"Today's the start of your 'Sage's Debate,' right? You're not overseeing it?" Raiden Ei asked, slogging through paperwork with Reisen Riou.
Ei had been run ragged lately, but there was good news. The demigod project's base form had developed into a source cell embryo. Ei injected it with high-potency active Electro energy.
The embryo was still a stillborn, soulless, but Reisen had placed it in the Soul-Nurturing Chamber to await a soul's formation.
"Eh, nothing worth watching," Reisen said, waving it off. "I set up this debate—three rounds—because the public's ideologies are shifting. Of the three main ideologies, Skylight's fine, but Elegance and Ukiyo are getting restless."
"So, as they say, truth shines through debate. I'm using this to refine the three ideologies, stabilize their changes."
"All ideas are borrowed anyway, so I gave foreign teams some leeway, hoping our ideologies improve."
"It's good for Inazuma's spiritual culture."
"This is Yashiro Commission and Grand Narukami Shrine's job, but the Commission's swamped with local spirits and festivals. Spiritual growth? Forget it."
"The Shrine's in the same boat. Little Yae just took over, and she's drowning in chaos."
"If not for Takamine, Kyoko, and Chiyo pitching in, it'd be a mess."
Since Ei became Raiden Shogun, Inazuma's top-tier fighters got a breather.
Back when Raiden Makoto ruled, they needed martial escorts for her.
Now? Heh, Ei was the martial champ. She didn't hunt others—she was the hunter. Last time she unleashed full power at Inazuma's border, Dark Sea demons fled at her name.
Her clout rivaled Morax's during the Archon War.
She didn't mess around.
With Makoto, it was long-range big moves, rarely life-or-death.
But with just Ei, no sister to shield, her world-class martial skills shone. Last time, she charged in, slashed with Musou no Hitotachi, and done. Scared yet?
The Dark Sea demons sure were.
Now they sent fodder monsters to die, steering clear of Inazuma themselves.
"You wanna check this out?" Ei slid a document to Reisen.
It detailed Sangonomiya Eigetsu's illness, passing the Divine Priestess role to Sangonomiya Kyouen—Reisen's daughter.
"Nah, that's Sangonomiya's fate. I've done all I can," Reisen sighed, shaking his head.
The Sangonomiya line was deeply altered by Orobashi's blood. Once a daughter was born, the bloodline shifted to her.
Post-birth, the mother's life energy didn't drop, but during the Three Realms Gateway Offering, most Bloodbranch Coral energy flowed to the new priestess.
The old priestess got scraps.
As the new priestess grew stronger, the old one got less energy.
Then came rapid aging—not natural, but a backlash from the bloodline modification.
Hosting a dragon's blood in a human body wasn't simple. It granted power but brought backlash. Bloodbranch Coral normally nurtured the bloodline, staving off the curse.
But when the Coral's power ran dry, the backlash hit, draining life force fast.
Reisen figured this out studying Byakuya's Dragon-Serpent Canon.
He'd hoped his tech could help, but Orobashi's god-level bloodline, tied to an Elemental Dragon King's Crown, was beyond him.
He scurried off, out of his depth.
At most, he boosted Eigetsu's life force to extend her time and guided her to perfect the Water Elixir, a Hydro version of the Thunder Elixir.
Hydro excelled at purification and healing. Slower than Thunder Elixir but better at nurturing life, soothing cells and organs.
If Eigetsu was still gravely ill despite the Water Elixir, Reisen could only say her time was up—the backlash was unstoppable.
"You saw this coming," Ei said, patting Reisen's head.
His short purple hair was prickly, proof of its quality.
"Years ago. Kyouen's been ready," Reisen replied.
"Then you've got a job. Go fetch her," Ei said.
"The competition…" Reisen tried to protest.
"You said it's not a big deal," Ei shot back, seeing through him.
"Fine," Reisen grumbled. "Might as well check Watatsumi's hydroponics progress."
Sumeru's hydroponics team had returned home, earning fame while Inazuma reaped benefits. Watatsumi Island now led hydroponics research.
For Inazuma's mainland, hydroponics was a nice bonus. For Watatsumi, it was a lifeline.
Reisen always gave hydroponics pointers on Watatsumi visits.
Now, Watatsumi's hydroponics tech was Teyvat's best.
The Shogunate sent scholars to help. They didn't just grow grains and veggies—edible aquatic plants were emerging under Watatsumi's care.