The Seirai Island clash dampened the group's picnic mood. Bidding farewell to the samurai and scholars, Raiden Ei led Reisen Riou, Raiden Makoto, Yae Miko, and Torachiyo to Tenryou Pass, where the Thunder Manifestation's lingering wrath fueled constant storms. A Ritou farmer had been struck by lightning there, sidelining him. "The Thunder Manifestation is fairly strong," Ei remarked.
Reisen Riou's lips twitched. A top-tier elemental being, the Thunder Manifestation was at least LV90+, nearly a lesser Archon. Fairly strong? Sure, Ei, you could one-shot it. "You're entitled to say that," he thought.
"Lord Riou, I hear your archery's impressive. How's it progressing?" Ei asked.
"It's stalled," he admitted. His LV7 Renrei-Style Archery, refined over years, blended Inazuma, Mondstadt, and Liyue techniques, distilled to perfection. Mastering it meant grasping all mortal archery skills, adaptable to any style after brief exposure. His LV8 Radiant Shot Technique pushed further, embodying Electro and Geo shifts. Without elemental reactions between Electro and Geo, he couldn't unleash explosive combos, but his skill was near its mortal peak. Advancing required touching eternity with his will and transforming his youkai essence into a Great Youkai, a barrier his body and soul currently blocked.
Demonstrating, he left Makoto, Ei, and Yae Miko speechless—his archery hit LV8 (100.0/100.0), nearing Ei's Genryuu Archery. While Genryuu derived all from one, Renrei-Style unified many into one; their paths converged at higher levels. "Your talent's remarkable. Only a few Tengu Great Youkai surpass you now," Ei said earnestly.
"How far are you from Great Youkai?" Makoto asked, intrigued.
"Seven or eight years," Reisen Riou said cautiously. His Longevity Thunder Elixir kept his body at peak, accelerating progress—without it, he'd need thirty years. Anko Renrei, with superior talent and dedication, could ascend in three to five. His soul and elemental mastery were ready; only Geo transformation lacked, until the Seven Archons' Banquet. A spark of Morax's aura catalyzed his Geo breakthrough.
"Pretty fast," Makoto noted, whispering to Yae Miko via spell, excluding Ei, Torachiyo, and Reisen Riou. The trio exchanged awkward glances. "Want to try Amakumo Fruit?" Reisen Riou suggested. "It's sweet, tingly, boosts Electro resistance."
"I've had it—dessert-like," Ei said. They tricked Torachiyo, who collapsed, trembling, after eating. "It is sweet," Reisen Riou quipped, analyzing the fruit with Longevity Thunder Elixir. Surprisingly compatible, it enhanced physical strength, elemental sensitivity, and minor wound healing—key in samurai clan medicines but useless for him or Ei. Torachiyo, eating too fast, recovered quickly. "Tasty," she admitted.
Bored, they chatted with docile Floating Spirits, tamed by Ei and Reisen Riou's presence. Reisen Riou copied their elemental circulation patterns for his slimes. Stronger than slimes but not by much, their dense elemental shells and erratic movement challenged samurai and shrine maidens. As they fished for lunch, Makoto and Yae Miko dropped their spell.
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