What makes someone a protagonist?
In the world of literature, a protagonist's life is bound to be full of ups and downs, rich and colorful.
Because only when a protagonist's journey is compelling enough can they hold a reader's attention.
Of course, there are plenty of novels where the protagonist has a rough go of it, or where their experiences are relatively mundane.
But without exception, every protagonist has something that sets them apart.
Lumine is clearly the protagonist of Genshin Impact!
This is already established in the game's lore.
If the Traveler's perspective isn't that of the protagonist, then whose is?
And this brings us to a certain narrative law.
As everyone knows, when a protagonist arrives in a new region, they are bound to encounter some form of conflict!
Following the conventions of storytelling, this conflict is the hook that keeps readers engaged.
Add to that Lumine's experiences in Mondstadt and Liyue, and one conclusion becomes obvious:
Her journey to Inazuma will be anything but smooth sailing.
Kaedehara Kazuha didn't hold too many expectations for Lumine.
Truth be told, he wasn't even sure what he wanted to see.
A brighter future? Or something that would spell disaster for himself?
When he really thought about it, neither outcome mattered much—if the Traveler couldn't rekindle that empty Vision, then Inazuma's fate, much like his own drifting existence, wouldn't change either way.
Gorou, however, saw things differently.
As a general of the resistance, he hoped Lumine's arrival would bring a new dynamic to Inazuma's political landscape!
Unlike the other two, Yae Miko had a far clearer understanding of her best friend's temperament.
Someone like the Traveler showing up in Inazuma would undoubtedly be labeled an enemy of eternity.
Lumine might struggle to get close to Ei, but she'd have no trouble catching the Raiden Shogun's attention.
What was the Shogun's reputation among the people of Inazuma?
Cold!
Severe!
A terrifying, nigh-invincible martial force.
The legendary Musou no Hitotachi, elevated to fanatical worship.
Unlike the reverence other nations held for their Archons, the people of Inazuma feared the Raiden Shogun.
This fear, compounded by the Sakoku Decree and the Vision Hunt Decree, had turned Inazuma into a pressure cooker on the verge of explosion.
The slightest misstep could draw the Shogun's gaze toward the Traveler.
Yae Miko could already imagine what that rigid-faced puppet would say.
Something along the lines of: "An exception to eternity? I shall have you sealed within the Statue of Her Excellency, the Almighty Narukami Ogosho, God of Thunder—" and so on.
Though Lumine's arrival carried significant risk, Yae Miko was still eager to see her set foot in Inazuma.
With an outsider of considerable strength stepping into the stifling atmosphere of the nation, there was a chance—however slim—that she might spark change.
If that opportunity could be seized, perhaps it might even snap Ei out of her stubborn delusions.
Just thinking about it gave Yae Miko a headache.
Someone stuck in their ways wouldn't turn back until they'd smashed headfirst into a wall!
Once a person became that obstinate, no amount of talking could sway them.
Yae Miko suspected it might come down to a fight.
"Ritou is such a dump."
As Kazuha progressed through the story quest, Gorou suddenly spoke up, throwing a sidelong glance at Yae Miko.
It had been a day since they boarded the ship.
Since the three of them were all from Inazuma, they naturally had common topics to discuss—though their differing allegiances kept them from feeling any real camaraderie.
Yae Miko glanced back at Gorou.
"Indeed."
She admitted it outright. "Which is why we'll need your efforts to change Inazuma, won't we?"
Gorou nearly blurted out: And what about you?
You're the second-in-command of Inazuma!
If you just talked to the Shogun more often, things might turn around.
At least in Gorou's eyes, it should've been a simple matter for Yae Miko.
"Oh, don't look at me like that."
Yae Miko smiled faintly, her voice light. "I'm just the head shrine maiden of the Grand Narukami Shrine. I'm not nearly as influential as you seem to think."
Kazuha let the words go in one ear and out the other.
If you believed Yae Miko, you'd end up in a world of regret.
Gorou might not know, but Kazuha had heard rumors—this Guuji was a master of manipulation.
She could sell you out, and you'd still be happily counting the Mora for her.
Gorou clearly wasn't buying it.
You, the Narukami's familiar, calling yourself weak?
"Ahem!"
Before Gorou could voice his skepticism, Kazuha cut in with a cough.
"Let's just focus on the story. The timeline here roughly corresponds to about half a year from now."
With their single-minded dedication to the main quest, the pace wasn't slow.
Yae Miko also spotted herself in the storyline.
