Chapter 167. Scaramouche's Mecha
"Did it work?"
Despite her weakened condition, Sangonomiya Kokomi forced herself to raise her head and look toward Dottore in the distance.
The opponent had been struck directly by the combined attack of Yae Miko and Shenhe. Even someone of his strength should have been injured by that blow—shouldn't he?
As long as he was wounded, there would still be a chance to retrieve the Electro Gnosis.
At this moment, however, Kokomi felt a heavy sense of guilt. Because of her, Yae Miko had handed over the Gnosis. And that Gnosis had originally been intended for Futsu Mitama.
"I'm not sure," Shenhe replied calmly. "But that strike should have connected. I poured all the Anemo power and authority Futsu Mitama gave me into that throw."
"I can't say exactly how destructive it was—but its speed was extraordinary."
Kokomi nodded faintly.
The speed had indeed been astonishing. After being rescued, she had barely registered what was happening before Shenhe and Guuji-sama had already launched their attack.
Yae Miko's reaction was understandable—she had been preparing for that moment the entire time. But Shenhe had arrived only seconds earlier and immediately matched her rhythm, throwing her weapon without hesitation.
Though Shenhe's movement had been slightly slower than Miko's initial strike, once the spear left her hand it accelerated sharply, overtaking the lightning and striking Dottore first.
The disciple of the Adeptus was even stronger than Kokomi had expected.
She sighed inwardly. Even now, after being rescued, her body remained unable to move. Whatever method Dottore had used had completely restrained her internal power.
The humiliation of that helplessness weighed on her mind.
Still, she could feel something slowly changing. Her physical injuries were gradually healing.
"…?"
Shenhe noticed it as well.
A hint of surprise flickered in her eyes. She had been about to take out a healing talisman for Kokomi.
But it seemed unnecessary.
The recovery was happening naturally.
Was this simply her own regenerative ability?
Was she even an ordinary human?
The thought briefly crossed Shenhe's mind, though she quickly refocused on the battlefield.
Her gaze locked onto Dottore.
"Not bad," a voice said. "You two are quite impressive."
The smoke slowly dispersed.
Dottore stood within it, his appearance slightly disheveled. His clothing was torn in several places, yet the faint smile still lingered at the corner of his mouth.
"To be honest," he continued lightly, "I did not expect your reinforcements to arrive so quickly. That truly exceeded my expectations."
He glanced toward Shenhe.
"I wonder how Scaramouche is doing."
Holding the Electro Gnosis in one hand, he spoke in a thoughtful tone.
"Dead? No… that seems unlikely. With his strength, he would not fall so easily to you and Futsu Mitama."
"I also left him something. No matter what happened, he should not have lost so quickly."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Which means…you returned? But how did you arrive so fast?"
For the first time, a trace of genuine puzzlement appeared in his expression. According to his calculations, Shenhe should not have been able to reach Watatsumi Island at this time.
The lack of information had disrupted his predictions.
Shenhe offered no reply. She simply extended her hand.
Calamity Queller returned instantly to her grasp.
At the same moment, she flicked another talisman into the air.
Nearby, Yae Miko's eyes glowed with violet light. Her expression had become extremely serious. The Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine—who normally avoided battle whenever possible—now clearly intended to reclaim the Gnosis by force.
"Hehehe…" Dottore chuckled softly. "I have no intention of fighting you."
He lifted the Electro Gnosis slightly as he spoke.
"My objective has already been achieved. Continuing this battle would bring me no benefit."
He looked at Yae Miko with mild amusement.
"In a sense, you should thank me. I have helped resolve Inazuma's predicament ahead of time. For the next half year, you and Futsu Mitama will have the opportunity to restore prosperity to this nation."
He paused briefly.
"Of course… that assumes you can deal with that Shogun."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Dottore raised a hand.
His form began to blur.
Yae Miko's lightning and Shenhe's talismanic attack struck through the space where he stood.
Neither touched him. Both attacks plunged into the sea.
Boom—!!!
A violent explosion erupted across the water. The unfortunate fish beneath the surface were instantly annihilated by the overwhelming force.
Yae Miko clicked her tongue in irritation.
"That man—"
Her gaze remained fixed on the spot where Dottore had vanished.
