Rover slowly drew his blade, his eyes cold as he advanced into the cave. Inside, an Abyss Mage was circling a tree root emitting a violet glow. Hearing footsteps, it quickly turned around. Without wasting words, Rover raised his crossbow and fired rapidly. The diffracted bolts shattered the mage's shield upon impact, and in the next moment, Rover stepped forward, his hand transforming into a deadly scythe. With sweeping strikes, he annihilated the enemies before him.
"This is..."
Dainsleif frowned, crouching to examine the tree root. It had been cut open, oozing a murky blue liquid. Then, space tore apart, revealing several wolf-like monsters hovering in the air, glaring at the two of them.
"Riftwolves... How could these creatures appear here?"
Dainsleif's expression showed slight surprise, but the Riftwolves suddenly dissolved into dim purple light and vanished. The next second, they reappeared above Rover, their sharp claws slashing toward him with a vicious purple arc.
Rover's eyes narrowed. He hastily raised his blade to block, sparks flying as claw met steel. Sensing spatial fluctuations behind him, a dark wing sprouted from his back, and Havoc particles erupted from his body, scattering outward. The smaller Riftwolf had no time to escape and was obliterated on the spot, while the one fighting him directly disappeared again.
"Rover!"
Dainsleif acted, his hand infused with peculiar energy as he forcibly yanked the Riftwolf out of the void. Seizing the opportunity, Rover gathered Anemo at his feet, leaping into the air and driving his blade into the beast's body. With a reverse grip, he tightened his hold on the hilt and dragged it downward along the creature's spine.
The blade left a trail of sparks and splattering monster blood in its wake. After a final howl, the Riftwolf was cleanly bisected by Rover.
"These beasts were the vanguard of the monster hordes five hundred years ago. They frequently traverse space and time, opening pathways for their armies," Dainsleif explained before crouching again and touching the blue liquid beneath the tree root. He soon reached a conclusion.
"These are the impurities of Ley Lines. Some trees in Inazuma can absorb Ley Line filth, purifying it. But now that the Abyss Order has cut them open, these hidden impurities have a chance to resurface in the world."
Rover moved closer, allowing Abby to acclimate to the smell. Abby pinched his nose, his face twisted in discomfort.
"Ugh, this is worse than the Abyss! After this crisis is over, you better treat me properly."
Rover agreed sympathetically, acknowledging Abby's suffering.
Just as the group prepared for their next move, the cave entrance suddenly shifted. The ceiling collapsed, sealing the exit.
"It seems they anticipated this and set a trap to bury us alive."
Dainsleif hurried forward to inspect the boulder blocking the entrance, then shook his head. No ordinary strength could break through.
"Leave this to me. Step back."
Dainsleif retreated several meters, watching calmly as Rover transformed from a man into a massive ape. Wielding a thick tree trunk, the ape violently smashed the blocked entrance until the rubble finally gave way.
Indeed, the Echo Rover used was the "Feilian Beringal."
Dainsleif was no longer fazed by Rover's use of powers beyond this world. He was more concerned about how far the Abyss Order's plans had progressed.
As the two emerged from the dust, Abby, floating beside Rover, suddenly tugged at his sleeve. His heterochromatic eyes gleamed as he whispered:
"I think I caught another familiar scent. Should we check it out?"
...
"What?! We need a permit to leave Ritou too?!"
Paimon was fuming. First, they needed documentation to enter the island, then residency permits to stay—and now even leaving required a pass!
This damn island and its endless red tape!
Of course, Paimon only vented internally. She didn't dare say it aloud. Provoking a conflict would only make things worse.
Aether didn't engage with the officials. Instead, he stepped aside and shared his thoughts with Paimon.
"Thoma left without mentioning this hurdle. I suspect gaining passage to Narukami Island is another part of his test."
As he spoke, Aether walked toward the Statue of the Seven and reached out to touch it. As expected, Electro energy surged into his body.
Now wielding three elements, Aether clenched his fist, feeling the new power coursing through him.
Brother Rover... Have I caught up to you yet?
...
"This space seems unstable. Could this be another trick of the Abyss Order?"
Dainsleif carefully examined the spatial rift, but Abby and Rover shook their heads, explaining:
"Spatial turbulence is scattered across Teyvat. That's why we accompany Aether on his travels. Right now, we're exposed while the enemy lurks in the shadows. They hold the initiative. If we keep investigating like this, we'll only be led by the nose."
After Rover finished, Dainsleif agreed with his assessment and lowered his head in thought, pondering how to break the deadlock.
"You're suggesting we need someone else to disrupt the stalemate?"
Rover nodded, staring at the spatial rift. He gathered Spectro particles in his palm and hurled them at the fracture. The chaotic currents instantly froze, and then a deep fissure appeared before them, spreading like a spiderweb until it reached the brink of collapse.
With a final explosion, countless currents surged toward them as a familiar figure emerged from the chaos.
"I could sense you were in trouble. Am I right?"
Rover watched as Changli approached, her umbrella held gracefully as she surveyed the surroundings before locking eyes with him, a faint smile curling her lips.
His guide, Changli, had returned to his side once more, ready to turn the tide.
"One moment, I was admiring the snow atop Mt. Firmament with my umbrella. The next, I found a spatial rift opening again. Don't you think that's quite the coincidence?"
Changli chuckled softly. Dainsleif studied the mysterious woman with equal curiosity. Like Rover, all he sensed from her was an intense flame within—nothing more.
