Genshin Impact: Strength Through Bonds

The Fatui soldiers trembled as they stumbled back, cold sweat pouring down their faces.

"He... he took him out with just one punch...!"

As elite soldiers of Snezhnaya, they had never felt fear like this before.

The Anemoboxer, armed with the sturdiest equipment, was utterly destroyed by that calm-looking boy in a single move.

This had to be a nightmare.

The young woman in Ren's arms blinked her wide eyes, her stunned expression slowly softening as she realized what had happened.

Her slightly smudged face suddenly flushed bright red, her temperature spiking.

W-Wait a minute.

She was in Ren's arms?!

"Um…"

A wave of happiness overwhelmed her, leaving her whimpering like a kitten.

A princess in peril, saved by her gallant knight—

It was like something straight out of a fairy tale.

She had to be dreaming!

"?"

Ren frowned slightly and glanced down at the delicate girl in his arms.

He saw her trembling slightly, her cheeks unusually red.

Their eyes met, and for a moment, they could feel each other's breaths.

Too... too close!

"..."

The girl's vision spun, and she looked as if she might faint.

Ren's expression shifted. "Are you okay?"

Had she been startled into a daze by the sudden events?

He had to admit, her bravery earlier was commendable.

But now, here she was, all flustered and clumsy again.

From a distance, the Fatui Pyroslinger's eyes gleamed with an opportunity.

This was his chance!

[Searing Barrage!]

Three beams of flame split from the muzzle of his rifle, all aimed at Ren's vital points.

"Got him!"

The Pyroslinger sneered coldly.

His triple-shot snipe, fired in rapid succession, was impossible to dodge—his signature technique, the very reason he was a Fatui squad captain.

"Brat, opposing the Fatui costs you your life!"

Just as he was relishing the thought of the bullets piercing through Ren—

Really? A sneak attack?

Ren cradled the girl in one arm and gripped his sword with the other.

Shing!

A flash of cold steel sliced through the air, the blade's cry ringing clear.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

With a single-handed iaijutsu strike, Ren's blade swept through the air, splitting the whistling bullets clean in half.

Not a scratch on him.

The Pyroslinger's pupils contracted, his heart pounding wildly.

Ren had deflected his bullets with just one hand?!

Was he hallucinating? No…

The Fatui soldiers stood frozen, as if an invisible hand had clamped around their throats.

Gulp.

One soldier swallowed hard, his eyes fixed on a faint scratch across his wrist.

It was caused by the sword wind—sharp enough to slit a throat in an instant.

He wanted to run, but his legs refused to move.

Ren's cold gaze swept over the soldiers, his sword pointing directly at them.

"Let's see who dares make a move."

[Skill: Kamisato Style – Hyouka (Anemo)]

[Unleashes successive sword winds with iaijutsu, dealing multiple hits in an instant.]

[Kamisato swordsmanship: an interplay of illusion and reality, fleeting as dew, swift as lightning.]

Afedyev, the Snezhnayan merchant, had already collapsed to the ground, a foul stench emanating from his pants.

The Fatui soldiers shuddered violently, raising their hands in surrender.

Fight? How could they even hope to?

The Pyroslinger, drenched in cold sweat, stammered, "W-Wait, this is a misunderstanding!"

"T-The gun misfired just now!"

"I'm sorry! We'll leave immediately—no!"

"We'll get out of here right now! Please spare me!"

The Pyroslinger silently swore that if his legs weren't cramping, he'd have knelt on the spot.

Ren scoffed. "So much for Snezhnaya's elite troops."

He lowered his blade slightly.

The Fatui soldiers heaved a sigh of relief—only to see Ren take a step forward.

"N-No…!"

They stared in horror as the calm-looking boy's gaze turned murderous.

Let them go?

When they'd just tried to kill him? Not a chance.

At that moment—

A large group of samurai arrived from the direction of the village.

"Tenryou Commission patrol! Seal off the area!"

The Fatui soldiers were overjoyed. They were saved!

Ren frowned deeply, reluctantly sheathing his blade.

Of all the times…

He didn't believe for a second that these reinforcements were here to help.

---

The Tenryou Commission escorted the Fatui soldiers away for interrogation.

The Snezhnayan merchant who had attempted to seize the village's land was also taken into custody—justice well served.

Although the main culprits were punished, they left behind a mess for the villagers to clean up.

Fortunately, the young woman used her knowledge from family teachings to draft a plan to revive the village's economy.

For the timid girl, it was the first time she felt the fulfilling joy of helping others.

With that, the conflict came to an end.

Ren raised his blade.

The sword's edge was chipped and broken—it was ruined.

A samurai without a proper blade was a pitiful sight.

"Ah, if only I had a weapon forged by a true master. Fighting wouldn't be such a struggle," he lamented.

A Mistsplitter Reforged or something similar—he wasn't picky.

As Ren sighed, a notification sounded in his mind.

[Ding! Battle results calculated. Fatui soldiers defeated.]

[Hidden achievement unlocked.]

[You may now unlock a random talent of any character you encounter next.]

He paused.

[...]

[Why aren't you reacting?]

Ren: "What do you think?"

[...You figured it out?]

[Well, the five-star character index isn't activated yet.]

[But a certain four-star character is on their way.]

[This is the real talent reward.]

Ren let out a dry laugh, silently flipping the system off in his heart.

Did he just hear what he thought he did?

The talent of any character he encountered?

If he rushed to Tenshukaku and found the Raiden Shogun right now, could he unlock Musou no Hitotachi?

Yeah, right. He never believed it for a second.

There was no way the system could be this generous.

[Please do not doubt me. I am as fair and honest as Mihoyo.]

Ren: ...

What's with that smug tone?

He glanced toward the distant silhouette of Mt. Yougou.

Who would this mysterious four-star character turn out to be?

The thought sparked a flicker of anticipation.

Unlocking a new talent meant gaining a powerful new advantage.

But when his thoughts drifted to the Raiden Shogun...

"Ah."

Ren gazed toward Inazuma City and let out a long sigh.

Inazuma had long been infiltrated by the Fatui, riddled with countless wounds.

What could he do about it?

There was nothing he could do.

So, my dearest Shogun...

Hurry up and save us already!

---

T/N: uuuuu, its tough i think its Ayaka's E skill but changed to better fit his anemo vision...?