"You know, you do make a good point."
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.
---
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