Genshin Impact: I Can Obtain Adventure EXP

As Kokomi's words fell, a notification promptly popped up on Nolan's character panel:

[Title Acquired: Honorary General of Watatsumi Island]

No surprises here. Being granted a title by leaders like Jean or Kokomi naturally came with corresponding in-game rewards.

"Although this position is honorary in nature, you will still receive the full treatment of actual generals on Watatsumi Island," Kokomi said with a smile.

"Hehe, now you're not just Honorary Knights of Mondstadt or Distinguished Citizens of Liyue, but also Honorary Generals of Watatsumi Island! Traveling with you guys feels like walking with shining stars!"

Paimon excitedly praised Nolan and Lumine.

"And now, Paimon is officially the best companion of two Honorary Knights, Distinguished Citizens, and Honorary Generals!"

Lumine's lips curved slightly into a faint smile.

"Not a chance! Having you as the best companion is enough—this guy is only the second-best companion!"

Paimon crossed her arms and huffed with mock indignation.

"Haha."

Nolan chuckled, unbothered by Paimon's teasing.

"Gorou, I have matters to discuss with our new Honorary Generals. Please prepare a detailed written report of the mission process for me later," Kokomi instructed.

As the "brain" of the Watatsumi Army, Kokomi had to conduct reviews of every mission, whether successful or not, to identify shortcomings and improve future operations.

"Yes, Your Excellency!"

Gorou nodded firmly. He was well-versed in this task, having done it many times before. After saluting, he excused himself and left Sangonomiya Shrine.

"Speaking of which, I've already heard of your names from Beidou and Kazuha," Kokomi said, turning back to Nolan and Lumine after finishing her instructions to Gorou.

"Beidou and Kazuha? Kokomi, you know them too?"

Paimon's eyes widened in surprise.

"Of course. Watatsumi Island couldn't have held its ground against the Shogunate forces without their help," Kokomi replied, brushing a strand of hair away from her face with her gloved right hand. Her calm smile remained as she continued, "Please, follow me."

The "Divine Priestess" of Watatsumi Island turned slightly and began walking toward the rear of the shrine.

Nolan and Lumine exchanged a curious glance before following Kokomi. They exited through a side door, walking along the wooden corridor until they reached the shrine's backyard.

As they continued forward, Nolan took advantage of the moment to open his character panel and check the effects of his newly acquired title:

[Honorary General of Watatsumi Island: A title granted to the Honorary General of the Watatsumi Army. Increases affinity with Watatsumi Island residents and grants a 1% stat boost from all subordinate soldiers when commanding a battalion.]

The first effect, increasing affinity, was common among titles.

The second effect, gaining a 1% stat boost from all soldiers under one's command, was much more specific.

For an actual general leading troops, this would be incredibly useful. However, for Nolan, it seemed to have little practical application.

After all, he had no interest in commanding an army. Still, it wasn't entirely worthless. While its current utility was limited, there might come a day when it would prove handy.

As Nolan finished reviewing the title's effects, Kokomi came to a stop.

They had arrived at a rain pavilion located in the backyard of Sangonomiya Shrine. The pavilion was capped with a large seashell, and atop the shell rested a white pearl, giving it the appearance of a shell cradling a gem.

Golden sunlight filtered through the pavilion's openings, illuminating the space below, where two familiar figures sat by a stone table.

"Ah! It's Beidou and Kazuha! What are you two doing here?"

Paimon waved excitedly, her voice filled with surprise and delight.

Beidou set down her cup of wine as Kokomi approached with Nolan and the others. She let out a hearty laugh and said, "Well, if it isn't you guys! I didn't expect us to meet again so soon after parting ways!"

"Perhaps this is the bond between friends," Kazuha mused, twirling a fallen leaf from the courtyard trees between his fingers.

"Kokomi mentioned earlier that Beidou and Kazuha were helping you. Could it be that you've been using the Crux to smuggle essential supplies to Watatsumi Island from overseas?" Nolan asked thoughtfully.

"Haha, you guessed it! That's exactly it!" Kokomi nodded with a smile, inviting them to sit on the shell-shaped bench that extended from the pavilion.

"I'm always happy to support a just cause," Beidou declared boldly, her demeanor carefree. "Especially when there's profit involved!"

