New Year

"H-how can it be?" Mai Noa said incredulously, unable to think how their plan had went wrong "You shouldn't be here, the siblings should!"

"It kind of funny how people such as you doubt information given on a plate as Thoma did, but on the other hand, fully trust the information *undercovered*" Allen made finger quotes "by their spy."

"She betrayed us!" Mai Noa realized angrily that his second cousin working at the Kamisato's had betrayed them.

"Betray? There was no need" Allen shook his head sighing "Making someone betray their side consumes time and resources, is far more practical to guide them to false information."

Allen grinned remembering his movements, telling Sayu to make sure of being followed at Ayato's office. Sayu signaling with a nod that their spy was at his correct position when she opened the door to Thoma and finally changing the room, making it easier for the spy to hear the actual false information that he wanted to be transmitted, investigating the room to make sure that he was there to spy.

"True enemies are easier to find rather than trustworthy allies and they could be useful as them." Allen grinned.

"Dammit kid!" Noa shouted angrily "I will take your life! Die as a sacrifice. Attack!"

Ten of the soldiers disguised as bandits charged toward Allen's group

"Sacrifice?" Allen lifted his eyebrow "I'm not sacrificing anyone."

*Flash* Sparks flew all around Allen's group as Tomoki stepped forward, his hands flashing for an instant.

*Paf* Just like the attacking group fell to the ground dead, all their necks perfectly cut, their head flying away with eyes that couldn't react to the sudden death. It wasn't not being able to see the attack, it reached the point of not being aware of their own death.

And in the middle of them, the culprit stayed calmly looking at the dead bodies with cold eyes, the coldest that Allen had ever seen him. Tomoki's Delusion glowed strongly as he wielded two swords, one at each hand, his usual one at his right and one made of pure lightning that cracked every second.

"Haha" Allen let out a small laugh with a half-cracked smile, not really knowing how to react 'So this is the power of a Harbinger'.

Allen's eyes had been able to follow Tomoki's swords, so he was well aware of what incredible speed and technique Tomoki reached.

'It's not only that I can't copy, but I'm also unable to even look at it clearly.' Allen put his hands covering his eyes. Seeing Tomoki's clear attack were too much pressure for them, if he pushed it more, he would start bleeding from them.

"Fuck!" Noa cursed "I knew that he was strong, but not that much. How are you even here?! You should had been leaving Inazuma!"

Hearing his curses Allen rolled his eyes. That was even easier, it was as simply as leaving with the ship and in the middle of the sea take a boat to return. They had discovered some spies on the ship sent by the Mai Clan that were there to make sure that Tomoki left, but it was incredibly easy to discover and take care of them. In the end, that ship was one prepared for a Harbinger to travel so it was hiddenly controlled by Snezhnaya.

"I'll need to act!" Noa clicked his tongue "You are not the only Vision bearer!" Mai Noa charged forward while wielding a spear that had a Pyro Vision hanging at the bottom by a rope "Attack the other two while I distract him!" Noa ordered at the ones behind Tomoki, three people charging over Allen and the remaining hooded person.

"Dance of the Fire Dragon!" Noa twirled over the air as if dancing, flames surging all around his spear, covering himself with an immense red dragon as he charged towards Tomoki.

"Are you not worried about your companions?!" Noa mocked Tomoki, hoping to create some carelessness in him, an opening for his attack, but he found Tomoki still, waiting for his attack and completely ignoring the others.

"He can protect himself. In the end, I taught him." Tomoki said as a matter of fact. "Now, die."

*Crrr* Lightning cracked as Tomoki swung both swords and just like that the threatening dragon completely dissipated, cut in half of parts all along its master.

"I-it can't be. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGG!" Noa made his last sounds as he was scorched by the lightning, his body lifeless falling to the ground without any blood behind.

On Allen's side, three bandits charged at him. Allen calmly put his hand of his sword's hilt and lowered his posture, stepping his right foot forward.

