Let's rewind to when Shinobu was pounding on Itto's door.
At that moment, Itto was fast asleep, completely oblivious to the world.
Knock knock knock—BANG BANG BANG!
Itto: ［(－－)］zzz～
The violent knocking had no effect on him. However, just as he was about to drift deeper into sleep, the system intervened.
[Ding. Host, it's time to wake up.]
Unlike the external noise of the door being hammered, the system's voice echoed directly in his mind, jolting him awake.
"Huh?"
Itto rubbed his sleepy eyes, yawned, and asked, "System, what time is it?"
[Ding. It's currently 10:59 AM.]
Itto's eyes shot open, and the last remnants of sleep vanished.
"System, did I really sleep that long?"
[Ding. Yes.]
Itto scratched his head, realizing it was his own fault. He quickly changed the subject.
"Why did you wake me up?"
[Ding. Someone is knocking on your door, and their emotional fluctuations are quite intense. I thought it best to alert you.]
Itto glanced at the door. The knocking had stopped, but he had a good idea who it was.
"Probably Shinobu," he muttered.
In the entire gang, only Shinobu would dare to knock on his door like that. The others wouldn't dare—partly out of respect for their boss, and partly because they knew Itto, despite his goofy demeanor, could easily beat them up if provoked.
As for why Shinobu was so persistent, Itto already had an answer.
They were worried about him. His behavior last night had been far from normal, and Shinobu, being the sharp and observant person she was, had likely picked up on it.
Shinobu cared deeply for her "boss," as evidenced by her actions in both the main story and fan creations. The trio—Atsu, Genta, and Akira—were equally concerned, seeing Itto as both their leader and their brother.
Itto sighed. Shinobu was too smart. She had certifications from all over Teyvat—chef, lawyer, pilot, doctor—you name it. Trying to deceive her would be like trying to outsmart a seasoned general.
He needed an excuse to allay her suspicions, but coming up with one wasn't easy.
Then, an idea struck him.
What if he used the loss of his Vision as an excuse?
The thought took root in his mind and quickly grew. It was a plausible explanation. After all, losing a Vision was known to cause drastic changes in a person's personality and memory.
In the main story, we see three individuals who lost their Visions:
- Masanori, who forgot the person he had waited 30 years for.
- Kurosawa, who no longer understood the concept of righteousness.
- Touma, who lost the courage to pursue his dream of becoming the greatest swordsman.
These individuals were shadows of their former selves. If Itto could convincingly play the part of someone affected by the loss of their Vision, he might be able to throw Shinobu off his trail.
With this plan in mind, Itto felt a sense of relief. The problem was solved—or so he thought.
Just as he was about to get up and open the door, he remembered the two potions he hadn't used yet.
"Ah, almost forgot about those," he muttered to himself.
He summoned the system to retrieve the potions.
[Ding. Items retrieved.]
A syringe filled with a shimmering green liquid appeared in his hand. Itto examined it closely. The liquid was crystal clear, resembling a piece of translucent green crystal.
Without hesitation, he injected the potion into his arm, pushing the plunger all the way down.
The effect was immediate. A surge of energy, accompanied by a dull pain, spread through his body, strengthening his muscles and bones.
Itto clenched his fist, feeling the newfound power.
"Not bad. My physical strength has increased by about 30%," he said, impressed.
He decided to save the second potion for later, knowing that its effects would diminish with repeated use.
After a quick stretch, Itto headed for the door.
---
Back to the present.
Genta hung in mid-air, his foot still caught in Itto's grip. He gave a nervous, awkward smile.
"Boss, I swear I was just trying to wake you up!"
Itto smirked. "Do you think I believe that?"
"Boss, I'm sorry!"
Thud!
"Ow!"
Itto calmly retracted his fist, while Genta sat on the ground, clutching the large, red bump on his head.
Shinobu, watching the scene, couldn't help but interject.
"Alright, boss, I told Genta to kick your door. You've been sleeping all morning, and we were supposed to have a gathering today, remember?"
She glanced at Genta, who quickly nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, boss! You said we were going to hang out today, but you never showed up, so we had to… uh… take matters into our own hands."
Itto pretended to think for a moment, then "remembered."
"Ah, right. My bad. Let's go, then."
Internally, however, Itto was fully aware of their plan. Shinobu and the others were trying to gauge his mental state by observing him during their outing.
But this played right into his hands. If he could convincingly portray someone affected by the loss of their Vision, he could avoid suspicion without having to act like the old Itto.
"Let's eat first," Shinobu suggested. "We haven't had breakfast yet."
"Yeah, boss! The Sakura Tempura today is amazing!" Genta added, slinging an arm around Itto's shoulders and leading him away.
As they walked, Genta subtly gave Shinobu a thumbs-up behind his back.
The hook is set.