Villain Simulator, Ch 166

[Exiting Immersive Mode]

[Reward: Talent "Aura of the God of Storms."]

Effect: You can manifest wind elements as an aura to intimidate other beings. The greater the disparity in power between you and your target, the higher the success rate.

[From then on, you devised "new methods" to punish Barbatos. Even you were unsure if your actions stemmed more from a desire for vengeance or a darker need for release.]

[Age 1881:] [At the suggestion of the Wisdom of the West Wind, you entered a formal alliance with the neighboring nation of Liyue.]

[Though invading Liyue would have been an optimal strategy, the strength of Morax, the God of Contracts, had left a deep impression on you. Moreover, you had once promised never to trespass upon Liyue's lands.]

[If you couldn't be enemies, it was best to be allies.]

[You had assumed that nearly two millennia would have erased Morax's memory of you, but to your surprise, he not only remembered but expressed astonishment at your rise.]

[Back then, you were an obscure, wandering god in Mondstadt. Now, your towering stronghold could even glimpse the borders of Liyue.]

[After some deliberation, Morax agreed to the alliance. Unlike the unified Mondstadt under your rule, Liyue was a land teeming with rival gods. Morax's ability to maintain his dominion amid constant battles spoke volumes about his strength.]

[During the signing of the pact, an unexpected event occurred—a rogue god launched a sudden attack on Liyue Harbor.]

[You viewed this as an excellent opportunity to witness Morax's power. Though the rogue god's strength was unremarkable, even your subordinate, the Salt of the South Wind, could have easily defeated them.]

[However, Morax didn't intervene personally. Instead, he dispatched a subordinate—a petite blue-haired girl whose appearance was almost comical in contrast to her divine adversary.]

[At first, you thought Morax was jesting. Yet, to your astonishment, the girl held her own against the god, matching their blows with surprising resilience.]

[But a god is still a god. Just as the battle reached a stalemate, the rogue god opened its jaws wide and swallowed the girl whole.]

[You were momentarily alarmed, wondering if you should use a wind blade to disembowel the god. Before you could act, the god's eyes rolled back, and it began to convulse violently, clutching its throat. Moments later, it collapsed and died.]

[The blue-haired girl emerged from its mouth, disheveled but unharmed.]

["Is this some kind of Liyue sorcery?" you remarked, impressed. "Defeating foes from within their own stomachs—it's a technique I've never seen before."]

["It's not sorcery," Morax replied, his tone as calm as ever. "It simply choked to death on Ganyu."]

[Though the god's death was absurdly comedic, there was no denying the girl's strength. Ganyu's capabilities were a testament to Morax's forces, and it was clear he had more warriors of her caliber.]

[Morax's message was clear: Liyue's strength extended far beyond him alone. Any attempt to invade would exact a steep price.]

[Thus, the alliance between Mondstadt and Liyue was sealed. Morax's policy for Liyue was simple—never invade another nation but never permit anyone to trespass on Liyue's soil. For him, the alliance was wholly advantageous.]

[Age 2138:] [Mondstadt's territory had quietly expanded to the coast. However, the burgeoning population placed increasing pressure on the nation, especially in coastal settlements frequently raided by bandits.]

[These raiders were not Mondstadt's own but "Ronin" from the distant island nation of Inazuma.]

[These outlaws, known as the Wild Vagrants, were former warriors exiled or fleeing punishment in Inazuma. With no place in their homeland, they turned to piracy, targeting your subjects to survive.]

[They established hideouts on islands scattered between Mondstadt and Inazuma, gradually consolidating into a significant force.]

[You sent envoys to Inazuma, requesting they address this issue. However, Inazuma's Kanjou Commission dismissed them coldly, refusing even to let Mondstadt's ships dock.]

[Inazuma's insolence enraged you. At the time, the island nation faced internal strife from overpopulation and external threats. War was the perfect opportunity to redirect its turmoil, and after centuries of preparation, your Winds of the World had become a formidable force.]

[You formally issued a declaration of war against Inazuma. The Shogunate scoffed at your challenge, confident in her abilities and the natural barrier of the ocean. She deemed any attempt by Mondstadt to match Inazuma's naval prowess a fool's errand.]

[Your first move was to lead your forces to seize the islands housing the Wild Vagrants. Among their ranks were former Inazuman samurai who had served Shogunate. From them, you extracted critical intelligence about Inazuma's military and geography with ease.]

[On a day when thick sea fog covered everything, soldiers of the Tenryou Commission conducted their routine patrols along the shore. However, the heavy fog limited their visibility to only a few kilometers at most. When Mondstadt's fleet emerged from the dense fog, the soldiers realized the gravity of the situation.]

