Chapter 21: The Weapon Master Shall Never Die Bare-Handed in Genshin Impact [21]
"Allow me to reintroduce myself!"
Jia Changjiang's gaze burned with intensity as he looked at Jean, standing on the opposite side of the training field.
"Jia Changjiang—a Weapon Master! Though I arrived in Mondstadt by chance... I seek battles with the strong!"
"I do not wield a Vision, nor can I see the traces left by elemental energy. All I have is the weapon in my hand and the unyielding resolve to grow stronger for the sake of victory."
Planting his battle axe firmly into the ground, Jia Changjiang addressed Jean with utmost sincerity:
"These past few days, I've heard much about you at the tavern. So, as a sign of my respect, I will use everything at my disposal to defeat you."
Dropping into a combat stance, he bent his knees slightly, stepping back with his right foot while hoisting the battle axe onto his shoulder. His voice was steady, yet brimming with anticipation:
"I respect your will. I respect your determination. And so... let us fight!"
Jean listened to Jia Changjiang's declaration and raised her sword to her chest in a knightly salute. Then, with a calm yet resolute voice, she stated her name:
"Jean Gunnhildr."
At first, Jean had approached this duel with a sense of reluctance. But now, she found herself wholly focused, fully committed to the battle about to unfold.
"Shall I serve as the referee?" Kaeya interjected, stepping between the two combatants and pulling out a single Mora coin.
"Simple rules: the fight begins the moment this coin touches the ground. Agreed?"
"I have no objections," Jia Changjiang replied with a nod.
Jean also signaled her agreement with a quiet nod.
"Very well..."
With a flick of his fingers, Kaeya sent the Mora soaring into the air. Then, without wasting a second, he retreated from the training grounds, leaving Jean and Jia Changjiang alone.
Neither of them watched the coin ascend. Their eyes were locked on each other, the tension palpable as they prepared for the first move.
Ding!
The clear chime of the Mora hitting the ground was the starting signal.
In an instant, both fighters sprang into action.
Wind swirled around Jean's sword, forming a compact storm that she unleashed toward Jia Changjiang with a powerful swing.
Jia Changjiang, meanwhile, hurled his massive battle axe directly at Jean with all his might, following it closely with a powerful leap toward her.
The swirling winds intercepted the spinning axe, redirecting its trajectory. Yet Jia Changjiang's momentum carried him closer to Jean.
As the wind deflected the axe, Jia Changjiang caught it midair with a deft jump, landing solidly a step away from Jean.
"A Vision of Wind! Hah! The power to control the invisible—it's incredible!"
With a shout, Jia Changjiang tightened his grip on the axe and closed the distance.
"Take this!!"
Spinning his body, he swung the axe in a heavy horizontal arc. The blade whistled through the air, slicing toward Jean with lethal force.
Clang!
The sharp sound of steel meeting steel echoed through the training grounds.
Jean's rigorous training in the Gunnhildr sword style allowed her to parry the axe with precision. The invisible winds swirling around her provided an additional layer of defense, forcing Jia Changjiang to rely on instinct to evade their attacks.
Jean responded calmly to Jia Changjiang's relentless strikes, pressing forward step by step to eliminate the advantage of his long-handled weapon.
She quickly noticed Jia Changjiang's weakness: without a Vision, he couldn't see or predict the formless wind's movements.
This was her edge.
Gradually, Jean pushed Jia Changjiang back.
"Go, Jean! You can do it!"
From the sidelines, Klee—perched in Amber's arms—cheered enthusiastically for Jean.
Jia Changjiang, however, was carefully observing Jean's movements, growing more accustomed to her combat style with each exchange.
A faint scratch appeared on his cheek as an errant gust of wind sliced past him. He barely registered it. Instead, his mind was focused on a solution to counter the invisible wind.
And then, he had it.
Jia Changjiang made up his mind—he wouldn't use the battle axe to defeat Jean.
Taking advantage of a brief gap, he widened the distance between them and hurled the axe toward her once more.
Jean deflected the throw easily, but this time, Jia Changjiang didn't attempt to retrieve the weapon.
Instead, he charged directly at Jean, his body brushing past the trajectory of the axe as it flew harmlessly behind her.
Jean hesitated for just a fraction of a second, caught off guard by his sudden abandonment of the axe. That moment was all Jia Changjiang needed to close the distance, a wild grin spreading across his face.
As Jean began to gather wind to push him back, Jia Changjiang opened his hand and released a cloud of fiery red powder.
The powder—ground from the core of flaming flowers—reacted instantly to the winds gathering around Jean, igniting in a burst of flame that traced the otherwise invisible air currents.
"Now I can see it!"
With the wind's paths illuminated, Jia Changjiang could pinpoint its weak points. He broke through the swirling winds, grabbing Jean's sword arm firmly.
"Gotcha, Acting Grand Master!"
Jia Changjiang grinned triumphantly as he yanked Jean off balance, attempting to disarm her.
But Jean wasn't so easily defeated.
Years of training kicked in. Using Jia Changjiang's pull to her advantage, she stepped closer, switching her sword to her left hand in one fluid motion.
With a quick slash, she forced Jia Changjiang to release her wrist and retreat.
"Well played," Jia Changjiang said, his admiration genuine. "Your combat instincts are impressive. Even without your Vision, you'd still be formidable."
"You flatter me, but compared to you, I still have much to learn," Jean replied, her eyes never leaving him.
She tightened her grip on her sword, fully aware of how close she had come to losing. If she hadn't acted quickly, Jia Changjiang might have succeeded in disarming her.
"Apologies, Jean. I'm switching tactics now."
With a flourish, Jia Changjiang pulled out two small daggers, one gripped forward and the other in reverse.
"Your wind... I've started to get the hang of it."
He grinned as he took up a new stance.
"A Weapon Master wields far more than just an axe!"
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T/N: I wanna play League again...
This is a fan translation of 武器大师在原神绝不死于徒手 by 徐人双. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!