Mushoku Impact

With less than a year remaining until the debuts of Aiden and Aria, Paul was finalizing his preparations to return to the Milbots Region. He initially intended to wait for Badigadi to appear, but it had been close to two years since the six-armed Demon's disappearance. Even Clairvoyance couldn't uncover his position, so Paul focused on improving himself rather than fretting over future events.
 Fortunately, though her presence brought him a fair amount of pain and suffering, the appearance of Murata ushered in a 'new era' as far as Paul's training was concerned. The red-haired Archon was on par with Atofe and Reida in terms of dynamism and her thirst for battle, so Paul rarely had an opportunity to rest unless she was out on a 'campaign.'&nbsp; With the blessings of the twin Demon Empresses and Atofe, Murata had been spreading her influence through the Demon Continent by defeating some of the more problematic Demon Lords. As a result, she had earned herself the epithet and title of 'Flame Demon King,' as, despite appearing human, everyone she encountered viewed her as a Demon. Paul was no exception. Not because Murata was particularly harsh during their training but because she was a monster in the bedroom...&nbsp;
 Though he managed to talk her down from building an army from their progeny, Paul couldn't escape Murata's desire for children. From her point of view, the strong and capable had an obligation to reproduce as much as possible. She hated how it was almost the complete opposite in most human societies, so, back in the world of Teyvat, she took it upon herself to build one of her own.&nbsp; To dissuade Murata from doing the same thing in the world of Mushoku Tensei, Paul challenged her to raise their son, Iskandar, to be powerful enough to take on his other children. He argued that quality was always better than quantity and that if their children ended up weak, there was no difference between them and ordinary humans. Murata didn't like that one bit, so she intended to train Iskandar personally once he was mature enough to wield a sword. Until then, he was predominantly left in the care of Ganyu, Noelle, and Lilia. Paul also tried spending time with him, but, as could be expected from someone descended from the Greyrats, Iskandar wanted very little to do with him. He clearly wasn't a reincarnator, but his fondness for big-breasted women had been evident from day one...
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Staring cross-armed down at the large, fortress-like complex being constructed a few hundred meters from the base of Fort Necross, Atofe couldn't help frowning as she asked, "Are you sure about this? It seems like a waste of time and resources..."&nbsp; Nodding his head, Paul replied, "People from all over the world already come to the Demon Continent in search of strength, wisdom, wealth, and many other things. Given time, the Necross Academy will become one of the most prominent institutions in the entire world. Then you won't have to kidnap people and hold them against their will..."&nbsp;
 Scratching the back of her head, Atofe groaned, "If you say so..." before looking up at Paul and asking, "So, when are you planning to leave? If you don't depart soon, you won't be able to traverse the Great Forest on foot."
Adopting a wry smile, Paul replied, "It's complicated...I want to travel the world and experience what it has to offer, but too much is at stake for me to risk my life sightseeing. Right now, I'm stuck between deciding if I want to form a convoy or if I want to travel incognito..."
"Ah, I see what the issue is..." remarked Atofe, a teasing smile developing across her face as she added, "You can't decide which of your little pets you want to accompany you."
Shaking his head, Paul explained, "Nah, I'm well past that point. Whoever wants to travel with me is welcome to do so. I'm more concerned with how the countries we pass through will respond. At this point, the leaders of every major nation should be aware of my affiliation with Ningguang and the burgeoning nation of Teyvat. If we travel in a large group, it will make a lot of people 'very' nervous..."
Raising her left brow, Atofe retorted, "Yeah, and? Humans are always fretting over one thing or another, especially if they feel their positions or livelihoods are at stake. As the Special Envoy of the Asura Kingdom, you 'should' throw your weight around. Making concessions for the weak will only undermine your position."&nbsp;
 Though Atofe's words sounded tyrannical, Paul understood there was considerable truth within them. The mighty could only be so 'humble' without inviting disaster upon themselves and the people they wished to protect. People would likely never cease attempting to assassinate him, but he could prevent his dissidents from openly maneuvering against him by demonstrating the consequence of such actions...
