WiseTL

Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue [210]

Xiangling darted out with a plate of food in her hands, Guoba perched on her head balancing another dish. As soon as she spotted Gu Sanqiu, her eyes lit up, and she rushed over, waving her spatula.

"Captain! Your ingredients are amazing! I’ve never seen some of them before, and even the ones I do recognize are of the highest quality!"

Her eyes sparkled with excitement. "Can I buy some from you? I’d love to use them for Wanmin Restaurant’s special festival dishes!"

Gu S...

Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue [209]

"Oh, I was just thinking... isn’t throwing documents off the Jade Chamber technically illegal? It doesn’t exactly align with the Qixing’s Clean and Civilized Liyue Harbor campaign."

Gu Sanqiu looked at Ningguang with feigned innocence.

"Haven’t the administrators from the General Affairs Department raised this issue with you?"

Ningguang smiled sweetly and twisted his ear.

"Those folks would rather dig through mountains to collect these papers than...

Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue [208]

Fortunately, things didn’t escalate the way Gu Sanqiu had feared. Zhongli simply complimented his craftsmanship, and the anxious Incense-Bearer managed to deflect with the excuse of "a sudden burst of inspiration."

"But Zhongli, once you’ve created this... device, how do you plan to use it? Or more importantly, how do you intend to present it to the world?"

Gu Sanqiu pointed to the so-called "pistol" that was more of a hand cannon.

If memory served, attempting to produce...

Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue [207]

"Hehe... well..."

Hu Tao clasped her hands behind her back and began whistling nonchalantly, dodging Gu Sanqiu’s question entirely.

"Answer honestly."

Gu Sanqiu narrowed his eyes and gently pinched Hu Tao’s cheeks. "Otherwise..."

"Oh, hey, Sanqiu! Look over there—guess who’s back?"

Hu Tao’s eyes sparkled mischievously as she pointed to where she’d come from. Walking toward them was a golden-eyed man accompanied by a tanned girl.

"Gu, my friend, ...

Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue [206]

"Oh, don’t worry," Gu Sanqiu said with a smirk. "As long as you’re somewhere in Liyue Harbor, you’ll definitely see what I’m planning."

"Come on! What exactly are you up to? The more you say, the more curious I get. We’re brothers—can’t you give me a hint?" Xingqiu pressed.

"It’s obvious. No, I can’t."

Gu Sanqiu refused without hesitation. "This isn’t about being brothers or not. Spoiling the surprise would make it boring."

"Fine, I’ll just have t...

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [80]

“What’s wrong?” Kirihara sneered. “Did the thought of facing me keep you up for days?”

“This is a good thing, you know, Kurogane—it shows you understand the gap between us. Unlike you, a worthless failure, I’m the real genius here.”

Ikki didn’t respond to Kirihara’s taunts; instead, he simply summoned his Device.

Kirihara, seeing this, also drew his own—a longbow made of a vine-like material.

Blue light gathered in Ikki’s hand and shaped itsel...

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [79]

As Okita Souji had anticipated, Ayase Ayatsuji won her first match with relative ease.

The following day, Stella and Shizuku likewise claimed overwhelming victories in their rounds.

Stella’s win was especially dramatic. All she had to do was stand on the field, and her opponent forfeited without so much as lifting a blade. Only those who stood directly in her presence could truly understand what it meant to wield “the world’s greatest mana reserves”—over thirty times the...

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [78]

After her match, Okita Souji hurried back to where she was training Ikki Kurogane.

The arena was equipped with private showers, allowing competitors to take a comfortable, hot shower after their matches, to clean up and relax from the strain of battle.

But Souji hadn’t bothered with any of that. Her reason was simple:

“I still need to train Ikki, so even if I cleaned up now, I’d just get dirty again.”

After all, her match had ended in an instant. She left looki...

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [77]

Just as everyone was starting to think that Okita Souji might have forfeited, she finally arrived, dressed in her school uniform.

It wasn’t that she had meant to arrive late; she’d been busy training Ikki Kurogane on Mind’s Eye right up until the last moment.

Yes, even knowing she had her own match that day, Souji had prioritized training Ikki in the hopes of him mastering Mind’s Eye in time.

The students’ matches were spread over severa...

I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [76]

The day everyone had been waiting for finally arrived—the first day of the “Seven Stars Sword Art Festival Selection Tournament.”

The venue was a domed stadium, and inside the enclosed space, numerous students and faculty members without scheduled matches had gathered in the stands, eagerly anticipating the tournament.

“And now! The long-awaited competition for the Seven Stars Sword Art Festival representation… is finally underway!”

The announcer’s voice rang o...

