The Joururi Workshop was not what anyone would call a comfortable training ground.
I mean, sure, if your definition of comfortable involved massive mechanical remains, lingering divine trauma, enough old energy to make the air taste metallic, and the emotional atmosphere of a funeral held inside a factory, then yes, extremely cozy. Five stars. Would recommend to people I don't like.
The place was enormous, cold, and quiet in a way that didn't feel natural. Every step echoed too much. Every surface looked like it remembered being part of something arrogant enough to call itself a god. The air carried the weight of ambition that had collapsed under its own ego, which, honestly, felt a little rude because I had plenty of ambition and only some of it was illegal.
Sora stood a few paces away from me with his arms crossed, expression as sharp as ever. Nilou remained near the edge of the open space, her hands folded together as she watched us with visible concern. She was trying to look calm, but I knew her too well by now. Her eyes kept flicking from me, to Sora, to the open training ground, then back to me again.
Cute.
Worrying, but cute.
I rolled my shoulders and bounced lightly on my feet, letting my body loosen. "Alright," I said, glancing around the workshop. "Before we begin, let me explain the purpose of today's suffering session."
Sora's eyes narrowed. "You mean the purpose of dragging me into a place I'd rather avoid."
"Yes," I said proudly. "But with branding."
Nilou gave me a gentle look. "Shigeru."
"Fine, fine." I raised both hands. "The purpose of today's emotionally questionable training session is preparation."
Sora scoffed. "For Fontaine."
I pointed at him. "See? You're already participating."
"I'm observing the obvious."
"That's step one of teamwork."
"I am not part of your team."
"Improve your social skills."
Nilou made a small sound that was dangerously close to laughter.
Sora stared at me. "What?"
"You heard me," I said, nodding with fake wisdom. "You should come with us to Fontaine. Think of it as a social development arc. Meet new people. See new places. Possibly insult a judge. Maybe get banned from a courtroom. Character growth."
"I'm not going to Fontaine."
"That sounds like fear of personal development."
"It sounds like self-preservation."
"Same genre."
Nilou pressed her fingers lightly to her lips, doing her best not to laugh too openly. "Shigeru, maybe don't recruit people by accusing them of emotional cowardice."
"I didn't say emotional cowardice."
"You implied it."
"With artistry."
Sora's eye twitched. "Are we training or are you going to keep talking?"
"Both. I call it verbal warm-up."
"It's called wasting time."
"Wrong. Talking raises morale."
"It lowers mine."
"That means it's working."
Sora looked like he was already reconsidering every decision that led him here, which was exactly the emotional environment I worked best in.
Still, beneath the jokes, my reason was real.
I looked down at my hand and flexed my fingers once. "Fontaine's going to be different," I said, letting my voice settle. "Sumeru was complicated. Dreams, gods, false gods, Irminsul, memory nonsense, forbidden knowledge, emotional furniture damage—very busy arc, really. But Fontaine?" I exhaled slowly. "Fontaine has its own kind of danger. Law, judgment, prophecy, water, performance, secrets buried under elegance. The kind of place where everything looks polished until you realize the polish is covering cracks."
Nilou's expression softened. "You're worried."
"Of course I am," I said. "My blondie attracts plot like Paimon attracts emergency snacks."
Somewhere far away, I felt like Paimon probably sneezed.
Sora remained silent, but his eyes stayed on me.
Good.
He was listening.
Probably against his will, but listening.
"I can't stop everything before it happens," I continued. "I know pieces. Fragments. Enough to prepare, not enough to control the whole board. And right now, Lumine is asleep, walking through something she has to face herself." I clenched my fingers once, then let them relax. "So while she's doing her part, I'm doing mine."
Nilou's gaze softened further, but she didn't interrupt.
Sora looked away slightly. "You make it sound noble."
"Don't worry," I said immediately. "I'll ruin that impression soon."
"There it is."
"But seriously," I added, "this training isn't just about getting stronger. It's about making sure I can keep up when things go stupid. And believe me, things always go stupid. The world looks at me and says, 'Ah yes, this man deserves escalation.'"
Nilou smiled faintly. "You do tend to escalate things too."
"Goddess, whose side are you on?"
"The side that doesn't explode."
"That's hurtful but fair."