Smuggling supplies to the resistance was a highly dangerous undertaking. If the Shogunate discovered it, Beidou and her entire fleet would undoubtedly be branded as criminals.

What courage... Captain Beidou truly lives up to her reputation, Nolan thought to himself.

"So, is the reason you've called us here to ask us to join your rebellion?" Lumine asked curiously.

"Not exactly," Kokomi replied, shaking her head gently. "You mentioned earlier that you plan to visit Inazuma City to meet Raiden Shogun."

"Then why call us here? Just to catch up with friends?" Nolan followed up with a smile.

"That's part of it," Kokomi admitted. "But I do have an unusual request to discuss with you."

"An unusual request?" Paimon scratched her head, looking puzzled.

Nolan thought for a moment and said, "We're Honorary Generals of Watatsumi Island now, but more importantly, we're friends. If there's something we can help with, we'd be happy to do so."

Lumine's amber eyes met Kokomi's, and she nodded in agreement, affirming Nolan's words.

"Thank you. That's a relief to hear," Kokomi said, exhaling softly.

As if influenced by the effect of Nolan's newly acquired title, Kokomi's favorability toward him increased slightly.

[Kokomi Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 200 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.5 (0/500).]

Relaxing a little, Kokomi began to explain:

"At the start, Watatsumi Island formed the resistance mainly because of widespread dissatisfaction with the Vision Hunt Decree. As the Divine Priestess, I couldn't ignore the will of the people, so I led them to rise against the Shogunate.

"However, I understand that we've reached the limit of what we can achieve. We cannot afford to escalate the conflict further."

The resistance had initially focused on defensive actions—resisting the Shogunate soldiers who came to confiscate Visions. To protect the ordinary citizens of Watatsumi Island, they had pushed the battlefront to Yashiori Island.

Expanding further would risk drawing the attention of Raiden Shogun herself.

"Hey, Kokomi, why are you backing down now? Doesn't that make all the sacrifices of your soldiers meaningless? If you're short on supplies, I'll just bring more next time!" Beidou exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Even Kazuha seemed surprised. "Indeed, Lady Kokomi, hasn't the resistance been making steady progress? Under your brilliant strategies, the Shogunate forces have suffered one defeat after another. You've rarely lost a battle."

Kazuha had personal reasons for joining the resistance. His closest friend had died in a duel against Raiden Shogun, and he himself had fled Inazuma after attempting to reclaim his friend's Vision. To him, the Vision Hunt Decree was the root of all this pain, and he wanted nothing more than to see it abolished. Seeing the resistance gain the upper hand had been a source of hope for him, making Kokomi's hesitance all the more perplexing.

Kokomi sighed deeply, lowering her head. "Because of Raiden Shogun. As long as she stands, there is no way we can win this war.

"The Shogunate forces may have suffered some minor losses, but they are still well within their limits. If we push them too far and draw Raiden Shogun's attention, she could wipe out our entire army with a single strike.

"Watatsumi Island itself might even be erased from the map."

"Huh? That terrifying? Then what are we supposed to do now?"

Paimon's eyes widened as she imagined the horrifying scene of Watatsumi Island being obliterated by a flash of lightning. She quickly hid behind Lumine.

Even Beidou and Kazuha fell silent, unable to refute Kokomi's concerns. They knew she was right—Raiden Shogun had thus far ignored the resistance's skirmishes. But if she chose to intervene, the resistance stood no chance.

Kokomi continued, "War isn't just about endless battles. Negotiation is also a part of it. Our primary goal has always been the abolition of the Vision Hunt Decree. If we can achieve that, there's no need for further sacrifices.

"With our current advantage, we're in a position to make our demands heard.

"You're planning to visit Inazuma City to meet Raiden Shogun, correct? I'd like to ask you to gauge her stance when you meet her. See if there's any chance of convincing her to abolish the Vision Hunt Decree."

Kokomi clarified that she wasn't retreating out of fear but rather acting out of strategic caution. She then looked earnestly at Nolan and the others, making her request.

In her heart, war was always a last resort.

If there's a way to achieve their goals with fewer sacrifices, Kokomi would naturally be willing to give it a try.

