Some might wonder why Reisen Riou, after pirates were crushed, mused about farming's virtues.
Reisen Riou was a deeply rational youkai. As a tsukumogami born from a phone, logic was his default. Post-rebirth, reason trumped emotion most days.
To his analytical mind, Teyvat's Seven Archon-ruled nations were thriving and stable.
From a Sumeru scholar's memories, he knew the Seven were archetypal wise rulers, each wielding nation-crushing might. Their bonds, reportedly tight, ensured Teyvat's grand stability. Petty conflicts persisted, but corrupt officials or incompetents were rare under divine oversight.
Inazuma's pirates were a regional quirk, like Mondstadt's wines, Liyue's merchants, or Sumeru's mercenaries.
Most hailed from recently conquered Tsurumi Island and Watatsumi Island.
Watatsumi, subdued five centuries ago, saw its Great Serpent God felled by a single Raiden strike. The Coral Palace, its official authority, pledged loyalty to Narukami, erecting a local shrine. Yet, Watatsumi's folk still revered their Serpent God, led by the Coral Palace's Divine Priestess.
With barren soil, many Watatsumians turned to piracy.
Tsurumi's tale was similar. Three centuries ago, a mighty Electro elemental being—the Thunderbird, a Demon God-tier monster—wreaked havoc. An Inazuman arrow slew it, shattering Tsurumi into fragments. This sparked resentment, driving many to rebel against the Shogunate as pirates.
Tsurumi's superior shipbuilding and timber fueled a pirate fleet famed across Teyvat, roaming the Dark Sea, Inazuma's inner waters, and Sumeru's coasts, occasionally hitting Mondstadt and Liyue.
Pirates included criminals from Inazuma's other islands and foreigners, but Reisen Riou noted their makeup: mostly samurai, artisans, and outlaws, rarely farmers or merchants.
Even on harsh Tsurumi or barren Watatsumi, farmers seldom joined.
Reisen Riou had a theory: merchants laundered pirate loot, while farmers provided covert logistics.
Farmers, secretly supplying goods, were safer than merchants risking capture.
Piracy was the chain's riskiest link, followed by merchants, with farmers safest.
Hence, Reisen Riou's quip: farming was best. Low risk, steady income.
In Teyvat, food never lacked buyers—pirates or merchants, all paid. Liyue, under the Geo Archon's golden rule, devoured grain, trading shimmering Mora.
Mora fueled weapons, spells, rituals, and daily life. Inazuma's Seagrass, rice, and seafood were exported for Mora.
Purifying Ley Line resentments, Reisen Riou gleaned swordsmanship, spearmanship, navigation, and combat theories—scraps from elite pirates. Their slaughter-honed skills blurred or faded, leaving only theoretical fragments for him.
After absorbing these gifts, he prayed silently, hoping they'd avoid piracy in their next lives. Why not mine in Liyue, hunt in Mondstadt, or fish and farm in Inazuma?
Then he paused, doubting Teyvat's reincarnation system.
Exploring Ley Lines, he'd found memory crystals and soul shards from ancient heroes—Seven Nations era, Khaenri'ah, the Archon War, mysterious tribes, even pre-Archon War times.
Teyvat's roots seemed… off. Grinning wryly, Reisen Riou resumed observing Dendro Slimes.
Worldly flaws weren't his problem. He'd died and reborn once—ha!
Recently, the Slimes' activity thickened Dendro elements in a grassy patch. Reisen Riou planned to channel Ley Line energy to spawn more Dendro Slimes or Crystalflies.
Action-oriented, he sat cross-legged on the grass, focusing to draw Ley Line energy.
"What're you doing?" Anko Kanno appeared, sensing Ley Line fluctuations.
She hadn't had this knack before, but a year alongside Reisen Riou somehow awakened it.
"You startled me!" Reisen Riou's hand seal skewed. Luckily, it was a mental focus seal, not elemental.
"Studying elemental being creation. Need some Ley Line energy."
"Tch, just making Dendro Slimes, right? No need for that fuss. Hit a large Dendro Slime hard, and it spawns small ones."
"We've got one right here, don't we?"
A large Dendro Slime, happily sipping Dendro, shivered. Spotting Anko, it burrowed. Nearby small Slimes followed suit.
"Ugh, they're getting smarter," Anko griped.
"Don't scare them," Reisen Riou said. "Low-tier elemental beings aren't just Slimes—Crystalflies count, too."
He was sure the Ley Lines' weight favored Slimes, but he needed a distraction. If Anko caught him secretly training Slimes, his guardian gig would get messy.
In Teyvat, monsters killed. Small Pyro or Electro Slimes could down an adult. Large Slimes could crush lone rookie adventurers or mercenaries.
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