I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit

Kiichi Hougen had noticed that Sara had become noticeably more rigid during her absence.

"Sara," Kiichi began, breaking the silence, "have you been cooped up alone for too long? I think you need to get out more and interact with people. If you keep this up, you'll end up like one of those stiff, boring old-timers."

Hearing the word old-timers from a thousand-year-old yokai felt oddly out of place.

Even the Archons of Teyvat probably hadn't lived as long as Kiichi, who had lived "at least a thousand years" rather than "only a thousand years."

"You didn't seriously stay indoors this whole time, did you? That's no good, Sara. Young people need to go out, broaden their horizons, and gain some life experience. Don't end up like me, shut away all day and turning into a useless layabout."

Sara's expression grew strange.

Who calls themselves a useless layabout?

After composing herself, Sara replied, "Master, I did go out a few times."

"...Oh? Really?"

"And..." Sara hesitated, her eyes flickering with a hint of unease. "I wasn't entirely without contact during your absence."

"..."

Kiichi blinked, staring at her disciple for a moment.

"Who? Male or female? Tall or short? Fat or thin? Long hair or short hair?"

Before Sara could respond, Kiichi leaned in close, her eyes sparkling with curiosity, startling Sara.

"Master, why do you seem so... excited?"

"Well, it's someone you interacted with, Sara! Of course, I'm curious. Is this person a friend of yours?"

"Master, please don't joke about such things," Sara replied, her initial flustered demeanor replaced by a firm, serious tone. "That person is not my friend. Just an overly strong idiot who kept pestering me. That's all."

"Ohhh~~~! Tell me more."

Kiichi's interest was piqued.

During Kiichi's absence, Sara had not stayed confined to the courtyard. She understood that training alone was insufficient—experience in real combat was essential to truly hone her skills.

Since Kiichi had cleared out most of the Rifthounds in the forest before leaving, Sara felt confident enough to venture out. The enemies she encountered were mainly hilichurls or boars, perfect for testing her abilities and refining her technique.

Kiichi had taught Sara not just strategy but also archery and swordsmanship. While Sara hadn't yet reached the level of a "fully licensed master," after only a year of training, she was more than capable of handling hilichurls.

However, during one expedition, Sara stumbled upon a relatively small hilichurl camp.

It wasn't as large as the ones Kiichi had encountered before and seemed newly established. Its most dangerous members were some Electro axe-wielding hilichurls and a shaman—no Abyss Mages or Mitachurls in sight.

If there had been Electro Abyss Mages or Electro Mitachurls, Sara would have retreated. As a wielder of the Electro element, she had no way to break their shields.

With her natural talent and Kiichi's rigorous guidance, Sara had no trouble clearing the camp. But then something unexpected happened.

A boisterous voice rang out, disrupting the battle.

"Hohahaha! Tremble before the mighty Arataki Itto! Under my mighty club, you'll all be smashed into cookies! Flat as pancakes!"

The chaotic figure responsible was a white-haired boy with crimson streaks at the tips of his hair and two striking red horns sprouting from his head.

The commotion he caused completely threw off Sara's battle rhythm. Worse, his reckless movements nearly got her hit.

In the end, the camp was destroyed, and neither of them was injured, but Sara emerged from the encounter dusty and disheveled. Her frustration was palpable.

The moment she laid eyes on him, Sara knew one thing: I'll never get along with this person.

The way he laughed so brazenly and shamelessly grated on her nerves. As soon as the fight ended, she turned to leave, eager to escape the chaotic presence.

But she underestimated just how irritating he could be.

Impressed by Sara's skill during the battle, the boy—Arataki Itto—boldly challenged her to a duel. When Sara ignored him, he pestered her relentlessly, pushing her patience to its limit. More than once, she seriously considered drawing her sword to strike him.

By this point, Kiichi was grinning knowingly.

So it's Arataki Itto... Who would've thought Sara's "fateful rivalry" with him started this early?

"Master, you seem oddly interested in that idiot."

"I am, a little. But I'm even more curious about how your duel went." Kiichi's playful tone suggested she was thoroughly enjoying this. "Come on, tell me. What did you two compete in? Did you win?"

Sara frowned deeply, an expression that surprised Kiichi.

"...Wait. Did you lose?"

"No, not entirely. Overall, I won," Sara replied, her tone tinged with frustration. "But... as your disciple, I'm ashamed I couldn't secure a flawless victory. I've disgraced you, Master."

"Oh? What did you lose at?"

"Arm wrestling."

Sara sighed, clearly dissatisfied.

Even though Itto was infuriating, even though he laughed like a broken megaphone and stuck to her like glue, Sara couldn't treat him as an enemy. Despite her annoyance, she refrained from drawing her blade against him.

During the battle with the hilichurls, Sara had observed that Itto excelled in sheer strength and could wield elemental powers. But when it came to technique and combat strategy, he was laughably lacking—even by her standards.

If it had been a fight to the death, Sara was confident she wouldn't lose, thanks to Kiichi's teachings.

But arm wrestling? That was a pure contest of raw strength.

Even with the aid of her Electro Vision, Sara's physical abilities—impressive as they were—couldn't match Itto's. After all, he was an Oni known for his strength. Her loss was almost inevitable.

It was this defeat in arm wrestling that elevated Itto in Sara's mind from "an annoying idiot" to "a frustratingly strong idiot with nothing but brute force."

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T/N: hehehe itto x sara (released Genshin Impact: Strength Through Bonds)

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