« So how was yer stay in Animeland? » Blitzo asked Verosika, whilst the demons were having tea in the living room of Verosika house in Watatsumi island.
« About 100 shades of shit. Even before the whole "Demon Decree", it was hard to get by. » Verosika replied. « Not like you had it any better. You look like you came out of a fucking Assassin's Creed Florence convention! »
« That's clothing in the Mondstadt Anarchist commune for ya. Still, got to admit ya had it far worse. At least the femboy lets us do whatever we want. » Blitzo shrugged. « Still confused 'bout yer clothes. Don't really match ya. »
« Urgh, you tell me. Even before the whore started going all Hitler on us, going by was a pain in the ass. » Verosika replied. « Thankfully my new boyfriend helped me settle and adjust to the local customs. Especially the latter, so you can expect some degree of pity for your current predicament…»
« My knees are on fire!» Moxxie cried out in pain.
« I swear, first thing we'll do as part of this army is raid a cushion factory to see if there's better shit than this…» Angel groaned.
« Speaking of armies, what happened to the snake dude? » Verosika asked.
« Oh, the edgelord was checking out the smelting plant constructions. Apparently he sees an opportunity to increase the power of the Watata army or whatever. » Cherri replied.
« Well, guess we'll have to trust his intuition. » Verosika shrugged, as she sat perfectly on her cushion, taking another sip of tea.
« SERIOUSLY, WHAT ARE THOSE KNEES MADE OF!?» Blitzo cried out.
Xxxxxxx
At the smithing encampment, Sir Pentious had managed to sneak by, and saw two people arguning.
« You cannot afford to delay any longer. » a woman in a shrine uniform said to a man in Shogun armour. « Almost everyone has been evacuated now. Is this not the perfect time to sort everything out? »
« Mind your own business! Tatarasuna's safety and the smithing operations are our business. Don't you have shrine duties to attend to? » the man shot back. « Or are you trying to tell me that metalwork is under the authority of the Grand Narukami Shrine now? »
« Don't you lecture me! You really think I'd be here talking to you if I didn't have to be? It's because you aren't doing your job! » the woman protested. « The Tatarigami's influence is now being felt even by the Sacred Sakura at the Grand Shrine! That's the only reason Lady Miko sent me out here. To exorcise it. »
« ...What? How is that possible? The Grand Narukami Shrine is nowhere near here...» the man said incredulous
« You are far too dismissive of the Tatarigami's power. "Praise be to the mighty Electro Archon, the Tatarigami core has proven useful. It can be used as an unlimited energy source. How convenient."» the woman replied. « You think that's as far as the issue with the Tatarigami goes, do you? A problem arises with Tatarasuna's Mikage Furnace... and as far as you're concerned, the most pressing issue is a temporary halt in production? »
« Right! The fact we've had to halt production is damaging the war effort. This is the most critical issue of all. » the man replied.
« ...Ugh, forget it. I'm only here to deal with the Thunder Sakura issue anyway. You may not like what I have to say, but I urge you to be more vigilant in how you're handling this. » the woman sighed. « You brought in experts from Fontaine to work on the Mikage Furnace, yes? Most of them have already left, but unless I am mistaken, one engineer has stayed behind for equipment maintenance. What's stopping you from approaching him? »
« You must mean Xavier. He already approached me, and he and I had a conversation. » the man replied. « But the one managing the maintenance of the Mikage Furnace is Sir Hanbei, and he isn't here. Beyond that, I don't have the authority to divulge any further information. »
« ...That Hanbei? Never mind, this isn't getting me anywhere. Since you place such a great emphasis on authority, then let me put this to you in those terms. » the woman replied annoyed. « If this situation deteriorates any further, you can expect to be visited by someone with the authority to take this out of your hands. »
« As much as I appreciate the unsolicited advice, you don't need to worry yourself about this. Once Sir Hanbei gets back, I'll report the situation to him. » the man replied. « Until then, forgive me for abiding by the rules, but I can't tell you anything else. »
In the shadows, Sir Pentious smirked evilly. « Those fools…that forge is mine to rule! »
And with that, he quickly disguised himself as a generic human.
« Hello, good people! Is these something the matter? » Pentious asked.
