The thunderstorm raging over Inazuma's outer seas didn't even scratch The Alcor's defenses.
With the current lineup aboard, there was absolutely no need for anyone else to intervene.
As Lumine practiced controlling both her Boundary Force and her Void Power, she casually waved away the blinding violet lightning that tore across the clouds above.
At this point, Lumine didn't even need to keep collecting elemental energy.
Gathering all seven elements wasn't going to summon a dragon or anything—at best, it would only help her restore the power sealed by Celestia.
Realistically, it'd just make her a little stronger than when she first arrived in this world.
If we're being rational, a fully powered Aether or Lumine could probably hold their own in Honkai Impact 3rd.
But in Honkai 2? They'd likely be downgraded from "hero" to "elite soldier."
From a potential standpoint, neither the power of the stars nor the energy of the abyss could compare to Boundary Manipulation—the ability to literally create or shape worlds, as long as one had enough output capacity.
Their journey went smoothly; The Alcor reached Inazuma by late afternoon.
Any possible mishap that could have ruined Nagami and Seele's soft, romantic atmosphere had already been "handled" by Lumine.
The once-terrifying thunderstorm that surrounded Inazuma?
She'd turned it into a dazzling fireworks display, perfectly setting the mood.
Nagami could clearly sense that Seele was in a much better mood—her heart seemed lighter, and she was even acting a little clingier than before.
By the time they arrived, he finally wrapped up the "teasing cute girl" segment of the day.
Before hopping down from the ship's roof with the small, soft Seele still in his arms.
The crimson sunset spilled across the horizon, painting the islands blessed by maple and cherry blossoms in shades of burning gold and pink.
The sky itself looked aflame—dreamlike and breathtaking.
Nearby, Venti had taken up his true role as a bard, singing softly.
Holding Seele's delicate hand, Nagami looked toward Beidou, who was speaking respectfully with Zhongli.
He couldn't quite tell if Beidou's respectful tone came from Zhongli's natural charisma—or if Kazuha had somehow guessed the true identities of both Venti and Zhongli.
But even if he had, it probably didn't matter.
After all, who would believe that a lazy, wine-loving bard was actually the great Anemo Archon?
And in Liyue, anyone calling the Geo Archon a freeloading, penniless drifter would probably get punched on sight.
After walking along the dock for a while, a young man with sandy-blond hair came into view.
"Yo! Finally here, huh? Captain Beidou from Liyue—you sure kept me waiting."
After greeting Beidou, Thoma's expression stiffened slightly as his gaze fell on the blonde girl beside her.
"Lumine… you can't be serious, right? Isn't this a few too many stowaways this time?"
Lumine had met both Beidou and Kazuha before.
She'd even sailed with them once or twice, and given her charisma and friendly nature, she'd easily earned a good reputation in Inazuma during those brief visits.
Scratching his head helplessly, Thoma sighed.
"You told me you only needed travel documents for yourself and Paimon. Now you're bringing an entire crew?"
Even for someone with his connections in the Yashiro Commission, arranging identification and travel clearance for this many people was going to be tough.
The Sakoku Decree—personally ordered by the Raiden Shogun—wasn't something that could be casually bypassed.
Every newcomer's identity had to be verified.
There was no avoiding that.
"Hehe, don't worry~ I'd never make things hard for you!" Lumine said with her usual cheeky smile, flashing a thumbs-up. "Just prepare Paimon's and mine. My friends have other legit ways of getting through!"
"Oh? Other legit ways, huh? That's a new one."
Thoma squinted suspiciously at the group, taking in the unusual lineup: a bard from Mondstadt, a refined gentleman from Liyue… and the rest—
He blinked, his expression turning odd.
A cute, shy little girl.
Two stunning young women with completely different auras.
And one guy who, aside from being annoyingly handsome, didn't seem to have any defining traits.
'They're not seriously here for sightseeing during the lockdown… are they?'
