[𝐀/𝐍]: 𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔, 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑬𝒊'𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 2 𝒄𝒖𝒛 𝑰'𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒆𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒅𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆.
𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒂 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒔𝒐 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒖𝒆𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚, 𝒔𝒐 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒔?
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[𝐘/𝐍'𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐕]
Night had fallen as Kojou Sara returned to Tenshukaku, reporting the good news she had about the peace talk.
She told us that it went well and the plans they had discussed are beneficial for both islands.
She also mentioned that before the peace talk begins, some Fatui Skirmishers tried to deceive the Shogunates as well as spreading rumors in the resistance about the Tenryou Commission collusion with the Fatui.
Good thing that Sangonomiya Kokomi handled the situation smoothly with the help of Lumine.
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As time goes on, two weeks have now passed since both islands are now at peace and cooperating with one another.
I always visit her in the Plane of Euthymia and discuss some future plans for the safety of Inazuma. I'm also inviting her to go out more often rather than to make herself bored to whatever she's doing in the Plane of Euthymia if I'm not there.
Today, I didn't directly visit her early in the morning, Instead, I first visit the street vendor who are selling dango milk.
"Ah, Lady Y/N! Good morning!"
"Here to buy some of my creative cuisine again?"
I nodded and smiled at him.
"Good morning to you too, Tomoki. And yes, I would like to buy some of your dango milk."
"How many would you like to have this time Lady Y/N? The usual?"
"Yes, I would like to have ten dango milk if you please."
"Ten dango milk coming right up!"
He then prepared and start by mixing the ingredients.
[𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐩]
"Here you go Lady Y/N! Ten dango milk, fresh and sweet."
I let out a small chuckle as I grab 15,000 mora and gave it to him.
"I'll be going now, see you later."
He nodded and smiled in response as I walk towards Tenshukaku while I opened one of the dango milk and started drinking.
"Mmm, delicious as always."
I soon noticed some familiar figures talking with one another at the entrance of the Tenryou Commission's headquarter.
What are they doing here?
I finished drinking the dango milk and quickly go towards them.
"Commander and Ayaka... is something the matter?" I asked worriedly.
They turned around, facing me before Ayaka speaks to me.
"Y/N, you're here. What a coincidence."
"Me and Miss Kojou Sara are discussing some recent problems about rifthound that's attacking the sacred sakura nearby Mt. Yougou in great numbers."
My eyes widened as I quickly questioned her.
"Rifthound? Here?"
"Yes, the Yashiro Commission already sent a commission in the Adventures' Guild for some extra support handling them." She said.
"We're not sure to where these rifthound comes from but all we know is that their main target right now is the sacred sakura." Sara added.
"Is the Tenryou Commision taking actions right now?" I asked.
Sara nodded in response.
"Yes, although they are having difficulty on handling the situation because of the sacred sakura's root system."
"Furthermore, our main priority right now is to protect the civilian population."
"That's why both the Yashiro and the Tenryou Commission's are looking to cooperate with all other available forces to eliminate the monsters."
"The Adventures' Guild is one of them assisting us with the work. But so far, the combined forces efforts to combat the rifthound had failed to improve the situation."
"...."
"Don't worry, I'll help to eliminate those monsters." I said.
Both of their faces light up as Ayaka speaks to me.
"You will? Thank you so much for your help once again Y/N."
I nodded in response.
"I'll just get ready, if I'm done, I will head there immediately."
Both of them nodded as I bid farewell and returned to Tenshukaku directly. When I arrived, I then look for her and saw her back in front of me.
"Ei– wait Shogun? Argh never mind I need to speak to her directly." I said.
My voice caught her attention and turn around to face me.
"Don't worry Y/N. This is me. But before you try telling me what's on your mind, I need to tell you something important first."
"No, this is much more important Ei. rifthound are attacking the–"
"Sacred sakura..?"
"Yes. The sacred sa– wait, you already knew?" I asked in confusion.
"Yes, I noticed some changes in the external world from the Plane of Euthymia."
"That's why I am now borrowing the body of the Shogun to investigate it myself."
"Since you already knew what's the problem is, let me come along with you." I said.
She stayed silent for a moment before sighing at me.
"Alright, I can't say no to you since I already know that you'll just ignore my statement."
"Thank you, and by the way... I bought you some dango milk for us to enjoy later."
"Later? Why not now?" She asked.
"Well... we have some problem that we need to solve first."
"Don't worry Y/N. I'll only drink one."
I just sighed in response.
"Alright..."
She smiled as she opened up the dango milk and started drinking it.
[𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐩]
"Ready to go?"