« You're an outlander, aren't you? You've got some terrible luck to have travelled to Inazuma at this time... That island is called Tatarasuna. It's a smelting plant for Jade Steel, which is used to forge weaponry. » the woman explained. « Are you aware of the legends of Inazuman swords? The Jade Steel manufactured here is the reason that Inazuman swords are as sharp and durable as they are. »
« I might or might not have heard of it. » Pentious shrugged.
« Not that surprising, really. The Tenryou Commission feels that having the ability to forge powerful weapons is something they should flaunt. A few years ago, for the purpose of expanding production capacity, they hired a team of consultants from Fontaine. They built the Mikage Furnace, a machine that can fully harvest the powers of the Tatarigami. We've warned them countless times not to let their guard down when it comes to the Tatarigami, but they decided to go ahead with the project anyway. After the Mikage Furnace started production, most of the consultant team returned to Fontaine. Only Xavier, who we just mentioned, stayed behind in Inazuma. But during one of the previous battles, something went wrong with the furnace. The part that stored the corrupt Tatarigami energy became extremely unstable... » the woman explained. « Work was halted in Tatarasuna and everyone was evacuated shortly after. Xavier took emergency action, and he seems to have set up a containment dome around the Mikage Furnace. It's only a temporary solution, though. He's probably still on the island now, trying to figure out a way to solve the problem for good. Meanwhile, the Shogunate is only concerned about restarting production as soon as possible. I hear that they're even considering calling the consultants from Fontaine back again. But I don't think they'd be willing to come under the current conditions in Inazuma... And it just has to be that Hanbei guy in charge of this whole thing, doesn't it... »
« Who? » Pentious raised an eyebrow confused.
« A... manager, you could say. Always going on about procedures, articles, and applications... His first reaction is never to find the solution to the problem. Instead, it's about what forms should be filled out, and which powerful individual needs to be informed about the incident beforehand. He's probably in the city right now preparing to submit whatever forms he can find. » the woman replied. « I really don't know if he's actually aware of the severity of the situation... I just hope that Xavier or our craftsmen can find some way to solve the problem. If something were to go wrong with the Tatarigami inside the Mikage Furnace... Well, if that happens, you should probably leave the island. »
« Not to worry! For I am an engineer, and I shall aid you for free! » Pentious declared, as he darted to the furnace.
Xxxxxxx
After a while, Pentious reached his destination, and found Xavier.
« Hello good sir! I am here to aid you in these dire times of need! » Pentious declared.
« To help out, you say? I say, from the looks of your attire, we two are fellow Inazumaphiles on a pilgrimage of passion! A rare pleasure, my friend. I must say, I am touched by your kind intentions. » Xavier replied. « But I must also apologize for being frank in saying that I don't believe there is any help you can offer... On the way here, did you happen to see a protective cover that looks like... a bubble? »
« I fear I have not seen any bubble of any kind…» Pentious replied.
« Oh... Okay then. No, that makes sense, the containment dome's not usually visible — if you want to view it from a distance, you have to employ a specific observation technique...» Xavier replied.
« Which is? » Pentious asked.
« Not with my eyes, that's for sure. I... "view" it by availing myself of this work: the "Mikage Furnace Emergency Response Procedures (Trial Version)." I've followed the instructions to the letter. Based on the readings given by the instrument, it seems that the dome has been successfully activated. » Xavier explained. « Ah, one other thing I should mention is that, technically speaking, its official name is the Mikage Furnace Emergency Containment Dome. Now, as for the Mikage Furnace— »
« I fear that I must demand the short version. » Pentious requested.
« ...Basically, it's a super-smelter built using Fontaine technology, powered by a Tatarigami core brought over from Yashiori Island. Due to the impact of the war, the Mikage Furnace is now in an extremely unstable state... » Xavier explained. « But whatever happens, I've now sealed it following the Mikage Furnace Emergency Response Procedures (Trial Version), so the problem is almost certainly contained, to a certain extent... »
« …Define "to a certain extent"…» Pentious asked.
« Well, it might be 893 pages long, but the trial version has no information on the emergency measures applicable in a wartime scenario... We need to form an editors' group for a Trial Version: Expanded Edition (1st Issue) and have a detailed discussion on additional emergency scenarios... Anyway, point being, even though I have followed the emergency response measures, they aren't the most complete... and the environment within the containment dome has turned... hmm... less than ideal, shall we say. » Xavier explained. « The Mikage Furnace has now ceased operation indefinitely, and that soldier is getting incredibly antsy about it. Allegedly, Miyuki recently borrowed some of his people to arrange for the evacuation of the civilians. Now that really got him riled up, hahaha... But if things continue like they are, who knows. Tatarasuna might just turn into a glorious firework visible all the way from my dear home, the beautiful town of Petrichor... »
« …Interesting…» Pentious noted.
