Chapter 189: Sayu's Island-Hopping Journey
The very next day after the refugee ship incident, the Almighty Narukami Ogosho herself summoned the heads of the Tri-Commission for a rare private council.
No one knew what was said behind those closed doors.
But not long after returning, Kujou Takayuki, head of the Kujou Clan, stripped Kujou Masanori of his post as front-line general—officially citing "mismanagement of the Kamuijima Cannon on Yashiori Island" as the reason.
In his place, he temporarily assigned his adopted daughter, Kujou Sara, to take over military affairs, even though it meant pulling her away from her duties at the Tenryou Commission headquarters.
He liked to claim he treated everyone equally, yet when it came to matters of military command or family decisions, he rarely let Sara be involved.
Even her current role as the Tenryou Commission's acting general had only been given to her at the Shogun's direct order during the Vision Hunt Decree.
So for her to suddenly be entrusted with leading the forces stationed at Kujou Encampment... it was hard not to think it had something to do with that secret meeting.
On the surface, both the Shuumatsuban and the Yashiro Commission remained quiet.
But that very night, a group of Shuumatsuban ninja slipped out of the Kamisato Estate under the cover of darkness, heading toward Yashiori Island.
. . . . . . . . . . .
"Phew..."
On the beach of Kannazuka, a swirling orb of pure Anemo energy zipped across the sand at breakneck speed—before abruptly skidding to a stop.
"Peh! Peh! Peh!"
Sayu tossed back her hood, spitting out sand and frantically brushing her hair.
Mouthfuls of gritty sand were way worse than just feeling dizzy.
Last night, their Shuumatsuban received a new order from the clan head, sending several operatives to Yashiori Island for a classified mission.
Sayu wasn't told what her seniors were up to—her task was different.
She was to conduct a solo reconnaissance trip around the island of Kannazuka, and had strict orders not to step foot on Yashiori Island.
Kannazuka—literally meaning "The Hill Where No Gods Reside"—had long been a contested region between the Shogunate and the resistance.
With steep cliffs and jagged ridgelines, the island was home to Tatarasuna, where the largest forge in Inazuma, the Mikage Furnace, was located.
It was here that the rare ore Jade Steel—crucial for sword-making—was produced.
Recently, for reasons no one cared to explain to low-level operatives like her, a mysterious power called Tatarigami had started to leak into the surrounding sea.
That made Kannazuka strategically vital to the Shogunate.
And to stop the spread of Tatarigami's corruption, they needed someone with Sayu's unique skillset—specifically, her unparalleled ability to flee... err, travel swiftly—to investigate the island's perimeter.
If she encountered anything unusual, she was to report back immediately.
—But.
"Ughhh... I still wanna sleep..."
Sayu let out a massive yawn and looked up at the glaring sun overhead.
She lazily climbed a nearby tree and flopped down on a thick branch.
She wasn't slacking, okay? As a tiny ninja, lunch was critical for her growth. No food meant no height gain!
And right now... was lunchtime.
As for her lunch—
"Sigh... Is it just Lavender Melons again?"
Honestly, if she wasn't forbidden from starting fires in the wild, she'd rather eat carrots than chew through another raw Lavender Melon.
It's not that they weren't edible.
Grilled or stewed, they were delicious.
But raw? With the skin still on?
Only a true warrior would dare.
The skin was literally used to make dye, you know!? Even Arataki Itto had to roast them before digging in!
In short... even oni didn't eat them raw.
"Hm?"
She wiped her arm across her mouth. A thick smear of violet juice clung to her cheek.
Quickly stashing away the half-eaten melon, Sayu disappeared into the dense branches overhead, peeking out through the leaves.
As a Shuumatsuban ninja, she wasn't just good at running and hiding.
Listening to the wind—like a cat hunting its prey—was one of her best-developed skills.
After all, if she didn't notice the shrine maidens sneaking up behind her, she'd end up with a mouth full of carrots again.
If her ears weren't lying to her…
She was hearing the creaking of wheels.
And more than one cart.
As expected, just a few minutes later, several wagons loaded with heavy crates rumbled along the narrow coastal path.
"Wait—are those... Mora?!"
Mora—Teyvat's universal currency, created by the Geo Archon of Liyue himself. Forged with divine authority, it was the only currency accepted across the entire continent.
More importantly, it carried a unique elemental resonance.
For someone like Sayu, who bore a Vision, identifying the authenticity of Mora through elemental feedback was child's play.
And judging by the subtle echoes of elemental energy she could feel from here... the crates on those wagons were absolutely packed with the real thing.
"Hmmm... Should I report this?"
A convoy hauling that much Mora definitely wasn't out for charity work. Anyone could see that.
But still... her mission was to survey the island perimeter. Would it be okay to just abandon that?
The whole setup was way too suspicious—especially that man leading the group. His outfit screamed Fatui.
Maybe... it was safer to head back and report.
Sayu gulped down the last bit of bitter violet juice in her mouth, then began to slowly crawl backward through the branches.
She moved with the practiced grace of a stealthy little feline. Not a single leaf rustled. Even the trunk beneath her didn't sway.
But after just a few steps...
Thud
She bumped into something behind her.
No—someone.
Years of experience being chased by shrine maidens told her instantly that there was a person right behind her.
She didn't have time to worry about whether the convoy below had heard her.
"Rollin' Mujina Escape!"
Sayu leapt high into the air, leaving behind a puff of smoke and a rotund decoy doll.
At the same time, a flurry of shuriken burst outward as she dropped toward the forest floor—
Only to be caught midair by the scruff of her cloak.
A seemingly slender arm had grabbed her with ease, suspending her in place.
"Shh. Don't scare off my prey... little tanuki."
"It's mujina, not tanuki!!"
Her shout sounded like a protest... but was probably more of a cheeky jab.
Either way, her voice was loud enough to alert the convoy outside.
The whole group—leader included—suddenly tensed.
"Who's there?!"
The man at the front barked the question and drew his weapon in one swift motion, eyes scanning the trees.
The others followed suit, awkwardly pulling out swords and clubs. But even from afar, Sayu could tell something was off.
Their grips were clumsy. Their stances unsteady.
These weren't trained Fatui soldiers.
They were just hired muscle—goons brought along for show.
Only a handful of people in that convoy were actually part of the Fatui. The rest had likely been recruited from who-knows-where.
Igor, the man in charge, had personally brought a few core subordinates with him from Watatsumi Island.
He wasn't especially worried about being ambushed. Before passing through this route, he had already consulted the Fatui's intelligence network.
Thanks to the war between the resistance and the Shogunate, along with the corruption spreading from the Tatarigami, almost no one passed through these parts anymore.
And even if someone did show up, it was usually just the occasional miner fleeing from Tatarasuna—refugees with no strength or organization.
People like that wouldn't stand a chance against his well-funded convoy.
But what Igor didn't realize... was that if someone really had their eyes on that Mora, it wouldn't matter which route he took, for not even the sea would have saved him.
. . . . .
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