Chapter 8: Getting Straight to the Point

Leaping lightly, the distance from the ground widens in an instant.

 

The surrounding scenery briefly blurs and mixes together, creating peculiar colors.

 

Running like that, I looked up at the sky and met the eyes of birds.

 

The sight of birds flying in a flock resembled white sailboats crossing the sky.

 

Unlike the current situation where a battle of gods could start at any moment, nature looked utterly peaceful.

 

Isn't this what they call the calm before the storm?

 

I applied my footwork technique and stepped into the void.

 

Then, as if climbing stairs, my body, rising sequentially through the void, began accelerating at an incredible speed.

 

The principle of walking on air gradually settled into and became familiar with my body, and I now had enough leeway to step on air about three times.

 

"Sir Gawain...! A little slower...!"

 

Ah.

 

I stopped in mid-air and utilized the principle of the Thousand-Catty Fall to descend rapidly.

 

"Incredibly... fast, as expected..."

 

Ganyu, who was following behind, spoke while gasping for breath.

 

"My apologies. I unconsciously picked up speed."

 

"No... I need to train harder myself..."

 

We arrived from the Guili Plains to near the Terraces in less than half a day.

 

Truly an incredible speed we dashed at.

 

Perhaps from using all her strength to keep up with my speed, Ganyu, sweating cold sweat, meekly sat on a large rock nearby.

 

"Let's rest a bit before setting off again. It seems we should proceed cautiously from here on."

 

"Yes... Thank you, Sir Gawain..."

 

I'll let Ganyu rest a bit, and I should do some reconnaissance of the surroundings.

 

I cut down every demon I encountered while dashing here, and fortunately, I didn't meet any illuminated beasts.

 

But just in case, I should still scout.

 

I turned my head and looked at the sheer cliff.

 

It was a familiar terrain. The cave walls were worse than that. ...Ugh, I remembered unnecessarily.

 

Suppressing the churning emotion, I put my hands behind my back and jumped up, running up the cliff.

 

...Thinking about it, if someone saw me like this and still called me human, that would be even more suspicious.

 

Upon reaching the top of the cliff, the distant panorama of Yaoguang Shoal came into view.

 

And...

 

The swirling energy storm in the sea far off at Yaoguang Shoal is also visible.

 

To be visible from this far away...

 

My upper dantian tingles, trying to spark an insight.

 

A scale of energy comparable to the Lord of Geo.

 

...It will be a fierce war of illuminated beasts.

 

Turning my back to Yaoguang Shoal, I now looked towards the Terraces.

 

Strangely, the Terraces had a grayish-white hue, different from ordinary land.

 

Is it the influence of the illuminated beast Havria? Well, she is still alive and well.

 

Focusing my inner energy more into my eyes, I scanned the area around the Terraces, but no notable enemies were visible.

 

A few demons were visible, but that level can be solved with a few swings of the Noctilucous Jade sword, so it's not a major concern.

 

Finishing my reconnaissance, I shifted my gaze around.

 

Green grasses sprout from the ground, announcing their existence.

 

Truly tenacious lives.

 

Gazing at the sprouting grass, I slowly moved my gaze and discovered a flower.

 

...Qingxin?

 

A single flower bloomed, nobly white amidst the greenery.

 

...Ganyu seemed a bit tired earlier.

 

I reached out and plucked the white flower.

 

The white petals swayed in the wind as I held them in my hand.

 

Holding the Qingxin, I headed down the cliff.

 

"Ah, you're back!"

 

As I landed on the ground, Ganyu, who had already recovered her breath, ran over.

 

"Ah. Yes. No significant dangers are visible in the surroundings."

 

"That's a relief. But I guess it's because it's the land of an illuminated beast... By the way, what is that in your hand...?"

 

I immediately extended the Qingxin in my hand.

 

"I found it while scouting. You said you liked them."

 

"Ah... you... remembered?"

 

"Yes. I remember all important memories."

 

Every experience I will have from now on might become a clue to enlightenment. I can't carelessly forget.

 

Ganyu accepted the Qingxin I offered and hurriedly lowered her face.

 

Is she embarrassed? I just gave her something to eat.

 

Tilting my head slightly, I cast my gaze towards the Terraces.

 

"Let's set off now. The journey ahead seems long."

 

"...Yes..."

 

Leaping like that, Ganyu and I ran silently for a while and soon stepped onto the grayish-white earth.

 

A salty scent, mixed with the wind, wafted from the land that seemed made of salt.

 

"But... the illuminated beast of salt and her subjects are nowhere to be seen?"

 

Having arrived at the destination but not seeing the illuminated beast or her subjects, Ganyu looked around and spoke.

 

In response, I walked slowly and said.

 

"How much do you know about the illuminated beast of salt?"

 

"Huh? ...Um... according to what the Lord of Geo said... she avoids war, loves peace, and has chosen neutrality."

 

Avoids war, loves peace, and has chosen neutrality.

 

The interpretation is better than the dream.

 

I looked around.

 

Grayish-white land full of salinity where not a single blade of grass grows.

 

This was no place for people to live.

 

This is the fate of the powerless.

 

Pushed out by powerful illuminated beasts like Osial and Beisht from the sea, and unable to head to the mainland because powerful illuminated beasts like Morax are waging a war of nerves.

 

She probably couldn't secure a decent land for her subjects.

 

"Peace. Neutrality. Good. But powerless neutrality is."

 

I stopped walking.

 

"...merely a meaningless appeal."

 

Ganyu, who was following behind, bumped her face into my back as I suddenly stopped.

 

"Kyaa...!"

 

Flustered, Ganyu hastily stepped back and then noticed what I was looking at.

