Chapter 17: Sword, Fish, Resistance
The group walked to the agreed meeting place in Yashiori Island, only to notice Teppei already there waiting for them
"Aha, there you are, good to see you." Teppei greeted with a grin. "Your appointment with Sangonomiya is fast approaching. We should get going. Are you ready? We'll start by heading to the camp on Watatsumi Island, and then we'll go meet Her Excellency together from there. If you start to feel seasick at any point during the trip, let me know straight away. That said, you've spent time with the Crux Fleet in the past, so I think you'll probably be fine... Ready... and away we go!
-Timeskip brought to you by Chibi Paimon meets Chibi Ochobot. They become flying companion buddies-
They walked for quite a while until they reached the resistance camp on Watatsumi Island
"Here we are. The training grounds for Watatsumi Island's troops. Right now, the resistance is predominantly made up of local soldiers from Watatsumi Island. Some of them are fighting with the Shogun's army in Tartarsuna, and some of them are stationed here on the island to keep the locals safe."
"Did you use to train here, too?" Paimon asked
Teppei nodded in agreement. "Yep! Unfortunately, I had to join the fight in Tatarasuna before I'd had the chance to impress the instructors. So they had me start off by helping out in the logistics division... I'll be staying here for now. If you need me for anything, just come here.
If I'm not around, just write a note and stick it on the wall. As soon as I see it, I'll come find you...Shoot, it's nearly time for the appointment with Her Excellency. I'll have to show you around Watatsumi Island some other time. For now, let's get ourselves over to Sangonomiya!"
The group nodded as they followed him
-Timeskip brought to you by Chibi Paimon running away from Chibi Gopal because she stole his watch-
At Sangonomiya Shrine
They saw Kokomi talking with someone
"Food supplies are the absolute top priority, period. We cannot afford any losses." With the conflict between us and the Shogun's Army getting more intense by the day, we must prioritize the stability of the rearguard."
"Understood. I will think of a way..." the man, Ookubo Daisuke, replied
"Take heart. We have a fresh batch of supplies in hand, and I'm working on expanding the army. I appreciate that the lack of manpower has been hard on all of you. But things are going to get better."
"We're expanding the army? Oh, that's great. Whoever this mystery supporter is, they're doing us a great service...
Huh? Teppei? What are you doing back on Watatsumi Island? Might I ask, who..."
Teppei looked smug "Haha, VIP guests of Her Excellency, that's who. I'm acting under orders to escort them both here."
"Oh really? Wait, so are you new recruits everyone's been talking about? Strength of twenty men, splits an arrow in twain from a hundred paces, skin as hard as diamond... That's you two?"
"Seriously, what is going on with these rumors!" Paimon asked in shock
"Hehehe." Boboiboy scratched his cheek a little
"You've come a long way. I'm sure you must be here on pressing business, so I won't disturb you any further. Feel free to visit me if you have any time to spare." Ookubo Daisuke told them and turned to Kokomi "Your Excellency, I'll take my leave."
With that, he left as Teppei began talking with Kokomi
"Your Excellency, I couldn't help but overhear Ookubo mention something about... a third party supporter? What was that about?"
"Not long ago, someone wrote to me saying that they wished to support the Watatsumi Island resistance effort. To that end, they also furnished us with a great deal of supplies. Thanks to them, we can finally start recruiting troops on the scale we need to openly confront the Shogun's Army on the front line." Kokomi revealed
"Sounds great." Lumine said "But can this mystery sponsor be trusted?"
"I am not without my doubts about the whole affair... but Watatsumi Island is hardly affluent, and these supplies are a much-needed lifeline for us. The sender's conditions were also reasonable. They simply ask us to dedicate ourselves fully to fighting against the Shogun's Army.
Whatever other motives they may have, we are at least aligned on this. So let's consider them an anonymous ally. Naturally, we shouldn't let our guard down. If you discover anything out of the ordinary, please report it to me at once." Kokomi explained
"Your Excellency, does this mean that the food at the front line is gonna get any better? I was at the field hospital the other day, and everyone was begging for some barbecued meat." Teppei told her
"Hehe... Don't worry. I've already made arrangements for that. Everyone will have their fill of meat. But to be clear, still no alcohol."
"That's fantastic!" Teppei cheered
"I understand how hard it's been on everyone. The resistance army's rations have barely changed at all since the Vision Hunt Decree was first announced. I will discuss this with the logistics division to see what further improvements can be made. However, our supplies are still limited. I must ask you to remain patient until victory is ours." Kokomi said
Paimon asked "When will the Vision Hunt Decree finally end?"
Kokomi looked sad
"That's the question... and I'm afraid I don't have an answer. The mere existence of the Vision Hunt Decree is baffling. The Tenryou Commission's attitude just doesn't seem to add up, and neither does the Shogun's. The Tenryou Commission's zealous support for the decree seemed to come out of nowhere. And the Shogun seems completely indifferent to the fact that it has effectively caused a civil war...
I suspect the Vision Hunt Decree won't end until these mysteries are solved. All I can say for certain is that as long as the Vision Hunt Decree remains in force, we will never give up our fight.
Lumine, Boboiboy, to confirm... knowing the current situation facing Watatsumi Island and the resistance, are you still willing to fight with us?"
Lumine nodded "Yes. I won't give up, either."