Nodding in affirmation of how own thoughts, Paul's expression hardened as he asserted, "Then that's what I'll do. I'll need to talk with Ningguang first, but I doubt she'll mind having the focus pulled away from her for a few months."&nbsp;
 Adopting a toothy grin, Atofe gave Paul a firm punch in his arm, nearly knocking him off balance as she teased, "There he is. I was wondering where the man who was brazen enough to waltz into the center of the Demon Continent went. It's too bad he couldn't best me in single combat these past two years..."
Recalling his promise to defeat Atofe and make her 'his,' Paul's furrowed brows creased further. Despite mastering his Visions and developing the traits of various Demons, making him functionally immortal, he could not defeat Atofe in a 'serious' bout. More frustratingly, his swordsmanship had stagnated on the border between the Saint and King Ranks as his focus was split between mastering his Visions, developing his Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, spending time with the girls, and fathering his newest child...&nbsp;
 Discarding such thoughts from his mind, Paul stared into Atofe's crimson, black-sclera eyes and said, "The next time we meet, I'll be sure to make you mine..."
Though she snorted through her nose, Atofe maintained a grin as she retorted, "Whatever you say, brat. Just be glad I didn't make you mine."
Looking past Paul, Atofe narrowed her eyes at Ei and Ganyu, his usual entourage. If not for their presence and the circumstances surrounding Paul, specifically his relationship with the two Kishirikas, she would never permit him to leave...
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With his mind made up, Paul discussed his intentions with Ningguang, who, as expected, readily approved his decision. In fact, predicting his actions, she had even prepared a boat to transport him between Wind and Zanto Ports, several carriages to carry supplies, and a contingent of sixty people to act as an escort.
Though he felt Ningguang's actions were a bit much, Paul didn't contest them as it wasn't uncommon for landed Nobles to travel with an escort of three-to-five-hundred people. To compensate for this, Ningguang made sure the lowest-ranking person within the convoy was at least Advanced Rank in terms of skill. This placed them above the average Royal Guard in the Asura Kingdom, so, despite being relatively few in number, they could be considered a batallion(1000 people) in terms of military might.&nbsp;
 As impressive as this sounded, what truly distinguished the individuals in Paul's escort was their unprecedented diversity. Everyone wore matching outfits, armor, or robes(depending on their role), but there were Humans, a variety of Demons, Beast People, Dwarves, and even Elves. They were a veritable menagerie but exuded a sense of unity and purpose comparable to the Holy Knight Order of Milis.
Due to Paul's actions as a child, combined with a healthy amount of propaganda, nearly everyone affiliated with the burgeoning nation of Teyvat viewed him as a savior-esque figure. Many of them were former Slaves or from groups of people suffering extreme hardship, so they had all but given up hope before being liberated by Ningguang. Now, they had been given purpose and the means to rise above themselves, becoming a part of something much greater...
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Following a sleepless evening in Kishirika Castle, Paul was preparing to depart with Jean, Eula, Ei, Yae, Venti, Xinyan, Xiangling, Lynette, Shinobu, Ghislaine, and Lilia atop Ganyu when Klee abruptly appeared, shouting, "Klee wants to go with Big Brother! Please, please, please, please, please take Klee with you~!"
Though he was initially surprised, it didn't take long for Paul to adopt his usual smile as he replied, "That's fine with me, but we're not going to play around, Klee. If you're serious about coming with us, you'll need to listen to Jean and be on your best behavior."&nbsp; Seemingly ignoring the latter half of Paul's statement, Klee jumped up, shouting, "Yaaaaaaaay~!" before skipping over and leaping into his arms. She hadn't changed the slightest since the moment she was summoned, so Paul carried her like he would one of his children before giving a curt nod toward Fayde and climbing atop Ganyu's back. Kishirika and Kishirisu weren't much for goodbyes, so neither had shown up in person. However, he could sense them using Clairvoyance to observe him, so he adopted a smile and used his free hand to wave at empty space before giving Ganyu permission to take off...
