As the large ship split in two and collapsed with a thunderous crash, the people lying in ambush behind it were revealed.
Mu Yang glanced over.
Soldiers dressed in Watatsumi Island uniforms sat slumped on the ground, their faces filled with terror, their hands planted on the ground as they scrambled backward. The only one who hadn't been frightened into falling was currently drawing his bow, aiming straight at Mu Yang.
That person was none other than Watatsumi Island's great general—Gorou.
Mu Yang had already guessed that the ambushers might be from Watatsumi Island, which was why he had held back with that earlier slash. He had only cleaved the ship's hull, deliberately avoiding injuring the people behind it. Otherwise, their beloved strategist might have ended up as fish food, and then he'd have to go into hiding to recover his energy.
The Crux sailors who had just come ashore were still in shock. They had witnessed firsthand how Mu Yang had casually split the massive ship in two with a single swing of his sword. The cut was so smooth it practically gleamed...
The first mate was the first to snap out of it, rushing to Mu Yang's side before gesturing frantically at Gorou. Recognizing him, Gorou finally lowered his bow.
The first mate turned to Mu Yang and said, "Adeptus, this is a misunderstanding—those are people from Watatsumi Island. The cargo on our ship was actually meant for them."
Mu Yang already knew.
Precisely because he knew the ambushers were Watatsumi soldiers did he decide to intervene. He wanted to give them a taste of his strength, to whet Sangonomiya Kokomi's appetite.
Following the first mate's lead, Mu Yang sheathed his sword and replied, "From now on, there is only the swordsman of Chenyu Vale, Mu Yang—no Adeptus here."
The first mate nodded repeatedly. "Understood, understood."
Gorou ordered his soldiers to regroup where they were before walking over himself. It was clear the soldiers were still shaken—had that sword energy advanced just a little farther, it would have cut right through them.
When Gorou approached, the first mate stepped forward and said, "Just a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding. No one was hurt, right?"
Gorou assured him it was fine—the battlefield was ever-changing. As long as the misunderstanding was cleared up, all was well.
Then he asked the first mate, "And this is... a new crew member of the Alcor?"
The first mate chuckled and explained, "No, no. Brother Mu Yang is Captain Beidou's sworn friend and a renowned righteous warrior of Liyue. He just happened to be traveling with us this time."
Mu Yang shot the first mate a sidelong glance, thinking to himself, 'You've got quite the silver tongue.'
"I see." Gorou nodded and stepped forward to shake Mu Yang's hand. "Pleasure to meet you. I'm Gorou."
As for the near-miss with the sword slash earlier, Gorou didn't hold it against Mu Yang. After all, the whole thing had been a misunderstanding.
They had originally been patrolling nearby when they heard cannon fire and stealthily moved in to investigate. Before they could even assess the situation, they saw a white-haired youth with a single sword wipe out all the Nobushi—plus one Kairagi—in the blink of an eye.
Before the Watatsumi soldiers could even process their shock, Mu Yang raised his sword and swung again.
Gorou reacted the fastest, immediately ordering his soldiers to retreat. Fortunately, they had been far enough away, and the ship they had used as cover was large enough that the sword energy's power seemed slightly diminished, failing to pierce through.
Everything had happened too quickly to blame Mu Yang. If it had been him in that situation—having just dealt with a wave of enemies only to sense unfamiliar presences still lurking—he too would have attacked without hesitation.
Such was the nature of the battlefield.
Mu Yang grasped the paw Gorou extended (figuratively speaking) and introduced himself, "Just call me Mu Yang."
When Gorou didn't respond, Mu Yang asked, "Something wrong?"
Gorou quickly shook his head. "No, no! It's just... I'm a little stunned by your strength."
Gorou wasn't good at lying, and Mu Yang could tell immediately. When they shook hands earlier, Gorou had undoubtedly tried to gauge Mu Yang's power.
Too bad for him—Mu Yang had the system max out his concealment whenever he stepped outside. Not even Zhongli or Raiden Ei could see through it, let alone the likes of them.
"Just a minor trick, hardly worth mentioning."
Gorou's lips twitched.
You call splitting a ship clean in two—with a cut so smooth it shines—a minor trick?
The first mate, however, nodded in agreement. Compared to the move that had severed the thunderstorm, this was just a minor trick.
Then the first mate spoke up, "This isn't the place to talk. Let's continue the discussion once we reach Yashiori Island."
"Agreed."
Gorou nodded before returning to his Watatsumi troops and leading them away first.
The Alcor's crew looted the Nobushi's supplies but found little of value.
That wasn't surprising—if they had anything worthwhile, they wouldn't have been foolish enough to target the Alcor in the first place.
In fact, the supplies recovered from their camp probably didn't even cover the cost of the cannonballs expended.
But losses were trivial—what mattered was making an example.
Beidou would never let anyone attack the Alcor and walk away unscathed.
Mu Yang returned to the ship and relayed to Beidou what he had told the first mate earlier—that she should inform her crew that his current identity was simply that of a Chenyu Vale swordsman.
No mention of "Adeptus."
If the word "Adeptus" came up, it would inevitably lead to discussions about Morax, and that would just take all the fun out of being in Inazuma.
——————
The port on Yashiori Island was too small.
There was no way the Alcor could dock there—no way at all.
So they had to use Waveriders to transport the cargo.
But clearly, this wasn't their first time collaborating.
The sailors and Watatsumi soldiers worked together seamlessly, finishing the job with impressive efficiency.
By the time the unloading was nearly done, the meal was ready.
Naturally, Mu Yang wasn't seated with the soldiers and sailors.
On the Alcor, he enjoyed his own private meals.
The dishes were prepared by Xiangling, who, while ensuring everyone was well-fed, also served up a few experimental new dishes...
Gorou, who had been invited by Kazuha to join the gathering, had never seen anything like this before.
"This is...?"
Xiangling beamed. "Give it a try! It might not look the best, but I promise the taste is guaranteed!"
Gorou was the only honest one at the table. Not only did he eat, but he also earnestly provided constructive feedback—what could be improved, what didn't work...
Xiangling was deeply moved.
Mu Yang sighed inwardly.
No wonder you're the beloved big sister, Hina. Your skills are truly unmatched.
During the meal, Gorou tried to fish for information from Mu Yang.
Before dinner, Mu Yang had spotted Gorou whispering to Kazuha more than once, all while sneaking glances at him.
Mu Yang knew his earlier sword slash had achieved its intended effect.
Gorou wanted to recruit him.
The Watatsumi resistance was far too weak. Under the Vision Hunt Decree, almost none of them had any real combat power.
At a time like this, recruiting an expert like Mu Yang was absolutely necessary.
But Mu Yang was from Liyue.
Who in their right mind would involve themselves in another nation's war for no reason?
So in the end, Mu Yang never heard Gorou bring it up.
This guy was probably going to wear out the "emergency plans" Kokomi had given him tonight.