"Miss! I'm back!"
As the door opened, Thoma stepped into the small tavern. He was holding a pigeon in one hand and immediately announced, "The Clan Head agreed… Eh? Where's the Young Lady?"
His eyes swept across the room, finding only Futsu Mitama, Aila, and Kuki Shinobu. He rubbed his eyes, confused. Before entering, he had clearly heard the Young Lady speaking with them. They seemed to be discussing the effects of an item, though he hadn't paid attention. And yet, the moment he walked in, Kamisato Ayaka was nowhere to be seen.
"How incredible." Kuki Shinobu murmured, genuinely surprised. A faint envy flickered in her eyes. "This is far more practical than that miko outfit."
Futsu Mitama let out a long sigh, resentment, envy, and frustration flashing in his gaze. "It really is impressive. Even if I knew someone was hiding here beforehand, I could only sense that someone was watching me. Finding her directly would be almost impossible."
"Still, it's not undefeatable." Aila extended her hand, Hydro energy gathering in her palm. She surveyed the room calmly. "If it gets hit, or something sticks to it, the effect breaks."
Even so, she knew full well that most people wouldn't unleash large-scale attacks casually. They consumed too much energy, and preparing one made the user stand out instantly. In reality, someone hiding under this cloak could ambush or escape with ease.
In short—it was extremely useful. No wonder Kuki Shinobu was envious. Had her first sign-in not given her the miko outfit, she probably would have handed over this cloak to Aila without hesitation.
Meanwhile, Thoma was completely lost. What in the world was happening? Where had his Young Lady gone??
"Indeed, it's very effective." Kamisato Ayaka's voice appeared directly behind him.
"!!!!"
Thoma jolted violently, nearly leaping into the air. He spun around to see Ayaka smiling mischievously, a hand over her mouth. "Y-Young Lady, you almost gave me a heart attack"
"Sorry." She apologized politely, though the playful glint in her eyes refused to fade.
Thoma looked down at the cloak in her hand, curiosity rising. "What is that?" Was this the item they had been discussing? It looked old and worn, yet Ayaka had managed to sneak behind him—him, who prided himself on his vigilance.
"Hmm, Futsu Mitama gave it to me." Ayaka replied lightly. She did not mention the Chat Group or the sign-in system. Those were Futsu Mitama's matters, not hers to reveal.
"I see." Thoma accepted the explanation without digging deeper. Instead, he looked between Ayaka and Futsu Mitama. "The Clan Head says we can proceed. If anything dangerous happens, just shout the Raiden Shogun's name."
"While it may offend the divine, we can simply say we discovered Kunikuzushi's whereabouts."
Futsu Mitama and the others exchanged subtle glances.
Kamisato Ayaka froze for a moment. "…Brother actually said that? Does he already expect us to encounter Kunikuzushi?"
"No." Futsu Mitama shook his head. "More likely, your brother already knows the Hiiragi Clan is working with the Fatui."
"Which means we don't need to restrain ourselves in this operation. It's the Hiiragi Clan who should worry."
The moment he said this, a faint sense of anticipation surfaced in his eyes—curiosity about what consequences awaited the Hiiragi Clan. In Inazuma, there were three people no one should ever provoke. Raiden Shogun, who truly killed without hesitation. Yae Miko, who intervened from the shadows without leaving a trace. And Kamisato Ayato—whose methods were less divine, but devastatingly thorough. Being targeted by Kamisato Ayato was essentially a death sentence.
If not for being dragged into the Fatui's plans, Futsu Mitama would have enjoyed watching the Hiiragi Clan's downfall with a cup of tea in hand. Unfortunately, he was already part of the conflict.
"So, when do we begin? Or rather… how?"
Thoma scratched his head. He had rushed his report earlier because the atmosphere had felt too awkward.
"Right now," Futsu Mitama replied decisively. Lazy at times, but once he moved, he never hesitated.
"Aila and I are being monitored by the Fatui or the Hiiragi Clan. As soon as we step out, we'll draw their attention."