&nbsp; Following Paul's party with her eyes, Fayde waited until the group had fully disappeared before adopting a somewhat pouty expression and muttering, "Good riddance..." in an irritable tone. Her efforts to seduce Paul had borne fruit, but his refusal to contract and impregnate her had left her feeling...frustrated.&nbsp; Tracing her glowing blue nail across her abdomen, Fayde exhaled a tired sigh before returning to the interior of Kishirika Castle, now resembling a lush garden. It was also completely saturated with Elemental Energy, so Fayde found a thick branch to lie upon before dozing off under the rays of an artificial sun...
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Even with Ganyu pacing herself, it only took around five and a half hours to travel from the Capital of Rikarisu to the southernmost tip of the Demon Continent, Wind Port. Another half an hour and they could have reached Zanto Port on the Milis Continent. However, as they comprised nearly half the Demon Continent's active S-Ranks, they had an obligation to check in with the Adventurer's Guild before departing.
Upon learning of Paul's intentions, the Guild Master of Wind Port's Adventurer's Guild did his best to convince them to stay in the Demon Continent. The loss of a single S-Rank Adventurer was a heavy blow to the Guild, so the prospect of losing eleven made the middle-aged retiree sweat. After all, most of the A~S-Rank Quests posted over the last two years were dealt with by Paul and his companions.
Unfortunately, while he empathized with the Guild Master's plight, Paul was many other things before he was an Adventurer. In this particular instance, he was the Special Envoy of the Asura Kingdom, so, with that as an excuse, he bid the Guild Master and his staff farewell before departing to board the massive galleon Ningguang had charted for them.
Though the sea between Wind and Zanto Port wasn't particularly wide, it was still infested with sea monsters and rogue members of the Sea Race. Any ship that looked like an easy mark would simply disappear during the crossing, so the vessel Ningguang procured had a total of thirty cannons and a giant harpoon strapped to the front. Its hull was constructed from the bones and scales of the many sea beasts it had felled, so, other than Klee getting a little seasick, Paul's group had no issues traversing the narrow stretch of sea...
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(A/N: It may not surprise you to learn that Iskandar's nickname is fated to be Alex xD...)

Though he knew Ningguang was pretty serious about the training of their personnel, Paul couldn't help exhaling a dry chuckle when he noticed the 'procession' awaiting him at the docks. The carriage she prepared looked more like an ornate, heavily armored train car than something pulled by a horse.
If the carriage wasn't eye-catching enough, the people that would be escorting Paul were lined up in a military formation, fully geared up and standing at attention. Their presence had drawn a rather large crowd, so Paul stood a little straighter and wore a practiced smile when it came time to disembark the ship.
Reacting to Paul's arrival, a raven-haired man with distinct purple eyes and slightly pointed ears shouted, "Attention!" prompting the entire group to give a knight's salute.
Approaching the group, Paul's icy blue and violet eyes glistened as he sized up the presumed leader of the convoy. The man had sharp features and exuded the aura of someone on the cusp of becoming a Saint, but the thing that stood out most was his attire. He was garbed in brown, red, and gold-trimmed armor, reminiscent of the Millelith from Genishin, but what caught Paul's attention was the presence of elemental energy emanating from each article of cloth and armor.
Interrupting Paul's thoughts, the raven-haired man lowered his head and said, "My name is Dimsaul Wanderwood, Captain of the Teyvat Trading Company's 2nd Escort Platoon. It is an honor to stand in the presence of the King's Greatsword..."
Recalling the social and etiquette training from his youth, Paul gave an approving nod as he said, "As personnel hand-picked by Ningguang, we have high expectations for you and your platoon, Captain."
