The sun set, casting the corridor into dimness.
Qin Yu leaned against the cold wall, sinking into the darkness.
His head was bowed, his expression unreadable, as if he had given up resistance.
"..."
Miss Fox took the two photographs from Qin Yu's hand, her posture elegant and composed.
She glanced at Qin Yu, her eyes filled with amusement.
It was the look of a hunter appraising freshly caught prey, a thrill in anticipating how to deal with and savor it.
Indeed, Qin Yu was the "prey" Miss Fox had set her sights on.
As everyone knew, Miss Fox of Inazuma was blessed with both beauty and wisdom.
Five hundred years had passed since she took over the position of Grand Shrine Maiden from UsaGami.
Five hundred years, such a short span of time.
So short that no one had ever truly captured Miss Fox's attention.
But clearly, everything had changed without her even realizing it.
The boy named Qin Yu had accomplished it.
Qin Yu had changed Inazuma, which was about to fall into silence, and had attracted Miss Fox's notice.
Yet, when she came to her senses, she found that the deity she cherished most had already been stolen away by Qin Yu.
Heh... Hehehe... How interesting.
Miss Fox was a competitive fox who refused to suffer a loss.
No one could take what was hers.
What's more, Qin Yu had tested her intentions not once, but twice.
She had to get it all back, with interest, and consume him entirely…
"..."
With that thought, Miss Fox's lips curled slightly.
She appraised Qin Yu, not in a hurry to mete out punishment.
If prey didn't struggle, the final savoring would lose half its pleasure.
My dear little one, don't you have anything to say?
"..."
A light laugh echoed in the darkness.
"No wonder you suddenly left before, you had already noticed."
"Heh... Quite a clever plan, Miss Fox."
Qin Yu slowly opened his eyes, fixing them on Miss Fox.
His eyes, mirroring the pink-haired fox, held an inexplicable glint.
He slowly leaned down, coming before Miss Fox.
He was so close that Qin Yu could reach out at any moment, grasp her tightly, and ravage her mercilessly.
"..."
Miss Fox's lips curled slightly, and she raised a paw, delivering a punch to Qin Yu.
It was neither painful nor ticklish.
"Why do you keep staring at me?" Qin Yu's gaze was calm.
He made no move, for he knew the pink-haired fox was the Grand Shrine Maiden, a follower of the deity.
Although Qin Yu bore the divine powers of Electro and Dendro, and even possessed a portion of the authority of the first Dendro Archon, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, placing him among demigods.
If it truly came to a fight, there would be no outcome.
"..."
Miss Fox watched him, her eyes flickering, saying nothing.
Her talent and abilities had been sealed by Ei, leaving her as just an ordinary fox.
But Qin Yu didn't know that.
Miss Fox was taking a gamble, betting that Qin Yu wouldn't dare make a move.
This bizarre standoff was too amusing.
As time passed, the excitement within her grew hotter.
It was a feeling she had never experienced in five hundred years.
And all this while deceiving Ei…
Joy, pure and utter joy.
"..."
The two, each with their own thoughts, maintained a delicate balance.
After a moment of eye contact, Qin Yu smiled silently.
"So confident, you must have backed up the photos."
He extended his hand, smiling.
Miss Fox nodded as a matter of course.
This hunt had ended the moment Miss Fox revealed her hand.
Qin Yu had no bargaining chip that could stir her heart.
… After all, one side of the game had already flipped the table, preparing to devour the other.
"Before we do anything, would you like some fried tofu?"
In the darkness, Qin Yu's smile was sunny.
He asked proactively with a smile, seemingly having surrendered.
Since you enjoy playing so much, then…
Miss Fox landed in Qin Yu's palm, lying down lazily and flicking her fluffy fox tail.
"Smart boy," Qin Yu thought.
"Heh."
Qin Yu stared at Miss Fox's tail, a slight curve on his lips.
Did a fox that revealed its tail still have secrets?
