"Up ahead is the thunderstorm sealing off Inazuma. Su Bai, let us get down quickly. It is too dangerous up here. If anything unexpected happens, we will be struck to a crisp by that wild lightning."
On the crow's nest, Kazuha looked at the dense dark clouds not far away. It was as if he had recalled some bad memories, and he kept urging Su Bai to leave the crow's nest. This also aroused Su Bai's curiosity. Logically speaking, Kazuha's personality was not the type to rush things. Why was he suddenly getting so anxious?
"Kazuha, how do you know so well what it feels like to get struck by lightning? Could it be~"
"..."
"..."
Seeing Kazuha with a straight face, saying nothing, Su Bai shrugged. It seemed his little brother Kazuha had quite a rich history of experiences. However, after a moment of silence, Kazuha still explained.
"Back when I was fleeing Inazuma, while the Crux Fleet was crossing the thunderstorm, for some reason I was suddenly struck by lightning from the sky. Now that we are approaching Inazuma's territory again, I am not sure if the lightning striking me will drag you down with me, so we should hurry back to the cabin."
With that, Kazuha controlled the Anemo element and slowly descended to the deck. Su Bai, on the crow's nest, watched Kazuha's back and rubbed his chin. It seemed there were still many omissions in the things Kazuha had just told him about what happened in Inazuma in recent years. Once they arrived in Inazuma, he would need to find Thoma to get a better understanding of the situation.
"Kazuha, why did you come down alone? Where is Su Bai? Does he want to turn into a charcoal fox? Hurry up and tell him to get down."
Seeing only Kazuha come down from the crow's nest, Beidou could not help but feel a bit anxious. The thunderstorm sealing off Inazuma was difficult even for her to withstand. Standing that high up, would not Su Bai just get struck to death by lightning?
"Do not worry, the lightning will not strike me. Captain Beidou, just keep sailing forward!"
"Bullshit! I have crossed this thunderstorm not a hundred times, but at least eighty. I have never seen lightning that does not strike things! Get your ass down here right now!"
Seeing the distance to the thunderstorm getting closer and closer, Su Bai still showed no signs of coming down. Beidou gritted her teeth, gripping the greatsword in her hands, ready to chop the crow's nest down. After all, compared to a crow's nest, she believed Su Bai's life was much more important.
"Captain Beidou, there is no need to be so anxious. Su Bai is the brother of Guuji Yae. I think she would definitely have prepared some countermeasures against the thunderstorm for him."
"Moreover, even if Su Bai really gets into danger, I will step in and save him."
Stopped by Zhongli, Beidou heard his immense confidence in Su Bai and had no choice but to put away her greatsword. She had heard from Hu Tao that Zhongli was an adeptus. Since this adeptus had such faith in Su Bai, she naturally could not say anything more.
Looking up at the high crow's nest, Zhongli sensed a peculiar Electro energy there. This Electro energy did not belong to Su Bai. This must be the item that Yae Miko left for him.
"Lumine, I asked the sailors around, and they say that the Raiden Shogun's strength is incredibly formidable. How about we try to coax Zhongli into visiting the Raiden Shogun with us?"
"If Zhongli is with us, we will definitely be able to meet the Raiden Shogun. Who knows, the Raiden Shogun might even grant us official titles just to save Zhongli's face. By then, we can search for clues about your brother in Inazuma."
Paimon's words made Lumine quite tempted. If Zhongli, Rex Lapis, went with them to meet Inazuma's god, the Raiden Shogun, to say nothing of other things, at least their safety would be highly guaranteed.
"Ahem. Generally speaking, based on rationality, I have come to Inazuma this time only to promote the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor alongside Director Hu. Matters such as visiting gods are part of your own trials as the Traveler. I have no right to intervene."
Well, Zhongli's words were like a basin of cold water, directly dousing the flame of anticipation in Paimon and Lumine's hearts. It seemed the route of using Zhongli to meet the Raiden Shogun was completely blocked. They would just have to think of another plan once they arrived in Inazuma.
...
On the sea, the Alcor sailed at the very front of the entire Crux Fleet. On the deck, Beidou held her greatsword, looking heroic and spirited as she prepared to face the terrifying thunderstorm ahead. Meanwhile, on the Alcor's crow's nest, Su Bai was holding an omamori emitting a soft pink glow.
I am so stupid, really. Knowing full well that Miko loves to tease people, I still chose to believe her.
This activation phrase is way too embarrassing...
Feeling the message left inside the omamori by Yae Miko, Su Bai was now filled with regret. Damn it, he was indeed too young. Having lived with Yae Miko for so many years, he should have realized long ago that this wicked fox would not easily let slip such a good opportunity.
"Forget it, I cannot worry about so much now. If I easily believe Miko again next time, I am a... damn it... I am Kageroumaru."
Su Bai took a deep breath and raised the pink-glowing omamori above his head. Just as everyone was wondering what Su Bai was going to do, they heard him shout.
"Oh, Yae Miko, who possesses both wisdom and beauty, please use your mighty power to protect those of us trapped in this thunderstorm."
Su Bai's sudden words left the people on the deck completely baffled. In a situation like this, should he not be praying for the protection of Rex Lapis? Even if he was not praying to Rex Lapis, he should be praying for the Raiden Shogun to show mercy. Why on earth was Su Bai shouting Yae Miko's name?
"Wait, look at the crow's nest! That pink light on the crow's nest seems to be spreading to the ships behind us. It is so amazing."
Hu Tao pointed at the pink light continuously spreading to the ships behind, letting out a gasp of amazement. After staring at the blue sea for so long, suddenly seeing such beautiful pink light drew the attention of everyone around.
Wait, something seemed off. Beidou, who frequently crossed thunderstorms, was the first to notice the abnormality around them. Those originally extremely violent lightning bolts were actually not attacking her ship. It was as if they were specifically avoiding it. Even though there were thunderstorms all around, not a single bolt of lightning struck the ship.
"Hiss, could it be that the pink light Su Bai created up there can block the thunderstorm? That is too magical. If I had such a magical item, would I not be able to enter and exit Inazuma as I please?"
In her excitement, Beidou lost control of her strength and slapped Lumine directly on the shoulder. Lumine inhaled sharply. Damn it, was Beidou's palm made of iron? It was so hard.
"It might be magical, but the social death is also real. Thinking about the slogan Su Bai just shouted, Captain Beidou, do you still want it now?"
Lumine's reminder instantly calmed Beidou's excited mood. To be fair, this thing was not actually that important. With the greatsword in her hands, she could safely reach Inazuma anyway.
...
Meanwhile, within the Grand Narukami Shrine in Inazuma, Yae Miko, who was originally reading a light novel in her room, seemed to sense something. Her eyebrows suddenly furrowed as she looked in the direction of Ritou. Not knowing what she had thought of, she gently put down the novel in her hands and murmured to herself.
"Tsk tsk tsk, so you are finally here, my old friend. Now that the variable is about to arrive in Inazuma, I wonder, compared to your Eternity, will the variable prove superior, or will your Eternity be more unyielding? It is truly something to look forward to."