Thank everyone for your thoughtful response.
This story has been going by relatively smoothly...
Outside that, after the update, I caught bronchitis, which made it challenging to write for a few days.
Anyway, the approach of the story is still gonna continue much of the same way.
As stated, expect this to be a Genshin-led story, with Naruto being the plot and driving force...
And, hopefully, this can help me get out of my rut and burnout overall.
Genshin being my current vibe, simply helps with that...
Ready to finally not fail a 50/50 and get Hu Tao...
Enjoy!
"Why are you still following me? I want nothing to do with you!"
"Mah, isn't that a little harsh, my lady? I haven't done anything to wrong you, have I?"
"That's not the…" Hinata harshly snapped before biting her tongue, looking into the swell of his oceanic eyes, scowling as she was drawn into their depths again. "Besides being an obnoxious brat, no, I suppose not. And I should be more grateful for you saving me in that desperate situation… So allow me to thank you for that."
"See?" The legendary fox gave a toothy grin and tilted his head. "Now, was that too hard…"
"Why you…"
"Oh, you enjoy Hinata, the Sword Princess series as well?"
Hearing Ayaka's curious question as they left Konda Village, Lumine lifted her attention from the pages. The scenery was lovely and majestic here in Inazuma, but the story was so captivating…
And it just released! Lumine desperately wanted to know what happened next, and she had been waiting two months for this release! She knew she should be paying more attention as monster or bandit attacks could happen at any moment, but…
It's not like they couldn't handle them. There were three Vision wielders here, and then she and her brother now had control of this world's elements while traveling across the lands instead of their usual abilities.
There wasn't much that would have threatened them unless another Vision wielder attacked them or a monster of considerable strength caught them unaware.
Even still, there was Shenhe… Who could be as strong as ancient Gods if what they saw was only a taste of what she was capable of. Freezing tsunami and chasing after Beisht into the depths of the sea to defeat the Sea Goddess when the wife of Osial rose from the depths was a revelation.
…And she did it to protect her brother when he was injured in the battle.
…Did he need further proof of her intentions towards him, or was he that oblivious?
"Oh, she's been reading that series since we started our journey through Teyvat," Lumine twitched as her brother answered for her, a simple smile on his face while engaging Ayaka in friendly banter. "It's a relatively good series from what I've read. Interested where the story heads after the last chapter left off."
Ignoring the thousand-yard stare, Shenhe was gazing upon Ayaka, seeing the young woman standing close to her brother and engaging him in conversation.
Utterly oblivious he was! This was another Eula situation all over again!
Oh, now that she thought about it, how vengeful would she be when they returned to Mondstadt with another woman in tow with them with designs on her brother?
Lumine spitefully smirked. She needed to plan a trip back to Mondstadt shortly after they were done here. Check-in on the Spindrift Knight and let her vengeance spiral out of control.
Not even Jean would be able to pick up the pieces of the calamity and devastation that would befall her brother.
Aether suddenly shuddered, feeling a cold shiver travel down his spine. He winced, unsure where the sensation was coming from. But he knew something was amiss. "I sense something ominous… A dark presence looms nearby."
"You just noticed that?" Thoma blinked, seeing the sinister smile Aether's sister possessed and the deadly glare of Shenhe, and she didn't want to know what either of them was plotting. "That's a… Special talent you have there."
Somehow still unaware of his sister and Shenhe and their stares, Aether brought his hand to his chin, pondering what was the cause of the sensation. Looking around the immediate vicinity, as he could never be too cautious with everything that had happened recently, there was nothing obviously out of the ordinary…
"Hm? Is that a Hilichurl encampment so close to the village over there?" Aether frowned, having seen nothing before noticing some familiar structures in the distance and narrowing his eyes. "I didn't see too many guards within the village…"
"I believe it is." Ayaka frowned, having failed to see the structures off in the distance. "How did any of the Tenryou Commission officials… No, I, too, failed to notice it. We should deal with this before any issue come of this…"
"I shall handle this," Shenhe responded as a spear with a light blue tint like that of ice was summoned to her hand, walking in between Ayaka and Aether, her eyes intent on Aether. "Please do not worry yourself with such trivial manners. I will return momentarily."
