The night was clear, the moon bright, and the lights were dazzling.
By evening, under the Sacred Sakura, Yae Miko was carefully inspecting the offerings and materials needed for the upcoming ritual. These had been specially procured by the shrine maidens she had sent out to various parts of Narukami Island earlier that day.
Sea Ganoderma growing on trees, Thunder Sakura Blooms that fear lightning, Onikabuto without horns, and flying white Dango Birds...
These materials, unheard of by most, had caused the shrine maidens no small amount of trouble. Since Yae Miko issued the order at dawn, the shrine maidens had sealed off the Grand Narukami Shrine, turning away all visitors. Then, they had gone out in groups to collect the materials needed for the ritual.
"Lady Guuji, all the materials have been gathered. Please give your instructions," Kano Nana said, bowing slightly after placing the final batch of offerings.
"Hmm, I see. Nana, please lead all the shrine maidens down the mountain and stay at an inn in Inazuma City for the night. Return to the shrine tomorrow," Yae Miko nodded and instructed.
"Lady Guuji, I..." Kano Nana lowered her head, wanting to say something but ultimately holding back, her expression one of hesitation.
"What is it?" Yae Miko's face showed a smile, teasing slightly. "Don't worry about the cost of tonight's lodging. I'll arrange for reimbursement when you return tomorrow."
"Lady Guuji, you know that's not what I meant," Kano Nana puffed out her cheeks, but soon deflated like a balloon, her energy draining away.
"Lady Guuji, I want to stay..."
"Enough, listen to me. Take the shrine maidens and leave for now. The ritual I'm about to perform is no small matter. If something goes wrong, your presence here would only be a hindrance," Yae Miko sighed, her tone filled with solemnity.
"I... understood." Kano Nana wanted to argue further, but when she saw the unyielding look in Yae Miko's purple eyes, she swallowed her words, bowed, and quickly left the front courtyard of the Grand Narukami Shrine.
"It's time." After Kano Nana left, Yae Miko stood still, quietly watching the stars move across the sky. When seven bright stars aligned in a straight line, shining brightly in the sky, she slowly closed her eyes. A pink and white gohei appeared in her hand, and she began to chant.
"By the blood of Hakushin, by the shrine maidens of Narukami, with sincere prayers, the light of hope." Yae Miko waved the gohei in her hand, her graceful figure dancing under the Sacred Sakura as countless cherry blossoms fell around her.
"O Sacred Sakura, born from the distant shores of time, hear the prayers of the shrine maidens of Narukami, and dispel the void and confusion for me!"
As Yae Miko's words fell, the Sacred Sakura suddenly glowed brightly. An endless surge of pink and purple energy flowed from the tree trunk, gently spreading toward her. Yae Miko opened her arms, guiding the power of her Hakushin bloodline to resonate with the energy of the Sacred Sakura.
"Hmm~" Feeling the warm energy of the Sacred Sakura envelop her, Yae Miko couldn't help but let out a soft moan, her cheeks slightly flushed.
However, she didn't forget why she had gone to such lengths, even at the cost of a century of cultivation, to draw upon the power of the Sacred Sakura. After a brief moment of distraction, Yae Miko began to use her mind to probe the fragment of the future she sought.
Buzz—
The moment Yae Miko's consciousness touched the fragment of the future, a soft hum echoed, followed by a brief disorientation. When she regained her senses, she found herself standing before the Statue of the Omnipresent God.
"This is..." Yae Miko's pupils contracted. In front of the statue, her dear friend Raiden Ei was kneeling on the ground, and before her stood a shadowy figure completely shrouded in black mist, its features impossible to discern.
Just as Yae Miko tried to get a clearer look at the figure, it suddenly turned its head. A flash of golden lightning streaked across, and in an instant, the entire mental space shattered.
Back in reality...
"Ugh—" Yae Miko wiped the corner of her mouth with her delicate hand and looked at the blood on her fingers. "Heh, so I was indeed counterattacked. What exactly was that shadowy figure?" she murmured to herself.
However, she hadn't come away empty-handed. Although she hadn't seen the figure clearly, in the instant the lightning flashed, she had caught a glimpse of a strand of silver hair on its body. That could be considered a gain, right?
"Sigh, it seems I'll have to pay a visit to my old friend's place," Yae Miko sighed helplessly. After resting for a moment, she dragged her weary steps toward Tenshukaku.
——————
Kanjou Commission Headquarters...
"Ugh, why are we the unlucky ones on night duty again? Working late every day is exhausting," one of the guards complained, leaning on his spear as he spoke to his companion.
"Stop complaining. It's not like you're starving. Didn't you squeeze a lot of money out of those foreign merchants these past few days?" the other guard retorted with a smirk.
"Ugh, what's the point of having money if I still don't have a wife? Unlike you, with kids who can already run errands."
"Yeah, yeah, sure!"
"You jerk! You asking for a fight?!"
...
"Heh, the Kanjou Commission sure has some interesting characters," Yun Fan, who had been observing the two guards from nearby, couldn't help but smirk.
Before heading to the Kanjou Commission, Yun Fan had used adeptal arts to conceal his presence entirely. At this moment, he was effectively invisible, undetectable by anyone's senses. This allowed him to stroll openly into the Kanjou Commission's headquarters.
After watching the two guards bicker for a while, Yun Fan turned and headed toward a row of luxurious buildings within the compound.
"La Signora, La Signora, let's see where you're hiding... Hmm?" Yun Fan, who had been using his senses to scan the area, suddenly stopped, his brow furrowing slightly.
As he had expected, he detected La Signora's presence in one of the rooms. However, he also sensed another, far more powerful presence. Based on his initial assessment, this presence likely belonged to someone at the level of a god.
This piqued Yun Fan's curiosity.
This is getting interesting. Who could be with La Signora at this hour, possessing god-like strength? Among the Fatui Harbingers, only the top three—Pierro, Dottore, and Columbina—have god-level power.
Is it Pierro or Dottore with La Signora? That seems unlikely. Pierro is stationed in Snezhnaya, busy with countless affairs. He wouldn't have time to come to Inazuma, this isolated island nation.
As for Dottore, the probability is even lower. Although he has many clones, only one of them likely possesses god-level power—the one at his peak. And that clone is probably busy scheming some grand plan. Why would he come to Inazuma?
"Could it be Columbina?" Yun Fan's curiosity grew. He then quietly made his way closer to La Signora's room.