"Of course, we will help you." Boboiboy agreed with her
"Good. Then here is your assignment: I hereby appoint Lumine as captain of the Watatsumi Island special operations unit: Swordfish II. And Boboiboy as her assistant and vice-captain."
(Do they have a vice-captain for Swordfish rank? I'm kinda curious)
Teppei looked shocked "Whoa, whoa, whaaaat!? Swordfish II!? Is this the same Swordfish special ops unit that I'm thinking of? It's hard enough getting into a special ops unit at the bottom rung, let alone jumping to captain in one fell swoop... this is incredible!"
"Although this appointment breaks with convention, I firmly believe that with your wisdom, courage, and strength, you can lead your team to victory." Kokomi said
Paimon cheered "Great! So when do we take up our post?"
"The members of Swordfish II are currently on standby in a valley to the southwest. Ronin have been causing trouble down there lately, and we need a special operations unit to eliminate them and stabilize the rearguard.
I have already written your Appointment Letter, which you'll need to show them on arrival. Once that's out of the way, please lead them in ridding the area of ronin. The special ops unit comprises Watatsumi Island's elite soldiers. They can be a little rough around the edges, but I have every confidence that you will win their trust." Kokomi told them
"Um, what about me, Your Excellency? Any battles you need me to get involved in? I want to make a contribution to the resistance, too!" Teppei said with determination
"Of course. I'll arrange something and brief you shortly."
"Alright! One successful operation, coming right up! Hehe, you may have swiped the captaincy of Swordfish II, but watch this space, 'cause this guy's on his way up!" Teppei said in confident
"Okay, sure. Well, be careful out there. Don't push yourself too hard." Paimon told him "Well, let's move out."
-Timeskip brought to you by Chibi Boboiboy Thunderstorm, Chibi Kujou Sara, Chibi Itto, Chibi Yae Miko, and Chibi Ei are having a picnic. Chibi Ei looks at them and suddenly, they remind her of her friends. The tears drop out from her eyes-
The group walked to the location where the Swordfish II members were located, fighting enemies along the way. Once they arrived, they began speaking to the members
Swordfish II Provisional Squad Leader was the first person they interacted with "Ah, you two must be the new captain and the vice-captain of Swordfish II. Her Excellency briefed us in advance. Your reputation precedes you, and the Appointment Letter is all in order. But I still have my doubts..."
"Hmm? Do you have any other questions?" Paimon asked
"I'll be straight with you. I want to know whether you have what it takes to lead us."
"You mean... like a duel?" Paimon asked
"Normally, a duel would be the quickest way to settle the question. But this time, we've got a better way." a veteran answered "We're stationed here because of all the ronin causing trouble in these parts. If you can get rid of them for us, we'll take that as a measure of your strength."
"Sure." Lumine easily agreed
"Alright, let's show them what you're made of!" Paimon cheered
-A few minutes later-
After they defeated the enemies, the leader looked happy when they returned
"Okay, seems like you can hold your own... The rumors are exaggerations, of course, but still, your abilities are admirable.
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Koutoko, Acting Captain of Swordfish II. This is Yoshihisa, a fellow veteran of the team. I now formally cede the position of captain to you. Swordfish II awaits your orders."
"Are there any other ronin to deal with?" Lumine asked
Yoshihisa nodded "There are two hard-hit areas. This was one of them, but thanks to you, this area is now secure. Their only remaining stronghold is located at the shallows on the east side of the island. That said, the ones over there are tougher, and there's more of them."
"Kokomi said we need to secure the rearguard." Boboiboy said
Paimon nodded in agreement "You got that right. Watatsumi Island is busy fighting the Shogun's Army on the front line. We can't let these guys mess up thing at the rear!"
-Timeskip brought to you by Chibi Boboiboy Water and Chibi Furina meet Chibi Kazuma and Chibi Aqua-
"There's so many of them..." Paimon exclaimed when they arrived at their destination.
"That's not even all of them. They have two more camps nearby." Koutoku said "Whichever camp we attack, it's the ronin in the other two camps that'll cause us issues. They might decide to provide backup or abandon them and escape on their own."
"Then let's attack them all at once." Lumine suggested
"But Captain, that would put you in great danger... If we spread our troops too thin, we won't have enough men to guard you. It's too risky."
"We're fine." Lumine assured him
"Yup, the Travelers eat amateurs like these for breakfast!" Paimon agreed
"All right then. We'll deal with them all in one go and rendezvous with you on completion!" he relented as he left, leaving the three to clear out the monsters
-A few minutes later-
"That should be the last of them... you two didn't get hurt, did you?" Paimon asked.
"I'm fine." Lumine told her
"No need to worry. We're ok." Boboiboy said
"Cool... Paimon wonders how everything is going with Koutoku and Yoshihisa. Should we go over and check on them?"
Yoshihisa: Captain!
"Captain, the other two camps have been cleared. The entire rearguard of Watatsumi Island is now secure."
"Great! Hee-hee, we solved the ronin problem and got everyone to look up to us, too...But what's next? Let's go back and check with Kokomi." Paimon said
"Finally, we got it done. These ronin have been bugging me for ages, but Koutoku wouldn't let us at 'em till now." Yoshihisa said
"What? No way could you have taken them down without the new captain here. I was putting the safety of the team first, got it?" Koutoku disagreed
"Oh come on, you were just being a coward..."
