NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 8: Chapter 8
"Of course, the most important thing is to see how you execute the plan," Takumi said while watching the nervous Raiden Ei.
After all, he was now the big boss of Teyvat. Naturally, his subordinates would be nervous when the big boss came to their home. Additionally, this "cook's head" wasn't very sharp. If you asked her to charge into battle, she'd fight without mercy, but if you asked her to govern a country, she wouldn't be up to the task.
Takumi feared that as soon as Raiden Ei returned, she would call the Tri-Commission and leave the task to them. That wouldn't work. Kamisato Ayato's social reforms might still be useful, but the bones of the powerful people controlling the Tenryou Commission had long since rotted.
If that group were allowed to participate, the Demon Slayer world would certainly be destroyed by them. For the sake of power, they didn't even treat Inazuma's own people as human beings, let alone the people of another world.
"Are you ready to implement the plan? I was about to summon all the leaders of the Sangonomiya Resistance, the Yashiro Commission, and the Grand Narukami Shrine to the Tenshukaku to discuss it," Raiden Ei said without hesitation.
"As expected..." Takumi sighed. "It's fortunate that I came with you; otherwise, you would have ruined the first world annexation."
"Why do you say that?" Raiden Ei was stunned and looked at Takumi, who seemed disappointed.
"Do you think that after you closed your heart and handed everything over to the Raiden Shogun, Inazuma remained peaceful as always?" The 'Original Dharma Ring' appeared behind Takumi. "You don't understand human greed very well."
"Gods can last forever, but for humans, five hundred years is more than a lifetime. The powerful people who were originally loyal may have started out well, but those who have inherited power generation after generation have long since tasted the allure of power and become corrupt. They have learned to deceive their superiors and exploit those below them, manipulating the Raiden Shogun and even using Inazuma's god as a tool to consolidate their status and power."
"If we let them participate in the plan, it will definitely fail, and Teyvat will lose its only chance to make a comeback."
Under the power of the Original Dharma Ring, Takumi's eyes gradually turned a powerful golden color.
"How is this possible? The Tri-Commission has always enforced the law impartially. I have also followed my inner will to protect Inazuma's 'eternity.' I have personally responded to all the reports submitted," the Raiden Shogun said seriously.
"Living in peace and contentment? Then take a good look at what has happened to Inazuma over these years and see if it matches the peace and prosperity that those in power have presented to you," Takumi said.
He saw the sudden change in Raiden Ei's demeanor and knew it was the Raiden Shogun. Seeing her say such innocent words with such a serious expression made him want to laugh.
The 'Original Dharma Ring' emitted colorful light, and the power of time was activated, showing scenes from Inazuma over the past five hundred years, like a movie, to Raiden Ei.
Although the ruler of time, Istaroth, was not dead, not even Takumi, the new Heavenly Principle, knew which fragment of time she was sleeping in. Most of her power had been reclaimed by Phanes. Istaroth was probably like a sprite now, like Paimon.
The power of time wasn't as exaggerated in Teyvat. It couldn't completely change history, nor could it turn back time or see the future. It could only change small events within the flow of time. For example, Istaroth gave the seed of the Sacred Sakura to Raiden Makoto, and then Makoto's remaining consciousness gave the seed to Raiden Ei five hundred years later.
Raiden Ei had also planted a seed containing a trace of time power five hundred years ago, through the convergence of wishes.
The so-called "small things" could be changed, but major events could not, or Teyvat would accelerate toward destruction due to conflicts in the timeline.
Raiden Ei and the Raiden Shogun watched the events that had occurred in Inazuma over the past five hundred years.
In the first hundred years when the Raiden Shogun took charge of Inazuma for Raiden Ei, the Tri-Commission and the powerful worked diligently. However, over the next four hundred years, they gradually began to exploit wealth from civilians.
In the last hundred years, they began to annex the remaining land of commoners and manipulate food prices, causing widespread starvation.
In the past fifty years, they even colluded with the Fatui to exploit the common people. They neglected their duties to protect sacred sites, allowing evil spirits to spread. To consolidate their power, they colluded with the Fatui to sell the materials needed to purify the Mikage Furnace, resulting in its damage and the pollution of most of Tatarasuna, making it unsuitable for habitation.
Raiden Ei and the Raiden Shogun couldn't believe it at first, but now they were filled with rage.
Their anger caused a massive change in the sky. Dark clouds enveloped Narukami Island, with thunder and lightning rolling through them. The people of Inazuma City looked up, momentarily frightened, before continuing with their tasks. Such weather was common in Inazuma.
The scenes continued.
The corrupt officials felt threatened by foreigners and holders of the Vision, believing that their status would be at risk. Thus, they falsified reports to the Raiden Shogun and manipulated her into issuing the Sakoku Decree and the Vision Hunt Decree.
By this point, Raiden Ei was so enraged she wanted to kill all those who had deceived the Shogun.
But it wasn't over yet.
The Fatui had instigated a war between Inazuma and Watatsumi Island, causing conflict and chaos. The officials even destroyed the stones that suppressed evil spirits on Yashiori Island, leading to the spread of malevolent energy and mass death.
Raiden Ei believed that even in such a disaster, the soldiers of the Tenryou Commission would at least protect the people. But they were more concerned about covering up their failures and, instead of saving the fleeing people, massacred them and blamed everything on Watatsumi Island's resistance.
The final scene showed Kujou Takayuki of the Tenryou Commission respectfully submitting a report titled "Inazuma, Now at Peace and Prosperous" to the Raiden Shogun.
It was painfully ironic.
Raiden Ei's fingers trembled in anger as she watched the scenes.
Her demonic will spread across Inazuma, and all of its current scenes played in her mind. There was no paradise where people lived in peace and prosperity. Outside of Inazuma City, there were starving people, piles of corpses, disordered ley lines, malevolent energy, and monsters roaming around.
The people of Inazuma harbored resentment towards her, while the powerful exploited them, living in luxury.
"Do you know why I only called four Archons to the Sky Island Council? It's because the situation in their nations is even worse than yours. In Sumeru, the powerful have imprisoned their god. In Snezhnaya, the Tsaritsa's power has been taken over by the Fatui," Takumi said, looking at Raiden Ei, who was shaking with rage, barely able to control her aura.
"If Phanes were here, the Nail of Cold Sky would have already fallen. Inazuma's issues would have been beyond redemption."
"But Inazuma only needs to eliminate the corrupt officials to get back on track. This is much easier than dealing with the issues in Sumeru and Snezhnaya."
"That's why I asked you to attend the Sky Island Council."