Dark clouds loomed over the sky of Inazuma City, and a thunderstorm was brewing under the oppressive atmosphere.
In front of Tenshukaku, the hunting ceremony for the 100th Vision was underway.
The weather, along with the fear etched on the citizens' faces, reflected the supreme will of Raiden Shogun.
The turning point came when a young man stepped forward.
The dignified and imposing Shogun suddenly seemed at a loss.
"Lu Chen?"
"It's been five hundred years... you're still alive..."
"But why didn't you come find me?"
A hint of sadness tinged Raiden Shogun's expression.
"Now even you are going to betray me?"
The boy called Lu Chen blinked, his vision blurry, as fragments of long-buried memories flickered to the surface.
It was clearly his first time meeting Inazuma's deity—Raiden Shogun—yet an indescribable bitterness welled up inside him, as if he and she had shared some unforgettable past.
"Anyone can betray me, but not you!"
The lightning that had been brewing finally exploded, casting the Statue of a Thousand Arms and Hundred Eyes into a ghostly pale glow.
"Unforgivable!"
A sword crackling with purple lightning slowly drew itself from Raiden Shogun's chest.
The thunder roared deafeningly, shaking the heavens as if it would never end.
Lumine and Paimon had already rescued Thoma, but saw Lu Chen standing firmly before Raiden Shogun—not fighting, not fleeing—frozen in place.
"Lu Chen! What are you doing standing there? Run!"
No one could withstand the most terrifying heavenly punishment—the Musou no Hitotachi—which had cleared countless obstacles for Inazuma.
"Lu Chen—!"
Several screams echoed out, then silence fell over the world as the heavenly punishment descended.
"Lu Chen..."
Raiden Shogun gazed ahead, her sorrow and regret twisting into shock.
Lu Chen had disappeared.
...
[Due to instability caused by spatial-temporal distortion, this world is no longer suitable for system operations. Player (Lu Chen) will be returned to Reality World No.110786.]
The system's voice suddenly echoed in Lu Chen's mind. Hearing the unfamiliar tone, he strangely felt at ease.
He remembered everything.
Makoto, Ei, and all the dear friends who had long since passed away... Scenes of joy and sorrow from three thousand years in Inazuma flashed through his mind.
In the end, nothing had changed.
Was he finally going home? Was this long, futile life about to end...
Gradually, sinking into melancholy and pain, he fell into unconsciousness.
...
"I'm sorry, I'm not old enough to date yet, nor do I plan to. Lu Chen, you're a good person."
Well, great, a "good person" card right off the bat.
The heavy sadness he had felt was lightened a bit. Lu Chen shook his dazed head. His last memory was still that confrontation with Raiden Shogun.
He had taken on her sweet-scented slash head-on—no, wait, it was Musou no Hitotachi.
Then came the system prompt about being sent back to "Reality World No.1107..."
This must be it.
Lu Chen widened his eyes and surveyed the world around him.
A short-haired girl, looking pretty cute, turned her head away shyly. Around her, students pointed and whispered, their laughter faintly audible.
A school building, a large playground, and the youthful faces clad in school uniforms.
[Time and space continue to flow, loading mission intelligence...]
In this world, he was still Lu Chen, 18 years old.
For some unknown reason, the original "Lu Chen" had been sent to another world by the system, allowing him to be returned here.
He still had the classic protagonist's tragic backstory: both parents dead, leaving behind a suburban house and some savings. Before coming of age, "Lu Chen" was half-heartedly looked after by relatives—more like left to fend for himself.
Growing up like that, "Lu Chen" became introverted. After agonizing for over a week, he finally worked up the courage to confess to the class beauty, Zhao Xiaohan.
Typical rejection plot...
What a tragedy...
Just after being reincarnated, he stumbled into a disaster scene.
It was after school. Around him, plenty of students were gathering to watch (gossip).
A few sharp glances from some boys stabbed at him too.
Confessing and being rejected in public—it was like a live execution.
Lu Chen quietly cursed the "Lu Chen" of this world for his low emotional intelligence, then silently turned and left the school under everyone's gaze.
For someone who had lived nearly three thousand years, this little incident wasn't even worth a ripple.
It couldn't even stir his heart.