"Hey, cut the attitude!" Paimon scolded them but was ignored. "These guys, honestly... Lumine, Boboiboy, forget them, let's go!"
-Timeskip brought to you by Chibi Human Cloud Retainer telling Chibi Boboiboy Water a story about Chibi Ganyu and Chibi Shenhe when they were babies. Chibi Ganyu and Chibi Shenhe hear that and stop her from telling him. They feel embarrassed-
They returned to headquarters and talked to Kokomi
"How was it? Did your initiation go smoothly?" Kokomi asked
"Without a hitch." Lumine answered
"Hehe... I'm sure you're playing it down a little. Koutoku and the others put you through your paces, I presume?" Kokomi said
"There was a short test to begin with."
"Mm, yes. That's standard for the team. But with your level of ability, I'm sure it was a walk in the park. Since you're back, I take it that the ronin are now gone from Watatsumi Island?" Kokomi asked
"You bet. We sure showed them who's boss!" Paimon answered confidently
"Good. Now we just need to make sure Ookubo keeps a close watch to prevent their resurgence. Thank you. I believe in rewarding merit, so you will be compensated for your hard work. Let me see... too soon for another promotion, I think. I could increase your pay..."
"Hey, where did Teppei go?" Lumine asked, remembering their friend
"I gave him an assignment. He's taking part in a surprise attack against the Shogun's Navy. He expressed a desire to be on the front line, so I honored his wishes. Now. Speaking of assignments, Lumine, I have a special mission I'd like to give you."
"A special mission?" Paimon asked
"Yes. In between Watatsumi Island and Tatarasuna, there are some ruins relating to a god who fell in the Archon War. There are several small islands there, often used as a transit point when transporting supplies.
Recently, however, supplies stored there have started to go missing for no obvious reason. Stranger still, the resistance army passed by and reported they found no signs of danger... I'd like to task you with getting to the bottom of this.
It's not urgent, so there is no need to leave immediately. I suggest you take a few days to familiarize yourselves with the army and also with Watatsumi Island. When Teppei returns, you can catch up with him, then pick a day when the weather's good to set sail for the islands." Kokomi explained
"Is Teppei really gonna be okay? He has a tendency to dive into action without thinking things through... Paimon can't help but feel a little worried about him. Oh Lumine, why don't we go wait for him at the training grounds?"
Paimon said as they started finding him
-Timeskip brought to you by Chibi Furina tells Chibi Neuvillette uses a Hydro Pump and Chibi Lumine tells Chibi Boboiboy Water uses Whale-
After training with Swordfish II for a few days...
"Long time no see!" Teppei entered with a big smile. "So, how's Swordfish II treating you? Getting along okay with everyone?"
"Well enough." Lumine said as they nodded in agreement
"Hehe, well you're in luck, because this seasoned veteran's got a few leadership tips for you! Raising their pay will boost morale, while giving them a few bounties will act as an incentive to go the extra mile. It's also important to maintain strict discipline at all times, and finally... uh, wait, what was it, what was it..."
"Wow... Where'd ya learn all that, Teppei?" Paimon said in curious
"I read it in a novel from the Yae Publishing House... it was a long time ago. You wouldn't believe how many Dango it took to convince my friend to let me borrow it." Teppei said
"You're seriously gonna use a novel to tell people how to run an army? Pretty sure that's called being an "armchair general"..." Paimon commented
"Haw-haw, that's where you underestimate me! That's right, I'm learning military management on the job now, just like you." Teppei said
"Wait, you mean..." Lumine realized
Teppei grinned proudly "You'd better believe it! Thanks to my outstanding achievements in the recent naval battle, I've officially been made the captain of my very own special operations unit! It's a brand new unit: Herring I! What do you think? Pretty awesome, right?
I spoke to Her Excellency and she says our uniforms are in production. Let's go collect them together once they're ready. I can't wait to put them on! We're really gonna look the part. Ah, everything's going great. Our mystery sponsor's supplies have really helped turn things around..."
"Will Paimon get a uniform, too?" Paimon asked
"Of course! You're a recognized member of the Watatsumi Island resistance." Teppei nodded
"Yippy!" Paimon loudly cheered before they got interrupted by a squad member of Teppei
"Captain, a new assignment has come in..." he said
"Thank you soldier, I'll be there on the double. Alright, I'd better go. See you again soon. You'd better watch out, partner — at the rate I'm going, I'll overtake you if you're not careful!"
"Hah, in your dreams, mister!" Paimon said
"*clears throat*... I wouldn't be so confident if I were you. I'm at the top of my game right now. This is my time to shine!" Teppei said and left
"Paimon is so surprised that Teppei's been made a platoon captain... He must have been working super hard. Let's take a break then go check out these Archon War ruins!" Paimon said as they went to the location
-Timeskip brought to you by Chibi Lumine is traumatized because of Chibi Thorn and Chibi Solar losing their memories. Right now, they are doing like the one in the army. Chibi Thunderstorm joins with them-
The three arrived at the place where Kokomi mentioned. There are three Electro monuments
"This should be the place. But Sangonomiya was right, it doesn't look like anything suspicious is going on... Could they be hiding? Lumine, let's see what we can find."