Raising his head, Dimsaul adopted a faint smile as he responded, "It is a privilege to be entrusted with such an important task. Even if Sir Greyrat and his companions are more than capable of taking care of themselves."
Nodding in approval, Paul shifted his gaze to the oversized carriage that would be transporting them, asking, "Is this one of Albedo's prototypes? How did you get it here so quickly? It hasn't even been three weeks since I informed Ningguang of my intent to travel back via the land route."
Having anticipated Paul's inquiry, Dimsaul's smile became noticeably more prominent as he answered, "We have the venerable Lady Ping to thank for that. The carriage and boot(the luggage compartment of a carriage) can be shrunken down when not in use. At their absolute smallest, they can fit in the palm of one's hand."
Resisting the urge to slap his forehead, Paul replied, "Of course. I should have suspected Lady Ping's involvement..."
Changing the topics, Paul asked, "How soon can we depart? Given your current arrangement, I'm assuming preparations have been completed?"
Bowing his head slightly, Dimsaul answered, "We are ready to move at Sir Paul's command."
"Then let us be on our way," said Paul. "We only have two months before the Rainy Season begins. The flooding might not impact us much, but I'd like to reach the Blue Dragon Mountain Range within three weeks."
Though it typically took around a month to travel from Zanto Port to the Blue Dragon Mountain Range, Paul was confident they could complete the journey faster since the carriages manufactured in Teyvat didn't require horses or other animals to draw them. They still had them, but their actual power source was a prototype magi-electric engine developed by Albedo, Thoma, and Kusanali.
With his orders received, Dimsaul gave a steep bow, responding, "As you will, Sir Greyrat," before raising his head, doing a prompt about-face, and shouting, "Prepare for departure!" in a firm, authoritative tone.
Saluting in concert, the members of the 2nd Escort Platoon responded, "Sir, yes, sir!" before neatly dispersing to perform their assigned duties. As for Paul, he gave one final nod to Dimsaul before returning to the girls, standing off to the side in a large, exceptionally eye-catching group...
...
..
.
"You've got to be kidding me..." muttered Paul.
Though he had high expectations based on the exterior, Paul was still taken aback by the sheer 'extravagance' of the carriage Ningguang had prepared.
At 18.5m in length and roughly 6m wide, Paul's new carriage was second only to the King of Asura's in size. Its furnishings and amenities, however, placed it in a league of its own. The primary cabin could comfortably seat eighteen people, and there was ample space to get up and walk around if you wanted. More importantly, there was a small kitchen, two showers, a toilet, and a suite-like bedroom, complete with a king-sized bed. In other words, it was more like a Motorhome than a proper carriage.
"Wow, this must have cost a fortune," remarked Venti, her eyes glistening as she ogled the kitchenette's wine rack. Most of the bottles on display were for cooking, but there were a few with the label of the Notos family and a tiny, cat-like paw print.
Placing his hand atop Venti's head, Paul's voice was lower than normal as he whispered, "Don't go setting any bad examples..."
Instead of evading Paul's head, Venti exhaled one of her characteristic laughs before responding to him with a playful wink. She knew better than to act out when Klee was present, so she would at least wait until the tiny Elfette had fallen asleep before cracking open a bottle...
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Once everyone had made themselves comfortable, Paul emerged from the carriage, mounting Ganyu before giving the order to set out. He had no intention of spending the next 6-10 months sitting inside a carriage all day. Instead, now that he had reached a point where he was comfortable standing out, he openly rode atop Ganyu.
Though he was most famous for his swordsmanship, those at the top of various nations knew Paul to be a 'master of spirits.' His fame wasn't yet at the level of someone like Perugius, but it was becoming increasingly common knowledge that most of the people around him were mid to high-ranking Spirits. In actuality, they were closer to Great or Ancient Spirits in terms of power, but such a notion was too unreasonable for most people to consider, much less accept as reality...