« Recently, though, the instrument is indicating that the containment dome I activated is a little unstable. But I don't know what or where the problem is... Back in my beautiful homeland of Fontaine, we would normally have a Vision-wielding expert diagnose the problem. » Xavier explained. « Then, we would form a dedicated review panel to discuss and raise proposals, approve a solution, then organize the remedial work. But with Inazuma being the way it is right now, all I can do is try to determine what might be going on through naked-eye observations and my imagination. »
« So like…educated guesses? » Pentious asked.
« Precisely. So my... ahem, guess is that it could conceivably... potentially? Possibly? Probably be an issue with the device containing the Tatarigami core that is having a knock-on effect on the containment dome I installed. » Xavier explained. « But even if that's the case, the readings given by this instrument seem off... Something must have happened outside the dome as well... »
« So all you need is a Vision bearer, correct? » Pentious asked.
« Um, yes, that's it. Under the current circumstance, in the area around the Mikage Furnace, only a Vision bearer would be... well, safe. Anyone else would probably make it around three paces. » Xavier explained. « Except for me, I'm a special case, haha... I'd have croaked about halfway through taking my first step. In short, if we only knew what exactly was going on with the Mikage Furnace, I'd likely be able to formulate a repair plan. But we'd still need a review panel to approve it... »
« Can you keep a secret, my friend? » Pentious asked.
« Sure, what is it? » Xavier asked.
In response, Pentious revealed his true form. « I am a demon, and I shall aid you in your quest! »
« What? A demon? But your kind isn't allowed in Inazuma! Unless…» Xavier exclaimed, before turning pale. « Oh Focalos you're with the Watatsumi army, aren't you. »
« Indeed. Only God will hear your screams now. Unless you decide to collaborate with the Watata army! » Pentious declared.
« Not that I have much of a choice… » Xavier replied.
« Of course you do! Joining us is just very encouraged. » Pentious explained.
« If I don't want to die! » Xavier protested.
« Think about it! With the rise of the Watata army in power, and the death of the foul tits-katana, peace and prosperity shall return to Inazuma! JUST AS SATAN INTENDED! » Pentious declared.
« Alright, you've swayed me. It's technically treason, and my balls are gonna get chopped off if the Shogun discovers this, but we shan't achieve anything by just sitting on the issue. And I suspect that if we left that soldier to handle it, his report would still be sitting in his superiors' chest of drawers gathering dust as the island was being blown sky-high. » Xavier sighed. « Let me pack up here, then we'll head off. In any event, we need to get closer to the Mikage Furnace to get a better idea of the situation. Perhaps you could go and investigate the surrounding area while I'm packing up. These strange readings must have something to do with whatever's happening in the Mikage Furnace. »
« But first, it is time to call for reinforcements and occupy this position! » Pentious exclaimed.
Xxxxxxx
A few minutes later, Blitzo, Moxxie, Angel, Cherri, Husk, Vortex and Kazuha had arrived on the island, with Blitzo planting a flag. « I declare this position under the occupation of the Molos Independence Liberation Front! »
« …MILF!?» Kazuha protested.
« Really, mate? Gonna call this organization the same name as tits-katana? » Husk asked.
« Why do you keep calling her excellency "tits-katana"? » Xavier asked annoyed.
« Oh don't tell me ya French fucks don't have a fancy name for yer Watery tart back in Fontaine. » Blitzo shot back.
« …We sometimes call her "The Sassy Gall with That Loli Ass"…» Xavier admitted defeated.
« Funny way of spelling "The Flatboard"…» Angel joked.
Then, Pentious arrived, having just inspected the area.
« Pentious! I see yer already gaining more ground than the Wata guys did in God knows only how many years. » Blitzo greeted the man.
« Yeah, but first we have to deal with a rift and some Futas. » Pentious groaned annoyed.
« Rifts... Wait a moment, F—Fatui? What are those sly Snezhnayans doing all the way out here? » Xavier asked.
