On the shores of Inazuma, Kagami Ren stepped out from a spatial rift.
"The Herrscher of Life and Death…" A faint white power flickered in his palm.
"Let's give it a try."
He looked up and spotted a small finch not far away. With a slight wave of his hand, spatial energy wrapped around it and brought it into his grasp.
"Crack…"
"Oh?" Kagami Ren raised a brow. "So Teyvat creatures really do have souls."
Now that he wielded the authority over life and death, he could clearly see the finch's soul.
With a thought, milky-white energy enveloped the bird. In the next instant, its soul returned to its body.
Its limp head lifted again, and the little finch chirped frantically in fear.
Kagami Ren released it, watching as it flapped away without any signs of discomfort.
"The power of resurrection… it's this strong?" Kagami Ren took a deep breath. He had a feeling that the authority of life and death wasn't limited to reviving recently deceased beings.
"The power of life and death not only grants you immortality and the ability to revive the recently dead, but also allows you to resurrect anything that has perished, so long as it aligns with the rules," the system's voice echoed. "In other words, if you wish, even someone like Raiden Makoto—who retains only a trace of consciousness—can be revived."
"Revive Raiden Makoto?" Kagami Ren paused, stunned. If Ei found out… she would probably lose her mind.
"Ei should still be hiding away in the Plane of Euthymia, right?" Kagami Ren stroked his chin. If he could revive Raiden Makoto, then no matter what conditions he proposed, Raiden Ei would likely agree.
Heh… he might have just figured out how to win over Ei.
With her reserved and emotionally distant personality, trying to pursue her normally would be nearly impossible. She probably didn't even understand what love truly was.
"And Fox Saiguu… if I told that sly fox I could bring her back, she'd probably be overjoyed," Kagami Ren muttered, his smile widening.
A man is innocent, but possessing great power invites trouble. The ability to resurrect was undoubtedly one of the most coveted powers in all of Teyvat. Countless people would desire it.
But with his current strength rivaling top-tier gods, unless the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles personally descended to deal with him, he was confident he wouldn't lose to any other god.
The authority over life and death wasn't just about life—it also represented absolute annihilation, the ability to erase weaker existences at a fundamental level.
Combined with the Abyss Flower: Black and White and the Key of the Void, Kagami Ren was confident he could even go toe-to-toe with Morax.
Once his templates reached SS-rank, he even had the confidence to crush the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles.
"Ah—! Help!" A faint cry suddenly echoed from afar.
"Hm?" Kagami Ren narrowed his eyes and vanished instantly. He had already agreed to become Inazuma's High Priest. If its people were in danger, he would naturally intervene.
At a Kairagi camp, a beautiful young girl struggled desperately, her face pale. A Kairagi in purple armor dragged her toward a tattered bed.
The surrounding Nobushi watched eagerly. Since becoming bandits, it had been a long time since they had seen such a beautiful woman. After their leader had his turn, they might get a chance too.
"Call all you want, no one's coming to save you," the Kairagi sneered. "Stop resisting. Be obedient, and I might spare your life."
"You bastard! Let go of me!" The girl trembled, her face drained of color as tears streamed down her cheeks.
Hiiragi Chisato had never imagined something like this could happen. She had only come out to handle some business, yet she ended up in this situation. Having grown up in luxury, she had never been treated like this before.
Her guards had all been killed, and without a Vision, she stood no chance against the towering Kairagi.
"Shut up!" the Kairagi snapped, clearly irritated by her cries. "Cry again and I'll kill you first. Warm or not, I'll still use you!"
Her body trembled violently. She bit her lip, no longer daring to make a sound. Despair consumed her.
She couldn't even begin to imagine what would happen if she, the daughter of the Kanjou Commission, were defiled by these bandits.
"I… I have money!" she said through gritted teeth. "If you don't touch me, I can give you more money than you'll ever need. Enough to live comfortably for the rest of your lives. Just… don't touch me…"
"Oh?" The Kairagi's eyes flickered. Judging by her clothing, she was clearly from a wealthy family. If they could truly obtain enough Mora to live a lifetime…
Just as he hesitated, a Nobushi rushed forward in panic, holding a document. "Boss! I found this on her guard. We're in big trouble!"
"What's the panic about?" the Kairagi snapped, snatching the paper.
"She… she's the daughter of the Kanjou Commission! We've provoked the Commission!"
The three Commissions were the highest authorities in Inazuma. Each one held immense power. Destroying a small bandit group like theirs would be as easy as crushing an ant.
"Damn it!" After reading the paper, the Kairagi's expression changed drastically. He turned to Chisato with a vicious grin. "You think you can trick me? Spare you so your father can come kill us?"
"Since I'm dead anyway… I might as well drag you down with me." His grin turned feral. "We'll have our fun first. Even if we die after, it'll be worth it!"
"Don't come closer!" Chisato's despair reached its peak. "Someone… please save me… please…"
She prayed desperately to the gods, hoping someone—anyone—would come save her. She was willing to give anything in return.
But no god answered.
As she watched the Kairagi approach, her eyes filled with hopelessness. She bit down on her tongue, ready to take her own life.
Even in death, she would not allow herself to be defiled. She was the daughter of the Kanjou Commission—she had her pride.
At that very moment, a streak of white light shot across the sky, immediately piercing through the Kairagi's body.
Everyone froze.
A black-and-white spear pinned the Kairagi firmly to the ground. He was dead beyond doubt.
"Who's there?!" The sudden turn of events sent chills down their spines. The Kairagi had been their strongest—he could even kill Vision holders. Yet he had been slain instantly by a spear from nowhere.
"…"
Standing so close, Chisato was splattered with warm, crimson blood. It stained her delicate face, giving her an eerie beauty.
Yet she did not scream.
Instead, she stared silently toward the sky—the direction from which the spear had come.