Genshin Impact: Strength Through Bonds

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The unexpected surprise left Ren momentarily stunned.

He held the hairpin in his hand, silent.

"Hey???"

Yoimiya waved her hand in front of his face, puffing her cheeks.

And he says there's nothing going on…

Yet, the moment he received a mysterious gift from a girl, he was frozen like this!

"Hey—!"

Yoimiya shouted directly into his ear.

"Keep this up, and I'll go tell on you!"

Snapping back to reality, Ren clenched the letter tightly in his hand.

Without another word, he turned and walked away.

"I'm heading back to my room."

"Wait, hey, wait for me!"

Yoimiya quickly chased after him.

Ren moved fast and was already near his room in no time.

"Darn it, Takahashi, stop right there!"

Yoimiya caught up, headbutting him in frustration. She gasped for air, completely out of breath.

"So… tired."

She clutched her side, slightly winded.

Fuming, Yoimiya punched Ren's shoulder.

This guy totally did it on purpose!

"Post-meal exercise is good for digestion," Ren said with a grin, amused by her struggle.

That'll teach her to keep chasing me.

Grinding her teeth, Yoimiya glared at him. "Where are you trying to go?"

Is he planning to elope with the girl from the letter?!

Ren smiled faintly and turned to her.

"Can't I just go back to my room to rest?"

"No, you can't!"

Yoimiya rejected him outright.

She was determined to keep a constant eye on him.

"Oh, I get it."

Raising an eyebrow, Ren's expression shifted to a mischievous grin.

"What do you mean, you get it?"

Suddenly uneasy, Yoimiya instinctively wrapped her arms around herself.

Without another word, Ren opened the door.

"Please, after you, Yoimiya~♡."

"Y-you—what are you implying?!"

"Strange, aren't you the one inviting yourself in?"

Realizing his insinuation, Yoimiya's face turned crimson.

"Pervert!"

She shouted, embarrassed, and bolted outside.

Peeking back into the room, she glared at Ren like a ruffled kitten.

"Don't think you can sneak off just because I'm out here!"

Ren chuckled. Does she really think this will work?

"If you want to come back in, just knock," he teased.

"In your dreams!"

"Well, you said it, not me."

Ren waved casually before closing the door with a resounding thud.

Outside, Yoimiya stomped her foot in frustration.

Safely inside his room, Ren sat down at his desk and pulled out the letter.

The envelope was meticulously folded, reflecting the sender's diligent personality.

The handwriting was elegant, the pen name unmistakable:

Passing Beef Noodle Master.

Classic Keqing.

As an early player, Ren had a special fondness for her.

Back when the game first launched, accounts with Keqing as the starter character were sold for hundreds online.

Her popularity was no joke.

Smiling nostalgically, Ren opened the letter.

He remembered how their correspondence began…

In his quest to learn about the world beyond Inazuma, Ren had reached out to numerous pen pals.

One letter happened to find its way to Keqing.

While Ren sought knowledge about Liyue, Keqing was curious about tales of adventure.

As someone who had fully explored the Liyue region in the game, Ren had plenty of stories to share—real or imagined.

With his unique perspective as a transmigrator, his insights resonated deeply with Keqing.

Over time, the two became close pen pals.

Snapping back to the present, Ren unfolded the letter to see what Keqing had written this time.

Long time no see, my dear friend.

It's my lunch break, and I'm taking three minutes to write this.

Hopefully, it won't delay my work again because of you.

If necessary, I'll take several days to finish this letter.

She's still holding a grudge.

Ren shook his head, amused. Classic Keqing—such a workaholic.

Let me guess, you're still doing nothing, right?"

How does she always hit the nail on the head?

Ren couldn't help but grin, shifting into a more comfortable position to continue reading.

Hmm, what should I say this time…

There are so many things I want to share.

The handwriting paused here, the hesitation evident.

Probably more work-related topics.

Your perspective on land management last time was truly unique.

Ren chuckled softly.

I bet this is going to turn into another lecture.

I really don't know what's going on in your head.