Sora finally uncrossed his arms. "Then show me this technique properly."
I grinned.
There it was.
The moment the atmosphere shifted.
No more sanctuary banter. No more walking through Sumeru's quiet streets. No more pretending this was only a joke.
Training began when both sides stopped asking whether it was necessary.
I stepped into the open space and took a slow breath. The air entered my lungs, cool and metallic. I let it settle, then reached inward.
Anemo answered first.
Not as a burst of wind, not as a blade, not as a current sweeping outward. It stirred under my skin like breath itself had become sharper, lighter, more obedient. My chest opened. My steps loosened. The weight of my body changed by just enough that movement became easier, smoother, more efficient.
Then came Geo.
Low and steady.
A pulse beneath my bones, dense and grounded. It did not harden my skin like a shield around me. It reinforced from within. Spine, joints, muscle fibers, stance. The body became a structure. Not immovable, but stable enough to withstand force without breaking alignment.
Electro followed next, restless and bright.
A spark crawled through my nerves, not painful, not wild, but sharp. Reaction time tightened. My senses came alive in edges and pulses. Every sound in the workshop became a point. Every movement from Sora became a signal before it became action.
Finally, Dendro bloomed.
Soft green light threaded through the other elements, not overwhelming them, not competing with them. Dendro was balance. Flow. Continuity. The living bridge that kept the entire circulation from turning into a very colorful internal disaster. It stabilized the rhythm, eased the pressure, and guided the elements through my system like roots through soil.
I exhaled.
The four elements moved together.
Anemo for movement.
Geo for reinforcement.
Electro for speed.
Dendro for balance.
Elemental Overflow.
The energy didn't explode outward.
It circulated inward.
Through muscle.
Through bone.
Through breath.
Through nerves.
Threading me together until the elements weren't just tools in my hands, but currents moving through the entire system.
Nilou's breath caught softly. "It's beautiful…"
I smiled without looking back. "Careful, Goddess. Complimenting me during training increases my ego by dangerous amounts."
"It's also worrying."
"And there it goes."
Sora watched me closely, and for once, his expression held no mockery. "You've stabilized it."
"Mostly."
"More than before," he said. "When you used it against me and the others, it was rougher. Strong, but wasteful. Your circulation was uneven. The elements collided more than they flowed."
I blinked at him. "Was that praise?"
"No."
"It sounded like tactical praise."
"It was an observation."
"With praise seasoning."
Sora ignored that. "You improved fast."
I grinned. "I am built different."
"You are built incorrectly."
Nilou made a tiny laughing sound.
I pointed at him. "That was rude."
"It was accurate. Techniques like this should take far longer to refine. Even if you already had the foundation, the adjustment between actual combat use and stable circulation should not be this quick."
"Ah," I said, tapping my temple. "That's because I'm a genius."
Sora stared.
Nilou stared.
I sighed. "Fine. It's because I cheat legally."
Sora's eyes narrowed. "Explain."
"Fourteen years of time chamber training with Mountain Shaper," I said. "My beloved bird master of suffering, questionable pedagogy, and 'if you die, you were probably weak' educational philosophy."
Nilou nodded softly. "That was when you disappeared with Greg for a whole week."
"Exactly." I rolled my shoulders, feeling the elemental current settle more evenly. "To everyone else, one week. To me? Fourteen years of training, pain, bird lectures, Adeptus nonsense, and Greg judging me from a rock."
Sora looked unimpressed, but not disbelieving. "A time-distorted training domain."
"Yep."
"And you used it to master this."
"Among other things."
Nilou frowned gently. "You never really told us how difficult it was."
I glanced back at her and smiled. "Because if I told you everything, you'd worry."
"I'm already worried."
"See? Efficiency. I saved time."
"Shigeru."
I softened a little. "It was hard. But it worked. And this technique doesn't tear me apart the way it would've back then. I'm used to the circulation now. My body adapted."
Sora's expression remained sharp. "That doesn't make it safe."
"No," I admitted. "It makes it usable."
"That distinction matters."
"I know."
And I did.
That was why I needed this.
