Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue.

Some battles are planned, others are unexpected—but a true Champion embraces them all. Consider this bonus chapter one of those surprises.

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"What… what is that guy trying to do?"

The onlookers were stunned, their expressions reflecting disbelief as they watched Gu Sanqiu gripping his longsword, a faint smile on his face.

"Is he seriously planning to take the Shogun's strike head-on?"

Wouldn't it make more sense to kneel down immediately and beg for mercy?

"This… this is the resolve of a warrior."

Even from the sidelines, they could feel the overwhelming power of the Shogun's strike. To face it directly was unfathomable.

For Gu Sanqiu, however, drawing his blade before the Raiden Shogun—and even siphoning a portion of her Electro energy—was anything but easy.

This ability to forcibly seize elemental energy was a technique derived from the innate authority of Lord Azhdaha, passed down through his lineage. Gu Sanqiu wasn't sure what his ancestors had endured to acquire this secret art, but the fact that it allowed him to snatch even a fraction of the Raiden Shogun's power proved its value.

Still…

Gu Sanqiu glanced up at the looming Musou no Hitotachi, its power growing even more terrifying. The Shogun had been about to unleash it earlier, but after noticing his theft of her Electro energy, she began charging it anew.

She's planning to turn me to ash with this one strike.

Within his body, the great cauldron churned like an engine, supplying him with immense power, which he poured entirely into his weapon.

His longsword vibrated, the massive influx of energy imbuing it with a crystalline brilliance. Gu Sanqiu took a deep breath, suppressing his agitation and fear.

How long can I last? A minute? Thirty seconds? Ten seconds?

Or just one strike?

"Whatever. Losing composure before a battle is the worst mistake."

Gu Sanqiu burst into laughter, raising his blade to point at the Shogun, who gripped the Musou Isshin.

"Come on, bring it!"

"Munen—Danzetsu!"

The blade of lightning descended. The thunderclouds in the sky coalesced into an enormous blade of pure Electro energy, slicing down toward Gu Sanqiu's head.

"One strike becomes two. I can take the hit from the thundercloud blade—it'll cook me to medium-rare at worst. But the Musou Isshin strike… I have to block that one!"

His mind raced. Though he hadn't had time to visit the Musoujin Gorge during this trip to Inazuma, his memory of past battles was enough to guide him.

Electro energy, when wielded with intent, could surpass nature's elemental cycle, becoming something entirely beyond it.

The sheer quantity of Electro wasn't the only threat. The blade carried the essence of naginata-jutsu—the way of the blade itself.

"If I'm hit by the raw Electro, I might survive. But if the Musou Isshin cuts me, its embedded willpower will shred me to pieces!"

Alright. Take the lightning head-on. Let's do this.

"Unyielding Fortress!"

Under his clothes, a shield quietly unfolded. As the massive thundercloud blade neared, Gu Sanqiu grinned, his expression a picture of defiance.

With the onlookers frozen in shock, he charged straight into the descending blade. His body, fortified to an almost indestructible state, smashed through the cutting edge and hilt, propelling him toward the Raiden Shogun.

Lightning surged around him, arcs of violet energy crackling furiously. Gu Sanqiu gritted his teeth against the pain—without his shield, he'd have been rendered bald and burned on the spot.

"Hey, Shogun!"

"Brace yourself!"

Clang!

The world went dark for an instant as the clash of weapons resounded through the air, followed by waves of lightning radiating outward like a tide.

"What's happening? Go check!"

The guards and soldiers braced against the elemental shockwave, straining to see the confrontation through the blinding light.

A mere samurai against the Shogun? Surely this would be—

"What!?"

"He… he blocked it!"

The gasps were unanimous, even Kazuha looking up in astonishment.

Gu Sanqiu had stopped the Raiden Shogun's strike.

Suspended in midair, the warrior known as Ryukai Genzawa gripped his blade with both hands, locking weapons with the Shogun.

Her expression was one of slight consternation; his, of unrestrained madness.

But such subtleties were only known to the two in the midst of battle.

The muscles in Gu Sanqiu's arms bulged as the white flames within him burned fiercely, fueling his weapon with renewed energy.