Almost looking offended by being bumped aside, wondering what the taller woman's issue was, Ayaka held her tongue and remained composed. There was something she obviously didn't understand about the woman. What she did note was that she seemed protective of the Traveler and the exasperation of his sister…
So this was normal?
"That's not necessary." Aether shook his head at Shenhe's gesture. "We'll handle it together. There's no need to recklessly charge in alone when we have support. Just because you can handle the situation alone doesn't mean you should."
"It'd be like the incident with Beisht again and diving into the heart of the ocean after it all over again…" Lumine muttered, causing Thoma's head to snap toward her.
He had heard of the incidents recently in Liyue and how they portrayed the Travelers precisely, but to know this woman chased after one of the Ancient Gods into the sea during the latest event? And came back seemingly unscathed?!
What was this woman?
Shenhe bowed, feeling she may have offended Aether. "Forgive me. I simply did not want you to overexert yourself…"
"I understand the gesture, but there is nothing to this! It's just a Hilichurl encampment. Lumine and I have taken care of plenty just by ourselves." Aether smiled, making Lumine roll her eyes as he was oblivious to what was before him. "With you at our side, what could happen?"
Lumine twitched, and her tongue clicked in her mouth. Her eyes glistened at her brother.
She suddenly had a horrible feeling about what was to come.
He barely had the time to think.
The audible thunks of metal piercing through the tree he rested his back against made that apparent. Despite covering his trail, he was tracked down. That meant there was only one option left…
"Ready to give up yet!" He heard the echo from the trees above, knowing he had been discovered.
No…
Surrender was not an option.
Heavy pants escaped his lips as he held out his left palm, two smoke bombs gently cradled within.
It was now or never for Naruto.
Time to make his last stand.
It was just like she remembered…
She hadn't read it in over half a millennia. This tale was the same she read then.
Closing the book shut, unable to finish it, Miko's eyes glistened, tears threatening to escape.
How was the book in such pristine condition? This was his book, and she knew it. It was the only copy there ever was, for it came with him.
So why, now of all times, did it suddenly appear at the shrine? Before her?
It didn't make any sense. She knew what happened. Makoto recounted his valiant actions on that day. He was why she was still here and why Inazuma stood tall…
He was why this shrine stood on this magnificent tree that he manifested to help fend off the darkness with Ei's assistance. He did so many things at once because only he could…
But he disappeared after having stood up to the Heavenly Principles…
With her…
And in the end, both disappeared that day from Khaenri'ah. No one could explain what occurred. Makoto, even with her eternal wisdom, was unsure.
However, unlike many others who accepted he made the ultimate sacrifice to deal with her, she thought differently…
And believed that he was still there. Clung to that belief that he did what he did in their adventures…
What he had done in all the stories he told her.
Made the impossible a reality.
Now, with this book in her hand, could it genuinely be true?
"Lady Guuji?" A voice brought her from her thoughts, drawing her attention to a familiar face.
One of her top and most trusted editors, her co-editor-in-chief, Hirayama.
"I didn't think you would return here after this morning and the successful launch of Hinata and the Sword Princess' latest chapter…"
"I want you to print and publish this." Miko extended and pushed the novel into his hands, her features calm as she crossed her arms. "Do not alter any passages within. Get in contact with some local artists for illustrations and a new cover. I want it released as soon as possible."
Astonished at the sudden proposal, Hirayama looked at the book put in his grasp. Musing over it for a moment, he couldn't help but frown. "Tales of an Utterly Gutsy Ninja? This doesn't match with the current theme we're publishing. I don't think it will sell very well… But if you insist, I will take a look and have it ready for print shortly."
"Do so," Yae responded, refraining from snapping, knowing the current trends and how it would likely sell, before taking a deep breath. "Oh, there is one thing we'll change. The author's pen name. That name won't do."
Nodding, looking at the manuscript in his hand, he couldn't help but agree. It was odd that someone went out of their way to print a book themselves only to hand it to a publisher, but he had seen this before when they had published books from other regions. "Ah, yes. I was to ask about that. What shall we change it to?"
