Asase Shrine
The black cat Neko, who called herself the acting head priest of the shrine, paced back and forth anxiously.
It had already been half an hour since the young man who looked exactly like the person in Hibiki's portrait had disappeared.
Neko had also witnessed the massive changes in the sky over Seirai Island earlier. Instinctively, it felt that the strange phenomenon must have been caused by that mysterious young man.
Holding onto hope, it continued waiting restlessly.
After some time passed, Neko suddenly blinked.
In the exact spot where the young man had vanished, he appeared again just as mysteriously as before.
Compared with earlier, his expression now looked much more relaxed.
"Human… no, Hibiki's teacher," Neko said anxiously, "tell me—where is Hibiki?"
Meeting the black cat's hopeful gaze, Luo Li could see the same emotion he had seen before in Rosalyne, Ganyu, and Mitsuyo.
"Don't worry," Luo Li said calmly.
"She will return in three days."
"Three days?!"
Neko was doubtful.
But considering Luo Li's identity, he probably wouldn't lie.
"Really?" the cat murmured quietly.
Either way, waiting was the only thing it could do.
"At worst… I'll just be disappointed again."
"Why would I lie to you?" Luo Li said.
"That great thunderstorm long ago was caused by Hibiki herself. She sealed herself beneath the island. I've already removed the seal."
"So the disturbance earlier… that was caused by you?" Neko asked in shock.
This human seemed very different from any human she had seen before.
Just as Neko was about to ask more questions, Luo Li suddenly turned his head toward the shrine's torii gate.
"It seems we have visitors."
Neko looked in the same direction.
Several dozen people wearing armor and samurai clothing had entered through the torii gate, all looking serious.
The Resistance Arrives
Following the trail from Seiraimaru, Gorou had been extremely cautious the entire way.
He didn't expect to actually encounter someone here.
First, he looked around and ordered his subordinates to search the entire shrine area before approaching Luo Li.
After confirming there was no second person, Gorou finally walked toward the unusually handsome young man.
Beside him sat a black cat with golden eyes staring straight at them, which felt slightly unsettling.
Shaking off the strange feeling, Gorou asked politely:
"Sir, were you here when the strange phenomenon happened earlier?"
He wanted to know whether this man had witnessed it.
Since Luo Li appeared to be alone and didn't show any obvious threat, Gorou spoke calmly and respectfully.
However, Luo Li ignored the question and instead said:
"Why are the Resistance soldiers not mining ore over there? What are you doing at the shrine?"
One of Gorou's subordinates immediately became nervous.
"Wait… you saw us?!"
He turned urgently to Gorou.
"General Gorou, no matter what happened earlier, we can't let him leave!"
The young man's clothing was luxurious and his temperament extraordinary. He clearly didn't look like someone from Watatsumi Island.
Most likely he was a noble from Narukami Island.
If he returned and reported the Resistance's mining operation to the Shogunate army, their supply route would be destroyed and their weapon production would suffer greatly.
Gorou looked at Luo Li carefully.
He knew his subordinate was right.
"I'm sorry, sir," Gorou said respectfully.
"I must ask you to come with us."
Even while speaking, Gorou remained cautious.
For some reason, facing this young man gave him a strange sense of fear.
It felt as if he were an insect standing beneath the gaze of a god.
As though if the young man became angry, none of them would leave the shrine alive.
"Please don't worry," Gorou added quickly.
"We only ask you to visit Watatsumi Island as our guest. Once the war is over, we will send you back safely. I swear this in the name of the Divine Priestess of Watatsumi Island."
His instincts told him to remain polite at all costs.
The moment he said this, Gorou suddenly felt the air become relaxed again.
Something about this man is extremely dangerous…
He even began to regret inviting him.
"Watatsumi Island, you say?" Luo Li said after thinking briefly.
"Very well. I'll go with you."
He had nothing else to do anyway.
He had just left Ritou, and Asase Hibiki wouldn't awaken for several days.
It might be interesting to visit Watatsumi Island again.
He also wanted to see whether the child born from the pearl infused with his Honkai energy had already emerged.
Besides, in the future Lumine and Paimon would eventually be forced to join the Resistance after opposing the Raiden Shogun.
Perhaps he could give them a surprise later.
However, after agreeing, Luo Li noticed Gorou hesitating slightly.
"Since you invited me," Luo Li said with a faint smile,
"you can't take back your words now."
The statement made Gorou's heart tighten.
For some reason, he couldn't bring himself to refuse.
It felt as if some invisible force prevented him from speaking.
Seeing through his thoughts, Luo Li reassured him.
"I once had a friendly relationship with the Sangonomiya clan, so you don't need to be so cautious."
Gorou was confused.
He had studied many historical records of Watatsumi Island, yet he had never heard of such a person.
Before he could ask further, Luo Li turned to Neko.
"You stay here and wait for Hibiki. If she wakes earlier, tell her where I went."
Neko nodded.
"I understand."
A Talking Cat?!
Suddenly Gorou stared in shock.
"Th-that cat… can talk?!"
The Resistance soldiers also stared at Neko in disbelief.
Neko snorted dismissively.
"If dogs can talk, why can't cats?"
Gorou: "…"
The Resistance soldiers: "…"
When you thought about it… that logic somehow made sense.
Even Luo Li couldn't help but smile.
This cat really had a sharp tongue.
Gorou tried to argue weakly.
"That's different."
"How is it different?" Neko asked.
"Well… the size?" Gorou said uncertainly.
The dog-eared general's lack of confidence made Neko roll her eyes.
"You're just a slightly bigger dog."
"Anyway, hurry up and leave. I still need to wait quietly for Hibiki to return."
Gorou: "…"
The proud general of Watatsumi Island had never imagined that one day he would be completely defeated in an argument… by a black cat.