Watatsumi Island's vitality surged—air fresher, crops stubborn, trees greener. Yet, Reisen Riou, feigning shock, spotted trouble. The Watatsumi folk's resentment toward Makoto deepened, muttering "Great Watatsumi Omikami, Haruhasume-no-Mikoto" without hostile glares but with clear defiance. "Makoto miscalculated," he thought, though she likely had her reasons.
As clouds darkened, golden lightning cloaked the island—not destructive, but brimming with life. No one was harmed; instead, Grass elemental energy surged, catalyzed. "An Aggravate reaction for the whole island?" Reisen Riou mused. "Pointless for revival, but a solid flex against rebels." The Watatsumi folk's eyes dulled, their fervor fading as they recalled Ei's Musou no Hitotachi felling Orobaxi, its bones still at Musoujin Gorge. Fear of Makoto grounded them, kneeling instantly.
Shogunate soldiers, unfazed, roared, "Eternal Narukami, Grand Way!" fanatically. The Coral Palace maiden knelt again, pledging loyalty.
Makoto, head pounding, had hoped her life-infused Electro would boost Watatsumi's Grass vitality. It failed—Orobaxi's cyclical system resisted change, its vitality still draining. She couldn't fathom his intent. The folk's defiance frustrated her further. Back on Narukami, her gloom muted Ei and Saiguu's voices. After days of sulking and their comfort, she barely recovered. "Makoto gives too much for Inazuma," Reisen Riou sighed.
He collected the Cryo Regisvine, settling Mora with Northland Intelligence, then dove into secluded research. Longevity Thunder Elixir Art progressed daily, culminating when he fully simulated and integrated the Pyro Regisvine's properties. Planning to relax, he felt off, checking his stats via Resurrection:
Reisen Riou
Race: High Humanoid Geo-Electro Elemental, Inazuma Youkai
Role: Inazuma Shogunate Retainer Scribe, Ritou Priest
Life Level: LV70 (Unascended)
Status: Peak Vigor (Elixir Boosted)
Mindset: Skylight
Vision: Electro
Theory: Moderate
Practice: Moderate
Abilities: Moderate
"Close to the Law, but no sense of ascension like Anko's," he muttered. Visiting Anko's old room, he realized she'd moved to her new estate days ago. Smacking his forehead, he flashed to her nearby mansion, knocking.
A samurai maiden answered, frowning. "Who are you? It's curfew, and the master rests."
"Tell Anko it's Reisen Riou," he said, unfazed. She didn't know him—his low profile kept him obscure—but noting the shared surname, she said, "Wait, I'll inform the general."
Anko appeared. "Rare guest. What's up?"
"Can't visit for fun?" he teased, seeing her eye the late hour. His twilight vision had missed it was midnight. Adjusting his internal clock, they settled in her guest room. "I need your take on pre-Great Youkai feelings," he said, sipping tea.
"You're at the threshold?" Anko blinked. "So fast."
"Yeah, but it's weird. I feel off but can't sense my ascension path." Records said critical states brought vague guidance from the Constellation of Fate, but his Ring Constellation—a perfect hexagon, or circle by arcs—offered none, despite his astrology confirming it.
They debated until dawn, fruitless. "Ask Makoto," Anko suggested. "Only an Archon gets Constellation stuff."
At work, Reisen Riou caught Makoto between tasks. "I sense eternity's Law but no Constellation guidance," he said.
Her face quirked. "Come to Tenshukaku's top tonight. We'll check your Constellation." At night, he met Makoto, Saiguu, and a yipping Miko there. He displayed his Ring Constellation via an Electro disk. "Oddly balanced," Makoto marveled, finding no flaws. Embarrassed, she contacted Celestia with her Gnosis. Four purple gems descended—his withheld Constellation stars:
1st Star: Thrift – Reduces stamina use by 5% (climbing, running, swimming); saves 10% forging materials. 2nd Star: Calculation – Swift Vibration Bow skill +3; boosts computing power. 3rd Star: Command – All bow-users in party gain +5% crit rate, +15% crit damage, +10% attack speed. 4th Star: Theory – Thunder Spear Array skill +3; speeds theoretical research.
Guidance followed: touch the Law of Life's sub-laws (Longevity, Transformation) via elixir research, or the Law of Death's sub-laws (Precision, Annihilation) via bow and Electro mastery. Reisen Riou chose all. Instantly, a fifth star appeared, hovering but ready to descend:
5th Star: Practice – Thunder Spear Array grants an Electro shield, +10% movement/attack speed; converts theory to practical results faster.
He sensed his ascension in two months. "Interesting timing," he mused. Makoto explained Celestia had blocked his stars due to his origins, like an unclaimed ID. Now integrated, they boosted his combat and daily prowess, a world's blessing he could analyze and replicate. Anko, now in Makoto's retinue, nudged him. "You okay? Don't babble and embarrass us."
"Sorry, lost in thought," he said, snapping back. "The stars make the world feel closer, but combat boosts are minor. My strength's in calculation, not blessings."
"Unique as ever," Makoto said, dismissing him. He bolted, finding Ei in his courtyard. "Show me your star boosts," she said.
"Alright," he agreed. They flashed to an uninhabited Narukami beach—perfect for sparring. Reisen Riou summoned a Khaenri'ah nameless treasure bow, traded for One System, Ten Thousand Minds. He unleashed a rapid-fire volley, emptying quivers in seconds, arrows raining like stars.
"Quantity's useless," Ei said, her naginata spinning, swatting them down. Testing his gains, she held back. "Can't touch you," he sighed, muscles bulging. "Thunder Spear Array!" An arrow vanished, spawning six massive Electro spears before Ei.
"Decent control," she said, flicking them aside. They exploded on the ground, cratering the beach. "Thunderlight Barrier!" Reisen Riou clapped, reshaping spear Electro into a barrier before Ei. She slashed it apart. "Nice, but you think that traps me?"
"No chance," he grinned. His clone dissolved—he'd slipped away, setting a larger barrier. Four clones burst from the sand, forming a new construct. Ei's slash met resistance; it held, tough not hard. "My elixir's model," he bragged. "Its properties tangled over time, too complex for me. I derived this barrier—millions of Electro structures per inch, active, resilient."
Ei's casual slashes failed, but a serious one cracked the beach and shattered it. "Happy now?" Reisen Riou, floored by backlash, lay like a salted fish. Her flat attack crushed his masterpiece. She praised its potential—capable of trapping weaker gods in the Archon War—but his sulking persisted. "A flat attack, really?" Ei, ruffling her braid, admitted her excitement overdid it. The barrier's threshold was unique: unbreakable below, fragile above. "Truly intriguing," she said.