In the discussion area, Arataki Itto had won himself fifteen days in a luxurious single room, plus three nutritionally balanced meals a day, free of charge, and even new clothes.
-Though he himself did not seem particularly appreciative.
On the screen, as the final bilibili logo flashed past, the third video of the day finally finished playing.
It had not disappointed. As always, the screen had revealed a wealth of information in the video that could be considered top secret, some of it even buried in history.
Especially regarding the Electro Archon's existence, viewers from all seven nations, including Inazuma, now had their own guesses.
In any case, the Electro Archon definitely was not simply one person as she appeared to be. Judging by the changes in tone and attitude in the discussion area, and the two purple-haired beauties with completely different styles in the video, there had to be at least two or three Electro Archons, right?
The locals of Inazuma, in particular, had already come very close to the truth, considering the fine, long-standing tradition of shadow warriors in their culture.
Of course, deductions and guesses could wait until tonight, after all of today's videos on the screen had finished playing.
For now, everyone's attention was on the question about the third video that the observation station was about to release.
[Question: What is the name of the mysterious woman in the white-and-purple kimono whom the Electro Archon wanted to touch in this video?] [A. Raiden Ei] [B. Raiden Makoto] [C. Raiden Shogun] [D. Raiden Mei] [E. Herrscher of Thunder] [System: This question is of medium difficulty. Answers will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, and only users above three stars may answer. The countdown begins now: 5, 4...]
[Alice: Tsk, this system. Three-star users have no rights!]
[Lumine: Uh, well, perhaps you're only a three-star character right now because you haven't appeared in the game yet, Miss Alice, even though you're an important character?]
[Lumine: After all, the star ratings of those friends from Liyue earlier have already changed.]
[Pyro Dragon Sovereign: ... (looks at himself) Very possible.]
[Pantalone: No wonder.]
[The Doctor: So Scaramouche and Childe are the only five-star users among the Harbingers, while the rest of us are all three-star users?]
[Alice: Tsk, if I'd known, I wouldn't have left Mondstadt at this particular time. Otherwise, surely I could have landed myself a five-star template early in the game.]
[Uncle Tian: Uh, so that's why I'm a three-star too?]
No, it was because he had an NPC model.
Everyone was still quite interested in exactly what criteria determined their user levels.
At present, the biggest factor was naturally the characters' star ratings in the game, though it seemed other factors were not entirely absent.
At the very least, Lumine could not understand how Paimon, whose role was clearly that of a mascot, had managed to get five-star user privileges.
Surely Paimon, a weakling who could not even beat a wild boar, could not possibly become a five-star playable character too?
As for this question...
Quite a few people had actually already guessed that the correct answer was B, Raiden Makoto.
After all, although the relevant video had not revealed a single scrap of useful information about this question, and there were a full five possible answers provided,
they only had to connect it with the name used earlier by the Electro Archon who had spoken in the discussion area: Raiden Ei.
Then, based on the video's contents, they could make a bold guess: had there been two successive Electro Archons, and had they been sisters? Was it precisely because her sister had died that the current Electro Archon had suffered such a blow and conceived of eternity as freezing time in place?
Based on these fairly plausible deductions, the name that best fit as a counterpart to Raiden Ei should be Raiden Makoto.
Surely it could not be one of the last three?
Raiden Shogun was still reasonable. At the very least, it was one of the Electro Archon's titles, but it was more of a designation than a name.
Moreover, judging by her remarks in the discussion area, Raiden Shogun's own personality was rather mechanical, somewhat inconsistent with the image of the gentle woman in the kimono in the video.
As for Raiden Mei and Herrscher of Thunder, those were even more of a joke. They felt as though they belonged to an entirely different art style.
Although nobody could guarantee with absolute certainty that this was the correct answer before the actual answer came out, it already had a very high chance of being right. In principle, there was nothing wrong with taking a reckless shot for the reward.
But under these circumstances, even those among the Fatui qualified to answer did not risk thoroughly angering the Electro Archon by doing so.
Uh, that was not quite accurate, actually.
Childe was responsible for affairs in Liyue and did not want to interfere with matters in Inazuma.
