The Wind Dragon Ruins stood broken and jagged against the late afternoon sky. Worn stone arches and shattered towers cast long shadows, surrounding a throne set into a fallen column. Sora, dressed in dark armor, sat on the throne. His golden eyes focused sharply on the Abyss Mage kneeling before him, its water-like form shifting uneasily.
"The plan to turn the Dragon of the East Wind into a war weapon—it failed," the mage said, voice shaky, staff rattling against the stone.
Sora didn't move at first, then leaned forward slightly. "Was it Barbatos? Did he interfere?"
The mage quickly shook its head. "No, Your Highness. We accounted for him. The problem was your sister."
Sora paused. "Lumine?" He spoke her name quietly, remembering her from another time—before all this. That memory didn't last long. His hands clenched the throne's arms.
"Explain everything," he ordered. His tone was flat, with no room for errors.
The mage straightened. "She didn't just stop the dragon. She fought it—beat it. She can turn into a dragon herself now. Bigger than Twalin. I saw her—cyan wings, full control of wind."
Sora narrowed his eyes. That wasn't an ability Lumine had before. He thought of Barbatos again but dismissed it. The bard never acted like a god. "Where did she get that power?" he muttered.
"Keep watching Mondstadt," he said finally. "Quietly. Report back with anything important."
The mage started to fade, then hesitated. "There's more. Another dragon—silver-white, three heads. Bigger than Twalin. Appeared today, shook the plains."
Sora stood, his cape trailing behind him as he paced. "Another one? Don't engage. Track it. Observe."
"Yes, Your Highness." The mage vanished.
Sora stood alone. The ruins around him were quiet. "Lumine… what are you doing?"
Back in Mondstadt, it was quiet inside Galehaven Comics. Afternoon light came through the single front window, casting warm light across the shelves. Harlan Flint sat behind the counter, sipping tea. His jacket hung over the chair's backrest. The rush from earlier had ended—eleven customers in one morning, with the system to prove it.
[Task 1: 11/10 customers, 1 comic draw available; Task 2: 17/30 for exclusive reward.]
He smiled. "Busy day," he said aloud.
The door opened. Sarah from Good Hunter stepped in. Her apron still smelled faintly of grilled food. She looked around, scanning the place. "This is Galehaven Comics, right?"
"Sure is," Harlan replied. "Heard the rumors?"
She nodded. "Amber and Eula talked about it. Comics that give you powers or items. I didn't believe it, but…" She shrugged. "Had to check."
She recalled overhearing three customers at work earlier that day. They had been talking about Digimon, One Piece, and comics that gave out real items. One of them even waved a telescope around, claiming it came from One Piece.
"It sounded crazy. But it got stuck in my head," Sarah admitted. "So I came."
Harlan stood and gestured to the shelves. "Pick one. A hundred thousand Mora. Try your luck."
He pointed to a few comics—Little Master with its food-based powers, and Yu-Gi-Oh with its monster duels. Sarah eyed Little Master, clearly tempted.
Before she chose, the door opened again. Schubert Lawrence entered, dressed sharply in a velvet coat, cane tapping the floor. He looked around the shop, stopping when he saw Harlan.
"So this is the place. Eula's dragons came from here."
Harlan gave him a nod. "Didn't think you'd visit so soon. Those dragons were from Yu-Gi-Oh—Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon."
Schubert raised an eyebrow, stepping further inside. "If that comic arms my niece with dragons, perhaps it's worth my time."
Sarah glanced between them. Her doubt started to fade. There was something strange about the shop—something real. And now she was ready to find out.
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Reflection:Sora learns Lumine has gained dragon-like powers and begins quietly investigating Mondstadt. A second, unknown dragon also appears. Meanwhile, Galehaven Comics gains more attention—Sarah and Schubert both arrive, drawn by growing rumors. Harlan's influence continues to spread.