Chapter 110. Not Entirely New Members Join
The familiar notification sound rang out, and Futsu Mitama subconsciously shifted his attention to the Chat Group.
[Group Announcement: Group Level LV2 has been upgraded to LV3.]
[Group Announcement: Group management functions are now open. Teyvat-exclusive Message Function Improved. Sign-in rewards have increased. A portion of Group Leader permissions has been opened.]
[Welcome ***** to the Teyvat Continent Loving Family Chat Group.]
[Welcome ***** to the Teyvat Continent Loving Family Chat Group.]
[Welcome ***** to the Teyvat Continent Loving Family Chat Group.]
Shock—sheer, unmistakable shock.
Just as Futsu Mitama and the others were about to depart for Mondstadt, the Chat Group leveled up once again.
What surprised him even more was the timing. After two and a half months, the Chat Group had risen from LV2 to LV3.
Such a speed was truly unexpected. Could it be that as the number of members increased, the efficiency of sign-ins improved, thus accelerating the group's growth?
A trace of surprise also flickered in Zhongli's eyes. Standing beside Klee, he spoke slowly, "I was occupied throughout last night. I only signed in just now—I didn't expect this to happen."
Indeed, Zhongli himself had not anticipated that the Chat Group would level up immediately after his sign-in, granting him over eighty experience points in one go.
Even for Morax, this sudden turn of events felt abrupt—yet curiosity quietly surfaced alongside it.
Group management functions unlocked. Teyvat-exclusive emoji packs. Increased sign-in rewards. Partial Group Leader permissions. And three new members joining at once.
Was this the benefit brought about by a group upgrade?
"Eh?!"
At that moment, Klee suddenly let out a startled cry.
"What's wrong?" Although Albedo's attention had been fully drawn to the Chat Group, upon hearing Klee's voice, he immediately turned to her.
Kuki Shinobu, Futsu Mitama, and Zhongli also shifted their gazes toward Klee almost simultaneously. No matter how important the Chat Group was, Klee was still the youngest among them. If something had happened to her, that took priority above all else.
"Um…Klee feels like she's been pulled into a strange place."
Klee looked at the others with wide eyes and spoke in a surprised tone. "Albedo big brother, Futsu Mitama big brother, Kuki Shinobu big sister, Mr. Zhongli… you're all talking inside there."
"Hm?" ×4
The four exchanged glances.
Futsu Mitama and Kuki Shinobu both felt a sense of déjà vu, as though they had witnessed a similar scene before.
Meanwhile, the Chat Group itself erupted into activity. After all, it had been two and a half months since the previous level-up.
[Raiden Makoto: "How nostalgic. This scene feels like something I saw not too long ago."]
[Kamisato Ayaka: "New members, please remember to change your IDs. Without doing so, you won't be able to use group functions or speak."]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "We know you must have many questions. Once you've changed your names, we'll explain everything slowly."]
[Kuki Shinobu: "This…Klee?"]
[Klee: "Mm! Ta-da! Klee is here!!! Hello everyone! I'm the Spark Knight of the Knights of Favonius—Klee!"]
[Albedo: "Ah…"]
[Zhongli: "…"]
[Keqing: "Hmm? Futsu Mitama??? Where is this?"]
[Futsu Mitama: "Ah… this."]
[Aila: "This is truly wondrous."]
[Azhdaha: "Keqing? Oh~ You're the current Yuheng of the Qixing, aren't you! Your speech at the Rite of Descension was excellent. I liked it very much."]
[Guizhong: "Hahahahaha~~ I didn't expect you to join as well Mm! This is wonderful."]
[Keqing: "Was I too exhausted from work last night? I'm actually seeing two historical names… No—this isn't an illusion!!"]
[Keqing: "@Futsu Mitama @Zhongli @Kuki Shinobu @Albedo @Aila, what is going on? Also, what is this place? I was resting, and suddenly my consciousness was pulled here."]