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Thanks to the Holy Sword Highway, a well-maintained road constructed by the Holy Country of Milis that spanned the entire Continent and kept beasts at bay, it wasn't long before Paul's convoy reached the outskirts of the Beast Territory, the northernmost region of the Great Forest.
With the Rainy Season fast approaching, several camps had been set up on the outskirts of the forest. Now was the time of year when stray Beast People and unwanted children were expelled from their villages, so there was a disheartening number of people on standby, ready to snatch them up for a quick profit.
Spotting a few cat, dog, and rabbit people in chains, Paul's Mystic Eyes of Death Perception activated of their own accord. Slavery was common in the world of Mushoku Tensei, but it irked him to see people in high spirits as they robbed others, particularly children, of their freedom.
Sensing Paul's agitation, Ghislaine, having joined him a few hours prior, flatly remarked, "Most of them would die if left alone. At least this way, they have a chance at life."
While continuing to glare at the group of men pulling along a daisy chain of children, causing each of them to feel as though there was a blade at their throats, Paul replied, "That may be the case...but can you really call that living? I would rather die than become a slave..."
Shrugging her shoulders, Ghislaine surprised Paul by asserting, "That's because you have dreams and ambitions. Most Beast People only think about their next meal or performing the duties assigned to them by their superiors. So long as they aren't purchased by a terrible Master, most of the children here will have a more meaningful existence as a slave than a stray..."
"..."
Though he was unable to refute Ghislaine's words, Paul continued glaring at the group of slavers from more than a kilometer away. Ningguang had set up a secret organization that was slowly subsuming the international slave trade, but he had never been the type to turn a blind eye to those in need.
Having made up his mind, Paul pulled out a coin purse, tossing it to a visibly unsurprised Ghislaine as he said, "Go and purchase them at one Asura Gold Coin a head. If the slavers try to hike up the price or refuse to sell, break the legs of their leader."
Without hesitation, Ghislaine responded with a curt "Understood." before leaping off Ganyu's back and sprinting toward the group of slavers with the swiftness of a tempest. Her actions garnered considerable attention from the convoy, prompting Dimsaul to come over, so Paul apprised him of the situation, apologizing in advance for the trouble.
Unsurprisingly, though Paul couldn't help smiling wryly when Dimsaul revealed the truth, Ningguang had already anticipated his actions. She had entrusted Dimsaul with several extra carriages, and all of the Beast People in the convoy were experienced with children. There was also a group waiting to receive the children once they reached the outskirts of Milishion, so it didn't matter if Paul picked up a handful or even a hundred strays during his brief journey through the Great Forest. Rather, when he brought it up, Dimsaul handed him an envelope, within which was a letter encouraging him to meet with the leaders of the Beast People, presenting them the option of sending any of their unwanted or burdensome children to Teyvat.
Though others could only dream of reaching such a beneficial agreement with the Beast People, Paul was one of the few that might be able to pull it off. Ghislaine may have become a stray, but she was still the daughter of the current Chief and a descendant of the Beast God. Her lineage may not have mattered if she was weak, but the only thing preventing her from calling herself a Sword King was the fact Gal was the only one qualified to assign such titles.
If Ghislaine wanted to, she could easily vie for the position of Chieftain, becoming the de facto representative of the Beast Tribes occupying the Great Forest. She had no interest in entertaining such a notion, but there was meaning in her having the capabilities. Beast People revered strength nearly as much as the various Demon Tribes, so no one would complain or accuse her of being an outsider as long as she could prove herself worthy of their respect.
With Ghislaine's support, combined with the fact he could probably defeat anyone within the Great Forest, Paul would have an easier time convincing the Beast People than most. After all, sending their children to Teyvat was infinitely better than simply abandoning them, condemning them to either die or become slaves.
While Ghislaine's remark about Beast People lacking dreams and ambition wasn't necessarily false, there were always exceptions. Not every Beast Person was content with spending their entire life within the Great Forest. Such people would benefit from being able to learn about other cultures in a controlled environment rather than having to wander about aimlessly, being taken advantage of by countless people before adapting, becoming a slave, or dying...
