Genshin Impact: Strength Through Bonds

There's an old saying: "If you often walk by the river, your shoes are bound to get wet."

Ren silently lifted his head and let out a soft sigh.

He had only wanted to enjoy a simple breakfast with the shrine maiden.

But as luck would have it, the young lady happened to spot him passing by.

And since fate brought them together, why not share the meal?

Thus began a seemingly pleasant breakfast.

Surrounded by several women, it should've been an enjoyable experience.

...Yeah, right!

Thinking back on it—

The imposing aura of Mei completely ignored the other two women's stares.

After finishing her dango, she left without a word.

Leaving Ren to be seized by the other two young ladies.

Someone had been unceremoniously abandoned.

"Ah..."

His sigh echoed, particularly clear in the silent room.

This wasn't the breakfast stall anymore.

But don't misunderstand—

Ren hadn't been thrown into a dungeon, either.

This was the solemn and majestic Tenshukaku.

The next moment, two pairs of eyes turned toward him.

"Tired? Here, I just brewed some tea."

"Renny, you can lean on me to rest if you'd like."

Ren shook his head silently.

Currently, sandwiched between two women,

In the presence of none other than the Shogun herself,

He thought: Weren't we supposed to be focused on work?

Though to be fair, the awe-inspiring Shogun—

Was currently sneaking glances at a romance light novel.

This can't be good.

At this rate, the Shogunate's entire tone might just fall apart.

[Ding! You've accumulated a large number of emotional points this morning through close interactions.]

[The stronger the emotions, the higher the probability of rare rewards.]

[Would you like to claim your reward now?]

Ren: ...

The system made a valid point.

But something about it still felt... off.

Was this "large amount of emotion" guaranteed to be sweet?

Ren silently recited in his mind: "Claim the reward."

[Ding! Five-star Anemo character talent acquired!]

Ren's eyes lit up.

Five-star! And another five-star at that.

His luck was holding strong. But which character was it this time?

[Vigilant Yaksha: Xiao]

[Elemental Skill: Lemniscatic Wind Cycling]

It turned out to be the delightfully swift elemental skill.

Its agile, rapid dashes left a deep impression.

Perfectly suited to him as an Anemo wielder.

[Note: This talent can be used mid-air.]

Ren's heart soared with joy.

This time, he'd truly drawn an extremely useful ability.

With Xiao's talent combined with Keqing's mobility—

His maneuverability was now unparalleled.

Ren: What about the second talent?

[You will unlock it by meeting a mysterious character soon.]

[Unlock via interaction.]

Ren: ...Playing coy, are we?

[This talent is extraordinarily powerful.]

Ren nodded slightly. Fine. I'll trust you this time.

As his consciousness exited the system,

The Tenshukaku remained silent.

One woman was processing documents.

The Shogun herself was still engrossed in her light novel.

"..."

Might as well look at the paperwork that needed attention.

"Hm..."

Feigning diligence, Ren picked up a document.

In truth, this master procrastinator was ready to daydream.

Suddenly, elegant handwriting caught his eye.

"This one's from Liyue?"

Momentarily startled, Ren read on.

It was a proposal for collaboration between Liyue and Inazuma.

Hearing of the impending end of the Sakoku Decree,

They seemed to be signaling for partnership.

"Heh."

Ren chuckled softly.

Sending representatives,

And reaching out to him directly, no less.

Glancing instinctively at the distant, dignified Shogun.

For such a document to land in his hands...

It indicated Ei didn't oppose the idea.

Still, this sounded troublesome, and he had no intention of going himself.

Someone else could handle it.

But as he read further—

"Yuheng?"

Ren abruptly stood.

It was none other than his good pen pal,

Keqing the Cat of Yuheng,

Forever trying to drag him to Liyue for overtime work.

Was this a rare opportunity for an offline meetup?

Missing this chance, who knew when she'd visit Inazuma again?

"..."

From afar, Ei seemed to sense something and looked over.

"Shogun-sama."

Taking a deep breath, Ren met her gaze.

"I'd like to go overseas."

---

In Inazuma City.

After bidding farewell to the women, Ren left the Tenshukaku.

His next destination: the harbor.

"Phew."

Looking up at the noonday sun, he nodded to himself.

The fleet of the Tenryou Commission would need some time to assemble.

In the meantime, it was worth considering what to prepare for the journey.

A bit of extra planning always adds a layer of security.

"Hm, would this come in handy?"

At a street stall, Ren picked up a piece of adventurer's gear.

"The signature weapon of the famous Traveler!"

The merchant gave him a thumbs-up and sang its praises.

Ren rolled his eyes.

It was just a dull blade. What was there to hype?

The Traveler's arrival in Inazuma was far from certain.

After sifting through the goods for a while, boredom crept in, and he prepared to leave.

Nothing particularly interesting had caught his eye.

"Wait, big brother!"

Suddenly, a child's voice called out.

"?"

Ren turned to see a small figure running toward him.

"Little one, what's the matter?"

"Hehe, someone sent a package for you, Takahashi-nii."

"Who sent it?"

"Um, someone whose face I couldn't see."

The child handed over the package before scampering off.

Calling out a few times proved futile, so Ren shook his head.

Receiving an unsolicited package didn't bring him any joy.

Who could've sent it?

Instinctively, he looked for a signature on the package.

Quietly, he murmured the name he found:

"The Best Toymaker in Snezhnaya?"

Snezhnaya? The Fatui?

Was this thing a bomb?

Just as he thought this, the package began to vibrate violently.

"What?!"

Ren's eyes gleamed with caution as he prepared to use elemental power.

Boom!

The package suddenly burst open.

From within emerged a doll.

It was a life-like doll in the shape of a young girl.

She wore a long dress, her translucent skin flawless.

Most striking was her brown hair—

Each strand appeared meticulously attached, as if from a real person.

"You are..."

Ren narrowed his eyes.

The doll's sapphire-like eyes blinked.

Then she smiled.

The sweet and adorable doll tilted her head.

"At last, I've reached your side, Ren."

"You may call me by my name: Sandrone."

"Or, if you prefer—"

"'The Marionette.'"

Her demeanor was graceful and polite, exuding elegance.

But Ren's gaze sharpened with icy vigilance.

"A Fatui Harbinger..."