Inazuma City, on the edge of the Tenshukaku.
A full-figured silhouette in pink stood there, overlooking Inazuma City which was filled with purple fog, sighing softly.
That was the chief priestess of the Grand Narukami Shrine, Yae Miko.
At this moment, her face was filled with helplessness:
"I was still played, I didn't expect him to dare to do something like this."
Just moments before, under the threat of the Fatui Balladeer, Yae Miko handed over the Gnosis.
The reason was also due to the purple fog that enveloped the entire Inazuma City.
That was the purple fog released by the Balladeer after setting it up beforehand.
The Balladeer used this to force Yae Miko to hand over the Gnosis!
If she didn't comply, the Balladeer would let the poisonous fog take the lives of all the people in Inazuma City!
Just as Yae Miko was still sighing with worry.
The next moment, a figure in earthy yellow appeared before her.
This figure stunned Yae Miko for a long time. Afterward, this scum woman revealed a smile:
"Mr. Yellow Fox, you arrived too quickly... But, since you're here, does that mean Ei, that stubborn fool, has finally come to her senses?"
Beneath the mask, Yuuko nodded, then looked down at Inazuma City, which was covered by the purple fog, and asked:
"What is the situation now?"
Yae Miko spread her hands, saying helplessly:
"I was played by the Balladeer. He used the lives of the people in Inazuma City to force me to hand over the Gnosis. There was nothing I could do but give it to him."
"That guy is really getting craftier. He caused such a huge problem here in Inazuma while Mr. Yellow Fox and the Raiden Shogun were fighting on the front lines."
"Is that so." Yuuko frowned, anger rising in his heart.
Yuuko had already decided he wouldn't let that idiot Balladeer off the hook.
Now seeing that the Balladeer would actually joke with the lives of all the common people in a city for his own goal... he absolutely couldn't be spared!
Yuuko looked at the pervasive purple fog in the city and said worriedly:
"What about the residents inside the city..."
"Don't worry, the toxicity of the purple fog has been reduced. The citizens are just unconscious. They will wake up once the poisonous fog dissipates."
After speaking, Yae Miko showed a meaningful smile again:
"And, I've been waiting for you for a long time, Mr. Yellow Fox."
Hearing this, Yuuko felt slightly surprised: "You have a way to track that idiot?"
"It's the Balladeer..." Yae Miko corrected him with a strange expression.
Afterward, Yae Miko smiled again:
"How could I not take a few extra precautions for something as important as the Gnosis? Although the Balladeer has taken corresponding measures, as long as he isn't too far away, I still have a way to sense his approximate location~"
"So, Mr. Yellow Fox, go and end all of this~"
...Narukami Island, in the woods north of Inazuma City.
A young man wearing a bamboo hat was walking through them.
This young man was none other than the Fatui Harbinger, the Balladeer, who had already acquired the Gnosis.
However, at this moment, the Balladeer did not intend to return to Snezhnaya with the Gnosis.
Because his pursuit of the Gnosis was never to offer it to the Tsaritsa, Empress of Snezhnaya.
The Balladeer's pursuit of the Gnosis has always been for himself.
The Gnosis was the 'heart' he had always sought.
For this, the Balladeer even turned around and used the Fatui, laying the groundwork for this day for a long time.
Now, the Balladeer has already betrayed the Fatui.
Because his goal has been achieved.
In the woods, the Balladeer held up the exquisite purple chess piece in his hand, observing it intently under the sunlight.
"Is this the so-called Gnosis? It feels somewhat profound."
"It seems I need to go to the research society first before attempting to integrate it into my body and use it for myself."
As he spoke, the Balladeer began to laugh loudly:
"Hahahaha! This step took me a considerable amount of time!"
"So what if a monster like Yellow Fox came to mess things up? Didn't the Gnosis ultimately fall into my hands? Hahahaha!"
The surrounding animals looked helplessly at the Balladeer who was laughing arrogantly, thinking this human was like an idiot and terribly noisy.
Afterward, as the Balladeer laughed, his smile suddenly froze.
Because ahead of him, two figures, one yellow and one pink, had appeared unknowingly.
That pink scum figure, Yae Miko, showed a cunning expression and sneered:
"Oh dear~ Kunikuzushi, Kunikuzushi~ You didn't really think I would just casually hand over something as important as the Gnosis to you, did you~"
The Balladeer's face immediately darkened, and he said in a deep voice:
"I clearly shielded the Gnosis, so why are you still able to track me?"
Yae Miko laughed again: "Kunikuzushi, Kunikuzushi, surely you know that embedding consciousness into an object is my specialty, right?"
At this moment, Yuuko also spoke:
"So, are you prepared? Everything you did in Inazuma—including the Vision Hunt Decree, the Delusion, and even releasing poisonous fog in Inazuma City and threatening the lives of the populace—it's time to settle the score."
These words made the Balladeer's face grow even gloomier.
If only Yae Miko had tracked him down, the Balladeer wouldn't have been too worried, even though dealing with her might be troublesome.
But it would still be within the scope of what he could handle.
The problem was that Yellow Fox was here too!
If Yellow Fox was present, the situation would be entirely different!
The Balladeer roared in confusion: "Yellow Fox! Shouldn't you be fighting that flawed puppet on the front lines!?"
This was the thing the Balladeer found most confusing.
At this point when the resistance and the Shogunate Army were fighting a major battle, Yellow Fox should still be battling the Raiden Shogun on the front lines.
It was precisely because he banked on this fact that the Balladeer actively showed up and caused trouble in Inazuma City.
But he never imagined that Yellow Fox would appear before him so quickly... Facing this question, Yuuko smiled and said: "My presence here doesn't just mean the war is over, does it?"
Veins popped up on the Balladeer's face:
"Impossible! Even if she is a flawed puppet! She couldn't have lost that quickly! And that stubborn person inside! How could she stop so easily! Even a monster like you couldn't make her change her mind that fast!"
Seeing this, Yuuko sighed again: "Believe it or not, I only have one question: Are you prepared?"
After speaking, a tremendous aura erupted from Yuuko's body.
This aura was aimed directly at the Balladeer alone.
This oppressive feeling made the Balladeer's face turn pale, causing him to retreat several steps immediately.
"Tch!" At one point, the Balladeer clicked his tongue softly, then violently flung his hand.
Immediately, a massive burst of purple fog erupted outwards from the Balladeer's center.
This wave of purple fog not only obscured vision, but also possessed strong corrosive properties!
The trees covered by the purple fog withered in just a few seconds, instantly becoming dead trees!
And the small animals nearby that couldn't escape were instantly killed after being engulfed by the purple fog.
In no time, they were reduced to white bones!
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