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Rather than accepting Ghislaine's offer outright, the slavers taunted her by proposing she become their slave in exchange for the children's freedom. In response, Ghislaine not only broke the legs of the group's leader but the legs of everyone who snickered at the proposal. Afterward, she carefully counted out seven Asura Gold Coins, placing them on each of the children's heads to ensure she got the number right. Once she was certain she got it right, she flung the coins with all her strength toward the horizon, telling the men they could go collect them before ushering the group of hungry, starry-eyed beast children back to the convoy...
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(A/N: MI in the morning, EPIC in the evenings.)

"This has got to be some kind of joke..."
Though he had obtained a few Constellations and a new ally in the form of a Sumerian woman with white hair and red eyes named Cyno, Paul's third significant summoning spree was turning out to be more of a Klee upgrade event than anything else.
Over the course of 63 10-Pulls, Paul had 'missed' 39 times, obtained 17 4-Star Weapons, and 14 Character Constellations. Among these, there were some pretty interesting pulls, such as acquiring Lisa's sixth Constellation, Eula's second, and firsts for Shenhe, Mona, Yae, and Yoimiya. However, as exciting as these pulls were, they were overshadowed by the Intersection of Fate's almost blatant favoritism of Klee...
After feeding gold coins into the platform for the 63rd time, at least in this particular session, Paul once again welcomed the almost titillating sight of a beautiful golden meteor. His heart raced and his scalp tingled, but when the meteor invariably impacted the platform, the smile on his face became noticeably cramped as an increasingly familiar loli popped out.
"Yaaay~! Another one for Klee~!"
While he was happy that Klee had obtained another Constellation, it was the fact she was now on her fifth that left Paul at a loss for words. As far as he knew, the odds of obtaining a specific 5-Star Character were equal across the board, the only exception being the Archons. Yet, as if the IOF couldn't bear to see her sad, Paul had obtained two more copies of Klee's personal weapon and her fifth Constellation while the vast majority of his 5-Star allies were still in their fragmented base states.
Suppressing his mild incredulity, Paul adopted a smile that was equally sincere and awkward as he said, "Congratulations, Klee. If things keep going at this rate, you'll be the first 5-Star to awaken max Constellations. How are you feeling?"
Cupping her cheeks, Klee appeared even more bubbly than usual as she happily replied, "Klee feels amazing...it's like my whole body is filled with warmth and ready to explode~!"
Though he knew Klee's words were hyperbole, the corner of Paul's smile briefly twitched as he said, "Well...try not to..."
"Ehehehehe~"
Shaking his head, Paul returned his attention to the summoning circle and continued his spree. The eighty pulls that followed rewarded him with a fifth Constellation for Yun Jin, the final upgrade for his Black Sword, and a 4-Star Bow known as Predator.
While he was more than a little happy to have his favorite weapon finally uncapped to the max, Paul shelved his excitement for later. He had a Pity roll to knock out, so he quickly fed an additional hundred gold coins into the summoning circle before placing his palms down, adopting a serious expression, and shouting, "Confirm...!"
Though the sheen of the golden meteor caused his heart to pound, Paul was far more 'sober' than usual. This particular Pity roll was his 72nd for the evening, yet he had only obtained a single new ally. While that wasn't even remotely a bad thing, spending thousands of gold with very little to 'show' for it was a little unnerving.
As the golden meteor struck the platform, Paul had mixed feelings about seeing ethereal versions of Beidou and Kokomi pop out. He was happy for both of them, but the notion he wasn't going to obtain anything new was beginning to solidify within his mind. He still had abundant gold to spend, but he was starting to feel a considerable 'gacha fatigue.'
