Boom!!
A deafening explosion erupted across the sea as a surge of blade energy tore through the surface, splitting the waters and sending waves crashing in every direction.
With the power of "One Thought, Three Thousand Realms," Elliot was no longer restricted to brief, single-strike attacks.
Now that his spiritual strength had increased fivefold, he could effectively suppress the erosion of his karmic afflictions. These days, as long as he performed a calming mantra once every two days, he was fine.
Freed from the constant threat of corruption, he no longer had to hold back—and so his training had become even more intense than when he used to train with Kazuha.
Since his Vision was also Electro, Elliot had modified Sasayuri's previous techniques, transforming them into forms better suited to himself—stronger, sharper, and faster.
One such move was "Thunder Flash: Loud Thunderclap"—an iaijutsu technique, a lightning-speed draw-and-slash attack that Elliot had been honing since his previous life. It unleashed an extremely powerful strike in a flash.
Back then, with limited time to train and his karma too overwhelming, he had never been able to push the move to its limits. But now, with fewer restraints, he had no intention of discarding it. It still held tremendous potential.
Another skill he practiced consumed more than three times the stamina of Thunder Flash: Loud Thunderclap. It was a massive-area, indiscriminate attack—an AOE technique designed to face overwhelming numbers alone.
At present, Elliot focused solely on these two moves. While he had enough energy to develop more, time was too tight to spread himself thin.
For now, these two would suffice—one to slay the Great Serpent, the other to deal with its minions.
Perfectly efficient.
He continued training, hauling a massive boulder weighing tens of thousands of pounds across his shoulders as he trudged forward with heavy steps.
Hard work to overcome limitations—that was his path.
...
"Still no sign of him?" Kitsune Saiguu asked in confusion.
"No, I've searched everywhere he usually goes—no trace of him," Chiyo said anxiously.
Following the directions given by the teahouse owner, Chiyo had traveled all the way out to the wilderness, far from civilization, only to find nothing. Frustrated, he hurried back to Kitsune Saiguu for help.
After all, Kitsune Saiguu had connections all across the island and got along well with just about everyone.
If she stepped in, things would go much smoother.
"Don't worry, it'll be okay," Kitsune Saiguu said with a calm smile, trying to reassure Chiyo. "I'll go look for him."
"Alright, thank you. I heard the teahouse owner saw him earlier. Try asking around nearby."
Chiyo still looked uneasy. He'd never seen Elliot act like this before.
"Maybe he's just tired and needed a quiet place to rest. Don't worry—I'll find him," Kitsune Saiguu said again to comfort him.
"...Okay."
With that, she picked up the box of dumplings and made her way to the teahouse.
There, she quickly confirmed the story Chiyo had told her. Following the direction the owner had pointed out, she asked around further.
Eventually, all the clues led her to a stretch of wilderness far from town.
"Did he really go off into the wild just to rest?"
Puzzled but determined, Kitsune Saiguu stepped into the barren land and began her search.
After a long while, she finally picked up Elliot's scent.
As a fox demon, her nose was sharp—but the lingering scent of smoke and humanity had masked his trail. Now that she had something to follow, the hunt became much easier, and she soon closed the distance.
By the time she reached the coast, evening had already fallen.
But Elliot wasn't there—only a fire pit, still faintly warm.
She approached it and noticed a piece of paper pinned under a small, noticeable rock.
"What's this…?"
She picked it up and read the message carefully.
Kitsune Saiguu, I've gone to Yashiori Island to rest alone for a while. I'll be back soon. Sorry for making you all worry.
The note was short and didn't explain much—but at least it gave her a location. That was enough to ease her mind.
She tucked the paper away and began her journey back.
Meanwhile, Elliot was sailing across the sea on a crude makeshift raft.
Calling it a "boat" would've been generous—it was really just a wooden plank he had fashioned on the spot.
But as a member of the Tengu clan, his senses were exceptionally sharp. The moment Kitsune Saiguu had caught his trail, he had sensed her as well.
"Rowing is part of training too..."
"This is way more exhausting than carrying boulders."
At least hauling rocks tested his raw strength. Rowing, on the other hand, was all about endurance.
With that thought, Elliot picked up a wooden plank and kept rowing.
He could've explained things to everyone in person—put their minds at ease—but he didn't want to waste a single moment of training.
Even though the Great Serpent wasn't all that powerful, it was still a god.
From what Elliot knew, the serpent had fought on both the Liyue and Inazuma battlefields. In short, it had been driven out of Liyue by Old Master Zhong, then forced out of Inazuma by Zebul, until it finally retreated into Enkanomiya.