[Zhongli: "Allow me to explain. Simply put, this is a magical Group. It gathers everyone's consciousness into a shared space. As for the two historical names you saw, Miss Keqing—Azhdaha and Guizhong—they are indeed themselves."]
[Keqing: "WHAT…Guizhong, the Geo Archon's consort, and Azhdaha, who once fought alongside the Geo Archon before being driven mad and sealed—"]
[Keqing: "But what would happen if Lord Geo Archon himself were to enter this group?"]
[Guizhong: "Consort? Is that how people outside view Morax and me? How embarrassing."]
[Keqing: "Isn't it? Many historians are quite convinced. During the Archon War, every Archon fought alone—only you and the Geo Archon formed an alliance. And it's said you even died at Guili Plains to protect the earliest Liyue Harbor."]
[Guizhong: "I may have had the intention, but that stone never had the will."]
[Raiden Makoto: "It's alright. Just ask Azhdaha—no one understands Morax better than him."]
[Azhdaha: "Morax definitely had feelings for you. Otherwise, he wouldn't have personally stopped Il Dottore from leaving, forcing him to be imprisoned [himself]."]
[Zhongli: "…"]
[Albedo: "…"]
[Futsu Mitama: "Hahahahaha. Honestly, I think Morax did like you. According to legend, after Guizhong's death, Morax donned a stone mask, unleashed boundless killing intent, swept across the land, and won the Archon War."]
[Kuki Shinobu: "That's indeed the version I heard here in Liyue."]
[Zhongli: "Is there not a possibility that the Geo Archon simply grows enraged whenever a close friend dies?"]
[Azhdaha: "That's true—but Morax only became like that after Guizhong's death. Everyone back then thought the two of you were a perfect match."]
[Klee: "Wow~!"]
[Keqing: "This…such explosive news. Is this truly the truth of history? If historians learned of this, they'd likely be ecstatic."]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "The love between Archons… ah~~~~~"]
[Kamisato Ayaka: "It's truly romantic. Even though I've heard this story more than once, it still feels incredibly, incredibly moving."]
[Zhongli: "Alas."]
At this moment, the Chat Group had fallen into complete chaos.
Outside the group, Albedo had not expected Klee to be pulled in at all. She had not been invited by the Group Leader, but rather selected randomly by the Chat Group itself. According to prior experience, every time the group leveled up, it would randomly draw in three new members.
As for the underlying mechanism—no one truly understood it.
What Albedo did know was this: the Yuheng Star of Liyue, Keqing, and Klee had both been pulled into the group at the same time.
Futsu Mitama and Kuki Shinobu, however, were already somewhat accustomed to such developments. The last time, Kamisato Ayaka had joined the Chat Group right in front of them. Back then, there were five people present—Futsu Mitama, Aila, Kuki Shinobu, Kamisato Ayaka, and Thoma.
The four of them used the Chat Group to communicate seamlessly afterward, leaving Thoma standing alone, completely out of the loop and utterly awkward.
Now, Albedo was patiently explaining the identities of the group members to Klee. With the sole exception of Zhongli, he had more or less introduced everyone else and clarified the nature of the Chat Group.
At the same time, Albedo gave Klee a very serious warning. She must not tell anyone about the Chat Group.
Not even Acting Grand Master Jean.
Although Futsu Mitama had once said that it didn't really matter if others knew, the majority of the group members clearly did not share that view.
Setting everything else aside, Condensed Resin and the Special Husk Doll alone were terrifying enough.
One could restore erosion. The other could resurrect the dead.
If these two things were exposed to people both inside and outside the group, without absolute certainty regarding their character—
Then Futsu Mitama, as the Group Leader, would be placed in extreme danger.
Precisely because of this, and to prevent an innocent child from accidentally letting something slip, Albedo made sure to impress the seriousness of the matter upon Klee.
Klee, though young, knew very well what could and could not be said. She nodded solemnly, patting her chest as she made her promise.
Even if Acting Grand Master Jean or Kaeya questioned her directly, she would absolutely not reveal anything about the Chat Group.