Elemental Overflow was powerful, but it wasn't free. Nothing worth using in a real fight ever was. It increased movement, reaction speed, durability, elemental responsiveness, and internal recovery rhythm, but if the flow destabilized, the body became the battlefield. Misaligned Geo could lock joints. Overdriven Electro could damage nerves. Wild Anemo could disrupt breathing. Dendro imbalance could overcorrect and turn stabilization into strain.
Used wrongly, it was suicide with visual effects.
Used properly?
It made me terrifying.
Which was exactly the kind of energy I needed going into Fontaine.
Sora stepped forward. "Then we test stability."
I grinned. "Finally."
Nilou immediately lifted a hand. "Please remember this is training."
"Of course," I said.
Sora said nothing.
Nilou looked between us, then narrowed her eyes slightly. "Both of you."
I placed a hand over my heart. "Goddess, I am wounded by your distrust."
"You told him to hit you like he meant it last time."
"And I meant it."
"That's why I'm worried."
Sora glanced at her. "I won't kill him."
I nodded. "See? Safe."
Sora added, "Probably."
Nilou's expression dropped.
I pointed at him. "Why would you say that?"
"You do it constantly."
"Not when it matters!"
"You said 'probably' about Lumine being fine less than an hour ago."
I paused.
Nilou crossed her arms gently.
"…Okay, bad example."
I exhaled once, then lifted my right hand. A shimmer of light folded into shape, and Haran Geppaku Futsu appeared in my grip with that clean, elegant shine that made it look far too dignified for someone like me.
Honestly, the sword deserved a better wielder.
Unfortunately for it, fate had terrible taste.
Sora's eyes narrowed slightly. "You're using a weapon this time."
"Of course," I said, rolling my wrist as the blade caught the cold light of the workshop. "If we're preparing for Fontaine-level nonsense, I need to practice properly. Barehanded training is nice, but my enemies usually don't line up and politely agree to be punched."
Nilou looked at the sword, then at me. "Please don't use that as an excuse to be reckless."
"Goddess, reckless is such an ugly word."
"It is an accurate word."
"Fine. I will be artistically irresponsible."
"That is worse."
Sora's gaze shifted from Haran to my other hand. "And the bow?"
I grinned.
With my left hand, I called it.
Thundering Pulse.
The bow formed in a dark violet flash, sleek and dangerous, humming faintly with Electro like it was already offended by the idea of restraint. The moment my fingers closed around it, a spark crawled along my forearm, responding to the circulation already moving beneath my skin.
Nilou's eyes widened slightly. "Both?"
"Both," I said proudly. "Sword for close combat. Bow for pressure, range control, and looking unbelievably cool."
Sora stared at me.
"That last part is not tactical."
"It is psychological warfare."
"You are psychologically exhausting."
"Exactly. It's working."
Sora moved first.
No warning.
No dramatic countdown.
Just motion.
One instant he stood across from me, and the next a blade of wind tore across the space between us, sharp enough to split the dust in the air.
Anemo surged through my legs.
I moved before thought completed.
The wind blade passed where my shoulder had been a heartbeat earlier, close enough that I felt its edge brush my sleeve. Electro sharpened my reaction, Geo stabilized the twist of my body, and Dendro kept the circulation from flaring as I pivoted and dashed sideways.
Sora was already there.
Of course he was.
The gremlin had speed.
He came in low, one hand sweeping up as compressed wind formed around his palm. I brought Haran down in a short defensive arc, not releasing Anemo outward but letting the internal current guide the blade's angle. Steel met compressed wind with a sharp crack that echoed through the workshop.
The force traveled through my arm.
Geo took the structure.
Anemo dispersed the pressure.
Electro snapped my response forward.
I twisted my wrist and cut upward.
Sora tilted back, letting the blade pass just in front of him with insulting ease.
"Too obvious."
"Warm-up," I shot back.
"Excuse."
"Also true."
He spun, heel cutting through the air. I ducked under it, feeling the wind pressure skim over my hair, then shifted my weight through Anemo-assisted footwork and drew Thundering Pulse in the same motion.
Electro gathered along the bowstring.
I fired once.
Not a full-power shot.
Not even close.
Just a compressed arrow of lightning meant to force movement.
Sora clicked his tongue and slipped aside, but the shot cracked against the floor behind him, scattering violet sparks across the metal surface.
Nilou flinched slightly. "Shigeru!"
"Training arrows!" I called. "Mostly non-lethal!"
