"Nothing is impossible."
Yilan toyed with the Doctor's attack—an assault potent enough to cleave mountains and shatter stone—within his palm, then shook his head slowly.
"You're a scholar too, aren't you? You should know this: as long as I calculate the elemental composition of your attack and coat my palm in the exact same ratio of elemental energy, balancing both sides perfectly… then I can do this."
"But that's—it's simply impossible for a human to possess that level of computational power!"
"You said it yourself," Yilan replied calmly, "that it's impossible for a human."
With a casual squeeze of his right hand, he crushed the Harbinger's devastating attack. The resulting buzz sent tremors through the very air, distorting space itself.
That sound shattered the last shred of courage within the Doctor's segment. Without a word, he turned and fled.
"…Is that all? Was this segment really so weak?"
Watching the fleeing Doctor, Yilan let out a faint sigh.
He had now fought Dottore three times. Though he had triumphed in the first two encounters, those victories had required cunning strategies and carried considerable risk. But this time… it had been effortless.
Part of the reason was that this segment of Dottore was relatively weak. And part of it… was because Rukkhadevata's soul had now fused with his own.
"Ugh… If I said, 'I am not cheating,' would anyone believe me?"
Shaking that self-mocking thought from his mind, Yilan raised his hand in the direction of the fleeing Harbinger.
A crack of thunder echoed through the sky. Lightning danced wildly, forming a massive cage that descended upon the battlefield and trapped the Doctor within.
No matter how desperately the Harbinger struggled, it was useless. Their elemental control had diverged too drastically. Just as Yilan had claimed earlier—killing the Doctor now was as easy as squashing an ant.
By the time Dottore's segment was bound in lightning and dragged before him, he had already lost consciousness from electrocution.
Yilan raised his blade, ready to end him—
But just then, a low, hoarse voice spoke beside him:
"Excuse me… may I be the one to kill him?"
Yilan turned his head. Standing next to him was a figure wrapped in bandages, clothed only in a tattered white cloth. It was hard to discern their gender at first glance.
—It was Collei. But not the sweet girl he remembered from the game.
Right now, she was like a vengeful spirit, her eyes ablaze with pure hatred.
When she was very young, she had been handed over to the Fatui due to her affliction with Eleazar—a disease known in Sumeru. There, she was subjected to inhumane experiments and injected with residue from a fallen god—forbidden knowledge.
The incident known as the Black Fire Crisis, as depicted in the Genshin Impact manga, had been the result of her actions—driven by agony and vengeance—when she unleashed corrupted power in Mondstadt.
Yilan raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you afraid of me?"
Collei nodded slightly… then shook her head.
"I am. But you've slaughtered so many Fatui, and you saved me. As for this man—Dottore—he's the one responsible for everything that happened to me. If I can be the one to kill him, I don't care if I die afterward."
Yilan studied her for a long moment… then stepped aside.
"Then I'll leave it to you."
Collei stepped into his place and pulled a cheap dagger from her pocket.
She held it tightly in both hands and raised it over the Doctor's chest. Her long-cherished wish—vengeance—was right before her. She could hear her own heartbeat pounding.
But her hands trembled. No matter how she tried, she couldn't stab down.
"..."
Yilan sighed—though he wasn't sure if it was in disappointment or quiet relief. He gently placed his large hand over hers and, in one smooth motion, helped drive the dagger straight through the Doctor's heart and throat.
In that moment, something inside Collei—something that had held her upright for years—suddenly vanished.
Her whole body shuddered.
When she finally steadied herself, she bit her lip, looked up at Yilan with complicated eyes, and whispered, "Thank you."
"It's nothing."
Yilan waved it off. "You've taken your revenge. What will you do now?"
"From now on…"
A confused look passed through Collei's eyes. Then she gave a bitter smile.
"To be honest, sir… I suffer from Sumeru's Eleazar, and the Fatui injected me with god residue. I don't think I have much longer to live. I'll probably just wander the continent… and wait for the end."
"Eleazar? God residue? What are you talking about?"
Yilan tilted his head, genuinely puzzled.
"Uh…? You don't know about Eleazar or forbidden knowledge, sir? This is—"
Collei began unwrapping the bandages on her arm, intending to show Yilan the dry, cracked skin marred by the curse of the residue.
But what she saw made her freeze.
Her skin—once parched and scarred by forbidden knowledge—was now smooth.
The corrupted god-sigil that had marked her flesh for so long… had vanished.
"W-What…?!"
Collei's voice cracked. She tore off the rest of the bandages in disbelief, examining herself head to toe—but not a trace of infection remained.
Yilan crossed his arms and smirked. "You seem perfectly healthy to me. A little malnourished, maybe. Small chest and butt. So… you're a girl, then."
"Ah—!"
Collei let out a shriek and scrambled to cover herself with the last scrap of white cloth. Blushing furiously, she finally looked like a girl again.
She stared at Yilan with wide violet eyes. "Wait… you… did you… heal me?"
"Think whatever you want."
The truth was that the residue of fallen gods had long since been absorbed by Yilan. In essence, Eleazar was the human manifestation of forbidden knowledge—something he could neutralize without even physical contact.
Yilan casually tossed his crimson clerical robe to Collei. "Anyway, you're cured now. So… what's your plan?"
"I…"
Collei hesitated—then suddenly knelt.
"Please let me follow you, sir! I want to repay you for saving my life!"
"…Uh?"
Yilan blinked.
Seeing his lack of response, Collei panicked and spoke quickly:
"I know I'm not beautiful… I'm clumsy, I don't know how to serve others, but—but I'll do anything!"
