[Futsu Mitama: "@Sangonomiya Kokomi, are you there? Your Resistance just ran to Inazuma City to hijack cloth." ]
[Raiden Makoto: "@Sangonomiya Kokomi, are you there? Your Resistance just ran to Inazuma City to hijack cloth." ]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "???????"]
At that moment, on Watatsumi Island, after finally finishing a day of exhausting administrative arrangements for the newly formed Resistance, Sangonomiya Kokomi returned to her private quarters to rest.
She opened the group chat and blinked in confusion at the flood of identical messages.
What? What in the world were they talking about?
Her Resistance had just been formally established yesterday—how could anyone possibly have had the time to "hijack cloth" in Inazuma City? Feeling a headache coming on, Kokomi immediately began investigating who had decided to throw this pot of trouble onto her head.
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "What's going on? The Resistance was only officially established yesterday. Today, we only finalized the structure and assigned departments. Even our first operations are scheduled for three days later. How could anyone from our side already be in Inazuma City?" ]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "This is slander! No—this is a blatant frame-up!!!" ]
[Raiden Makoto: "Exactly. As a member of the Resistance myself, even I can't stand this level of nonsense." ]
[Raiden Makoto: "Still, if someone's acting under your banner, they're likely exploiting the Resistance's name for personal gain—or perhaps deliberately sowing confusion to destabilize you." ]
[Kuki Shinobu: "I agree. The timing's too perfect to be coincidence. Someone learned about your Resistance yesterday, and today, Kujou Sara's already been dispatched to investigate." ]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "!!!!!! Wait—Kujou Sara?! You mean the general of the Tenryou Commission? The adopted daughter of the Kujou Clan?!" ]
[Raiden Makoto: "That's right. Then you may be in trouble, Kokomi. To hold the title of general, her strength must be formidable—likely on par with her ancestors." ]
[Raiden Makoto: "Remember, the Kujou Clan earned their position through martial prowess, and they've excelled in both personal combat and military formations ever since. If you're not careful, your Resistance might be crushed before it even begins." ]
Kokomi's heart sank slightly as she read the messages. Raiden Makoto's confidence in the Kujou Clan was clear—and perhaps not misplaced. The intelligence she'd gathered suggested Kujou Sara truly was exceptional.
As the executor of the Vision Hunt Decree, she'd subdued countless opponents—many of them Vision-bearers and skilled warriors. Even ordinary ronin in Inazuma were far from weak, yet Kujou Sara had defeated them with overwhelming might.
"Kujou Sara is already investigating? How troublesome..." Kokomi muttered, massaging her temples.
Her mind was already stretched thin from the endless logistics of forming the Resistance—supplies, strategy, recruitment. Now, on top of that, there was this false accusation and the looming threat of the Shogunate's general.
If they were an ordinary criminal organization, they might have seized this chance to posture—claiming responsibility to attract attention and rally followers, much like the Nobushi or Treasure Hoarders.
But Kokomi knew better. The Resistance's purpose was noble; it couldn't afford to invite chaos or compromise discipline. Their growth had to be deliberate and principled—otherwise, they would truly become the "enemy" the Shogunate painted them to be.
Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself and typed back.
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "@Futsu Mitama, Group Leader, could I trouble you to investigate who these so-called 'Resistance' impostors are?" ]
[Futsu Mitama: "Rather than chasing those impostors, you should start by examining your own ranks. Specifically, the foreign recruits who joined recently." ]
[Futsu Mitama: "You just established the Resistance yesterday, and today, Kujou Sara's already moving to investigate. It's hard not to suspect a leak from within." ]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "Understood. I'll personally interrogate all foreign members at once." ]
[Kuki Shinobu: "Also, something strange is happening in Inazuma. Public opinion's being steered by an invisible hand. Even if you haven't acted yet, the Shogunate already believes you have." ]
[Raiden Makoto: "It's fine. Once the pressure of public opinion peaks, the Raiden Shogun herself will act." ]
[Aila: "The Raiden Shogun hasn't appeared in ages. Other than the Sakoku and Vision Hunt Decrees, she almost never shows herself. She stays in Tenshukaku all day." ]
[Raiden Makoto: "Doesn't she ever go for a walk?" ]
[Futsu Mitama: "As far as we know, the Raiden Shogun hasn't appeared publicly since that incident 500 years ago." ]
[Raiden Makoto: "How obstinate... though I suppose it's understandable. If she were capable of thinking rationally, she would've found her answer long ago." ]
Their conversation drifted idly after that. The group continued chatting as their journey remained eerily peaceful—no Nobushi, no Treasure Hoarders, not even a wandering guard patrol.