"Mostly!?"
Sora appeared above me.
I looked up.
"Ah."
He dropped like judgment with better hair.
Haran rose in my right hand as I reinforced my stance with Geo. His wind-coated strike hit the blade, and the impact drove my boots against the floor, but I let Anemo bleed the pressure sideways instead of trying to stubbornly tank the full force.
Better.
Much better.
I pivoted under his follow-up, Thundering Pulse already shifting in my grip. The bow dissolved for half a breath into violet light, then reformed as I created distance. That was the trick with using two weapons alongside Elemental Overflow: I wasn't just switching tools. I was switching rhythm.
Haran was flow and precision.
Thundering Pulse was pressure and punishment.
Elemental Overflow was the body forcing both styles to share one heartbeat.
Sora landed lightly, eyes sharp. "You're alternating weapons with the circulation."
"Yup."
"That adds unnecessary complexity."
"It adds style."
"It adds risk."
"Style is risk with better posture."
Nilou sighed from the side. "I don't think that's true."
"It felt true."
Sora attacked again before I could emotionally recover from being fact-checked.
This time, he sent three wind blades at different angles. I moved into them instead of away, Haran cutting through the first with Anemo-guided precision. The second I avoided with a light sidestep, Electro tightening my reaction time. The third came low, aimed at my footing, and I answered by planting Geo through my legs and drawing Thundering Pulse in one smooth shift.
The arrow released downward.
Electro burst against the floor, not explosive enough to damage the workshop, but enough to disrupt the wind pressure and give me a half-second opening.
I took it.
Haran returned to my hand as I closed the distance.
Sora's eyes narrowed.
For the first time, he didn't dodge wide.
He blocked.
Our strikes met with a sharp metallic cry, Haran's clean edge pressing against condensed Anemo around his arm. The workshop filled with sparks and scattered wind.
I grinned. "Oh? Did the gremlin block?"
He pushed me back. "Don't get excited."
"Too late. I'm emotionally invested."
"You're loud when you're losing."
"I'm also loud when I'm winning."
"So always."
"Exactly."
He vanished upward again, and several compressed blades formed around him. This time, I didn't wait.
Thundering Pulse formed in my grip as I stepped back and drew the string. Electro circulated through my arm, but Dendro steadied the pulse before it could overload the nerves. Geo locked my lower body in place, while Anemo guided my breathing.
One shot.
Two.
Three.
Each arrow cracked through the air, not aimed to hit him directly, but to break his angles and force him to release the blades early.
Sora noticed immediately.
His expression sharpened.
The first wind blade fell apart under the pressure of the arrow. The second veered off course. The third still came through, forcing me to swap back to Haran and cut it down at close range.
The impact buzzed up my arm.
Electro spiked a little too sharply.
There.
A warning.
Not dangerous.
But noticeable.
Nilou noticed too. "Shigeru!"
"I'm good!" I called back.
Sora landed in front of me. "You over-accelerated during the weapon switch."
"I know."
"Then correct it."
"Bossy."
"Useful."
"Annoyingly true."
He struck again.
I met him with Haran.
This time, I slowed the Electro current during the transition and let Dendro bridge the gap between sword stance and bow draw. The flow smoothed out instantly. Haran handled the close pressure, and when Sora shifted out of range, Thundering Pulse answered before he could fully reset.
A violet arrow skimmed past his shoulder.
Not close enough to wound.
Close enough to annoy.
Perfect.
Sora's eyes narrowed. "You're improving mid-fight."
I grinned. "I do that."
"Too quickly."
"Thank you."
"That wasn't praise."
"Too late. I accepted it emotionally."
He came at me harder.
Good.
That was what I needed.
Sora stopped holding back as much—not enough to be dangerous dangerous, but enough that I had to work. Wind pressure filled the space. His movements cut sharp angles around me, forcing me to rotate, shift, guard, aim, release, and reset without letting the internal elements collide.
That was the real training.
Not winning.
Not even landing hits.
Maintaining flow under pressure while switching between Haran and Thundering Pulse.
Anemo wanted freedom.
Geo wanted stability.
Electro wanted acceleration.
Dendro wanted continuity.
Haran demanded precision.
Thundering Pulse demanded timing.
And my body had to make all of them shut up and cooperate.
