Genshin Impact: My villain system is a little different.

Perhaps due to being chased by shogunate troops these past days, Thoma and Lumine felt jumpy.

Instinctively, a Dull Blade and a spear swept toward the light.

But they were caught, and trying to pull back felt like facing a mountain - no amount of force could retrieve their weapons.

Lumine and Thoma's expressions changed dramatically, while Gorou nearby alertly drew his bow.

But soon, Thoma and Lumine relaxed.

"Really, must we fight at first sight?"

Jiang Ning said helplessly.

As the light faded, seeing Jiang Ning, Lumine happily rushed over:

"Jiang Ning! You came to find me!"

Jiang Ning said: "Yeah, if I didn't come find you, who knows what trouble you'd cause next."

Lumine was embarrassed: "Hehe, I just acted on impulse."

Jiang Ning said: "I think you were tricked. Really, couldn't your kind heart do something else instead of meddling here..."

Lumine said: "But that Raiden Shogun is so infuriating."

Watching their dialogue, Thoma found it strange.

Though Lumine was taller and seemed older than Jiang Ning, why did it feel like Jiang Ning was the brother and Lumine the sister?

Like an exasperated brother scolding his troublesome sister?

Jiang Ning said: "By the way, what are you doing with the resistance? Come back with me? With me here, if you hide and leave with our Liyue ships, the Raiden Shogun won't do anything."

Lumine looked troubled: "But... others need my help..."

"You're too kind-hearted, getting tricked by a few words and feeling obligated... Not caring about others' thoughts or if they really consider you a friend, you're just being used, understand?"

"Coming to the resistance - sure, the shogunate has many bad elements, but you think the resistance are all good people?"

"I understand, but I can't just ignore it..."

Lumine mumbled.

Jiang Ning said: "Yes, yes, our Lumine has a bodhisattva's heart, can't bear seeing people suffer..."

"Used? We're not using the Traveler. This is just the result of the Raiden Shogun's tyranny. We resistance members are all righteous people, and..."

Hearing Jiang Ning's words, General Gorou started objecting dissatisfied.

But before finishing, Jiang Ning interrupted:

"I don't know or care what the resistance is made of. Even if all of Inazuma kills each other, it's none of our business. But Lumine is our Liyue friend - you trying to use our friend is not okay."

"And you, from the Kamisato Commission? Don't think I don't know your tricks. I heard everything - taking Lumine to see people listless from losing their Visions, arousing her curiosity, knowing her nature would make her help."

"Then what? Claiming friendship, but when your friend's in trouble, you dump them with the resistance, saying you'll clear their name after... That's not even how you make empty promises."

Jiang Ning sneered at the Kamisato Commission's methods. Whether they truly considered her a friend or would clear her name later was another matter, but right now, Jiang Ning felt their approach was wrong - weren't they just exploiting her kindness?

"You!"

Gorou fumed, looking at Jiang Ning hostilely.

Finally Lumine pulled Jiang Ning's sleeve: "Jiang Ning, enough, this is my choice..."

Jiang Ning sighed: "Fine... Do whatever you want, we'll back you up... But remember, if your life's truly in danger, I won't care what you think - I'll take you away, regardless of Inazuma's fighting."

Lumine nodded: "Okay, then I'll go with Gorou."

As they prepared to separate, passing Jiang Ning, Gorou unhappily snorted.

Watching Lumine's back, Jiang Ning suddenly called out:

"By the way, one more thing - both the shogunate's and resistance's words are one-sided. Stay clear-headed, don't let others lead you around."

"Got it!" Lumine waved cheerfully.

He came specially for my safety, he cares about me!

Lumine grinned foolishly, surprising Thoma and Gorou - first time seeing the Traveler look so dim.

Only Paimon was used to it. If normal Lumine was just a mischievous girl, facing Jiang Ning she became negative IQ.

Paimon cared more about:

"What are we eating tonight?"

Gorou calmed down, smiling: "Don't worry, we've prepared welcoming food for your joining."

"Yay!" Paimon cheered.

Thoma said: "Though saying that, there's no feast - we're still at war after all."

"It's fine, just having hot food is good."

These days surviving in the wild, Lumine and Paimon's food standards had lowered considerably.

"That we have!"

...

At the Grand Narukami Shrine, Jiang Ning arrived again.

Yae Miko seemed busy, a shrine maiden went to report.

Jiang Ning decided to look around alone.

Many Inazumans were around praying and drawing fortunes, cherry blossom fragrance filling the shrine.

"Lots of Naku Weed here... And is this the Dendrobium from the materials list?"

Jiang Ning tried collecting but failed, his hand passing through like mist.

[Host, this needs electro element to collect.]

Jiang Ning was stuck - he had anemo, pyro, cryo and geo, just no electro... Maybe absorb some from Keqing later.

Unable to take the Dendrobium scattered everywhere, Jiang Ning wandered to the Sacred Sakura.

The fox-shaped Sacred Sakura emitted mysterious light, and Jiang Ning vaguely felt something there.

Like... Havria's salt chalice?

"You sense it? Sister Havria?"

Jiang Ning silently asked.

Havria said: "Mm... It's an archon remnant's aura."

"A remnant in the Sacred Sakura? Whose?" Jiang Ning asked.

