During the interview for the Swordfish II squad, Lumine faced some difficulties, but fortunately, her strength was undeniable.
The ronin were easily eliminated by Lumine, and only then did she earn the recognition of her squad members.
Under Lumine's command, all threats to the rear were quickly cleared.
[Furina: It's great to be strong! Nothing can stump the Traveler.]
[Paimon: Yeah, without strength, you'd have to take detours just to avoid slimes.]
[Navia: And you couldn't protect the people you cherish either.]
[Furina: Right... If I had the power to oppose the Heavenly Principles, then Fontaine wouldn't have... I need to train seriously too. Hone my skills. Even just being a little stronger would help.]
[Zhongli: Even the God of War has his limits. During the Archon War, many gods attacked Liyue. Though I was powerful, I couldn't defend against attacks from all directions. I couldn't perfectly protect Liyue, nor could I protect the adepti. The Dust of Purification is the relic of one such adeptus.]
[Paimon: Adepti fell during the Archon War?! So even a god as powerful as Zhongli worried about not being strong enough?]
[Zhongli: If my power had been greater, if my speed had been faster... perhaps I could have saved them.]
[Lumine: That's a sad memory.]
[System: When I leave, you will all gain power. Teyvat's future will change as well.]
[Furina: What does that mean?]
[Navia: Are you saying... the people of Poisson didn't have to die? That I could save Maellard and Silver?]
However, the System did not answer.
---
In the video...
Lumine returned to Sangonomiya Shrine to report.
Kokomi asked, "How did it go? Was your appointment process smooth?"
Lumine: "Fairly smooth, though I encountered a small test."
Kokomi nodded. "Yes, that sounds like them. But I'm sure someone of your ability passed that test easily. The fact that you're here to report means the ronin who landed on Watatsumi Island have all been driven out, correct?"
Paimon replied cheerfully, "Of course! We sent them packing!"
[Furina: I love seeing Paimon this happy. If only Paimon wouldn't make me angry either.]
[Ningguang: Paimon's ability to annoy might be unconscious. She doesn't even realize she's getting on your nerves.]
[Keqing: From my observations, that does seem to be the case.]
[Venti: It's just childlike playfulness. Look, Zhongli never gets angry.]
Kokomi smiled. "That's good. Now we just need to assign people to guard the area and prevent further incidents."
"You've worked hard. You deserve a reward for your contributions. Let me think... promotion might be too fast. Increased pay perhaps..."
Lumine: "Where's Teppei?"
Kokomi thought for a moment. "I assigned Teppei a mission as well—a surprise attack operation against the Shogunate's navy."
"He didn't want to stay in the rear, and I respect his choice. But back to the matter at hand, Lumine. There's a special mission I'd like to entrust to you."
Paimon and Lumine's attention was piqued.
Kokomi continued, "Between Watatsumi Island and Tatarasuna, there's an ancient god's ruin. Several small islands there are often used as relay stations for supply transport."
"Recently, however, supplies stored there have been mysteriously disappearing. Yet when troops pass through, they report no danger. I'd like you to investigate."
"There's no rush. Take your time getting familiar with the troops over the next few days. You can also explore Watatsumi Island. Wait for Teppei to return, chat with him, and then set sail on a clear day."
Paimon was a bit worried about Teppei. "Will Teppei really be okay? He was always so reckless before. Let's wait for him at the training camp."
[Furina: Sigh, people without strength always get worried about. No one worries about Zhongli getting into trouble.]
[Paimon: Zhongli can casually unleash attacks comparable to the Jade Chamber's fall.]
[Zhongli: Mm... I can't casually drop massive stone spears anymore. I'd need to exert some effort now.]
After spending a few days with the Swordfish II squad, Lumine saw Teppei again.
Teppei enthusiastically shared his insights. "When managing soldiers, you need to increase their pay, set up bounties to maintain discipline, and—what was the other thing?"
Paimon looked puzzled. "Wow, Teppei, where did you learn all this?"
Teppei replied seriously, "From a novel published by Yae Publishing House. It was a long time ago. I had to bribe a friend with several rice balls just to borrow it."
Paimon was speechless. "You're using stuff from a novel to guide military management? Isn't that what they call 'armchair strategizing'?"
Teppei said proudly, "Don't underestimate me! Now I'm just like you, learning and exploring the art of military leadership."
[Yae Miko: As the editor-in-chief of Yae Publishing House, I recall seeing that book. The author was actually a general. The military principles in it aren't made up.]
[Paimon: A general writing a military novel? That must be very professional.]
[Yae Miko: If Lady Ningguang wanted to write a business novel, I'm sure it would be equally wonderful.]
[Ningguang: Indeed. It hasn't been easy building my career step by step. My experiences hold many interesting stories.]
