So, their ship remained docked just outside the Inazuma storm zone.
Entering would mean certain death.
"Sigh."
Yoimiya let out a heavy breath. "No other choice then. We'll head to Liyue for now and keep an eye on the news. The lockdown can't last forever."
She had only planned a quick business trip, but now she was stranded, unable to return home.
Liyue seemed to be the only option.
"Yoimiya-sis, actually... going to Liyue might be nice," her assistant said softly. "Liyue is the most prosperous and stable city in Teyvat. Rex Lapis's contracts keep everything orderly."
"Compare that to Inazuma right now... corruption everywhere, officials exploiting citizens and foreign merchants for profit, plus the Shogun's Vision Hunt Decree. Honestly, Inazuma is dangerous."
"Dangerous or not, it's still home," Yoimiya said wistfully.
"Forget it. Can't go back now anyway. To Liyue we go."
She had never visited Liyue personally, though her fireworks were often shipped there for the Lantern Rite. In fact, many of the displays used in the festival were her creations.
"Understood."
Her assistant nodded and went to instruct the crew to turn the ship around, setting a course for Liyue Harbor.
Even as they sailed away, Yoimiya stood at the stern, gazing back at the violent wall of lightning surrounding her homeland. Finally, she turned away.
...
Meanwhile, inside the Inazuma Thunder Barrier.
The Steam Battleship cut through the raging storm, riding the waves like a beast of steel. Every so often, lightning struck.
BOOM!
BOOM!
Deafening explosions rang out continuously. Bolts of lightning aimed at the ship were intercepted by Beidou, who condensed them into spheres of electro energy and hurled them back into the sea, causing massive detonations.
The Steam Battleship remained unscathed.
"What is going on, Captain?"
Huixing hid behind Beidou, her face pale. "Why is the lightning so intense? The lockdown wasn't this bad before!"
"Yeah, under this kind of bombardment, even the Alcor would have capsized."
"Last time we came here, the storm wasn't nearly this terrifying."
...
Huixing, Furong, and Qianyan huddled behind their captain.
They were veteran sailors. They had navigated the Alcor through this exact zone many times for trade. But this... this was different.
Compared to what they were seeing now, previous storms were gentle breezes.
The current storm felt malicious. If they had brought the Alcor this time, they would likely be dead.
"I sense a faint... pressure," Beidou said gravely, her eyes scanning the sky as she parried another bolt. "The lightning is more violent than ever. This isn't natural weather. It's the Electro Archon's power. She has turned this sea into a forbidden zone."
As a Vision holder, Beidou could feel it. The silver snakes dancing in the sky carried the weight of a god.
It was suffocating.
But she wasn't afraid. She could handle the lightning.
And her ship—this steel fortress—could handle the waves.
Time passed. Beidou stood as the vanguard, slashing apart the heavens to protect her crew, while the battleship crushed the ocean beneath it.
"So big... so strong."
"The Captain is amazing. With her, the Crux Armada is invincible."
"Obviously! She killed a sea monster before she got her Vision. Now? She's unstoppable."
"I feel so safe. Having a captain like this is a blessing."
On the lower decks, the crew watched their leader with awe.
Standing high above, sword in hand, splitting lightning—she was their idol.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Countless bolts rained down, all shattered by Beidou's blade.
Finally, after an indeterminate amount of time, the battleship broke through the wall of storm and rain.
"We made it!"
The crew cheered as the wind died down and the waves settled.
Rumble...
Although they had crossed the barrier, the sky over Inazuma remained dark and oppressive, with a constant, gloomy drizzle.
"It feels so... heavy," Qianyan muttered, shivering slightly. The atmosphere was suffocating.
Meanwhile, on Ritou.
The stationed guards stared, dumbfounded, at the silver-white warship appearing out of the mist.
"Holy sh*t, what is that?"
"Is that a ship? What kind of ship looks like that? Is it... made of metal?"
"Didn't the Shogun seal the islands? The outer sea is a death zone of lightning! How did a ship get through?"
"I've never seen anything like it. Quick! Report to the Commissioner!"
...
The guards panicked. The vessel was massive, aggressive, and completely alien.
It looked like a ship, but also not like a ship.
Their shouts drew the attention of the Ritou residents. People gathered at the docks, eyes widening as they saw the battleship looming in the distance.
"What is that thing?"
"It looks like a ship... but it's all iron! My god, how does an iron ship float?"
"It must be foreign. But from where?"
"Fontaine? I saw a Fontaine ship once; it was advanced, but nothing like this. This is... monstrous."
"How did it cross the thunder barrier? That zone is certain death right now. Anything entering gets pulverized."
"I have to take a picture. This is unbelievable."
"What are they doing here? Are they invading?"
"Invading? With the Shogun here? If a foreign god was attacking, the Shogun would have appeared already. Since she hasn't, it's not a divine invasion."
"Still... it's absurd."
"Heh. What's absurd about it? We've been locked down, cut off from the world. Our officials are too busy squeezing us dry to care about progress. Of course we're behind."
"I wonder who they are. Knowing our greedy officials, they'll probably try to impound that ship."
"Good luck with that. Just looking at it... that ship isn't something you can just seize."
...
The residents of Ritou whispered in shock and fear. The appearance of the steel ship shattered their understanding of the world.
While they speculated, on the deck of the battleship, Beidou opened the Mission Scroll.
The radar screen flickered to life.
Her green dot was surrounded by red dots scattered nearby.
Unlike in Liyue, the targets were now much closer.
"Our mission is to destroy pirate ships. Let's move."
Beidou gave the order. The battleship turned, its engines rumbling, and headed toward the nearest red dot, ignoring Ritou completely.
The ship accelerated, leaving a massive wake as it departed.
"Uh."
The Ritou spectators blinked, confused.
It's leaving?
Shouldn't they dock? Shouldn't someone come down to process paperwork?
Why cross the deadly storm just to ignore the port?
"They're just... going?"
"Are they hostile? Why didn't they come to Ritou?"
"Every ship has to register at Ritou! What's going on?"
"Maybe they don't care. A ship made of iron that can cross the storm... whoever owns that clearly doesn't fear our rules."
...
The people of Inazuma watched the mysterious ship vanish into the mist, utterly bewildered.
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