The three walked until they saw something weird "These Electro Monuments look a little suspicious..." Paimon said as Lumine tried lighting the three electro monuments up
Suddenly the electro lawachurl appeared out of nowhere
"Yikes! A huge lawachurl! Was it drawn out by the Electro energy?" Paimon said as they started fighting
-A few minutes later-
"Phew... glad that's over." Paimon sighed in relief
"As monsters go, that one was pretty tough. But what's such a huge Thunderhelm Lawachurl doing here in the first place?
It doesn't make any sense... Also, the atmosphere here gives Paimon the creeps. Anyway, the good thing is that it's over now. We should probably get going... Huh, Teppei? What are you doing here?"
They saw Teppei walking up to them
"*cough* ...Wow, this is a surprise. Didn't know you were the ones investigating here. I just got back from delivering some supplies to the front line. I figured I'd stop by and clear any threats in this area on the way back. *cough*..."
They start feeling worried about him
'Is he... getting sick?' Boboiboy thought and then noticed his hair. It is grey 'Wait what? His hair...'
Paimon looked worried "Are you alright there buddy? You're looking slightly the worse for wear."
"I'm fine, it's nothing. I must've caught a cold a couple days ago while I was out at sea. On my way past, I heard that someone had just arrived on the island to investigate, so I thought I'd come and take a look. If there'd been some real danger, I might've had the chance to be the hero... Heh, shame it was just you guys. Guess I came here for nothing."
"Teppei, don't you think there's something strange about this place?" Paimon said
Teppei looked thoughtful for a moment "Hmm... now that you mention it, there is something a little off about it. It could be that the Tatarigami is more palpable here, I guess. We're not that far away from Orobaxi's remains."
"Orobaxi? Who's that?" Paimon asked
"A god. Look, there's the corpse over there." Teppei pointed at the giant skeleton that looked like a snake
Paimon felt pale "Aah! It's a gigantic snake skeleton. It looks terrifying!"
"Orobaxi was the one who brought our ancestors from Enkanomiya up to the surface. That's the origin of the Watatsumi Island you know today. Our ancestors regarded it as a guardian deity, but during the Archon War, Orobaxi invaded Yashiori Island.
The Raiden Shogun came out in person and slew Orobaxi with the Musou no Hitotachi. That same slash also formed what later became known as Musoujin Gorge." Teppei explained
"The Raiden Shogun created Musoujin Gorge in one slash? Wow, that's pretty incredible..." Paimon said in awe
"Yes. But the Archon War was brutal... *cough* and Yashiori Island was completely destroyed during that battle. They say the shogun lost something very dear to her along the way too.
Since Orobaxi's death... *cough* there has always been some animosity between Watatsumi Island and the Shogunate. But our different beliefs have nothing to do with why the resistance was formed. We only rose up to fight against the Vision Hunt Decree.
When Orobaxi attacked civilization, the shogun stood up and put a stop to it. But now that the shogun is stripping people of their ambitions with the Vision Hunt Decree, it's time for someone to stand up and stop the shogun... *cough*.
Alright, I'm heading back. I was just dealing with some of the Shogun's elite samurai, so I think I'm gonna take a quick breather, then it's onto my next assignment. You should report back to Sangonomiya as soon as possible. Don't stay here longer than you need to — being around the Tatarigami too long won't do your health any good...*coughing*..."
Teppei kept coughing which made them worried
Boboiboy(Light) noticed his face was slowly changing 'Huh?'
"Take care of yourself." Lumine told him with worry
"Hey, don't worry about me. Peak condition..." Teppei grinned before leaving
"Teppei's sure made some big progress if he's already dealing with Shogunate Samurai. Paimon can hardly believe it." Paimon looked awed "Let's report back to Kokomi."
They nodded and the three returned to the headquarters
-Timeskip brought to you by Chibi Boboiboy holding the mic, Chibi Lumine sitting on the speaker, and Chibi Paimon holding the radio. They are having a rap battle-
They have arrived. They saw Kokomi and Gorou chatting but it looked like they having trouble
"Kokomi, we're back— Oh, look, Gorou's here too." Paimon said in surprise "What happened? They look so serious..."
"Approximately how many people are exhibiting these symptoms?" Kokomi asked, not paying attention to the three as she looked extremely stress
Gorou, similarly, ignored the three for now as he replied solemnly. "I haven't had the chance to do a full count yet..."
"Kokomi, Gorou... what's going on?" Paimon asked again.
"Recently, some of our soldiers started showing symptoms of accelerated aging. I called them in for questioning and found out that they'd privately acquired some secret weapons from our sponsor.
Most of them are highly ambitious types, vehemently opposed to the Vision Hunt Decree. They've been using these new weapons secretly since getting hold of them.
So that's why the war has been going unusually well... But risky secret weapons are not the answer. We must put a stop to it immediately. Gorou, have you managed to acquire one of these weapons?" Kokomi asked
"Most of the officers refused to hand them over. Still, I did manage to get one..." Gorou took out the item which made them shocked
"Oh dear..." Lumine said the moment she saw the item.
"You three, do you know something about this?" Kokomi asked with hope.
Lumine looked grim "It's a Fatui Delusion."