« Great. The Futas are in Japan too. Guess Tusushima didn't happen here, so this is gonna be a pain…» Moxxie groaned annoyed.
« You've got that right. But if the current issues with the Mikage Furnace are the Fatui's doing, then that complicates things... » Xavier replied.
« So far it seems more like a forge thing…» Pentious noted.
« You really think so? If they're the cause of the issues, that really complicates things... Goodness gracious. How can this be happening! I'm just a humble engineer. I only wanted to come here to do a little research, do some filming, get a taste of Inazuma's delightful culture, et cetera... How did I go from that to being caught up in this whole mess!? » Xavier exclaimed. « It began as a simple technical issue. Then that soldier turned up and all of a sudden it's somehow a process issue! Then, somewhere during said process, it transforms again into an Inazuman domestic affair that outlanders are strictly prohibited from interfering in. Then YOU showed up and just decided that the forge is yours now, so now I have also to worry about persecution from the Inazuman government. And now the Fatui are here. If it goes on like this, the nature of this problem is going to change quite radically indeed! »
« Hey man, we'll pay you triple what the Inazumans were paid you as compensation. » Vortex reassured the man.
« At least you're more fucking reasonable than those Three Commissions…» Xavier sighed.
« Not that hard to accomplish, by the looks of things…» Husk commented.
« Why do you think my friend just fucking died for? This is the shit we're dealing with. » Kazuha replied.
« My condolescences, my good sir…» Xavier said.
« Thanks. »
« Ugh... Whatever, I'm here now, and I'm the only person capable of resolving the issue with Mikage Furnace. Technically, ignoring it would be a compliant decision both in terms of process and in terms of who has jurisdiction over it. But I can't just leave it unresolved. » Xavier explained. « Perhaps I just need to accept that for a researcher, this is just the way life is... or as we say in Fontaine, c'est la vie! If the Fatui are really here to try and get their hands on the Tatarigami energy inside the Mikage Furnace, then the containment dome should be a major stumbling block to their plans. »
« What about the rifts? » Cherri asked.
« There is no doubt in my mind that the Fatui are at least tangentially related to those rifts. Hmm, I see... So it's those cracks in the containment dome that are causing my instruments to give these anomalous readings...» Xavier replied. « I must say, they are very stealthy. They managed to make it all the way here, damage the dome, and access the inside of the Mikage Furnace without anybody finding out. »
« So how do we deal with the Ruskies? » Blitzo asked.
« Give me a moment to think... I've got it! Since they decided to sneak inside the Mikage Furnace quietly, it must mean that they wish to avoid a direct confrontation with the Shogunate. » Xavier replied. « So all we need to do is make some sort of big, dramatic gesture to make them think that the Shogunate is already onto them. That might just make them much more cautious in their approach, which will make our investigation much easier. »
« Y'know, normally we'd just kill them en masse, but if we can make the Futas and the Japs fight one another, we could potentially weaken both! » Blitzo exclaimed.
« So what's the plan? » Kazuha asked.
« Do you know of the Kamuijima Cannon? It's a big gun built using the latest technology, powered by Electro. » Xavier explained. « The Shogunate had a few of them installed on this island for military purposes, since this is where the front line was. But as the war went on, things changed, and now they're currently sitting there unused. »
« Wait, are they just throwing away perfectly functional cannons because "the vibes were off" or some shit? » Moxxie asked.
« If you want my take, I think the Shogun's Army underestimated the sophistication of their enemy. They installed the Kamuijima Cannons hoping to halt Sangonomiya's advance with overwhelming firepower. But although the Kamuijima Cannon does indeed pack quite the punch, it has a limited field of fire and is not very mobile. Most importantly, big artillery guns like these need several people to operate them, and maintenance is a real headache. Trying to defend the Mikage Furnace and the Kamuijima Cannons at the same time meant that our soldier friend and his comrades were spread much too thinly. » Xavier explained. « So ultimately, it actually gave Sangonomiya an opportunity. After making it past the Kamuijima Cannons' field of fire, they quickly took down the forces guarding the Mikage Furnace. Before the Shogun's Army could get emergency reinforcements to the Mikage Furnace, they had already withdrawn from there and started attacking from a different direction. Constantly being dragged back and forth kept the Shogunate's forces fully occupied, so when the Mikage Furnace started having problems, they were forced to halt production. Meanwhile, the Kamuijima Cannons installed in the wild became essentially useless against the kind of tactics employed by Sangonomiya's side. Suffice it to say that as far as the fight on this island went, Sangonomiya had the upper hand. »
« Would be nice if it actually mattered in kicking the whore's ass… » Blitzo groaned annoyed.
