Real world.
Inazuma, Hanamizaka, under the cherry blossom tree.
Arataki Itto stared at the information on the light screen with excitement all over his face. He turned to Kuki Shinobu and asked, "Shinobu, did you see that? That Yae Miko said that as long as I rise up with her, she'll make me the Tenryou Commission General once it's done! Once I'm the General, that Kujou Tengu won't be able to do a thing to me!!"
Kuki Shinobu had a face full of "old man playing with his phone."
The more excited Arataki Itto got, the more exhausted Kuki Shinobu felt.
Her boss was great in every way... except he was a bit dumb—no, he had a pure heart!
He was so straightforward that he could be fooled by a single joke from Yae Miko.
Kuki Shinobu helplessly rubbed her forehead. "Boss, you can forget about that. Lady Yae, the Guuji, would never rebel against the Shogun."
"How could that be? Didn't she say it herself? The Shogun is tyrannical!" Arataki Itto was full of disbelief.
"Sigh."
Kuki Shinobu let out a sigh.
[Arataki Itto]: Hahaha, that Tenryou Commission General position is definitely mine! (Arataki Itto · smug)
[Kujou Sara]: (facepalm)
As someone who'd dealt with Arataki Itto plenty of times, Kujou Sara knew his personality all too well.
But what surprised Kujou Sara was that Yae Miko's joke had Itto completely wrapped around her finger?
[Venti]: I'm the Raiden Shogun! I've been kidnapped by the Southern Cross Fleet. V me 500,000 Mora to rescue me, and I'll pay you back tenfold! (Hu Tao · sly grin)
[Arataki Itto]: Huh?! No way, you're clearly that wind god or whatever. You're not the Shogun!
[Keqing]: Why do I get the feeling Mr. Arataki Itto is super easy to fool? (Keqing · puzzled)
[Ayato]: Brother Itto is just very straightforward.
[Raiden Ei]: Setting that aside for now, @[Yae Miko], explain carefully—where exactly is the Shogun tyrannical? If you can't say, just you wait!
[Furina]: What do you mean by that? Are you threatening a hero rising up for the people?
[Yae Miko]: Exactly! What are you trying to do, threatening me like that? What's your relationship with the Raiden Shogun? (silly)
[Scaramouche]: One's an oily-tongued fox who pretends to like humans just to curry favor with the divine—utterly hypocritical! The other's just a cold-blooded, emotionally fragile person. Both are hard to judge!
[Yae Miko]: ?
[Raiden Ei]: ...
[Tartaglia]: Bro, don't drag the Fatui into this!
[Scaramouche]: Oh? Am I dragging the Fatui down? The Fatui were already black to begin with.
[Signora]: Heh, that's just how he is—mouthy to everyone. (shrug)
[Paimon]: Instead of arguing about this, why not discuss when to rise up? Thoma's been caught! @[Kamisato Ayaka] When is your Kamisato Clan going to pull the Shogun from her throne?
[Kamisato Ayaka]: Ah, we would never dare think such a thing! (shaking head)
[Gu Chen]: The emperor's throne rotates—it's my turn this year! Everyone, charge with me!!
[Raiden Ei]: ...
While the group chat was buzzing with nonsense, Thoma had already vanished from the video.
According to Kamisato Ayaka, she'd overheard passersby on the road saying Thoma had been taken by the Tenryou Commission.
And unfortunately, the Raiden Shogun was about to hold the Vision Hunt Ceremony for the hundredth Vision in front of the Statue of the Omnipresent God—and the public target was likely Thoma!
"No way! I have to save him!" Kamisato Ayaka was extremely anxious.
Thoma held a special place in the Kamisato household.
On the surface, he was the Kamisato Clan's steward, but in reality, the Kamisato siblings trusted him deeply. They didn't treat him like an ordinary servant but more like family.
"Calm down!"
Lumine shook her head.
Paimon chimed in too, "If you go personally, won't that mean the Yashiro Commission is openly opposing the Raiden Shogun? If you rebel publicly, all those ordinary people in the Yashiro Commission will get dragged in too, right?"
"There's no other choice... Time's running out. The ceremony's about to start—I can't just abandon Thoma!"