"He never prolongs a fight. The moment he obtained the Gnosis, he withdrew immediately."
Shenhe and Kokomi both understood the reason.
Dottore was wary.
There was something he feared enough that he refused to remain any longer once his goal was secured.
Yae Miko sighed quietly.
"Well—now I've lost the Gnosis Ei entrusted to me. What exactly should I do now?"
For the sake of Inazuma's larger strategy, she had traded away the Electro Gnosis.
Objectively speaking, that was not good news. If the same opportunity had appeared a month or two earlier, Yae Miko might have secretly celebrated. Selling the Gnosis at such a "good price" would have been a delightful transaction.
But now—
Hehehe.
A wry smile touched her lips. She suspected that a certain pair of sisters might soon subject her to a rather unpleasant lecture.
After all, she had genuinely intended to pass the Gnosis to Futsu Mitama. And Ei likely had the same intention.
Otherwise, why would Ei have guided him so frequently?
Wasn't she perhaps cultivating him to become the next guardian of Eternity?
No, no, no—she was cultivating a successor to prevent a situation where both she and the Raiden Shogun might one day face a life-threatening battle, just as Makoto once did.
In such a scenario, she would undoubtedly head alone to the very center of the battlefield, leaving Futsu Mitama behind to guard Inazuma. And if she were to unfortunately perish, then Futsu Mitama would take her place as the new Raiden Shogun.
At that time, the Gnosis in Yae Miko's hands would serve as the proof of Futsu Mitama's ascension as the next Electro Archon.
But now, for the sake of Inazuma's future, Yae Miko had no choice but to hand over the Gnosis. Makoto in the Chat Group would understand. But Ei—
Yae Miko already had a premonition that her fate would be miserable.
"I'm sorry, Guuji," Sangonomiya-sama apologized, feeling that she was unworthy of the Gnosis.
However, just as the Dottore had said, if Sangonomiya Kokomi—leader of the Resistance and the divine priestess of Watatsumi Island—were to die at such a critical moment, Inazuma would fall into purgatory. The Resistance would fight the Shogunate Army to the death in revenge.
At that point, the entire nation would be engulfed in war, and no one would be able to stop the tragedy. Sangonomiya Kokomi was the faith of the Resistance.
Everyone in the Chat Group knew that Kokomi's achievements today were largely due to the assistance of Raiden Makoto, Yae Miko, and others. But the soldiers of the Resistance didn't know that. All they knew was that Sangonomiya-sama had led them to victory time and time again, producing countless miraculous strategies and strange inventions, existing almost like a deity in their eyes.
If she were to die, the situation would truly spiral out of control. Even if the two generals—Gorou and Kazuha—managed to remain calm, the others likely would not. Attempting to suppress them by force would only backfire.
"It's nothing," Yae Miko shook her head slightly, comforting Sangonomiya Kokomi. "This isn't your fault. It's simply that we elevated you too highly."
"In the end, it was Makoto's and my mistake. If we had known the Fatui's objective earlier, we would have had you hide instead of actively engaging them."
Because now everyone understood.
The Dottore's primary objective in attacking Watatsumi Island and capturing Sangonomiya Kokomi had been the Gnosis in Yae Miko's possession.
If Yae Miko hadn't had the Gnosis, he would have simply killed Sangonomiya Kokomi and plunged Inazuma into chaos. And with the nation consumed by war, the Fatui could then step forward once more to negotiate with the Raiden Shogun—offering to restore stability in exchange for the Electro Gnosis.
In the end, everything revolved around that one divine artifact. The Fatui's motives were, in fact, that simple.
"Forget it. Let's inform Futsu Mitama first."
Yae Miko decided to report the situation on Watatsumi Island to him. After all, he wasn't having an easy time either—he was currently fighting Scaramouche alone.
At the very least, she could let him know that their side had been resolved.
[Yae Miko: "@Futsu Mitama, our situation here is resolved."]
[Futsu Mitama: "Good, then I… never mind. I understand!!!"]
[Azhdaha: "Resolved? Sangonomiya Kokomi is fine?"]
[Raiden Makoto: "What about that Dottore? How is he? Did you capture him?"]