"Eh? You want us to convince Raiden Shogun to abolish the Vision Hunt Decree? Is that even possible?" Paimon asked in shock.

"I'm not asking you to directly persuade Raiden Shogun. Her obsession with 'eternity' is far beyond what most can comprehend. If you were to outright ask her to abolish the Vision Hunt Decree, it would likely only provoke her disdain," Kokomi said, her hands resting lightly on her pale thighs as she shook her head gently.

She continued, "Raiden Shogun resides in Tenshukaku. It's possible she's unaware of how deeply the people resent the Vision Hunt Decree. You could subtly mention the suffering of the people of Inazuma and observe her reaction. If she shows even a hint of hesitation, we could develop a more detailed plan to persuade her."

After all, Raiden Shogun is the protector deity of Inazuma. Kokomi believed that no matter how stubborn she was, Raiden Shogun wouldn't truly want to harm her people.

This was the only option they had left.

Even if they managed to defeat the Shogunate forces, they could never defeat Raiden Shogun. For a being of such incredible power, Kokomi couldn't imagine any way to change her mind other than persuasion.

If all else failed, the resistance army of Watatsumi Island would have to hold the line at Yashiori Island, limiting their resistance to a defensive nature and trying to minimize further casualties while holding back the Shogunate's attempts to confiscate Visions.

"This…"

Hearing Kokomi's reasoning, Nolan didn't know what to say. He felt that directly defeating Raiden Shogun might actually be easier than persuading her.

After all, the current Raiden Shogun was an automaton. The concept of "eternity" was hardwired into her mind as an unchangeable directive from the moment she was created.

In the original story, Raiden Ei and the Shogun had battled for five hundred years within her mental space before Ei managed to override the automaton's programming.

Even Raiden Shogun's creator herself had struggled immensely to change the automaton's behavior.

So how could an outsider possibly convince her so easily?

However, Kokomi wasn't privy to such hidden truths. It was understandable that she clung to a faint hope.

Not wanting to discourage her, Nolan thought about it for a moment and agreed. After all, it would just be a matter of bringing up the topic casually when they met Raiden Shogun.

It shouldn't be an issue.

In the original storyline, the Traveler had first convinced Raiden Ei in the Plane of Euthymia before Ei went on to change the automaton's perspective.

That task had required the help of Yae Miko, as there seemed to be no way to enter the Plane of Euthymia without her assistance. Without Yae Miko overseeing things, Nolan wouldn't dare enter that space with himself or Lumine.

If Raiden Shogun struck them down before they could even speak, it would be a humiliating end.

With this in mind, it seemed their journey to meet Raiden Shogun would require a detour to the Grand Narukami Shrine to find Yae Miko. Without her guidance, even with Kamisato Ayaka's recommendation in Inazuma City, meeting Raiden Shogun would be pointless.

After all, the person they needed to meet wasn't the automaton Shogun—they needed the real Raiden Ei.

However, due to Nolan's presence, the story had long deviated from the original plot. Yae Miko hadn't approached the Traveler proactively in this timeline.

Would they have to seek her out themselves?

Yae Miko had her own reasons for wanting to change Raiden Ei. She too wished to save Inazuma and rescue the deity who had trapped herself in a narrow mindset because of her obsession with eternity.

With this in mind, it was still possible that Yae Miko would find an opportunity to reach out to the Traveler after they arrived in Inazuma City.

After all, just like in the original storyline, the Traveler was the most suitable person to help her.

Thus, Yae Miko would likely appear at the right moment.

After agreeing to help Kokomi, the group discussed their thoughts on the current situation in Inazuma and Watatsumi Island.

Night soon fell, and as promised, Kokomi instructed her shrine maidens to prepare a feast to welcome them.

Watatsumi Island's cuisine was quite unique, and everyone enjoyed the meal. They continued their discussion about Inazuma's problems over dinner, sharing their views at length.

Ultimately, they all agreed that as long as the Shogunate forces didn't provoke them, they wouldn't provoke the Shogunate in return. Instead, they would focus on recuperating and reducing casualties while waiting for the situation to shift.

The next morning, after breakfast, Nolan and the others set off toward Inazuma City.

However, before heading there, they first needed to return to Ritou to wrap up the Crystal Marrow incident.

(End of Chapter)

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