"Kabuki!" Allen drew his sword, sword qi plus cryo element flying over, shooting a net of it over the three bandits that uselessly tried to parry it, being cut by it and making a bloody mess before dying.

"It's really a beautiful move" Allen looked at the result, remembering when Ayaka attacked him. Of course, his attack was far more lethal, Allen perfectly targeting mortal wounds on the enemies plus the increase of sharpness using his Elemental Skill.

'Using it over the sword qi would increase its power without damaging the sword' Allen really wanted it to try it 'But I shouldn't be glad for it, I need to reach a point where I can control it without damaging it. At that time, I would finally be able to say that I mastered my Elemental Skill.'

Having finished on his side, Allen turned to look at Tomoki's side.

'I was worried about their numbers, but it was an useless thought' Allen thought seeing Tomoki fighting. Not only he had killed their leader in a second, but he was also massacring the others at an incredible speed that seemed to grow faster with each new kill.

Tomoki's style was focused on counterattacking with quick and swift slashes, but once he had summoned that second sword, his style completely changed to a far more aggressive attack. A restless charge that seemed to make its own defense, becoming an impenetrable blur of death that Allen didn't dare to intensively look at it, his eyes reaching the limit just seeing him moving.

'Truly a monster.'

...

Finally, the sun appeared from the horizon, signaling the start of a new day and with it, the end of their battle.

Tomoki stood tall with only one sword at his hand as he lifelessly looked at the corpses around him "Allen, are you really sure that this is the path that you want to follow?" Tomoki asked without expecting an answer.

"Bye" He sheathed his sword and boarded the boat, leaving the coast for his ship.

'Is this really so much different?' Allen looked at the three that he had killed. Allen couldn't feel any remorse in killing them, in the end, it was necessary to protect himself. But it was necessary for Tomoki?

With such strength, there might be a better way. He simply followed my plan. This massacre is for my decision but it was committed by him. 'It's that what you are referring, master?'

Seeing the boat leaving, the last hooded person finally took out her hood, Honoka revealing herself. Honoka had her hands held together while her eyes were fixed on the boat and mumbled something as if praying.

Just as the boat left their vision, Honoka turned to Allen with tears in her eyes "Please, young master. Don't force him like this again."

'Maybe, it wasn't the best plan' Seeing Honoka's sadness, Allen felt his first sign of culpability. Honoka was someone very dear for Tomoki, treating her like a mother even when she usually acted as a servant, his trust went to the point of telling her about being a Harbinger.

"I'll try. I promise" Allen said truthfully.

'The first big problem of Inazuma, the first plan going correctly and my first victory' Allen thought 'Why does it have a so bitter taste?'

...

"Happy New Year, Allen!" Ayaka shouted cheerily as she jumped over Allen. Ayaka was wearing a beautiful blue and white kimono and was perfectly dressed, seeming a princess of a fairy tale.

"Happy New Year, Ayaka" Allen smiled hugging Ayaka. As Ayaka, he was fully prepared, wearing a pale yukata that gave him a regal air. It was extremely uncomfortable, making it difficult to move, but Honoka had forced him to wear it.

"Happy New Year to you too, Ayato" Allen said looking at the serious Ayato looking directly at him, not lowering his attention.

Allen and Ayato had changed after the Mai's incident. Previously, Ayato saw Allen as a devilish kid that wanted to take his sister from him, but now, he saw a complete demon, a dangerous being to be wary of it.

Allen completely manipulated all sides, accomplishing his desired end. Ayato was truly awespired and scared now that he was aware of it. He didn't trust anyone, keeping everyone in check as his plan transpired, taking into account the possible betrayal of every part including Thoma.

In the end, he had achieved it. The Mai Clan had lost its head and their main forces, their strength no longer threatening. Moreover, they had sent a message to everyone that would try to attack the Kamisato Clan in the future, showing the result of the one-sided massacre.

The mystery created of not leaving anyone alive only strengthened the rumor. People unsure of the Kamisato's hidden strength that seeing the result was immense no matter what.