Kuki Shinobu eventually broke the silence. "You know, this group member named Raiden... She sounds really familiar with the Raiden Shogun."
"And the way she talks—it feels... old-fashioned, like she's from another era."
Futsu Mitama nodded gravely. "Yes. She is very familiar with the Raiden Shogun. In fact, if you were to say her full name in front of the Shogun..."
"There's a high chance you'd receive a reward. And a small chance you'd receive a Musou no Hitotachi instead."
He wasn't exaggerating. If Kuki Shinobu ever mentioned "Raiden Makoto" before Raiden Ei, the consciousness sleeping in the Plane of Euthymia might awaken briefly—or, if the puppet misfired, strike her down instantly.
Kuki Shinobu's eyes gleamed with thought. The name Raiden Makoto stirred something in her memory—an echo of historical figures long past. But no records she knew of mentioned such a person. Could she be, like Guuji Yae, one of the Shogun's familiars?
"We're here," Aila's calm voice cut in. Ahead lay Ritou, shrouded in mist and the scent of sea breeze.
"Much faster than expected. Unless you're thick-skinned, young master, we might miss lunch."
Futsu Mitama chuckled softly. By his estimation, a few wandering Nobushi should've appeared to delay them—but their path had been strangely quiet. Perhaps the heated chatter in the group had made the journey feel shorter than it was.
Upon arriving at Ritou, the group was immediately met with the sight of increased Shogunate Army patrols. Guards stood at nearly every corner, their presence far heavier than in the past.
Ritou, after all, was not only responsible for maintaining local order—it was also the first and last line of defense against foreigners attempting to slip out of Inazuma during the Sakoku Decree.
In all of Inazuma, nowhere had as many foreigners as Ritou. To truly set foot on Narukami's main island, one first had to pass through the Ritou checkpoint. The Kanjou Commission oversaw the area, and entry or exit required a maze of paperwork, permits, and—most often—connections.
For this reason, most foreigners never left Ritou. Unless one had an urgent purpose, why risk so much trouble? The other nations of Teyvat—Mondstadt, Liyue, Sumeru, Fontaine, Natlan, even Snezhnaya—were far more welcoming to travelers.
Futsu Mitama, Aila, and Kuki Shinobu, as native Inazumans, presented their credentials. After confirming their authenticity, the guards nodded and allowed them through.
"The once-bustling Ritou has turned into this…" Kuki Shinobu murmured.
She glanced around at the near-empty streets, the abandoned stalls, and the faded merchant banners fluttering weakly in the sea breeze. "Ritou used to overflow with travelers and traders from every nation. Now it's so desolate how pitiful."
It had been years since Kuki Shinobu last visited. Since the Sakoku Decree, her days had been consumed by cleaning up after the Arataki Gang's antics, assisting the Tenryou Commission with internal affairs, and tending to the statue of Her Excellency, the Almighty Narukami Ogosho. Her work kept her near Inazuma City; she rarely had reason to travel this far west.
Had it not been for Futsu Mitama's request, she might not have set foot in Ritou again for a very long time.
As she spoke, Shinobu pulled out her camera and snapped a few photos of the desolate harbor, then sent them into the group chat. After all, Raiden Makoto had expressed curiosity about Inazuma's current state. Everything she said in the chat had sounded as if it came from someone who remembered a long-lost Inazuma—an older age filled with nostalgia and lingering melancholy.
To Shinobu, Raiden Makoto must have been a divine familiar, like the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine. After all, who else would speak of "ancient Inazuma" with such wistful clarity?
The thought that she might actually be related to the Raiden Shogun was absurd.
Every legend agreed: the Raiden Shogun had no family—only comrades and subordinates. Since the founding of Inazuma, there had been but one Electro Archon.
In the group, Raiden Makoto soon replied to the photo. Her message carried the same tone of quiet lament. The once-thriving port had fallen silent; time and decrees had hollowed it out.
But Futsu Mitama had no time to join in her nostalgia. He was already hurrying toward the International Chamber of Commerce with Shinobu and Aila.