La Signora was still undergoing her punishment and had no room to spare for answering questions.
As for the one who most wanted revenge on Raiden Ei, Cannon-uh, Scaramouche.
Although he wanted revenge on Raiden Ei, he also did not want to appear very familiar with her in front of everyone.
Even more than he wanted to make that woman uncomfortable, Scaramouche could not accept others thinking that he had any close relationship with the Electro Archon.
With these conflicting feelings, he did not rush to answer either.
As for the four-star and five-star users from other countries who were qualified to answer, what could one say? Those who had guessed the answer did not want to incur Raiden Shogun's displeasure, while those who had not were still racking their brains.
That left the only two others who knew the answer, Yae Miko and Raiden Ei...
Yae Miko calmly glanced at her close friend, then simply raised her little head haughtily and closed her eyes, indicating that she would not answer.
Seeing this familiar pose from her familiar, Raiden Ei recalled how Miko had once plunged headfirst into the snow while hunting in winter as a child. She was amused at first, then gave a weary sigh, but at least she no longer felt as depressed as when she had first seen Makoto.
[Raiden Ei: The answer is B. My elder sister, Raiden Makoto.]
Forget it. The screen had already fucking spelled out the names. Rather than let someone else say or guess Makoto's name, Raiden Ei refused to make such a cowardly choice. She chose to face the vulnerability in her heart herself and speak Makoto's name.
[Kujou Sara: Your Excellency...]
Well, Raiden Shogun's answer confirmed, from another angle, the guesses quite a few people had made while watching the video: that there had been two generations of Electro Archons, and that they were twin sisters.
[System: Correct answer. Honored five-star user Raiden Ei is rewarded with the unique skill from the world of Naruto, Outer Path: Rinne Rebirth Technique (system version) (1/1).] [System: Outer Path: Rinne Rebirth Technique summons the King of Hell upon use, making him stand and open his mouth wide to release countless souls of the dead, returning those souls to the deceased and thereby resurrecting them.] [System: This technique originally required the caster's life as its price. Modified by the system, this version of Outer Path: Rinne Rebirth Technique is adapted to Teyvat's unique natural environment. When used, it can consume large amounts of faith power and high-quality elemental energy to recall the souls of the dead from the memories of the ley lines, without requiring the caster to sacrifice their own life. In exchange, the caster must prepare suitable vessels for the souls in advance.] [System: Friendly reminder: even without vessels, the souls of those resurrected by this technique possess a certain degree of vitality and will not be recalled by the ley lines in the short term. However, the souls themselves remain relatively fragile. Please consider carefully before casting.]
[Raiden Ei: !!!]
[Yae Miko: Oh my, although it has a limited number of uses, this really is a fitting reward.]
[Lisa: I've been thinking this for a while, but this screen's rewards and punishments for those of us answering questions are all very specifically targeted.]
Seeing Lisa's remark,
Barbara looked at the bottle of the Anemo Archon's breath in her hand.
Cyno recalled the Mora Rex Lapis had handled, which he had traded for limited-edition, out-of-print Genius Invokation TCG cards.
Kazuha recalled the Teyvat Fried Egg that had revived his dear friend just when he needed it.
Arataki Itto recalled the bone broth ramen that had solved the problem of his three daily meals.
Lumine recalled the unlimited supply of Sweet Madame that could drastically reduce Paimon's living expenses.
[Kazuha: Indeed. Though I still do not know what purpose this screen has, I am truly grateful to it.]
[Barbara: This must be a gift from Lord Barbatos, the Anemo Archon.]
[Venti: Uh, I rather wish it would give me an endless supply of cider.]
[Barbara: I'll go prepare it right away.]
[Venti: There's no need to go that far...]
[Dori: Indeed, indeed-a huuuge profit! Hehehe, heeheehee!!!]
[Arataki Itto: Now I can spend less time working and more time on the meaningful pursuit of dominating beetle battles.]
[Kuki Shinobu: No, that's the meaningless part.]
[Alice: Tsk, I still can't accept being a three-star user.]
[Alice: But it's perfectly normal for these rewards to suit you so well.]
[Alice: After all, that's what the audience likes to see.]