« Still, I don't remember the Watatsumi Army having damaged the Mikage Furnace…» Kazuha noted.
« That would seem the case, young man. They should be well aware that the Tatarigami sealed inside wouldn't treat Sangonomiya or the Shogunate any differently from each other if the Mikage Furnace was destroyed. All they want is to continuously harass and attack the Mikage Furnace to be a nuisance to the Shogun's Army and slowly wear them down. » Xavier replied. « I wonder who it is that is planning all these precise attacks from Sangonomiya's side... Well that's enough chit-chat. Whatever the case, the Kamuijima Cannon will definitely cause an unimaginable ruckus, which is just what we need. And as a result of some miraculous coincidence... I actually know how to operate the cannon... »
« Can't be all that different from other cannons, so I can use them as well. » Pentious replied.
« All right, let me mark the locations of the Kamuijima Cannons for you on your map... » Xavier drew the positions of the cannons on Pentious map.
« Not to worry, I shall return triumphant! » Pentious declared, as he darted off.
Five seconds later, the sounds of massive explosions could be heard, and five additional seconds later, Pentious was back. « It has been done! »
« My, my, that was loud — my ear drums are still ringing. After hearing the cannons, the Fatui will most certainly suspect that the Shogunate has become aware of their activities. » Xavier replied. « Still, something seems off here... why hasn't Tatarigami energy begun to leak out after the containment dome was destroyed? Could it be that some of the Mikage Furnace's systems are still operational and have already purified some of the energy? »
« Meh. Who cares. As part of the Weta army, we're collecting the cannons to blow shit up. » Blitzo declared.
« Is it that hard for you to get a sentence right? » Xavier asked annoyed.
« Not my problem everything on this godforsaken rock speaks in moonspeech…» Blitzo replied.
Suddenly, however, the Fatui arrived to inspect the area, only to see the demons, much to their horror. « Oh Tsaritsa…THEY FOLLOWED US! »
« Hey boys! Did somebody order SEETHING AGONY!?» Blitzo exclaimed, as the demons easily gunned down the group.
« And it is done! » Blitzo declared. « So, how do ya like the new Weta army, Frenchie? » Blitzo asked.
« Oh Focalos I'm gonna have nightmares for years…» a terrified Xavier replied.
« Yeah, welcome to the club, pal. » Kazuha replied.
« Whatever. This place is ours now and the Futas are dead. That's what matters. » Blitzo replied.
« It seems like their target is Tatarigami energy, which is within the Mikage Furnace. Let's Gg check up on the status of the storage device inside the Mikage Furnace while the Fatui are distracted by all this ruckus we're making. » Xavier replied.
Xxxxxxx
After a while, the group found the device.
« 'Dis the thing we're lookin' for? » Blitzo asked.
« Let me take a look... Good, good. it hasn't suffered too much damage. If all the other emergency systems are working normally, most of the energy circuits inside the device should have been cut off already. That I would consider great fortune, even amidst our many miseries. » Xavier replied. « Hmmm... I have a few more preparations to make, and I also need to give the problems we face here at the Mikage Furnace some thought... Perhaps the Watatsumi army could help in this endeavour…»
« Don't see much of an issue there. » Blitzo replied. « ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE! Let's get to work! »
Xxxxxxx
The next day, portions of the furnace had been repaired.
« Well, gentlemen, I have good news and bad news regarding the Mikage Furnace. » Xavier explained.
« Good news is? » Blitzo asked.
« The good news is that the core's only suffered some minor damage. It is still within my power to fix it. » Xavier explained.
« And the bad news? » Husk asked.
« The bad news, however, is that the Fatui poking around in there don't seem to appreciate this piece of good news. They very much seem to be searching for a way to get their grubby hands on the Tatarigami core. » Xavier explained. « But if we let them meddle any further, the Tatarigami's power will get out of control. This entire island will be blown sky-high with us still on it. However, if we focus solely on the Fatui, the Tatarigami energy built up inside the containment dome will eventually reach its limit all the same... »
« I mean that just means we have to deal with both problems. Not a big deal. » Blitzo shrugged.