Before they even arrived, an angry voice cut through the sea breeze.
"What did you just say?!"
It was a familiar voice—Chairman Kurisu's. Looking ahead, they saw the chairman locked in a heated argument with a Shogunate officer.
"Keep your voice down," the officer—Keijiro of the Kanjou Commission—snapped. He was responsible for tax collection and was notorious for his rigidity. "I don't want to repeat myself. Due to the latest decree, your taxes have been tripled."
He crossed his arms, gaze cold and self-assured. "And don't try to claim poverty. We know your Chamber recently made a fortune selling that Inazuman wine."
Kurisu's face darkened. He hadn't expected this. At his side, his foreign associate, Harrison, could no longer stay silent. "You've got to be kidding me! Taxes doubled last month—and now tripled again?!"
"Harrison!" Kurisu hissed sharply, trying to rein him in.
Keijiro looked at them with a mocking smile. "If you don't like it, you're free to pay in kind. The higher-ups have a new demand—crystal marrow. Gather enough of it, and your taxes will be reduced. Fail, and… well, don't blame us for enforcing the decree."
The words stunned Kurisu and Harrison alike. Keijiro's tone wasn't his usual strict, rule-bound one—there was something off about how casually he said it, as if he'd been bribed or instructed behind closed doors.
Even so, Kurisu was tempted. Paying in goods might be easier than coughing up triple taxes in coin. But the Chamber had almost no crystal marrow left—certainly not enough to meet a government quota.
He was just about to grit his teeth and surrender the payment when a sharp voice cut in—
"Wait!!!"
Kuki Shinobu stepped forward, her green hair catching the light as she pushed through the crowd.
Keijiro's brows furrowed in irritation. "Who are you supposed to be?"
He shot her a cold glare. He'd been a moment away from sealing the deal, and now this outsider had appeared to ruin everything. But Shinobu didn't back down—her calm eyes fixed firmly on him, her tone edged with steel.
"Hmm?"
Keijiro's eyes flicked past Kuki Shinobu—and froze. Standing just behind her were Futsu Mitama and Aila. His face immediately stiffened.
He remembered that young man vividly. The last time Futsu Mitama had come to Ritou, he'd entered the Hiiragi Clan mansion and even shared a private meal with Lord Hiiragi Shinsuke himself.
That visit had led to Lord Hiiragi instructing the Kanjou Commission to ease up on the International Chamber of Commerce—to "let them breathe," as he'd put it.
And now, here he was, caught red-handed enforcing a threefold tax on the same Chamber. Even though he'd done it under orders, Keijiro knew how things worked in Ritou: if someone of Futsu Mitama's standing decided to press the issue, he would be the one offered up as a scapegoat.
"You—"
He barely got the word out before Kuki Shinobu stepped forward again, ready to cite Inazuma's legal code and point out that his conduct violated multiple decrees.
But before she could even finish drawing breath—
"Ah—!" Keijiro suddenly doubled over, clutching his stomach. His expression twisted into one of exaggerated pain. "Ouch! My stomach—hurts! So badly!"
Without another word, he turned and bolted down the street, fleeing as if chased by a pack of oni.
"…"
Kuki Shinobu blinked. For a moment, she was genuinely taken aback. Then her brows knit in quiet irritation. "He ran?"
She moved to follow, but Futsu Mitama raised a hand, stepping in front of her.
"No rush," he said calmly, his tone indifferent. "He's just a pawn. Chasing him won't change anything."
He glanced toward the direction Keijiro had disappeared, then turned back to Shinobu and Aila. "If we don't deal with the root cause, there will always be another one just like him. Solve one, and the next will appear."
Futsu Mitama understood Ritou's situation far too well. This was the Kanjou Commission's domain—their stronghold. The Yashiro Commission had no authority here, unlike in Inazuma City, where influence between the three Commissions still overlapped.
Until the situation was properly settled, confronting the Hiiragi Clan head-on would accomplish nothing.
After all, Hiiragi Shinsuke had long since aligned himself with the Fatui. The only reason he had shown leniency before was out of respect for Futsu Mitama—and because of the delicate matter between Hiiragi Chisato and the Kujou Clan.
Now, though, if they forced the issue again—especially when the Fatui were involved and demanding crystal marrow—it could easily spiral out of control.