"I'm sorry, Little Brother Wanderer. I couldn't give you the ticket I promised." Beidou apologized to Wanderer.
"Captain Beidou, there's no need to apologize. It was simply because my skills were lacking." Wanderer said indifferently.
"You fulfilled your part of the contract by placing the ticket among the champion's rewards. The reason I didn't receive the ticket is because my skills were inferior."
Kaedehara Kazuha cupped his hands and smiled. "Wanderer's magnanimity is truly admirable."
"It's all thanks to the teachings of my elders."
[It's all thanks to the teachings of my elders～ Wanderer, I feel like you're really proud of this point～]
[Jun Bai, do you have any leads?]
[Jun Bai: It's not just me who taught him. He keeps mentioning contracts — Rex Lapis taught him quite a bit too.]
Paimon looked at Storm.
"Mo Li wants to experience the martial arts level of this era. Wanderer wants to go to Inazuma. What about you, Storm?"
"You don't seem to need either a Vision or a ticket to Inazuma, right?"
Storm looked at the surrounding audience and said, "My apologies. This is one of my secrets. It's not appropriate to reveal it in front of outsiders."
The meaning behind these words... was it related to Jun Bai?
Lumine had some guesses in her heart. She then used her eyes to signal Paimon not to ask any more questions.
Paimon rarely understood Lumine's gaze and immediately shut her mouth.
"Yiya～"
At this moment, Yiya descended from mid-air and returned the Vision to Jun Mo Li.
"Yiya couldn't do it either? Traveler, you give it a try."
Jun Mo Li handed the Vision to Lumine.
Lumine accepted the masterless Vision and carefully tried to sense the will within it.
Unfortunately, there was no resonance. The Vision did not bloom with light. In the end, Lumine could only return it to Jun Mo Li.
[Ah, the protagonist of the story can't even possess a single Vision?]
[Not letting the Vision light up is a plot necessity. After all, according to the current progression, we're bound to obtain all seven elements eventually. If we got a Vision at this point, wouldn't it just take up space?]
[Destined to obtain all seven elements, so a Vision that can grant all seven elements can't be used, right～]
"Even the Traveler couldn't do it? I thought your special constitution might be able to break new ground." Jun Mo Li looked at the Vision that remained dim and lusterless as he spoke.
He had heard from Jun Bai that Lumine could use elemental power even without a Vision, and not just one type.
Jun Mo Li had thought Lumine's constitution might become an exception.
Storm crossed his arms and shook his head. "Although the Traveler's constitution is very special, the rules of Visions ultimately have nothing to do with constitution."
"Nothing to do with constitution? Then may I ask, sir, what exactly are the rules of Visions related to? Wishes?"
The originally silent Kaedehara Kazuha suddenly spoke with great interest the moment he heard about Visions.
Storm nodded. "Correct. It is related to wishes."
"I once read records about Visions in a biography related to the Marshal."
[A biography related to the Marshal (×) Heard it from the Marshal (√). Storm, you're not being honest.]
[When it comes to Visions, we've not only heard about them from the Marshal, but also from Rex Lapis. (Lantern Rite storyline.jpg)]
"When a wish becomes strong enough, a god will cast their gaze upon it — that is, a Vision."
"From the perspective of elemental power, a Vision is merely an external magical organ. But from a spiritual perspective, a Vision is the vessel of its holder's will and wish."
"When a Vision is filled with light, it represents that it carries the holder's will and wish. When a Vision goes out, it represents that the will and wish it carried have dissipated."
Kaedehara Kazuha was already aware of these things. Or rather, this was common knowledge among Vision holders.
What Kaedehara Kazuha truly wanted to know was...
"Sir, then I wonder if that biography mentioned how to make an already extinguished Vision bloom with light again?" Kaedehara Kazuha asked sincerely.
This was very important to him.
"Even if a Vision has once carried a wish, once it has gone out, only the same wish can light it again."
It was not Storm who answered Kaedehara Kazuha, but Jun Mo Li. As he spoke, he also handed over the Vision he had won.
"Ah? You're giving this to me?" Kaedehara Kazuha was surprised.
"While you were speaking, your gaze never left this Vision for even a moment. I assume this Vision, even if it isn't yours, was entrusted to you by someone very important."
"Captain Beidou, I'm not wrong, am I?"
As Jun Mo Li spoke, he looked toward Beidou.
Beidou nodded. "Yes. This Vision was provided by Kazuha as the champion's reward for the tournament."
"As expected. Since it's something entrusted by an important person, it's better to return it to you."
Jun Mo Li returned Kaedehara Kazuha's Vision.
"Important things shouldn't be left in the hands of outsiders for too long."
[Second Brother doesn't really have the standing to say that. The Vision belongs to Kazuha. Kazuha has the right to decide what to do with this Vision.]
[Second Brother doesn't have the standing, so it's fine to just treat his words as a suggestion. Suggestions can be listened to, but they don't have to be followed.]
[Second Brother doesn't have the standing, but he does have the qualification. Neither the Soaring Firmament Sword nor the family heirloom Vision has ever been touched by outsiders.]
"..." Kaedehara Kazuha listened to these words and ultimately took back the Vision.
"Sir, your eyes are truly sharp. This Vision was indeed entrusted to me by someone very important to me."
"Mm..."
Paimon asked in confusion, "If it belongs to someone so important, then why was this Vision used as a reward?"
"Because Big Sister's tournament lacked a reward that could attract people's interest, I provided this Vision as the champion's reward."
Jun Mo Li, however, chuckled. "I don't think it's just that. That's only part of the reason."
"The other part is that you hoped to see someone light this Vision again. I'm not wrong, am I?"
Everyone's gazes fell upon Kaedehara Kazuha. Kazuha nodded, proving that Jun Mo Li had guessed correctly.
"If the tournament used a Vision as a reward, it would naturally attract a large number of contestants, including many people with strong wills who don't have a Vision."
"I thought that perhaps such people could make the Vision bloom with light again."
Kaedehara Kazuha tightly gripped the Vision and let out a sigh. "I just didn't expect that it would require the same wish to light it."
[Feels like there's going to be a knife.]
[Small spoiler: there really is a knife.]
Wanderer asked, "You seem to really want to make this Vision light up again."
"I can answer this question on behalf of Brother Kazuha."
Jun Mo Li summoned the Soaring Firmament Sword, allowing everyone to clearly see the Vision tied to its sword tassel.
Just like the Vision in Kaedehara Kazuha's hand, it had lost its light and become dim and lusterless.
Beidou and Kaedehara Kazuha were both shocked.
With their eyesight, they could naturally tell that both Storm and Wanderer possessed Visions. Their fighting styles clearly showed that they frequently used elemental power.
Therefore, Beidou and Kaedehara Kazuha had naturally assumed that Jun Mo Li also had a Vision, because he had won.
But the result...
He did have a Vision, but he couldn't use it.
"Everyone who has been entrusted with a Vision will think about making an extinguished Vision bloom with light again."
"Even I am the same."