After packing up their belongings, Yuna grumbled, "Where did Boss and the others run off to? They promised to help! When they get back, I'm making them eat roasted Lavender Melon for days!"
In a secluded corner...
"Boss, try this one! It's delicious too!"
"Mmm, not bad, not bad at all. I like this one."
"Boss, this one's good too."
Itto and the others were enjoying their skewers when a sudden chill ran down their spines, sending shivers through their hearts.
Positioned closest to the entrance, Akira and the other two silently swallowed hard and bolted.
Itto reacted a beat too late. He stiffly turned his head to see Yuna standing over him, Claymore raised high above her head, poised to strike.
His scalp prickled instantly, and he took off running for his life.
"Stop! Don't run!"
"Yuna, Yuna, let's talk this over! Put down the weapon first!"
Itto fled ahead, Yuna hot on his heels, with Kuki Shinobu bringing up the rear.
"You guys snuck off to slack off? Unforgivable! And... give me back my skewers!"
"Skewers? Yuna, there are still skewers left! Plenty of them! I saved some for you!"
Hearing this, Yuna immediately stopped in her tracks.
Itto ran for a while longer, then realized something was off. He glanced back and saw Yuna had stopped chasing him, so he skidded to a halt too.
Exhausted...
Itto's heart still pounded with lingering fear when he saw the weapon slung over Yuna's shoulder—a Claymore even larger than his own.
One hit from that thing, and you'd be black and blue all over.
"Why didn't you say so earlier?"
Itto: What was I supposed to say? You didn't give me a chance!
-
The Vision Hunt Decree was being enforced with increasing urgency, and even Kuki Shinobu and Yuna, who were considered well-connected in Inazuma, began to feel the pressure.
One afternoon, Yuna arrived at the Arataki Gang's usual hangout spot.
To her surprise, the Boss wasn't there.
"Akira, where's the Boss?"
"Oh, hey Yuna. The Boss, well..." Akira hesitated, unsure how to explain. Genta, who had witnessed the scene, stepped forward to clarify:
"The Boss challenged Kujou Sara to a duel today. Uh... he lost, and his Vision got confiscated..."
"And... it looked like he might have... cried a little..."
Yuna: "???"
The Boss... beaten to tears?
Yuna's eyes lit up instantly, completely forgetting about Itto's confiscated Vision.
"Where is he now? I'm going to see him!"
This was the same Boss who always boasted about being "the Almighty Great Lord Itto, the strongest of the Arataki Gang!" and "The Supreme Ruler of the World, Itto!"
To think he'd actually been beaten to tears! Yuna couldn't even imagine Itto crying.
This is going to be hilarious!
"Hey, hey, hey! What's this about me crying? I just let her win because she's a girl!"
Arataki Itto suddenly burst out of nowhere, hands on his hips, looking nothing like he'd just been crying.
Yuna: "Boss, did they take your Vision?"
Itto's composure nearly cracked.
"W-well, I only entrusted it to her for safekeeping! Just wait, I'll win it back soon enough!"
"I'm challenging her to a duel!"
"A duel?!"
The word "duel" instantly piqued Yuna's interest.
"What kind of duel? Is it a fight? Where? Can I come watch?"
Itto stroked his nose, puffing out his chest proudly.
"This is the most classic duel of ancient times—sumo at a crossroads!"
Yuna's expectant gaze instantly soured, and she shot her boss a look reserved for complete fools.
But Itto seemed oblivious to the icy glare, mistaking it for awe at his brilliant idea.
"Genta! Fetch pen and paper! This great one will issue the challenge immediately!"
"Right away, Boss!"
Yuna: "..."
Oh well, whatever. It's just the plot anyway, and at least I'll get some amusement out of this.
-
Meanwhile, in Liyue...
Malice had just emerged from The Chasm, looking rather disheveled.
Who could have guessed that a simple investigation of the Abyss beneath The Chasm would nearly cost me my life?
Initially, she'd thought it was just a routine survey and hadn't bothered using Emotional Feedback. But she hadn't anticipated that her Abyss-tainted aura would be perceived as hostile by the Abyss itself.
The situation mirrored the Traveler's predicament in The Chasm storyline—the place trapping her seemed to possess its own consciousness.
Left with no other choice, she reluctantly expended a wave of Emotional Feedback to escape.
After all, she lacked a Lumenstone Adjuvant, and even if she had one, she wouldn't know how to operate it.
Fortunately, the trip hadn't been entirely fruitless. At least she now understood how to manipulate The Chasm in the future.
As she walked, a group of people suddenly jumped out from ahead. They appeared to be merchants, but their words betrayed their true nature.
"Halt! Hand over everything you've got, and we'll let you keep your head!"
It was already dark, and Malice was wearing a black robe. Having long since concealed her aura in Liyue, she should have looked anything but vulnerable.
Yet these fools still dare to attack me?
Regardless of the country, where there are good people, there will always be villains... Mondstadt might be an exception, given that Venti, the wind spirit himself, likely knows everything happening within its borders.
In Liyue, Treasure Hoarders were rampant even in the wilderness.
However, thanks to Mu Qingge's relentless purges over the years, their numbers had dwindled significantly.
"Hey, I'm talking to you! Stop dragging your feet, or I'll chop you into pieces!"
Malice grinned savagely at the group of people before her, dressed like ordinary merchants, and summoned a long blade.
The pitch-black night couldn't conceal the chilling glint of the blade's edge.
I'm already boiling with rage—perfect timing to vent it on you lot. Consider it a public service.
Who knew Malice could do something good for once?
Just then, Malice sensed a familiar presence approaching, and her grin widened with anticipation.
Without waiting any longer, Malice charged forward, her blade flashing as she cut down the entire group in a few swift strokes.
The moment these people saw Malice advancing with her blade, they knew they had crossed the wrong person. But they had no chance for a second try.
After slaughtering them all, Malice gathered their weapons. Now, she truly looked like a merchant.
She remained in place, waiting. After a long while, the person she had been waiting for finally arrived—though the fellow had been lurking nearby the whole time...
-
The Chasm had long been a vital lifeline for many in Liyue. The loss of its resources had plunged their lives into hardship, and the Qixing had long sought to resume mining operations there.
Compounding matters, the Chasm had recently been plagued by strange phenomena. To investigate, Yelan was dispatched.
However, this investigation was a prolonged undertaking. Until she could piece together more clues, her inquiries remained superficial.
Having completed her duties in Liyue Harbor, Yelan prepared to return to the Chasm that very night.
As she passed through a narrow gorge, a gentle breeze carried the heavy scent of blood.
Yelan immediately tensed, drawing her weapon and cautiously advancing.
After proceeding a short distance, she discovered the source of the bloody stench: a group of "traveling merchants" butchered and strewn across the ground. Standing beside the carnage was a towering, two-meter-tall monster.
Yelan's brow furrowed, her heart burning with fury as she surveyed the fallen merchants.
Yet she refrained from rushing into action, choosing instead to remain hidden and observe.
Meanwhile, Malice had been striking the same pose for ages. When Yelan still didn't emerge, she abruptly turned her head, as if only just noticing her, and charged forward with her blade.