Compared to the childish passion of a teenage boy, what truly weighed on him were the memories of his past life—memories deeply engraved in his soul.
In the bustling crowd, he wandered aimlessly, his mind drifting back to Teyvat, three thousand years ago.
In his past life, he had crossed into Inazuma during the Archon War, helping the young Raiden sisters build the city from scratch.
As Inazuma's strongest warrior, he had become the right hand of the former Raiden Shogun—Makoto—shielding her through countless battles.
Thanks to his efforts, Inazuma in that era became even stronger and more prosperous than the Inazuma depicted in the game.
Lu Chen, Ei, Makoto, Sasayuri, Kitsune Saiguu, Mikoshi Chiyo, and others had formed deep bonds.
Over the millennia, the bond between him and the Raiden sisters had grown inseparable.
Driven by ambition, everything he did was to change their tragic fates.
In the original timeline, only Ei was destined to survive.
Lu Chen didn't want them to die.
But when all his meticulous planning and efforts ended, he realized—he couldn't change anything.
He was powerless against the destiny of death itself.
Five hundred years ago, when Celestia gathered the Seven Archons to destroy Khaenri'ah, he fought alongside Makoto.
In that calamity, he risked everything to protect her and was gravely wounded, falling into a deep slumber after his memories and powers were sealed.
Until one day, a blonde girl and her flying companion accidentally woke him.
Lumine was searching for her brother, and Lu Chen sought his lost memories. Together, they set off on a journey into the unknown.
Their experiences afterwards roughly mirrored the events of the game. As he reached Inazuma, his strength and memories gradually returned.
Ultimately, while resisting the Vision Hunt Decree to save Thoma, he confronted Raiden Shogun herself...
Ei, having lost her memories, had grown paranoid and withdrawn after the people she loved most were taken from her.
Lu Chen even saw a trace of madness behind her violet eyes...
And then, after that final blow, for some unknown reason, the system malfunctioned.
He was thrown back to this familiar yet foreign world.
He clearly remembered—when Ei struck him, she had pulled her punch...
Could Musou no Hitotachi truly be so terrifying? Powerful enough to sever time and space itself with just a swing?
As he stared at the bustling city streets, recalling both his past and present lives, Lu Chen felt utterly detached.
Lost in thought, he didn't even know how he found his way home. Perhaps it was due to some fragments of memory implanted by the system.
It was an old apartment complex.
The apartment was a four-bedroom unit, but only "Lu Chen" lived here.
Turning on the lights, the living room lit up brightly.
The fridge was stocked with food. Living alone, "Lu Chen" had still known how to take care of himself.
The bedroom was relatively clean and tidy... but the walls were plastered with anime posters of beautiful girls, making Lu Chen fall into deep thought.
Cute girls in sailor uniforms, shrine maiden outfits, school swimsuits...
A life-sized body pillow on the bed, boxes upon boxes of doujinshi under it.
Ugh~
The classic otaku steam-cooked heart~
...
Ah, well, me too.
Guess it's fine then.
...
That said, "Lu Chen" and he had different tastes.
Lu Chen preferred older women.
He quietly peeled the tape off the posters, glanced around, and wondered,
"Wouldn't you feel creeped out being stared at by so many 2D wives all day?"
Besides, none of them could hold a candle to Makoto or Ei.
If only Ei were here...
At that moment, a low rumble of thunder exploded outside, startling Lu Chen out of his thoughts.
Clutching his wildly beating heart, he suddenly sensed something strange in the air.
Heavy, suffocating...
Outside the bedroom door, toward the living room, there came a sudden noise.
Bang!
It sounded like someone had jumped down.
Then came hurried footsteps.
Someone was coming?
The footsteps were frantic at first, echoing crisply against the tiled floor, reminding Lu Chen of the click-clack of stylish high heels.
Gradually, the footsteps steadied, growing rhythmic—each step syncing with Lu Chen's racing heart.
He could almost picture long, slender legs, and a cold, expressionless face.
The footsteps stopped outside his door.
Suppressing his excitement, Lu Chen opened his mouth to call out,
"It's A..."
The bedroom door was kicked open with a crash.
A blade flashing with purple lightning pointed straight at him.