[Maha Rukkhadevata: "The opponent was probably prepared. If nothing unexpected happened, he should have already fled. After obtaining the Electro Gnosis within Inazuma, leaving immediately would be the most rational choice."]
[Maha Rukkhadevata: "If he stayed, then he probably wouldn't be able to leave anymore."]
[Shenhe: "Yes. He left very quickly. Miko and I couldn't stop him."]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "That man is extremely sinister. Despite possessing such strength, he still chose to ambush us."]
[Yae Miko: "After all, his objective was the Gnosis. If he didn't leave quickly, I would have summoned Raiden Ei."]
[Yae Miko: "Tsk. He ran incredibly fast. Honestly, with that level of strength, he probably could have taken the Gnosis openly. The strength he displayed clearly isn't on the same level as the slice that Futsu Mitama and Shenhe fought earlier."]
[Venti: "It seems he values Inazuma quite highly."]
[Keqing: "Are the Fatui Harbingers acting to collect Gnosis? No wonder Scaramouche reacted so strongly when he saw Futsu Mitama using the Anemo Gnosis."]
[Keqing: "By the way, @Venti, if Futsu Mitama failed to safeguard the Gnosis and it was taken by the Fatui, would you punish him?"]
[Kamisato Ayaka: "Probably not—because even if it were taken, it wouldn't be due to negligence. The enemy would simply be too strong."]
[Raiden Makoto: "Hehehe, that's not necessarily true. This bard would definitely punish Futsu Mitama."]
[Albedo: "Probably… not?"]
[Venti: "Ahem. If my Gnosis were taken by the Fatui, then Futsu Mitama, as its custodian, would indeed be negligent in his duties. He should compensate with something equivalent to a Gnosis. Hmm… of course, compensation isn't necessary—he could simply obediently become the next Anemo Archon."]
[Azhdaha: "You've revealed your true colors, Anemo Archon!!!"]
[Guizhong: "Your abacus can be heard all the way from Liyue."]
[Zhongli: "His true intentions lie elsewhere."]
[Venti: "Ehe!~"]
[Maha Rukkhadevata: "Although I understand the desire to cultivate a successor, is the Fatui's goal truly the Gnosis?"]
[Maha Rukkhadevata: "Then Sumeru… sigh. I'm beginning to worry."]
[Raiden Makoto: "There's no need to worry. Since you've already chosen your successor, you shouldn't doubt her."]
[Venti: "Speaking of which, I can't comment much. I fell into slumber after that battle. The old man might know more."]
[Zhongli: "…"]
[Guizhong: "We can discuss that later. Let's first check on Futsu Mitama. He seems to have the advantage."]
[Shenhe: "He has the advantage?"]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "I'll take a look."]
[Yae Miko: "Is that little guy really that terrifying? To still hold the advantage after using the giving away the authority???"]
Meanwhile, on Yashiori Island, Futsu Mitama and Scaramouche clashed once again.
Neither of them intended to give the other any time to recover.
Scaramouche had initially been wary of Futsu Mitama. But seeing that the latter's expression remained pale, he began to sense something was wrong.
After another brief exchange, Scaramouche was shocked to realize something.
Futsu Mitama had recovered.
No—his strength hadn't increased. Rather, he had regained the stamina he had previously expended.
Was this something a human body could even do?
Even Scaramouche, a divine construct, had been severely drained after a series of intense battles. He had even forcibly activated the tools that Raiden Ei had once created for him. These devices were never meant to be used casually.
If he could freely activate them in his normal state, he would happily use them every single day. But now, his two Hand-Eyes were destroyed. The halo behind him was on the verge of collapse. The helmet was little more than decoration—essentially useless.
Meanwhile, Futsu Mitama was slowly recovering.
This left Scaramouche feeling extremely aggrieved. If he had been at his peak condition, then no matter how abnormal Futsu Mitama's recovery was, he would never have been pushed this far.
"You… you bastard!!"
Scaramouche glared at him with fury.
"If it weren't for that Adeptus disciple interfering, you would never have pushed me to this extent!"
Futsu Mitama merely chuckled.
Scaramouche claimed he relied on Shenhe—but wasn't Scaramouche himself an ancient monster who had lived for hundreds of years?
