"I'm here to see the Raiden Shogun. Could you please announce my arrival?"
"One moment, please!"
After just one night, the famous milk tea vendor of Inazuma had returned once more. The Tenryou Commission guards at Tenshukaku knew very well who he was dealing with and wasted no time sending word inside.
"The Shogun has granted you entry."
The hall of Tenshukaku was vast—structured like a grand dōjō. On both sides stood tall wooden partitions, painted in deep violet motifs, resembling thickened, fortified screens. The central floor was open and bare—this was where La Signora had met her end. Directly ahead, before the enormous blue-and-gold mitsudomoe emblem, stood the Raiden Shogun, already waiting.
There was no one else present. Few would ever dare step foot into this place uninvited.
"Is this the place where you wish to make your request?"
Victor nodded, removing his right glove and revealing a dark, chitinous Hilichurl-like hand. "I'd like to ask for your help… to make me human again."
"So that's what you truly are…"
"Is it possible?"
The Shogun exhaled softly. "My apologies. I am… currently not in a state to perform operations of such precision."
Not in a state…? Victor thought. Could it be the conflict between Ei and the puppet worsening?
"It's fine. I can wait until the situation improves."
"I cannot say how long this will last. In the worst case, I may never be able to help you at all… But I take it you won't change your request."
"No. That's the only thing I'm asking for."
"…Then let us revisit the matter later. When I am able, I'll find you myself."
"Is there anything else I should prepare—like materials?"
"Materials… hm." The Shogun's expression stiffened slightly as she searched her memory. "You'll need one thousand Naku Weed, and to defeat the Thunder Manifestation on Seirai Island and obtain its drop. As for the other item… the one who once held it has long left Inazuma. If there's a substitute…"
"Could something like that even have a substitute?"
The Shogun looked at him in mild surprise.
"I've gone through two elemental cleansings already. I can roughly guess what kinds of materials are required."
"I see… I see indeed…" For an Archon to make a promise she couldn't fulfill—it was awkward, even for her. After a pause, she added, "There should be a replacement of some kind. Give me a little time to think."
Honestly, he had half-hoped she might still have something like a "Electro Dragon Scales" or "Electro Dragon's Tear" tucked away, but from her uncertain tone… yeah, that hope was fried.
"I understand. I'll gather the other materials in the meantime and wait for your word."
With a quiet sigh, Victor left Tenshukaku.
As for those materials—one thousand Naku Weed was easy enough to buy. The Thunder Manifestation's drop, however, would take effort.
To even face that beast, one had to first repair the "Warding Stones" on Seirai Island. The creature hit hard, had an absurd amount of health, and was endlessly mobile—best fought with an ally skilled in ranged combat and capable of triggering elemental reactions against Electro.
And the Thunder Manifestation's story was tied to another island—Tsurumi.
"Just hearing the name brings back bad memories…"
Tsurumi Island was the most haunted of all Inazuma. No exaggeration—it was literally true.
Once, a strange fog blanketed the island, never dispersing. A mighty Thunderbird lived there, capable of dispelling the mist. The people, believing it a divine guardian, began offering live sacrifices to it. But the Thunderbird never cared for their worship or their rites.
Then came a child named Ruu, whose song caught the Thunderbird's ear. They made a promise—to meet again so Ruu could sing for it once more. But the villagers, believing Ruu favored by the Thunderbird, decided to "offer" him up as a sacrifice. Ruu became the centerpiece of the final ritual…
Enraged by this betrayal, the Thunderbird destroyed Tsurumi Island and cursed it:
"Since you let that one-of-a-kind song bleed into the soil as lifeless blood, until I, Kapatcir, hear that song again—from that child Ruu—this land shall suffer endless calamity."
Its wrath warped the island's ley lines. The dead of Tsurumi rose as wandering spirits, trapped in a cycle that lasted over a thousand years.
That was the tragedy of Tsurumi Island.
The Thunderbird later flew to Seirai Island, where the Raiden Shogun struck it down. Yet its hatred lingered, birthing the Thunder Manifestation. To suppress that power, the Inazuman people built Asase Shrine and the Warding Stones. But even that force eventually shattered the island once more—that, however, was another story.
The spirits of Tsurumi could never leave their island. Their fading forms spoke of minds long eroded. The only way to save Ruu was to break the endless cycle.
Defeating the Thunder Manifestation yielded a "Peculiar Feather," the key to ending Tsurumi's thousand-year curse.
That feather must go to Lumine, Victor decided.
He'd already experienced that journey once—and with his ghost-attracting constitution, such places weren't ideal for him. Better to let Lumine handle it this time.
Smiling faintly, he wondered if Aether had felt the same way when he first sent Lumine off on her travels.
Besides, Lumine still needed to visit both Seirai and Tsurumi for Electroculi anyway. Today, she was apparently being persuaded by Yae Miko to investigate Mikage Furnace at Tatarasuna while collecting them.
When it came time to challenge the Thunder Manifestation, Yoimiya could handle ranged attacks, Lumine the melee, and he'd just focus on shields.
"Victor!"
By the time he reached the Shogunate gates, Arataki Itto—who'd been waiting impatiently—was scratching his head raw. "How'd it go? Did you get what you wanted?"
"It'll take some time before I have an answer."
"Ah, I see. But you're free for now, right?"
"Me? I've got a lot on my plate. Yae Miko's forcing me to write three novels for Yae Publishing! Three, you hear me? One novel usually takes two years to finish! I won't have much free time anytime soon…"
"What!? That foxy priestess is forcing you to work?!"
"…Can't be helped. It's technically my fault, so I had to agree."
"What about your milk tea stall, huh? Do you have any idea how famous Pearl Milk Tea is now? You can't just abandon it like that!"
Putting on his best tragic expression, Victor sighed dramatically. "Could you guys help run it for a while? Otherwise, Pearl Milk Tea might have to shut down… If you're willing to help, you can keep all the profits!"
"But most people come just to see you!"
"I'll drop by when I can."
"Didn't you just say you won't have time?"
"That's called research. Writers need to get out sometimes to find inspiration."
Itto frowned deeply. Something didn't add up. Hand on his chin, he summoned all his brain cells to work through it… and finally declared, "Wait a sec—you're tricking us into working for you!"
"Working for me? When have you ever seen a boss give all the earnings to his workers? That's not a job—it's a partnership."
"…You've got a point. Still feels weird though…"
"Oh? What part?"
"You came to Inazuma to do business, right? Why would you give us the money?"
"I am here to make money—big money. I'm talking about monopolizing raw materials, selling trademarks, opening franchise chains… You'll see once the Sakoku Decree's lifted."
"Don't get it… but you need help, right? Then we'll help out again!"
Victor chuckled. "Not understanding might be a blessing. I'll count on you, then!"
Finally—he'd turned the Arataki Gang into proper entrepreneurs.
On the way back to the inn, he picked up a few fresh notebooks.
Being half-forced by Yae Miko to write three light novels was bad enough—but it was true that most authors took two or three years to finish even one.
He, however, had the talent [Borrowed Wisdom]. His writing speed was equal to his handwriting speed. At that rate, even three light novels could be done in five or six days if he focused.
The real question was what to write. His old enemy, Mr. Indecision, struck again.
After much thought, he settled on three stories—one classic "weak-to-strong" reincarnation tale, one anti-trope about an overpowered protagonist hiding his strength, and one traditional hot-blooded adventure with no reincarnation at all.