"So that means our secret sponsor is the Fatui?" Gorou asked in shock, especially when they nodded
Kokomi looked troubled "But why would the Fatui do this... Forget that, there's no time. Right now, we need to inform the whole army to cease using their Delusions immediately. All soldiers who have shown symptoms are to be taken for treatment. I just hope we'll be in time to save them."
Paimon realized something "Wait a second... Lumine, Boboiboy, speaking of soldiers with symptoms..."
"Teppei..." Lumine whispered with realization
"He is... one of them." Boboiboy said
"No, s—surely he can't have..." Paimon gulped "Uhh, let's go check on him!"
With that, the three rushed outside to find their dear friend who might have used the item.
"Teppei!" the group called out. Once they arrived and were shocked at the sight. He is ... getting old
"Oh... *cough* Hey, guys. What're you doing here? Just a moment, lemme get up... Oof, it's weird, I don't know where all my strength's gone..." Teppei wondered
"Teppei, you have to tell me." Lumine said seriously "What's been going on with you?"
"Hmm? Oh right, yeah, I haven't had time to give you the full details. Well, I've made a lot of great contributions to the war effort lately. Fighting the Shogun's Army at sea, taking on Shogunate Samurai all by myself, rescuing my comrades fr—from an ambush... things I never would have dreamed I could do when you first met me.
*cough* If only I were stronger still. The stronger I am, the more I can do for the resistance... Wait a sec, where's my secret weapon gone?" Teppei looked around to find
"Tell me about this weapon." Lumine said
"W-When did you start using it?" Boboiboy asked in worry
"*cough* It wasn't long after you were made captain of Swordfish II. I met these mysterious people, said they were with our supporters. They gave it to me and said that as long as I have the will to become stronger, this secret weapon will answer my call. Haha... *cough* It's just like a vision, isn't it? Of course, I've never used a Vision, so I wouldn't know the difference..."
"This is... a Delusion." Lumine's tears slowly dropped from her eye along with the two
"Delusion? *cough* Oh god, that doesn't sound very good... So... what's the difference between a Delusion and a Vision?" Teppei asked
"A Delusion drains the user's life force." Boboiboy answered
"*cough* Gosh... Well, I suppose it's not too surprising that a mysterious weapon of unknown origins would come with its risks. I've been getting more and more tired over the past few days, and I have this... strange sense of dread.
At first I'd find I was a little more beat than usual after a battle. Didn't think anything of it. But today, I got back and suddenly my vision was going blurry. This is a real shame... There I was, thinking I was catching up with ya, haha...Guess I didn't receive the favor of the gods, after all..."
Teppei laughed a little
Lumine stayed silent, looking pained
"Hey, Lumine, Boboiboy would you do something for me? When our uniforms are ready, grab mine for me... bring it back here, and we can change together..."
"..." Lumine looked at the other way with an angry look. Teppei saw her look
"What's that look for? Don't worry, partner. Soon as I've rested up, I'll be right as rain. Right as rain, I tell ya... soon as I've... rested up..." he fell asleep
"Teppei..." Paimon murmured. Their tears are dropped on the ground
Lumine on the other hands
"The Fatui..." Lumine whispered, obvious anger on her face and voice as she walked away
"Hey Lumine, where are you going? Heyyyy..." Paimon rushed to catch up
They walked down and saw Kokomi
"How is Teppei's condition?" Kokomi asked
"He's taken a sudden turn for the worse." she replied with a deep frown. Boboiboy noticed her anger
"...I have put out the order to seize all Delusions. The vast majority are showing some loss of vitality, but nothing serious. Sadly, a few have been... less fortunate..." Kokomi said
"Your Excellency, I'm planning to establish a dedicated field hospital to monitor their condition." Gorou reported "The soldiers are up in arms about the ban though. They know full well what a Delusion is, but they still intend to keep using them."
"Okay. I'll leave you to deal with this situation. I have to get to the front line. This whole fiasco is certain to be a blow to morale. If the Shogun's Army attacks now, while we're scrambling to recover, it could well undo everything we have achieved so far. Lumine, what are your thoughts?"
Lumine smiled "I'll go confront the Fatui directly."
Which made them shocked
Kokomi panicked."No, it's too dangerous! The Sakoku Decree is still in force, so their Delusions must be produced within Inazuma's borders. To organize an operation of this scale, they will have had to mobilize a huge amount of manpower and resources. They can't have done it without local support.
If we want to stop them, we have to destroy the factory where the Delusions are made. But it's sure to be heavily guarded... It's dangerous to go alone. At least take some troops with you..."
"There's no time for that." Lumine shook her head
"Your Excellency, given the urgency of the situation, we were hardly discreet when confiscating the Delusions. The Fatui are sure to take notice. If we spend any longer amassing our forces, they will get wind of our plans and make their escape." Gorou told them
"Very true. Mm... let me think... I gave this some thought while you were confiscating the Delusions. The site of the factory must be big and secluded, but close enough to a transport route to ensure the supply of raw materials...
Not many places meet these criteria, and if we take the locations where our soldiers received their Delusions into account as well, I suspect the site is likely to be the cliffs near the ocean at the southwest of Yashiori Island. I'm not going to stop you, but please be careful. We have lost too many courageous fighters already. I don't want to lose you too."
Lumine looked down with her eyes closed for a moment before smiling at her, indicating that she would be careful. She then turned to Paimon "Okay, let's go."