If Futsu Mitama had possessed centuries to train his strength, he could likely defeat Scaramouche with one hand tied behind his back.
"You've forced my hand!"
Scaramouche roared as a lightning spear condensed in his grasp. His eyes burned with fury as he stared at Futsu Mitama.
As the spear formed, the halo behind Scaramouche—resembling Chakra Desiderata—dissipated completely.
Futsu Mitama's expression turned serious. He knew that he had pushed Scaramouche to the limit. The Harbinger was preparing to risk everything.
"Whoosh—!"
Scaramouche wasted no time. He hurled the lightning spear, radiating a terrifying aura, straight at Futsu Mitama.
Fast. Incredibly fast.
In the blink of an eye, the spear had already reached Futsu Mitama's face.
"Buzz—!"
Futsu Mitama immediately drew his sword.
Musou no Hitotachi erupted once again.
He did not underestimate this attack. But the moment Scaramouche threw the spear, he suddenly dashed toward the lower levels of the factory—clearly having no intention of confronting Futsu Mitama directly.
"Hm?!"
Futsu Mitama's expression tightened. He had long noticed that Scaramouche occasionally glanced toward the factory below.
Instinct told him one thing very clearly: Scaramouche absolutely must not be allowed to enter the factory.
There was no logical explanation. No concrete evidence. But if Scaramouche wanted to go there, then Futsu Mitama would stop him.
"Buzz—!!!"
Golden light flashed within Futsu Mitama's eyes. Even as Musou no Hitotachi collided with the lightning spear and erupted into a violent explosion—
Scaramouche suddenly smiled.
He knew Futsu Mitama had been watching him carefully, trying to prevent him from entering the factory. But if that was the case, then he would simply create an opportunity himself.
"Planet Befall."
A meteor even larger than before descended from the heavens—targeting the factory… or rather, Scaramouche himself.
At that moment, Futsu Mitama's clothes were partially destroyed. His upper body was now bare, having just unleashed Musou no Hitotachi to counter the lightning spear.
Although he had blocked the attack, the Jade Shield protecting him had been damaged. His clothing, naturally, was no divine artifact.
"!"
Seeing the massive meteor falling from the sky, Scaramouche secretly gritted his teeth. Ignoring everything else, he transformed into a streak of purple lightning and plunged straight into the factory.
"BOOM—!!"
With a deafening explosion, the already unstable factory collapsed entirely. No one could say what fate awaited Scaramouche inside.
"… "
Futsu Mitama fell silent.
He stared at the ruins of the factory in the distance, hesitation flickering briefly across his face. During the battle, when Scaramouche was at a disadvantage, he had repeatedly glanced toward the factory below.
And although Futsu Mitama was confident he could face any powerful individual in Inazuma alone—except the Raiden Shogun—he had learned something troubling from the Chat Group.
According to Dottore, he had left something behind for Scaramouche. A contingency.
When Scaramouche attempted to return to the factory earlier, Futsu Mitama had mercilessly summoned Planet Befall. But unexpectedly, Scaramouche had chosen to endure the impact and charge forward anyway.
"This is troublesome."
Futsu Mitama murmured quietly, already anticipating that the situation might soon take a third turn.
Suddenly—
His pupils shrank.
Futsu Mitama instantly rose high into the air.
A gigantic purple hand erupted from the ground, attempting to seize him—but missed.
"Buzz—!!"
In the palm of the giant hand, a single eye flickered with violent purple lightning.
"BOOM—!!!"
A bolt of lightning, moving at extreme speed, shot toward Futsu Mitama.
"This is—"
Rather than block the attack, Futsu Mitama used the authority of the Anemo Archon to evade it. His expression grew increasingly solemn. The next moment—
"Bang!!!"
Another massive hand burst from the rubble, scattering the remains of the factory.
A gigantic mechanical construct slowly emerged.
Scaramouche was inside it.
But Futsu Mitama could not see exactly where.
And the mech—only had an upper body. No lower half.
"Now, it's your turn to die."
Scaramouche, seated within the mech, seemed to feel invigorated. He looked down at Futsu Mitama and said,
"To be honest, I originally didn't want to use this thing Dottore made for me. But since it's for the sake of victory, then of course I must use every means at my disposal!"
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