Ren sighed, muttering to himself. All I want is to live peacefully.

And one more thing!

The handwriting suddenly became bolder.

You are my ideal assistant.

Why on earth would you refuse to move to Liyue?!

There's so much more potential for you to grow here.

You'd fall in love with Liyue, I'm sure of it."

More potential?

More overtime, you mean.

Ren chuckled softly.

Besides, Inazuma was still under lockdown.

If he tried sneaking out, the Shogun's lightning strike would be swift and unforgiving.

…Fine, forget it.

You wouldn't listen anyway.

But mark my words, if the opportunity arises, I'll brave the storms myself—

And personally 'invite' you back.

The increasing pressure in the strokes made Ren sigh.

Keqing, isn't this going a bit far?

Just to make someone work overtime?

Continuing down the letter, he noted the welcome shift in topic.

The figurine you sent over, I really like it.

So, this is what Inazuma's gods look like.

I wonder, though—how do gods see us?

But let me be clear, I don't like Rex Lapis figurines.

Ren burst out laughing.

Just wait, Keqing. Soon you'll eat those words.

As a return gift, I'll pick something special for you.

Finally, an excuse to shop till I drop.

Wouldn't it be more fun if you joined me?

The writing abruptly stopped, as though she'd taken a long pause.

When it resumed, the strokes seemed rushed.

Rex Lapis has passed away.

So much has happened, I can barely keep up.

So this… is what it's like to lose a god…

Ren frowned slightly.

The weight of her words was palpable.

Maybe you were right.

We shouldn't blindly follow the gods.

But we cannot deny their greatness, either.

I still have much to learn and strive for.

The pen seemed to linger in thought before continuing.

Meeting you has truly been a stroke of luck.

You've helped me regain my focus so quickly.

To thank you, I'm sending you this hairpin.

You know its story, don't you? I've told you plenty about it.

I look forward to your reply.

Better yet, bring yourself along with the letter to meet me.

The handwriting grew messier as though she had no energy left to continue.

The letter ended there.

[Ding! Emotional Resonance with Keqing: +1]

[+1… +1…+1…]

Ren let out a long breath and looked up.

The story was picking up pace. Who knew what lay ahead?

He opened his palm, gazing at the hairpin.

This is the most important thing I've gained so far.

"Let's see if you can help me sneak out," he murmured to the hairpin.

"System, wake up."

[Ding! The Emotional Bonds 2.0 system is at your service.]

Oh, now it even comes with a fancy title after the upgrade.

"Show me the new talent."

[Elemental Skill: Stellar Restoration]

Ren skimmed through the description, stopping at a few key lines.

[Hurls a Lightning Stiletto, when Stellar Restoration is cast again, blink to the mark.]

A grin spread across his face.

It works!

In his past life, Keqing had been his go-to for exploration.

Scaling cliffs and collecting Anemoculi had been a breeze thanks to her abilities.

This was a god-tier talent.

With this, sneaking out of the Kamisato Estate would be child's play.

Excited, Ren prepared to test the new ability.

"Hm?"

His expression suddenly shifted.

[Ding!]

[Now that you've been discovered, there's no choice left.]

Why do you sound like a villain?

[Ding!]

[Indeed. Welcome to the 2.0 era of multi-element powers.]

Ren realized something had changed.

Unlike the limited-time Electro Vision granted by the Baleful Omen previously,

He now had genuine control over the Electro element.

He could summon it at will.

This was game-changing.

[Ding!]

[Don't get too excited.]

[Switching between talents comes with a cooldown.]

[The more talents you use consecutively, the longer the cooldown.]

[We recommend keeping your team to four characters or fewer.]

Ren's excitement dimmed slightly.

Isn't this just the old party system from the game?

"So, you're sure I can unlock a 5-star talent?"

[Correct. The 2.0 system provides 5-star talents.]

"Then hand over the Kamisato Art: Soumetsu you owe me."

[Ding! Complete the required task first.]

"?"

"What about Starward Sword?"

[Ding! Complete the required task first.]

"???"

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T/N: oooh new system update

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