Shiki felt a little disappointed after catching up. Sure enough, things couldn't follow the game exactly; there was no treasure chest to be gained by following the Electro Seelie.
However, just as she was about to leave, several jelly-like bouncing sounds reached her ears.
She saw three small Electro Slimes plus one large one emerge from the ground. Upon seeing the girl, their expression changed from (0v0) to (>〇<).
"Where did these come from?"
Shiki swiftly drew the Kujikanesada, then stopped viewing the world from an overhead perspective and opened her Mystic Eyes, interwoven with red and blue.
At this moment, everything within her sight was a landscape of demise. Several black and red Lines of Death appeared on the round bodies of the Electro Slimes. Shiki could even foresee the moment the Slimes would be torn into pieces.
To deal with these slow, bouncing elemental precipitates, she didn't even need to enter the State of Selflessness.
Seemingly sensing danger, the antenna-like tentacles atop the Electro Slime began to flash with dazzling light, and a ring of lightning appeared around its body.
The large Slime charged up, bounced off the ground, and intended to crush the enemy before it with its sheer weight.
"This move is useless!"
Shiki shouted coldly, leaping high off the ground. In an instant, she reached the same height as the Slime. As three streaks of cold blade light flashed past, the large Slime split into six pieces in mid-air.
Following that, she executed a perfect force dissipation and landed safely. After taking care of the large Slime, the remaining three small ones posed even less of a challenge.
Shiki's figure flickered, and she stepped in front of an Electro Slime. The Slime's sluggish movements couldn't react in time. After a Kesa-giri lightly grazed the Line of Death, the Slime was sliced in half.
Another Electro Slime attempted a collision attack, but Shiki was prepared. She jumped straight up and flipped in mid-air. The trajectory of her blade resembled a wheel, and, as expected, the Slime's Lines of Death were severed.
Perhaps because the fight had stirred up the desire for destruction in her heart, Shiki plunged the Kujikanesada directly into the body of the last Slime.
She then swung the Kujikanesada, still impaled in the Slime, in a vertical slash, using sheer force to completely cut it into two pieces without touching its Lines of Death!
"Hoo~"
She exhaled and returned the sword to its sheath. A month of cultivation had finally paid off.
Just then, a sound of clapping came from nearby. Shiki instantly turned around, vigilantly looking toward the source of the sound. She then spotted a white-haired, red-eyed young man sitting in a tree, watching her.
"Impressive technique, esteemed guest. To be able to defeat a large Slime so easily without a Vision!" the young man said, lightly jumping down from the tree.
"You've been here since then? And who are you?"
Shiki placed her hand on the sword hilt, simultaneously pushing the Tsuba out slightly with her thumb, adopting a posture ready to draw her sword.
Did Shiki not recognize the person in front of her? No, of course she recognized him, and very well at that.
After all, the phrases "Great Emperor Ye, the Eternal Autocrat" and "Geo Archon, Reigning Over the World" were extremely well-known. Possessing one of the two meant you could stroll through the Abyss unimpeded.
But that was in the game. In the real continent of Teyvat, Kazuha was just an ordinary Genshin Impact. The Anemo-Electro Dual Core moment later in the storyline might very well be the highlight of his life.
"Miss Ryougi, please don't misunderstand. I meant no harm. I was just passing by and sensed your presence on the wind," Kazuha quickly explained.
"Is that so? But I don't recall telling you my name," Shiki said, frowning.
"It seems Miss Ryougi is unaware of this. Ever since Ogura Shop released their new Product Magazine, Miss Ryougi has become famous in Inazuma City."
As Kazuha spoke, he pulled out a magazine from somewhere. Shiki was shocked when she saw it—the cover was her!
Shiki took the magazine. The first page read: "Special thanks to our invited model, Miss Shiki."
"This..."
"I must say, Miss Ryougi's current appearance differs quite a bit from the one in the magazine. I only confirmed it after careful comparison."
"Oh, right, I haven't introduced myself yet. I am Kazuha, a Ronin wandering across the land."
"Sigh, I really didn't want to become famous this way," Shiki sighed. It went without saying that she would be watched whenever she visited Inazuma City from now on.
"In a way, it might be a good thing. Miss Ryougi now has many admirers. It's said that even Kujou Masahito, the eldest son of the Kujou Clan, has fallen for you," Kazuha said with a chuckle.
"Are you trying to tease me? This kind of thing only adds unnecessary trouble for me!"
Shiki frowned. It was too late for anything now. That Kujou Masahito had already set his sights on her, and heaven knew if he would track her down at home.
Judging by how quiet Konda Village still was, Ogura Mio probably hadn't disclosed her place of residence, only putting her name on the magazine.
But there was no guarantee that Kujou Masahito wouldn't use the authority of the Tenryou Commission to find her address. After all, she had left her identity information at Yae Publishing House.
Looking at the girl deep in thought, Kazuha felt like he had said something he shouldn't have.
"My apologies, I didn't mean to imply that..."
"It's fine. You were just the messenger. The real trouble is Kujou Masahito. Seriously, what kind of mess is it to be targeted by the eldest son of one of the Three Commissions?"
Shiki felt a headache coming on. Thankfully she had run into Kazuha today, otherwise, the next time she went to Inazuma City, she might be unknowingly taken straight to the Tenryou Commission.
"As long as you explain the situation clearly, it should be fine... probably?"
Kazuha grew less certain as he spoke. Although his family had fallen from grace, they were once a wealthy and influential samurai clan, and he had witnessed too many instances of people abusing their power.
"Do you believe that yourself?" Shiki was speechless. Saying that explaining it clearly would be enough? Going there would be like a lamb walking into a tiger's den!
Given the Tenryou Commission's consistently overbearing style of operation, would she be able to walk out once she went in?
She could certainly fight her way out, but then she could forget about staying in Inazuma afterward.
As expected, she had no backing. If she had a power base equivalent to the Tenryou Commission, the other party wouldn't dare to act so recklessly.
Wait a minute, just because I don't have a faction backing me doesn't mean I can't join one!
'Perhaps I could go to the Kamisato Clan and become a consultant?' Shiki thought to herself.