The Dragon King patrols the seas, the wind gathers the clouds.
After a long voyage, the Crux Fleet returns to land and holds a three-day celebration.
This has long been a tradition of the Crux Fleet. After all, no one knows if they might die at sea one day, even with Beidou at the helm.
Living in the moment is part of their daily life.
"Still not used to life at sea?"
Seeing Kaedehara Kazuha sitting by the ship, gazing at the myriad lights of Liyue Harbor, Beidou walked over and draped a coat over his shoulders, asking.
The night breeze in Liyue Harbor was still a bit chilly. Sitting here like this, he might catch a cold.
"I was just thinking about something."
Pulling the coat tighter, Kazuha's gaze toward Liyue Harbor grew distant.
He had once been part of a prestigious family in Inazuma, accompanying his elders on outings near Ritou.
He remembered a place in Ritou called the "Farewell Pavilion," where a geisha performed. When she danced, the sea would be lit up by the lanterns of passing boats, resembling the legendary sea-dwelling demon, the "Unseen Fire." Thus, people called her the "Geisha of the Unseen Fire."
Though it wasn't a particularly high-class establishment, it helped drive Ritou's development, making it the most bustling port in all of Inazuma, bar none.
With the implementation of the Sakoku Decree, the Farewell Pavilion had long since turned into driftwood on the sea, and Ritou was shrouded in gloom. Even he had become a wandering ronin, and everything had changed.
What lingered most in his heart was...
A familiar figure surfaced in his mind. Though they hadn't known each other for long, his friend's bright smile remained an indelible wound in his heart.
Times had changed, and so had people.
"Alright, today I spent 50,000 Mora to hire a chef from Wanmin Restaurant to prepare a feast for everyone. Get ready—her skills are top-notch. In my opinion, she's even better than Liyue Cuisine and Moonlit Cuisine."
Beidou was quite satisfied with her new crew member.
Thanks to him, their relationship with Watatsumi Island had grown closer. Moreover, the young man himself was quite capable and could predict storms by listening to the wind.
Her fleet had avoided many storms thanks to Kazuha's warnings, and those who had initially been skeptical of him had gradually come to respect the young man.
She wondered if Ningguang had managed to handle the Instructor's situation while she was away. It was hard not to worry.
For the men of the sea, there were only a few things they truly loved.
Drinks they could gulp down, meat they could devour, and women they could... well, you know.
So, those with families were given special leave to spend time with their loved ones. They could return the next day to join the feast or wait until the ship set sail again.
As for seafood... they'd had enough of that. Spending every day at sea, they were already sick of it.
After Snezhnaya and Liyue established diplomatic relations, aside from bringing the Fatui and friendship, they also brought Snezhnayan specialties, such as Fire-Water.
This drink quickly won the hearts of the sailors, even rivaling Mondstadt's Dandelion Wine in popularity.
Amid the celebration, a chef and her little pet occasionally weaved through the crowd, serving plate after plate of delicious food.
Judging by her movements through the crowd, this girl was no ordinary person—she had clearly trained in martial arts. The Vision she inadvertently revealed only reinforced this impression.
"Miss, do you have some issue with me?"
Putting down the roasted meat in his hand, Kazuha finally couldn't help but ask when Xiangling shot him a wary look for the seventh time.
He was certain he hadn't offended the chef, but her cautious gaze made him feel somewhat uncomfortable.
"Sorry, sorry! It's just that during the day, a red-robed ronin wearing a mask caused trouble at my restaurant. It's made me a bit jumpy."
As she said this, her voice trembled slightly. The sunsettias that man had left behind seemed to have been tampered with. After Guoba ate one, it nearly had to be sent to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. In the end, it was her master who saved it.
Sunsettias... truly terrifying.
Xiangling knew her behavior was a bit rude and quickly apologized. After Kazuha spoke, she was certain this Inazuman wasn't the same person who had caused trouble at her restaurant.
"Red-robed... ronin..."
Kazuha's eyes narrowed. He rummaged through his bag and pulled out a cat-faced mask, asking with visible excitement, "Was he carrying a strange reverse-blade sword and wearing a mask like this?"
The mask had been obtained through Gorou. Though it differed slightly from Battousai's, it was of the same style.
"That's right! His swordsmanship was incredibly fast, like lightning. He took down a group of Fatui in just a few strikes."
Xiangling thought carefully before answering.
Though the ronin's mask was slightly different from the one Kazuha held, the overall style was similar.
"It's him! It's him—Battousai!"
After joining the resistance, Kazuha had heard nothing more of Battousai. He had even sought help from the Divine Priestess of Watatsumi Island, but to no avail.
He had thought Battousai had been found by the Raiden Shogun in Inazuma City and struck down with a single blow. He never expected to encounter him in a foreign land.
"Are you sure it's him?"
Unlike the excited Kazuha, Beidou was more serious.
She had heard of Battousai.
He was the first human in centuries to injure a demon god.
Even knowing Battousai was a righteous figure, in a way, he was also a threat—much like the Jade Chamber Ningguang often spoke of, carrying a special significance.
"There are many red-robed, cat-masked individuals in Inazuma, especially after the Duel Before the Throne. That style became popular across the entire nation. But someone who dares to carry a reverse-blade sword? There's only one such person in the world."
A blade turned inward increases the risk of injuring oneself. No one would have the courage to carry such a weapon, let alone master it to perfection.
So, that person must be Battousai.
"Captain, could I take a day off... no, three days off? I want to find him."
Why he was so eager to find him, Kazuha himself wasn't sure. Perhaps it was because that man carried a shadow of his friend.
They were different from him. They had dared to draw their blades against the lofty deity, seeking to cut through the injustices of the world.
His friend had failed. His body was buried by the Shogun on Narukami Island, and many had gone to pay their respects.
Battousai had also failed, but he was still alive. And he had proven one thing to the world.
That blade... might not be out of reach.