Star Rail: Starting with a Lyre, Living off Busking [80]

Under the dim evening sky, Cocolia brought Bronya to Belobog’s prison, preparing to "inspect" the results of her recent commands.

Initially, Cocolia had expected a drawn-out game of cat and mouse—something to draw out public sentiment and set the stage perfectly. She had hoped to create an environment where Bronya could witness firsthand how pitifully foolish the very people she wanted to protect could be, realizing in time that her own actions had been a necessary truth, pure and j...

Star Rail: Starting with a Lyre, Living off Busking [79]

In the grand hall of Qlipoth Fort…

Cocolia sat, her expression cold, left hand supporting her cheek with an air of haughty indifference that brooked no challenge. She watched the small, trembling intelligence officer before her with a look that was equal parts mocking and amused.

“…So, do you think this earns you my forgiveness, Officer Pelageya?”

“I wouldn’t dare presume on your forgiveness, Madam.”

“Heh. You could stand to be a little bolder, Officer ...

Star Rail: Starting with a Lyre, Living off Busking [78]

Under Pela’s worried, sympathetic gaze, Venti launched into a much-needed explanation—

Using the mechanical bird to project images, he shared with Pela the secrets of the Stellaron and the concealed truths that generations of Guardians had hidden from Belobog. He’d planned for Pela to eventually find these records within the bird, but sharing them now couldn’t have come at a better time.

The overwhelming flood of information left Pela in stunned silence.

She rubbed h...

Star Rail: Starting with a Lyre, Living off Busking [77]

“...Hah...hah…”

Pela’s hurried footsteps echoed, her bangs whipped by the wind, round-rimmed glasses nearly slipping off her nose.

“—Just how long are you going to keep flying?” she muttered, chasing the mechanical bird before her, refusing to let it out of sight.

It had been several hours since Serval’s arrest. Pela had specifically watched as Gepard and his squad had passed, keeping a close eye on the situation.

Under normal circumstances, Captain Gep...

Star Rail: Starting with a Lyre, Living off Busking [76]

Ever since the dragon’s assault on the city, Gepard had felt a mounting sense of unease.

First came the threat of the Rift, visible to all, and then the troubling actions of the Supreme Guardian, who seemed entirely unconcerned with the bigger picture. Since receiving Bronya’s letter, his worry had only deepened.

Knowing Cocolia as he did, Gepard could sense that she would escalate to even more “drastic” measures.

Yet he hadn’t expected the first target of her wrat...

Godfather Owl: Guardian of Batman [80]

The Sorting Ceremony ended quickly.

Besides Kathoom, no one seemed to notice anything suspicious about Ravenna. She likely cast a charm to prevent others from questioning her true identity.

After the feast, the young witches and wizards followed their prefects back to their respective common rooms.

Thus ended the first day of the new school year.

---

The next morning, Bruce woke up to find a peculiar, egg-shaped bird nest beside his bed.

Constructed from tw...

Godfather Owl: Guardian of Batman [79]

The Sorting Ceremony for the new school year had begun, and Professor Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw, was leading it.

Nearby by the entrance, Professors McGonagall and Snape seemed to be discussing something heatedly.

Bruce could just barely hear snippets of their conversation—

“There’s no need to plead anymore, Severus!”

Professor McGonagall said, her tone angry. “At least seven Muggles saw them in that flying car. They must face consequences for their actions!...

Godfather Owl: Guardian of Batman [78]

What a peculiar professor.

That was Bruce’s first thought.

He wondered what this man would be teaching, and what skills he might possess.

After a while, Hermione returned, and judging by her expression, she hadn’t found Harry and Ron.

She paused when she saw the elderly wizard in their compartment but quickly realized he was a professor. After a polite greeting, she took her seat.

For some reason, Hermione felt that this old wizard looked vaguely familiar, as...

Godfather Owl: Guardian of Batman [77]

No one noticed Kathoom’s little maneuver.

After the scuffle in the bookstore, Mr. Weasley offered the Grangers an apology.

He emphasized repeatedly that not all wizards were like Lucius Malfoy—the Weasleys, for instance, were happy to be friends with Muggles.

Mr. Granger smiled and waved it off, remarking that discrimination was just as common in the Muggle world.

The families parted ways outside Flourish and Blotts.

On the way home, Mrs. Granger couldn’t h...

Godfather Owl: Guardian of Batman [76]

The old wizard’s name was so telling that guessing his identity required no guessing at all.

Gael Greene.

Gellert Grindelwald.

So, Dumbledore had finally released him from prison?

And judging by the suitcase in his hand, it seemed Grindelwald might even be taking a teaching position at Hogwarts.