Under the Sakoku Decree, anyone wishing to step onto Narukami Island had to first pass through Ritou, which was under the jurisdiction of the Kanjou Commission.
Entry required special permits and documents that were notoriously difficult to obtain—unless you had… the right connections.
Without them, visitors were stuck in Ritou, becoming stranded "outsiders."
Apart from his own lady—who could possibly arrange that? The Kanjou Commission?
The Tenryou Commission?
After parting ways with Beidou, Thoma pondered all this while leading the group toward the inspection office on Ritou.
"Good afternoon," said the clerk politely. "And the rest of you, please state your names and purpose for visiting."
As Thoma handed over Lumine and Paimon's paperwork, the clerk's gaze turned toward the others.
Venti and Zhongli exchanged a knowing glance, then both turned to Nagami—
the clear center of attention in this unusual party.
"Hello there! We're here for a little sightseeing~"
Nagami said casually, leaving everyone momentarily dumbfounded — even Zhongli looked briefly lost for words.
"Just look at how adorable my Seele is. Be a good person and let us register, won't you?"
He tightened the arm around Seele's soft shoulder, and before she could react, gently pushed the surprised girl forward toward the clerk.
A few crimson feathers drifted lazily through the air, swaying in the wind within the clerk's line of sight.
After all—was there any more "legit" way to handle this than a bit of feather-dust mind control?
Of course not, absolutely not
And as a bonus, it gave him another excuse to tease little Seele!
That's the terrifying power of an ancient, golden-haired schemer with millennia of experience flirting with girls!
"Eh? W–wait, Nagami-nii, what are you even saying!?" Seele's voice trembled, her long lashes lowering to hide the fluster in her eyes.
Her pale cheeks quickly flushed a deep, radiant red.
Thoma could only stare in disbelief, looking like a man questioning all of his life choices.
"Ah, yes! This young lady is unbelievably cute. Of course she's cleared to enter!"
The clerk's cheerful words froze everyone in place.
Their expressions shifted from shock… to pure disbelief.
You've got to be kidding!!!
"Welcome to Inazuma! Here—these are for you," the clerk said with a dazzling smile, pulling a small pouch of mora from under the desk and handing it to Seele. "Thank you for brightening my day with such cuteness. Enjoy your stay!"
Thoma's expression somehow grew even more pained — the kind of look that said "I just witnessed something cursed."
Meanwhile, the guards nearby pretended not to notice a single thing.
Seele blinked in confusion, clutching the bag in both hands, completely lost.
Everyone else turned their attention to her, unsure of what to say.
Despite having fused with quantum energy and become the Herrscher of Death — a being whose power now surpassed even Zhongli's.
Seele, at her core, was still a shy, gentle girl.
Feeling the weight of all those eyes, she instinctively lowered her head.
———————————————————————
[Veliona]: You dumb girl, obviously that was Nagami-nii's doing!
Sure, you're adorable, but for him to pull something like that in public… it's just… so embarrassing!
———————————————————————
Veliona's voice echoed in her mind, and Seele's blush deepened even more, spreading all the way down her neck.
"N-Nagami-nii… I…" she mumbled, her voice small and trembling.
Whatever mild protest she had was swallowed by her bashful tone.
Overwhelmed, Seele suddenly dove into Nagami's arms, burying her burning face against his chest, refusing to look up.
Nagami instinctively caught her, wrapping his arms around her slender waist.
The soft warmth pressing against him was unmistakable — delicate, tender, and alive.
While everyone else stood frozen in disbelief, the clerk happily finished the registration and waved them off.
As they walked away from the island, Thoma couldn't hold it in anymore. "Okay, seriously—what was that?" he asked, his brow furrowed in concern.
"Well…" Nagami said, hugging the still-blushing Seele a bit closer.
He glanced at Venti and Zhongli, who were both staring at him with knowing looks, then turned back to Thoma.
"Eh-heh~"
Venti's mouth twitched. "You're 'eh-heh'-ing in front of me? Really?"