Honestly?
This was why I trained.
Because nothing in Teyvat was simple. Not power. Not fate. Not love. Not family. Not the Abyss. Not Fontaine. Not even me.
Especially not me.
Sora feinted left, then rose sharply with wind beneath his feet. I tracked him with Electro-enhanced reaction and pulled Thundering Pulse back. He expected the shot.
So I didn't release.
Instead, I dashed forward with Anemo, dismissed the bow, called Haran mid-step, and slashed upward.
Sora blocked, but the angle forced him back.
One full step.
Silence followed.
Then I pointed at him.
"Ha."
Nilou smiled despite herself. "Shigeru…"
Sora looked at the spot where Haran had struck his guard, then back at me. His mouth curved slightly, but it died before becoming a real smile.
"Better."
I froze. "Say that again."
"No."
"Nilou, witness."
"I heard it," she said softly, amused.
"No, you didn't," Sora said.
"She did."
"I didn't say anything."
"You said better."
"I was referring to the sword."
"Haran accepts your praise on my behalf."
Sora's face flattened. "I hate this conversation."
"And yet you remain in it. Social growth."
"Stop saying that."
"Improve your social skills."
Sora attacked me again.
Fair.
Eventually, Sora stopped.
Not because he was tired.
Gremlins like him probably ran on spite, wind pressure, and unresolved emotional damage.
He stopped because he had seen enough.
"That's enough."
I straightened slowly, breathing harder than before. Sweat clung to the back of my neck, and my muscles felt warm, heavy, and thoroughly used. Haran lowered in my right hand, while Thundering Pulse dissolved from my left into faint violet sparks.
The elemental current still moved inside me, but I eased it down gradually—Anemo first, then Electro, then Geo, with Dendro lingering until the others settled safely.
The glow faded from my skin.
The workshop felt colder immediately.
I rolled my shoulders and exhaled. "Whew. Good session."
Nilou approached me at once. "Sit down for a moment."
"I'm fine."
"Sit."
I sat.
Instantly.
Sora stared.
I looked at him. "What? I respect women."
Nilou knelt beside me, checking my face with gentle seriousness. "You're sure nothing hurts?"
"I'm sure," I said. "Tired, yes. Hurt, no. No internal burning, no nerve pain, no weird elemental backlash, no sudden desire to become a vegetable."
Sora looked unimpressed. "You already call Nahida Little Radish."
"That is unrelated vegetable behavior."
Nilou's lips twitched, but she kept inspecting me like a healer who didn't fully trust her patient because her patient was me.
Fair.
After a moment, she finally relaxed. "Your breathing is steady."
"See? Responsible."
"You still pushed hard."
"That was the point."
"I know." Her voice softened. "I just don't like seeing you strain yourself."
I smiled at her. "Goddess, if I don't strain now, I might break later."
She didn't like that.
I could tell.
But she understood.
That was the painful thing about Nilou. She cared enough to worry, but she was strong enough not to cage someone with that worry.
Sora stood a short distance away, watching us with his usual guarded expression. After a moment, he looked at me and said, "Your improvement is real."
I grinned instantly. "Praise number two."
"It is not praise."
"Too late. Collected."
"You're still inefficient in transitions between Geo reinforcement and Electro acceleration, especially when switching from Haran to Thundering Pulse. Your body can handle it, but your timing sometimes stacks them too tightly. That creates pressure around the joints and slows the draw by a fraction."
I nodded, actually listening now. "Yeah. I felt it during the third aerial exchange."
"You corrected it with Dendro."
"Worked, didn't it?"
"It worked because you noticed quickly. In a real fight, if you're distracted, that mistake could slow you down."
"Then we train until it doesn't."
Sora looked at me for a long moment.
Then he gave the smallest nod.
"Again later."
I blinked.
Nilou smiled.
I leaned forward slightly. "Was that an invitation?"
"No."
"It sounded like future plans."
"It was a warning."
"With scheduling."
Sora turned away. "Do whatever you want."
"I usually do."
"That is the problem."
Nilou laughed softly, and the sound eased something in the room.
The Joururi Workshop was still heavy. Still cold. Still full of old wounds and terrible memories. But for a moment, it was also something else.
A training ground.
