Chapter 368: A three-thousand-year journey! A beginning and an end! (Grand Finale)

Spring departs and autumn arrives! The passage of time!

The ancient cherry blossoms of Inazuma City bloomed and withered; those who once admired them had passed away, but the fallen petals merged into the soil to become nourishment for the earth, which would make the cherry blossoms of the coming year bloom even more brilliantly.

And now, it was the "Mikoshi Nagamasa Festival" again.

New travelers stood under the cherry blossom trees, excited by the bustle of Inazuma at this moment, and marveling at the flying cherry blossoms before their eyes.

Children, the elderly, lovers, couples...

Everyone showed respect to the guard of the Mikoshi Nagamasa.

"I heard that this year's Mikoshi Nagamasa was still forged by the Amenoma family!"

"I know more than you do. My distant cousin is an apprentice at the Amenoma family, and I learned that this time there is one true blade and six practice blades..."

"Tsk tsk, speaking of which, have you noticed that in recent years, the Shogun sometimes seems a bit gentler than before?"

"Seems like I have that impression, but sometimes she still makes people feel awe."

"Isn't that a matter of course?"

On the streets, pedestrians—some familiar with each other, some strangers—whispered from time to time, pointing at the sword-escort procession and offering their critiques.

Most people paid no mind to these occurrences among the common folk.

They were merely a tiny microcosm of this nation; perhaps the same scene was repeating itself elsewhere.

The only thing they all shared was an absolute, heartfelt reverence for the deity who ruled this land.

Tenshukaku!

In this high and lofty divine realm, looking down from the upper pavilions, one could see the sword-escort procession with perfect clarity.

Beneath flags fluttering with the triple-comma crest of the Electro Archon, there was an unexpectedly large number of people gathered in what was supposed to be the deity's dwelling.

From the wooden pavilions came the constant sound of women’s laughter—some dignified, some cheerful—which dissipated into the high sky along with the sea breeze.

At some point, an instrument similar to a zither began to ring out, its melodic, soaring notes rising and falling, interspersed with the singing of women.

Gazing at the scene before him, Luo Li was slightly dazed.

"What is it? With so many beautiful girls around you besides me, yet I don't see you looking happy?"

The teasing voice from beside him interrupted his reverie.

Luo Li turned his eyes to look, meeting the gaze of the bright-yellow-clad young woman, which was filled with smiles and banter.

Sitting at his side, Guizhong brushed aside the gradient-colored hair that had been covering the corners of her lips due to the breeze, and winked at him.

Luo Li raised an eyebrow slightly and laughed: "I was just stunned by what I saw, I even forgot to be happy."

Guizhong looked around the circle and agreed wholeheartedly: "That is indeed true."

Having said that, she leaned over to seek agreement from the dignified woman on Luo Li's other side.

"What do you think, Makoto?"

Not wearing her ceremonial robes, Raiden Makoto was dressed only in casual attire; the simple silk of her plain-colored yukata outlined her waist, and the wisteria flowers on her hairpin swayed gently.

Hearing Guizhong’s question, Makoto pursed her lips and smiled, looking pointedly at Luo Li: "What we think doesn't matter; the one they are willingly trying to charm is right here."

Within view, two fox spirits—one large and one small—were reciting waka poetry.

The smaller fox spirit seemed to have lost, and was being teased into drinking by the white-haired matriarch Kitsune Saiguu; unable to resist, the small fox spirit Yae Miko could only nervously twitch the ears that blended into her cherry-colored hair.

Playing for them in the back was Asase Hibiki, the shrine maiden of Asase Shrine, and accompanying her was the current-generation Great Tengu, Mitsuyo.

In another part of the pavilion, the remarkably bold Oni clan chief, Mikoshi Chiyo, was dancing with a sword, the blade wreathed in cherry blossom petals that traced out ribbons of flowers.

Indarias and Bonanus were plucking the zithers, the deep, resonant tones of the ancient instruments complementing the dance perfectly.

