At that moment, the Chat Group suddenly erupted with activity. Now that Raiden Makoto had confirmed the current Raiden Shogun was not Raiden Ei herself, her identity seemed to shift instantly—from a "pseudo-Resistance" member into a genuine one.
She began offering Sangonomiya Kokomi detailed guidance: training methods, how to treat surrendered Shogunate soldiers, agricultural expansion strategies, ways to win people over, and even how to evaluate talent when choosing generals.
Her instructions came one after another without pause, to the point Sangonomiya Kokomi—already drained from dealing with Nathan and the impending encirclement—felt her vision spinning like mosquito coils. She wanted to say she couldn't take in any more— yet as the only person on Watatsumi Island capable of digesting such advice, she had to endure it.
Seeing Kokomi forced into 007-mode in the chat, Mitama quietly laughed. It really was too hard on her. Still, amusement never erased the reality: both the Fatui and the Kanjou Commission had their eyes on him. So after a short rest, and after finishing the breakfast Aila prepared, he resumed his morning training.
"Szzzt… szzzt…"
Electro whirled thickly in the air. Above Futsu Mitama's head, the embryonic Electro Eye flickered with bright violet light. He tried again and again to compress and shape it into something complete.
After learning Transcendence: Baleful Omen from Raiden Makoto, he had been grinding nonstop, but no matter how he trained, the result never progressed beyond this rudimentary form. He wanted to perfect it—ideally slashing down and calling forth a fully formed Electro Eye that rained lightning across the field.
Right now, though, the best he could do was fire a straightforward bolt of lightning. Hardly dignified for a technique of divinity.
"That's not right."
A calm voice drifted over. Mitama looked toward it. Kazuha was perched atop a tree branch, a leaf held gently between his fingers. A breeze swept by, and he descended lightly, red eyes resting on the flickering Electro Eye.
"Your method is wrong."
"..."
Aila had silently appeared nearby as well. She gazed at Kazuha without saying a word.
"My method?" Futsu Mitama scratched his cheek. "The one who taught me said that was the principle."
He wasn't being obstinate—Raiden Shogun herself had explained it that way when teaching the technique.
"I'm not saying the principle is wrong."
Kazuha shook his head. In his steady gaze, Futsu Mitama's reflection trembled slightly.
"It's just that this technique clearly isn't something achieved through simple everyday practice."
He lifted the leaf, letting the wind curl around it.
"A wielder of Anemo follows the wind—feeling it, merging into it, listening to its voice. Only then can we draw out the power behind our element."
Of course, Kazuha wasn't talking only about Anemo. He was telling Futsu Mitama that his rigid compression of Electro was fundamentally misguided.
"I see—?"
Something clicked faintly in Futsu Mitama's mind. He eased his control and looked at him. "Then what should I do?"
Aila, too, focused intently. They were strong—very strong—but technique was another matter. And Kazuha's experience far surpassed theirs.
"Combat."
Kazuha drew his tachi. "Electro represents conflict, martial art, and battles. The Shogun herself refined her strength through countless battles. Even Vision wielders advance by testing themselves against danger."
"If you want to reach the next stage, only battle will grant you insight."
With that, he stepped forward—Anemo gathering around his blade—and struck.
Mitama reacted instantly. The half-formed Electro Eye above him reshaped into a tachi and dropped neatly into his hand.
"Clang!"
Anemo and Electro collided—but the sound was muted, masked by Kazuha's skillful absorption of shock or Futsu Mitama's precise restraint.
'Elemental weaponization?' Kazuha's eyes flickered with surprise.
He could do such a thing too, but only after much training—and with a Vision as a conduit. For Futsu Mitama, who had none, to conjure a weapon directly from elemental power—
His control surpassed even Kazuha's.
Kazuha increased his speed. Every strike swept like a stormwind. Futsu Mitama's blade met each one with calm precision—and when he saw an opening, he countered.
"Szzzt—!"
A fierce lightning slash burst forth. Its power rivaled the strike he used to wipe out the Fatui vanguard. Kazuha didn't attempt to block it head-on. He rose into the air, Anemo curling around him, catching the bolt, turning wind into crackling violet. Landing lightly, he let the infused wind sink harmlessly into the ground.
"Boom!"
A crater opened where it dispersed.
"Stop." Kazuha lifted a hand. "This place isn't suited for sparring. If we continue, we'll draw the Tenryou Commission."
He had been misled by Futsu Mitama's mild demeanor. He'd thought a gentle spar would guide him. But after a single exchange, he understood: Futsu Mitama's power far exceeded what he'd expected. If they fought seriously in the wilderness, the scene would be catastrophic.
"Alright."
Futsu Mitama nodded, though disappointment flickered across his face. Just moments ago, he felt something—when he attempted Transcendence: Baleful Omen mid-combat. The surrounding Electro responded instinctively, shaping itself into weapons around him. With just a thought, he felt he could have launched multiple strikes simultaneously.
But before he could test the sensation, Kazuha stopped.
Knock, knock, knock!
A sharp rapping sounded at the door.
Futsu Mitama, Aila, and Kazuha all turned toward it.
"Open up! Tenryou Commission!"
A stern male voice called from outside.