He wasn't just holding the Shogun's blade at bay—he was trying to push her back.

"Why do you persist?" the Raiden Shogun asked suddenly. "Why disturb the peace of Inazuma?"

"Peace?"

"Peace my ass! This is stagnation!"

Gu Sanqiu's laughter was wild and unhinged. "Look at Inazuma! I won't bother with flowery words. The people here go hungry, they freeze in the streets, families are torn apart by endless strife. Is that your so-called peace?"

"Why disturb your peace?"

"Because I love you!"

Gu Sanqiu's roar rang out. "I love with no bounds, with the heart of a sage! I can't stand idly by while such things happen before my eyes!"

Boom!

The power of the Delusion drained his life force, the dark red apparition behind him growing even larger. Its left hand shook a bell while its right wielded a blade, continuing the onslaught.

"I see."

A purple barrier materialized, blocking the apparition's attack.

"I thought your identity might set you apart from the ignorant masses," the Shogun said coldly.

"What a pity."

With a wave of her hand, an overwhelming force sent Gu Sanqiu flying, his blade clattering to the ground.

Swish!

Hundreds of concentrated lightning beams erupted from behind the Shogun, piercing through Gu Sanqiu in an instant.

"How… dare…"

Far away in Liyue, Zhongli's expression darkened, the teacup in his hand shattering under immense pressure. The air in Liyue Harbor grew heavy with his restrained anger.

"Genzawa!" Kazuha cried, his voice filled with anguish as the newly conscious Buyu Raimei witnessed Gu Sanqiu plummet to the ground.

Thud!

A dull impact echoed as Gu Sanqiu crashed into another crater, his body battered and broken, his mind barely clinging to consciousness.

"This world," the Shogun said as she descended, "has no need for countless adversaries. Or rather, most existences are simply unworthy of resistance."

"Ants, easily crushed beneath my palm."

"…Damn it."

Gu Sanqiu's body twitched as he struggled to rise. Even his blood now carried arcs of lightning. He wasn't sure why he was still alive—perhaps the Shogun had deliberately spared his life force.

Within his core, the great cauldron blazed, its white flames striving to purge the invading Electro. Yet these arcs weren't random—they were part of a system, an intricate array combining the essence of naginata-jutsu, elemental energy, and divine authority, locking him down completely.

Resistance was futile.

"You shall face punishment," the Shogun declared, turning her gaze to Kazuha and Raimei. "I grant you… annihilation."

"You dare…"

Gu Sanqiu spat purple-tinged blood, his vision blurring.

At the last moment, he bit down on the collar of his shirt.

"Don't underestimate me…"

"…Even an unlucky wretch has a guaranteed draw!"

"Cheat item, activate!"

Item: Divine Demon Pill

Grade: Gold

Origin: Divine Demon Abyss

Effect: Temporarily grants the power of gods and demons.

Note: A repurposed reject, yet remarkably effective.

Boom!

The skies cleared as immense flames consumed the thunderclouds. The ground beneath cracked, buildings split apart, and vegetation was reduced to ash in an instant.

Instead of spilling outward, the energy surged into Gu Sanqiu, eradicating every trace of the Shogun's lightning within him.

Even the Raiden Shogun turned her gaze toward him, her blade Musou Isshin gleaming with renewed intensity.

She could sense it—the presence of another supreme being.

And its source was the mortal she had just struck down.

Gu Sanqiu staggered to his feet, his body trembling as it repaired itself with the immense power coursing through him. Yet his eyes, filled with unrelenting resolve, remained locked on the Shogun.

"Come on… round two!"

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T/N: oooh daddy is angry

A true Champion knows that every battle, every choice, and every unexpected twist shapes the path to mastery. Consider this bonus chapter a rare encounter—one that wouldn't be possible without the right support.

That's why you should support WiseTL at [patreon.com/WiseTL]—where every pledge helps bring more high-quality translations to life, staying true to the original while flowing naturally in English. After all, excellence is in the details.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have more to prepare for. But you? You should take this opportunity—you never know what rare finds await.

Until we meet again—stay sharp, stay determined, and never stop striving to be your best.

—Cynthia