Inazuma — the Grand Narukami Shrine.
After finishing the curse, Xia Zhi removed his [Temporary Certificate].
The title of [Vampire Progenitor] might grant him mastery over countless blood-related spells, but it also came with a few rather troublesome side effects—like an occasional, almost instinctive craving for blood.
That was simply a racial trait of the vampires.
The stronger they grew, the more intense that thirst became.
"Maybe next time I should write 'Non-bloodsucking Vampire Progenitor' on the certificate…"
He gave a wry smile and opened his status panel.
His [Luck Potion] still had about ten minutes left on its effect.
Might as well open another chest while it's active.
Xia Zhi reached into his inventory and pulled out a Diamond Treasure Chest.
He selected Open.
A small crystal appeared in his palm.
[Hexagonal Ice]
Quality: Diamond-tier
Type: Special Item
Traits: Frost, Preservation, Stealth
Effect: Automatically grants mastery of all Cryo spells up to Tier V; allows the user to seal a chosen target inside this item—targets sealed within take no damage and enter a special stealth state, unobservable by Fate.
Hidden Effect: This item possesses six facets, each providing a different type of attribute bonus.
Recyclable: 10,000 points.
Xia Zhi lowered his head, studying the crystal hovering lightly over his palm.
It was shaped like a perfect cube of ice.
He glanced back at his status screen—
a new buff had appeared: [Hexagonal Ice – Defense], increasing his DEF by 30%.
With a thought, the crystal shifted shape, elongating into a sleek, needle-like prism.
The defensive buff vanished, replaced by [Hexagonal Ice – Attack], which raised his ATK by 30%.
Curious, Xia Zhi cycled through the other four crystal forms.
Each one granted a different enhancement—Speed, Intelligence, Luck, and Charisma.
Just that hidden effect alone made it an incredibly practical item.
Checking his skill panel next, he found a fresh list of Cryo spells—Tier I through Tier V.
Looks like I'm an Cryo Archon now.
He formed a tiny snowflake on his fingertip, admired its crystalline shimmer for a few seconds, then let it melt away.
His gaze returned to the item's other ability:
Allows the user to seal a chosen target inside this item—targets sealed within take no damage and enter a special stealth state, unobservable by Fate.
That was interesting.
Used offensively, it could imprison an enemy and render them immobile.
Used defensively, it could protect an ally completely from harm.
It was a bit like the ultimate from that ice sorceress in games—but what intrigued him most was that "special stealth state."
To be unobservable by Fate meant the sealed target could neither influence nor be influenced by destiny itself.
Basically, a powered-up version of the [Hat of Secrecy].
And given his absurdly high Luck stat, the items he got from chests almost always turned out to be things he'd need soon.
Xia Zhi turned the crystal over in his palm, thinking.
Right now, Inazuma already had him, Xia Ci, Xia Zhen, Ei, Venti, and the Dragon King—six god-tier beings.
Even if the serpent god came back from the dead, they wouldn't need to worry.
So what use could this [Hexagonal Ice] possibly have?
He recalled the [Intertwined Fate] he'd pulled from the Platinum Chest earlier.
Could it mean that when he traveled back five hundred years to Inazuma, he'd encounter a situation where he needed to use this item?
To save Kitsune Saiguu from the dark calamity?
No—that couldn't be it. If she had survived five hundred years ago, Hanachirusato wouldn't exist now.
Makoto? Impossible. He had personally resurrected her through Soul Summoning.
Maybe it wasn't about saving someone, but sealing something—perhaps a powerful Abyssal creature too dangerous to destroy.
He mulled it over for a moment longer, then tucked the crystal away.
Since he had some free time, he pulled out the white fox mask Hanachirusato had given him that morning.
It was an ordinary festival mask from a roadside stall—
Inazuma's people loved wearing such masks during festivities; it was tradition.
Xia Zhi used alchemy to reinforce the mask's material until it was tougher, then began inscribing runes of transformation on its inner surface with practiced ease.
After a moment's thought, he added another function—shape-shifting.
[Mask of Lightning]
Quality: Platinum
Type: Charged Artifact
Traits: Divine Blessing, Transformation
Effect: Absorbs Faith Power to charge. When fully charged, the wearer may transform into a Divinely Blessed form.
Hidden Effect: The purer the wearer's faith in the creator, the stronger the power they can wield while transformed.
Recyclable: 1,000 points.
Satisfied, Xia Zhi set the mask on the table and sent Hanachirusato a message on his phone.
"Your mask's ready. Come to my room."
"Coming!"
Moments later, there was a knock at the door.
"Mr. Xia? I'm here!"
"Mm. Come in."
