Chapter 11: The White Cat and Its Master

Chapter 11: The White Cat and Its Master

Bzzzz…

The first rays of morning sunlight touched Bai Luo’s face, stirring him from sleep.

As he blinked his eyes open, a few Electro Crystalflies fluttered above, zipping in graceful arcs around him.

They weren't just dancing—they were also helping to drive away the nearby Hilichurls who were starting to stir.

Dispatching the pests with practiced ease, Bai Luo glanced toward the inside of the tent.

Last night, Ksenia had gotten a bit tipsy—enough that Bai Luo had volunteered to take the night watch.

Though in truth, it wasn’t out of chivalry or duty.

He was just… too embarrassed to sleep beside her.

Ksenia didn’t seem to mind, not at all.

But Bai Luo, at his core, was a proper gentleman.

Taking advantage of someone wasn’t something he could do—not even a little.

Still, the situation wasn’t without its perks.

He’d taken the opportunity to tag Ksenia with a discreet mark—one that let him find her whenever he wanted.

The “mosquitoes”—those famously annoying tracking spirits in games—suddenly didn’t seem so bad.

With a stretch and a yawn, Bai Luo took a look around.

But Ksenia was nowhere in sight.

Eventually, he found a note beside the cooking pot.

Neat handwriting with just a hint of wildness, alongside a hand-drawn map.

As a member of the Fatui vanguard, she had her own mission to carry out.

After leaving him some rations, she'd set off to “get to work.”

Bai Luo chuckled softly as he studied the writing, then fished a few jars of jam from his pocket.

These were a small gift—from Snezhnaya.

He hadn’t developed a taste for firewater during his time there, but jam?

Jam he had fallen for, hard.

Now, he never traveled without a few jars.

‘These… can be her gift,’ he thought.

He turned his attention to the map.

Although the art was a bit abstract, after studying it carefully, Bai Luo finally realized something important:

Last night, while chasing that “little thief,” he had completely left Ritou Island.

Then he was dragged through the forest by Kujou Sara, and somehow ended up near Narukami Island Mt. Yougou.

No wonder that nearby mountain had looked so familiar.

He was lucky he hadn’t tried to scale it—If he’d climbed that peak and run into that several-hundred-year-old fox, Bai Luo wasn’t sure he would’ve made it back alive.

After getting his bearings, he began the trek back toward Ritou.

He didn’t rush.

As long as he returned before sundown, it would be fine.

After all, how often did he get to visit Inazuma?

Might as well take in the sights—before Raiden Shogun smacked him into a lightning puddle.

When passing by a fox statue, he even paused to politely greet a shrine maiden wearing a fox mask.

But just as he was leaving Konda Village, the sound of footsteps behind him made Bai Luo silently vanish into the shadows.

=+=

Shadow Step:

Enter invisibility 1 second after activation. Movement speed increases by 8%.

Performing normal attacks or casting skills ends the effect but guarantees a critical hit on the next strike.

=+=

This was Bai Luo’s trump card, and the core reason he had risen to become the instructor of the Pyro Agents.

Once he entered Shadow Step, even Fatui Harbingers couldn’t sense his presence.

When the Tsaritsa learned of this power, she made a personal trip to the training grounds to witness it herself.

Afterwards, the Rooster who accompanied her had relayed the message:

“She left only one remark: ‘Interesting.’”

Shortly after that visit, Bai Luo was promoted to Twelfth of the Fatui Harbingers.

And honestly, after thinking about it further, Bai Luo suspected that not even the Archons themselves were able to see through his technique.

Soon, a group of bandits—clearly disguised as wandering swordsmen—entered his line of sight.

They carried long blades, moving in tight formation with grim expressions.

They weren’t here for him.

Even though he was no longer visible, they continued rushing forward, focused on something else entirely.

These thugs, known as the Nobushi, were despised even by the Fatui.

Their brutality and lawlessness made them a thorn in everyone's side.

Bai Luo narrowed his eyes, silently tailing them.

They had long since shed any shred of honor as samurai.

Now, for the sake of mere profit, they even colluded with the Treasure Hoarders.

The sight of these Nobushi gathering in force piqued Bai Luo’s curiosity.

Thanks to the stealth granted by Shadow Step, he quietly tailed the group—their path leading toward the border between Narukami Island and Ritou.

But Shadow Step wasn’t infinite in duration.

To avoid detection, Bai Luo deliberately kept some distance.

Not that he couldn’t beat them—He just didn’t want to startle them unnecessarily.

Before long, the sharp clash of steel and shouting echoed ahead.

Bai Luo’s stealth had just worn off.

He considered activating it again to slip in undetected, but—

Rustle

A soft sound by his foot drew his attention.

Glancing down, he found a snow-white cat crouching at his side—its sapphire eyes locked onto him with wary intensity.

It looked familiar somehow.

The little feline stared at him, visibly tense, as if startled by his sudden appearance.

“…Could it be them?”

The cat’s face stirred a memory—two figures flashed through Bai Luo’s mind.

Without another word, he vanished from the cat’s sight again—this time bringing the small creature along as he moved toward the source of the commotion.

Even before reaching the scene, he could already feel it: a crisp wind that swept gently across his face, and streaks of blinding lightning illuminating the trees in bursts.

No matter how fierce the Nobushi were, they were no match for two Vision holders.

By the time Bai Luo arrived, the battle was over.

The field was littered with fallen bandits.

Two seemingly mild-mannered youths stood at the center of the battlefield, but the aftermath left no doubt: these two were far more dangerous than they looked.

The taller one bit a blade of grass between his lips, his sword sliding effortlessly back into its sheath—not a scratch on him.

A flickering of Electro energy still danced along the blade’s edge.

Clearly, he was an Electro Vision user.

The moment he spotted the white cat bounding toward him, his instincts kicked in—he raised his arm, expecting it to leap up to his shoulder like always.

But instead, the cat launched itself into his arms—then burrowed frantically into his clothes, as if seeking shelter from some unseen threat.

It was… odd.

So odd that the boy’s relaxed expression disappeared, replaced by razor-sharp focus.

“Since you’re already here, why not come out and say hello?”

His voice was casual, even gentle—but the way he cradled the cat while subtly adjusting his grip showed he was fully prepared to draw his sword.

Even when faced with a yokai, his cat had never reacted like this.

Whoever was hiding out there… was more dangerous than he’d expected.

“…Hm?”

The other youth had also sheathed his blade.

Upon hearing his companion’s words, his guard instantly went up.

But after a thorough scan of the surroundings, he frowned in confusion.

As a holder of the Anemo Vision, his sensitivity to environmental shifts—every breeze, every rustle—was second to none.

And yet, the wind whispered no signs of life.

“No one’s there. Maybe you—”

He didn’t finish the sentence.

A dark figure appeared a few paces away—sudden and silent—as if they had materialized from thin air.

A strange mask obscured the figure’s face.

No footstep. No elemental ripple. Not even a shimmer of energy.

It defied everything they knew about elemental techniques.

If this figure had wanted to strike—neither of them would’ve had time to react.

That realization sent a cold sweat down both their backs.

Because they knew, with terrifying clarity, that if this hidden figure decided to assassinate them, they wouldn’t have survived.

“…How about we have a little chat?”

The masked man’s voice was calm—almost friendly.