A smirk slivered on the corner of Miko's lips. Her eyes glistened with amusement.
If he was out and about…
She would have his attention now.
"Uzumaki Naruto."
"...you are unbelievable!"
"True!"
"An incorrigible scoundrel!"
"That is also true!"
Hinata screamed indignantly. Dealing with this man was the most irritating thing she ever dealt with in her life! His personality was pushing her boundaries!
Not to mention…
With what he just revealed to her, did he honestly expect everything to return to the way it used to be?
How could it? There was no going back!
Not after the secrets she had just learned…
"What is this?" Aether couldn't believe the sight before his eyes, entering the Hilichurl encampment, his hands tightening around the handle of his trusted sword.
Lumine joined in the shock, staring blankly at the scene as she held her sword loosely at her side.
The camp was filled with Hilichurl and Milichurl bodies lying in the grassy plains, seemingly at peace despite their arrival. Unmoving despite intruders having entered their base. Quite unusually still…
Breathless.
"Seems like something or someone already took care of this camp before us." Thoma frowned at the sight, noting it was peculiar, having often dealt with the creatures. "But I must say, this is a unique situation. If it were the Tenryou Commission, they would have taken down the structures for later use. Then there comes this issue…"
"I've never seen Hilichurl bodies linger after death," Ayaka observed the scene, her eyes flashing momentarily as she lightly pulsed her elemental nature around her. "I sense nothing unnatural in the immediate area. How odd…"
This didn't ease Aether or Lumine's nerves in the slightest. After one of their more recent revelations, this was a disturbing sight to behold. (*)
"How can this be…" Lumine muttered, her eyes glancing into her brothers, searching for an answer. "Hilichurls…"
"Fade to darkness and return to the abyss upon death…" A voice within the encampment caught their attention.
One of the siblings immediately recognized as they found the originator within the camp, studying the corpse of one of the Hilichurls.
"Dainsleif?!"
The blonde-haired man with a mask partially covering the right side of his face did not respond. Instead, he placed his hand gently upon the fallen Hilichurl, murmuring something under his breath in a language lost to the others. But the twins knew what he was doing.
He was saying his farewells in their native tongue.
Without a sign of anything troubling him, Dainsleif stood from the Hilichurl corpse, his crystal blue eyes gazing upon the travelers as he greeted them. "It has been a short time, hasn't it? You must have finally arrived here in Inazuma. Oh, it seems you have friends accompanying you as well?"
"Oh, we're accompanying the travelers to Inazuma City." Ayaka gently bowed, greeting this individual that the travelers seemed to know.
"Ah, so that is how it is," Dainsleif responded with a nod before his eyes crossed Shenhe briefly, who seemed to be studying him in return. "Ah, the girl trained by the Adeptus. Is she traveling with you now? Hm, a wise decision…"
"Dain, why are you here?" Lumine interrupted his musing before gazing upon the encampment. "And what is this? Aren't Hilichurl…"
"Yes, they are. They always fade to darkness or seek darkness when their time nears its end if they live long enough." Dainsleif cryptically answered, turning his attention back to the bodies in the camp. "I've followed this trail to Inazuma. This isn't the first case of this I've come across, you see. After we departed the last time, I came across the first instance, which is becoming more frequent."
Aether and Lumine glanced at one another, and their suspicions confirmed something was amiss. Ayaka continued to ponder the scene, curious as to what conclusions he had come to. "So you are a Hilichurl researcher, then? May I ask exactly what you have concluded so far?"
"You can call me as such." Dainsleif hid his mild amusement at being called a researcher before returning his attention to the group, Ayaka specifically. "How much do you know of Hilichurls and their origins, my lady?"
"I would say not much outside that they mysteriously appeared over five hundred years ago after the great cataclysm that spread across Teyvat." Ayaka brought her hand to her chin as she thought momentarily before shaking her head. "But other than that, I know as much as everyone else about them."
"You know that which is more informed than most. That will save me some time in explanations." Dain gave an approving nod. "It is because of the cataclysm they came about. They were born from the abyss like many creatures spawned from that period."