"Anything…? That's a dangerous thing to say."
Yilan's lips curled into a teasing smile. Only after Collei had wrapped herself tightly in his robe—face burning with shame—did he continue:
"But since you said it… why don't you come to my house and try being a maid?"
—To be honest, this wasn't part of Yilan's original plan. But there was no reason to turn away a devoted little maid.
***
After killing the Doctor and curing Collei's illness—along with the usual accumulation—Yilan's positive energy points reached 112 once more.
Therefore, after returning to Mondstadt and entrusting Collei to Noelle's care, Yilan began another simulation.
[Simulation begins]
As Yilan's thoughts stirred, the system's notification chimed in his mind.
[Generating simulation copy…]
[Current simulation copy: The City Wailing Beneath the Black Tide]
[The City Wailing Beneath the Beast Tide: When the moon's shadow was shattered, beasts emerged from the Abyss, devouring thousands. The withered black tide surged across ocean and hillside, its filth staining the earth, mortals trembling in despair. It came to be known as the 'Black Tide'—a flood that consumed wilderness, villages, and cities alike. Though Sumeru, Liyue, and Inazuma have been saved by you, one city still cries out beneath pure malice. Your task: Protect Mondstadt from the Dark Beast Tide. The less devastation the city suffers, the higher the evaluation.]
"So this one's finally set in Mondstadt?"
Yilan stroked his chin as he read the simulator's text, falling into deep thought.
I wonder how this will impact reality…
Though he'd achieved good outcomes in most simulations so far, the results didn't always favor him.
Take Inazuma, for instance—he couldn't even reveal his face in public there. Branded a sinner in the eyes of its people, he'd likely be beaten to death on sight.
Mondstadt, however, was different. As the first city he lived in after arriving in Teyvat, it was, in a sense, Yilan's base of operations. He'd cultivated his position here over time. Honestly, he didn't want to alter its current state recklessly within the simulation.
"Thankfully, this scenario is set during the Black Beast Tide, more than 500 years ago. As long as I control myself and avoid interference, it shouldn't impact reality too much."
He continued reading:
[As compensation, this simulation grants you a special talent: Mastery of All Martial Arts]
[Mastery of All Martial Arts: You possess godlike talent in combat. You can master any weapon or martial art the moment you encounter it.]
"It's like giving the real-life reward 'Raiden Shogun's Martial Arts' to the simulated version of me as a talent."
Yilan mused silently.
Still, it was a good thing—it meant he could refine his martial skills within this copy.
Somewhat embarrassingly, during his first year after transmigrating, he spent long hours each day training diligently.
But lately, he'd been paying his dues every night, and by morning, he was too indulgent to even get up. He felt he was growing soft.
[Simulation begins]
[0 years old: You were born into a poor noble household in Mondstadt. You have two older brothers and are the third son in the family.]
[Your father names you Yilan. The reason behind the name… is meaningless.]
[Much like your place in the family—the eldest brother is destined to inherit the title, the second the estate, and you? Your existence, like your name, holds no significance.]
[1 year old: Your parents are not cruel. They provide for your basic needs. At least you have a stable environment to grow up in.]
[3 years old: You notice a sword displayed prominently in your father's study. Something inside urges you to touch it.]
[As you reach for it, your father storms over and slaps your hand away.]
[He explains it's the sword of your great-grandfather, who rose from common birth and earned a knighthood in the Knights of Favonius with that very blade—gaining the family its current status.]
[You tilt your head, watching your father beam with pride, and ask: "If it was forged on the battlefield, why is it hung here like a decoration? I heard it crying."]
[Your words enrage him. From then on, you're barred from the study.]
[At 4, you begin to realize that no one expects anything from you. You grow withdrawn.]
[Since your brothers are more valuable in the eyes of others, few are willing to befriend you.]
"Well… I seem a bit pitiful in this simulation, but honestly, it's not so bad."
"After all, fewer friends mean fewer real-world consequences."
"It's best not to bond with anyone. Just train, and when the Black Tide arrives, cut down all the monsters."
[5 years old: Perhaps because they don't see you as a threat, your brothers treat you decently and even bring you and their friends to play Fengxing Puzzle outside the city.]
[But while you play, a lone Hilichurl suddenly appears.]
[Likely a straggler from the Knights' recent sweep, it's startled by your numbers and looks like it might flee—until your brothers and their friends scream and bolt.]
[They cry and run. Your brothers shout for you to follow.]
[But you don't understand. Your brothers are already in their teens—tall, well-fed, and strong. Why are they scared of a lone, scrawny Hilichurl?]
[Sensing their fear, the Hilichurl grows bolder. With a shout, it charges you, swinging its club.]
[Then you see it—a wooden sword discarded on the ground. Your eyes fix on it. You pick it up and walk forward.]
[As your companions scream, the Hilichurl swings at your head—but you tilt slightly, dodging with ease, and slash its throat.]
[You're only five, so your strike lacks power. But it hits a vital point. The Hilichurl staggers, then attacks in rage.]
[You dodge every blow. Your own attacks land true. And as you fight, a smile—too wide for a child's face—spreads across your lips.]
[You stab the Hilichurl behind the knee, bringing it down. Then you step on its chest and slash—ten times, twenty, thirty…]
[You beat it to death. You stand atop the corpse, turn to your brothers, and say, "It's alright now."]
[But they scream, hugging each other in terror.]
[Following their gaze, you touch your face… and realize your grin has torn nearly to your ears. A smile like that on a five-year-old? Horrifying.]
[From that day on, they call you by a new name—Ghost.]
[Sword Ghost.]