"Go somewhere? Where?" Yae Miko asked curiously, slightly surprised.
"To find the remnant of Kitsune Saiguu's consciousness," Akira Shindo said with a smile. "You can't expect me to conjure her out of thin air."
"You know where Lady Saiguu's remnant consciousness is?" Yae Miko asked.
"I told you—I've observed this world for a long time. I know many things," Akira Shindo replied, nodding.
"Alright then. Where are we going?" Yae Miko said.
In truth, she still had many doubts about Akira Shindo's origins. A god from beyond the world who also understood Teyvat so well…
But so far, nothing he had done suggested he meant harm to Inazuma.
"Konda Village," Akira Shindo replied, glancing at her. "Can you fly?"
"Don't underestimate me," Yae Miko said with mild annoyance. "I'm a great yokai. Flying is nothing."
"Fair enough. Lead the way then—I don't actually know the route to Konda Village," Akira Shindo admitted.
"Let's go."
Yae Miko was already impatient.
The figure she had missed for five hundred years—
She might finally see her again.
A streak of purple light and a streak of golden light shot across the sky.
"Akira Shindo, slow down! I can't keep up!" Yae Miko complained resentfully.
This man really had no sense of consideration.
"…Alright."
Feeling the resentment radiating from her, Akira Shindo's lips twitched.
The golden light surrounding him suddenly expanded and wrapped around Yae Miko.
"???"
Suddenly pulled into Akira Shindo's arms, Yae Miko froze.
"Akira Shindo! What are you doing?!" she struggled.
From the time she had been a little fox until now, no one had ever dared be this bold with her.
"I already agreed to revive Kitsune Saiguu for you first," Akira Shindo said calmly while looking at the faint blush on her face.
"Can't I collect a little interest first?"
"Besides, you're flying too slowly. Don't you want to see her sooner?"
"…"
After hearing that, Yae Miko stopped struggling.
She simply raised a hand to cover her flushed face.
"Tsk tsk."
Feeling the soft warmth in his arms, Akira Shindo couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Yae Miko's body was incredibly soft—almost boneless.
He couldn't even imagine how comfortable it would be to hold her while sleeping.
At that moment, Akira Shindo suddenly understood King Zhou of Shang.
If a fox spirit like this existed, who wouldn't fall for her?
Soft, fragrant, and beautiful—
No one would ever want to get out of bed.
Soon, under Akira Shindo's rapid flight, they arrived outside Konda Village, near the weathered Teleport Waypoint.
"Only the Traveler can use those, right?" Akira Shindo murmured as he landed and set Yae Miko down.
The warmth and softness suddenly leaving his arms made him feel strangely empty.
He sighed inwardly.
Yes.
He was definitely a man who loved beautiful women.
Not far away, before a fox statue, stood a woman wearing red-and-white shrine maiden robes.
She faced the statue silently.
"That's her," Akira Shindo said as he walked forward.
"Her?" Yae Miko looked over—and her expression changed.
"That's defilement."
"Yes," Akira Shindo said calmly.
"But it's defilement carrying the memories and mission of Kitsune Saiguu."
"She has been searching for someone destined to purify her."
"…"
Yae Miko slowly walked forward.
Looking at the figure, her voice trembled.
"Lady Saiguu…"
Hearing the name, the shrine maiden slowly turned around.
She wore a white fox mask, concealing her face.
When she saw Yae Miko, her body trembled slightly.
Then she spoke as if they were strangers.
"Hello… could I trouble you with something?"
"My name is Hanachirusato. I'm just an ordinary shrine maiden, not the Lady Saiguu you mentioned."
"There is a sacred ward beneath the Heavenly Fox statue. Only Electro can—"
Before she finished speaking—
Yae Miko rushed forward.
Before Hanachirusato could react, she removed the white fox mask.
The moment she saw the face beneath it—
Yae Miko's eyes turned red, and tears streamed down her cheeks.
The face before her was nothing like the elegant beauty she remembered.
Her skin was no longer fair.
Instead, jagged purple cracks spread across her face, emitting faint black miasma.
"Don't look!"
Hanachirusato finally realized what had happened.
Touching her face, she screamed and quickly covered it.
"Lady Saiguu!"
Yae Miko was already sobbing uncontrollably.
The Kitsune Saiguu she remembered had been a peerless beauty.
Now, for the sake of Inazuma—for the sake of purifying defilement—
She herself had become corrupted by it.
Perhaps there was no punishment more cruel than this.
"I… I'm not Kitsune Saiguu! My name is Hanachirusato!" she cried while covering her face.
"Leave! Please leave!"
"You are not the destined one! I don't need you here!"
"Lady Saiguu…"
Yae Miko shook her head.
She stepped forward and tightly embraced Hanachirusato.
She could already feel that familiar aura.
Even though it had been eroded by defilement—
It was undeniably Kitsune Saiguu.
"Let go of me!" Hanachirusato struggled.
But in her defiled state she had no power.
How could she break free from Yae Miko, a great yokai?
"Akira Shindo! Akira Shindo!"
Suddenly remembering something, Yae Miko turned around while still holding Hanachirusato tightly.
Her eyes were filled with pleading.
"I understand," Akira Shindo said, nodding.
The Abyss Flower appeared in his hand and was thrust into the ground.
To ensure success, he first needed to release the weapon's power completely—so Kitsune Saiguu could be revived perfectly.
"Key of Creation: Abyss Flower — Zeroth Rated Power!"
"Sacred Lance: Benares Bloom! Overlimit Release!"
In an instant—
Immense life energy surged through heaven and earth.
"What incredible power…"
Yae Miko was stunned.
Then her expression changed.
Power of this magnitude appearing in Inazuma—
The Raiden Shogun would definitely notice.
Far away in the center of Tenshukaku, the Raiden Shogun—who had been meditating—suddenly opened her eyes.
"Such immense power has appeared in Inazuma…"
"A variable to Eternity."
She snorted coldly.
"A variable must be eliminated."
The Engulfing Lightning appeared in her hand.
In the next moment, she transformed into a bolt of lightning and shot toward Konda Village.
Of course, Akira Shindo had already anticipated this.
Once the Abyss Flower was released at full power, the Raiden Shogun would inevitably come.
But that was exactly what he wanted.
"Miko! Step back!" Akira Shindo said, his eyes glowing gold as immense power erupted from his body.
Yae Miko released Hanachirusato and quickly retreated.
"Lost soul…"
"Hear the melody of life!"
"By the authority of life and death—"
"I grant you rebirth!"
Blue-white light spiraled above Hanachirusato.
Endless life energy slowly flowed into her body.
"Ah—!"
A cry of pain echoed out.
Black mist suddenly burst from her body—
The defilement was being completely purified.
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