« Um, yes, that's correct. We need to deal with both of them at the same time. » Xavier replied. « But one step at a time. As the Liyue saying goes, "don't rush to eat hot tofu, or you'll burn your tongue." »
« Okay, so what's the plan? » Blitzo asked.
« Now, hold on to these Sensor Beacons, if you please. » Xavier handed some beacons to the demons. « I need you to place them in a number of locations for me. »
« What do these do? » Moxxie asked.
« What these Sensor Beacons will do is gather data on the density and distribution of Tatarigami energy within the Mikage Furnace. Once armed with this data, I should be able to come up with a more detailed plan. » Xavier replied.
« I mean, no problem, doc, but how do these things work? » Angel asked.
« The simplest way to explain it is that they are instruments that use elemental power to quantify and calculate all other sorts of energy. » Xavier explained. « Well, I say "simple," but it's not actually that easy to explain... But I suppose we could start from the theory of the seven elements! Now then—»
« They sort out energy! Got it! » Husk interrupted the man.
« I will mark the locations for the beacons on your map. I'll be counting on you…..uh…."Molos Independence Liberation Front"…. » Xavier replied.
« Don't encourage them….» Kazuha groaned annoyed.
Xxxxxxx
After a while, the group was back, having placed the beacons.
« Have you placed those beacons? » Xavier asked.
« You bet! » Blitzo replied.
« Well done, now all we have to do is to let them collect the data. » Xavier replied.
« Funny thing that ya know where ta place those beacons…» Angel noted.
« I was part of the design team for the Mikage Furnace. By placing beacons in these locations, we can gather data on almost all the areas inside. » Xavier replied. « Hmm, you know, if we set up purifying devices in these locations, our troubles would be over overnight. If Mr. Flois knew half of what had happened here, he'd go completely ballistic... »
« Interested in selling them? » Pentious proposed.
« You jest! Even if I sold them to you, what would I use then? Seriously, though, if you ever visit Fontaine, I can put you in touch with someone who will sell them to you at a very fair price. Alright, thanks for your help. » Xavier thanked the group. « Ahem, one other thing... I may possibly, probably, definitely need you to help me retrieve the beacons again at some point over the next few days. I don't have a Vision, after all, so I can't simply stroll into somewhere with such a high concentration of Tatarigami energy. Not to mention that those, hmm, rough-and-tough Fatui folks are still there. I honestly think you are the only person on this whole island capable of dealing with them and the furnace at the same time. »
Xxxxxxx
A few days later…
« So how's the data collection? » Blitzo asked Xavier.
« We haven't quite collected all the data we need yet. I believe it will take a little more time. » Xavier replied. « That said, I've taken this opportunity to think about the structure of the emergency purifier...»
« Hey, whatever gets yer dick hard. Sir Pentious has already a few ideas for the furnace, so the sooner we fix it, the better. » Blitzo replied.
« The emergency purifier is a device that I have had purpose-built for that task. However, I'm going to need your help to complete it. » Xavier replied.
« Sure, what do ya need? » Blitzo asked.
« We will need some special materials to ensure this device functions smoothly within the Mikage Furnace. » Xavier explained. « Crystal Marrow, which contains an inert form of Tatarigami energy, is an ideal candidate for this task. »
« I mean, I'm sure they're easy enough to comb by…» Blitzo shrugged.
« If memory serves, this crystalline ore can be found nearby. Please help me obtain three chunks. » Xavier requested.
« I'll be right back. » Blitzo casually replied.
« Well then, you have my thanks. Remember, it's 3 chunks of Crystal Marrow - bring them back once you've got them. » Xavier thanked the demon.
Xxxxxxx
After a while, Blitzo was back with three Crystal Marrow.
« Do you have those 3 Crystal Marrow chunks for me? » Xavier asked.
« You bet your ass I do! » Blitzo handed the crystals to Xavier.
« Thank you, truly! These shall form the basic structure of our device. Now, all we need to do is wait for our beacons to collect enough data. » Xavier replied. « Once we have that data on hand, I will make a few tweaks to this device accordingly. Once all is ready, let us put a decisive end to this incident. »
Xxxxxxx
A few days later…
« How goes everything in our new forge? » Pentious asked.
« The data has almost all been gathered, and it is now time to retrieve our beacons! » Xavier replied.