While Aether and Lumine knew there was more to it, refraining from wincing knowing what they indeed were, they knew why Dainsleif wouldn't address that fact with others besides them.
They were there… They saw what happened.
"I've heard this as well." Shenhe placed a hand on her hip. "Cloud Retainer often retorted that the filthy creatures came from the darkness when the world fell apart. She often told me that despite their appearance that, they, however, were to be pitied… I wonder why?"
"That's because any time they die, they are reclaimed by the abyss and start life anew. They don't truly die. They are forced to live their life again." (*)
"Are you serious?" Thoma replied, shocked by the revelation along with Ayaka, while Shenhe didn't visibly show any response. "Although, when you apply that logic, it makes sense. It explains why they are always so quick to repopulate despite constantly taking care of outposts."
Aether grimaced and looked away as Lumine's bangs darkened her eyes vision as she hung her head. To be forced to live an immortal life because of the God that nearly separated them…
Trapped them and brought them to this time. If it wasn't for that golden warrior that caught her attention, they didn't know what could have happened…
And it was this that caught Dainsleif's attention as he brought forth this next piece of information straight to them, his star-shaped pupils staring directly into theirs. "And what I've found is that whatever is causing the death of these Hilichurls is unique. I've only seen Hilichurls like this in the deepest recesses of Teyvat. Close to Abyss but not claimed by it…"
"But make no mistake, from what I've seen here, the Abyss no longer claims these individuals," Dain stated, a frown crossing his lips while his eyes glimmered. "Something has cut off their connection from the darkness… Ended their misery once and for all."
"Wait, you mean they were…"
"Yes," Dain answered Aether, an intense focus and determination expression crossing his features.
"And I am to find exactly what that is."
Hinata couldn't believe it!
He had played a trick on her this entire time! He was disguised as Shikamaru! Her strategist!
Her best friend!
Or rather, some she trusted kept his true self from her all this time!
A person she came to respect in her journeys! Her valued comrade and partner in arms!
The legendary Kitsune no Kyuubi was hiding in play sight for all to see and had joined her on her journey from the very beginning!
And she never suspected he was hiding anything from her their entire trip!
The nerve!
With his wry smile, if she didn't know any better, this was all a game to him!
The first step of her plan was now in motion. The second would be much more difficult.
She wanted to talk to Makoto or even Ei about what she had found, but she wasn't sure how either would react given the current circumstances. Makoto, she was sure, would assist in the search, but Ei was the actual wildcard.
Miko grimaced. His impact on her was dramatic, and if she knew he was still around…
She could very well go on a warpath to find him. They had some unfinished business. It likely would not end well…
"Oh, my stomach…"
Yae's ears twitched.
She knew that voice. She knew it well.
Miko grinned.
The last time she heard that particular groan was when they had an eating contest together. She wondered who precisely the competition was this time.
She needed to pay them a complimentary meal!
"Boss, hang in there! We'll get you some medicine right…"
"Let him deal with it." Another voice retorted in annoyance. "This was his big idea. He should suffer the consequences. At least this time, no tofu was involved, so he can't pretend to die…"
"Shinobu!" A pained voice tried to reason, and a loud grumble gurgled. "Can you please show me pity at least this once…"
"No."
"My, my, my. What do we have here?" Yae came upon the scene, her eyes glimmering at Arataki Itto holding his stomach, shuffling away from the ramen stand she frequently visited with the rest of his gang surrounding him.
"Ah! Scary fox lady!" Itto leapt away before immediately clutching his stomach and squatting, his stomach rejecting his actions. "Oh, I shouldn't have done that…"
"Lady Guuji." Shinobu bowed respectfully to the head shrine maiden before rolling her eyes at her boss. "Sorry about him. He doesn't have any manners. As usual."
"It is no trouble, Kuki. It has been a while." Miko returned the bow, remembering her when she was a shrine maiden for a short time. "His attitude is of no concern to me. I find it… Relaxing in a way."
"Him? Relaxing?" Kuki's look of genuine shock was concealed by her mask, gazing back at her boss as the rest of their gang came to his aid. "I find that difficult to believe in under any circumstance. I may enjoy my time in the Arataki Gang, but I am often driven up the wall by their stunts."
