Chapter 7. Half a Year in a Flash
Time passed swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, half a year had gone by.
During these six months, Inazuma underwent tremendous change. The Sakoku Decree and the Vision Hunt Decree were formally abolished, and under the remote guidance of Raiden Makoto, a series of reforms were steadily implemented. The effects were immediate—people's lives visibly improved, and the oppressive atmosphere that once lingered across the nation gradually faded.
At the same time, Kujou Sara did not betray the trust placed in her by Yae Miko and Futsu Mitama. After taking control of the Shogunate Army, she carried out reforms of her own. Inazuma had always been a martial nation, yet the previous head of the Tenryou Commission, Kujou Takayuki, had relied not on strength, but on inherited prestige. For generations, the position had been passed down within the clan, not earned.
Now, that structure was gone.
Although the Kujou Clan still existed, it had lost its noble status. After Kujou Sara, the position of head of the Tenryou Commission would no longer belong to the clan by default. Instead, it became a position to be earned. Many young warriors joined, each seeking to prove their strength and ability. New blood revitalized the Tenryou Commission, preventing it from falling into stagnation once more. Under Kujou Sara's strict leadership, corruption found no place—any attempt to exploit influence or backdoor connections was immediately cut off.
Meanwhile, Ritou gradually flourished under the management of the Kanjou Commission. The collaboration between the International Chamber of Commerce and Futsu Mitama gave rise to Narukami sake, which, within half a year, gained widespread acclaim across nations. Wine enthusiasts traveled from afar, eager to taste it for themselves.
Alcohol had always been a common thread across Teyvat—whether it was Mondstadt's dandelion wine, Snezhnaya's firewater, or Sumeru's cold-brewed snake wine. Now, Inazuma had its own renowned brew. The International Chamber of Commerce earned immense profits from it, and Futsu Mitama himself gained equally significant wealth. Most of it, as always, was entrusted to Aila for safekeeping.
Taking advantage of this momentum, the Yashiro Commission organized an alcohol-themed event, inviting brewers from various nations. Not long after the Sakoku Decree had been lifted, such an event naturally drew great attention. Rumors spread that Raiden Ei would personally attend and taste the wines, and that Anemo Archon might also appear. Whether true or not, the anticipation alone was enough to draw participants from across the world.
With the Three Commissions working together, Inazuma's declining economy began to recover. Seeing this, Raiden Ei felt both a trace of shame and a sense of pride. With Makoto guiding things, the nation was undeniably improving.
This plan had, in fact, been proposed by Raiden Makoto. After reviewing intelligence from across Inazuma and understanding the hardships faced by the people, she acted immediately. However, internal recovery alone would have taken years. Thus, after discussions with Futsu Mitama, Yae Miko, and Sangonomiya Kokomi, they chose to leverage external influence instead.
As for a certain Anemo Archon, he had loudly expressed his desire to attend, but the Nameless Island prevented him from leaving. Having drawn too much Power of Time, he was now under watch, unable to depart freely. In the end, he could only ask Futsu Mitama to livestream the event and bring him wine afterward.
Yae Miko, observing everything, could not help but feel somewhat emotional. Raiden Makoto had not even been resurrected, and yet Inazuma was already rapidly recovering. At this rate, returning to its former glory was no longer a distant dream.
Over these six months, the overall standard of living in Inazuma rose significantly.
As for Futsu Mitama, he traveled throughout the nation under the title of the future Electro Archon, appearing at various events and gathering the people's Devotion. From time to time, he returned to Tenshukaku to spar with Raiden Ei, and also trained alongside Shenhe, who remained in Inazuma.
During this period, the strength of Kuki Shinobu, Aila, and Shenhe all improved rapidly. Aila successfully stepped into the Adeptus level, Shenhe advanced even further, and Kuki Shinobu became one of the strongest below that threshold.
Futsu Mitama himself gained the most. He had fully grasped the Electro Archon's inheritance. The title of "Little Electro Archon" was no longer symbolic—it had become reality.
Now, he truly possessed the qualifications to stand across Teyvat.
With half a year passed, his time in Inazuma had reached its natural conclusion. It was time to depart.
In the courtyard of his residence, the crisp sound of metal clashing echoed continuously.
"Clang, clang, clang—!!!"
Holding the Seven Thunder of Retribution: Narukami, Futsu Mitama calmly defended against the relentless attacks from Aila and Shenhe. As a droplet of water fell, Aila entered the Mirrors Reflection of Tranquility, her blade carrying a chilling aura as she struck. Water and ice converged, forming a massive blue dragon that surged forward.
"Manifest!" Shenhe's voice was steady as she raised her talisman, summoning two Ice puppets that charged alongside her.
Futsu Mitama was immediately caught in a pincer attack.
"Solid as a rock." He activated his Jade Shield, violet lightning flickering in his eyes.
"Buzz—!!!"
