"Wait... Isn't that Mr. Albedo's place?!"
"How could it explode?! Was it an alchemy accident?!"
"Impossible. Mr. Albedo's workshop has never had an explosion before."
"It looks serious. I wonder if he's alright?"
"That's terrifying. The workshop is shattered. That blast force was insane. Holy Barbatos."
"Mr. Albedo is a Geo Vision holder. He should be fine."
...
Thick black smoke billowed into the sky above the city gate district.
The pungent smell of burnt alchemical reagents filled the air. Inside the ruined workshop, small fires flickered, as if some violent reaction had not yet fully ceased.
Woo—!
The harsh blare of a warning horn sounded from the city gate.
Patrolling Knights of Favonius rushed to the scene immediately!
Knights in silver armor drew their weapons, rapidly cordoning off the surrounding streets while shouting orders.
"Stay back! Everyone keep away from this area!"
"Clear the road! Beware of secondary explosions!"
...
Experienced veteran knights charged straight into the core of the blast zone to assess the damage.
Meanwhile, trainee knights hurriedly ran toward Headquarters to report the emergency to Acting Grand Master Jean!
"How could such an accident happen at the alchemy workshop?"
"Could a research experiment have gone wrong?"
"Mr. Albedo's experiments have never had issues before."
"Regardless, evacuate the civilians first."
...
The Knights exchanged tense glances, nerves taut, fearing that something even worse might follow.
At this very moment.
Inside the ruins of the workshop.
Heavy black smoke churned, and the air was thick with the smell of scorched ozone.
Scalding heat mixed with the residue of burnt materials swirled in the corners of the room.
However, in the center of this devastation, a golden Geo shield stood like amber, firmly sealing the shockwave within a small, contained radius.
Geo sigils flickered on the surface of the barrier, straining against an invisible impact.
In the center of the shield stood Albedo. His figure was slightly blurred by the glow of the elemental energy.
"Cough... Cough, cough..."
Amidst the smoke, Albedo's face and white coat were stained with soot.
His usually immaculate appearance was now thoroughly disheveled.
But his sharp teal-green eyes remained as calm as ever, filled with deep contemplation.
His right hand was still raised, maintaining the flow of Geo energy. The golden light in his palm continued to sustain the protective barrier.
If he hadn't reacted instantly, deploying a Geo construct to shield the blast...
This destructive explosion would have torn the entire building apart and likely leveled the street outside.
"...I was still careless."
Albedo's gaze was heavy. He lowered his eyes slowly to the workbench beside him, which had been reduced to splintered wreckage.
The bomb that had been sitting there was gone. In its place was nothing but charred dust.
However, clinging to the shattered remains was a trace of energy—faint, but exceptionally violent.
"This unknown energy fluctuation..."
Albedo narrowed his eyes slightly, reaching out to brush the air.
He channeled his alchemy, attempting to analyze the residual energy.
The moment his senses touched that faint fluctuation, Albedo's pupils contracted.
This energy was more violent than Pyro. More volatile than Electro...
This was a force of pure Destruction that far exceeded natural elements!
Albedo stood silently in place, his fingers slowly curling into a fist.
The Geo light in his palm flared, dispersing the residual energy in the air, but the shock in his heart did not diminish.
"...Terrifying."
Albedo exhaled gently.
Just that brief contact was enough to make him realize the danger of this power.
If he hadn't deployed the barrier, the shockwave from that explosion would have severely injured him!
Even worse—
If the Geo shield hadn't firmly locked down the blast, the entire street surrounding the workshop might have been wiped off the map!
Albedo looked down at the faint ripples still floating in the air, his brow furrowed.
"How on earth... was this energy stored inside a bomb?"
In his alchemical research, he had studied all manner of elemental reactions. He even had some understanding of the Fatui's Delusions.
But this was different. This was pure destructive energy.
Even he could not easily analyze its essence!
"Who modified my bombs? And what is the principle behind it?"
Albedo's mind raced, deducing possible answers.
But every conclusion only made his expression graver.
"If this kind of bomb were to proliferate..."
Albedo closed his eyes. He could almost picture the scene—
Destructive energy swallowing the earth. The streets of Mondstadt cracking open. A shockwave that no elemental shield could fully withstand tearing through the city. Ordinary people wouldn't even have a chance to run.
This was definitely not ordinary alchemy, nor was it something achievable by standard elemental reactions!
If this power of Destruction is abused, it will be an unimaginable disaster.
And the most critical point...
Yesterday, Klee was carrying an entire backpack full of these things.
Although he had crafted the bombs originally, the energy inside them absolutely did not come from him.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Just then, urgent knocking came from outside the workshop.
"Mr. Albedo! Are you alright?!"
It was the Knights of Favonius. They had reached the door.
"Cough. I am fine. I just need to clean up the site."
Albedo cleared his throat and spoke calmly. "Also... please ask Grand Master Jean to come here."
"Understood, Mr. Albedo."
Outside the workshop, the Knights breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Thank Barbatos. Mr. Albedo is safe.
They had been genuinely worried. An alchemy explosion was understandable—research had risks. But Albedo could not be harmed.
He wasn't just an alchemist; he was a powerful Vision holder and a strategic asset. If Stormterror or a monster siege occurred, Albedo's defensive capabilities were essential for the city's safety.
Meanwhile.
Knights of Favonius Headquarters.
Acting Grand Master Jean sat behind her desk, organizing documents while pondering the unstable factors in Mondstadt over the past few days.
Since witnessing the gruesome deaths of the Fatui elites last night, she hadn't been able to relax.
On the surface, Mondstadt seemed to have returned to its usual calm.
But she felt a lingering shadow of danger growing in the dark.
BOOM!
Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed through the building. Jean's face changed drastically.
She stood up instantly.
What is happening?
Where did that sudden explosion come from?
This vibration... it feels even stronger than the blast at Cider Lake yesterday!
She rushed to the window. With a single glance, she saw thick black smoke rising from a street in the distance.
Jean's pupils shrank sharply.
Isn't that the area near the city gate?