[The Tenryou Commission was no pushover. They quickly mobilized the navy to counterattack. One had to admit, as a maritime nation, Inazuma's shipbuilding technology far surpassed Mondstadt's. Their fleet, with sturdy ships and powerful cannons, was undoubtedly the dominant force on the seas.]

[Yet, Inazuma seemed to have forgotten—you are the Archon of Storms, the Lord of Tempests. Over the sea, the most terrifying force is not lightning splitting the heavens but the storm that can raise monstrous waves.]

[High above, a massive blue dragon soared through the skies. Standing atop the dragon's spine, you commanded the hurricanes over the sea. The formidable ships, despite their superior craftsmanship, were like bathtub toys amidst the raging ocean.]

[Their opponents weren't Mondstadt's fleet but tornadoes and towering waves. The ferocious whirlwinds, like wild and frenzied dragons, swallowed the entire Inazuman navy, leaving no trace behind—not even splinters of wood.]

[Inazuma relied excessively on its naval power, resulting in a weak army on land. Leading your forces, you swiftly conquered several islands.]

[It was only then that Inazuma realized the severity of their plight. They were not up against a tyrant who merely built towers but a relentless executioner.]

[The Shogunate army, in the face of your battle organization, "Winds of the World," crumbled like paper. Their only show of bravery was their ritual suicides when facing certain defeat, seeking a hollow posthumous honor.]

[Like a storm, you led your forces into the lofty Tenshukaku. Strangely, the ruler of Inazuma, the so-called "Raiden Shogun," a violet-haired woman, exuded no aura of oppression when you confronted her.]

[As you prepared to act, another woman, identical to her, emerged from behind a screen, blade in hand, launching a ferocious assault.]

[It turned out the "Raiden Shogun" had a twin sister.]

[Since birth, apart from Morax and a "higher-tiered" being, you had rarely encountered any match. But this shadow warrior, the Raiden General, gave you a rare thrill of battle.]

[Her swordsmanship was peerless and imbued with the force of thunder. For a time, you were evenly matched. This intense battle lasted three days and nights, finally concluding with her unparalleled move, "Musou no Hitotachi."]

[That strike, even you couldn't fully withstand. Unfortunately, it didn't kill you. Exhausted from using her full strength, the Raiden Shogun's shadow ultimately fell in defeat.]

[Though this campaign exacted a high price, the spoils were plentiful. As the victor, you forced Inazuma to sign a series of unequal treaties.]

[The twin sisters—Raiden Makoto and Raiden Ei, one skilled in governance, the other in combat—together ruled Inazuma. The skilled martial artist Ei served as her elder sister's shadow warrior.]

[One clause in the unequal treaties demanded that Raiden Makoto be taken to Mondstadt's high tower as your hostage.]

[Of course, to maintain the Raiden Shogun's dignity, you publicly framed it as a divine marriage.]

[Strangely, the "higher-tiered" being who sought to prevent gods from forming bonds of love made no objection to this union, perhaps indifferent to such human-style agreements.]

[The choice of the unarmed Makoto over her seemingly more dangerous sister Ei was made upon the advice of the Wisdom of West Wind.]

[No matter how strong Ei was, she could only enhance her own power. As a defeated opponent, she posed no threat to you.]

[Makoto, with her cunning, was a far greater risk if left to govern Inazuma.]

[Who you married didn't matter to you—after all, she was merely a hostage, not truly your wife.]

[Among the other unequal clauses, apart from ceding territory, reparations, and annual tributes, the most crucial was Inazuma's recognition as a subordinate state. This marked the first annexation among the seven nations of Teyvat.]

[Yet the lofty, higher-tiered being remained silent on this matter.]

[You brought Raiden Makoto back to Mondstadt and held a grand "wedding." Even if it was merely for show, a divine marriage had to be treated with the utmost importance. All of Mondstadt celebrated for seven days and nights.]

[Your bridal chamber was atop the high tower. Naturally, a divine marriage didn't need to follow mortal customs.]

[You drank heavily, not out of joy from marrying another god, but from the satisfaction of conquering Inazuma, now allowing you to view the waves and sands that Amos longed for.]

[Raiden Makoto sat silently at the bedside, her expression indifferent, as though the revelry around her had nothing to do with her.]

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Author's note: Well done! We've already reached 1100, although the extra chapter was supposed to be released at 1200, I'll release it earlier just for you :D

The voting shall not stop if you want more extra chapters tho! Next one at 1500! You have a lot of time until tomorrow, so make sure we make it :)