It was likely, then, that this was what Dumbledore had been occupied with all summer, as Hermione had mentioned.

However, Bruce suddenly raised his head and asked...

Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [80]

As Luo Yuan made his way to Three Island...

On the battlefield, Sird and Orm, who had been struggling under Lance’s relentless assault, finally saw reinforcements arrive.

Matori entered the fray alongside her Roserade and Xatu. Carr, still smarting from his prior defeat by Lorelei and the loss of his Steelix, joined in as well with his Skarmory and a small squad of remaining Forretress.

Together, they managed to ease some of the pressure on Team Rocket.

“Is this al...

Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [79]

As Luo Yuan clasped hands with Deoxys, a notification from his system rang out unexpectedly.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for capturing Deoxys and achieving the milestone: “A New Beginning, Legendary Pokémon Trainer!” You’ve earned 1 Lottery Spin.]

Luo Yuan paused, a bit surprised to see a milestone unlocked for capturing Deoxys—but on reflection, it made sense.

After all, this was the first Legendary Pokémon he h...

Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [78]

Question: Dragapult has unleashed Draco Meteor against Deoxys, but Deoxys is restricted by Shadow Tag within a small area. How can Deoxys evade it?

That was exactly the dilemma Deoxys faced now.

Dodge?

Impossible.

Draco Meteor was an area-of-effect move, and with Gengar’s Shadow Tag binding its movements, Deoxys couldn’t escape the impact zone.

Dragapult’s fully-powered Draco Meteor covered an area even larger than Deoxys’s limited movement space.

U...

Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [77]

Twenty Minutes Earlier – Three Island

Lance had suddenly appeared on the battlefield.

Releasing his Aerodactyl, he rescued Lorelei from her perilous fall.

But his arrival did more than save Lorelei; it also provided a surge of morale to the League trainers, who had all but resigned themselves to defeat.

“Lance? Why are you here?”

Lorelei, who had nearly fallen into Shuckle’s trap, breathed a sigh of relief at her last-minute rescue, though a hint...

Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [76]

As an “outsider,” Deoxys was clearly at a disadvantage due to its lack of familiarity with native Pokémon.

Which made sense.

Even though Deoxys was a Legendary, it hadn’t been on Earth for very long.

With over 800 Pokémon species on Earth, some possessing two or even three abilities, the possible combinations numbered in the thousands.

And on top of that, Luo Yuan’s Gengar was in its relatively unknown Mega form.

So, it was understandable that Deoxys ha...

I Just Want a Single Ending [80]

Maybe it was just his imagination.

After all, he hadn’t done anything unusual—just made plans to hang out with a friend.

As for what Shiina Taki thought of all this?

It didn’t really matter. Eventually, she’d understand his good intentions.

Everyone here was his friend!

“So… what’s up with this photo?”

After a long pause, Taki finally looked up and asked Saku with a hint of accusation.

Tomori clearly wasn’t at fault.

So, logica...

I Just Want a Single Ending [79]

Due to Saku’s generous purchase, the aquarium staff not only applied a 10% discount but also threw in a larger bag to hold all the paper bags, along with a few special-edition ones.

After paying, Saku put both of their framed photos into the larger bag.

Since they’d only bought paper bags, which were relatively light and compact, even carrying a lot of them still felt easy and manageable.

“Is there anything else you’d like to get?”

Glancing at the other souve...

I Just Want a Single Ending [78]

“That’s fine, then.”

Since Tomori had already reassured him, Saku decided not to overthink it.

After all, with friends, even little odd things always feel perfectly normal and fun.

“By the way, which penguins do I have on my fingers?” Saku asked curiously. “The only ones I know are the Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins you just told me about.”

“That one’s an Adélie penguin, and this one is an Emperor penguin…”

With that, Tomori started pointing...

I Just Want a Single Ending [77]

“Sure.”

Tomori glanced at the penguins behind them, then at Saku, agreeing almost without hesitation.

“Thanks.”

After speaking to the staff, Saku turned back to confirm with her, “Are the penguins as the background okay?”

“They’re perfect.”

Tomori looked quite pleased with the choice.

The two of them followed the staff’s directions, positioning themselves in front of the penguin exhibit. Saku was planning to just stand casually.

To...

I Just Want a Single Ending [76]

“I’m watching pill bugs.”

Takamatsu Tomori glanced up, noticing him, then pointed to two pill bugs crawling by the tree, explaining her fascination.

Saku crouched down beside her, looking in the direction she indicated.

One of the pill bugs seemed to be digging in the dirt, while the other scurried back and forth without any clear purpose.

“Interesting, huh? Are you into this kind of thing?”

Even if he didn’t understand the appeal, he figured complime...