"Huh? You mean, to the Delusion factory?" Paimon asked in confusion
Lumine:...
"Really? You aren't going to think it over first? Ugh, fine..."
They were about to leave but Lumine stopped Boboiboy
"Boboiboy. You stay here to take care of Teppei." Lumine said
"Huh? A-are you sure you can take them alone? You need my help." Boboiboy said
"Don't worry. I will be fine. I always depend on you for many things. It is my time for me to do this alone without your help. So, please Boboiboy can you take care of Teppei?" Lumine asked
"... Ok. But be careful." Boboiboy said as she nodded and left
-Timeskip brought to you by Chibi Tok Aba tells Chibi Klee a 'bedtime story'. She ends up falling asleep fast along with a few Genshin characters-
the two started searching for the delusion factory. Once they found it, they wasted no time in entering and searching for the leader, defeating the minions easily.
"So is this where Delusions are made from? So much Crystal Marrow... Now, where have we seen that before..." realization hit her. "Wait a second, are they getting this from Ritou? So the Kanjou Commission are... Ugh."
Lumine was about to reply when she noticed a hall notice which they checked
Hall Notice: The situation of the Inazuman civil war is presently uncertain. The longer this conflict drags on, the more advantageous our position will be...
Hall Notice: To deepen the resistance's reliance on Delusions, to fan the flames of war, and steel the resolve of the leadership on both sides to continue fighting...
Hall Notice: I call upon all available comrades to assist the work of 2nd Naval Lieutenant Nathan in dashing Sangonomiya's hopes for a quick victory...
Hall Notice: If there are any accidents, assist in 2nd Lieutenant Nathan's escape, and silence all who might reveal our infiltration into their ranks!
Hall Notice: This mission is of vital importance to securing our supply of Delusions — not a single detail may be overlooked!
Lumine didn't say anything after reading the notice, simply walking forward as she gracefully dodged the traps such as the hallway filled with electro arrows. Finally, they reached the end or at least they assumed it was the end
"Intruders spotted..." a fatui member said when he noticed them "Do not let them impede the work of the Harbingers. You'll never get out of here alive!"
-A few minutes later
Lumine easily defeated the enemies, causing a second wave to arrive
The Fatui cursed "This idiot must have a death wish! Don't be intimidated. Lord Harbinger will be here soon."
Lumine rolled her eyes
-A few minutes later
She defeated them all, looking a little smug when she did However, a voice interrupted her moment
"You actually managed to find this place. Congratulations." the duo turned to the voice, seeing a familiar guy. Raged filled Lumine's face as she glared at the man, causing him to scoff in amusement
"Hah. Barely two words in and you already look like you want me dead." It was the same guy that they met during helping Mona. It's The Balladeer
"You're giving Delusions to the resistance..." Lumine simply said, trying to keep her temper in check
"Oh, so that's what this is about." the man, Scaramouche looked bored "I think you've got the wrong idea. I know how this looks, but I'm just here to follow orders. I'm obviously not the mastermind behind this. Aren't you supposed to be pretty tough? What are you waiting for, go get them."
Lumine scowled at him
"You're getting all worked up over nothing. Pff, you've changed... You're getting weak." he mocked
"How can you say this is nothing?" Paimon cried out.
"How can you call it anything more? It's the way of the world. Human life is worthless. They were always going to die, with or without a Delusion. At least having one gives them a chance to fulfill their ambitions.
Do you have any idea how useful the Vision Hunt Decree is to us? It took a lot of work to make it happen. Obviously it was in our best interests. Good news is, our hard work is finally paying off. Generating conflict creates a big market for Delusions. Now we just let the promise of power draw in the weak...
For just a small price, they get the feeling of controlling the world. Trading their life for supreme power... pretty good deal, don't you think?"
"So the Fatui started the Vision Hunt Decree? You've been behind it all along?" Paimon couldn't believe what she just heard. Lumine is getting angrier
"From the outside, Inazuma looks pretty impenetrable, but on the inside... it's a land of opportunity. With a little effort, we were able to break them down from within. Eternity stretches things out over a long time. But each moment within it becomes all the more fragile.
Take your friend in the resistance, for example. There's nothing you can do now. He's a lost cause. Just like a bubble on the water. Beautiful for a moment, then total destruction.
The more it takes from them, the more tightly they hold onto it. And the more incompetent they are, the more determined they are to fight it! Hahaha, it's such a farce, you have to see the funny side."
"Don't you dare mock Teppei... He's not incompetent!" Lumine shouted
"Hey! Lumine, calm down..." Paimon told her, noticing how angry the other girl was. Her words had no effect as Lumine took a step forward, planning on attacking the hat guy. Unfortunately, the man was smart and had a plan as a purple haze started to envelop the traveler.
"Uh... No!" Paimon exclaimed in worry as Lumine started to sway a little while grabbing her head
"Hahaha..." Scaramouche laughed "That's it, just like that! Embrace the anger... Embrace it! The wrath of the gods fills this factory, and it feeds on your anger..."
"Ah, what's happening..." Paimon panicked when Lumine fell to the ground "Get up...!"
Her efforts were futile as Lumine fainted but not before seeing a vague image of a lady with a pink tail
-One hour later-
Lumine woke up to the sound of a calming voice
"Repeat after me. "Three, two, one, one, two, three, ahhhh, ahhhh." Come on."
