"My husband is a total heartthrob; no wonder so many women are completely devoted to him," Saiguu murmured with a playful pout, wrapping her arms tightly around Akira.
"Indeed. He's handsome, charming, and above all, incredibly talented. No one can resist his charms," Yae Miko teased with a chuckle. "Don't you agree, Miyuki?"
"Master, I completely agree with you~" Miyuki nodded enthusiastically.
"Oh my, what a good girl! I'm starting to really like Miyuki too," Yae Miko said with a mischievous smirk.
Two days later, while Akira was enjoying his peaceful time at the Grand Narukami Shrine, he suddenly received a video call from Kujou Sara.
"Hey there, Sara babe," Akira answered casually, greeting her with a smile.
"Master..." Kujou Sara looked at Akira through the screen, her face flushing slightly when she noticed the group of beauties gathered behind him.
Lounging behind Akira were Yoimiya, Ayaka, Yae Miko, Saiguu, Miyuki, and Rosalyne.
Akira was currently resting his head comfortably on Rosalyne's soft, porcelain thighs, blissfully enjoying a brain massage while she gently fed him grapes.
Kujou Sara's blush deepened at the sight. The head of the household was truly... extravagant. And as for the sisters, how could they spoil their beloved lord into such a life of sheer indulgence?
"Did the Sumeru scholars cooperate during the interrogation?" Akira asked with a knowing smile.
"Yes." Mentioning official business, Kujou Sara's expression instantly turned serious as she held up an official document.
"Master, we have recorded the Sumeru scholars' confessions into a formal report, and I am preparing to deliver it to the Tenshukaku." Kujou Sara continued gravely, "These thieves harbor massive ambitions. You should come to the Tenshukaku immediately to discuss countermeasures with the Shogun."
"Alright, I understand. I'll be right over," Akira nodded.
After a few more words, Akira hung up the call.
"Darling, what happened? Did those Sumeru scholars do something terrible again?" Rosalyne asked, looking at Akira with a bewildered expression.
"Do you remember Scaramouche? He took the Gnosis. The Sumeru Akademiya and Dottore are currently trying to create a divine vessel for Scaramouche so he can ascend to godhood," Akira explained.
"Scaramouche? And Dottore?" Rosalyne's expression shifted slightly. "An artificial god? Are those two lunatics really that insane?"
"The power source for Scaramouche's divine body requires the dreams of the people of Sumeru. And now, Sumeru has stretched its claws all the way to Inazuma, attempting to harvest the beautiful dreams of my people." Akira let out a cold laugh. "Do they think Inazuma's blade is no longer sharp? What a bunch of ignorant fools."
"Well, my darlings, I'm heading to the Tenshukaku," Akira told the women.
"Wait, honey, we're coming with you," Saiguu and Yae Miko chimed in immediately.
"Alright." Akira nodded. As the high-ranking figures of the Grand Narukami Shrine, it was only natural for them to be involved in these matters.
After bidding the other women a quick farewell, the three of them vanished from the spot, turning into streaks of light as they soared rapidly toward the Tenshukaku.
"Lord Akira! General Miko! Lord Saiguu!" Seeing the three of them descend from the sky, the guards quickly bowed in deep respect.
"Has Sara arrived yet?" Akira asked.
"Lord Akira, General Sara has not arrived yet," the samurai replied respectfully.
"Alright." Akira nodded. It seemed they were fast enough. He glanced at Yae Miko and Saiguu, and together, the three entered the Tenshukaku.
The moment they stepped inside, they saw Raiden Makoto and the other two sitting together. Hearing the noise, all three women looked toward the entrance.
"Husband, you're here." Raiden Makoto stood up to greet him.
"Miko, Saiguu," Raiden Makoto greeted the other two women warmly as well.
"Sara informed you, right? She'll be here soon," Akira said with a smile.
"Yes, that's why we were all waiting for you," Raiden Makoto nodded, though her expression carried a hint of unease.
Makoto had heard rumors about the Sumeru scholars, but she never expected to encounter such a situation so shortly after Inazuma opened its borders.
As the group sat together, drinking tea and enjoying snacks, the grand doors of the Tenshukaku were pushed open, and Kujou Sara stepped inside.
"Almighty Shogun! Master!" Kujou Sara greeted quickly upon seeing Akira and Raiden there.