That caused the retreat of the Hiiragi Clan that as Allen thought, no merchant would put their money in the unknown, risking losing it. In the end, the Hiiragi Clan put far more importance on money than on the possible boost of political power. Those marking the true end of the Mai Clan that lost their sponsor.

Also, Allen's plan didn't finish at this point. After that night, Ayato and Ayaka were hidden in a secret place for over a week and Allen had taken that opportunity to scrutinize the servants, letting false information of their whereabouts and seeing how they react with it.

With such a move, they had been able to find two spies over the most trustworthy servants, making the State safer for the siblings. Following Allen's words, it's not that the servants left are trustworthy, but at least now, they won't dare to reveal.

Allen seemed to want to squeeze everything from the situation, gaining most of it.

"Good New Year" Ayato would have liked to throw out Allen, keeping him far from his sister who was unaware of the Allen's multiple plots, but he couldn't. In the end, Allen had made it all for them, especially for Ayaka and Ayato should be thankful for it.

"Let's write our New Year's wishes!" Ayaka took Allen's sleeve, dragging him over the sanctuary.

For New Year it was custom to visit the Grand Narukami Shrine and pray for a happy new year and make wishes, Allen going with the Kamisato Siblings this time.

"I'm fed up!" Just as they were crossing through the shrine, Allen heard a shout from a girl.

The girl had green hair and was wearing a priestess uniform from the shrine and she seemed a little older than Allen, about 13 or 14 "I hate these ceremonies! I hate the rules! I hate this uniform!" The girl broke up her uniform, opening the legs, making it far easier to move.

"I hate it all!" She shouted angrily "I'm at my limit! I quit!"

"Please, calm down, Shinobu!"a brown haired shrine maiden tried to stop her "What would mother say?"

"She can say whatever she wants! I'm quitting! I'll take the first ship outside! Mondstadt, Liyue, Snezhnaya... It doesn't matter at all as long as I leave! Don't try to stop me, Miyuki!"

The maiden called Miyuki tried to stop Shinobu but as she was about to step forward there was a purple glow and a purple gemstone appeared in front of Shinobu, an Electro Vision!

"Hum!" Shinobu huffed and took the Vision before quickly running away from the shrine, supposedly to Ritou to take a ship to leave Inazuma.

All this scene happening under the wide eyes of the big crowd of spectators that visited the shrine for New Year.

"Wow! Really?" Allen smiled in wonder. A priestess from a shrine that is supposed to worship the Electro Archon quits her position and receives an Electro Vision, that could be considered the favor of the Archon. How can someone says that she is doing wrong?

"Let's go, Allen. Don't fool around" Ayaka dragged Allen, breaking his thought.

"Okay, okay." Allen let himself be dragged, finally reaching the immense Sacred Sakura that represented the strength of the Archon with its roots all over Inazuma.

There, it was custom to write your wish over a paper and finally hang it, receiving the Archon's benediction.

Ayaka quickly write her paper and was about to hang it "What did you write, Ayaka?"

"N-nothing!" Ayaka blushed embarrassed, saying the first thing in her head, gaining Allen's teasing smile "It's a secret!" She answered thinking a little as she looked at her paper 'For Allen, Sayu and me to be forever friends' before hanging it with a beautiful bow.

"Okay, I respect it. But you should know that mine would also be" Allen wrote his paper 'That Tomoki return safely' and hanged it.

Allen really didn't believe in these things, but his logical mind said that it was most probable to wish for a most probable desire and that can accomplish it shorty as in the end, it was for this new year.

'Master be safe' Allen prayed in his mind.

...

At Snezhnaya, over an icy palace, Tomoki stood in a hall wearing with 10 other people, all of them wearing matching white coats. All of them were very different from each other, having very defined characteristics. The only thing in common was the power and authority that they seemed to ooze. It even made Tomoki feel weaker.

*Tock* *Tock* Steps were heard and every gaze turned over the grand door that didn't last long before it opened, a woman with white hair that exuded strength and coldness entering the hall.

"Happy New Year, Harbingers."