Then Came You (Zhongli x Reader)

An Unanticipated Warrior

Recommended song: "Washing Machine Heart" by Mitski

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I

Zhongli watched you jump up the hill, standing at the top with your back facing him; hands on your hips, you observing the enemy territory.

He handed the fallen Jade ores which you had given him before to the cart driver, rushing to catch up with you but as soon as he reached the top, you struck.

You landed smack in the middle of the camp, and without any moment of hesitation, you started spinning, delivering lethal blows with your weapon. Zhongli watched in disbelief and awe as you swerved, missing the Mitachurl's blazing axe swing.

'She wields a claymore?!'

You felt your Vision throb and a shiver ran down your spine. Zhongli's eyes fixated on you; you threw a feral grin at the Mitachurl before you released your Elemental Burst.

In the blink of an eye, the husks of seven Hilichurls lay around the fire, while the two Samachurls lay unconscious. Your focus shifted back to the Mitachurl, and you struck it twice, resulting in the demise of the giant beast.

The Samachurls awakened at the same time waving their wands to bring rain and heal the remaining three Hilichurls. However, you shoved them towards the campfire and with your electro power flowing through your claymore, you struck them once, an overload reaction taking place.

The three wounded Hilichurls retreated in fear, but you weren't one to forgive. No, you chased after them and three strikes later, there was nothing but the bodies of the monsters lying at your feet; the ones you despised with your soul.

You stood in that spot for a while, basking in your glory. Meanwhile, at the top of the hill, Zhongli couldn't register what he had just witnessed.

For a woman of your physique, who an innocent onlooker would mistake for frail, lean and feeble, you certainly knew how to work with heavy armaments. Claymores required years of practice to master, the load of the weapon making it difficult to be swift and deadly.

But when he saw you zip around the camp, dodging and striking down four Hilichurls at once, his eyes widened and his jaw hung low.

And your god damned Elemental Burst. Zhongli let out a wobbly sigh.

Two minutes. That's all it had taken for you to finish an entire camp of Hilichurls.

He couldn't take his eyes off you, as you stood there with the claymore, still crackling with purple light, head tilted towards the sky.

'An unanticipated warrior,' he named the visual in his head.

Your stance, your techniques; Zhongli realised it wasn't something you had learned by yourself. You made your claymore dissipate, stretching your limbs. Turning around to face Zhongli, that feral grin still adorning your lips, you called out to him.

—

Recommended song: "Aphrodite" by Honey Gentry

—

II

"See? I told you I'd manage," you leered like a cat, hands crossed across your chest. "Now get down here and help me with this," you motioned as you walked over to the cart full of the Jade ores.

Zhongli glided down the hill, landing two steps behind you. He was speechless. Mouth dry, he eyed you warily, still trying to make sense of things.

"I know what you're thinking," you said out loud, sorting the ores so that they wouldn't fall off when you moved the cart.