8 Chapter 8 : Calm before Storm(terror)
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT JEAN!?!?"
Kaeya yell out loud as he stand looking Jean as if she was a monster and not human. As for Lisa she found this ability more intrigued and absurd especially came from her dear friend Jean.
"This is what I get.. of course.. just one the ability I mastered in a mere 3 years.. of.. Hell.."
Jean say with smile before turn again into ashen while her right hand turn back into normal
"A muscle control. Or so what he named it"
Jean sigh as she lean her back to chair.
"Not gonna show off... But he say what I achieve only tip of ice berg. I can control my muscle like this only on my hand not all around body" Jean continue her explaination.
"Just a tip of iceberg? What next? You become a shape shift human? My dear?"
Lisa who already took her bearing asking Jean calmly. But there still a trace of shock inside her eyes while Kaeya... Kaeya slowly take a sit again and Lament inwardly
'...Monster'
"Of course not! Gherman never say anything about shape shift ability!." Jean grumbling at Lisa.
"... alright" Lisa nod tiredly
"So.. Any new technique or something else?" Kaeya ask once more while try his beating heart calm from the shock
Jean hear this smile brightly
"Of course! Another one is technique he teach me that i mastered after 3 years! Ah yes for that muscle control I can do that after 2 years and can't do further progress anymore after Gherman gone but he comeback so i can start again!"
Jean say excited. She know if she ask Gherman to do her 'train' she will suffer more but the exchange for her dream. Anything possible.
"... alright then, my dear show us" Lisa asked Jean
Jean nod and point at the middle of office
"You both stand there"
Lisa and Kaeya look each other before the go to destination and look to Jean.
"So?" Kaeya asked
Jean smirk as she stand up from her desk then walk slowly toward them, then stop after the distance between them is 1 meter.
Jean turn her body to side while looking at Kaeya and Lisa. Then she took a step forward slowly circling them.
Step step step
A Rhythm echoing around the office as Kaeya and Lisa watch Jean circling them with interest.
Jean continue her step with same rhythm slowly. Another Jean separate from her body. Then again and again
Until 10 Jean with same distance between each other Circling Kaeya and Lisa who already widened their eyes, shock once more.
"..wha..?" Kaeya stunned can't say any word
"...My..Dear... You.. what happen? What is this?" Lisa stutter as she see 10 Jean circling them then suddenly all 9 of Jean dissipate into nothingness
Jean who already show put a wide smile
"A trick to confuse enemy. I remember Gherman name this technique 'Hollow Steps'.. what you think guys? Hehehe"
"Hollow steps" Lisa and Kaeya say at the same time with a deep look to Jean
'this technique.. I don't feel any fluctuate of element. This can be achieve with hydro or some any element but can easily notice it but.. Jean do this without any element and pure body movement? Or something else?' Lisa thinking hard what behind this technique.
'is.. human body can achieve this height? Without any vision? And for versatility this Technique is truly good. Is just depends one imagination for the use of it. Wait.. something off' kaeya think and look to jean grimly and asked
"Please don't say this is just a tip of iceberg.."
Jean amused look both of them and answer Kaeya with mischievous smile
"What you think? Of course this is just iceberg"
"..." Kaeya finally just silent. Same goes for Lisa. But deep down.. their thoughts about Gherman significantly raise.
'who exactly Gherman?' they thought same time and become more intrigued
"So now i hope you do realize why I fear him?" Jean put away her excited smile and look at them again. Now with depressed look
Kaeya put away his thoughts, same as with Lisa.
"But still.. he doesn't has vision.. what you show us today, Jean indeed remarkable and disturbing. But in the end. He just normal human" Kaeya say after some thoughts
Jean listen thus just shake her head. She know after some train with Gherman. People who has vision or not doesn't matter anymore.
"Wrong Kaeya.." Lisa interjected Kaeya claim as she look at him
"Wrong about what exactly?" Kaeya cross his hand front his chest as if there nothing wrong with his logic.