"Three, two, one, one, two, three, ahhhh, ahhhh." Lumine replied
"Okay, that's positive. Your brain seems relatively unscathed, this is good news."
Lumine opened her eyes and saw who she was with "Yae Miko!?"
"Boboiboy?" Lumine also notices Boboiboy is here too
"Oh? You recognized me right away. Your brain seems relatively unscathed, this is good news. It's just as well, really, with the amount of effort it took me to get you back here. Honestly, it was like you were glued to the ground back there." Yae Miko said
"Are you alright, Lumine?" Boboiboy asked her as he held his hand out to help her up
"I'm ok. Just feel headache a little." Lumine accepted
"Uh, Miko, Paimon's been wanting to ask you about something. How come you're acting so differently from when we first met you?" Paimon asked in curious
"Am I? Maybe it's because I had the other shrine maidens leave. Anyway, I've always been like this. People show you whatever side of themselves they want you to see. I know this for a fact.
Every side of me is the real me. People just like to define things in all sorts of arbitrary ways. This is a human society — at the moment, anyway — and I'm just doing as I please."
"Uh... Paimon didn't quite follow." Paimon was confused
"Hehe, study humans a while longer, my little friend. You'll see what I mean." Yae Miko said
"How did you do it?" Lumine asked curiously
"Right! Paimon was so focused on the Traveler that Paimon didn't notice what you did to get Scaramouche off our backs..." Paimon said
"What if I told you it was a secret art from the Grand Narukami Shrine, and that I had The Balladeer down on his knees begging for mercy in an instant... Would you believe me?" Yae Miko smiled
Lumine: ...
Thunderstorm behind Boboiboy just shook in fear
Yae Miko laughed after seeing the blank look Lumine gave her "Hehe, well, maybe you should be worrying less about that and more about how exactly you are going to thank me... no? Hmm, maybe some of your neural circuitry is less intact than I thought..."
"Thank you ever so much, Yae-sama." Lumine bowed down. Yae Miko giggled
"I didn't mean you had to be so formal about it. I need your actions, not your words, hehe. The Delusions... they're still on your mind, aren't they?" Yae Miko asked
"Yes..." Lumine whispered
"You needn't worry. The leader of Watatsumi Island took some troops to clear the place out. She's also issued a strict ban on the use of Delusion across the whole army. With their stronghold exposed, I doubt The Balladeer is stubborn enough to try and retaliate now on his colleagues' behalf. It would be more trouble than it's worth.
Ah, I must say, I would relish the opportunity to watch the Fatui getting a taste of their own medicine... Well anyway, that Sangonomiya Kokomi, she really outdid herself this time. I'd love to have another chat with her again in person, but alas... belief systems can be such a hindrance sometimes."
"A hindrance? Should you really be saying that as the guuji of the Grand Shrine!?" Paimon said in shock
"Anyway. I'm only telling you this to stop you worrying, so that you can focus... on something I need you to do for me." Yae Miko told her
"What do you need?" Lumine asked
"You two have... met her, right?" Yae Miko said
"Yes, at the ceremony..." Lumine looked confused
"I'm not talking about the puppet. I mean... her. You've met her, yes?" Yae Miko said which made them surprised
"You mean... inside?" Lumine said
"Yes. The true Raiden Shogun, who meditates endlessly in the plane of euthymia to preserve her being... Her name is "Ei"." Yae Miko revealed which made them shocked
"Ei? Wait, are you saying that the one we met at the ceremony was just a puppet? And the real Raiden Shogun is the one that me and Lumine met later? And does that mean that when the battlefield changed... so did the opponent?" Boboiboy(Light) asked
"But why go to such lengths?" Lumine added
"Because this is the Raiden Shogun's eternity. Before pursuing the eternity of her nation, she had to reach eternity for herself. Since the physical body will eventually turn to dust, she replaced hers with that of a puppet.
And since the spirit is susceptible to erosion, she placed her consciousness inside her sword, where she remains in a meditative state, free from all disturbances." Yae Miko answered
"So, that place that she carved open with her sword..." Paimon said
"The Plane of Euthymia. Essentially, the world inside her mind. A place that typically only allows her existence.
She shuts herself off in her inner world, leaving all the affairs of the outside world to be dealt with by a puppet who has a singular focus on the pursuit of eternity...This is the approach Ei has come up with for realizing eternity."
"Zhongli also mentioned erosion." Lumine shared "It's one reason why he stepped down."
"You mean Morax? It's been a while since I last saw him. A surprising decision by Liyue's archon... what a fascinating god he is." Yae Miko commented
"It seems like the Raiden Shogun's approach solves the problem Zhongli was facing though..." Paimon said
"Hehe, perhaps... or you could take the view that she's acting like a little child, throwing a temper tantrum and locking herself in her room. Don't you think?
The grand notion of eternity she once held has long since given way to the eternity of her own definition. And ultimately, her eternity is defined by fear... the fear of loss."
"I'm still not sure what you want us to do." Lumine confessed
"The truth is... we are on the same side. You want to save the people of Inazuma from the Vision Hunt Decree. So do I. The only difference is that I'd rather like to save this nation and save Ei while we're at it.