« That I shall! » Pentious declared.
« Best to be quick, and sneaky too. Don't let those Fatui spot you! » Xavier warned the demon.
« Oh, I'll just kill them. » Pentious shrugged.
Xxxxxxx
After a while, Pentious was back.
« How did it go? Do you have all our beacons? » Xavier asked.
« I have! And I have also exterminated all of the Futas in my way! » Pentious declared.
« I must say, the Fatui have been acting more and more strangely recently. They seem to be gathering around the core of the furnace. » Xavier noted. « Hopefully, they aren't hatching some other dastardly plot. Or should I say, trying to do something that we won't be able to mitigate... »
Xxxxxxx
A few more days later….
« Finally! At long last, it is done! Fortunately, I remember these specifications...» Xavier exclaimed.
« 'Bout fucking time we started purifying shit! » Angel replied.
« Well, as much as I would love to get in there and wrap this up, we must not act so rashly when faced with the Tatarigami. Moreover, some of the required materials I simply could not find, so I had to make do with some last-minute substitutions. The result being that the reliability of this device is somewhat... Hmm. Well, let me just say that "in some circumstances, it may not achieve the desired efficacy." » Xavier explained. « It can be used normally just fine, yes, but I doubt that it can withstand any accidents. The slightest jolt will likely knock some of the components out of place... As such, we still require a little more preparation before we can put our new friend here to work. I'd like you to go near the Mikage Furnace and record some data for me. »
« This better be fucking worth it… » Blitzo groaned annoyed.
« That depends. Do you want to EXPLODE? » Xavier replied annoyed.
« HA! I've handled it before! » Blitzo declared. « But yeah, I'd like to avoid it none the less…»
Xxxxxxx
A few minutes later, and the demons were back.
« So, have you scouted the situation out? » Xavier asked.
« Will these do? » Blitzo asked, as he handed some pictures to the man.
« We're in luck, it seems. The Mikage Furnace is quite stable, and the energy within is not yet over-saturated. » Xavier replied, after giving the picture one good look. « At this level of concentration, my device will still hold out. »
« Okay, but do we HAVE to purify all the thingies? » Blitzo asked annoyed.
« If this device could do that, why, I would have applied for a patent long ago. But our fine friend here can only decrease the energy level in a localized area. However, the reason for the deactivation of the Mikage Furnace and the failure of even its auto-restart program is the high saturation of Tatarigami energy. » Xavier explained. « As long as we find the area with the highest concentration and purify it, we should be able to restart the core. At that point, the Mikage Furnace should restart, and beyond that point, any further issues will not be our concern. »
« All right, like everything on this god forsaken rock this is gonna be a pain…» Blitzo groaned annoyed.
Xxxxxxx
Again, a few days later….
« Are we done yet? » an annoyed Blitzo asked.
« Actually, we have a problem…» was Xavier reply.
« Now what? » an annoyed Moxxie asked.
« The Fatui within have concentrated their forces near the core. It seems that they have discovered something. » Xavier explained. « Surely they don't intend to breach the core's defenses... No, we can no longer afford to delay. We must move now to initiate functionality tests. »
« Does that mean we're getting somewhere? » Pentious asked.
« I mean that we must test our machine friend's purification abilities. I have no intention of moving it into the furnace only to find that it will not function. To that end, please help me find 3 Onikabuto, if you will. » Xavier requested. « I want to place them near the Mikage Furnace, which will cause them to be tainted by Tatarigami. Then, we will retrieve them, and use this purification device to cleanse them. »
« I don't want to live in this archipelago anymore….» Husk groaned annoyed.
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A while later, and the group was back.
« Ah. How's it going? Have you caught those 3 Onikabuto? » Xavier asked.
« FIX THE FUCKING FURNACE! » Blitzo cursed, as he tossed them to Xavier.
« That should do, then, yes. Thank you! I shall begin tests immediately. » Xavier replied terrified.
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A few more days later….
« The tests went smoothly indeed. The onikabuto have been completely purified! » Xavier exclaimed.
« Woho….» was all Blitzo said, unenthusiastically.
« All we need to do is to plan our route inside, and we can begin in earnest. However, we must avoid those Fatui... It seems we'll have to take the long way. This thing is rather bulky, so it would be best for us to ensure that there are smooth paths for us to take as we move it inside. » Xavier replied. « As such, I'd like you to re-enter the Mikage Furnace to investigate. If you encounter any broken paths, please help to restore them a little. I have yet to decide our route, but having more roads open to us could not hurt, surely. »
« Oh, we're just gonna kill them. » Blitzo smirked.