After Rover briefed her on the situation, Changli pondered briefly before speaking leisurely.
"Think thrice before acting. Like the Fractsidus, the Abyss Order must have an ultimate goal. So, is Ritou the key to all of Inazuma?"
Her words struck the heart of the matter. Rover froze, exchanging a glance with Dainsleif before understanding her implication.
"No, the most crucial location in Inazuma should be Narukami Island. That means the Abyss Order's focus isn't here. We need to head to Narukami Island to set our plans in motion, not waste time here."
Rover quickly made his decision. Once the group reached a consensus, they prepared for their next move.
Dainsleif somehow procured a boat.
"Don't worry. While the gods' senses are sharp, I have my own ways to evade their detection."
He glanced at the distant storm, offering a timely explanation to the two.
Changli, as she had on Mt. Firmament, sat at the bow, leaning on her umbrella as she gazed at Narukami Island shrouded in thunder. Seemingly recalling something, she turned to Rover.
"Care for a game of Weiqi?"
Rover blinked as Changli produced a small device that emitted a soft glow, projecting a holographic board.
"Weiqi?"
Changli arranged the black and white pieces. Rover stared at the board, an inexplicable sense of familiarity washing over him.
"Why does this game... feel like I've played it before?"
Changli merely smiled in response, her eyes hinting at confirmation as she gestured.
"Your move."
....
Aether's expression darkened. Glaring at the smirking old man, Hiiragi Shinsuke, he spoke through gritted teeth.
"Do you honestly believe these demands are reasonable?"
Earlier, Aether and Paimon had met with Hiiragi Shinsuke, head of the Kanjou Commission's Hiiragi Clan. Hiiragi Shinsuke presented two options: fulfill one, and they'd be allowed passage.
The first was to gather 300 Qingxin flowers in Liyue.
The second was to deliver 709 letters across Ritou.
Faced with these absurd demands, the old man's message was clear: he had no intention of letting them pass. If Rover were here, he'd have drawn his blade and cut them down without hesitation.
But Aether wasn't Rover. He couldn't simply overpower everyone, and rash actions would only worsen their position.
"What do we do, Traveler? Do we really have to help?"
Even naive Paimon was conflicted. These tasks would take months—meeting the Raiden Shogun would be indefinitely delayed.
But Aether had already deciphered Hiiragi Shinsuke's underlying meaning. For the first time, he responded to a request with cold indifference.
"We'll need time to consider."
Hiiragi Shinsuke, ever the smiling schemer, noted Aether's displeasure but didn't press further, signaling his subordinates to escort them out.
"As expected of you. I'll await your decision, then. Heh..."
Aether had already made up his mind. When night fell, he approached the checkpoint, where two guards were yawning lazily.
Guard A whispered to Guard B:
"Hey, heard about that Fatui woman who met with Lord Hiiragi the other day?"
Guard B, equally bored, played along.
"Ugh, it's all anyone's talking about. People nearby said Lord Hiiragi acted even more reverent than when meeting the Shogun herself."
Guard A immediately covered Guard B's mouth, shushing him.
"Don't say that! You know what they say in Liyue—walls have ears. If this gets out, we're dead!"
Guard B paled, quickly shutting up.
Hearing this, Aether realized something: the Kanjou Commission had ties with the Fatui. He now suspected the old man's unreasonable demands were orchestrated by them.
An idea struck him. He approached the guards.
"Show your exit permit," Guard A demanded sternly, raising his weapon.
Aether pretended to fiddle with a camera, raising a brow.
"I recorded your conversation earlier. Speaking ill of Lord Hiiragi behind his back... What do you think will happen if I hand this over to him?"
Guard A's face drained of color. He shot Guard B a glare before forcing a servile smile.
"Ah, honored guest, we spoke out of turn earlier—hand it over!"
As Guard A reached for the camera, Aether pulled it back just in time, leaving him grasping at air.
The awkward silence stretched. Aether sighed theatrically, pocketing the camera.
"So much for cooperation. Guess I'll go collect my reward from Lord Hiiragi."
Guard B panicked, calling out desperately.
"Wait, wait! Please, we'll do anything! Just don't tell him!"
Guard A clung to Aether's leg, begging—short of kowtowing.
"You're this terrified of him?"
Aether frowned. He hadn't expected such extreme fear.
"Lord Hiiragi hoards wealth and beats commoners to death for complaining. He plants spies everywhere. Anyone who speaks against him or leaks news to Narukami Island suffers a fate worse than death."
Guard A trembled, tearfully exposing Hiiragi Shinsuke's crimes.
Inazuma's corruption ran deeper than Aether had imagined—there were undoubtedly darker secrets lurking.
For a moment, he felt relieved he hadn't fully immersed himself in this mire.
Paimon, meanwhile, was at a loss for words. This was her first exposure to such darkness, leaving her unsettled.
"How could this be... Does the Raiden Shogun not care at all?"
Biting her lip, Paimon could only offer sympathetic looks to the oppressed soldiers.
"Let us pass, and I'll delete the recording."
Aether sighed. As they left, Ritou no longer seemed as idyllic as before.
Layers of dark clouds loomed over the island—and over everyone's hearts—suffocatingly oppressive.
Gazing at Narukami Island ahead, Aether felt a flicker of fear. Stepping into this turmoil—would he emerge unscathed?