The key is that the Plane of Euthymia represents Ei's inner world. Defeat her there and you may well have the chance to shake the Raiden Shogun's will."
Yae Miko explained
"So this is your plan to abolish the Vision Hunt Decree? Not by talking her out of it, or through an armed resistance, but by uh... hopping inside the Raiden Shogun's inner world?" Paimon clarified
"You're a fast learner. In short, this is the last chance to get Inazuma back on track. Otherwise, an eternity of darkness awaits." Yae Miko said
"Then Boboiboy is the key to stopping her since he is on par with her with his Thunderstorm element." Paimon stated
But Yae Miko shook her head "I'm afraid we can't let him fight. It would be better to let your friend stop her instead. It would be safe for him."
"Huh? Why her?" Paimon asked in confusion
"I tell you something. Remember the ability the puppet used back in the ceremony?" Yae Miko asked them
"Yes. We saw that. She was taking Thoma's Vision before I interfered." Lumine said
"Yes, but that is just part of the ability. Ei has the ability... that can drain elements' energy." Yae Miko revealed, which made them shocked
"What!? She, the Electro Archon, has the ability to drain elements!" Paimon said in shocked
"W-What!? But how!? How does she have that!?" Boboiboy is also shocked
Lumine then remembers the dream. The dream she saw
"I take it you already know about The Six Beings. She was given that ability by Satriantar. Satriantar was worried that If her element along with others got stolen and the evil being arrived on Teyvat, Archons would have to take the evil being down and take the elements back."
"After Vision Hunt Decree was born, I didn't think the puppet would use that ability to drain elements from the Vision. She only drained to those who lost to the duel. A few have challenged her to a duel and lost their vision. Some resist surrendering their Vision after losing the duel so the puppet used that ability to drain their element. Not only that, Ei even changed that ability a little, making it into Electro."
"I have one question...Why me?" Lumine asked
"Don't you realize how special you are? Remember, the Plane of Euthymia is a space where only she is allowed to exist. The fact that you could appear there tells us one crucial thing: That you have piqued her interest. Perhaps it's because... she has never seen an individual who is so unpredictable in the face of eternity."
"Has no one else ever been in there?" Paimon asked
"None. No one has seen the devotee of eternity since she shut herself away. In fact, no one even knows what it looks like in there.
Your existence is more than just an opportunity. It's the very key to all of this. To that I say... well done, child, you did not disappoint me after all."
Yae Miko said as she was leaving
"Wait, you're leaving? Where are you going?" Paimon asked
"Anti-Raiden Shogun Training. I've prepared a special program, just for you. Come along later. Why don't you tell them something important, Boboiboy?" Yae Miko said and left
"Something important? Wait? Teppei!?" Paimon said as they turned to him
"What happened? Is he ok?" Lumine asked him in worry
Boboiboy silences a little as he looks down
"Boboiboy?" Lumine started feeling worried
The tear drops on the ground. Boboiboy looks up with a crying face
"T-Teppei... He... doesn't have any much time to live..." Boboiboy said which made them shocked
"W-what!? But we stop him from using Delusion!? How did he-!?" Paimon said in shocked
"Kokomi and Gorou tried their best to cure him... But the effect of Delusion is still inside him. Because he used Delusion longer than anyone. There is nothing we can do." Boboiboy said in a broken tone
"No. N-no. Teppei..." Lumine felt hurt
-Timeskip-
At Watatsumi Island
They have arrived at Bourou Village. We can see resistance soldiers around Teppei's house
"Ah, you three arrive just in time." Soldier 1 said
"Here, wear these uniforms. Teppei wanted to see you wearing these." Soldier 2 handed them the uniforms
So they change and go inside Teppei's house. We can see Kokomi and Gorou
And... Teppei rested on the futon
"You three arrive just in time. We leave you alone with Teppei." Kokomi said as she and Gorou left
Now it's just four
Teppei groans as he wakes up and sees the three wearing uniforms
"Oh hey, you're back... *cough* I see you three wearing the uniforms that we are going to wear." Teppei laughed a little
"They look good on you... *Turn to Boboiboy* You have a white hairstreak. It makes you look more awesome..."
"Teppei. Is it true that you are?" Lumine wanted to confirm
"Yeah... I don't have much time to live but... at least we wore the uniforms. It will be a last wish for me..."
The three slowly cry as the tears drop from their eyes
Teppei notices "Hey now, don't cry... I know it's hurt you to see me like this but stay strong. I know you guys are going to miss me. Thank you three for being friends with me."
"Boboiboy, Lumine. Can you do me a favor?" Teppei asked
"What is it?" Lumine said
"Stop Vision Hunt Decree. Free Inazuma. Everyone has suffered from it." Teppei told them
"Of course, we will! We will stop Vision Hunt Decree!" Lumine said as they nodded
"Hehe... Glad to hear that... Thank you three..." Teppei smiled and lay down
-A few minutes later-
The three along with resistance soldiers, Kokomi, and Gorou gathered around Teppei's burial
Find out next on Boboiboy x Genshin impact
Martinthegamer: hi guys, I'm here to tell you that I have an exam in two weeks. So I may update the chapter slower or may not update for a while. Remember to support Monsta and Hoyoverse. Like my story, follow me on Wattpad, and subscribe my channel