After finishing their delicious breakfast, Yoimiya bid farewell to Naganohara Ryuunosuke.
Then, carrying Miss Kiyoko's goods, she accompanied her to the hidden location where the small boat was concealed.
When they arrived, Miss Kiyoko walked up to a patch of what appeared to be slightly raised sand and gave it a gentle pat.
It turned out that it wasn't just sand—it was an overturned boat resting on the beach.
Clenching her teeth and using all her strength, Miss Kiyoko flipped the boat over.
A small wooden vessel now lay quietly on the golden sand. The paint had long since peeled away, revealing the raw grain of the wood underneath.
Yoimiya, pushing a cart loaded with cargo, eyed the boat in surprise.
"Miss Kiyoko, are you sure this boat is sturdy enough?"
Scratching her head a bit awkwardly, Kiyoko replied, "It might look worn out, but it's tougher than it seems. I've used it to transport goods many times before—it should be fine."
Though Yoimiya harbored some doubts, there were no better alternatives for now.
Since Kiyoko was so confident, she could only trust her judgment.
…
Yoimiya struggled tremendously to get the cart aboard the small vessel. Once everything was loaded, she and Miss Kiyoko worked together to push the boat into the sea.
With joined effort, they paddled toward Kujou Encampment.
Oddly enough, the resistance forces didn't seem to notice the small boat that day, allowing Yoimiya and Miss Kiyoko to arrive at the encampment without incident.
Meanwhile, on the shores of Kujou Encampment, Teppei and a few resistance members were patrolling.
Upon spotting the boat landing, they instantly went on alert, weapons drawn.
"Who goes there?" one of them shouted.
Startled, Yoimiya raised both hands and called out.
"Hey, hey, don't be so jumpy! We come in peace!"
Hearing her voice, Teppei looked closer and was startled to recognize one of the passengers.
"Miss Kiyoko?"
Kiyoko blinked in surprise as well and nodded.
"Teppei! I thought you were still over on Watatsumi Island."
Teppei immediately lowered his weapon and rushed over, concern in his eyes.
"Miss Kiyoko, are you alright? You weren't hurt, were you?"
Kiyoko patted her chest and took a deep breath.
"Ah, nothing too serious. Just got robbed by some Nobushi."
"But thankfully, this young lady came to my rescue just in time—and she even brought me here to find you."
Teppei turned to Yoimiya with a deeply grateful expression.
"Thank you so much. I can't imagine what might've happened without you. May I ask—what's your name?"
With cheerful warmth, Yoimiya introduced herself.
"I'm Yoimiya, owner of the Naganohara Fireworks Shop!"
Teppei glanced between Kiyoko and Yoimiya before turning back to Kiyoko with a plan.
"How about this? I'll take both of you to rest first. Then I'll speak to the General and see about arranging your safe return to Watatsumi Island."
He then looked back at Yoimiya.
"As for you, Miss Yoimiya—thank you again. But since this is a military camp, it's not really a place for civilians. Why don't you stay here for a bit, have some water and a rest, and then head back to Narukami Island?"
Miss Kiyoko asked curiously, "Is that General Gorou?"
Teppei shook his head and explained patiently.
"No, not General Gorou. He's been succeeded. Our new commander, appointed personally by Lady Kokomi, is General Shao Yun."
At the mention of that name, Yoimiya froze.
Eyes wide in astonishment, she stammered.
"Shao… Shao Yun? The Shao Yun?"
Teppei noticed her reaction and asked curiously.
"That's right—General Shao Yun! Do you know him?"
Yoimiya smiled and nodded, her voice filled with emotion.
"I do! I'm good friends with Lumine and Paimon too."
Teppei's face lit up with delight.
"That's great! General Shao Yun will be glad to see you, I'm sure."
He turned to a fellow soldier.
"Take Miss Kiyoko and her goods to rest. I'll handle things here."
Then he warmly invited Yoimiya to come meet Shao Yun in person.
Elsewhere, Shao Yun stood beside the triple-barrel Kamuijima Cannon, gazing silently at the deep blue sea.
From afar, Teppei's excited voice rang out.
"General Shao Yun! A girl named Yoimiya came from Narukami Island—she says she knows you! I brought her here."
Shao Yun blinked, muttering to himself.
"Yoimiya?"
He thought he'd misheard—but quickly realized it was true. He turned, eyes wide.