Futsu Mitama frowned slightly, then turned to find that Kazuha had already vanished. Clearly, Kazuha assumed the Tenryou Commission had come for him and chose to hide. Escaping outright wasn't an option. Given the current security around Inazuma City, he could fight his way out if he really wanted to—but what followed would be a relentless pursuit.
Futsu Mitama exchanged a glance with Aila, and together they walked to the front door.
The moment he opened it, a squad from the Tenryou Commission stood at the entrance. Their leader was a broad-shouldered, stern-faced middle-aged man with an Electro Vision hanging at his waist—an unmistakable loyalist of the Kujou Clan.
"May I help you?"
Futsu Mitama spoke calmly. He had no reason to be intimidated; he was a noble now, and he didn't even know this man.
"This is a search warrant," the man announced coldly. "Yesterday, in the Gozen Duel, a samurai stole the Vision of a defeated contestant. He is still at large. We're conducting a routine inspection."
He held out the document, gaze heavy and unwelcoming. "I trust you understand."
Though he claimed he "hoped for understanding," his attitude was nothing but condescending.
"Do as you like," Futsu Mitama replied bluntly. "But if anything gets damaged, I'll report it directly to Kujou Sara."
The warning landed immediately. As soon as her name surfaced, the man's stern expression tightened. He snorted and waved his squad inside.
Futsu Mitama and Aila remained unbothered. Their home was huge, and Kazuha's hiding skills were exceptional. A samurai with an Anemo Vision who truly wished to vanish would not be found—not by them, not by anyone.
But Futsu Mitama already sensed that this search was only part of their purpose. Sure enough, while his men combed the house, the middle-aged man stepped closer and lowered his voice.
"The Tenryou Commission's affairs are not for the Yashiro Commission to interfere with," he warned. "A Snezhnayan diplomat has arrived. According to them, the Fatui squad was acting righteously—assisting you against the Nobushi. I don't know why Guuji Yae knocked them unconscious."
His cold gaze narrowed.
"Watch your step. Know what to involve yourself in and what to stay out of."
So this was the real reason he came. Pressure. A message. A reminder for the Kamisato Clan to keep their hands off matters the Kujou Clan considered their territory.
"You should tell this to the head of the Kamisato Clan." Futsu Mitama's tone remained indifferent. "I'm just an ordinary Inazuman noble. What use is it telling me? Go speak to the Kamisato Clan directly."
The man's face twisted. Go confront Kamisato Ayato? Impossible. The head of the Kujou Clan himself wouldn't dare do that lightly—why would he?
"You'd best take care of yourself," the man muttered, clearly unwilling to say more.
A few minutes later, the search squad returned and shook their heads. No one found. The middle-aged man didn't look surprised. In his eyes, no noble in Inazuma would be foolish enough to hide someone personally wanted by the Shogun. Their targets were always commoners with no backing.
Once they left, Futsu Mitama watched them disappear down the street, a contemplative glint in his eyes.
"Do you need my help?"
Kazuha's voice drifted from above. He sat casually atop a nearby wall, gazing down at Futsu Mitama. "It seems the Tenryou Commission intends to trouble you."
He looked solemn yet sincere. "As repayment, I can eliminate your troubles. Afterward, I'll leave Inazuma so you won't be implicated."
A man wanted by the Shogunate had little reason to avoid the additional crime of cutting down its soldiers. His friend's death at the Gozen Duel, the Vision Hunt Decree, and the negligence of both the Tenryou and Kanjou Commissions—these had long since severed his patience.
"No need. They haven't gone that far," Futsu Mitama said calmly.
This was Inazuma City—the Tenryou Commission's headquarters, yes, but also the place where the Raiden Shogun herself resided. Here, the Kujou Clan wasn't the ultimate authority. As long as he didn't commit a grave offense, his noble status made him difficult to touch.
"…"
Kazuha fell silent. He understood. Within the city, the Commission couldn't act without restraint. But if they seized any excuse—unless the Shogun intervened—no one could save you.
"But more importantly—" Futsu Mitama shut the door and looked at Kazuha with renewed eagerness. "When do we continue our sparring? I want to master this power as soon as possible."
Kazuha smiled faintly. He caught a drifting leaf between his fingers. "Once we leave Inazuma City, I'll spar with you seriously."
"The power you wield is strong. But your techniques are rough. With refinement, your strength will grow…considerably."
He truly meant it. Futsu Mitama possessed raw power—plenty of it—but lacked the polish that came from experience.
"I don't wish to be too strong," Futsu Mitama replied casually. "Just strong enough to protect myself."
Too much power was not always a blessing. And beyond the Seven Archons ruled the Heavenly Principles with its shades. The world of Teyvat was far too deep to comprehend. Living as a mortal was comfortable enough.
"That's a fine mindset," Kazuha said softly, genuinely moved. It resonated with his own love for a life guided by the wind—drifting freely, drinking fine wine, savoring poetry.
"Speaking of which, do you drink?"
Futsu Mitama asked with a teasing smile. "I have excellent wine here. Even the nobles in Ritou can't easily get it. For you, it's free."
"My wine is truly superb. Want some?"
"Ah?"
Kazuha froze. His dignified ronin aura faltered instantly.
Because—
He doesn't drink. Not even a single drop.
"…No need. It's not the right time to drink."
Kazuha quietly retreated half a step, attempting to maintain his composure. "In the future— if fate allows— then of course, I'll drink with you until we're both drunk."