Gently laughing into her sleeve, knowing all too well what the Arataki Gang did and what Shinobu had to do to cover for them, Yae shook her head. "Yes, it would be hard to believe, wouldn't it? But whether you believe it or not, he does remind me of someone I cherished. At least his eccentricity."
"Huh, intriguing." Kuki tilted her head before turning her head back to the rest of her gang. "Oh, for the love of… Give him space! It's not like he's dying! He just stuffed himself so full because he couldn't keep up with that woman! By the Shogun, I've never seen two people shovel ramen down so quickly…"
"Excuse me," Miko's curiosity peaked upon hearing this information. "Could you repeat that one more time? This oaf lost an eating contest? In ramen?"
"Don't rub it in!" Itto groaned his stomach on the verge of forcing him to regurgitate. "Oh, this was so bad… Not gonna let that woman get away with this. Gonna train my stomach to keep up with her, ya… Whoa, whoa, whoa! I didn't…"
Walking straight into his personal bubble, forcing Itto to stand as tall as he could, Yae looked straight into his eyes, her eyes gleaming with malice intent. "Tell me…"
"Just what did this woman look like?"
"Why?"
"That's not an easy question to answer."
"Tell me!" Hinata spat as her eyes glimmered with raw fury. "This entire time, you have been traveling with me? But never have acted like this! You have hidden your true self this entire time! I demand an explanation!"
"And again, it isn't a simple answer." The kitsune's ears faded on his head, his expression softening. "It is…"
"A long, complicated story, and it all begins with…"
"Oh, excuse me! Clumsy me!"
"No, forgive me! That was my mistake!" Lumine apologized, putting away her novel and bowing.
She nearly tripped and stumbled into this tall, blue-haired woman while trailing behind the rest. She needed time to unwind after what Dain had informed them of, and she couldn't get that off her mind. So she did her best to busy herself in her book to get her mind off that information as he knew it would be all that would trouble her mind for the next couple of days…
But now, here in Inazuma City, that seemed to be a mistake. She really should have been paying attention. How did she get so far behind the rest of the group?!
"Ah, you are reading Hinata and the Sword Princess too!" The woman suddenly had a wide grin, her unnaturally pale eyes trailing to her hands. "Such a wonderful story, isn't it? You never know what character you're going to come across next! I was so surprised by the reveal in this chapter!"
Perking upon hearing that, desiring to discuss the chapter with another individual, Lumine returned the smile. "Yes, it was an utter surprise. I couldn't believe it myself. But upon reflection, there were many hints pointing to it all along."
"Exactly!" The blue-haired woman bounced, clasping her hands together. "Sometimes you just never know when something important is hiding in plain sight all along! It makes you think about everything, ya know?"
"It really does." Lumine heard her name and saw her brother and the others gazing back at her. "Ah, apologies, I must be head-on. Unfortunately, it seems I'm needed elsewhere. Thank you for the pleasant chat…"
"Hinata." Lumine's eyes widened at the name, almost choking in surprise, while the blue-haired lady respectfully bowed. "It was nice to talk to you, too, Lumine, finally. I hope we will have more pleasant discussions in the future."
"Wait, how do you…"
"Lumine?" Aether interrupted, drawing her attention toward her brother as he approached them. "You get caught up in your reading again? Who is… Hey, wait, where did she go?"
"What?" Lumine swiftly turned her head back, and her eyes flickered. "Wait!"
"I have so many questions!"
* - While the revelations of what Hilichurls are are not known to the Travelers until the events in the Chasm, with the changes in this world, their meetings with Dainself would undoubtedly have proceeded differently. So it was likely they would have learned more about Khaenri'ah from him, having spent a little time there before the incident.
Now, as to why they are here five hundred years later if the Unknown God and Naruto took care of each other is the real question.
* - An adjustment I am making for the story. I am well aware of the lore here. As demonstrated, I'm simply bending it to my story to fit the narrative. That every member of Khaenri'ah, whether pureblood or not, was cursed with immortality.