"Yes, but how do even know which part of Mt. Yougou is under attack by the rifthound?" She asked.
"Don't worry Ei. I've encountered some familiar faces earlier. Maybe they can lead us the way." I replied.
She nodded in response as I led her to where the two of them are still discussing.
Sara seems to noticed are incoming presence towards them and turned around to face us making Ayaka did the same movement.
"Almighty Shogun and Y/N-sama. What brings you both here?"
Ayaka's face seemed confuse on why Kojou Sara respectfully called my name but brushed it off.
"Me and Y/N will be investigating the rifthound in the sacred sakura together."
"Please excuse me but Almighty Shogun, it's dangerous for you to go there. And the Tri-Commissions are the one's who are assigned with this problem." Ayaka said.
"Don't worry, I found this problem worthy of my intention. So, we came here to ask the both of you if you know where are the areas that the rifthound are recently located."
The both of them just looked at one another before Sara replies to her.
"Of course, your eternal excellency. Here's a map to help the both of you. I've already mark the locations to where rifthound appearances have been found."
"Thank you commander. Let's head there immediately, Almighty Shogun." I said.
She nodded in response as the both of us bid farewell to the two of them.
[𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐩]
As me and Ei continued walking towards the marked area, the both of us were just silent through out the trip.
She's been quiet lately, I can see that she's also in deep thoughts. Maybe I should start up a conversation with her.
With this thought in mind, I slowly place my hand on her shoulder.
"Ei, are you okay?"
My voice seemed to made her body flinch a little and stop on her track, turning around to face me.
"Yes, I'm fine Y/N. What made you think I'm not?"
Before I was about to reply to her, we heard some growling not far from here.
"Wait, did you hear that? It's sounded like–"
"Rifthound! Let's go Ei!"
She nodded as the both of us summoned our weapons and ran towards where the sound are coming from. When we arrived, we saw Lumine and Paimon are cornered by them.
Before the rifthound were able to attack them, me and Ei directly teleported in front of them.
"Torn to oblivion!"
She used the Mosou no Hitotachi, eliminating the rifthound in one slash as I heard Paimon speaks to us from behind.
"Y/N and Sh-Shogun? Wait no... could also be Ei."
The both of us then turn around, facing them before Ei speaks to her.
"Ah, it's you two."
"It has been along time. We have not seen each other since the resolution of the Tenryou Commission crisis."
"Okay, sounds more like Ei... it's you right?" Paimon asked.
I nodded and response.
"Yeah, this is her alright."
"What are you both doing here?" Lumine asked us.
Ei then placed her hand on her chest.
"We're making early preparations for what is to come."
"Last time we took a walk around Inazuma together, I witnessed the way the world is today. I was finally able to comprehend some things that I have never understood in the past."
"Since then, every time I encountered an obstacle in my thinking, I found myself having the urge to spend some time in the outside world."
I crossed my arms and just closed my eyes.
Yeah, thanks to me.
"Make sense. You must be super bored being there all the time." Paimon spoke.
She shook her head and replies to her.
"Might I remind you that I am not here to amuse myself."
"Recently, I have observed a number of changes in the external world from the Plane of Euthymia. The most serious of these being the attack on the sacred sakura by numerous rifthound."
"I considered this matter worthy of my attention. So I pursued them, and they led us here, where we happen to run into you."
"But the Commissions and adventurers can deal with monsters." Lumine spoke.
"If the Shogun rather than I were to discover them... Yes, perhaps she would left the situation alone." She replied.
"Why? Because she's just a puppet?" Paimon asked her.
She nodded in response.
"Precisely. According to the rules I designed for her, matters of this nature are to be delegated to the Tri-Commission."
"But rifthound attacking the sacred sakura... it brings back bad memories of that terrible disaster..."
"...."
"A disaster..?" Paimon asked her.
Before Ei was about to reply, she looked at me first asking for my permission which I slightly nodded in response.
"Yes, five hundred years ago, a great catastrophe befell Inazuma."
"Everything was engulfed in a pitch black fog and monsters ravaged the land... Countless lives were lost, and this homeland that the people had worked so hard to build barely escaped being destroyed completely."
"The monsters commited many wickedness on Inazuman soil. And the rifthound were always their advance guard."
"Their duty was to tear open a passage through space with their claws and teeth, and then call in even more powerful beast."
"Five hundred years ago... Khaenri'ah..." Lumine said.
"...."
Ei just closes her eyes towards her.
"Hmm, so you've heard it too."
"That's an episode of history that I am loath to recall. Maybe to you, it's seems like my response to these creatures are an excessive one."
