As the name Yae Miko was spoken, Kuki Shinobu's body stiffened almost imperceptibly. It wasn't fear—no, not exactly—but in Inazuma, that name alone carried the weight of divinity. It was the name that defined the very peak of what it meant to be a Shrine Maiden.
Yae Miko—High Priestess of the Grand Narukami Shrine, heir of the Kitsune lineage, familiar to the Raiden Shogun, and the wily chief editor of Yae Publishing House.
With such titles, she stood as an existence second only to the Raiden Shogun herself.
Kuki Shinobu remembered the stories her mother had told her countless times when she was young—tales of the mysterious, mischievous Guuji who could see through anyone's soul. And when Shinobu had once served as a Shrine Maiden, she had seen Yae Miko with her own eyes. That experience had left such an impression that she swore to herself: if she could avoid meeting that woman again, she would.
"..."
Aila, too, held little fondness for Yae Miko. When she had once visited the Grand Narukami Shrine, that woman had appeared before her, speaking in riddles and offering recruitment in a tone halfway between teasing and sincerity.
Aila never fully understood her intentions—but she did understand that Yae Miko wanted her. Perhaps it was her skill, perhaps her potential. But ever since that snow-covered night when her young master found her, Aila's loyalty had been sealed. Her life, her blade, her everything—belonged only to him.
"Alright, that's enough about her."
Futsu Mitama clapped his hands, cutting through the unease that lingered in the air. He looked at Kuki Shinobu and Aila. "I'll upload the video first—then we'll see what Raiden Makoto gives in return."
Truthfully, he was curious. Raiden Makoto was only a consciousness in the Chat Group—a soul without form, unable to use most of its features. She had tried and failed to take photos, to record videos. Yet she promised a "reward" if the mastermind behind his recent ordeal was uncovered.
As he uploaded the video, a notification appeared.
[Futsu Mitama: "@Raiden Makoto, [Video]. Found it."]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "This is the Fatui?! How did they infiltrate Inazuma? And their gear—these are elites."]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "The Kanjou Commission— has it really fallen this far?"]
The first to react wasn't Raiden Makoto—it was Kokomi. She had been negotiating directly with the Hiiragi Clan, exchanging Watatsumi goods for food and weapons. They had seemed reasonable—helpful, even. Yet seeing the Fatui's presence in this footage, hearing their words, the puzzle pieces fell into place.
It wasn't charity. It was manipulation.
The Resistance's rise had been allowed, even encouraged. It gave the Kanjou Commission and the Fatui a convenient scapegoat—to rob nobles, silence dissent, and blame it all on the "rebels." And if the Resistance were later crushed by Kujou Sara's forces? That would be the perfect ending for them.
Kokomi's head swam. Her mind raced with deductions, each darker than the last.
"Lady Sangonomiya!" Priestess Luzi's alarmed voice cut through her thoughts. "Are you all right?!"
"I'm fine," Kokomi murmured, forcing composure as she rubbed her temple. "Just overthinking."
Still, as she turned back to the Chat Group, she felt a rare sense of gratitude. Without it, this truth might never have reached Watatsumi Island.
[Raiden Makoto: "So it's true. The Hiiragi Clan has sunk this low?"]
[Raiden Makoto: "How vexing. I should not intervene as a spirit; yet to watch Inazuma suffer again that foolish girl will regret it deeply if I do nothing."]
[Kuki Shinobu: "I've long been curious—who are you, exactly?"]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "I must admit, I feel the same."]
[Raiden Makoto: "Oh? Curious, are you?"]
[Kuki Shinobu: "Very. The surname Raiden is not given lightly. In all history, none who bore it passed it on. Only the most distinguished ever received it—and I've found no record of you, not even in unofficial texts."]
[Kuki Shinobu: "That leads me to suspect you perished during the Cataclysm, five hundred years ago. That era remains one of Inazuma's few blank pages."]
[Raiden Makoto: "Heh... you've done your homework. You're correct—I died five hundred years ago, but not in the Cataclysm."]
[Raiden Makoto: "Enough about me. The Group Leader has helped me see Inazuma's plight. As thanks, I'll pass on a skill."]
Ding!
The sound echoed in Futsu Mitama's mind. When he focused, the tricolor dango in his hand slipped from his fingers.
"What—what is this?!"
[Raiden Makoto: "『Transcendence: Baleful Omen』."]
His pupils contracted. He blinked once, twice, verifying the name again and again. Surely this was a mistake.
Aila caught the falling dango midair, placing it gently back on the plate. "Young master?" she asked softly.
But Futsu Mitama didn't respond. His face had gone pale with disbelief. Never before had either Aila or Kuki Shinobu seen him like this. He was always calm, unshakable. Yet now...
Was this skill truly that unbelievable?
[Futsu Mitama: "You... you're not serious, are you? This isn't something mortals can learn!"]
[Raiden Makoto: "Oh? You even recognize it? Then I needn't explain."]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "W-what is it?! @Futsu Mitama @Raiden Makoto!!"]
[Kuki Shinobu: "Even Mitama's shocked what kind of technique is this?!"]
[Raiden Makoto: "Simply put—it's Raiden Shogun's own skill. I just happen to know a bit of it."]
The group exploded.
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "WHAT?!"]
[Kuki Shinobu: "Raiden Shogun's... skill?!"]
[Aila: "A divine art... uploaded?!"]
[Raiden Makoto: "Indeed. I can't record videos or images, but since I exist as consciousness, I tried uploading skills. It seems it worked."]
[Futsu Mitama: "Big Sister!! Even if I could learn it, do you think I'd dare to use it?! The Shogun would smite me instantly!"]
[Raiden Makoto: "Don't be so dramatic. It's only a technique, not divine authority. As long as you don't flaunt it before her, you'll be fine."]
[Futsu Mitama: "You're sure?"]
[Raiden Makoto: "Would I lie to you?"]
Futsu Mitama sighed in relief. Still, his thoughts spiraled. If he used this skill and the Raiden Shogun sensed it, he'd be lucky to die only once.
Even so, the temptation was immense.
After all, "Transcendence: Baleful Omen" wasn't merely an attack—it was proof of the Narukami's blessing.
He knew its meaning well. In the legends, the Hand-Eye symbolized a divine retainer's bond—a conduit through which the Shogun's will flowed. He lacked a Vision, yet the Chat Group itself seemed to strengthen him constantly, as if the system and his own being were intertwined. So when he saw that name appear, his first reaction wasn't disbelief at his own ability—but awe that such a thing could even be shared.
As the Chat Group buzzed in astonishment, Raiden Makoto's message came again.
[Raiden Makoto: "It's difficult, yes. But impossible? No. I believe the Group Leader can master it—your control over Electro and Pyro already borders the extraordinary."]
[Futsu Mitama: "You flatter me."]
[Raiden Makoto: "You'll see. With power like that, Inazuma's darkness won't last forever."]
But Futsu Mitama only smiled wryly. Inazuma, to him, was never home. If given the choice, he'd rather live in Mondstadt, where freedom reigned—or Liyue, where order protected.
Still— curiosity won out.
He clicked "Download."
At that instant, his consciousness blurred. The world around him dissolved into light. When his senses returned, he stood before a vast sea of violet lightning. Thunder roared endlessly, splitting the heavens.
And at the center—
A woman stood poised within the storm, garbed in imperial purple, a naginata in hand. She lifted her gaze, calm and cold. In her eyes shone the light of eternity itself.