A place where power that once tried to become a false god was now being used to prepare for protecting someone else.
That felt right.
Messy.
Complicated.
Very us.
I looked toward the distant ceiling, then back toward the direction of Avidya Forest, even though I couldn't see it from here.
Lumine was still dreaming.
Still walking through Caribert.
Still facing something I couldn't face for her.
My hands curled slowly, not with frustration this time, but resolve.
I was tired.
Definitely tired.
But I was stable.
Ready?
Not yet.
Closer?
Yeah.
I grinned faintly and looked at Sora.
"So," I said, "round two?"
Nilou immediately pinched my sleeve. "Rest first."
Sora crossed his arms. "Rest first."
I stared at both of them.
Then sighed dramatically.
"Wow. Betrayed by my goddess and my gremlin."
"I am not your gremlin," Sora said.
Nilou smiled. "And I'm not betraying you."
"You're both stopping me from making poor decisions."
"That's called helping," Nilou said.
I leaned back slightly, letting the exhaustion settle in my bones without fear. "Fine. Five minutes."
"Fifteen," Nilou corrected.
"Six."
"Fifteen."
"Seven and a half."
Sora looked at Nilou. "Ignore him. Twenty."
I gasped. "You monster."
Nilou smiled brightly. "Twenty sounds good."
I stared between them, horrified.
And that was how I learned that the only thing more dangerous than fate, false gods, or Fontaine's incoming nonsense…
Was Nilou and Sora agreeing on my rest schedule.
Truly terrifying.
Absolutely unfair.
Very effective.
_____________
End of Chapter 179
Quests Completed:
*Successfully convinced Sora to participate in training inside the Joururi Workshop despite his overwhelming reluctance.
*Presented the true purpose of the training: preparing for Fontaine while Lumine confronted the Loom of Fate alone.
*Demonstrated the refined Elemental Overflow, simultaneously circulating Anemo, Geo, Electro, and Dendro throughout the body.
*Explained the individual roles of each element within the internal circulation system.
*Successfully maintained stable elemental synchronization while alternating between Haran Geppaku Futsu and Thundering Pulse.
*Forced Sora to acknowledge the remarkable improvement of Elemental Overflow.
*Received tactical feedback from Sora regarding weapon transitions and elemental timing.
*Successfully landed a clean offensive exchange that forced Sora to guard.
*Survived Nilou's mandatory recovery inspection without attempting to escape.
*Accidentally allowed Nilou and Sora to form a temporary alliance regarding mandatory rest
periods.
*Officially confirmed that preparing for Fontaine has become the highest priority.
Rewards:
*Adventure EXP +9,000
*48,000 Mora (Combat Training Subsidy)
*Companionship EXP +1,000 (Nilou, Sora)
*"Elemental Overflow — Refined Circuit II" : (Further improves internal elemental circulation. Reduces elemental interference while increasing overall stability.)
*"Fourfold Harmony" : (Successfully synchronize Anemo, Geo, Electro, and Dendro simultaneously. Internal elemental flow becomes significantly smoother.)
*"Dual Armament Synchronization" : (Weapon transition speed between Haran Geppaku Futsu and Thundering Pulse greatly increased while Elemental Overflow is active.)
*"Adaptive Combat Rhythm" : (Continuously improves combat flow while alternating between melee and ranged combat.)
*"Sora's Combat Evaluation" : (Receive direct analysis from one of Teyvat's greatest combat prodigies. Increases combat efficiency. Side Effect: Ego permanently inflated.)
*"Mountain Shaper's Fourteen-Year Curriculum" : (Years of Adeptus training continue to bear fruit. Learning speed during combat permanently increased.)
*"Nilou's Recovery Protocol" : (After prolonged combat, recovery speed is greatly increased whenever Nilou is nearby. Side Effect: Mandatory rest periods cannot be negotiated.)
*"Workshop Resonance" : (Combat effectiveness slightly increased while fighting inside ancient divine facilities or mechanical ruins.)
*"Elemental Transition Mastery" : (Reduces strain caused by switching between elemental reinforcement and acceleration during battle.)
*"Gremlin's Acknowledgement" : (Sora admitted your improvement... indirectly. Consider this the highest form of praise available.)
**+35 (Sumeru Reputation — "Training at the Fallen God's Workshop")