Arataki Itto walked aimlessly, his mind racing as he tried to figure out how to survive in this nation that appeared prosperous on the surface but was actually a turbulent mess beneath.
"From what I remember, it's the first year of the Vision Hunt Decree. My Vision was just confiscated, and Kaedehara Kazuha's friend hasn't died yet… but it's probably going to happen soon."
"I can't rely on the Traveler either. They haven't even arrived in Teyvat yet."
"Escape by sea? No, no, no. I don't even have a boat."
One thought after another flooded his mind, making him realize just how dire his situation was.
Itto kept pondering, but the more he thought, the more he realized there was no easy solution. Without the Traveler's arrival, he couldn't escape Inazuma, and survival would be a constant struggle.
"Dammit! Do I really have to wait two and a half years for the Traveler to show up?"
The thought made him scratch his head in frustration. However, recalling that Kuki Shinobu had already joined the Arataki Gang brought him some comfort. At least that was one piece of good news.
"Alright, with Shinobu by my side, I should be able to manage for now."
"As for the Traveler… as much as I hate to admit it, I'll just have to wait for them to arrive."
Itto sighed inwardly.
While his current predicament was frustrating, it wasn't hopeless. As long as he kept a low profile and stayed out of trouble, he could bide his time until the Traveler arrived, the Vision Hunt and Sakoku Decrees were abolished, and he could finally lead his gang to Liyue for a better life.
Inazuma? Whoever wanted to stay here could stay. If he couldn't handle the chaos, he'd just avoid it altogether.
With that thought, Itto's mood improved slightly.
"Wait, where am I?"
Itto finally took a moment to observe his surroundings.
Before him stretched a vast green plain. The gentle breeze carried the fresh scent of grass and earth, soothing his senses.
The endless sea of green, with each blade of grass swaying like a tiny life spirit, was breathtaking.
This was the Byakko Plain.
Itto was momentarily awestruck. In his previous life, such natural beauty had been rare due to industrialization.
But then confusion set in. Why was he here?
Itto quickly sifted through his memories and soon fell silent.
Earlier that morning, Itto had been in Hanamizaka, playing a game of Genius Invokation TCG with a child. Unsurprisingly, Itto won and claimed the child's snacks as his prize. The child burst into tears, arguing that no bet had been agreed upon.
Itto, offended, insisted that the match was a matter of pride and that both sides should have staked something valuable from the start. He even pulled out his beloved Onikabuto beetle, claiming he would have given it up if he'd lost.
But the child wasn't having it and kept demanding his snacks back. The argument escalated until Kuki Shinobu arrived.
After assessing the situation, Shinobu promptly punched Itto in the head, snatched the snacks from his hands, returned them to the child, and dragged Itto away by the ear, ignoring his protests.
On the way back, Itto grumbled about his treatment, but Shinobu only tightened her grip.
Furious at the lack of respect for his authority as the gang's leader, Itto hatched a plan: he'd sneak out and return late at night, making everyone worry.
(TL/N: Are you dumb?)
Pleased with his cleverness, Itto laughed to himself and executed his plan, ending up in the Byakko Plain.
And then… well, here he was.
Itto: "…"
Now that he understood how he'd gotten here, he decided it was time to head back.
He picked a direction at random and started walking confidently.
Three hours later, Itto stood in the exact same spot, staring blankly at the ground. This was the twenty-eighth time he'd circled back.
Itto had to face the harsh truth: he was lost.
Despite inheriting the original Itto's memories, they were too fragmented to help him navigate.
Sitting down, Itto rubbed his forehead in frustration. What a humiliating start to his new life.
He could only hope the Arataki Gang hadn't forgotten about him…
Meanwhile, at the Arataki Gang's hideout—
"Genta, the boss should've been back by now. What's going on?"
A young woman questioned a burly man.
The woman wore a mask, a purple jacket, extremely short shorts, dark stockings, and had a red tattoo on her waist. Her green hair was tied up with a shimenawa rope, forming a wind-like style, and her purple eyes gleamed with authority.
She was none other than Kuki Shinobu, the de facto leader of the Arataki Gang and Itto's second-in-command.
"Uh… Shinobu, I'm not sure. The boss left at noon, but he's probably in the Byakko Plain. Should I go check?"
Genta spoke cautiously, wary of Shinobu's temper. Life had been carefree before she joined the gang, but her strict rules and frequent punishments had turned their lives upside down.
Their attempt to rebel had ended with Itto knocked out in one punch and the rest of them begging for mercy. Since then, Shinobu had taken full control, and the gang had learned to follow her rules—mostly out of fear, but also because they knew she had their best interests at heart.
"Fine, Genta. Go find the boss. It's getting late."
Shinobu sighed, exasperated.
"On it!"
Genta bolted toward the Byakko Plain, relieved to escape Shinobu's presence.
Shinobu watched him go, shaking her head. She knew exactly what Genta was thinking, but honestly, if they'd just behave, she wouldn't have to resort to violence.
The gang's antics—like stealing candy from children and ending up in jail—were exhausting. She'd tried reasoning with them, but their attitude was always the same: "I know I'm wrong, but I'll do it again!"
Frustrated, Shinobu had turned to physical discipline, which at least kept them in line. But Itto, in particular, was a repeat offender, forcing her to bail him out constantly.
"Ugh, this is so tiring," Shinobu thought.
Still, she wouldn't leave the gang. Despite their flaws, they were like family to her, and she cherished the freedom she'd found with them. Plus, if she left, Itto would probably starve.
"Guess I'll just wait for the boss to come back."
Shinobu stretched, her figure silhouetted against the fading light, before heading back to her room.
Byakko Plain—
The sun was setting, its last rays casting a lonely shadow over Itto.
"Did they… really forget about me?"
Itto's lips twitched as he looked up at the sky.
"Ugh… What a mess."
He rubbed his temples, deciding that if no one came in the next ten minutes, he'd leave on his own. How hard could it be to escape a grassy plain?
Then it hit him: wasn't there supposed to be a system or something for transmigrators?
Worth a shot.
Itto closed his eyes and focused. "System? System?"
After several attempts with no response, he was about to give up when a cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
[Ding. Multiverse Lottery System binding in progress.]
[Binding: 1%… 10%… 90%… 100%.]
[Ding. Binding successful.]
[Ding. Congratulations, Arataki Itto. You are the 7,783rd host.]