Hearing the topic shift to himself in a way that felt slightly off, Luo Li gave a light cough and said: "Speaking of which, how much longer until Ei is finished?"

"Hmm, looking at the time, we have to wait until the sacrificial prayers are sent over from there; it should be soon."

Having once again delegated the task of the sacrificial ceremony to her younger sister, Raiden Makoto guessed without a shred of guilt.

Luo Li looked at her and said: "You aren't going this year either?"

"Hehehe, I have an agreement with Ei: three times each. Counting them up, it hasn't come around to my turn yet."

Speechless at Makoto’s lack of psychological burden when ordering her sister around, Luo Li took a sip of wine and leisurely enjoyed Chiyo’s sword dance.

Beside his ears, Guizhong and Raiden Makoto seemed to be whispering, with suppressed laughter erupting from time to time.

Closing his eyes slightly, Luo Li savored this sense of fulfillment.

"By the way, is that fellow Morax doing well now?"

Suddenly, the question from Guizhong made him open his eyes.

"Morax? He is living quite freely now, incarnated as Zhongli to experience the myriad states of the mortal world."

"Oh?! Then we must find a time to see him; I hope he won't be startled when he sees me."

The mischievous Guizhong plotted how to give Morax a big surprise.

Luo Li glanced at her and said: "You must use 'him' to refer to that fellow now; since we parted a thousand years ago, the Empress has become the Emperor."

"Eh? Is that so? What a pity, we've lost a sister."

Guizhong pouted, looking less like an Archon who had weathered the ages and more like a bright, young girl.

Although for an Archon, gender is not actually important—they can manifest as male or female entirely at will.

·· ·Seeking flowers· ·······

Yet Guizhong’s mindset was ultimately not as detached as Zhongli’s, who loved to manifest in thousands of guises.

Raiden Makoto smiled from the side: "Whether Emperor or Empress, I imagine he will be startled to see you; even when he first saw me back then, he was quite surprised."

"Then I must properly tease him."

Watching the two Archons whispering together, Luo Li was rendered speechless and offered a silent prayer for Morax, who would soon be in for it.

However, this private conversation did not last long, soon interrupted by a flash of lightning.

"Makoto, this is the last time. From now on, all government affairs are returned to you."

Accompanying the manifestation of the lightning was the current Narukami of this world, Raiden Ei.

The cold, beautiful woman adorned with gentian flowers spoke with a tone clearly laden with resentment and dissatisfaction.

"Ara, Ei, welcome back!"

As if she hadn't sensed her sister's resentment at all, Makoto smiled very gently and impatiently beckoned her sister to come over.

Her mysterious behavior made Ei quite suspicious, and she subconsciously forgot the reason for her anger and leaned in.

Witnessing the three Archons huddled together, competing in beauty, these noble women filled with different charms now surrounded him.

Luo Li couldn't help but start to seriously consider that perhaps it was time to take the "Gemini" to the next level, turning it into an even more tense and exciting four-Archon battlefield.

Before he could think of a way to entice them, he looked up unexpectedly to find all three goddesses staring at him.

"What is it?"

The moment he spoke, he was shooed away by the three women.

"We are going to discuss some little secrets; you go over there, don't eavesdrop." The three women spoke in unison.

Thus, the resigned Luo Li had no choice but to move away, watching the three high and unreachable deities talk about something.

"Sigh..."

Sighing, Luo Li leaned against a cherry blossom tree, enjoying the treatment of being a loner for the moment.

In the rare quiet, his gaze swept over each woman, and in his mind, images of other young women who were not here but were connected to him flashed by.

Luo Li curled his lips, revealing a faint smile he hadn't even noticed himself.

Two thousand years ago, he did not yet have enough power to protect everyone, which led to Guizhong’s sorrowful fall.

Five hundred years ago, he already had enough confidence to save Raiden Makoto, push through the Abyss, and change the history of Inazuma.

And now, no matter what changes occurred, nothing could move him; three thousand years of history were merely a very short segment of his long life.

Luo Li believed that in the distant, unknowable future, more stories worth remembering would be born between him and them.

PS: The End!