Chapter 188

An incomparably massive battleship slowly moved towards the location of Guyun Stone Forest.

Some passing fishing boats were startled upon seeing the enormous vessel.

"What is that?"

"How big is it?"

"And it's entirely made of cast steel?"

The fishermen were completely shocked.

Judging from the large gun turrets mounted on it, this was undoubtedly a warship.

Stunned by the sight, they quickly realized that it must have been constructed at the shipyard.

Meanwhile, Takumi, piloting the ship, pushed it to full speed.

Despite its immense size, the ship's speed was astonishing, leaving everyone on board in awe.

As they approached Guyun Stone Forest, Takumi activated the power of the Herrscher of Wind, allowing him to scan the area ahead.

"No one is around."

"We can begin testing."

"Lock onto the target."

Takumi's voice echoed through the ship's communication system.

Hearing his command, the crew members immediately sprang into action, preparing for the test.

Takumi selected an uninhabited island in the distance.

At his order, the ship's weapons were activated.

A piercing sound filled the air.

'Boom! Boom! Boom!'

With Takumi's signal, the warship's artillery systems unleashed their power.

Elemental cannons fired in rapid succession, sending devastating blasts toward the small island.

Within moments, the entire island was engulfed in flames.

The crew stared in shock.

"This…"

"It's terrifying!"

"Did we really build this?"

Jiang Ji, one of the officers, was left speechless by the sheer power on display.

Takumi smirked.

"Believe it. This is real."

Hearing this, Jiang Ji's shock turned into excitement, and soon, the entire crew erupted in celebration.

"Amazing!"

"With this ship, we no longer have to fear pirates!"

For the men on board, witnessing such firepower filled them with pride.

Takumi, however, quickly refocused them.

"Calm down."

"Next, we'll test the superweapon."

A grin spread across his face.

This battleship was equipped with six heavy missiles.

Each one carried enough power to demolish entire structures in a single strike.

At his command, the warship moved into position for the test.

Once they reached the target zone, Takumi authorized the missile launch.

A massive roar filled the air as six missiles, each the size of two grown men, shot out from the battleship.

The moment they were launched, the ship suddenly felt much lighter.

The projectiles arced through the sky before homing in on their designated target.

A series of deafening explosions followed.

'BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!'

Huge fireballs rose into the sky, followed by a towering mushroom cloud.

The sea churned violently from the shockwave.

The surrounding waters trembled from the force of the blast.

Deep beneath the sea, the slumbering Vortex God, who had been sealed by Morax, stirred in confusion.

"What…?"

"Who is fighting above me?"

Though it wished to investigate, the seal prevented it from doing so.

Meanwhile, Zhongli, far away in Liyue Harbor, sensed the disturbance from Guyun Stone Forest.

His expression turned contemplative.

"A… vessel?"

He muttered to himself.

Hearing him speak, Childe, who was present, frowned in confusion.

"Mr. Zhongli, what's wrong?"

Zhongli shook his head.

"It's nothing. Just a passing thought."

Though puzzled, Childe didn't press the matter further and continued ranting about the troubles at Northland Bank.

With the success of Liyue Bank, Northland Bank was on the brink of collapse, and Childe was growing increasingly frustrated.

As he vented his grievances, Zhongli listened in silence.

It wasn't his concern, after all. The banking developments were Ningguang's responsibility.

Instead, he was more intrigued by the unusual surge of elemental power he had just felt.

Was Takumi growing even stronger?

The rock element emanating from him now seemed even more potent than Zhongli's own power as the Geo Archon.

A mischievous thought crossed Zhongli's mind.

"Perhaps I should declare Takumi as the new Geo Archon?"

The Dendro and Electro Archons were both successors to their predecessors, so why not install a new Geo Archon as well?

Then, he could finally retire in peace.

"Yes…"

"This could be interesting."

"I'll bring it up at the next Rite of Descension."

He chuckled to himself.

Meanwhile, Takumi remained unaware of Zhongli's thoughts.

Back on the battleship, he was assessing the weapon systems.

After completing the test rounds, he was thoroughly satisfied.

"Excellent."

Next, he instructed the crew to take turns steering the vessel, allowing them to familiarize themselves with its controls.

For the next several hours, explosions continued to echo across Guyun Stone Forest as the crew tested the battleship's firepower.

Several passing ships, alarmed by the destruction, mistook it for a full-scale battle and hurriedly reported it to the Liyue Maritime Safety Administration.

However, the head of the Maritime Safety Administration was on board the very ship causing the commotion.

With no one else to handle the report, the matter was escalated directly to Ningguang.

Receiving the report, Ningguang raised an eyebrow.

She summoned Bai Xiao.

"Anything unusual happening in Guili Plains today?"

"Has Takumi returned from Liyue Harbor?"

An explosion?

Her first thought was that Takumi must have been involved.

Bai Xiao quickly responded.

"Lady Ningguang, Lord Takumi went to the shipyard this morning."

"A large vessel was launched around noon."

"It seems to have headed toward Guyun Stone Forest."

Hearing this, Ningguang immediately understood.

"I see. You may go."

Bai Xiao nodded and stepped away.

Realizing that Takumi's battleship was complete, Ningguang wasted no time.

She rose from her chair, changed into an appropriate outfit, and prepared to leave for the shipyard.