"Sara, come sit here." Akira waved her over. "There are no outsiders here, we are all family. Why so formal?"
Hearing Akira's words, Kujou Sara blushed and obediently walked over, kneeling down beside him.
Akira reached out and pulled Kujou Sara into his embrace. Thanks to her years of rigorous military training, her body was incredibly toned and flexible.
Feeling Akira's large, mischievous hands wandering over her, Kujou Sara's face turned bright red. However, unable to refuse her master anything, she simply snuggled closer into his arms and let his hands roam.
"Alright, alright, teasing Sara the moment you walk in." Yae Miko rolled her eyes and sighed, "Is being naughty really that much fun?"
"Absolutely, I love her so much I can't keep my hands off her," Akira chuckled mischievously.
"I am glad the head of the house pleases you. It is my honor to serve," Kujou Sara whispered, her face burning. Even the usually distant and stoic General Sara couldn't resist her lover's intimate touch.
"However, Master, could we resume this later? I need to report on the Sumeru scholar matter first." Kujou Sara stole a breathless kiss from Akira and added, "Once this business is concluded, Sara will accompany Master to handle... other matters."
"Alright~" Akira nodded playfully, releasing Kujou Sara and instantly straightening up like a proper gentleman.
Raiden Ei and Raiden Shogun also missed Akira dearly. It had been quite a while since they had a romantic encounter with him. Although neither of them was obsessed with human desires, they deeply cherished being close to the one they loved.
Akira, of course, would grant any wish of his lovers, especially such a delightful request.
"Alright, jokes aside," Makoto said gently, turning her gaze to Kujou Sara. "Sara, where is the interrogation report? Let me take a look."
"Right here, please look."
All eyes turned to Kujou Sara as she quickly handed the official document to Raiden Makoto. This file contained the records of the Tenryou Commission's intense interrogations over the past two days.
The suspects were a group of delicate Akademiya scholars who had never experienced a day of hardship, let alone the whips and torture devices of the Inazuman dungeons. Terrified out of their minds, some had broken down instantly and confessed everything on the spot.
Makoto took the document and scanned it carefully, but as she read on, her expression grew increasingly dark.
"Despicable bastards!" Despite her naturally gentle disposition, Makoto's face turned completely grim after reading the confession, and she snapped in pure rage.
"A bunch of wretched scoundrels! How dare they conspire against the foundations of my Inazuma? How dare they attempt to harm the people of Inazuma? These traitors deserve nothing less than execution!" Raiden Makoto slammed her hand onto the table, instantly reducing it to dust.
"Do those fools in Sumeru think they can step all over us just because Inazuma opened its borders?" Makoto roared in fury. "Declare war! We must declare war! I will make those wretched fools in Sumeru pay the ultimate price! I will show all of Teyvat what happens to those who dare insult our Inazuma!"
"What exactly happened?" Raiden Ei's heart jumped. Her sister's heart had always been kind and gentle. Truthfully, despite being twins for thousands of years, Ei had rarely seen Raiden Makoto this furious.
The last time Makoto had been truly enraged was when Sasayuri was killed during Orobashi's eastern campaign, but this time, her fury seemed even more explosive.
"See for yourself." Suppressing her rage, Makoto handed the document over to Ei.
"The Akademiya? The Sages? How dare they attempt to harm my Inazuman citizens on such a massive scale?" Makoto was absolutely livid. No matter how gentle she usually was, she had lines that could never be crossed: Akira, her sisters, and the whole of Inazuma.
Having received the SSS-level Herrscher of Thunder powers bestowed upon her by Akira, Raiden Makoto's true strength could now easily upend the laws of nature itself. If anyone dared cross her line, she would not hesitate to show them that even a gentle lightning bolt possessed the divine power to annihilate everything.
"..." Ei and the Shogun stared at the official document with ice-cold expressions.
"Let me see, Ei." Once Ei finished reading, Yae Miko took the file, reviewing it alongside Akira and Saiguu.
"Sister, darling, why don't I just go and obliterate Sumeru with a single strike?" Ei said coldly. "I want to see if their foolish delusions can withstand my blade."
"Or did their so-called artificial god give them the courage to face me?" Ei asked, her hand suddenly crackling with a terrifying, air-bursting surge of thunder. "I have slain countless demons and gods with a single strike, and my blade carries the karmic weight of entire fallen nations."
