Before Kokomi could finish speaking, Lumine quickly interjected, "Say no more—we can't afford to delay any longer. The more time we waste, the higher the chances something might go wrong!"
She didn't dare bet on whether Shao Yun would obediently stay at Kujou Encampment. She had to go and confirm it for herself.
Seeing how anxious Lumine and Paimon were to reach Narukami Island and speak with Yae Miko, Sangonomiya Kokomi knew she could no longer dissuade them.
So, she offered a sincere smile and gave her blessing.
"Very well then. I wish you both a safe journey, Captains of Swordfish II."
Before they had entered Enkanomiya, Sangonomiya Kokomi had already appointed Lumine and Paimon as captains of Swordfish II.
After all, Shao Yun had become the island's general, helping Watatsumi Island resist the Shogunate forces.
And Lumine had brought back the invaluable Bloodbranch Coral. Naming her captain of Swordfish II was only natural.
Just as Lumine and Paimon turned to leave, a figure suddenly burst into their view.
Clinging to Boeotia's back, having made an arduous journey from Kujou Encampment to the rebel camp on Yashiori Island and then rushing straight to Sangonomiya, was the flustered and breathless Teppei—who had finally arrived.
The moment he reached the torii gate outside Sangonomiya, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Something terrible's happened! Disaster!"
Lumine narrowed her eyes and saw that Teppei looked absolutely disheveled—his face covered in dust, his hair a mess, like a beggar fallen on hard times.
A wave of dread surged in her chest as she quickly approached him and asked with concern, "Teppei, what happened? Did we lose a battle at the frontlines?"
Teppei solemnly shook his head. What had happened was far more terrifying than a lost battle.
His voice trembled slightly from emotion.
"There was a massive explosion at Tatarasuna. The blast was so devastating it nearly turned all of Kujou Encampment into rubble. So many of our soldiers… they're… they're gone…"
Lumine reeled at the sudden shock, panic flashing across her face.
She grabbed Teppei's shoulders tightly and cried out, "What! Then what about Shao Yun? Is he alright?"
Seeing how distressed Lumine was, Teppei quickly reassured her, "Don't worry—General Shao Yun is safe. He's the one who sent me back to relay the news to Watatsumi Island."
At that moment, Sangonomiya Kokomi hurried over, concern etched on her face.
"Teppei, slow down and tell us everything from the beginning. What exactly happened?"
Teppei's expression grew even more grim as he recounted the terrifying scene near Kujou Encampment.
The explosion at Tatarasuna. When the deafening blast echoed out, it was as if the apocalypse had arrived. Chaos and destruction engulfed the encampment in an instant.
Fortunately, Teppei, Shao Yun, and a girl named Yoimiya had been protected by Shao Yun and survived. But every other resistance soldier had perished heroically.
After the explosion, the skies over Kannazuka were shrouded in a mysterious, ominous violet haze.
This purple sky was spreading fast, and by now, half of Yashiori Island was enveloped in its dark glow, carrying the momentum to engulf all of Inazuma.
Teppei recalled how he'd clung to Shao Yun's horse, barely escaping that calamity with his life to return here.
He specifically mentioned how, while traveling through the area covered by that purple sky, all plant life was withering visibly, as though cursed.
It reminded him eerily of the sacred soil phenomenon that had once plagued Watatsumi Island.
Upon hearing this, Lumine, Paimon, and Kokomi all gasped in shock.
They instantly knew what had caused the explosion at Tatarasuna. It could only have been the Mikage Furnace's devastating core detonating.
Lumine and Paimon had once heard from Xavier during the "Tatara Tales" world quest just how destructive the Mikage Furnace Core could be.
Kokomi furrowed her brow and asked a crucial question.
"Where is Shao Yun?"
Teppei had said he wasn't dead—but then, where was he?
At Kokomi's question, Teppei wiped sweat from his brow and answered with some hesitation.
"General Shao Yun said… he's going to end this war himself."
Lumine shuddered violently.
A cold chill ran up her spine, climbing all the way to the crown of her head.
And then, almost on instinct, she turned and sprinted toward the exit.
As she ran, she clenched her teeth and screamed internally.
'Don't scare me, Shao Yun! Don't you dare scare me! You promised me—you promised this nightmare would never come true!'
Her vision blurred with tears, but she didn't dare stop. If she stopped now, she feared she'd lose her last hope.
Paimon, seeing Lumine so frightened and frantic, shouted after her, "Wait for me, Lumine!"
She quickly flew after her, the two of them leaving Sangonomiya behind.
Meanwhile, Sangonomiya Kokomi didn't stand by idly.
After a brief moment of thought, she acted decisively—ordering shrine maidens and resistance soldiers to head out immediately and investigate the situation on Yashiori Island.
At the same time, she began trying to establish contact with the Administrative Commission on Narukami Island and the Grand Narukami Shrine to discuss how to handle this sudden crisis.
…
Lumine and Paimon didn't use any teleportation waypoints. Instead, they dashed from Sangonomiya as fast as they could.
Following the road to Bourou Village, they eventually reached the shore.
Standing at the water's edge, Lumine swiftly activated a Waverider waypoint, summoning a sturdy Waverider.