Unwilling to give up just yet, Paul began his ninth round of summoning in earnest. His first 10-Pull was a miss, but his second rewarded him with a Constellation for Tama(Thoma), her second one. What came after was yet another purple meteor, but rather than a Constellation, what popped out was a petite, roughly 156cm tall woman with pale, silvery-purple hair, soft green eyes, and a maid outfit reminiscent of a knight's attire.
Unable to control himself, Paul practically bounced to his feet, shouting, "Hell yeah!" while pumping his fist. He immediately recognized the young woman as Noelle, who, despite only being a 4-Star Character, had eluded him for years.
Though she was a little befuddled by Paul's behavior, Noelle maintained a calm and professional smile, waiting for him to calm down before offering a courteous bow and stating, "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Master Paul. My name is Noelle, Noelle Gainsbury."
Blinking in surprise, Paul asked, "You have a family name...?"
Nodding her head in affirmation, Noelle replied, "My family is one of the many that helped to found the Knights of Favonius. It is my dream to one day join their ranks. To that end, if there is anything you require of me, you need only ask."
Feeling a lot better now that Noelle had joined their ranks, Paul managed a sincere smile as he said, "That's great to hear. Welcome to the world of Mushoku Tensei, Noelle. Glad to have you with us."
While returning a smile of her own, Noelle took a moment to look around, her eyes immediately locking onto Klee. She was hoping to see Jean and Albedo alongside her, but the radiant smile on the young girl's face made it clear she hadn't been mistreated.&nbsp;
Noticing the deviation in Noelle's gaze, Paul looked over his shoulder to find Klee staring back at him with her upgraded Dodoco Tales in hand. His attention brought an even more radiant smile to her face, so Paul returned one of his own before turning back to Noelle and asking, "Mind helping us look after Klee? I'm assuming Alice asked you something similar."
Though her eyes briefly widened, Noelle made no attempt to conceal the truth, admitting, "Indeed. Ever since Klee was summoned, Lady Alice has been beside herself with concern. She asked those of us that remained to please take care of her if we were summoned in advance."
As he would also be worried if his children abruptly disappeared and fell into the hands of someone he wasn't knowledgeable of, Paul didn't take offense to Alice's apparent mistrust. He was a little curious to know why Cyno hadn't mentioned something similar but decided not to inquire as it might inadvertently offend the white-haired, incredibly taciturn girl from Sumeru.
Setting aside his concerns, Paul supplied a curt nod before suggesting, "Please join Klee and the others. I'm currently in the middle of a spree to try and obtain 'Lady Alice,' so it will be dangerous for you to remain on the platform."
Pleasantly surprised by the revelation, Noelle's practiced smile gained a hint of sincerity as she lowered her head and replied, "As you will." in an audibly chipper tone. First impressions were very important, so she was relieved to see how straightforward and kind Paul appeared to be. There was a chance he was putting on airs, but that didn't make a lot of sense, considering he could order them to do whatever he wanted.
With Noelle joining the others, Paul returned to his summoning spree with renewed vigor. His subsequent two pulls were misses, but the three that followed rewarded him with a third Constellation for Ningguang, a fourth for Xiangling, and the first for Cyno. Then, as if Noelle's summoning had liberated him from his dry streak, his 5-Star Pity pull was yet another new summon, a bespectacled, incredibly buxom beauty with stylish green hair and yellow eyes.
Resisting the urge to stare at the woman's exposed navel, Paul adopted a welcoming smile as he questioned, "If I'm not mistaken, you're Dr. Baizhu, correct? If so, welcome to the world of Mushoku Tensei."
Nodding her head in affirmation, Baizhu replied in a soft yet husky tone, "Your assumption is correct. My name is Baizhu Lengshi, Chief Physician and former proprietor of Bubu Pharmacy. If there is anything that ails you, I will do my best to be of service."
Noticing an incongruency between Baizhu and virtually everyone else he had summoned, Paul remarked, "You're not wearing a maid outfit...?" in a marginally confused tone.&nbsp;
"Hmmm...?"