"I agree," Raiden Shogun nodded in unison. "I am the sharpest blade that protects Inazuma. Ei and I alone are more than enough to wipe Sumeru off the map."
"Ei! Shogun!" Although Makoto was furious, she held them back. Shaking her head slightly, she sighed, "While those scoundrels in the Akademiya are unforgivable, the people of Sumeru are innocent. They are merely pawns being exploited by the Akademiya. We must not harm innocent lives."
"..." Hearing Makoto's words, Ei and the Shogun fell silent and turned their gaze toward Akira.
Akira was now their ultimate pillar, and they naturally deferred to his judgment.
"Heh, just as I thought. They want to use the Akasha Terminal to siphon energy from the dreams of Inazuma's people," Akira sneered. "And as a bonus, they planned to hijack the consciousness of Inazuma's high-ranking officials. Quite a grand scheme you've got there, Sumeru Akademiya..."
"I thought they were wild enough for imprisoning their own god, but to think they would resort to such vile, inhumane methods?" Yae Miko's breathing quickened with indignation. "Do such shameless, monstrous people even deserve to live in this world?"
"So, what is our move?" Saiguu asked, looking at Akira.
"Heh, we don't even need to lift a finger ourselves. The Firearms Department has already been established." Akira chuckled softly and said, "Let's train our military well and show them that even without the direct intervention of gods, Inazuma possesses the power to completely crush them."
"Understood." Kujou Sara nodded firmly. "I will head to the armory immediately to deploy the weapons. Now that the commanders of the Kiwamu Clan have mastered marksmanship, the soldiers will surely make rapid progress under their guidance."
Previously, Akira had manufactured a large batch of firearms and ammunition specifically to train the core commanders of the army, ensuring they could effectively pass down the knowledge to the troops.
"Before we officially declare war, there are a few more things to set in motion. Let's do some groundwork and deliver a devastating blow," Akira smiled faintly, turning his gaze to Miko. "This part depends on you, Miko. Publish these confessions and distribute them to the other nations. Let the entire world see the atrocities committed by the Sumeru Akademiya."
"Heh~ Consider it done. My Yae Publishing House operates across all of Teyvat and we have partnerships with countless newspapers. This will be child's play," Yae Miko nodded with a smirk.
"But for now, let's see what Lumine is up to in Sumeru." Akira tapped his wrist gadget lightly, initiating a video call to Lumine.
A few seconds later, the call connected. Akira tapped the screen, projecting a holographic light display in mid-air that revealed the faces of Lumine and Paimon.
"Akira~"
"Darling~"
Paimon and Lumine answered the video call while yawning, looking visibly exhausted and sluggish.
"Oh, the big sisters are all here too." Spotting Raiden and the others, Lumine forced herself to perk up and sit up straight.
"Lumine, Paimon! Why are you still wearing those devices? Take them off immediately!" Yae Miko's sharp eyes instantly caught the Akasha Terminals hooked onto their ears.
"Huh?" Lumine and Paimon were caught off guard, but they obediently pulled them off anyway. They knew Yae Miko would never harm them.
Akira then thoroughly explained the hidden dangers of the Akasha Terminal to Lumine and Paimon. Hearing the truth, both of their expressions twisted in shock. They threw the devices onto the ground and stomped them to pieces.
"Whoa! Is that thing really that dangerous? No wonder we've been feeling so exhausted lately. Even our dreams have been bizarre!" Lumine said, patting her chest in relief.
"Oh wow! Those Akademiya scholars from Sumeru are taking things way too far!" Paimon stomped her little feet in pure anger.
"Darling, what should we do next?" Lumine asked Akira cautiously.
"Have you met Dehya and Dunyarzad yet?" Akira asked.
"Yes, we're friends now," Paimon nodded, before asking curiously, "Wait, Akira, how do you know everything that's happening here?"
"Maybe because I'm just that good," Akira replied nonchalantly.
"Uh..." Paimon scratched her head, feeling that while Akira's answer sounded smooth, it was also incredibly suspicious.
"I see. Since you're already friends, continue your journey. Things are about to get interesting." Akira grinned coldly. "Soon, we will make the Sumeru Akademiya pay their dues."
"Lumine, once you meet up with Dehya and the others and prepare to rescue the Lesser Lord Kusanali, contact me. We will execute the next phase of the plan then, understood?" Akira instructed.