"Speaking of which, Inazuma should have its own Dragon Riders; I saw dozens of them setting out to fight in Sumeru recently."
"Are you two not clear on the details? As high-ranking officials of Inazuma, you should know at least a little about the Dragon Rider assessment process."
The Millelith soldier looked at Kazuha and Kamisato Ayato with a hint of confusion. The two exchanged a look, and Ayato gave a bitter smile.
"Inazuma is not like Liyue; we aren't located so close to Mister Ryen. Our elite troops are basically stationed here permanently and rarely return home. They are managed directly by Her Excellency the Shogun and General Kujou; we haven't actually seen much of Inazuma's elite forces."
Hearing this, the Millelith soldier rubbed his head awkwardly, but he felt a surge of pride in his heart. After all, those closest to the source enjoyed the greatest advantages.
"We aren't privy to the specific contents of the Dragon Rider assessment, but I occasionally saw Commander Dashi. He mentioned that the assessment doesn't just look at personal strength; it also evaluates one's level of contribution to the nation. In short, it's a very complex process. Every Dragon Rider must first meet with the Lord of Geo to sign a new contract and swear an oath. They are the only ones permitted to face the Emperor and Mister Ryen at any time. We don't know much about a legion like that."
"However, I do know the assessment standards for the firearm units." The Millelith soldier thought for a moment and continued. "The firearm units are different from our light infantry and heavy cavalry; we usually operate in small units or individual combat. But they are different; once the firearm units are deployed, they move as a steel torrent of hundreds of men. In a one-on-one duel, they might not be our match, but once they move as a collective, even the Dragon Riders have to steer clear."
"Those firearms are truly terrifying... You should know that when Liyue suppressed the ancient gods without taking a single casualty, the firearm units were the main force. They formed a wall at the harbor; no sea beast could get within a hundred meters of the docks. Later, when they took the fight to the sea, they hammered Osial until he couldn't even lift his head. Their assessment is also very difficult; every single one of them is a sharpshooter who can hit whatever they're told to hit."
The Millelith soldier glanced at Ayato. These details weren't exactly secrets. Not only was Liyue now strong enough to fear no enemy in this world, but Inazuma was a fellow member of the alliance. Furthermore, Inazuma possessed these same military branches; they had simply started a bit later.
"Besides the firearm units, there is also a special forces unit that takes orders directly from Lady Yelan. They are required to master various types of equipment: firearms, warhorses, Frost Swords, and more. Their numbers are small, only a thousand people, and their destructive power on the battlefield isn't as high, but their infiltration and sabotage capabilities behind enemy lines surpass all other armies. Every single soldier in that unit possesses the combat power of a top-tier Vision holder. In theory, you should have a similar unit; we've seen a unit like that in Mondstadt that seems to follow the orders of the Spindrift Knight. However, since your manpower is so limited, I'm not sure how many you have."
Ayato sighed and spoke softly. "I hope these three thousand men can familiarize themselves quickly and become a qualified new army."
"With Mister Ryen here, it won't be a problem." The Millelith soldier smiled and nodded, coming to a halt.
Ahead was a high wall, guarded by even more troops whose concentrated aura of slaughter was even more palpable. The soldier pointed past the wall.
"Lady Makoto has already cleared the way; you can head straight in. There is a portal inside that you can enter directly. Someone will guide you once you're on the other side. I'll take my leave now; we need to continue our patrol."
Ayato nodded and pulled out a bag of Mora to hand to the soldier. "Thank you for your hard work."
The Millelith soldier laughed and shook his head, refusing the pouch. "It's all part of the job. I have no need for Mora. Our salaries are quite high, and besides, we all know the situation here. Mora is essentially useless to us."
This was the truth. Giving a Millelith soldier Mora was less valuable than giving them a single extra hour inside the MC world. Their salaries were already excellent, and since the Ministry of Civil Affairs had no other place to spend its money, they had raised the Millelith's pay eight times in the last six months. They were carrying so much Mora they didn't even know where to spend it. The Ministry was genuinely distressed by the surplus: they had even established a department specifically tasked with finding ways to spend Mora. Otherwise, if the accumulation continued, the entire Mora-based economic system would collapse.
The soldiers offered a salute and hurried away. Ayato let out a sigh of amazement. "Liyue has truly developed too quickly..."
Kazuha spoke softly: "It's alright. Now that we've brought so many people, we will also enter a phase of rapid development."
Ayato didn't dwell on it. He organized his men and led them past the wall. After clearing several checkpoints, they finally reached their destination. Outside Ryen's courtyard stood a massive gateway. The courtyard was silent; they were likely all inside the MC World already.
Ayato had Kazuha keep watch outside while he entered first. A faint sensation of vertigo washed over him, followed immediately by an inexpressible surge of power within his body. Ayato looked at himself in shock, and before he could say anything, the sound of hurried footsteps came from behind him.
"Is the Inazuma army arriving? Excellent, we've been waiting for you."
Ayato turned and spoke thoughtfully: "Commander Fengyan?"
