Bab 170: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [170]
Luo Qing nodded, as though agreeing with Lumine's reasoning.
"So... does that mean—"
"But I refuse!"
"..."
[+1 Frustration Value from Lumine.][+1 Frustration Value from Paimon.]
"I'm not about to risk my life for this, thank you very much."
Luo Qing crossed his arms with a huff. "If they're really fighting because of my 'death,' why don't you just tell them I'm still alive? There's no need for me to go in person, is there?"
"But—"
"That's final."
Patting Lumine on the shoulder, Luo Qing signaled to his group. Natalia and the others nodded and began to haul their gear down the mountain path.
"I'm heading back to Snezhnaya. See you around, maybe~"
Without waiting for their protests, Luo Qing turned on his heel and began walking away, briefly exchanging a knowing glance with Yae Miko as he passed her.
"Luo Qing... you..."
Lumine made one last attempt to persuade him, but Yae Miko stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm, a playful smile on her face.
"Now, now, forcing someone never ends well. Besides, weren't you on your way to save Ei? We should focus on reaching the Inner Realm."
"But..."
Lumine glanced at Luo Qing's retreating figure, her thoughts swirling.
The last time he said he was returning to Snezhnaya, he showed up in Inazuma instead. Could he have another plan this time?
Even so, with his refusal so firm, Lumine and Paimon had no choice but to let him go. They continued their journey toward the cave beneath the Grand Narukami Shrine.
---
Elsewhere
Luo Qing and his group emerged from the dense trees of Chinju Forest.
Natalia glanced toward the path leading to Inazuma City, prepared to continue toward the city gates, when Luo Qing suddenly raised a hand to stop them.
"You all head straight to Ritou."
"Master, are you going to..." Natalia asked, her tone curious.
"I'll handle the farewells alone." Luo Qing paused, his voice lowering. "Besides, I just remembered... there's still something I need to do."
"..."
The group exchanged glances before bowing their heads in unison.
"Yes, Master. We will await you on Ritou."
Rosalyne remained silent as the others turned to her. Though she now held the lowest rank in their group, her unique dynamic with Luo Qing meant they dared not treat her as an ordinary subordinate.
After all, they weren't entirely sure what Luo Qing and Rosalyne might be up to when left alone.
"Rosalyne, you too. Wait for me at Ritou," Luo Qing instructed.
"Yes... Master..." Rosalyne replied, bowing her head obediently.
With that, Luo Qing vanished before their eyes.
---
Grand Narukami Shrine
Changing into attire more befitting a tourist, Luo Qing strolled through the shrine grounds, eventually stopping beneath the Sacred Sakura tree.
"It really is beautiful..."
He gazed up at the towering tree, its pink-purple blossoms swaying gently in the breeze. Even he couldn't help but feel a rare moment of awe.
This tree, a miracle of Raiden Makoto's will, had defied time itself—planted in the near future, only to take root in Inazuma's distant past.
"I must say, coming uninvited is rather rude, Luo Qing."
A familiar, leisurely voice called out from behind him.
"Oh, but I did pay my respects with an offering," Luo Qing replied with a smirk, turning to see Yae Miko approaching him.
"Hmm, so you're only here to make an offering for good fortune, is that it?" Yae teased, standing beside him to admire the Sacred Sakura.
"Not quite. I have other matters to attend to," Luo Qing said, his hand brushing against the tree's trunk. "This tree... it looks as though it's been here for centuries. And yet, in a sense, it hasn't even been planted yet."
"Oh?"
Yae Miko's gaze sharpened as she studied him, her playful demeanor not wavering.
"Luo Qing, surely you're joking. The Sacred Sakura has stood here for hundreds of years. How could it not have been planted yet?"
Though she kept her expression light, Yae was now fully focused. The mention of time, coupled with the temporal distortions she had felt since guiding Lumine into the Inner Realm, made her suspect Luo Qing knew more than he let on.
"Well then, Yae," Luo Qing said, turning to face her with a mischievous smile. "How about we make a bet?"
"A bet?"
"Let's wager on when this Sacred Sakura was—or will be—planted." Luo Qing patted the tree trunk. "You think it was planted centuries ago, don't you?"
"And you think otherwise?" Yae asked, her brow arching slightly.
"I'll bet that it hasn't been planted yet," Luo Qing said. "If I win, you have to keep this little conversation a secret. Deal?"
"A secret, hmm?" Yae's eyes narrowed slightly, though her mind raced.