"But an excess of caution is not unwarranted in this case."
"Guess you can't argue with that." Paimon said.
"Since we are both here in the same reason, let us work together once again Lumine." I said.
"From the traces they have left in the surrounding area, there should be more monsters nearby. All of them must me elimanated." Ei added.
"Let's go!" Lumine replied.
Ei head towards the area first while Paimon speaks to us.
"Paimon feels safe when we're in Ei's company! Having someone uber powerful in your team kinda makes you feel invincible, doesn't it?"
I soon raise an eyebrow.
"Oh? Am I not powerful enough for you?"
"What?! Well Of course you are, is just that– "
"No, it's alright, but I must follow her now. Try to catch up you two."
They just nodded in response as I catch up with Ei.
When I started walking, I heard Paimon speaks to Lumine making me hear there conversation from behind.
"Oh yeah, after we dealt with the monsters, we should ask Ei to tell us more about Khaenri'ah."
I just stayed silent and continued to catch up with Ei.
[𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐩]
The three of us finally found her looking at the damaged root before facing us.
"We are lucky... the damaged is not too serious. The Yashiro Commission will be able to nurse the root system back to its health."
"These stuff that's flowing out, is it sap or something? And how come it's glowing..."
Paimon said as all of us see a light spread in all directions before emerging into human form before Paimon and Lumine started asking some questions.
"Huh? What's this?"
"Is someone injured?"
"Could they be... dead people? It wouldn't be the first time we'd seen a ghost on our journey, but why would they appear here?"
"Let's search the area perhaps we will find out." Ei said.
Lumine and Paimon nodded while the both of them walk towards the light first.
"Ugh... I can't go on like this... not when the other troops are counting on me." The Shogunate said.
"What happened here? Could you tell us?" Paimon asked him.
The Shogunate looks at them confusingly.
"Who are you? What are you doing here? Run quick, while you still can! The monsters will be back... And once you're in their sight, I'm telling you– there is no escaping them!"
"We will defend Inazuma... until are dying last breath!"
"What exactly happened?" Lumine asked him.
The Shogunate looks at her confused again.
"You... you don't know? Inazuma is ingulfed with darkness."
"Beasts and horrifying monsters are everywhere! They are merciless, ferocious... and they will devour everything in their path..."
"Every last trace of humanity's existence I tell you... they'll devour it all..."
"But look... none of that seems to be going on around here..." Paimon said to him.
The Shogunate shook his head.
"Not right now, they'll be back look– get out of here, now!!! There's no time left!"
"The official elites are gone, our commander, the Almighty Shogun, and so as Kitsune Saiguu. There's no one left to rely on but ourselves."
"I don't know how long we can hold out for... but if we abandon our hope, then we've got nothing left at all."
[𝐋𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞'𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐕]
I saw that Y/N and Ei finally walk towards him.
"Don't worry. We are right here."
Ei's voice made the Shogunate turned around to face them with a shock expression.
"It's... Fortuna-sama? And the Shogun?!"
"You're both back!"
"Fortuna-sama?" Paimon whispered to me as I just shrugged and listen to their conversation.
The Shogunate clapped his hands and closed his eyes towards them.
"Please... we beg you... you have to help us... you have to save Inazuma!"
"Only the glow of your supreme lightning can dispel this terrible darkness... please, or the whole Inazuma will be reduced to a hunting grounds for the beasts!"
"Calm down, the war you speak of is now over." Y/N calmly said to him.
"Over? What do you mean, Fortuna-sama..."
Ei extend her hand and speaks to the Shogunate.
"Look around you. The grass grows green and lush and a soft breeze blows. This is the Inazuma at peace, as you will no doubt to remember."
"There are no monsters, nor is there anything else that can threaten your life."
The Shogunate stayed silent for a moment as he then speaks to her.
"But how? Just moments ago they were everywhere... I saw them tear my comrade to shred with my own eyes..."
"Hey calm down! Everything's fine now!" Paimon yelled out to him.
"Huh... I think I understand now. Fortuna-sama, Almighty Shogun... both of you saved Inazuma!"
"Yes... we were right to place our trust to the both of you. As long as the two of you are with us... Inazuma will last for eternity..."
The Shogunate clapped his hands and closed his eyes towards them again.
"Thank you, your excellencies... thank you, thank you..."
Some light are now forming within his area as Paimon quickly speaks to me.
"Wh-what's wrong with him?"
"Is he disappearing? I asked confusingly.
The Shogunate then vanished along with the light.
"He's gone." Ei replied.