Looking down at her body, Baizhu somewhat playfully inquired, "Does my attire not suit your tastes?"
Deciding it was probably for the best if he didn't harp over the matter, Paul shook his head and said, "You look great." before gesturing toward the peanut gallery and adding, "Why don't you join the others. Ningguang will help you get up to speed. I'm currently in the middle of a summoning spree."
Shifting her gaze to Ningguang, Baizhu narrowed her snake-like eyes and mused, "Ah, if it isn't the Lady Tianquan. How has my Qiqi been...?"
Adopting a business-like smile, Ningguang replied, "Why don't you come over here, and I'll tell you all about her?"
Nodding her head, Baizhu stepped off the summoning platform and joined Ningguang. In her wake, Paul, Ganyu, and Xinyan took a few moments to clear away some of the weapons clutter before returning to their positions and continuing with the summoning spree.
With three new allies at his side, one of which was regarded as the best Physician in their world, it was fair to say Paul was in high spirits. His next set of summons didn't reward him with anything new, but obtaining 4-Star Weapons and Constellations for Shinobu and Lynette weren't exactly 'bad' things. Rather, as the only source for Vision-based weaponry in the world of Mushoku Tensei, he was going to need an abundance of extra weapons to gift out and sell to Vision-bearers in the future.
Moving on to his next set of pulls, Paul was somewhat disappointed to obtain nothing but 4-Star Weapons during his first eight pulls, but that changed rather swiftly when he performed what would ultimately be his final pull for the night.&nbsp;
Though the meteor possessed the same golden luminance as every other 5-Star Character Paul had received, he quickly realized something was off when Ei abruptly appeared at his side. She didn't speak, but her presence was enough to suggest that the person contained within the meteor was either very powerful or dangerous.
Making it pretty obvious who Paul had summoned, the temperature atop the summoning platform began to increase as the Visions adorning Klee's and Xinyan's outfits began to glow. The temperature became even more intense when the meteor impacted the platform and practically exploded, but Paul forced himself to continue staring forward as a vermillion-haired woman with fiery eyes, and an incredible figure emerged with a confident yet fierce expression on her face.
Ignoring the presence of Ei, the vermillion-haired woman, none other than the Pyro Archon, Murata, adopted a wolfish grin as she stared at Paul and inquired, "So, you're the lucky bastard that gets to call himself my Master, eh? Your face and body ain't bad, but how are your aptitudes as a warrior? Don't tell me you make a habit of hiding behind this brat...?"
As one of the 'original' Seven, preceding Ei's rule by nearly 4000 years, the only other Archon Murata respected was Zhongli. As far as she was concerned, Ei was just a weak-willed brat who couldn't accept the loss of her sister. She might not be able to compete with her in terms of speed, but in an actual war, she was confident she would come out ahead more often than not.
Interjecting before a fight could break out, Paul adopted a serious and resolute expression as he replied, "I'll do whatever I must to ensure the survival of my world and the restoration of Teyvat. Ei has been keeping me safe until I am strong enough to stand independently. You're free to look down on me, but I won't tolerate you picking fights or insulting those who work tirelessly to achieve our shared objective..."
"Hoooo...?"
Crossing her arms, a somewhat predator smile developed across Murata's face as she stared at Paul with her thin, dragon-like pupils. She was also willing to do whatever it took to restore her world, so if Paul hadn't been up to the challenge, she would have searched for a few good men to help her sire some children. Seeing Paul stand his ground despite his dried skin beginning to crack and splinter gave Murata the impression she might not have to...
...
..
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(A/N: This is the end of Volume 2. If you've enjoyed the story thus far, feel free to let me know in the comments section. However, as I want to focus on finishing EPIC, this is the last chapter of MI unless the story somehow ends up in the top 3 on webnovel. My priority will always be writing stories that the community wants to read, so if enough people want me to focus on MI, that's exactly what I'll do.)

Chapter 201: Departures and New Beginnings