When traveling, one must always have some skills to rely on. The ability to listen to the wind and observe the clouds is Kaedehara Kazuha's trump card.
The wind carries a lot of information.
For example, the suppressed sword intent of Himura Kenshin, the scent of alcohol on Captain Beidou... or the special fragrance that seems to have been picked up from Lady Ningguang.
And Kaedehara Kazuha is most skilled at discerning from this information whether there are enemy ships or sea creatures in the distance.
The sea breeze carries a faint fishy smell, but it's not the usual fishy odor. It feels sticky, like the scent of a giant octopus from the deep sea.
But if it were just an octopus, that would be fine.
With the strength of the Crux Fleet, they could easily turn a giant octopus into a plate of takoyaki for dinner.
The problem is... the aura mixed in the wind is too dangerous.
It even made Kaedehara Kazuha's hands tremble uncontrollably.
The last time he felt this way was during the Inazuma Castle martial arts training ground.
Could it be...?
"Kazuha! What's going on?"
Beidou had already climbed up to the crow's nest using a rope, her brows furrowed as she asked with a serious tone.
When Xu Lushi came to her earlier and suggested changing the course, she thought he was joking.
But when he mentioned it was Kaedehara Kazuha's warning, she couldn't stay calm.
So far, the young man had made seventeen predictions, almost all of which accurately foretold incoming storms, saving the fleet from countless losses.
If he said so, it meant he had definitely noticed something.
"There's something dangerous ahead on our course."
Kazuha pointed straight ahead of the fleet, speaking with absolute certainty.
"Do we really have to change course? If we detour, it might disrupt our original plans. Even if we have ample resources, we could still run out before reaching Inazuma."
Beidou spoke in a low voice.
She wasn't joking. Changing course isn't as simple as turning the rudder.
It requires careful planning and navigation to avoid reefs and the territories of certain sea creatures.
The effort required is no small matter.
"The wind tells me many things, but this time... even the wind is trembling because of that thing. Besides danger, I can't piece together much useful information."
Closing his eyes to sense it again, Kaedehara Kazuha spoke with certainty.
Beidou could also clearly feel it.
Normally, the sea breeze, whether strong or gentle, blows in a consistent direction.
But this time... the wind is utterly chaotic.
"Change course! Prepare for battle!"
After noticing the anomaly, Beidou reacted even more strictly than Kazuha had expected. She not only ordered the navigators to plan a new course but also had the combat crew prepare for battle.
Because she had already realized that the danger Kazuha mentioned wasn't a natural disaster but... something alive.
Whether it was a sea creature or something else, Beidou was not afraid.
After all, she had once slain a so-called sea creature.
Almost every person in Liyue knows the reputation of Captain Beidou of the Crux Fleet, and her stories are often told over tea.
Even the storytellers at Heyu Tea House, who usually recount tales of immortals and gods, occasionally share stories about this captain.
A phrase circulates between Liyue and Inazuma: "The fins turn into the dark sea, and the tail touches the distant mountains."
Fishermen learned this phrase from the shore and sang it repeatedly. The tune spread far and wide, becoming a popular fishing song.
Beidou used to hum this song with her crew, but at some point, she stopped singing it.
Because the "big fish" in the song, with fins that turn into the dark sea and tails that touch distant mountains, named Haishan, was slain by her.
Haishan dwelled in the sea.
It was both fish and dragon, as large as a nightmare, as powerful as a god, capable of stirring up waves dozens of meters high with a single swipe.
Those who risk their lives at sea will always encounter Haishan.
Beidou had wanted to see it since she was nine, dreaming of cutting off its head. She had challenged Haishan multiple times, each ending in failure.
Until that one time, she sang the lullaby she had heard since infancy, carrying her finest greatsword and the most skilled sailors, heading straight for the great fish named Haishan.
A close-quarters battle, a clash like thunder.
The fight lasted four full days.
In the storytellers' tales, she stood atop the waves, beneath the sky.
Like an immortal, she fought Haishan for over four days.
In reality, only those who were there understood how difficult it was to defeat Haishan.
The Crux Fleet brought only their elite, using cannons, harpoons, bows, and ropes to barely restrain Haishan.
Beidou fought the four-legged Haishan for hours, but even by nightfall, there was no clear winner.
Fortunately, Haishan was only powerful at night, giving them enough time to rest during the day.
At dawn on the fifth day, the first rays of sunlight fell on Haishan's face.
Beidou struck.
This blow, capable of splitting clouds and breaking the moon, as mighty as mountains and seas, completely severed the dragon-fish's head!
And at that moment, a purple lightning bolt descended from the sky. Beidou's Vision, in this extraordinary manner, appeared before her as she fought bloodied.
This purple lightning was the best gift from the gods to the one who conquered mountains and seas.
Because of this, Beidou earned a fitting nickname.
The Dragon King.
But compared to this title, the members of the Crux Fleet preferred to call her "Big Sis."
The news of danger ahead quickly spread throughout the Crux Fleet.
But aside from the merchants on board, no one feared this so-called danger.
Could anything be more dangerous than Haishan?
As time passed, the so-called danger gradually revealed itself.
Dark clouds loomed over the entire sea, with occasional thunder rumbling from within. The booming sounds were less like thunder and more like the low growl of some giant beast.
The sky seemed to be split in two, half black and half blue.
The terrifying scene even made some of the more timid crew members wet their pants.
"What in the world... is that?"
Standing at the bow of the Alcor, Beidou felt her scalp tingle.
In the pitch-black clouds, glimpses of a massive creature's body occasionally appeared. Even the small parts that were visible revealed its colossal size.
Even Haishan, which they had fought so hard to kill, paled in comparison to this beast.
This thing had completely transcended the term "beast" and could only be described by another word.
An Archon!
The dark clouds also noticed the presence of the Crux Fleet and began to roll toward them with rumbling thunder.
And there was only one thing Beidou could do.
"All hands, prepare for battle!"