Sure enough, not far away stood that energetic, always-cheerful girl.
Yoimiya's eyes lit up when she saw him.
"Mr. Shao Yun? It really is you!"
She trotted up to him, scanning him up and down.
"I thought you were still with Lumine and Paimon on Watatsumi Island!"
Shao Yun scratched his head and let out a weary sigh.
"Well… it's complicated."
He wasn't sure how to explain his current role and situation.
Teppei stepped in, brimming with pride.
"This is our new General, personally appointed by Lady Kokomi!"
Yoimiya's eyes went wide with disbelief.
"This… this is so unexpected!"
She couldn't believe this was the same man who, just ten days ago, had been fleeing with Lumine and Paimon—now risen to such prominence.
Shao Yun shrugged with a helpless smile.
"Yeah, I didn't expect this either. But hey—what brings you here?"
Yoimiya blinked.
"Well, it's a long story…"
She recounted the events that led her to help Miss Kiyoko.
Shao Yun nodded as she spoke, a gentle smile forming.
"I see. Still the same caring soul."
Yoimiya grinned, scratching her head.
"I can't help it, really. I guess it's just my nature. If I see someone in trouble, I have to do something."
Shao Yun nodded again, eyes softening as he looked at her. A flicker of gratitude flashed through his gaze.
"I'll have Teppei bring you something to eat. You should rest a while."
But Yoimiya shook her head with a bright smile.
"No need, I've already eaten. And now that Miss Kiyoko's safe, I can relax. I should get going—there's stuff waiting for me at home."
She turned to leave, but Shao Yun suddenly called out.
"Wait, Yoimiya!"
She paused and looked back, curiosity in her eyes.
Shao Yun took a deep breath, cleared his throat, then removed his hat, clutching it tightly in both hands.
"I want to thank you—for everything you did back then. I don't know how to express it properly."
Yoimiya gave a warm, sunny smile.
"No need to thank me, Mr. Shao Yun. It was the right thing to do."
Then she hesitated, biting her lip as if weighing whether to ask something.
Finally, summoning her courage, she spoke softly.
"Actually… there's something I'd like to ask you. Is that okay?"
Shao Yun gripped his hat tighter and nodded seriously.
"Of course. Go ahead."
Yoimiya placed a hand over her chest, steadying herself.
Her bright eyes flickered with tension as she asked, voice trembling slightly.
"About… the war—"
Before she could finish, a system alert flashed before Shao Yun's eyes.
[WARNING: Detected imminent core detonation at Tatarasuna Mikage Furnace. Immediate emergency action required!]
Shao Yun inhaled sharply, eyes widening as he turned toward the direction of Tatarasuna's core.
Deep within, an invisible force had begun to rapidly expand inside the furnace.
With a deafening explosion, the core's shell burst, unable to contain the pressure.
A wave of immense Divine energy surged outward.
In the space of a breath, the shockwave was already bearing down on Kujou Encampment.
Shao Yun reacted on instinct. He threw aside his hat, lunged forward, and shielded both Yoimiya and Teppei beneath his body.
System, you bastard! Why didn't you warn me sooner…
Before the thought could finish, the cataclysmic blast of the explosion swallowed the entire encampment.
…
Elsewhere, at the Grand Narukami Shrine.
Yae Miko had just finished giving instructions to the shrine maidens. She was preparing to leave for Inazuma City—for her final confrontation with Shao Yun.
As for the promise Scaramouche made about killing Shao Yun—she had long since dismissed it as a worthless joke.
After all, whether she died sooner or later, the Gnosis would end up in the Fatui's hands anyway.
To her, it made little difference.
The shrine maidens were filled with sorrow, reluctant to see their beloved Guuji go.
They pleaded with her to reconsider, not to take this path.
Yae Miko looked at their tearful faces, her heart a swirl of emotion, and was about to speak some words of comfort—
But suddenly, the ground trembled violently beneath their feet. A quake, more powerful than anything before, shook Narukami Island.
Shrine maidens fell one after another, panic erupting everywhere.
Yae Miko barely kept her footing. Her gaze turned toward Tatarasuna—only to see a massive mushroom cloud rise into the sky.
In that instant, she understood Scaramouche's plan.
So that was it—blow up the Mikage Furnace. Was he trying to doom all of Inazuma?!
Her eyes widened, and she shouted furiously.
"Kunikuzushi, you despicable, shameless bastard!"