Compared to the Abyss Mage Idris casually cut down during the day, the ones he lured out this time were both more numerous and far stronger.
That said, none of them had reached god-tier yet.
As long as that line wasn't crossed, the forces under Idris's command were still more than sufficient.
Elsewhere, Zhongli had also discovered traces of Abyss Mages.
They were hiding in a remote corner of Sumeru—only five or six of them.
Since no one else was present, Zhongli didn't bother hiding his strength.
The moment he moved, Geo energy erupted.
No hesitation. No restraint.
Straight into combat.
Meanwhile, inside Sumeru City—
The army personally trained by Idris had already taken position.
Fully armed. Fully prepared.
They were waiting.
When Idris was absent, they lacked confidence.
But now that he was back—
They were fearless.
In their eyes, Idris was invincible.
Their commander.
Their faith.
Their backbone.
The threat of the Abyss loomed like a shadow.
Compared to the single Abyss Mage Idris had killed earlier, the enemies appearing now were clearly stronger.
Still, the absence of god-level enemies disappointed him slightly.
For the time being, his forces could handle the pressure.
If something truly powerful appeared…
He might need to call in reinforcements.
Judging by the current situation, that moment might not be far off.
After all, they'd already captured far too many Abyss Mages.
The real problem was communication.
Idris knew a few people who could understand Hilichurl speech,
but Abyss Mage language was another matter entirely.
At best, he could guess meaning from gestures and behavior.
That wasn't nearly precise enough.
"Great Sage!"
A subordinate hurried over.
"We've captured over thirty Abyss Mages so far. Their appearance rate has dropped. Should we send them back to Sumeru for interrogation?"
"That's fine," Idris replied absentmindedly.
"Hand them over to the God of Wisdom. She'll know what to do."
"Yes, Great Sage!"
The operation had gone smoothly.
At the very least, it wasn't a wasted effort.
Whether they could extract information was another question entirely.
Idris frowned slightly.
What if…
I let Nahida study their language?
She was the God of Wisdom—if anyone could crack it, it would be her.
But without reference material, even that might be difficult.
Guesswork alone wouldn't cut it.
Idris exhaled slowly.
If they won't talk… then I'll just be the villain.
Things that can't be tamed?
Burn them.
Firepower solves everything.
Today's events also made one thing clear—
Sumeru needed a stronger force.
Not gods.
But humans who could rival gods.
Elite operatives.
Living weapons.
Special-forces–level monsters.
Hard to find.
And the system hadn't provided anything like that yet.
Still… once the idea took root, it refused to go away.
Idris watched his soldiers capturing Abyss Mages.
At first, everyone fought together.
Now they rotated—half resting, half fighting.
Ordinary humans could be outstanding—but compared to Vision holders, the gap was enormous.
Elsewhere—
Zhongli moved through the shadows of Sumeru.
He had found five or six Abyss Mages.
Not weak—but not enough.
A starved camel is still bigger than a horse.
No matter what, he was once the Geo Archon of Liyue.
A fallen Bentley was still a Bentley.
So Zhongli didn't hide anything.
Geo energy thundered outward.
The kind of power that would never be seen in Liyue.
As a former god, Zhongli enjoyed battle—
he simply couldn't afford to fight openly back home.
Unfortunately for the Abyss Mages today—
they became his outlet.
If he hadn't deliberately held back at the end, not a single one would've survived.
He nearly forgot Idris wanted prisoners.
Luckily, he left two alive.
That was enough.
Back in Sumeru City, the army stood like a drawn bowstring.
Before Idris returned, morale had been shaky.
Now?
Unshakable.
To them, Idris wasn't just a commander.
He was certain.
As long as he stood there, nothing was impossible.
His presence alone acted as both a sedative and a stimulant.
Even facing the Abyss, they weren't alone.
They had Idris.
A man who stood shoulder to shoulder with gods.
"We'll defeat them!"
A young soldier shouted, eyes blazing.
Others echoed him.
Fear vanished—replaced by resolve.
Just hours ago, these same soldiers had been terrified.
Now?
Idris's words had erased every doubt.
While escorting two half-dead Abyss Mages back, Zhongli ran into trouble again.
Treasure Hoarders.
Compared to Abyss Mages, they were dirtier—but far weaker.
Zhongli initially planned to ignore them.
Then one of them laughed and said he looked "pretty enough to sell his body."
That crossed a line.
Enough.
The former Geo Archon moved.
The fight erupted.
Halfway through, more Abyss Mages showed up and joined the chaos.
That finally pissed Zhongli off.
Geo energy surged like a tidal wave.
Several Abyss Mages were instantly sealed in stone.
The Treasure Hoarders panicked, throwing traps and hidden weapons.
Useless.
Zhongli's Geo shield blocked everything.
He solidified their weapons midair—
turning them into lifeless stone.
The battlefield went silent.
The Treasure Hoarders stared in disbelief.
One of them cursed aloud:
"What kind of monster is this?!
Normal attacks hitting like ultimates?!"
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