So this is what it feels like to be on the receiving end of a riddle.
"Patience, Yae," Luo Qing said with a cryptic smile. "You'll see soon enough."
---
Inner Realm
Lumine and Paimon found themselves hurtling through a stream of temporal distortions. Seasons changed in an instant, oceans rose and fell, and centuries passed in the blink of an eye.
Guided by Yae's instructions, Lumine gathered her thoughts and finally arrived at Ei's side.
Before her, Ei wielded Musou Isshin in a fierce battle against the Raiden Shogun.
Within this timeless space, neither held back. Lightning illuminated the void as the clash of blades echoed endlessly.
The fight was a raw expression of power, the kind only gods could unleash.
"They're..."
Lumine watched, awestruck, as the two deities clashed, their every move shaking the space around them.
She understood why they fought—Ei's betrayal of eternity, her hopes for the future, and... Luo Qing's supposed death.
These were truths the Raiden Shogun's will could not accept.
For samurai, the blade was the only means to resolve conflict.
"Stop fighting! Please, stop!" Paimon shouted desperately, her voice echoing through the space.
Hearing the plea, Ei glanced down and saw Lumine and Paimon below. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly parried the Shogun's attack before landing beside them.
"What are you doing here? Did something happen in Inazuma?"
Before Lumine could respond, the Raiden Shogun descended, her blade crackling with electricity as it bore down on them.
Reacting instantly, Ei moved to shield them, her Musou Isshin deflecting the Shogun's strike.
The clash reignited, forcing Lumine and Paimon to retreat.
"Why won't they stop?" Paimon said in frustration.
Finally, she shouted, "Luo Qing is still alive! Stop fighting already!"
At her words, both Ei and the Raiden Shogun froze mid-motion, their eyes wide with shock as they turned to Paimon.
"What did you say?!" they demanded in unison.
---
If you notice anything that feels off, just let me know—I don't mind fixing things up.
Oh, and don't forget to sit up, grab some water, and take it easy while you're here. No rush, right?
If you're into this, consider checking out [patreon.com/WiseTL].
Your support helps me keep going, and I'm grateful for every bit of it.
Bab 171: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [171]
And then Paimon dropped a single sentence that extinguished the flames of their fight entirely.
The Raiden Shogun, ignoring Ei entirely, flashed like a bolt of lightning toward Paimon. Her voice was cold and unyielding.
"Repeat what you just said."
"Uh..."
Terrified by the overwhelming pressure emanating from the Raiden Shogun, Paimon quickly darted behind Lumine, peeking out timidly.
"I-I said, Luo Qing isn't dead. He's alive and well! You two can stop fighting now..."
"..."
The Raiden Shogun fell silent, raising her blade and pointing it at Lumine and Paimon. Her voice was like a chilling gust.
"If you dare lie to me, you will face divine retribution."
"I-I'm not lying..." Paimon stammered, clutching Lumine's shoulder for safety. "Luo Qing was so terrified by you that he faked his death to escape..."
"..."
The Raiden Shogun was silent again, her blade hovering indecisively.
"Luo Qing is really still alive?"
Ei, too, approached, her brows furrowed as she studied Lumine and Paimon.
"Of course! We just saw him not long ago," Paimon said, raising her voice slightly. "He mentioned he might return to Snezhnaya. If you two keep fighting, he could be gone before you even find him!"
"..."
Ei exchanged glances with Lumine and Paimon. Their sincerity made her suspect nothing.
Perhaps Luo Qing had indeed escaped using some unknown method...
If that were true, then—
"In that case..."
Before Ei could make her decision, the Raiden Shogun lifted her blade once more. Her tone was calm, yet resolute.
"Let this final battle mark the end of the five hundred years of fate binding us."
Even without Luo Qing's presence, the betrayal against eternity was still an unavoidable catalyst between them.
No matter what, the battle between Ei and the Raiden Shogun was destined to happen.
"Huh? Why are they still fighting?"
Paimon blinked in confusion.
Weren't they fighting because of Luo Qing's supposed death? Now that they knew he was alive, shouldn't this be the part where they stopped fighting and ran to find him, like in those light novel plots?
"Paimon, stay back."
Lumine summoned her blade, shielding Paimon as the battle reignited.
The Raiden Shogun ascended into the air, her form wreathed in thunder. The divine aura surrounding her was even more intense than before.
"You..."
