In an instant, a volley of arrows darkened the sky like a swarm of locusts, raining down mercilessly upon the enemy ranks.
The rebel soldiers charged forward without hesitation, meeting the oncoming forces head-on.
Steel clashed in a deafening roar. Blades struck with sparks and fury, each blow thunderous and fierce. Life and death were determined in the blink of an eye.
Giving it their all, the warriors swung their weapons with the desperate intent to bring their foes down from their steeds.
Amidst the chaos, Lumine moved like a streak of lightning—phantom-like, darting through the enemy formation with ghostly agility. Her Dull Blade shimmered with lightning speed, each flash of the blade striking with unstoppable force. The enemies couldn't even react before falling.
She was swift as the wind, her swordsmanship a torrential downpour. Spectators could barely track her movements; she was everywhere at once.
Around her, the elements of anemo, geo, and electro swirled, forming a powerful shield that rendered her untouchable. Wherever she passed, foes were cut down like grass before a storm.
At the same time, Kujou Sara stood poised atop a high vantage point, her icy gaze commanding the battlefield.
Her voice was low and firm, radiating authority and confidence.
Her archery was near divine. Every arrow was infused with Electro energy, striking devastating blows against the rebel forces.
The storm of arrows she loosed was relentless and chaotic. The rebels scrambled to evade, but Kujou Sara's shots were devastatingly accurate. Each arrow struck true, bringing death with it.
Under her command, the Shogunate army surged forward with high morale, relentlessly driving the rebel army into a corner.
But the rebels didn't give up. They stood their ground and fought back with fierce determination, locking into brutal combat with the Shogunate troops.
Still, faced with the overwhelming offensive, the rebels gradually began to falter.
Then, out of nowhere, tiny bubbles of water floated down onto the rebels like snowflakes—light, delicate.
In the blink of an eye, their gushing wounds healed completely.
Gorou's eyes lit up with astonishment.
"Lady Sangonomiya!"
On the nearby waters stood a girl—Sangonomiya Kokomi herself.
"Thank you for waiting, my ambush forces. Now's your chance!"
From the forests flanking the battlefield, another unit of rebels emerged—and… pirates?
"Ha ha ha… I don't know what your relationship is with Shajin, but to think he managed to convince me to help again. Well, since I already took care of your little civil war, I don't mind lending a hand once more."
"However…"
Beidou raised her Prototype Archaic.
"I sure hope you can afford my mercenary fees!"
A simple ambush force wouldn't have fazed Kujou Sara. But the appearance of the Crux Fleet? That truly stunned her.
The rebels launched a fierce counterattack with overwhelming momentum.
Seeing the tides turn irreversibly, Kujou Sara realized that even if she stayed, it would be futile.
Without hesitation, she gave the order to retreat.
...
Paimon patted her chest in relief.
"Phew~ It's finally over."
Lumine nodded, exhaling deeply.
Then she made her way toward Sangonomiya Kokomi, who was directing the cleanup operations ahead.
"Hello, Miss Sangonomiya."
Kokomi shook her head gently.
"Just call me Kokomi. I've heard about you two from Shajin. He's helped me a great deal, and any friend of his is a friend of mine."
"This is our first time meeting, so please allow me to introduce myself."
She placed her right hand over her chest.
"Nice to meet you, Traveler Lumine and Paimon. I'm Sangonomiya Kokomi, organizer of the resistance, and the Divine Priestess of Watatsumi Island."
"Oh—you might not be familiar with that title… In simpler terms, I currently manage all affairs on Watatsumi Island. It's also the main base of our resistance."
"I heard about your situation from Shajin. I didn't expect you to join the resistance so soon."
Lumine twitched the corner of her mouth.
"So Shajin knew I was going to be wanted?!"
Kokomi covered her mouth with a soft laugh.
"Hehe, perhaps. He always seems to know everything, like he's seeing the whole picture."
Lumine could sense the admiration in Kokomi's eyes and grew even more curious about what Shajin had done—but she knew this wasn't the time for such questions.
Kokomi understood as well. She gave Lumine and Paimon a nod.
"If you're not in a rush, I'd like to invite you to rest at Sangonomiya Shrine. Though the Shogunate army has temporarily retreated, the war is far from over."
"The Vision Hunt Decree has yet to be abolished. The Tenryou Commission and the Raiden Shogun haven't shown any signs of stopping. These matters remain unresolved."
"I hope you'll join me at Sangonomiya Shrine to discuss our next steps. What do you say?"
Lumine and Paimon exchanged a glance, then nodded in agreement.
Tepei stepped forward enthusiastically.
"I'll guide the way! I run this route every day—totally familiar with it!"
Kokomi smiled.
"Perfect."
Then, remembering something, she turned to Gorou.
"Gorou, thank you for your efforts."
"The resistance has always been weaker than the Shogunate army, especially with some of our rear-line troops recently redeployed to the front."
"I'm sorry to ask this, but I'll need you to remain here a while longer. Keep an eye on the enemy's movements and help treat the wounded. The Crux Fleet's mercenaries will be stationed here too, so the burden should be lighter."
Gorou nodded firmly.
"Leave it to me, Lady Sangonomiya!"
...
After a brief rest, Lumine followed Teppei to Watatsumi Island.
Kokomi was in the middle of a meeting with a resistance captain.
"No matter what, supplies are our highest priority. There can be no mistakes!"
"Our conflict with the Shogunate is escalating—we must ensure rear-line stability above all else."
"Yes, I'll think of a solution."
Kokomi shook her head.
"Don't worry. With that last batch of supplies, I'm preparing to expand our forces."
"Thank you all for enduring the shortage. Things should start improving soon."
The captain's eyes lit up.
"Expanding the army? That's wonderful news! I don't know who's backing us this time, but it's been a huge help."
Then he noticed the trio approaching.
"Eh? Isn't that Teppei? You're back on Watatsumi Island!"
"And these two are…?"
Teppei puffed out his chest proudly.
"Hehe, these two are honored guests of Lady Sangonomiya. I was tasked with escorting them here."
The captain blinked, then suddenly realized—
"Oh! Are you the ones the troops have been whispering about lately? The golden-haired traveler with superhuman strength, perfect aim, and invincible skin… and her flying white pet?!"
Paimon stomped her foot furiously in the air.
"I'm not a pet! And I'm not food either!"
_
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