Hanachirusato stepped inside.
"What were you doing just now?"
"Listening to music in the hallway."
"By yourself?"
"Yeah… I just wanted a little quiet."
"Could it be that you couldn't find anyone to hang out with?"
"…"
"I saw the four of you drinking together at lunch. You seemed to be getting along well."
"Yeah… but after that, Makoto went back to Tenshukaku, and Miko got busy with her work."
"And Ei?"
"She went back to the kitchen again…"
Hanachirusato made a complicated face.
"I wouldn't dare go near her."
Of course—she remembered teaching Ei how to cook, and she knew just how terrifying those results could be.
Xia Zhi couldn't help but laugh.
Hanachirusato brightened, her eyes full of curiosity. "Mr. Xia, is the mask really finished?"
"Yeah. Take a look."
He picked it up from the table.
"It looks… different from before."
"I made it sturdier—won't break so easily now."
"Oh… but didn't you say it wouldn't be ready until tomorrow?"
"I had some spare time, so I went ahead and finished it."
"Thank you so much, Mr. Xia!"
"No problem."
He handed her the mask.
"Go on, try it."
Hanachirusato blinked. "Here? How do I do it?"
"Just put it on, then pray to me in your heart. You know how to do that, right?"
"I do!"
She took a breath, steadied herself, and placed the mask over her face.
Her old festival mask hadn't fit very well, but this one—this one felt perfect.
It hugged her features as if custom-made, smooth and comfortable with not the slightest hint of irritation.
Closing her eyes, she whispered Xia Zhi's name reverently in her heart—just as Qiqi had taught her.
A strange warmth rose from deep within her.
Transform.
She mouthed the word silently.
Lightning flickered across the mask, wrapping her in a cocoon of violet arcs until her entire body was enveloped in a blazing thunder sphere.
At that same moment, Xia Zhi felt a pulse of connection—a familiar, intimate resonance in his chest.
Then came the system prompt:
"Faith request detected from a devoted follower."
"Respond?"
Yes.
He confirmed.
A system panel unfolded before him, showing a familiar interface—a character sheet.
The silhouette clearly belonged to Hanachirusato.
And she wasn't wearing any clothes.
In the corner, the screen displayed: [Available Points: 100]
Xia Zhi opened his inventory, pulled out the [Suture Needle], temporarily unlocking the skill [Tailoring Master].
Then he activated his passive skill [Art Appreciation].
Only after that did he begin crafting her outfit.
In no time, an elegant Inazuma-style dress took shape.
He closed the panel.
The lightning sphere faded, and Hanachirusato emerged, transformed—eyes fluttering open in dazed wonder.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
"I feel… full of lightning. It's flowing through me…"
"Not just that. Touch your face."
"Huh? The mask—it's gone?"
"If you like wearing it, just think about it and it'll reappear."
"Let me try…"
The fox mask shimmered back onto her face.
"It really worked!"
"I also added a transformation function," Xia Zhi said casually.
"Transformation?"
"Mm. You can change your appearance into someone else's. Just picture them clearly in your mind."
"Really?"
"Go ahead."
"Okay."
Hanachirusato closed her eyes and focused.
Her form shifted—her body shrank, her hair color changed—and in moments, she looked exactly like Qiqi.
Opening her eyes, she glanced down at her smaller frame, curiosity lighting her face.
Xia Zhi chuckled. "I thought you'd turn into Ei first."
She blinked, then smirked—her body growing taller, more mature, transforming seamlessly into Ei's likeness.
Of course, she knew Ei so well that she didn't even need to close her eyes this time; a single thought was enough.
"Mr. Xia, how's this?"
"The looks are perfect," he said, smiling. "But personality-wise… Ei's colder than that."
"That's true," she said softly. "Though she's not really cold inside. Her heart is actually…"
She trailed off mid-sentence, suddenly realizing she'd said too much.
Despite regaining many memories, she still hadn't fully adjusted to her current self.
Xia Zhi nodded meaningfully. "You're the same way."
"…"
"Alright. Go get used to your Magical Girl powers. If you're unsure about anything, ask Qiqi—she's your senior."
"Got it."
Hanachirusato thanked him again and left the room, having reverted to her usual appearance.
As she stepped out, Xia Zhi's voice followed her:
"Oh, and if you don't like the outfit, I can redesign it anytime."
She looked down at herself and smiled. "I love it."
"Good."
She walked a few steps, feeling how the outfit fit her perfectly—every line of fabric molded to her form as though it had been tailored by hand.
…Did Mr. Xia know my measurements that well?
Maybe from… when he gave me that massage?
Her face reddened at the thought, and she quickened her pace out of embarrassment.
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