"What's happening? How did the sea outside suddenly turn into this?"
"The tsunamis can't break through—we're being protected by the Electro Archon. But what in the world is happening out there? And that massive explosion…?"
"Liyue has the Geo Emperor and so many Adepti protecting it. My family should be safe…"
"Wasn't the Archon War over long ago? What's going on now? Is someone attacking Inazuma?"
"I've never seen the sea this violent. Is this the end of the world?"
Everyone in Inazuma stared wide-eyed at the scene before them.
The ocean roiled and boiled, whirlpools and waterspouts appearing everywhere—phenomena that had once been rare were now terrifyingly common.
The sky was shrouded in a dull gray veil, pressing down with suffocating weight.
It was like the omen of doomsday.
"Sister… was this your doing?" Zebul stood atop Tenshukaku, surveying the chaos around her.
"No… this wasn't me," Baal denied softly.
"A barrier strong enough to cover the entire nation… who else but us could possibly manage this?"
Zebul was utterly confused, unable to make sense of the situation.
The sea changing wasn't unusual, but conditions this extreme could never be natural.
It had to be connected to that massive explosion that had echoed across thousands of miles.
"I don't know…" Baal's eyes were clouded with deep worry as her fists clenched tightly.
But of course she knew.
This had to be Elliot's doing—the protection he had left behind.
And that great explosion… it confirmed what he had said before.
The Khaenri'ah War.
A war so terrible it threatened all of Teyvat.
Even gods had fallen in that war.
"For something to cause this kind of upheaval…"
"Could it be that Liyue has gone to war with another nation?"
Zebul never considered the possibility of a war in Khaenri'ah. But she knew one thing—only a battle on a god's level could cause a phenomenon like this.
Which meant… she believed the Geo Emperor must be fighting the god of another land.
It was the only explanation she could think of.
"I need to check on Yashiori Island and Watatsumi Island. Those were Sasayuri's life's work."
But just as Zebul said this, she froze.
Her eyes widened in disbelief as she looked to Baal. "This barrier… could it be Sasayuri's doing?"
Because aside from themselves, only Elliot could possibly create something like this.
Thinking back on his sudden departure five days ago, and now witnessing the present events, Zebul's heart trembled.
—That guy must have uncovered some plot by another nation against Inazuma.
—That's why he left so abruptly…
—He's fighting with the god of another land right now…
—And to keep Inazuma safe, he raised this barrier long ago…
—But he only has one hand! How can he fight a god like this?!
Piecing together Elliot's personality with what was unfolding now, Zebul understood the truth.
This time, she would not be wrong.
And this time, she would protect him.
"Sister, prepare for the tsunami. I'm going to bring him back!"
Before Baal could respond, Zebul's body burst into lightning as she shot off toward the source of the explosion.
In the gloomy sky, her violet thunderbolts shone brilliantly against the darkness.
"Look! It's the Raiden Shogun! She's the one protecting us after all!" a sharp-eyed villager shouted.
"As long as the Shogun is here, Inazuma will never be disturbed by the outside world!"
"She's our god! She'll keep us safe!"
"No matter how dangerous it is out there, as long as we're within Inazuma's borders, we'll be fine!"
In times of peace, Zebul's presence was quiet, almost unnoticed. She wasn't needed then.
But in times of crisis, she was the first person everyone thought of.
She was their faith. Their pride.
Yet as Zebul pressed her hand against the transparent barrier in the skies above, she realized something unsettling.
This wasn't a one-way barrier that blocked entry but allowed exit.
It was two-way. Nothing could come in, and nothing could get out.
"I won't let you get away with this! I won't let you be hurt again!"
Her eyes burned red as she unleashed violent thunder across the skies above Narukami Island.
From her chest, a blade wreathed in endless lightning slowly emerged.
She gripped the hilt, drew it out, and without hesitation brought it crashing down on the barrier before her.
Buzz—
With a piercing screech, the blade struck the barrier hard.
Everyone on Narukami Island stared up in shock.
"What is the Raiden Shogun doing? Is she… destroying the barrier?"
"It looks like it… But why? Wasn't she the one who put it up?"
"Is she really breaking it…? What about the tsunami outside? We'll be killed!"
Their doubts were quickly confirmed.
Chiyo, Kitsune Saiguu, and the Tenryou Commission issued urgent orders:
Everyone was to flee to the mountains—run as high as possible!