Artifacts, also called Relics, were wielded freely only by Vision holders. Strong non-Vision users could condense Relics, but theirs were mere blue trinkets at best. Vision holders formed unique Relics in life, becoming Artifacts upon death. These could be used by others but couldn't ascend tiers, unlike personal Relics that grew with their owner's memories. Reisen Riou's Relics—Eroding Bloom (Flower of Life), Thirsting Feather (Plume of Death), Gazing Crest (Sands of Eon), Contemplative Chalice (Goblet of Eonothem), and Ring of Insight (Circlet of Logos)—had reached purple tier. He coveted the golden Artifact outside but restrained himself; likely a remnant of an Inazuma elite, not deep in the ley lines, it wasn't his to take. Its owner's descendants might reclaim it. He tasked Resurrection to monitor it, planning to inform Ei later for a favor—possibly a Tenryou Commission leader's legacy.
…
After work, Inazuma thrived in peace. With outer-sea Archons dormant and Makoto tied to duties, Reisen Riou often left on time. "Lord!" A figure blocked his path.
"Bold move," he said. "Who are you?"
"The Northland Intelligence Organization's Inazuma branch leader," the man said, grimacing. "Your Pyro Tree order from a year and a half ago arrives in Ritou in two weeks. Our team's been swamped."
"Took that long?" Reisen Riou eyed him.
"We secured several, but preserving their vitality required expert alchemists," the leader said bitterly, noting daily costs of thousands of Mora. "Painful expenses."
"I'll bring the remaining payment," Reisen Riou said, excited. His Longevity Thunder Elixir Art was stalled; despite integrating more herbs and curing more ailments, it couldn't break through. Common plants, even high-tier Trick Flowers, lacked the complex life force needed. The costly Electro, Pyro, and Cryo Trees promised progress.
The leader left, and Reisen Riou resumed ley line research. A year and a half yielded results—failure would've been shameful with such resources. His breakthrough: enabling One System, Ten Thousand Minds services across Narukami Island. He compiled a report for Makoto.
…
"You've cracked the technical barriers," Makoto said, reviewing his data. Ei, snuggling close, explained the tech in simple terms.
"Yes, I've decoded Narukami's shallow ley line data and solved signal transmission issues. The new data center supports island-wide services," Reisen Riou said. With Resurrection's excess computing power, he upgraded One System, Ten Thousand Minds to version 6.0, swapping mechanical legs for Red King's hover tech, resembling an electronic pet. Makoto worried about ley line tech risks. "Use sparingly, like on Ritou—a group model, one-to-many, maybe 2,000–3,000 units max."
Reisen Riou nodded. "Analysis suggests 7,000 for full coverage, but that's impractical. Excluding rural areas, we focus on high-value zones: 500 units for Tenryou Commission training grounds, 300 for Yashiro Commission's artisan district, 50 for Okuzume in Tenshukaku, 300 for Grand Narukami Shrine, 50 for Yougou Mountain, and one per town—1,300 total."
"How long to produce?" Makoto asked.
"A month," he estimated conservatively.
"The Shogunate will buy them—no freebies," Makoto said.
"Oh… thank you, Lady Makoto. Cost price: 20,000 Mora per unit, 26 million for 1,300. I'll deliver 1,400 and handle updates," Reisen Riou said, calculating a 20-million-Mora profit. Hand-crafting them with supercomputer aid and near-infinite ley line energy, the 6 million Mora was mostly for purple shells with Electro Tri-Tomoe designs, aligning with Inazuma's aesthetic and Teachings of Light.
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