The wind blew in gusts, carrying a cool sensation, and with it, pink and white cherry blossoms fluttered down like rain, falling onto the ground and adorning the bluestone pavement even more beautifully.
Inazuma City was built on a mountain. With each step up the stairs, more scenery came into view.
Fireworks shops, blacksmiths, food stalls, bookstores... As Zeyan and Kamisato Ayaka walked along, rows of houses and lush cherry blossom trees stretched out before them.
It was Zeyan's first time in Inazuma City, and he could not help but look left and right in curiosity.
It was a very beautiful city, but... there was no one.
The huge city was completely deserted. Even small animals were nowhere to be seen, making it feel as though the city itself had lost its reality.
Zeyan glanced at Kamisato Ayaka. With even Inazuma City this empty, what could this young lady of the Kamisato clan do?
Kamisato Ayaka's expression did not seem to have changed much, but whether her heart remained calm, only she knew.
"Miss Kamisato."
"What is it, Zeyan?"
"Uh... there is a cherry blossom in your hair."
Hearing Zeyan's words, Kamisato Ayaka raised her hand, brushing the blossom gently from her hair and letting it fall to the ground. She smiled softly.
"Do not worry. Although we have not seen anyone yet, perhaps everyone is simply inside. I think we should go take a look at Tenshukaku."
She was clearly worried herself, yet she still tried to comfort others, forcing a smile to make it seem as though things had not yet reached a dead end.
Seeing this side of Kamisato Ayaka, Zeyan felt a pang of sympathy.
"Wherever you plan to go is fine. I will follow you," Zeyan said earnestly.
Kamisato Ayaka nodded and began walking ahead.
Seeing Inazuma City so deserted shook her more than she showed. In truth, she had little desire to speak now and only wanted to reach Tenshukaku as soon as possible and find traces of the Raiden Shogun.
No matter what had happened, the Raiden Shogun, one of the Seven, should not have fallen, right?
Secretly, Kamisato Ayaka prayed in her heart.
Zeyan followed closely, moving quickly through Inazuma City.
Bright sunlight filtered through the cherry blossom trees, petals dancing in the air, yet strangely, not a single person could be seen.
Because his system was malfunctioning, even Zeyan himself had no idea what exactly to do now.
Therefore, as they walked, he observed everything around him carefully, trying to find any clue.
When they crossed a wooden bridge and arrived in front of Tenshukaku, Zeyan suddenly stopped.
"The Thousand-Armed Hundred-Eyed God statue?"
His gaze was drawn to a huge statue on the right.
It depicted a woman seated gracefully, wings spreading behind her.
Just looking at it, the statue gave off a feeling of gentleness and serenity.
This should be the Raiden Shogun's statue.
Zeyan studied it closely.
Although he had stayed in Ritou all along, he knew quite a lot about Inazuma City, especially the Vision Hunt Decree that had been said to last almost a year.
The Vision Hunt Decree was issued by the Raiden Shogun to seize the Visions of all Vision holders in Inazuma and embed them into this very statue.
Yet now, there were no Visions embedded in it.
Not even one.
Zeyan glanced at Kamisato Ayaka again.
In the center of the bow she carried was a round gemstone — her Vision.
For many, a Vision was a source of power, but for true powerhouses, it was something that could be done without.
"Thousand-Armed Hundred-Eyed?"
Kamisato Ayaka also stopped at this moment. She had heard Zeyan's words and looked over curiously.
"The Shogun has indeed planned to issue a new decree recently to collect the Visions across the territory and create a Thousand-Armed Hundred-Eyed God statue. But it has not started yet. Zeyan, how do you know the name 'Thousand-Armed Hundred-Eyed God statue'?"
Zeyan blinked in surprise.
"The Vision Hunt Decree has not started yet?"
Kamisato Ayaka was also taken aback.
"The new decree issued by the Raiden Shogun is indeed called the Vision Hunt Decree... but how do you know about it?"
Zeyan quickly composed himself.
"I overheard someone talking about it when I was in Ritou. I do not know who they were, but they were dressed luxuriously. They must have been an important figure."
Kamisato Ayaka nodded slightly.
"I see. Someone must have leaked the news."
Looking at her calm face, Zeyan took a deep breath.
Kamisato Ayaka would not lie about such a thing.
And there were indeed no Visions embedded in the statue.
Which meant... the Vision Hunt Decree had not yet begun.
But for the past week, the Vision Hunt Decree was the thing he had heard the most about in Ritou.
It was because of this decree that Inazuma had closed its borders, and life in Ritou had become difficult.
If he was not hallucinating, then there was only one explanation.
The time in this world did not continue from the real world.
He might have arrived a year earlier.
Thinking this, Zeyan smiled bitterly to himself.
In the end, thinking about it was meaningless.
After all, this was just a world created by the system. Whether it presented the world from a year ago or a thousand years ago, it would not be surprising.
"Mr. Zeyan, how long have you been in Inazuma?"
Kamisato Ayaka's voice broke through his thoughts.
She continued walking forward, her soft voice carrying lightly on the breeze.
Though she was not usually the curious type, Tenshukaku was now in sight, yet the atmosphere remained so deathly quiet that unease gnawed at her heart.
At times like these, talking helped ease the pressure.
She was grateful she was not alone.
"Not long. About a week," Zeyan replied.
"A week..."
Kamisato Ayaka nodded slightly.
"If there is a chance, I would like to visit Liyue. I have heard it is a land rich with history, filled with magnificent scenery and immortals who dwell in the mountains. It sounds like a place filled with wonder."
"The scenery in Inazuma is beautiful too," Zeyan said, walking under a cherry blossom tree and reaching out to catch a falling petal.
"It is a pity I have not stayed long enough to see much. But I do love these cherry blossoms.
They are pure, beautiful, and noble... just like Miss Kamisato."
The sudden praise made Kamisato Ayaka's delicate face flush a soft pink.
She hurriedly opened her folding fan, hiding half her face behind it, leaving only her pair of icy blue eyes visible.
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