Kazuha had no need to boast.
Ei could sense it clearly herself.
Kazuha was strong, yes—but his strength came from the sheer quality of the energy in his body, overwhelming both elemental and divine power. Yet the quantity was lacking. His swordsmanship, though elegant, was still far from mastery. He had said himself: early-stage Refining Essence into Qi.
But Xiao—who had pressed her down almost effortlessly—that energy was deeper, thicker, terrifying. His spearwork was flawless, transcendent, utterly inhuman. And mastered.
That was the peak of Refining Essence into Qi.
She did not know what kind of being a so-called "Spirit Transformation, God-Transforming" elder might be—but surely one even stronger than Xiao.
Ei frowned. She could not even overcome Xiao. If another elder appeared, the shame would be immeasurable.
Thunderclouds roiled over the battlefield once more, lightning veiling the skies, echoing the storm of her heart.
But after a long silence, Ei inhaled deeply. She cast one last look at Kazuha—cold, but measured.
"Withdraw the troops! For one month, the Shogunate shall not march to war!"
With that, she took a step forward—and vanished.
Kujou Sara and the Shogunate army exhaled in unison.
It was not that they feared war. It was that this war—needless, wasteful, kin slaughtering kin over a meaningless Vision Hunt Decree—was not worth fighting.
For ordinary people, what did the Vision Hunt have to do with them?
A month without war meant a month to breathe, to recover. And with the Resistance now backed by the mysterious Kaedehara Kazuha, who could say if the Shogunate would even have the heart to resume fighting after?
Sara herself was already planning: she would use this reprieve to investigate cultivation.
Casting Kazuha one last glance, she led her troops away.
Kazuha, too, let out a sigh of relief.
Yes—he could have invoked his sect token and summoned aid. But that would break Mount Shu's rules. Mount Shu never involved itself in mortal kingdoms, let alone their squabbles. To summon aid here would mean forcing Mount Shu to stand openly behind the Resistance.
And then… his punishment would be far heavier. Even if not expulsion, he might be demoted to a menial disciple.
Xiao's task here had been simple: rescue him, then bring him home for judgment. From start to finish, his senior brother had not once cared about the struggle between Resistance and Shogunate.
Kazuha only wanted to solve it himself. To drape himself in Mount Shu's authority would be unworthy.
As the Shogunate army vanished, he collapsed onto the ground, exhausted. Looking inward, his dantian was hollow, utterly drained.
He had overreached—challenging a top-tier Archon while still only at early Refining Essence into Qi. Even with cultivation, this was folly. His true essence was spent; his recovery would be slow.
But if it bought Inazuma even a short peace, then it was worth it.
If fewer people died, it was enough to repay the nation he once called home.
At last, he could return to cultivation without regrets.
"Mr. Kaedehara!"
Gorou rushed to his side, catching him.
"How are you? Are you alright?"
Kazuha shook his head with a weary smile.
"My strength is simply spent. Nothing serious."
Relief lit Gorou's face. His eyes shone with admiration.
"You're incredible. To fight the Shogun herself for so long, and suffer only exhaustion! Thanks to you, we've preserved our strength and spared many lives. Please allow the Resistance to thank you properly!"
Kazuha gave a wry smile.
"No need to praise me so. I am not the Shogun's equal. Had my senior brother not arrived, I would already be gone."
"That is more than enough," Gorou insisted.
Kokomi approached quietly, questions heavy in her eyes.
"In all of Inazuma's history, no one has lasted so long against the Shogun. Mr. Kaedehara… you are worthy of the title 'Sword Saint.'"
At once, the camp erupted with cheers.
"Sword Saint! Sword Saint! Sword Saint!"
Kazuha nearly choked on his own breath.
Him? A Sword Saint? If his three-legged-cat swordplay deserved that title, then Keqing might as well be a Da Luo Immortal!
"Please, don't call me that. Just 'Kazuha' is fine."
Kokomi smiled gently. She accepted it—using his given name was closer, after all.
"In that case, Kazuha, please return with us to the camp to rest."
He did not refuse. Shrugging off Gorou's support, he followed Kokomi and the others.
They had not gone far when Kamisato Ayaka hurried over, breathless.
"Lady Kokomi! Are you unharmed? Forgive me—we could not intervene, the battle was too chaotic."
Kokomi had known Ayaka was near; after all, she had asked Ayato for aid.
Seeing Ayaka's apologetic look, Kokomi shook her head with a smile.
"Miss Kamisato, don't jest. The battlefield just now was no place to step into. That you came at all already moves us deeply. Please, come with us."
Ayaka agreed at once. She had many questions—especially for Kazuha.