 

A massive hole, blocked by a shining barrier.

 

No place on the sea. No place on the land. The only dwelling for a wanderer with nowhere to stand.

 

Was underground.

 

"Let's go in. To meet that god."

 

"Huh... but it's blocked? It looks flimsy, but it's a barrier cast by the god herself, so for me..."

 

I answered by drawing my Noctilucous Jade sword.

 

In the original history, Guizhong couldn't have been unaware of salt's usefulness. She must have tried to persuade Havria repeatedly.

 

Moreover, Havria sent me off with an attitude that seemed to say, "If you can do it, try."

 

That must mean she has tried persuading many times already.

 

But it also means Havria rejected those proposals. I will persuade her using a method Guizhong couldn't.

 

From now on, I will.

 

"...Sir Gawain? Surely not?!"

 

Employ a hardline approach.

 

Not even hundreds are needed.

 

I extended my sword towards the barrier.

 

Dozens of sword energies condensed like dew on the sword's tip.

 

Three Powers Sword Art.

 

First Technique.

 

Morale Soars to the Sky!

 

I thrust the sword.

 

The dozens of sword energies extending out like branches from a tree shattered the sturdy barrier and cleared a path.

 

"Let's go in."

 

"...This is... blasphemy..."

 

Blasphemy, she says.

 

Let's see them try to punish me.

 

I leaped lightly and dropped into the hole.

 

THUD!

 

As I landed with a roar as if a giant rock had fallen, about five people poured out from a hole visible ahead.

 

"Who are you?!"

 

A man shouted, threatening me with a spear whose blade was made of carved grayish-white ore.

 

"I apologize for the sudden visit, but I have come to see the illuminated beast of salt."

 

As I spoke politely with a martial salute, the man hesitated for a moment before speaking.

 

"...Sent by Morax?"

 

...Morax?

 

As Ganyu and I simultaneously frowned, the man flinched and said.

 

"He's not the god I serve, so why should I use honorifics? And. Get lost. Lady Havria has no intention of receiving guests."

 

...I see. So it comes to this after all.

 

"I apologize again, but we have words that must be delivered directly to Lady Havria. Is there really no way?"

 

"I said it's no good, so..."

 

"Hold on."

 

Suddenly, a man who looked somewhat frail walked out from behind the first man.

 

And I couldn't help but frown again.

 

Men would know this smell.

 

A displeasing smell mixing the deep scent of night flowers and the smell of blood.

 

A guy who indulges in women.

 

He seems to have washed, but he can't deceive my senses.

 

Moreover, the man's gaze had been fixed on Ganyu from the start.

 

Feeling the strongly wafting unpleasant scent, I looked at the man.

 

Can't she even control her own subjects properly?

 

...Or is she able to but chooses not to.

 

"You must meet Lady Havria?"

 

"...That is correct."

 

A sinister smile spread across the man's face.

 

...There's always one of these guys. Like in a novel.

 

"Then only you go in. That lady will have a little chat with us. You also want to become a subject of Lady Havria, right? I'll put in a good word..."

 

The man looked at Ganyu with a lecherous smile.

 

"Such a lovely lady, like a blooming flower. Perhaps you'd like to spend some time with us..."

 

Silently, I pointed to the sky.

 

"...? What's up there..."

 

The man walked forward and looked at the sky.

 

"...uhh......."

 

He was speechless.

 

"Wasn't it... you who opened it?"

 

"...We just found out too."

 

The man's pupils were shaking violently.

 

"Uh... are you perhaps an illuminated beast...?"

 

An illuminated beast again.

 

...It's annoying, so let's go with that.

 

I poured inner energy into my eyes and ignited blue light in my gaze.

 

The man who met my eyes like that tried to step back, but.

 

"Kehek?!"

 

Using my footwork, I advanced rapidly and grabbed the man's neck.

 

"Originally, I planned to act politely and only fight with words. But thanks to you lot, my mind has changed."

 

Courtesy and kindness should be bestowed upon those who deserve them to receive their due in return.

 

Bestowing courtesy and kindness upon these people is tantamount to discarding my own courtesy and kindness.

 

I sheathed my sword and clenched my fist.

 

Fist techniques share much in common with sword techniques.

 

For example, in a thrust like this.

 

The principle of concentrating inner energy at the final point of impact.

 

I brutally forced an immense amount of inner energy into the tip of my fist.

 

For an instant, energy exploded from the fist's tip, and blue energy shimmered.

 

"W-wait...!"

 

"You overstep what you shouldn't. She is not a flower blooming so low that the likes of you can pluck it."

 

CRACK.

 

The fist shimmering with blue energy was driven into the man's stomach.

 

"Kehak!"

 

...?

 

The man's mouth opened, and crimson blood gushed out.

 

His internal organs were shaken by a single punch. The tyrannical energy that struck even cooked his insides.

 

I didn't intend to go this far... I even deliberately controlled it.

 

...He's not dead. But he'll have to eat only porridge for a few months.

 

How lightly do I need to hit?

 

Hmm. Can't be helped. I'll have to gauge it by hitting a few more times.

 

I gently set the man down beside me and loosened my shoulders.

 

Focus. I must channel only enough inner energy to subdue.

 

I raised my head and looked at the remaining guys.

 

Meeting my glowing blue eyes, they began to tremble, but still held their spears.

 

...Fine. I need at least a minimal pretext.

 

One straight punch per guy should do it anyway.

 

"This is my first time using fist techniques, so I might not be as precise as with a sword. Some parts might burst open. If you're scared, lie face down. I'll send off those lying down as painlessly and delicately as possible."

 

Of course, 'send off' doesn't mean kill. It means knock unconscious.