"Paimon can't even begin to understand what was that all about... but somehow, Paimon feels sad and hopeless..."
"Also, why does he kept saying Fortuna-sama to Y/N?" Paimon asked them.
They just looked at one another before Y/N replies to us.
"That's because I am also a deity."
Both mine and Paimon's eyes widened as Paimon quickly speak to her.
"Wait, wait hold on. You're saying you're also a God?!"
Y/N just softly smiled at her in response.
"So this also means that you and Ei are close with one another?" I asked.
"Very close indeed." She replied with a smirk on her face.
Ei just closed her eyes and speaks to us.
"If I am not mistaken, what we just saw was a samurai's memory that was buried in the land."
"The sacred sakura can absorb and purify the filth in the ley lines. After the rifthound attacked, some of this filth leaked out through the cracks in the trunk and formed a physical entity."
"An entity formed with strong filth would be highly aggressive. But when purified, it presents in the form of a memory."
"Purified filth, quickly dissipates and will be absorbed by the ley lines shortly afterwards. In other words, it cannot exist for too long."
"I see..."
[𝐘/𝐍'𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐕]
"So the memories of the ones that died are all appearing at this moment?"
Paimon asked which Ei simply nodded in response.
"Yes. That soldier was one of the many thousands who made the ultimate sacrifice. What he was describing just now was precisely the disaster that happened in Inazuma five hundred years ago."
"He mentioned that the Shogun was absent..." Lumine spoke.
Ei nodded in response before continuing.
"Yes. Inazuma was facing many great crises at that time. Some were local origin, while others... others came from the now fallen kingdom of Khaenri'ah."
"The disaster in Inazuma caused me greatly concern. I felt that I had to step in before it was too late, otherwise it would spread all around Teyvat."
"But our friend, Kitsune Saiguu, reassured me that I have nothing to worry about. She would shoulder the responsibility of protecting Inazuma, and mobilize all forces at her disposal to combat the threat."
"I could tell that although neither of us acknowledged it, we both knew that the road ahead would likely end in tragedy."
"So... Inazuma was attacked at the same time as when the disaster happened in Khaenri'ah?" Paimon asked us.
I stayed before replying to her.
"You can quite say that. Countless monsters suddenly appeared throughout all of Inazuma. In the end..."
"...."
"In the end... Kitsune sacrificed her life to protect the ones she cherished..."
Ei closed her eyes and speaks to them.
"I never had the chance to see her one last time. But I would like to believe that she kept her promise to me until the very last..."
"But even then, Inazuma was left more devastated than we could have ever imagined. Those terrible tragedies left great wounds that are still felt to this day, both in the land itself... and in my heart..."
"...."
I soon placed my hand on her shoulder to help her relieve a little as I heard Lumine speaks to us.
"I could tell that both of you suffered a lot."
I let out a small smile as Ei nodded and replies to her.
"Yes. For the longest time, I couldn't bring myself to face the pain of that loss."
"All my martial might was in vain... Though I could conquer Tataragami and vanquish monsters, I was helpless against the ravaged of time, powerless to keep the ones I cherished alive..."
I softly squeezed her shoulder and speak to her.
"Hey... it's not your fault Ei..."
"I already told you a thousand times to stop putting those nonsense in your mind."
She slightly nodded and grabs my hand on her shoulder.
"Yes, you're right. After my clash with the human ambition. I think long and hard. Now, I realized I can't fixate on the past forever."
"So you're no longer stuck in the past?" Lumine asked her.
"When I traveled around Inazuma with you, I caught a glimpse of how the nation has progressed over the centuries. A glimpse of human potential. Everything far exceeded my expectations."
"Moving forward certainly invites further loss, but also new encounters."
"Just think of that soldier. Despite all the losses he had experience, he still chose to keep fighting, for the sake of moving forward."
"All those who sacrificed themselves back then gave their lives fighting for a future... but perhaps the future they were hoping for is not the eternity I once strove for."
"Absolutely." Lumine replied.
Ei places her hand on her chest and speaks to us.
"As Inazuma's God, it is high time I honored their wishes."
I smiled at her statement as she soon turn around and speaks to them.
"Warriors of the past who spilled your blood on this island, your noble souls now rest in this earth."
"I will never forget you and all that you did for Inazuma."
I soon heard Paimon whispers to us.
"Ei's taking all this pretty hard..."
"...."
I looked at her and speak to myself.
Yes, perhaps she is...
She then turned around to face us.
"Come on, let's keep investigating the damage on the sacred sakura."
The three of us nodded in response.
"Of course, let's go."