"You three follow behind and act accordingly."
It was the same strategy as before. If the enemy wanted to kidnap him, then he would simply give them the chance.
"Huh?" Thoma panicked. "Isn't that walking straight into danger? Miss Aila is strong, yes, but what if they restrain her and take you away? You were kidnapped by Nobushi once before! If not for the Guuji, you might still be—"
Futsu Mitama nodded. "Exactly. I want them to think that only Aila is dangerous, and I'm just an ordinary man."
With that, he took Aila's hand and walked out of the tavern. As Thoma stood there stunned, Kuki Shinobu folded her arms. "Don't underestimate him. Futsu Mitama is much stronger than you think."
Kamisato Ayaka nodded as well. After seeing the truth through the Chat Group, she no longer viewed him as fragile. They both followed. Thoma hesitated, bewildered, but eventually trusted Futsu Mitama and went after them.
Outside, Futsu Mitama and Aila headed toward the busy Ritou streets, pretending to shop for items not sold in Inazuma City.
Hidden in the shadows, Ayaka, Shinobu, and Thoma followed silently.
They waited. Once Futsu Mitama and Aila left Ritou, it meant the enemy had begun to pursue.
Thoma, however, was nervous. He could barely keep track of Futsu Mitama's figure—Aila's maid outfit was easy to see, but Futsu Mitama dressed like any ordinary citizen.
If an elite Fatui agent snatched him away in an instant. What then?
Thoma's nerves stretched tight—until he learned the truth he could not yet comprehend.
In the Chat Group:
[Kuki Shinobu: "Any signs yet?"]
[Aila: "Nothing. Only the guards watching us."]
[Futsu Mitama: "We've been staring at this melon stand too long. I asked the vendor if the melon was ripe."]
[Futsu Mitama: "The vendor gave me the 'fellow merchant' look. Really? You can tell violetgrass freshness just by weighing it."]
[Ayaka: "Maybe your question truly annoyed him—?"]
[Albedo: "What are you doing? Why are you being targeted?"]
[Makoto: "Probably some offline activity."]
[Futsu Mitama: "Nothing much. Just rescuing a merchant kidnapped by the Fatui."]
[Albedo: "I see. Fatui business again. They are quite troublesome in Mondstadt, too."]
[Futsu Mitama: "Thanks for the offer, but we're fine— Wait! Someone's targeting us!"]
[Aila: "Young Master, I see her. The Fatui agent we saw when entering Ritou. She's with a Kanjou Commission samurai."]
[Futsu Mitama: "@Shinobu @Ayaka Call Thoma. We're moving."]
[Makoto: "Are the Kanjou Commission and Fatui openly cooperating now—?"]
[Azhdaha: "Inazuma's misfortune lies in poor leadership and judgment."]
[Makoto: "Kokomi, about the food shortage in the Resistance—work with the Kanjou Commission. They won't refuse cooperation, since they already cooperate with the Fatui."]
[Kokomi: "Ehhh?!"]
As the Chat Group grew chaotic, Futsu Mitama purchased several violetgrass and calmly exited Ritou with Aila. The Fatui and Hiiragi Clan samurai began tailing them immediately.
In the distance, Thoma watched anxiously as Futsu Mitama and Aila walked toward the exit.
"Should we move—?"
Before he could decide, Kuki Shinobu stood up. "Let's go. We'll leave the city from another direction and take a shortcut to intercept them."
Ayaka nodded. "We must hurry."
Thoma froze— How did they know? Had Futsu Mitama somehow signaled them?
'Telepathy…?' His confusion only grew.
Meanwhile, Futsu Mitama and Aila approached the Ritou gate. The guard on duty suddenly clutched his stomach and ran off. The remaining guard insisted it wasn't his job to check permits and told them to wait.
A few minutes later, the first guard returned and casually approved their exit. The moment they stepped outside, Futsu Mitama sensed it— more eyes watching them.
The trap had begun.