Alice did not explain who she meant by the audience. Quite a few people guessed who she was referring to and frowned, but soon smoothed away the worry between their brows.
After all, those beings were not even in the same dimension. Worrying about it would truly be worrying over nothing.
As for the rest, they either did not understand at all or simply did not care.
Having just received her reward, Raiden Ei suppressed Raiden Shogun's consciousness, which was somewhat eager to come out, while looking toward Yae Miko with a hint of appeal for help.
Seeing this familiar little look on her dear friend's face, one she had not seen in five hundred years, Yae Miko rolled her eyes. "All right, stop agonizing over it. Use this reward to revive Lady Raiden Makoto."
As she spoke, Yae Miko changed her tone. "Or are you going to use this one and only chance to test whether the technique is real? Whether it has any hidden risks?"
"No!"
Hearing Yae Miko's words, Raiden Ei instinctively refused without hesitation. Then, as though realizing something, she spoke as if to explain.
"Even if this strange screen has something up its sleeve, with Makoto here, it will be properly dealt with."
Besides, she had personally witnessed Kazuha use the Teyvat Fried Egg rewarded by the screen to revive that challenger, whose body she had stripped of all vitality. At the time, she had indeed felt some unusual movement in the ley lines beneath her feet.
If this Outer Path: Rinne Rebirth Technique worked as the screen described, it should operate on the same principle as that strange Teyvat Fried Egg.
It was just that the Teyvat Fried Egg could only save someone who had just died and still had a body capable of "eating," whereas this Outer Path: Rinne Rebirth Technique could resurrect those whose bodies had long since vanished, who had died in the distant past.
Her hesitation just now had not been out of concern that this reward could not revive Makoto. Rather, she had been wondering whether it was somewhat wrong to use this sole chance at resurrection on Makoto without considering Kitsune Saiguu and the others at all.
"You really haven't changed. So decisive in battle, yet endlessly hesitant over things like this."
Seeing her dear friend Raiden Ei looking so unlike herself, Yae Miko said irritably, "Didn't you say yourself that this screen felt even more impossible to defy than the Heavenly Principles? Then as long as it's still here, the possibility of reviving Lady Kitsune Saiguu and the others will always remain."
With Yae Miko's reminder, Raiden Ei also came to her senses.
That was true. It was not as though this would be the only opportunity for resurrection. As long as they actively participated in answering questions in the future, just as they had this time, there would certainly be more chances to obtain new resurrection rewards.
If nothing else, only two days had passed since this screen appeared, with just eight videos in total, and already two of the rewards had been related to resurrection.
It seemed the drop rate for resurrection-related rewards in these question-and-answer sessions really was quite high.
Or, to put it another way, this bunch of people answering questions were all rather unfortunate, each with friends or family they dearly wished to resurrect.
In that case, they would have to properly adjust their attitude toward this screen.
Previously, although they had taken this strange and powerful screen seriously and resolved to participate cautiously in its so-called questions,
now they not only needed to put aside all their wariness and suspicions completely, but also actively take part in answering its questions. They could not keep slacking off as before, making a paltry effort only now and then.
Moreover, putting together the few words revealed earlier by that Traveler and Miss Alice, they should also try not to suppress their emotions in their remarks in the discussion area or their reactions in reality.
After all, those should be what the "audience" most enjoyed watching?
As the editor-in-chief of Yae Publishing House, Yae Miko arrived at the above conjectures.
"I understand, Miko. Pay close attention to the upcoming videos, and tell the Tri-Commission to organize everyone in Inazuma qualified to answer questions as soon as possible. But they must not seize anyone's rewards. They should try to exchange suitable treasures for them, and even if someone is unwilling to trade their reward, they must not force them."
"All right, don't go meddling blindly in this. I'm better at handling these matters than you are."
If they really followed that blockhead Raiden Ei's idea and organized Inazuma's star-rated users so simply, then even if she now said that exchanging rewards was voluntary, with her standing above them as Raiden Shogun, how could it ever be truly voluntary?
She was still the same as before, no good at handling things like interpersonal relationships. Human dealings were not that simple.
They really would have to call in that little fox Kamisato Ayato. Matters like this needed to be left to the right person.