« You DO realize the Fatui are some of the finest armed forces in Teyvat, right? » Xavier asked with a deadpan expression.
« Didn't stop us before! » Blitzo casually replied.
Xxxxxxx
And so, after massacring every single Fatui in the forge, and activating the device, the repairing of the Mikage Furnace was finally done.
« The Tatarigami here has thinned out so much as to be harmless. Looks like the Mikage Furnace is back in business! » Xavier declared. « If those Fatui want to get their hands on the Tatarigami energy, then the only way they can do it now is to use those cannons to fire on the Mikage Furnace directly, but given that you lot control the furnace now…I'd say that won't happen. »
« WOHO! FUCKING FINALLY! » Blitzo exclaimed.
« Man, that was a fucking hustle… » Husk groaned annoyed.
« Regardless, the Mikage Furnace is safe for now, so neither we nor this island's treasures are about to get blown sky-high any time soon. » Xavier sighed in relief.
« Uh…guys? We have a problem…» Kazuha arrived, to deliver some worrying news.
Xxxxxxx
Outside of the forge, on the beaches of the island, were several soldiers of the Shogun.
«…Well shit. The feds are here… » Blitzo cursed.
« Yeah, let's just kill them. » Angel smirked.
« Agreed. » Blitzo agreed.
« WAIT! » Xavier exclaimed. « Before we spill any bloodshed, let me talk to them… They probably still think I'm on their side…»
« Wow, so yer just joining forces with us for real? » Blitzo asked.
« Perhaps its best that Inazuma bursts its isolation bubble…» Xavier replied.
« Well, do your magic, my man. » Blitzo replied. « Also if you betray us, we'll feed you to the machine. »
« That….won't be necessary… » was Xavier response, who quickly reached the beach.
« Ah, Xavier. The shrine maidens back in Inazuma city have sensed that the Forge has been repaired. Is it true? » one of the soldiers replied.
« Well…on that regard, I have good news, and bad news. » Xavier replied.
« …Let's just start with the good news…» the soldier sighed.
« The good news is, the furnace is fully operational and stable. » Xavier replied.
« Huh. Well that's not so bad. So what the bad news? » the soldier asked casually.
« Bad news is…it's under new management…» Xavier replied.
« …What? » the confused soldier asked, before he and his comrades were blown up by the cannons, now manned by the demons.
« HEY JAPS! HERE'S SOME REAL LIGHTNING! » Blitzo exclaimed like a madman, as he manned the cannons.
Soon, the entire squadron was dealt with. « And with that, I'm a full fledged rebel now, I suppose. » Xavier sighed.
« Indeed! Henceforth, thy are now dubbed as Chief engineer of the resistance! Either that, or you'll be sentenced to a most heinous punishment! » Blitzo declared.
« …What punishment? » a worried Xavier asked.
« You shall be exiled to Anime France! » Blitzo laughed evilly.
« ….I LIVE there! » Xavier shot back.
« Wait, I thought you escaped from there! » Blitzo exclaimed.
« What? NO! I'm just working here! » Xavier shot back. « Thing is, it's not like I can go back to Inazuma city any time soon, because if I do, the shogun will have my skull impaled on a spike! »
« Okay, she's a whore, but that's hot. » Angel commented.
« Well, in that case, the position is still open…» Blitzo said.
« Well I suppose I could aid the Watatsumi army, especially in maintaining the furnace…» Xavier replied.
« SPLENDID! By the way, I'm calling the dog. » Blitzo grabbed his phone and made a call.
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Meanwhile, at the Watatsumi Army headquarters, Gorou and Kokomi were inspecting a map, before Gorou received a call.
« This is Gorou, general of the Watatsumi Army. What is it? » Gorou replied in a stern tone.
However, as he listened to the call, he widened his eyes in shock. « …You…captured….WHAT!?»
Xxxxxxx
Many thanks to Inanna for many of the suggestions for this chapter.
I hope you enjoy this new chapter! Please review so I can know your opinion. I'm willing to accept suggestions for what is going to happen, so stay tuned! Also, remember to like and follow, if you want!
See you on the next update!