At last, when the Mystic Onmyou Chamber sealed itself once more, Victor Wang began ticking off the events he had been waiting for—and saw the first sign appear.
"Ad astra abyssosque."
"Do you need something from us, Miss Katheryne?"
"Recently, the Adventurers' Guild received a special commission. After careful consideration, we believe that two Grand Adventurers—"
"—are the most suitable for the task, right?" Paimon interrupted smoothly, finishing the sentence like a seasoned veteran. "You always say that!"
"Hehe, that's because it's always true… In that case, I'll get right to it. Are you all available at the moment?"
"Of course."
"Already here," Lumine and Victor Wang replied one after another.
"Alright, I'll keep it brief," Katheryne said. "This request comes from the Yashiro Commission. Apparently, there have been many Rift Hounds attacking the roots of the Sacred Sakura around Mt. Yougou."
Hearing this, Victor Wang kept his expression puzzled, though his heart stirred slightly. This time, Ei will make a move. But the more she uses her power, the sharper the conflict between her and the Shogun becomes—until it must finally be resolved.
Paimon exchanged a surprised glance with Lumine. "Rift Hounds? They showed up on Narukami Island?"
Katheryne nodded firmly. "Yes. It's unclear where these creatures came from, but this time they've appeared in packs—large, aggressive, and with a clear target."
Paimon leaned toward Lumine's ear and whispered, "You don't think… this has something to do with that giant Rift Hound we took down on Tsurumi Island, do you?"
Lumine looked around uneasily, then pressed her lips together. "If it's revenge, shouldn't they be coming after us instead?"
"True… well, as long as it's not about us."
"Please listen," Katheryne brought the pair's drifting attention back. "For a long time, the Sacred Sakura has drawn away filth from Inazuma's ley lines to stabilize the land. If it's damaged, the filth could once again corrode the nation—causing a large-scale disaster. This is a matter of great urgency."
"Does the Tenryou Commission know?"
"They've already taken action," Katheryne explained. "But the Sakura's root system is complex, and the Rift Hounds are numerous and elusive. They can only guard key roots and nearby civilians. The extermination task must be handled by others. That's why they're seeking help from every available force—the Adventurers' Guild included."
"Just a few dogs. No problem."
"Such confidence," Katheryne chuckled. "Then I'll leave it to you."
Out of a mix of personality, duty, and a faint sense of guilt, Lumine and Paimon set off immediately. Victor Wang followed after them.
"Victor," Lumine asked on the way to Mt. Yougou, "you haven't fought real Rift Hounds outside the Mystic Onmyou Chamber yet, have you?"
Rift Hounds were the creations of Albedo's creator—the witch, the Khaenri'ahn sage, and senior member of the Hexenzirkel known as Rhinedottir, also known by her title: "Gold." They were capable of eroding the boundaries of the world and devouring elemental energy. She had named them Rifthounds, or more literally, Erosion Beasts—a name born less of ceremony than of their destructive nature.
As the saying goes, "There are no wrong nicknames, only fitting ones."
The Rift Hounds had earned their name through sheer carnage. Their attacks ignored shields—even Zhongli's jade barrier—and inflicted a continuous Corrosion effect that drained life over time. Worst of all, if one person in the party was struck, everyone suffered from the effect.
Recalling this information, Victor Wang replied, "I've heard a little—but not much."
Back in the Mystic Onmyou Chamber, one room had only three Rift Hounds—hardly enough for him, Childe, Lumine, and Xinyan to even share the fight. He hadn't truly witnessed their full strength.
Now he had to be sure—without visible health bars, what did this "Corrosion" actually mean? Direct loss of vitality? Physical decay?
And that part where everyone nearby gets affected if one person's hit—surely that couldn't really happen, right?
Lumine explained, "Rift Hounds can devour a certain amount of elemental energy. Because of that, elemental attacks sometimes vanish into them like pebbles into a pond. On the other hand, their attacks can pierce elemental defenses. When you're hit, your elemental energy goes unstable—you lose control, sometimes even dissipate it."
So 'Corrosion' is actually the erosion of elemental power?
That would make Rift Hounds natural enemies of elemental lifeforms.
Victor glanced at his left hand. His current body was composed of elemental energy as well—like the adepti or geovishaps, creatures with physical forms yet born of elements. He didn't fully understand how it worked, but if he were corroded, his body might literally start falling apart.
He couldn't afford to be hit.
Lumine continued, "Also, there seem to be different kinds. On Seirai Island, we met two—one yellow, which goes berserk after absorbing enough Geo energy, and one purple, which does the same with Electro. Be careful."
"They can even vanish and reappear suddenly!" Paimon added, patting her chest dramatically. "Scared me half to death!"
"Then to normal people, they're just wolves that can fly and teleport."
"They're dogs. Don't worry, they can't absorb that much elemental power anyway."
She was still saying that when they reached Mt. Yougou—only for Lumine's eyes to widen in disbelief.
"There are so many! No wonder the Tenryou Commission needs help…"
From the northeast slopes of Mt. Yougou to the coastline between Araumi and the Kamisato Estate, packs of gray-black beasts roamed freely. Any denser, and it would look like the dark beast tides of old.
A Kamisato retainer, stationed to coordinate third-party forces, gave a brief report:
"The Tenryou Commission is guarding major roots of the Sacred Sakura. The Grand Narukami Shrine is protecting the main trunk. The Yashiro Commission has launched a purge north from the Kamisato Estate, while the Adventurers' Guild and volunteers are striking south from Araumi. Your abilities are widely recognized—please choose your position freely.
[Araumi–Kamisato Estate Rift Hounds Extermination Line.]
"However, it would be best if you could operate from the central area. The Tenryou Commission can only station troops near the thicker roots. The middle section is currently unguarded, and several thinner roots may already be damaged…"
"Then we'll stop them there!" Lumine declared.
She and Victor Wang sprinted toward the far side of Mt. Yougou.
Before they could even strike first, the Rift Hounds sensed them approaching. Their bodies—composed of gray-black stone or bone, fleshless and grotesquely disjointed—let out shrill howls as claws, fangs, and bladed tails tore through the air.
To face multiple foes, Victor tested turning the gentle breeze of the Thousand Winds into sharp blades—unleashing them mercilessly at the oncoming beasts. Yet seventy percent of the blades' power vanished on contact, absorbed like raindrops into sand.
Lumine had already drawn the Festering Desire. "Each one can only absorb so much elemental energy. Once they hit the limit, they can't handle more—but with this many, we should still go easy on elemental attacks."
"Got it."