Chapter 104: That Strike, Not Beyond Reach
The Dragon King patrolled the seas, the winds stirred, and the clouds rolled.
When the long voyage came to an end, The Crux would dock, marking the start of a three-day celebration. This had long been a tradition for The Crux. After all, none of them could predict if they might perish at sea one day, even with Beidou's formidable presence. Living in the moment has become their way of life.
"Still not used to life at sea?"
Beidou approached Kazuha, who was sitting at the ship's edge gazing at the glowing lights of Liyue Harbor. She draped a coat over his shoulders and asked gently. The night breeze from the harbor could still be chilling, and sitting here like this would surely invite illness.
"I was merely lost in thought," Kazuha replied. Tugging the coat tighter around himself, his gaze grew distant as he looked toward the harbor.
He was once a scion of a noble family in Inazuma, spending time with his elders sailing near Ritou.
He still remembered a certain place on Ritou—a fireworks parlor called "Liren Pavilion." In that pavilion, there was a renowned dancer, whom people nicknamed "Shiranui," for her performances illuminated by countless lantern-lit boats resembled the mythical sea demon of the same name.
Though not an establishment of great repute, Liren Pavilion played a key role in Ritou's development, turning it into the most prosperous port in all of Inazuma. But when the Sakoku Decree was issued, the pavilion fell into decay, becoming driftwood atop the waves. Ritou was shrouded in perpetual gloom, and Kazuha himself became a wandering ronin, aimlessly traversing the world.
The bitterest part was…
A familiar figure surfaced in his mind. Though their time together had been brief, his friend's bright and hearty smile left a wound in his heart that could never fully heal.
Times change, and so do people.
"Well then," Beidou said, breaking the silence. "I spent fifty thousand Mora today hiring a chef from Wanmin Restaurant to prepare a feast for the crew. Get ready; her cooking is top-notch. I'd say it even surpasses Liyue cuisine."
Beidou was quite satisfied with her new recruit. Thanks to Kazuha, their relations with Watatsumi Island had improved significantly. His skill in reading the wind and waves also helped the fleet avoid countless storms, gradually earning the trust and respect of even the most skeptical sailors.
Still, Beidou couldn't help but worry about how Ningguang was handling the matter of the instructors back in her absence.
For sailors, life's joys boiled down to a few simple pleasures: drinking copious amounts of liquor, eating hearty meals, and… well, enjoying some enthusiastic company.
Those with families were given leave to spend time with their loved ones, free to rejoin the celebration the next day or wait until the fleet set sail again. As for seafood, they could do without it for a while—living at sea meant they had their fill of it already.
Since Snezhnaya and Liyue established diplomatic ties, new imports had arrived alongside the Fatui and their "friendship," including Snezhnayan firewater, said to double as a disinfectant. The sailors took an immediate liking to this fiery drink, with its popularity rivaling Mondstadt's Dandelion Wine.
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Amidst the revelry, a chef bustled through the crowd with a small companion, delivering dish after dish of delectable food. Judging by her agility in navigating the crowd, it was evident she was no ordinary chef. Her Vision, accidentally revealed during her movements, only deepened this impression.
"Miss, do you have something against me?"
Putting down his grilled meat, Kazuha finally asked when he noticed Xiangling casting yet another wary glance in his direction. He was certain he hadn't offended this chef, but her guarded look made him uneasy.
"Apologies, my bad," Xiangling said quickly, her voice trembling slightly. "A red-robed ronin wearing a mask caused trouble at my restaurant earlier, and it left me a bit on edge."
The man had left behind a Sunsetia of dubious nature, which nearly sent Guoba to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. If not for the head chef's timely intervention, things could've gone much worse.
Sunsetias had never seemed so terrifying.
Realizing her behavior had been impolite, Xiangling hastily apologized. After hearing Kazuha speak, she was sure this Inazuman wasn't the same person who caused trouble at her restaurant.
"Red-robed… ronin..."
Kazuha's eyes narrowed as he opened his bag, pulling out a cat-faced mask. His tone grew excited as he asked,
"Did this person wield a peculiar Reverse Blade Sword and wear a mask like this?"
The mask was one Kazuha had specially requested from Gorou. Though not identical to the one wielded by a certain legendary swordsman, it was of the same type.
"That's right! That guy's swordsmanship was insanely fast—like lightning! He took down a bunch of Fatui in just a few strikes," Xiangling recalled with a shudder.
Though the ronin's mask differed slightly from the one in Kazuha's hand, the overall style was remarkably similar.
"It's him, it has to be him—Battousai!" Kazuha exclaimed, his tone tinged with a mix of surprise and excitement.
After Kazuha joined the resistance, Battousai had disappeared without a trace. Kazuha had even sought the help of Watatsumi Island's Divine Priestess, but no leads ever surfaced. He had assumed that Battousai had been found and cut down by the Raiden Shogun in Inazuma City. Never had he imagined their paths would cross in a foreign land.
"Are you certain it's him?"
Beidou's tone was far more serious compared to Kazuha's excitement. She was no stranger to the tales of Battousai.
He was the only person in centuries to wound a god while being merely human.
Even if Battousai was considered a force for justice, his existence still posed a unique kind of threat—much like the significance of the Jade Chamber, which Ningguang often spoke of. He was a symbol, one that couldn't be ignored.
"Inazuma is full of red-robed wanderers, many wearing cat-faced masks—especially after the Duel Before the Throne became a cultural phenomenon. But one bold enough to carry a Reverse Blade Sword? There is only one in the entire world."
A reverse blade inherently increased the wielder's risk of self-harm. It was a weapon so unconventional that few dared to wield it, let alone master it to perfection.
That man could only be Battousai Himura.
"Boss," Kazuha said, his voice steady but resolute. "May I have a day—no, three days off? I want to find him."
Why did he feel such urgency to meet him? Even Kazuha himself wasn't entirely sure. Perhaps Battousai reminded him of his late friend.
They were different from him. They dared to draw their swords against the high and mighty gods, striving to sever the injustices of the world.
His friend had failed. His body now rested on Narukami Island, in a grave visited by many.
Battousai had also failed, but he survived.
And in surviving, he proved one thing to the world:
That strike—was not beyond reach.
. . . . .
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