With a surge of divine power, the blue dragon was shattered instantly. Aila vanished using her pocket watch, reappearing above.
"Clang, clang, clang—!!"
Shenhe and the Ice Puppets struck the shield simultaneously, cracks spreading across its surface.
"Break!"
From above, Aila's blade descended, wrapped in a dark purple aura, while Shenhe unleashed a freezing talisman. Under the combined assault—
"Crack! Bang—!!"
The Jade Shield shattered.
"This move is useless!" Futsu Mitama swung his weapon, summoning lightning that rained down in all directions. Aila and Shenhe retreated, choosing not to engage directly.
They both knew—
At that moment, closing in would only put them at a disadvantage.
"Sigh~"
Futsu Mitama, however, let out a quiet sigh, a trace of disappointment appearing on his face. If it had been before, the moment his Jade Shield shattered, Shenhe and Aila would have pressed the advantage without hesitation and charged forward.
This time, they held back.
That restraint made him feel both relieved and somewhat helpless. He had already prepared to unleash Musou no Hitotachi at close range, yet the opportunity never came.
The sound of clashing weapons rang out once more.
"Clang, clang, clang, clang—!!"
The exchange continued for nearly half an hour before the three finally broke apart, ending the spar.
From the side, Kuki Shinobu and Kamisato Ayaka, who had been watching the entire time, applauded in unison.
Futsu Mitama wiped the sweat from his forehead and exhaled lightly. "Phew, that was close. You almost won."
Shenhe calmly put away her weapon and looked at him without any change in expression. "Don't be modest. Even if Master and Mountain Shaper joined forces now, they probably wouldn't be your match."
She paused briefly before continuing, her tone still even. "Your strength has increased too quickly over the past six months. Master always says I am a once-in-a-million training genius, and that Junior Sister has the demeanor of an adeptus."
"But your progress—even judged by the standards of a god, is excessive."
Aila nodded slightly in agreement, sheathing her blade as she spoke in her usual calm voice. "Young Master's strength is already abnormal. It is impossible to see his limits."
Hearing this, Shinobu and Ayaka, who had witnessed everything over the past half year, also gave small nods.
Their assessment was not exaggerated.
According to Raiden Ei's own evaluation, Futsu Mitama in his current normal state already possessed strength comparable to some of Liyue's ancient adeptus. If he went all out, combining the Electro Archon's Authority with the Gnosis, his combat power would reach the level of a lower Demon Gods.
In other words, once he exerted his full strength, he already stood at the threshold of divinity—an existence unmatched by ordinary beings.
If he were to face Scaramouche again, even in that incomplete mechanical form, the outcome would no longer be uncertain. It would be a seven-to-three split in Futsu Mitama's favor.
Such growth was enough to shock even the gods within the Chat Group.
Because throughout these six months, Futsu Mitama had never truly focused on cultivation. Most of his time had been spent traveling across Inazuma, participating in events, gathering Devotion, sparring with Raiden Ei, or even idly brewing wine when he had nothing else to do.
And yet—
His strength had still risen at an astonishing rate, climbing from the adeptus level to its peak, while also filling in every gap in his martial foundation.
Now, he was nearly complete.
Only one step remained.
Complete Authority.
Futsu Mitama shook his head slightly, unwilling to dwell on the topic. He took the towel from Aila, wiped his face, then looked at her and asked, "How do you feel after using that power?"
Aila gave a small nod. "There is still some rejection, but I can feel that I have fully mastered her incomplete authority."
"Be careful," Futsu Mitama said, gently patting her head. "It's better to be cautious."
Over the past six months, Aila had chosen a dangerous path to grow stronger—one that mirrored that of her other self.
She had come into direct contact with Demon God remnants.
Even for powerful beings, such remnants were not something to take lightly. The lingering resentment of a fallen god was enough to corrupt ordinary creatures instantly. Even powerful entities could lose themselves under prolonged exposure.
At first, Futsu Mitama had opposed the idea.
But in the end, faced with Aila's unwavering resolve, he relented.
Under the combined supervision of Raiden Ei and Yae Miko, and with multiple gods observing through the Chat Group, Aila began the process. As expected, she fell into a berserk state the moment she came into contact with the remnants.
And each time—she was subdued.
By Futsu Mitama.
By Raiden Ei.
Again and again, over more than half a month, she repeated the process. Until eventually, like her other self, she succeeded.
She grasped the incomplete authority of a fallen god.
A power tinged with ominous, dark-purple lightning.
Even Zhongli confirmed that it was the authority of a god once slain by Rex Lapis. Though Azhdaha had expressed confusion over the matter, the conclusion itself remained unchanged.
Aila had succeeded.
Because of this, she had even been designated by Yae Miko as the next Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine, leading to another wave of debate.
However, that power was not without cost.
Each use carried side effects.
And that was precisely why Futsu Mitama reminded her—To be careful.
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