She wasn't the least bit surprised by her own appearance—though she hadn't expected to show up this early.
To an outsider, her in-game counterpart might seem unremarkable, but she knew herself too well.
That version of her was clearly scheming something.
She was eagerly anticipating the Traveler's arrival, waiting to see what she would do.
Had her "future" self found some new approach?
Time flew by, and evening soon arrived.
Lu Heng strolled leisurely through the streets of Fontaine, hands clasped behind his back, in high spirits.
His date with Navia had gone perfectly.
They'd even shared a hug when parting ways.
Lu Heng's conclusion?
People are not created equal.
Back home, whether it was the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata or her smaller form, the scenery was best described as a 6A-rated tourist attraction.
Sure, some things were adorable in miniature, but having a bit more to work with never hurt anyone's mood.
"Mr. Lu?"
Turning, he spotted Lyney and Lynette out for a walk.
"Well, if it isn't the great magician." Lu Heng greeted them with a smile. "Evening stroll?"
"Indeed. You know how it is—nothing much going on lately, so we've been taking more walks." Lyney chuckled. "Running into you here is quite the coincidence."
"Everything going well?" Lu Heng asked.
"Thanks for your concern."
Lyney gave a slight bow. "Everyone's doing fine. Oh, by the way, the Mora from Snezhnaya should arrive tomorrow morning. Father will likely contact you soon."
Lu Heng suddenly remembered—Focalors' Gnosis.
If Lyney hadn't brought it up, he might've completely forgotten.
"Right. Tell Arlecchino she can wire the funds directly. Or, if she prefers, she can come to the shop and deal with Focalors face-to-face. Payment on delivery—keeps things transparent for everyone."
"That'll be up to Father." Lyney replied. "Mr. Lu, I've got a magic show the day after tomorrow. Would you be interested in attending?"
"Oh?"
Just as he was wondering what to do for his next date, here came the perfect opportunity.
Lu Heng nodded agreeably. "Give me the details. I'll be there."
Lyney promptly provided the time and location.
After jotting it down, Lu Heng glanced at Lynette.
She had a habit of subtly minimizing her presence, leaving the spotlight and socializing to Lyney while quietly observing every interaction.
Lu Heng's fingers itched.
What would Lynette's cat ears and tail feel like to touch?
Lynette seemed to sense something, her ears and tail twitching slightly.
Though she'd been quietly listening, an inexplicable feeling of danger suddenly washed over her—one that unmistakably came from Lu Heng.
This wasn't something she could brush off.
Her ears and tail drooped slightly.
Catgirls are adorable.
But this one wasn't as easy to fool as Diona.
"Let's leave it here for today. I should head back and rest—you two should turn in early as well." Lu Heng said with a smile.
"Of course. Goodnight, Mr. Lu."
"Goodnight."
Watching Lu Heng walk away, Lyney turned to his sister.
"Lynette, what's wrong?"
She shook her head. "Not sure."
"Was it Mr. Lu?" Lyney frowned thoughtfully.
"He meant no harm." Lynette murmured before adding, "It's late. We should return."
"Alright."
Since she wasn't concerned, neither was he.
Back in his pocket realm, Lu Heng first checked on the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's recovery before stepping into the living room.
The moment he entered, he spotted Furina sprawled on the couch, gaming away.
Her snow-white socks peeked out from under her skirt, her legs kicking idly in the air.
It was practically an invitation.
"Hm?"
"You're back?"
Furina glanced up briefly before refocusing on her game.
Hah! She's really gotten hooked.
Lu Heng chuckled, then noticed Focalors and the Dendro Archon were nowhere in sight.
"Where are they?"
"Asleep."
Furina exited the game, locking her phone.
Then, with a mix of shyness and boldness, she stretched out her arms.
"They said it's my turn to have you all to myself!"
"Wait, we're doing time-sharing now?" Lu Heng scratched his head.
Sure, building a harem in Teyvat was normal, but this felt like scheduling shifts.
Was this how it was supposed to work?
Before he could dwell on it, Furina hopped up, leaping onto his back with a giggle.
"Don't overthink it, hubby! Let's go!"
Alright. Let's see if she's still this energetic by midnight.
Late Night.
Behind Springvale.
Lumine had located the domain known in-game as "Valley of Remembrance."
Sure enough, an ancient altar stood there, one that gathered monsters who feared pure martial prowess.
According to the Adventurers' Guild, conquering its trials could yield precious artifacts.