"Mister Kamisato." Fengyan walked over quickly, followed by several soldiers. Compared to the Millelith stationed in Teyvat, this group was clearly much stronger. Their auras were restrained, yet they felt as immovable as mountains. Considering Fengyan's status as a Dragon Rider, it was likely that these were all members of that elite legion.
"My apologies for making you wait; we encountered several sea beasts on the way," Ayato said apologetically.
Fengyan frowned slightly. "Sea beasts? I'll have to notify Changli to have the naval warfare units mobilize." After saying this, Fengyan cleared his mind and smiled. "Lady Makoto has left instructions. As soon as you enter, you are to be sent to Millelith Base No. 1 for training. There are many tasks ahead, so your people need to familiarize themselves with this world as quickly as possible."
By now, the new Inazuma troops had begun their entry, pouring through the portal in a steady stream. Upon arriving in this world, the soldiers were all wide-eyed with wonder, whispering among themselves. Ayato didn't mind: even though he had known what to expect, he was still shocked by the entry, let alone these soldiers who knew nothing.
"We have three thousand men; can Base No. 1 accommodate them all?"
Fengyan waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry, it's no problem. Base No. 1 has been expanded significantly; it's large enough to house tens of thousands of people. It's not just your people; the vanguard of the Abyss... I mean, the Khaenri'ahns, are also training there."
Ayato nodded thoughtfully. "Then I'll leave them in your care. Where are Her Excellency the Shogun and Mister Ryen? I need to report in."
Fengyan replied softly: "The lords are currently at the Mondstadt Base No. 1. The Lantern Rite events have begun, and everyone is preparing. If you head there now, you should be able to make it in time. Just think about the Panel in your mind, select the Mondstadt Base, and you can teleport there directly."
Ayato smiled and nodded. "Thank you."
The two chatted briefly about the unique features of the MC World. Once Yoimiya and Kazuha had also entered, Ayato bid Fengyan farewell, gave final instructions to his troops, and then teleported away with Yoimiya and Kazuha.
Mondstadt Base No. 1: Exterior
A massive stadium had been constructed here: an elliptical building that resembled a Roman Colosseum. However, there was no combat taking place in the center; instead, numerous large screens had been combined to form a massive broadcasting display. Countless soldiers sat in the stands, cheering and shouting. It looked exactly like a massive sports meet.
The screen was split into three sections. One showed a Parkour competition, while another displayed a Sheep Wars match. The competitions were in full swing, and every time someone performed a "water bucket drop" to save themselves from a fall, the soldiers erupted in cheers. Teyvat clearly had its share of talented individuals. However, the largest screen in the center remained black for the time being.
Ayato led the still-shocked Yoimiya and Kazuha into the stadium. He scanned the area for a long while but couldn't find Makoto or the others. Frowning slightly, he noticed an Inazuman soldier cheering nearby.
"Are you... Chousaburou, formerly of the Yashiro Commission?"
Hearing someone call his name, the man froze, then turned around with a look of pleasant surprise. "Lord Ayato! You've arrived!"
"Since you've joined the new army, there is no need to call me 'Lord' anymore," Ayato said casually. The man nodded apologetically.
"Mister Ayato, are you looking for Lady Makoto and the others?"
"Exactly. The new army is stationed, and I've come to report. Are they not here?"
Chousaburou quickly stood up and led the three of them out, heading straight for a large fenced area not far from the Mondstadt base. "The lords are over at the competition site preparing for the Bed Wars opening match. You can still make it if you hurry. Ride my dragon; the same goes for Mister Kaedehara and Miss Yoimiya."
Chousaburou quickly entered the fenced area and led out three massive dragons: one fire, one ice, and one water. "The fire dragon is mine, the ice dragon belongs to Banqi, and the water dragon is Jingdao's. Mister Ayato, we haven't brought shame to you; the three of us are now members of the Dragon Riders! Feel free to ride them; I'll let the others know."
Chousaburou was clearly very proud. Ayato felt a sense of relief and patted the man's shoulder. These three had been retainers of the Kamisato household. When manpower was scarce, Ayato had decisively sent them to leave the household and join the new army. It seemed his judgment had been correct; they truly had talent. In just over a month, they had already become Dragon Riders.
"Well done. Thank you."
Chousaburou rubbed his head humbly. "Not at all. It was thanks to your teaching and recommendation that we had this opportunity. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be standing tall like this. Please rest assured, Mister Ayato; we will continue to work hard to help Inazuma achieve Eternity as soon as possible!"
Ayato nodded slightly, saying nothing more. He took Yoimiya and Kazuha and flew on the dragons toward the floating islands visible on the horizon. As Chousaburou had said, the Bed Wars opening match was about to begin. He had to finish his report to Makoto before it started. Then... he could peacefully watch the grand competition of this world.
After seeing the wonders of this place, Ayato was already looking forward to it. He felt that the so-called "Bed Wars" would likely help him understand this world even faster and allow him to plan a more suitable development path for Inazuma.