After making that promise, Klee immediately threw herself into spamming the group. Since she couldn't go fish-blasting right now, this was her only remaining form of entertainment.
Children were always full of curiosity toward new things—especially a place like this Chat Group, where so many extraordinary figures from Inazuma and Liyue gathered together.
Meanwhile, Keqing remained deeply shaken. She had already been stunned by the appearance of Azhdaha and Guizhong—two elders recorded only in ancient history—
Yet now, she discovered that the former Electro Archon of Inazuma and the Raiden Shogun's familiar, Yae Miko, were also present in the Chat Group.
Raiden Makoto personally explained her identity to Keqing.
She was the former Electro Archon. The current Electro Archon was her younger sister, Raiden Ei.
And the Raiden Shogun seen by the public…was merely a puppet created by Ei.
As for Inazuma's present circumstances, Raiden Makoto laid them out without concealment.
As one of the Liyue Qixing, Keqing was already burdened with overwhelming responsibilities—but even so, she couldn't suppress her curiosity toward Inazuma's situation.
After all, many Inazuman citizens still resided in Liyue Harbor. They were people who had failed to return home before the Sakoku Decree and now had no means of crossing the sea.
Their situation was, quite frankly, miserable.
The Chat Group was lively—excessively lively.
After briefly speaking, Futsu Mitama stopped paying attention to the messages.
He had more important matters to attend to.
The group level had risen. And as the Group Leader, his own strength had advanced by another small step. Although he had yet to truly enter the Adeptus realm, if he fully utilized the Authority of the Electro Archon, he was now confident—
That he could seriously injure Il Dottore's previous clone on his own.
Previously, it had taken him and Shenhe working together—combining Electro Archon Authority with the power of Memory of Dust—just to heavily wound that clone.
Now, Futsu Mitama alone could achieve the same result. This was the benefit of having a "cheat."
Aila possessed tremendous potential and had always sought to surpass him.
But Futsu Mitama had the Chat Group.
He focused on refining his techniques, honing his combat instincts, and laying a flawless foundation. Every sign-in by the group members converted directly into his strength.
That said—strength was only a secondary concern right now. What truly interested him were the newly unlocked permissions.
He began reviewing them carefully.
First: the authority to invite members.
A number appeared beside it.
5.
Even at Group Level LV3, the Group Leader could not pull people indefinitely. There was a limit.
Futsu Mitama frowned slightly, pondering the reason, but no matter how he thought about it, he couldn't deduce the rule. Perhaps it was another hidden restriction of the Chat Group.
Regardless, five invitations were already far more flexible than before. Previously, he had needed to be extremely cautious with just three.
Next came Group Management.
This, Futsu Mitama understood very well.
Second only to the Group Leader—the legendary "moderator."
They shared certain permissions: live broadcasts, encrypted files, and more.
However, at LV3, there were only three moderator slots.
Only three people.
Based on the Chat Group's habits, Futsu Mitama strongly suspected that moderators would receive hidden benefits as well.
This group had never been transparent about everything.
Some functions required inference.
For instance—
Raiden Makoto and Guizhong, as remnant souls, had both confirmed that after joining the Chat Group, their consciousness had not dissipated, but was instead slowly condensing.
Azhdaha, too, had mentioned that his erosion was gradually recovering. Even if he left the Chat Group, he could move freely for a short period.
The only reason he remained sealed beneath Mt. Hulao was simple: Liyue was peaceful.
As long as nothing unexpected happened, he had no reason to act.
After all, Azhdaha was a trump card.
The strongest being beneath Rex Lapis. Even with the power of the Gnosis, Rex Lapis could not defeat him without injury. In the end, it was Azhdaha himself who regained clarity and willingly allowed himself to be sealed.
That alone spoke volumes of his strength.
Thus, Futsu Mitama was certain—
Moderator positions came with benefits. As for who should take them—
He already had candidates in mind.
Next, he opened the Teyvat emoji pack.
