wasn't?
That would be beyond awkward.
"System, how does one perform a god or demon sacrifice?"
> Ding! To perform a sacrifice, the target must be in an incapacitated state. Then, simply recite the intent to sacrifice in your mind. <
"Incapacitated state… Never mind, forget I asked."
Even in retirement, Zhongli was absurdly strong, and Zephyr had no means of overpowering him. As for Barbatos, he'd already suffered enough. Sacrificing him would feel cruel.
That left the Vortex God as the most viable candidate.
"What about F10? System, is that truly invincibility? Why does it say 'inactive'? You still haven't answered me."
> Ding! F10 is inactive. To activate it, you must sacrifice an entire god or demon. The same applies to the other functions. <
"What? I have to sacrifice an entire god or demon just to activate F10? And it's the same for the other features?"
F1 seemed somewhat optional, but F10 and F11 were crucial. What Zephyr wanted most, though, was F12—the ability to traverse worlds. Unfortunately, it was unusable for now.
Frustrated, Zephyr's gaze shifted back to Paimon.
Paimon was on the verge of tears. "Traveler, why are you looking at Paimon like that? You're scaring Paimon!"
"Don't worry, it'll be over in the blink of an eye."
"Noooo!"
Zephyr chuckled. He was just teasing her—there was no way he could bring himself to sacrifice his adorable little companion.
"What about the Cryo Archon? Should I sacrifice her? But I doubt I could defeat her…"
Besides, he didn't even know where Snezhnaya was. This was getting awkward.
Zephyr turned his attention to the final feature. His breathing quickened.
"World traversal? System, is this for real?!"
This function held immense significance. It would let him enter Teyvat in person and meet all the ladies face-to-face.
The system confirmed its validity, and Zephyr was utterly thrilled, itching to travel immediately.
But without a god or demon to sacrifice, he could only sigh in frustration.
He consoled himself, saying, "Never mind. For now, it's fine that I can't traverse worlds. The outside is so dangerous; it's better to return to Mondstadt and come up with a plan."
Currently, he was still in the wilderness—a perilous place!
He himself had no combat ability. Encountering even a single Hilichurl could mean game over.
Thankfully, controlling Lumine gave him some semblance of power. With a 3D perspective, even if he couldn't win a fight, he could at least run away.
But he worried that if he really crossed into the game world, he wouldn't even have time to escape.
"It all boils down to lacking power…"
If he had the abilities for one-click invincibility and one-click instant kill, what would there be to fear?
With that thought, his eyes turned to Paimon for the third time.
This time, Paimon was so frightened that she hid behind Lumine.
"What are you doing? Come on, I was just joking! We're good friends—how could I sacrifice you?"
"Even if Paimon doesn't understand what you're saying, it's obvious you would!"
Zephyr clicked his tongue—had she read his mind?
The advanced functions were completely out of reach for now. Only F1 seemed remotely attainable.
"System, are you sure F1 can let me use any skill? Like Rasengan, Chibaku Tensei, Amaterasu, or even Planet Befall?"
> Ding! Yes, but the skill point cost varies depending on the skill. <
"Do you have any skills that are both cheap and effective?"
The system responded:
> There is one Black Flash! <
Zephyr pondered. Black Flash? Isn't that from Jujutsu Kaisen? Didn't you say I could only use skills from the current world?"
He remembered Black Flash as a formidable technique capable of dealing 2.5 times the damage of a standard attack. The stronger the base attack, the more devastating the result.
But Black Flash wasn't a skill from the Genshin world.
> Ding! Oh, right. I was just saying that for fun. <
Zephyr raised a middle finger.
"Isn't Black Flash super expensive?"
> Ding! Due to its immense power, Black Flash is divided into three tiers: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. The Advanced version is the fully realized Black Flash, capable of dealing 2.5x base damage. Even if you sacrificed a god or demon, you couldn't afford it. <
"What the hell? If I can't afford it, why are you even bringing it up?"
> Ding! While the Advanced version is unaffordable, the Basic version is within reach. The Basic Black Flash costs only 100 skill points and deals 1.5x base damage, with a maximum cap of 100,000 damage. <
"1.5x, huh? That's not bad," Zephyr mused.
He did some quick math. If the base damage was 100, this skill would deal 1,000 damage. With a base damage of 10,000, it could hit for 31,000.
At 22,000 base damage, it would max out at 100,000 damage.
The cap of 100,000 damage was slightly disappointing. Without that limit, the skill could be absolutely broken.
Still, he figured that in the early stages of the game, this damage was absurdly high—basically overpowered.
"This is great! System, I'll take it!"
> Ding! Insufficient skill points. <
"…"
Frustrated, Zephyr realized he had zero skill points.
"System, I'm new here. Can't you give me a starter skill for free?"
"I'm not greedy—I don't need invincibility or instant kill. Just a minor skill, anything will do. Please?"
> Ding! No. <
"I'm a student. Don't make me act out!"
> Ding! Denied. <
"Damn it!" Zephyr flipped the system off.
> Ding! As the host is deemed a clown, the system has gifted a one-day trial of Black Flash. <
Zephyr's eye twitched. "A clown? Are you mocking me, system?"
"Fine, I won't stoop to your level."
At least he got a free one-day trial. While it was short, it was still a freebie—better than nothing.
On the screen, a new skill icon appeared.
Lumine suddenly felt a strange power emerge within her body, leaving her surprised. "This power… what is it?"
Zephyr explained, "It's something I just freeloaded. But unfortunately, it only lasts for a day."
He then controlled Lumine and activated the power of Black Flash!
"Hah!"
Unlike her usual Vortex Sword from the original storyline, a pitch-black sphere appeared in Lumine's palm, faintly laced with streaks of crimson.
Zephyr directed a Black Flash at a large tree nearby.
With a thunderous crash, the tree fell.
"Amazing!"
Zephyr and Lumine exclaimed simultaneously.
"Wait a second—this game allows environmental destruction?"
After using the skill, a 10-second cooldown began. Once it was over, the skill could be used again.
Zephyr was stunned. "You mean this skill can be used infinitely? That's insane!"
No mana restrictions, no elemental orb requirements, no limitations at all—just wait for the cooldown, and it's ready to go again.
It was ridiculously overpowered.
Paimon, equally shocked, yelled, "Traveler, what are you doing?!"
She puffed up indignantly. "You can't just destroy flowers, grass, and trees like that! It's wrong!"
Another Black Flash formed in Lumine's hand.
"Umm, never mind," Paimon muttered, quickly backtracking.
Lumine paid Paimon no mind and launched another Black Flash. Feeling this newfound power coursing through her, Lumine was thrilled.
"It's a shame that this power only lasts for a day."
Paimon hesitated and then asked, "Traveler, what is this skill of yours? Why can't Paimon feel any elemental energy in it?"
Zephyr replied, "Simple. This isn't a power from Teyvat—it's a skill from another world."
"Another world's skill?!" Lumine and Paimon exclaimed in unison.
Zephyr then briefly explained the nature of his "Cheat System."
Paimon was stunned. "Wait, so Traveler, you're cheating?!"
"Cheating? What cheating? Playing well is not cheating! This is called having a golden finger, okay?"
"A golden finger is still cheating!"
---
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