Nearby, three disguised Nobushi, two Debt Collectors, a Mirror Maiden, and an Electro Cicin Mage observed them silently. A Hiiragi samurai spoke first. "That's him. You must capture him alive."
"As for the girl," he added coldly, "her life or death doesn't concern us."
The Debt Collector shot him a cold glare. "Last time was an accident. Those Nobushi took him to Mt. Yougou. And we are partners, not your subordinates."
The samurai choked, unwilling to provoke the Fatui further. He had seen Scaramouche's cruelty with his own eyes. Both sides silently despised each other, but they had to cooperate—for now.
The samurai pointed at the path ahead.
"This shortcut leads to Inazuma City more quickly. Hardly anyone uses it due to monsters and rough terrain."
A smile crept onto his face.
"It's deserted. No one will notice no matter how loudly we fight—unless someone set an ambush."
The Debt Collector's expression sharpened.
The samurai continued: "On this path, the Tenryou Commission won't appear. Capturing him here is perfect." And so, the pursuit began.
At this moment, the Hiiragi Clan samurai following behind looked quite satisfied. After all, with Futsu Mitama choosing this shortcut, they no longer had to clash with the Tenryou Commission. Although the Kanjou Commission did not fear the Tenryou Commission, their current mission was to capture a noble. Nobles in Inazuma held extremely high status; refusing was one thing, but framing them was absolutely forbidden.
The Fatui were pleased as well. Lord Scaramouche's order for them was to delay as much as possible to see whether Yae Miko would be drawn out. In the original plan—more precisely, Lady La Signora's plan—they were supposed to cause chaos in Inazuma first, let both the Tenryou Commission and the Resistance suffer heavy losses, and then step in to "resolve" the situation. As compensation, they would claim the Gnosis, since a deity should not personally intervene in mortal affairs.
Scaramouche, however, had another goal. Although he had initially intended to follow Signora's plan, after the Tatarasuna incident failed, his intentions clearly shifted. But as a Harbinger, second only to the Tsaritsa, his commands could not be questioned. The Fatui followed obediently regardless of their doubts.
The Hiiragi Clan samurai and the Fatui continued to trail behind, intending to strike together once Futsu Mitama walked deeper into this path.
However, what neither group realized was that someone else was also secretly following. It was Thoma, Kamisato Ayaka, and Kuki Shinobu.
[Kuki Shinobu: "@Futsu Mitama @Aila [Video] Did you see? These guys look a bit troublesome."]
[Kamisato Ayaka: "Among the three samurai dressed like Nobushi, the leader has a Vision. I don't know the other two, but I can feel they're elites."]
[Futsu Mitama: "These Fatui have terrible anti-recon skills. They still haven't noticed you."]
[Aila: "Young Master, please be careful. There are Hilichurls and Slimes ahead. They might jump out of the bushes."]
[Kuki Shinobu: "Ayaka drew something useful. We're holding a part of the cloak—doesn't fully hide us, but it's enough."]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "Eh? Lady Ayaka obtained an item?"]
[Raiden Makoto: "Wasn't there only experience?"]
[Albedo: "Is it that sign-in function? Let me try—"]
[Albedo: "3 experience."]
[Azhdaha: "I tried as well. 20 experience. Hahaha, not bad."]
[Raiden Makoto: "There are many types of items in the sign-in pool. According to the Group Leader, they're all quite good. But since joining, I haven't gotten any."]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "Items are secondary— what matters is that the sign-in experience consumes one energy per day."]
[Futsu Mitama: "Enough chatter. We're about to start fighting."]
[Kuki Shinobu: "Enemies? But we don't see anything."]
[Ella: "No—Hilichurls have rushed out. They think we're intruders."]
A group of Hilichurls, along with two Berserkers wielding huge axes, burst out. Their target was obvious: Futsu Mitama and Aila. Some bore crossbows, others wooden clubs. Futsu Mitama and Ella had not expected Hilichurls to suddenly attack while they were fishing.
"Aila, deal with it quickly," Futsu Mitama said. He did not want to get entangled, especially with the Hiiragi Clan samurai and elite Fatui watching from behind. Exposing his strength now would complicate things.