Feeling the Shogun's intent, Ei frowned. She could sense it clearly—the Shogun was determined to finish this battle quickly, so she could pursue Luo Qing.
The murderous intent she'd once harbored toward Luo Qing had long since dissipated, replaced by a lingering fondness she couldn't fully understand.
Even if her memories of those tender days were erased, an inexplicable affection remained in her heart.
Ei couldn't comprehend why the Raiden Shogun would blush and grow excited at the mere mention of Luo Qing's name.
Though, she had to admit, she felt a little...
"Since that's the case..."
Drawing the Musou Isshin once more, Ei spoke calmly.
"Let this blade's will end everything between us."
In the next moment, Ei charged at the Raiden Shogun, her determination unwavering.
Their clash filled the realm of consciousness with the brilliance of blades and lightning.
This was a battleground for gods, one in which Lumine, far from her former strength, had no place. All she could do was wait beside Paimon for the battle to conclude.
At last, the lightning subsided.
Bearing the hopes of countless Inazumans, Ei emerged victorious.
"This is the end... You... have won..."
The Raiden Shogun knelt on one knee, her face weary, though her tone carried a hint of urgency.
"The will that knows no wear... In the end, it cannot embrace the future."
"The reasons behind our blades define the limits of our skills. What I carry are the gazes of countless souls, fixed on the dawn. You need not fear the future, nor face it alone."
Ei gazed at the Musou Isshin in her hand, her voice soft.
"This blade... only responds when I truly understand and accept it. I never saw you as a mere tool, just as you never treated me as a fearless, unfeeling weapon."
"Heh... So, are you apologizing for that?"
"..."
Ei understood what the Shogun referred to—the erasure of their memories with Luo Qing, his death for the sake of eternity.
"I'm sorry."
"..."
The sudden apology surprised the Raiden Shogun. It was a long while before she responded quietly.
"You truly have changed... Is this what humans call growth?"
After a moment's hesitation, the Raiden Shogun continued in a calm voice.
"I understand. I will become your shadow, as you once were mine... But as for him... I won't give him up to you."
"..."
It took a moment for Ei to process the Shogun's parting words.
"You still can't let it go, can you?"
"Hmph... Neither can you."
With that, the Raiden Shogun ascended, transforming into a streak of light that returned to the Plane of Euthymia.
"Wait, that's it?"
Paimon poked her head out, muttering.
"So, do we head back now, or..."
Before she could finish, the Musou Isshin in Ei's hand began to glow a soft pinkish-purple.
From within the light, a cheerful voice echoed.
"Hello, Ei, and to all the witnesses here..."
"This voice... You are... truly..."
"Yes, it's been a long time, Ei."
---
Meanwhile, beneath the Sacred Sakura Tree...
Luo Qing twirled his fingers, summoning a small, emerald-green seed into his hand.
"This is..."
Sensing the seed's vibrant life force, Yae Miko raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"No need to be so shocked, Miss Yae," Luo Qing said with a smirk. "It's merely a little prop for the wager between us."
With that, he placed the seed in front of the Sacred Sakura Tree.
The air shifted as he did. Yae Miko's expression tightened—she could sense the turbulence of time and space calming instantly with his actions.
At the same time, a voice echoed in Luo Qing's mind.
[Ding! Residual souls of deceased lifeforms detected nearby. Would you like to use the Seed of Nirvana?]
"Just as I thought..."
Luo Qing's lips curled into a knowing smile.
It was as he'd suspected. The final fragment of her consciousness had become a seed within the Sacred Sakura Tree, crossing the currents of time and space to return to the past, saving Inazuma from calamity.
But only by planting the seed in the past, once Ei's heart truly changed, could her spirit fully manifest within the Sacred Sakura.
"Use it."
With a thought, Luo Qing activated the seed.
A soft violet glow emerged from the Sacred Sakura Tree, gathering around the Seed of Nirvana in his hand.
[Ding! Residual souls collected. Would you like to proceed with physical reconstruction?]
"Alright then," Luo Qing said suddenly.
"What?" Yae Miko asked, startled.
"Miss Yae, remember to keep this a secret for me~"
Before she could respond, Luo Qing disappeared from beneath the Sacred Sakura Tree.
---
If you notice anything that feels off, just let me know—I don't mind fixing things up.
Oh, and don't forget to sit up, grab some water, and take it easy while you're here. No rush, right?
If you're into this, consider checking out [patreon.com/WiseTL].
Your support helps me keep going, and I'm grateful for every bit of it.
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