Genshin Impact: I Became The Son Of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata

"'With strength enough to lift mountains, his spirit towers over the world; yet fate betrays him, and his steed refuses to run?' What is this? Is it... human art?" The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata murmured, holding a dark, withered branch from the World Tree. Within it, she could sense knowledge from beyond the stars.

"Perhaps... it's best to destroy it," she whispered. A brilliant surge of Dendro elemental energy gathered in her pristine hands, aimed at obliterating the strange branch.

However, to her surprise, the massive energy did not destroy the branch. Instead, it absorbed the power entirely.

This unexpected reaction was startling enough, but what happened next was even more astonishing. Under the influence of the Dendro energy, the branch began to morph, gradually taking on a humanoid form. Before long, it became a young boy.

The boy barely had time to stabilize before blurting out:

"Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing here?"

This trio of existential questions not only left him baffled but also caught the Greater Lord off guard.

"I... I've created a new god!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief.

The boy—his mind still swirling in confusion—genuinely felt lost. Those three questions reflected the fragments of memories flickering in his mind. He could vaguely recall that his name was Yu, and that he came from a place called Earth, a world that held both warmth and cruelty for him. Yet, the memories were incomplete, mere scattered pieces floating in his consciousness.

As Yu looked up, he saw a breathtakingly beautiful woman standing before him. Her attire was a soft blend of white and pale green, and she exuded an aura of nature's purity, like an ethereal being cherished by the world itself. The faint scent of herbs lingered in the air around her.

"You... who are you? Where are you? What are you doing?" Yu repeated the soul-searching questions, this time directed at her.

Hearing the familiar words brought the Greater Lord back to reality. She studied the boy with curiosity, like a child discovering a new toy.

Yu noticed her gaze, and a sense of unease crept in. He couldn't help but shout,

"W-what are you doing? Don't come any closer! Don't come any closer!"

…

"You should address me as 'Mother,'" the Greater Lord said after examining him thoroughly.

The word "mother" triggered something in Yu's fragmented mind. He understood its meaning—one who creates life.

"So... you're the one who brought me into existence?"

The Greater Lord reflected on what she had learned about him: an incomplete soul, a divine body, and, like her, an incarnation of the World Tree. However, something unknown had tainted him. Unlike ordinary corruption, it wasn't hostile but instead carried strange, foreign knowledge.

"I am the Dendro Archon, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, an incarnation of the World Tree. You are a branch of the World Tree, my offspring."

This revelation crashed into Yu's mind like a tidal wave.

"There are two things I don't understand. May I ask?" he said hesitantly.

"Go ahead," the Greater Lord responded gently. As the embodiment of wisdom, she was confident she could answer most of his questions, especially given his recent birth.

"First... what is an Archon?"

Hearing the question, she smiled slightly. Of course, he's still a child. She took her time explaining in detail, ensuring he could understand.

"The second question," Yu continued, "based on what you said, I am the result of asexual reproduction. That means our genetic material should be identical, and if that's the case, our phenotypic expressions should be the same. Why, then, do we look different?"

He wasn't even sure how he managed to articulate such a complex thought. It just slipped out without conscious effort.

The Greater Lord was momentarily stunned.

Yu, sensing her silence, realized his question might have been unclear. Yet, with his fragmented memories, he couldn't fully explain himself either. So, he waited.

And waited...

The truth was, the Greater Lord could answer his question. However, how could she possibly phrase it? Should she tell him, "You were a tainted branch that I originally intended to discard, but you unexpectedly transformed into this form?" That would surely crush the poor child's spirit.

Suddenly, Yu broke the awkward silence.

"Oh, right! Rukkhadevata, I forgot to tell you—my name is Yu."

Hearing him casually call her by her Archon name, the Greater Lord felt an inexplicable surge of irritation. Among Archons, addressing each other by their titles was normal. Yet, for some reason, it irked her.

Unconsciously, she gathered elemental energy, causing the concentration of Dendro in the air to become lethal for any ordinary lifeform.

Yu noticed the tension and saw the green energy swirling around her clenched fist. Though he didn't know why, fear gripped his heart, and he immediately backed down.

"M-Mother?" he stammered cautiously.

The overwhelming Dendro energy dissipated in an instant.

Hearing him call her "Mother" brought an unexpected warmth to the Greater Lord's heart. He called me Mother! I... I have become a mother!

Relieved that the tension had passed, Yu began to take in his surroundings. He was standing in a palace within an oasis, where vibrant greenery dominated the decor. The aesthetic didn't quite suit his tastes, and he instinctively found the color scheme unappealing.

Then, he looked down at himself and realized—he was stark naked. Glancing at his newly acknowledged mother, who was still basking in joy, he felt a sudden wave of embarrassment. However, noticing that she didn't seem to mind, he tried to calm himself.

Oh right, I'm not human anymore. I'm a god. But if every Archon has a primary power, what's mine? It's strange... She's the Dendro Archon, yet wisdom is her true domain. What could mine be?