Lisa sigh and start explain it, she put 1 finger front his gaze
"First what Jean today is what Gherman teach.. and he say both technique Jean posses just a tip of iceberg. Which mean there is more bizarre technique in his sleeves, maybe.. but I'm certain 90%"
Then Lisa put another finger.
"Second. He suddenly disappear for 7 years. Without any information. Even to Jean. And the report inside Knight of Favonius deemed he is dead but we know this wrong. So what is he do in these 7 years? Enjoying life? Nonsense. of course he training but more harder than Jean."
"Just think about it. From Jean story we can tell she really through hell.. everyday is pain and only pain. Im sure anybody will go through madness with this training method but Jean survive because im sure Gherman always remind Jean about her Dream for protect Mondstadt.. am i right dear?"
Lisa turn to Jean as she look like realizing something
"Ahh.. now i remember it.. he indeed keep remind me.. even when I... I... Cursing him and want to kill him.."
Jean silently blush as if she embarrassed because she exposed her own past but Lisa and Kaeya smile wryly
"Fufufu my dear has been through a lot~ now you realize it kaeya? I don't know what kind Gherman Dream is but i think it big enough for him doesn't care either Jean has vision or not"
Lisa put another finger
"Lastly. His resistance and will just out of bound average human.. its so high that even after 7 years outside teyvat and Train. He still maintain his sanity and personality.. so.. can you summary what I say.. Dear kaeya~"
Lisa put away her hand and put it on her cheek look at kaeya. Kaeya immediately have a deep look. Just then Jean interject.
"Kaeya.. I once ask him 'are you train hard like this because you knew you gonna have a vision? Or what?' and what he say make me silent"
"...what he say?" Kaeya urge Jean
"He say 'so what if someone has vision? It doesn't matter Jean.. if in the future I'm against the Vision Holder.. I just kill them fast enough before they use their element or I just took off their vision.. it doesn't matter.. vision is the reason make majority vision holder become arrogant. When they see someone visionless become their enemy.. they just gonna think 'this is easy' then.. the moment they stop think.. their head already separate from their body~'.. something like that.."
Jean look Kaeya with more serious expression
"Kaeya.. earlier you underestimate him right? Good thing you are not make him a enemy"
Kaeya listen to this start sweating and not say any word anymore..
"Anyway... Sigh let's go"
Jean summon her Sword Artefact, Aquila Favonius that has been passed by from generation to generation in Gunnhildr Family
She unsheathe the sword and look it for a while before sheathed it again and put it on her hips.
She open the door and then walk out into plaza where the statue of anemo archon stand with Lisa and Kaeya follow her in silence.
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In the Plaza front Headquarters Knight of Favonius. A big and tall statue of anemo archon stand proud with His hand lunge forward with its palm facing to the sky.
Gherman sit on the side of the statue palm. The wind sweep through his face gently. His hair swaying with harmonize dance. Even in this afternoon. The plaza should be have a crowd.. too bad because stormterror.. people of Mondstadt prefer stay at home till the Knights of Favonius end this disaster.
Suddenly he open his eyes and look toward horizon. At the gate of Mondstadt. From that distance the Blonde man with floating fairy enter the gate, front of them the red clothing girl who seems always happy guide them.
"Sigh the main character is here~... Fuck. "
I close my eyes then lay down my back on the palm of anemo archon. Look at the sky then slowly close my eyes and enter zetsu state. Waiting all characters gather in plaza and that where Dvalin will came and wreck havoc.
'hmm?' I sit up and glance at roof of the church of Mondstadt. There is a short blonde girl with white attire looking at the gate as she isn't notice that I notice her..
My eyes widened a bit before relaxing and lean my back down once again on the palm of statue barbatos.
'to think she is here? What a surprise.. if not because her faint dark aura I will never notice it.'
My lips curled up 'this become more interesting.. she can appear in mondstadt which mean that Barbatos knew this but He tacitly ignore her existence in Mondstadt.. why? Hehehe so interesting...'