…
The secluded grove, seldom frequented, was also a high-risk area for incidents.
"Beautiful Fox Spirit, please open your mouth."
Qin Yu picked up a piece of fried tofu and fed it to Miss Fox.
The latter leaned lazily on Qin Yu's shoulder, propping up her small head, contentedly enjoying Qin Yu's feeding.
"Please."
Qin Yu poured a small dish of sake.
After Miss Fox drank it, he then thoughtfully wiped her mouth for her.
Looking at this heartwarming scene of a person and a fox alone, who would guess that this was actually the punishment from a mischievous fox?
Of course, Miss Fox had plenty of ideas, and they could take their time.
"Eat slowly, I have plenty, enough to fill you up."
Qin Yu smiled, looking into the distance.
The sky was growing dark.
In the night sky, brilliant stars twinkled, serene and beautiful.
Qin Yu was momentarily lost in thought, a dreamlike radiance reflected in his calm eyes.
The Sacred Sakura Tree, which had protected Inazuma for five hundred years, was magnificent.
It was also rumored to be the embodiment of the Electro Archon.
"So beautiful,"
Qin Yu murmured softly, leaning against the tree trunk.
A cool night breeze swept through, carrying the fragrance of grass.
He closed his eyes gently, letting out a comfortable sigh.
"Ah, bliss."
"..."
Miss Fox flicked her tail at Qin Yu's face, disrupting the rare, beautiful atmosphere.
"Really, Miss Fox is the most beautiful."
Qin Yu reluctantly opened his eyes, feeling slightly weary.
To have such a beautiful view and no girl by his side to snuggle with was bad enough.
Why did he also have to deal with the troublesome Miss Fox?
The two, person and fox, began to chat again.
However, the conversation was clearly veering towards the Sacred Sakura ritual.
"According to Lumine's description, Hanakari is the soul memory intentionally preserved by UsaGami, existing within the Enkanomiya's corruptions."
Qin Yu glanced at Miss Fox and suddenly said.
"..."
Miss Fox's fox ears twitched.
She looked at Qin Yu deeply, as if trying to see through him.
"I can use Hanakari's mask to find the branch of the World Tree corresponding to her."
"...Beautiful Fox Spirit, will you?"
Qin Yu had made his intentions clear.
He smiled slightly, facing the little fox.
This was his last bargaining chip.
"..."
Miss Fox nodded and patted Qin Yu.
She hoped that troublesome white-haired fox would revive quickly and take over her work.
Five hundred years, she had had enough.
… Enough of being undisturbed in her solitary Narukami Grand Shrine.
Ei, that fool, what was so good about the Tenshukaku?
When she finally wasn't a shut-in, she kept going to the Komore Teahouse.
What a rustic girl.
"You're showing signs of loneliness, Miss Fox Spirit."
Qin Yu's gaze held something more.
He directly grabbed the fox's ears and lifted her up.
With the words spoken, the pretense was over.
As expected, no resistance at all, my cute little fox.
"...You knew all along."
Miss Fox spoke human words, and a blush appeared in her eyes as she stared at Qin Yu.
"Such petty tricks are useless now."
Qin Yu smiled. "My Lady Shrine Maiden knows that threatening me comes at a price."
An apology requires baring your belly.
"Heh... Interesting."
Miss Fox showed no panic, instead looking at Qin Yu provocatively.
Do you dare do anything to the Raiden Shogun's familiar, Inazuma's Grand Shrine Maiden?
Qin Yu raised an eyebrow and smiled.
Mischievous fox, still playing with fire even now.
It seems you haven't heard the story of the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.
Reverence had long since vanished.
"Be good, play a game with me."
Beneath the serene night sky, Qin Yu's fingertip lit up with golden light, forming an invisible great net.
The Net of the Four Directions.
"...Let's see if you can forge an equal contract with me now."
Qin Yu looked at Miss Fox, whose eyes finally showed some change, and smiled.
Now, who was the prey?
My cute little fox.