"Yes, Young Master."
Ella stepped forward, calm and precise. Hydro energy condensed in her hand, forming a war scythe.
"Swish!"
With flowing-water sound, Ella charged at the Berserker.
"Bang! Boom!!!"
Two strikes. The Hilichurl Berserker's axe shattered, and before he understood what happened, his head fell. The fastest attacker died first.
"Yaa!!!" The remaining Hilichurls halted, frightened by Ella's overwhelming power.
The second Berserker gripped his axe tightly and shouted, but—
"Scram."
Aila, standing atop the fallen Berserker's corpse, glared coldly. The Hydro scythe glowed faintly. If they didn't leave, she would simply wipe them out.
"…"
The Hilichurls panicked and fled. Aila dispelled her scythe and lightly hopped off the corpse. But just as she landed—an Electro-imbued arrow shot toward her.
"!"
Ella tilted her head, dodging it narrowly, then rushed to Futsu Mitama's side, eyes fixed on the source. Futsu Mitama's gaze sharpened as well. Someone had ambushed them.
[Futsu Mitama: "Who fired that?"]
[Kuki Shinobu: "A samurai. But he has no Vision. How is he using Elemental power?"]
[Kamisato Ayaka: "Did he hide his Vision?"]
[Raiden Makoto: "No. A Vision always glows when used."]
[Kuki Shinobu: "From our angle we can see most of his body. No glow."]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "Maybe like the Group Leader—using Elemental power without a Vision?"]
[Kamisato Ayaka: "Not sure, but we're moving in. The Fatui have started to act."]
Ella and Futsu Mitama sensed movement ahead.
"The impure shall be punished."
A tall woman appeared first, summoning a Hydro mirror to trap Futsu Mitama and Ella.
"Hahahahaha!" An Electro Cicin Mage materialized next, releasing swarms of Cicins toward Ella.
"You Fatui are so annoying. Why so much nonsense?"
A samurai dressed like a Nobushi emerged, disdain in his eyes. He drew his blade.
"Just handle that maid with the Vision and kidnap the noble. Simple."
"Be careful. She killed that Berserker in two moves," the samurai leader with an Electro Vision warned.
Despite this, he drew his sword and rushed forward. Four enemies charged at once—proof Aila's earlier display had made them wary.
"Young Master, please step back." Aila's eyes glowed pale blue. She raised her scythe.
Futsu Mitama retreated silently, scanning for the remaining threats—the two Debt Collectors, and the archer who fired earlier.
The battle began.
Aila moved instantly—like a mirage. Two Hydro phantoms emerged beside her. One wielded a tachi, the other a spear. They resembled Aila almost perfectly.
"What kind of Elemental Skill is this…?" The samurai with the Electro Vision froze.
As a Hiiragi Clan samurai, he had received complete training, strong enough to trade blows with even Kujou Sara. But now, facing the three Aila's, an instinctive fear rose within him.
He hesitated—while one reckless samurai charged in.
"Flashy Hydro illusions!" He sneered, channeling icy energy into his blade.
'A Delusion?' Futsu Mitama immediately understood.
This explained the cooperation between Hiiragi Shinsuke and the Fatui—Scaramouche had supplied them with Delusions. For non-Vision users, Delusions meant trading life for power.
"Clang—!!"
Aila blocked another Electro arrow. Seeing his chance, the samurai lunged, striking at her opening. The tachi-wielding clone intercepted, clashing with the samurai's icy blade. The clone's weapon froze instantly.
He smirked—just an illusion. Then—
"Boom—!!"
The clone burst into countless water needles.
"!!!!"
The samurai panicked, raising his blade too late. The needles pierced through him.
"AAAAAARGH!!!"
A porcupine of wounds—he staggered.
"Pfft!" The spear-wielding clone struck, piercing his heart. Aila stepped in to finish it, swinging down cleanly—and his head flew.
In seconds, the samurai who seemed to have the advantage died with fear frozen on his face.