Real-world domains differed slightly from their in-game counterparts.
Mainly in that they took years to reset, unlike the instant respawns of the game.
But for Lumine, with her gamer interface, grinding was no issue.
She'd noticed something—her system had no Resin mechanic.
Meaning she could farm endlessly, claiming rewards nonstop!
As long as she had the stamina…
"Viridescent Venerer set, here I come!"
Lumine had a plan.
Her gamer abilities granted her conceptual powers.
Once she farmed a full VV set, combining it with her Anemo abilities for resistance shred would skyrocket her damage output.
In-game, VV only reduced resistances for Pyro, Hydro, Electro, and Cryo—but with her system, any resistance could be shredded.
Her SSS-tier Mage Talent meant she could even use VV to reduce magic resistance!
Even non-swirlable elements like Physical, Geo, Dendro, and Anemo itself weren't safe.
As long as the game registered a "swirl," it counted.
Anemo shredding Anemo? Just a gust of wind making your hair move was enough to trigger the debuff!
"The path to power starts here!"
Without hesitation, Lumine charged into the domain with Paimon in tow.
Monsters materialized inside.
What was there to talk about?
Lumine drew her sword and went to work.
Her Peachwood Sword, perfectly suited to her, carried the aura of divine punishment with every swing.
Infused with Anemo, its slashes tore through the air like blades of wind, gouging the floor with each strike.
The monsters didn't stand a chance—one slash, and they were gone.
Paimon watched, slightly disappointed.
She'd been hoping to try her hand too, but the opportunity never came.
As they ran to claim their rewards from the Ley Line Blossom, Paimon bounced excitedly.
"Lumine! Next round, let Paimon try!"
"Sure!" Lumine agreed.
Touching the blossom, Lumine received her loot—four 5-star artifacts, straight to her inventory.
But something was off.
Why were they all Maiden's Beloved pieces?
Where were her green VV pieces?!
Lumine scoffed and immediately restarted the challenge.
The domain reset instantly.
This time, as soon as Lumine activated the key, Paimon struck a pose—left hand on her hip, right hand raised with a snap.
Vines erupted from the ground like serpents, weaving through the domain before a crimson flower bloomed in their midst.
The blossom detonated, obliterating every monster in sight.
"Paimon's so strong!!"
She gaped at her hands, stunned.
"Paimon never knew… Paimon could do this?!"
"Obviously."
Lumine didn't even blink. "You're a 5-star weapon now. Even at 1% progression, you're at least Archon-level."
"Knowing is one thing, but actually doing it feels different!"
That snap had cost Paimon no effort—like blowing out a candle.
The old, cowardly Paimon was gone.
Now?
"Hehehe…"
Paimon lowered her head, then clenched her tiny fists.
Lumine recognized the expression—it was the in-game emote: "Paimon – Leave It to Me!"
Of course, without any muscles, the effect was more cute than intimidating.
But there was no denying it—Paimon now packed the destructive power of a lesser deity.
"Let's go. More loot."
Lumine rushed to the blossom.
Four more Maidens.
"…?"
Lumine frowned. "Were we this unlucky in-game?"
"Not really…?"
Paimon thought back. "In-game, it was about 50-50. Two Maidens, two VVs."
"Then why's it different here?"
After a moment's thought, Lumine gritted her teeth. "Again!"
Round three. Round four. Round fifty…
Time blurred.
It wasn't that Lumine got no VV pieces—it was that the main stats were trash.
Unlike Kazuha, she didn't need Elemental Mastery to boost her damage.
She needed crit stats!
With the right main and substats, her combat power would be monstrous!
But what did she get instead?
DEF% sands! HP% sands! DEF% goblet! DEF% circlet! HP% circlet!
If it weren't for the Flower and Feather having fixed main stats, she might've gone all night without a single usable piece.
"Let's test the upgrades."
She fed two VV pieces into the strongbox.
The substat results made her blood boil.
"Where's the crit?!"
"Not a single roll?! All DEF and HP?!"
"What the hell am I farming for?!"
Paimon stared, wide-eyed.
The usually calm, gentle Lumine was now cursing like a sailor.
"Wow. You're… really relatable right now."
Lumine ignored her, glaring at her artifacts.
After a pause, Paimon asked, "So… keep farming?"
"Farm."
Lumine spat the word like a challenge.
"This is the price of infinite stamina. Just the artifact system testing my patience!"
Really?
That's the cope you're going with?
Paimon sighed.
If you say so.
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T/N:
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