"He's our friend too. You stay here. We'll handle it." Lumine shook her head.
"Don't worry. When a friend's life is on the line, we won't mess it up!" Paimon nodded repeatedly.
The two set off immediately.
Due to her status, Kamisato Ayaka couldn't step in and could only watch them leave with worry.
[Kamisato Ayaka]: Thoma! Please be okay! (worried)
[Thoma]: I trust Miss Lumine plenty, but I feel like the Tenryou Commission will come knocking for me soon. (Qiqi · flop)
[Kujou Sara]: Rest assured. The Shogun has issued a divine decree: past lives do not affect the present.
[Raiden Ei]: (nod)
[Yae Miko]: Oh my, looks like the Shogun is pretty open-minded after all. (Yae Miko · sly grin)
[Lumine]: I have a bad feeling—this trip won't go smoothly!
[Paimon]: Sigh, Gu Chen already fought the Shogun, and now we're off to save Thoma. The two sides might clash the moment they meet? (Collei · no response)
[Lyney]: Looks like the only way to break the deadlock is for Mr. Gu Chen to step in?
[Paimon]: I see Gu Chen in the crowd!!
[Venti]: Where where?
[Kaeya]: On the second floor in the distance!
In the video.
A huge crowd of Inazuma citizens had gathered in front of the Statue of the Omnipresent God, whispering among themselves.
Thoma was forced to his knees on the ground by two Tenryou Commission soldiers, his head bowed, lost in thought.
In the far back of the crowd, on an Inazuma street, Gu Chen leaned against the doorway of a second-floor balcony, watching everything.
Lumine and Paimon finally squeezed to the very front of the crowd.
At that moment, the Raiden Shogun's figure appeared on the high platform.
Her face showed no expression as she raised her hand and grabbed. Thoma's Vision detached from his waist and flew into her palm.
Thoma had seen what happened to those who'd lost their Visions—he definitely didn't want to lose his. But the two soldiers held him down tight.
Seeing this, Lumine leaped into the air and snatched the Vision mid-flight.
"Hm?"
The Raiden Shogun showed a flicker of surprise.
The two Tenryou Commission soldiers charged at Lumine immediately.
Lumine spun around, blasting them both to the ground with Electro. She dashed to Thoma's side to untie the ropes, but a bolt of lightning interrupted her.
The Raiden Shogun's expression darkened on the platform.
She took a step forward, her foot landing on thin air as if supported by invisible stairs, descending step by step.
"You can wield Elemental Power without a Vision. You too are an exception."
"Exceptions are the enemies of eternity."
"I will brick you into the statue!"
Immense power erupted around the Raiden Shogun, endless lightning surging from her chest as the hilt of her blade slowly emerged.
She gripped the katana's hilt and swung. Endless lightning spread along the blade.
Then, the light and shadows shattered. In an instant, Lumine seemed enveloped by invisible space, her surroundings shifting dramatically.
When Lumine came to, a figure meditating in the void appeared ahead—identical to the Raiden Shogun!
She slowly opened her eyes. Lumine charged with the Edgeless Sword in hand.
Boom!
The figure flashed, and Lumine blacked out instantly.
Light and shadows shattered again. Lumine lay on the ground as Paimon rushed forward, shaking her urgently. "Lumine! Wake up!"
The Raiden Shogun approached with her blade drawn.
Thoma used the polearm stuck in the ground to saw through his ropes.
The moment the Raiden Shogun swung, he spun, yanked the polearm free, and hurled it at her.
The Raiden Shogun blocked with her katana. Sparks flew, and the shockwave lifted Lumine into the air.
Thoma helped Lumine up. She woke and leaped across the cliff to escape.
The Raiden Shogun reached the cliff's edge, her gaze landing on the distant second floor.
"Shogun! That person just now..." A Tenryou Commission soldier spoke cautiously beside her.
The Raiden Shogun locked eyes with Gu Chen before saying flatly, "Add her to the Vision Hunt Decree. Next time we meet, I'll cleave once more."
On the second floor.
Gu Chen withdrew his gaze and vanished in a flash.
[Lumine]: I'm wanted again?! (Xinyan · pissed off)
—Thanks to boss [Fufeng County Storm] for the monthly ticket!