She grabbed the helm and steered it across the sea, heading toward Narukami Island.
As the boat left the coastline behind, the two peered out through the side window into the distance.
They could see the sky had taken on an eerie dark purple hue, shrouded in an ominous power.
The unnatural sight filled them with fear and unease.
Inside the boat, Paimon clung tightly to Lumine's back, her body trembling as she asked in a timid voice, "Lumine… but we fixed the Mikage Furnace Core, didn't we…?"
Lumine wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and whispered, "I don't know, Paimon. But there's one thing I'm really worried about…"
Before she could finish, that terrifying nightmare reappeared in her mind.
Under a sky soaked in blood-red light, blazing fires devoured Inazuma City.
People were hanged from the rooftops in gruesome fashion.
And worst of all—a headless figure astride a crimson horse held the severed heads of Shao Yun and the Raiden Shogun.
Remembering that image, Lumine gritted her teeth and muttered to herself.
Shao Yun, you promised me...!
…
After some time, before night completely swallowed the land, Lumine and Paimon arrived on Kannazuka Island.
As soon as they disembarked, Lumine bolted toward Inazuma City.
Paimon chased after her, frantically calling for her to slow down—but it was useless.
Lumine seemed deaf to Paimon's voice, running as if possessed.
And so, the two of them rushed toward Inazuma City, one behind the other.
As they drew closer, Lumine's pace began to slow.
When she finally reached Inazuma City, what she saw didn't seem real.
She stood frozen in Hanamizaka, her breath slowly evening out.
Here in this familiar place, nothing seemed to have changed.
The houses and shops remained intact—there were no signs of destruction at all.
Apart from the dark purple sky, everything was eerily calm and peaceful.
No blazing fires. No corpses hanging from rooftops.
But the most unsettling thing was that Inazuma City felt like a ghost town—dead silent, and devoid of any human presence.
Just then, Paimon finally caught up, panting heavily.
"Lumine… you ran way too fast! I almost couldn't keep up!"
But Lumine didn't respond. She was lightly panting, eyes still locked on the eerily empty streets of Hanamizaka, lost in deep thought...
Then—a faint noise caught Paimon's attention.
She turned toward it and saw the door to the familiar Naganohara Fireworks Shop slowly creaking open.
A warm, amber glow spilled out from inside, and a small figure peeked out cautiously.
It was Yoimiya. Her bright eyes blinked as she scanned her surroundings.
The moment her gaze met Lumine and Paimon's, her expression froze.
A brief moment of shock passed, then Yoimiya lit up with joy and ran straight out of the shop.
In the blink of an eye, she was in front of Lumine.
Throwing her arms around her, she cried, "Lumine! Paimon! It really is you!"
The sudden embrace caught Lumine off guard, but a wave of warmth filled her heart and helped clear her scattered thoughts.
Steadying herself, she gently pushed Yoimiya back and asked with concern, "Yoimiya... Inazuma City?"
Yoimiya quickly let go and took a step back, then pointed in the direction of Tatarasuna.
She took a deep breath to calm her excitement and began recounting everything that had happened.
In short, Shao Yun had escorted her safely home, then headed toward the commercial district.
Hearing this, Lumine's heart, which had just begun to settle, was once again gripped with unease.
The terrifying dream resurfaced in her mind.
She was afraid that the commercial district might become just as horrific as the nightmare had shown.
After a brief exchange with Yoimiya, Lumine and Paimon ran toward the commercial district.
They passed through the empty, silent streets of Hanamizaka and finally reached the Commercial Street—Inazuma City's main shopping avenue.
In stark contrast to the desolate Hanamizaka, there were still a few people here.
Not many, just a scattered few.
Most of them were from the Adventurers' Guild.
For instance, the ever-smiling, helpful receptionist, Miss Katheryne.
And those brave adventurers who still took on all kinds of missions.
Though the scene here wasn't nearly as horrific as Lumine's nightmare, she didn't dare let her guard down.
She knew she had to reach Tenshukaku as fast as possible and see for herself whether the final scene from her nightmare had become reality.
Only then could she truly set her heart at ease.
So Lumine quickened her pace, heading straight for Tenshukaku with Paimon at her side...
…
Elsewhere, in front of the towering Tenshukaku, Shao Yun sat quietly on the steps before the grand gate.
His head was lowered, eyes fixed on a few fully smoked cigars on the ground as he muttered to himself.
"Looks like Lumine's not coming today..."
What he didn't realize was that she was already there—not far from him.
In the dying crimson light of the setting sun, Lumine stood still, staring at the figure seated in front of Tenshukaku.
She gazed at him—at this seemingly at-ease Shao Yun—and in that moment, she understood many things.
Her heart was in turmoil, filled with an overwhelming mix of emotions.
Was she relieved he had survived?
Or upset by his reckless, lone-wolf behavior?
In the end, all the emotions converged into one name, one cry of longing and affection.
"Shao Yun…"
Lumine called out softly. Even so faint, Shao Yun immediately recognized that familiar voice.
His body jolted, as if struck by lightning, pupils dilating in shock.
It was bound to happen eventually.
He quickly lifted his head, and the moment his eyes met hers, the corners of his lips trembled, his voice hoarse.
"Lumine…"