Tatarasuna is where Inazuma's proud specialty, 'Tamahagane,' is produced.
However, the once bustling steel-making base is now deserted, with hardly anyone in sight.
The reason for this was the inexplicable explosion of the Mikage Furnace some time ago. This explosion not only destroyed the furnace but also leaked a large amount of crystal marrow that was being smelted within it.
crystal marrow is the remains of the Great Serpent, and the power it contains is far beyond what ordinary people can withstand.
Thus, the miners who had gathered there either fled or dispersed, leaving behind an empty shell.
The Shogunate, busy with the war against the resistance, could not spare manpower to deal with this thorny issue, so they hastily dispatched a few guards, pretending that the matter had been resolved.
"It's this easy again?"
In the center of Tatarasuna, a team of Fatui quietly infiltrated. Standing in the massive, purple-glowing mine pit, they marveled at the ease of their infiltration.
"Haha, what can you expect from those useless Shogunate fools?" Electrohammer, hearing his companions' mockery, joined in.
"If you don't want to be as incompetent as them, then shut up!" Electrohammer was clearly the captain of the team. As soon as he spoke, the Fatui immediately fell silent, not making a sound.
Seeing the team quiet down, Electrohammer turned around and asked the Geo element skirmisher, the only intellectual in the team:
"How is it? Can you tell what state the furnace core is in now?"
Upon hearing this, the Geo element skirmisher plunged his Geo staff, almost identical to a Samachurl's, into the ground. Subsequently, several transparent crystals, condensed from Geo element, flew up out of thin air and hovered in the air.
The style and shape of the crystals were extremely peculiar, looking very small and delicate, nothing like the stones summoned to smash people during combat.
And indeed, it was through these hovering crystal shards that the Geo element skirmisher could clearly see the appearance of the furnace core, located high in the Sky, from the bottom of the mine pit.
"Hmm… compared to a few days ago, the furnace core is in a worse state. We won't need to intervene," the Geo element skirmisher affirmed after carefully observing the furnace core's condition for a while.
"That's good. This cursed place is truly not fit for humans. Everyone, retreat!" Hearing that they wouldn't have much work today, even the usually stern Electrohammer uncharacteristically let out a sigh of relief.
The Mikage Furnace was destroyed by the Fatui, initially to frame the resistance and thus intensify the conflict between the two sides.
But how could that be easy? After all, the Mikage Furnace was Inazuma's Tamahagane production base. And Tamahagane was precisely a key reason why Inazuma's weapons were renowned across The Seven Nations.
Therefore, the level of security at the Mikage Furnace was considerable. Even the Fatui could only lurk in Tatarasuna for months, making extensive inquiries before finding a rare opportunity.
Yet, they still underestimated the Mikage Furnace's protective measures. An elemental bomb, capable of shattering steel of the same volume as the Mikage Furnace, only managed to create a small opening when placed on the Mikage Furnace.
To avoid exposure, the Fatui in Tatarasuna quickly fled the area after the plan was executed.
But no one expected that a mere small opening in the Mikage Furnace could cause all the miners and guards to flee.
And so, the Fatui who had initially left returned. What they saw surprised them greatly.
When they first damaged the furnace core, it only had a small opening, but by the time they returned, the entire furnace core was covered in cracks!
The reasons for this could probably only be known by professionals.
"Fatui? So this thing was broken by you?!"
Just as the Fatui were organizing their equipment and preparing to return to their camp, they suddenly heard a shout from afar.
Everyone turned to look and saw a man wearing a tall hat and a red and black suit emerging from a mine shaft.
"A Fontainian? Why are you in Inazuma?" Electrohammer's eyes, beneath his mask, narrowed. Such elaborate attire could only be bothered with by those from Fontaine.
But why would a Fontainian come here?
"You Snezhnayans are allowed to come here and cause destruction, but we Fontainians aren't allowed to come and do maintenance?" Xavier adjusted his hat and questioned the Fatui before him.
He was alone, yet he showed no fear at all in the face of the Fatui squad.
"Do maintenance?" The Geo element skirmisher in the team sized up Xavier. Fontaine has many inventors; people there are unmatched in mechanical research among The Seven Nations.
This person is probably an inventor, right?
"Exactly! I cannot just stand by and watch your schemes succeed." Xavier nodded, then pointed at the Fatui opposite him and said:
"You lot, you'd better come with me to the Palais Mermonia… bah, bah, bah! Surrender to the Tenryou Commission and seek leniency, otherwise…"
"Hey, hey, hey, is it just us few?" Xavier was about to threaten the Fatui opposite him when his words were interrupted by the Geo element skirmisher.
He turned his head and saw the Geo element skirmisher's bandaged face, which held a mocking, half-smile.
"Do you have accomplices? You'd better all turn yourselves in!" Xavier said with righteous indignation, as if he hadn't noticed the Geo element skirmisher's sneer.
"Hahaha, you fellow, you're quite good at playing dumb." The Geo element skirmisher burst into laughter.
After laughing, he leaned on his Geo staff and continued, "Don't tell me you don't know how this furnace core got into this state!"
"It's true that we made an opening on it! But that kind of malfunction could be fixed in less than half a day if one put their mind to it!"
"You say, how did this furnace core become like this? Was it caused by the Shogunate's buck-passing? Mr. justice!"
After the Geo element skirmisher finished speaking, Xavier fell silent. After a long moment, he looked up, his tone once again becoming as agitated as before.
"The Shogunate officials, I'm currently unable to deal with them, but I will in the future. As for you, I can deal with you now!"
"Everyone, attack!" Xavier waved his hand, and a group of Clockwork Mekas rushed out from the mine shaft behind him.
"Clockwork Mekas? To think such rigid things could stop us, what a fool's dream!"
"Brothers, turn them into scrap metal!" Seeing this, Electrohammer didn't want to waste any more words. He raised his arm and shouted, and the Fatui behind him yelled and charged forward.
The once quiet Tatarasuna became lively again after a long time… "The sun shines brightly~, the flowers smile at me~" On the path leading to Tatarasuna, Childe was humming an unknown tune, seemingly in a very good mood.
The Fatui leading the way heard the little tune behind him and looked up at the Sky.
The purple glow emanating from the Mikage Furnace dyed the Sky purple; the sun was completely obscured.
As for flowers, Tatarasuna, as a major steel-making hub, has vegetation comparable to Watatsumi Island—flowers died before they even had a chance to bloom.
"Hey, haven't you found your captain yet?" Childe turned his head and looked around. The area was deserted; he didn't know why he had come here.
"We're almost there," the leading Fatui nodded in agreement. Although he felt a bit strange, he didn't show it.
The orders from Snezhnaya didn't mention Childe coming, so why was Childe here? And why did he want to gather them all together?
"Alright then." Childe nodded. He was in a good mood now, so walking a bit further was no big deal.
Through a small path, the two passed through a ravine and arrived at the bottom of Tatarasuna's massive mine pit.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Missiles flying erratically landed, and the shockwave blew Childe's short hair.
"Da! Da! Da!"
Scattered bullets whizzed past, tearing holes in Childe's freshly flowing scarf.
"A passerby? Why is there a passerby here?" Xavier, hiding behind a Shitou, exclaimed upon seeing Childe's innocent (and bewildered) face.
Seeing a stray bullet flying towards them, he gritted his teeth and ran from behind the boulder towards Childe.
"You are…"
"Don't talk, get down!"
Without a word, Xavier firmly pressed Childe to the ground.
"Boom!"
An explosion sounded, and the two were sent flying, landing in a nearby mud pit.
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