"A Descender? Such things are seldom seen, seldom even spoken of."
Cloud Retainer’s eyes glead with thought.
She had heard of them, yes— hundreds of years ago, even before Rex Lapis had walked the earth.
Those who descended from beyond were always beings of unfathomable might.
And now, a naless man appeared before her, standing casually at the Raiden Shogun’s side.
If he had not yet displayed his power, was it because this Descender sought not to challenge the Heavenly Principles outright, but to turn the Archons to his cause— and one day overthrow Celestia together?
Otherwise, how could she explain Baal standing by his side?
Her mind raced with possibilities.
Were Su Ran able to read thoughts, he would no doubt protest:
So in your eyes, a Descender is destined to stir rebellion?
"...Then you must know Rex Lapis’ whereabouts."
Baal’s gaze earlier had said enough.
This man was connected to Morax’s disappearance.
"That I cannot say for sure.
But so days ago, I encountered a mortal who disguised himself as Morax, trying to gain an audience with my companion here.
I found him suspicious and struck him down."
Su Ran recounted the eting with Zhongli as if it were nothing.
But Cloud Retainer’s feathers bristled.
If a re Descender could strike Rex Lapis— had he truly...?
"Of course, the fellow was weak.
He couldn’t even withstand a single blow from .
So I concluded he was a fraud."
"Then most likely he was a fraud!"
Cloud Retainer exhaled in relief.
Even if a Descender fought Rex Lapis, it would hardly be over in a single strike.
The Geo Archon was among the oldest gods of the land, the one who carved a nation from stone.
Even a Descender would need to weigh the heft of rock before challenging him.
"Hmph! To impersonate the Patriarch of Adepti— that deceiver deserves death!"
Her birdlike features twisted with outrage.
She would have liked nothing better than to personally punish such insolence.
"Where is the fraud now?"
"Locked away in an Inazuman prison.
He won’t be out for quite so ti."
"Good! Serves him right."
With that, Cloud Retainer let the matter rest.
"...But you. Your aura feels entirely ordinary.
No transcendent power at all.
Are you concealing it with so secret technique?"
The great crane began to circle Su Ran, studying him closely.
This was her first ti beholding a Descender.
Naturally, she sought to understand.
After all, every Descender of the past had left their mark on history.
Even the weakest among them had slain a god.
"...No, nothing like that."
Su Ran, for his part, had no idea what this "aura" business was about.
Power was power— sothing he used when needed, not sothing he projected for others to feel.
To him, "divine pressure" was just social status, like mortals bowing their heads before a god.
"Most likely it’s because I am a sage with a talent for invention.
My strength lies not in force, but in intellect."
If Morax, the Tsaritsa, or Ei thought him formidable, that was because they saw only his strength,
not his true genius.
He was not rely strong— he was a Genius Club Envoy.
And "Genius" ant invention, wisdom, creation.
"...A sage of invention?"
Cloud Retainer drew back slightly, eyes alight with renewed interest.
A Descender renowned for wisdom— such a thing she had never heard of.
"Then this Adeptus must see how dazzling your wisdom truly is."
"Anything you can imagine, I can probably create."
Su Ran lifted his chin proudly.
Dazzling a native of Teyvat with his knowledge was hardly difficult.
If he felt like it, he could build constructs with the strength of gods themselves.
"My mastery of chanisms is profound, rarely have I been defeated.
Do you dare match yourself against ?"
She did not ntion her one true loss.
That mory was... bittersweet.
"Oh? Does True Lord Cloud Retainer truly have such courage?"
Su Ran’s lips curved.
Of all things to compete in, she had chosen chanical craft?
Did she not realize the Raiden Shogun’s body was itself a pinnacle of chanism?
"Did you know?
This very vessel of the Shogun was crafted by .
It took less than two days."
He gestured toward Ei.
"If you are so confident, why not pit your chanisms against this body of mine?"
"...What?!"
Cloud Retainer nearly choked.
Match her craft against the vessel of a god?!
That was beyond folly.
"She speaks the truth," Ei added, stepping forward.
"True Lord, will you test ?
I will not draw upon my own power, only what this body itself is capable of."
For so reason, when Su Ran boasted, a strange pride welled within her too.
She would gladly stand as proof of his genius.
"...Lord Baal, this is no jest..."
Cloud Retainer’s voice trembled.
Even she—ancient and arrogant as she was— would not dare such a match.
She had no wish to be humiliated by a Descender’s creation.
~~--------------------------------------
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