Whatever had transpired in Teyvat, she could inquire of her clan's networks. But Kazuha—Mount Shu's newly-inducted inner disciple—would surely know more.
They pressed on to the Resistance camp.
Along the way, the story spread like wildfire: Kaedehara Kazuha had fought the Raiden Shogun, and even forced her to withdraw. He had become a hero in their eyes.
The worshipful gazes embarrassed him deeply.
He knew the truth: when she was not serious, he could exchange a few blows. But once she was—he would never have survived her strike.
The true strength lay in Xiao. Even Ei, serious and whole, had been suppressed by him.
The praise did not inflate Kazuha's pride. On the contrary—it spurred him. For he knew the gulf between himself and those above him.
Soon they arrived at camp. Despite his protests, they seated him at the head.
He had wanted to meditate, to recover his true essence. But seeing their eager faces, he sighed.
"Ask. Whatever I can say—I will tell you."
Joy rippled through the room. Yet… they hesitated. How to begin?
At last, Ayaka steadied her heart.
"Kazuha. That immortal just now—was he truly Liyue's Guardian Yaksha? How has he grown so strong? And you… you called him senior brother?"
Kazuha nodded.
"Yes. Xiao is indeed the Guardian Yaksha. And I call him senior brother because… I have joined Mount Shu. He is the Hall of Discipline 's chief disciple—our sect's senior among disciples."
"As for Mount Shu—it is a sect founded recently by our Sect Master, devoted to cultivation. The Geo Archon and the Adepti of Liyue, even the Anemo Archon of Mondstadt, have joined."
"The Archons now serve as acting First Seats."
The room went still.
"…The Sect Master is…?" Yoimiya asked curiously.
"The eyes you saw in the sky," Kazuha answered gravely.
"The Sect Master is a cultivator at the peak of Spirit Transformation, Return to Void. The strongest in Mount Shu, the strongest cultivator alive."
"Just a week ago, Mount Shu opened its gates to the world. I was fortunate—together with Captain Beidou—to join its inner sect."
Seeing their bewilderment, Kazuha began again from the beginning, explaining cultivation.
For the first time, tales of cultivation spread widely across Inazuma.
The dazzling, terrifying world of Mount Shu left Kokomi and the others dazed, as if waking into a dream.
Never had they imagined: while Inazuma tore itself apart in isolation, Teyvat itself had already changed beyond recognition.
Inazuma… had fallen behind.
When Kazuha finished, silence blanketed the great tent. Even the soldier guarding the door was staring blankly.
Kazuha's eyes flickered. He could tell—though others might be fooled, not him—that the man was a Shogunate spy. But that was fine. The Shogunate, too, should hear these truths.
Suddenly, Gorou slammed a fist onto the table.
"Damn it! The whole world surges forward, everyone striving for strength. And we—still bleeding over that meaningless Vision Hunt?!"
"While we fight, the other nations evolve, transformed by cultivation. What madness is this? Does the Shogun truly mean for Inazuma to rot forever in 'eternity'?"
Kazuha shook his head.
"The Vision Hunt is no longer the true danger. Once cultivation spreads, Visions lose their meaning."
"The true threat is the Sakoku Decree."
"Once, perhaps, isolation had its merits. But not anymore. Not now."
"Spiritual energy has revived. Liyue leads the way. The beasts there have already grown terrifying. Jueyun Karst has become a forbidden zone, swarming with monsters."
"Not long ago, a beast at the peak of Foundation Establishment broke out, nearly tearing through all Liyue's defenses and storming Liyue Harbor. Without cultivation, even I and Captain Beidou barely survived."
"And this tide will spread. The Sakoku Decree can seal people, but it cannot seal spiritual energy. When the tide reaches Inazuma, beasts from island and sea alike will descend. That will be our doom."
"Inazuma's armies cannot withstand them. Not even the Shogun alone could suppress so many. If isolation continues… Inazuma has only one fate: annihilation."
"Yet the revival will not stop. Every nation and every power benefits from it. For their own interests—for Mount Shu's grand design—they will never allow it to halt. It cannot halt."
"This is the Sect Master's will. And the Sect Master's will—is Heaven's will."
"Whatever the Sect Master decrees, Teyvat must obey. Such is the authority of one at the peak of Spirit Transformation, Return to Void."
Kokomi's eyes widened, shock plain.
"So… the Vision Hunt is nothing. If the Sakoku Decree continues… Inazuma will certainly perish?"
"Not possibly," Kazuha said quietly. "Certainly."
"If a beast equal to me—early-stage Refining Essence into Qi—appeared on these islands… tell me, what army could resist it?"
Kokomi did the math. And her heart sank.
If such beasts appeared… no army, no matter how vast, could do anything but wait for death.
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