His expression turned strange. These were…unmistakably the emojis from Genshin Impact's chat system. And more importantly—
He could design emojis himself.
However, only the Group Leader and moderators had that permission.
Ordinary members could not.
A mischievous smile appeared on Futsu Mitama's face. He immediately began designing the emoji he had loved using most in his previous life.
The Chat Group continued buzzing with activity.
Keqing, now fully briefed, felt as though her worldview had been overturned. She had never imagined that a nation ruled by a god could descend into such chaos.
A rebellion—against a god.
That alone was inconceivable.
Yet the masterminds behind it were the former Electro Archon and the Raiden Shogun's retainers. If such a situation occurred in Liyue—
It would be like discovering that Rex Lapis himself stood behind a civilian uprising. At that point, what was even the point of resistance?
The Liyue Qixing would probably surrender on the spot. This was simply unwinnable.
[Keqing: "So… Inazuma is currently in a state of division?"]
[Kuki Shinobu: "On the surface, yes. The Resistance is strong, the Shogunate Army weakened, and Kujou Sara fell into a trap due to an impulsive offensive."]
[Kuki Shinobu: "However, the Shogunate Army is now recuperating. The Tenryou Commission is much more restrained and won't act rashly again. I don't know the finer details. I'll ask those still in Inazuma."]
[Kuki Shinobu: "@Kamisato Ayaka @Yae Miko @Sangonomiya Kokomi"]
[Yae Miko: "I'm on a ship. Heading to Liyue."]
[Albedo: "You too?"]
[Yae Miko: "Get lost. My journey will be smooth sailing. I'll arrive in a few days."]
[Kamisato Ayaka: "Inazuma's situation is delicate. Ritou is recovering, and Hiiragi Chisato is still cleaning up her father's mess. The Yashiro Commission is working hard to expand its influence, hoping the Shogun will one day look upon the people's lives."]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "The Resistance isn't doing particularly well. Kazuha, Gorou, and the others are training constantly. After the last ambush against Kujou Sara, our numbers are still too few. We need at least half a year to recover. The Shogunate Army needs only one or two months."]
[Raiden Makoto: "It's fine. As long as you follow my instructions, Kujou Sara won't defeat you. She's a fierce general—but too eager for quick success not enough experience in command."]
[Keqing: "Still, someone like her won't make the same mistake twice."]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "Exactly. That's why I'm worried. Next time, strategy alone may not suffice."]
[Futsu Mitama: "[Emoji] (My Kokomi is by no means a good person)."]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "Eh?"]
[Raiden Makoto: "That's cute. Is that a new emoji?"]
[Azhdaha: "So this is the benefit of leveling up."]
[Kamisato Ayaka: "There's one of me?"]
[Albedo: "I have one as well."]
[Zhongli: "Unexpected."]
[Klee: "Klee has one too!!! Amazing!!!"]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "Why can't I see the emoji Futsu Mitama just sent?"]
[Futsu Mitama: "Because it's custom-made. Only the Group Leader and moderators can create emojis."]
[Zhongli: "Moderator… That was mentioned earlier."]
[Raiden Makoto: "What kind of role is that?"]
[Kuki Shinobu: "Curious. Care to explain?"]
[Klee: "Klee wants to know too!"]
[Futsu Mitama: "Simply put, moderators are second only to the Group Leader. They manage the group, and the position is reserved for those of high moral standing."]
[Keqing: "High moral standing?"]
[Azhdaha: "No problem."]
[Kamisato Ayaka: "You decide, Futsu Mitama."]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "Please exclude me. Managing the Resistance is already exhausting."]
[Yae Miko: "You can't rest yet, little one."]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "Ah!!!! [Kokomi emoji] (So tired)."]
[Raiden Makoto: "She's already using it."]
At that moment, Futsu Mitama's gaze shifted.
One member had yet to speak. Had yet to change their name.
[Futsu Mitama: "But there's still one person who hasn't spoken or changed their ID. @*******."]
