Chapter 88: Chapter 88: Nashida's Transformation
Early in the morning, as Smith lay comfortably in bed with Keqing in his arms, the guild's notification rang in their minds, abruptly waking them up.
They opened their eyes at the same time, their faces just inches apart. Neither of them showed any awkwardness anymore. Instead, they exchanged gentle smiles. It was clear that they had grown accustomed to each other, and even Keqing no longer felt shy.
Turning their attention to the guild message, they read:
"Ding! A commission has been received from Marvel's Earth-199999. Tony Stark was kidnapped by the Ten Rings and survived. He built an Iron Suit and planned to destroy the Ten Rings but encountered a version of the Mandarin from another parallel world. Please assist Tony Stark and eliminate the Mandarin.
Reward: 30,000 dimensional points. A maximum of three participants. Points will be distributed based on contribution, with a minimum of 5% per participant."
Smith grinned. "Finally, another mission! This one is interesting—it's the Marvel world, and we have to deal with a Mandarin from a parallel world. The difficulty isn't too high, but it's definitely not easy either."
Zhongli frowned slightly. "I still don't fully understand what a 'parallel world' is."
Smith explained, "It's just another version of a world with a similar history and characters. In the Pokémon world, for example, Arceus is said to have created multiple worlds that mirror each other. These worlds share the same Pokémon, cultures, developments, and even similar people. They are called parallel worlds."
Keqing's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "I see. Do you think there are parallel versions of Teyvat?"
Smith shrugged. "I'm not sure. Someone out there might know, but I haven't met them yet."
Ningguang joined the conversation. "Are there really people with such knowledge?"
Nashida pondered aloud. "Are you talking about the Adventurers?"
Smith nodded. "Who knows? From what I've observed, most things in Teyvat unfold according to fate's trajectory—even the Seven Archons are bound by it."
Smith's words left everyone silent, except for Zhongli and Nashida. The idea that their lives had been predetermined from the start was unsettling.
Sensing their unease, Smith reassured them. "But things are different now. Since you all joined the Dimension Guild, the world's natural forces—like the leylines and the World Tree—can no longer affect you. In some ways, you're no different from Adventurers now."
Nashida's expression turned thoughtful. "That's incredible. Even as the incarnation of the World Tree, I would be influenced if it changed. But the guild exists on a higher level than the World Tree itself."
Keqing agreed. "It makes sense. After all, the guild allows us to travel between worlds. But what about this Mandarin? How strong is he?"
Smith sighed. "I'll just upload everything I know about Earth-199999 and other related worlds. That should help."
Keqing's eyes widened in amazement as she scanned the information. "I can't believe humans can create such powerful weapons through sheer intelligence. If Liyue had a genius like Tony Stark, our technological advancement would be incredible!"
Zhongli nearly choked on his tea. "!!!"
Smith chuckled. "Tony Stark is a genius, no doubt, but don't forget—he also causes a lot of trouble. If he ever arrived in Teyvat, he wouldn't be able to resist studying the Vision system, elemental powers, and even the remnants of fallen gods. While he has principles, some things should never be tampered with."
Smith had no doubt that if Stark were transported to Teyvat, he would develop rockets and nuclear weapons within a year. Then, he'd probably try to bomb Celestia, exposing the truth behind the False Sky to everyone.
Teyvat was simply not ready for someone like Tony Stark.
Smith smirked. "Besides, we have Nashida. If she wanted to, creating advanced technology wouldn't be difficult for her."
Nashida's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Can I participate in this mission? I'd love to meet this man who is 'cursed by knowledge.'"
Smith nodded. "Of course. Who else wants in?"
He wasn't too worried about the mission. The Mandarin was strong, but not overwhelmingly so. With Nashida and himself on the team, victory was practically guaranteed.
If Smith weren't so bored, he would have let the other members handle the mission themselves.
Ningguang offered a suggestion. "Why not let Ye Lan join? She's the only one who hasn't participated in a mission yet."
Smith hesitated. "That's fine, but does she have time? Last I heard, she was in Sumeru, spreading Nashida's teachings."
Ye Lan's voice came through the guild chat. "I should be able to join. We've mostly been operating in Port Ormos and Caravan Ribat, but the Akademiya and even the Fatui have been keeping an eye on us."
Smith frowned. "Be careful. The strongest segment of The Doctor is currently in Sumeru. He's not someone you can deal with right now. If you ever need help, just call me. If he dares to interfere, I won't hesitate to make him suffer."
The Doctor was undoubtedly powerful, likely stronger than Nashida in her current state. However, the gap wasn't too large.
Nashida was never a warrior, but things had changed. With guidance from both Smith and Zhongli, she had taken a different path. The once kind and gentle Dendro Archon, often overlooked as weak, could very well become the feared "Tyrant of the Forest" in the future.
Smith had drilled into her mind a simple truth:
"If your abilities don't look impressive, people won't respect you."
Raw strength commanded recognition.
Nashida believed in this philosophy wholeheartedly.
After all, her past struggles came from being seen as weak and insignificant.
She was determined to change that.