Havria helplessly: "I've never been here, how would I know... Want to absorb it? Your absorption doesn't make much disturbance."

Jiang Ning thought for a moment, saying:

"Alright... But if it's a male archon, won't you be sharing space with him, Sister Havria?"

Havria paused, then slowly said:

"How about this - after absorbing, we keep females and eliminate males."

Jiang Ning fell silent - Havria saying such violent things in such a gentle voice was... interesting.

"Sister Havria." Jiang Ning spoke.

"Mm?"

Jiang Ning continued: "Stop learning such brutal things from my master..."

Jiang Ning suddenly realized both his masters were violent.

Originally Morax's "disagree and geo spear suppresses," now Xianyun's "suppress Liyue Harbor first then talk"...

Jiang Ning regretted letting Havria play with the two old ones - she'd learned bad habits.

Havria urged: "Hurry up, quick, I sense someone coming."

Jiang Ning had to comply. With Havria and sleeping Guizhong inside him, one more shouldn't matter... right?

He placed his hand on the Sacred Sakura's trunk, quietly closed his eyes, then carefully sensed, quickly feeling a remnant soul.

"This is it."

Jiang Ning swiftly wrapped the remnant in divine power, then suddenly withdrew from the Sacred Sakura.

The Sacred Sakura briefly glowed then dimmed, all happening in a flash - shrine people noticed nothing wrong.

Though quick, some aura leaked - at least, that one in Inazuma could sense it.

[Congratulations host, obtained...]

...

In Tenshukaku, in that solemn tower, lived only one person.

Inazuma's most noble, one of the Seven, controller of lightning that extinguishes all, the Electro Archon, Beelzebul.

In the tower's depths, a sitting figure moved slightly, opening her eyes.

Purple eyes full of coldness, but then showing some emotional fluctuation.

"This aura is... No, impossible... Am I missing her too much? An illusion... right?"

'Inner, your heart is disturbed.' A cold voice rang.

'Just feeling something... I leave Inazuma to you.'

'Rest assured, I handle everything in Inazuma.'

But even she didn't notice her weapon seemed to lose something.

...

[Congratulations host, comprehended a bit of time's laws, currently can achieve simple time dilation, later can gradually complete time authority through performance points...]

The System was very happy.

Jiang Ning suddenly looked up, staring at the Sacred Sakura.

What happened? The Sacred Sakura could let him comprehend time's laws?

Was it really this high-level? Or was it the remnant?

[Should be the Sacred Sakura, unrelated to the remnant.]

The System said.

Jiang Ning said: "I see..."

The Sacred Sakura seemed to lose some vitality, making Jiang Ning awkward.

Did he absorb the Sacred Sakura's tree spirit?

But thinking again, whatever - no one was managing it here, absorbed means it's mine.

Havria urged:

"Well? Who is it?"

Havria was very curious.

Jiang Ning said: "This remnant is too damaged, similar to Guizhong, probably died to an archon... Unlike you, killed by humans, less power lost at death, making revival easier."

"I see... Can you tell if it's male or female?"

Jiang Ning said: "Wait."

Then Jiang Ning asked the System: "Can you check if it's male or female?"

System said: [I can't scan host's situation, but can scan tiny remnants... It's a female archon!]

Jiang Ning continued: "Identity and authority?"

System was awkward: [Well...]

Jiang Ning mercilessly cut off private chat, then told Havria:

"It's a female archon, don't worry."

Havria said: "Great, another roommate."

Jiang Ning said: "Someone's coming... Lady Guuji is really busy."

Yae Miko swayed over gracefully, looking at the Sacred Sakura, seeming to sense something wrong but unable to say what.

So she could only ask: "Little one, you're quite interested, watching the Sacred Sakura... How is it? Beautiful? I seem to feel some movement from it?"

Jiang Ning played dumb: "No, what movement?"

Yae Miko looked suspiciously at Jiang Ning, then said: "Well, the foxes returned saying monsters and divine resentment have indeed decreased in the wild, thank you."

"Mutual benefit... But I have something to ask you."

Yae Miko giggled: "What interests the little one? Tell me, if sister's in a good mood, she might answer."

Jiang Ning said: "Your Inazuman history, preferably true recorded history, not folk tales. You understand what I mean."

Yae Miko said: "I do have records of Inazuma's true history... But they're sealed with successive Guuji, though I'm only the second... But why should I give them to you? They involve many of current Inazuma's secrets."

Jiang Ning said: "I can do one thing for you, within my ability, not harming Liyue or human morality."

He had a feeling knowing this history would help his actions in Inazuma, even benefit his future.

Yae Miko's lips curved: "Deal."

"Follow me, there's quite a lot, I can't move it alone."

Jiang Ning followed, complaining: "You're Inazuma's great youkai, how could you not move it."

"I don't understand what little one means, I'm just a weak woman."

"Heh... Anyway, one more question - do you know the Sacred Sakura's origin? Or do the history books record it?"

Yae Miko stopped, looking at the Sacred Sakura, expression becoming complex.

"The Sacred Sakura's origin... Maybe forgotten, or maybe never known,"

Jiang Ning dissatisfied: "I hate riddlers most."

Yae Miko's bell-like laughter rang: "Alright, honestly, I really don't know when the Sacred Sakura appeared, it's like..."

"It appeared from nowhere."

----

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