His eyes narrowed slightly. He sincerely hoped it wasn't someone from the Fatui. Otherwise, he would have no choice but to remove them. As the Group Leader, he possessed that authority.
The Chat Group fell silent.
All eyes turned toward the unresolved presence. Everyone remained silent, quietly awaiting the speaker's words, unsure if they were friend or foe.
Futsu Mitama silently watched the message from the [******] in the Chat Group and slowly spoke.
[Futsu Mitama: "If you don't change your name and speak, then I regret to say, I will have to kick you from the group. Although doing so is regrettable, if you don't change your name, I will have no choice." ]
[Maha Rukkhadevata: "Actually, I'm hesitating. I don't know if I should let you kick me out. Because my existence could very likely endanger this Chat Group." ]
[Raiden Makoto: "Oh?!" ]
[Azhdaha: "Eh?! It's you!" ]
[Yae Miko: "That name!!!" ]
[Keqing: "Oh my goodness..." ]
[Zhongli: "One of The Seven Archons, Maha Rukkhadevata, who fell in Sumeru 500 years ago." ]
[Albedo: "Now, it truly is a group of remnant gods." ]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "In the future, Orobashi's remnant soul won't join the Chat Group too, will it?" ]
Shock, extreme shock. Everyone in the Chat Group was incredibly surprised by the speaker's identity.
Because that name was known to all: Maha Rukkhadevata, the Dendro Archon and one of The Seven Archons.
The Archon of Sumeru, she was also a fallen Archon. The exact reason was unknown, but 500 years ago, Sumeru welcomed its second Archon.
It was the second-generation Archon, known as Lesser Lord Kusanali. Yet now, no one present expected Maha Rukkhadevata to join the Chat Group, and her words made them ponder.
Her existence could very likely endanger this Chat Group? What did that mean?
Even Futsu Mitama was bewildered. He had no idea what Maha Rukkhadevata's situation truly was, only that Lesser Lord Kusanali had a very tough time. He skipped too much on Sumeru and what taboo knowledge actually is.
The Akademiya had corrupted, Great Sage, you deserve to die!!!!!
In his previous life, there was even a saying circulating online:
Zhongli: "Though I have no intention of vying for power, I know the suffering of the common people."
Venti: "No intention of vying for power."
Raiden Ei: "I bring suffering to the common people."
Nahida: "I suffer."
Focalor: "I sentenced myself"
This was roughly the current state of the Five Archons, and only Nathlan's did live better.
As luck would have it, Futsu Mitama transmigrated at this time, completely unaware of what happened later. Therefore, Futsu Mitama didn't understand what Maha Rukkhadevata was saying. His Clairvoyance EX was failing him!
Thus, Futsu Mitama looked at Zhongli beside him and asked, "Mr. Zhongli, why do you think Maha Rukkhadevata would say such a thing?"
When in doubt, ask Zhongli. Paimon was a false encyclopedia of Teyvat, while Zhongli was the true encyclopedia of Teyvat. There was hardly anything he didn't know.
Zhongli knew a great many hidden things, so Futsu Mitama asking him was the right choice.
Albedo also looked at Zhongli, knowing his true identity and thus understanding that he likely knew the meaning behind Maha Rukkhadevata's words.
Kuki Shinobu and Klee also turned their gaze to Mr. Zhongli. Both were very curious why Maha Rukkhadevata would say such words.
"From a universal perspective," Zhongli looked at Maha Rukkhadevata in the Chat Group, his tone calm, "it should be related to the taboo. On the continent of Teyvat, what can threaten Archons—"
"Besides the Abyss, there is only the taboo."
At this point, Zhongli fell silent. This was the limit of what "mortals" could know. If he continued, it would likely lead to further suspicion, which would be counterproductive.
And...Zhongli subtly glanced at Futsu Mitama. He could sense in his heart that the Group Leader's sudden inquiry was probably not due to his extensive knowledge, but because—
Had he seen through his identity? Never mind...If that were the case, perhaps it would be better.