[Lumine: But the person best suited for writing novels would be Zhongli.]
[Paimon: Why?]
[Lumine: Zhongli has walked this world for millennia. He knows everything about leisure and entertainment, understands all aspects of nature, and comprehends the people's livelihoods. All these memories could serve as material.]
[Zhongli: An excellent idea. I was wondering how to spend my time in retirement. Writing novels does seem like a good option.]
Teppei continued, "I made significant contributions in the naval battle, and now I'm the captain of a special operations unit. A brand new squad—the Herring First Squad! How does that sound? Pretty impressive, right? Lady Kokomi said our uniforms are already being made."
"Once they're ready, we'll pick them up together and meet in our new gear. Just thinking about it feels so cool. It's great, all thanks to the supplies from our sponsor."
A soldier approached and said to Teppei, "Captain, our uniforms have arrived."
Teppei replied, "Got it. I'm on my way."
Then he looked at Lumine. "I'll head off now. See you next time."
"Don't let me surpass you, alright?"
Paimon huffed, "There's no way we'll let you surpass us!"
"Cough, cough." Teppei seemed to have some physical issue but quickly recovered. "Hard to say. I'm in top form right now. Perfect timing to make my mark."
[Ningguang: Did anyone notice Teppei's hair color changed?]
[Keqing: It seems to have turned a bit white. Is he sick?]
[Baizhu: No, Teppei isn't sick. I'm familiar with this condition. To be precise, Teppei is aging.]
[Paimon: Aging? But we just saw him a few days ago. How could he age so noticeably?]
[Baizhu: That, I cannot explain.]
After Teppei left, Paimon looked at Lumine. "I never thought Teppei would become a captain too. He really has been working hard. Let's rest a bit, then head to that ancient god's ruin."
They explored the islands for a while, but Lumine found nothing.
Suddenly, Teppei appeared behind Lumine, startling Paimon. "Teppei?! You... what are you doing here?"
Teppei coughed heavily twice. His hair had turned gray, and he seemed somewhat weak. "Cough, cough. I'm surprised too. I didn't expect to find you investigating here."
[Ningguang: Teppei's hair is even whiter now.]
[Zhongli: This is a sign of life force being drained.]
[Paimon: Draining life force... becoming a captain... there seems to be a connection.]
[Lumine: He gained power by sacrificing his life.]
"I just finished delivering supplies from the front lines and wanted to clear nearby threats while I was at it."
Paimon asked with concern, "Are you okay? You look a bit... strange."
Teppei waved his hand. "I'm fine. Probably just caught a chill during those days at sea."
"When I passed by, I heard someone had recently landed here to investigate. I thought I'd check it out. If there was any danger, maybe I could play the hero for once. Too bad it's just you. Guess I came for nothing."
Paimon scratched her head. "Teppei, do you feel something strange about this place?"
Teppei thought. "Now that you mention it... maybe a little."
"Probably because we're close to the remains of the serpent god Orobashi. The tainted spirit energy is thick here."
Paimon: "The serpent god Orobashi?"
Teppei pointed at the distant hill. "Look over there. Those are Orobashi's remains."
[Klee: Ah, so big! Such a big snake!]
[Ningguang: Such a massive god.]
Lumine finally noticed—the distant mountain was entirely composed of snake bones.
Paimon gasped. "Wow! That huge snake skeleton is terrifying!"
Teppei explained, "Orobashi led our ancestors out of the Enkanomiyan depths and gave us Watatsumi Island."
"Our ancestors always regarded him as a guardian deity. But during the Archon War, Orobashi invaded Yashiori Island. The Raiden Shogun herself came and struck him down with Musou no Hitotachi. That single slash created what is now Musoujin Gorge."
Paimon was shocked. "Musoujin Gorge was carved out by the Raiden Shogun's sword?! That's incredible!"
Teppei nodded. "Yes, the Archon War was brutal. Yashiori Island was reduced to ruins in that battle. They say the Shogun also lost something precious at that time."
[Lumine: What the Shogun lost... that must be key to her pursuit of eternity.]
[Yae Miko: Ei lost her sister and her closest friend. They formed Ei's most beautiful memories. Ei... wants to preserve those beautiful things.]
[Zhongli: So that is the origin of her concept of eternity?]
[Yae Miko: Ei has become afraid of loss.]
"After Orobashi's death, Watatsumi Island and the Shogunate were often at odds. But this time, we formed the resistance not for faith, but specifically against the Vision Hunt Decree. Orobashi tried to destroy civilization, and the Shogun stopped him."
"Now, the Shogun has issued the Vision Hunt Decree, robbing people of their dreams. Someone must stand up and stop the Shogun!"