"It seems the issue lies with the captain's conditions."
"Both first and second place receive a ticket to Inazuma."
"Mr. Qiu Nian has no interest in the Vision and carries an air of indifference toward everything…"
"So naturally, he doesn't care about rankings either."
Kazuha spoke as he looked toward Qiu Nian, Lumine, and Paimon in the distance.
Liyue… actually had someone like this.
Since childhood, he had been able to perceive the whispers of nature—hearing the breath of the wind and the murmurs of leaves.
From Lumine, he could sense the flow of elemental power—more than one, at that.
But from Qiu Nian…
It felt like "nothing."
It was as if he could sense something—
Yet at the same time, nothing at all.
The sensation was indescribably strange.
In all his life, even when facing the Raiden Shogun herself, he had never experienced anything like this.
Soon, Beidou and Kazuha walked over to the trio.
Beidou praised both Lumine and Qiu Nian enthusiastically.
As for Kazuha—his true identity was that of a wandering samurai from Inazuma.
Under the pretense of making a suggestion, Kazuha led the three of them to a quiet, secluded spot by the shore.
"You can wield elemental power quite skillfully."
"And more than one kind, at that… correct?"
Kazuha asked Lumine directly.
"No wonder you didn't bring this up at the arena."
Lumine looked at him in surprise.
"Hmm… from the moment we met, you've been speaking in riddles."
"So you already noticed."
Paimon tapped her chin.
"I chose not to mention it there to avoid unnecessary trouble."
"If the other contestants knew you could use elemental power, it might cause complications."
"And even when pushed to the brink during the matches, you still refrained from using it—likely for the same reason."
Kazuha nodded.
"But how did you know?"
Lumine asked.
"Heh… what I speak of—what I see and hear—is not merely poetic."
"It is real."
"Since childhood, I've been able to perceive the language of nature—the wind's breath, the whispers of leaves…"
"And from you, I sensed something similar."
"That's all."
Kazuha explained calmly.
"As expected, Mr. Kazuha is no ordinary person."
Qiu Nian said with a faint smile.
Kazuha's ability… and even Ororon's—both were quite unique.
"It's hard to believe…"
"But it doesn't feel like you're lying."
Paimon spread her hands.
"Compared to your own mysteries, my ability is insignificant."
"A human who can wield multiple elements without a Vision…"
"A mysterious being with an indescribably complex 'presence'…"
"And Mr. Qiu Nian—someone from whom I hear nothing at all…"
"Or perhaps… I do hear something, yet it is indistinguishable."
"Something akin to 'nothingness.'"
Kazuha shook his head.
"Hey! Don't describe me by my 'presence' like that!"
Paimon stomped her foot, annoyed.
"…Something like nothingness?"
Lumine looked at Qiu Nian, puzzled.
Was it because he was a god?
"Or perhaps not merely 'like' nothing…"
"It is… nothing."
"I lack the words to properly describe it."
Kazuha pressed a hand to his chin, struggling to articulate it.
"…That's way too abstract."
Xuehua looked completely lost.
[Does it mean he's literally nothing?]
[Even Kazuha can't explain it—that's next-level abstract]
[What even is Qiu Nian… how is he tied to 'nothingness'?]
"Have you ever met anyone else like him before?"
Paimon asked.
"Yes."
"I'm looking at them right now."
"But if I had to compare…"
"The Raiden Shogun also gave me a unique sensation."
"A suffocating sense of eternity."
Kazuha replied.
The three before him were all unusual.
Paimon carried a mysterious, star-like presence.
The Traveler could wield multiple elements.
And Qiu Nian…
Was beyond comprehension.
"A suffocating eternity…"
Lumine and Paimon exchanged confused looks.
Zhongli had mentioned something similar—about the Raiden Shogun pursuing eternity.
That only eternity approached the Heavenly Principles.
['Eternity' is already abstract enough]
['Only eternity comes closest to the Heavenly Principles']
[But nothing beats Qiu Nian's 'nothingness' (facepalm)]
"Qiu Nian… don't you have anything to say about what Kazuha just said?"
Lumine asked, hands on her hips.
"Could it be that you're deliberately hiding something?"
"That's why he perceives nothing?"
Paimon added.
After all, as a god, concealing oneself wasn't impossible.
"Haha…"
"I've never hidden anything."
Qiu Nian chuckled.
"Then what's going on?"
Lumine frowned.
"…Hmm."
Qiu Nian rested a hand on his chin, thinking.
"Before a beginning that has yet to begin…"
"There exists a beginning that has not even begun to begin."
He lowered his hand and spoke a line so abstract it bordered on incomprehensible.
"Compared to the 'nothing' you perceive…"
"Then tell me—does the 'me' standing here… exist?"
He looked at Kazuha and asked.
Kazuha frowned slightly, deep in thought.
Paimon clutched her head, completely overwhelmed.
Lumine looked just as confused.
"…What even is that supposed to mean?"
Xuehua stared blankly at the screen.
[Is Guixu's existence tied to 'being' and 'nothingness'?]
[This is beyond our level of understanding (facepalm)]
[Even top-tier lore analysts would give up 😂]
Enjoyed these chapters? Access advanced chapters and exclusive content by visiting my Patreon. https://patreon.com/WillOFD129?