At this moment, Beidou patted Kazuha on the shoulder. "This here is Kaedehara Kazuha. For certain reasons, he's been staying on my ship for the time being, and every now and then he'll let a few poetic lines slip out of his mouth."
Kazuha smiled lightly. "With a ship and the sea breeze, how could one not recite a few verses? Otherwise, it would be a disservice to the scenery."
"Fair enough. How about, when the Crux Duel Tournament begins, I give you a chance to perform?" Beidou burst into hearty laughter, looking straight at Kazuha as she spoke.
Kazuha replied freely, "That depends on my mood. A poem written out of obligation often lacks true 'meaning.'"
"I heard the prize for this tournament is quite tempting?" Luya asked casually.
Beidou's lips curved upward. She nodded lightly, her eyes glimmering with confidence. "Yes. For this tournament, I've prepared an exceptionally rare reward."
She paused before continuing, "The most eye-catching prize is an unclaimed Vision. In addition, there's also a card deck worth thirty million Mora. This deck was hand-picked from your shop—a powerful one." A hint of pride appeared on her face.
Just then, Kazuha interjected, "In fact, that Vision was provided by me. If any brave warrior can distinguish themselves in the tournament and successfully reawaken this long-dormant Vision, then it shall belong to them."
A sailor nearby joined the conversation. "Why would a Vision have no owner?"
Kazuha pondered briefly before explaining, "When the bearer of a Vision passes away, the Vision loses its glow, but its shell does not disappear from the world. As for what these hollow shells are used for, there is no definite conclusion yet. Still, in my view, since they remain in this world, they must carry some kind of meaning—perhaps an inheritance of will."
Beidou fully agreed. "Yes. To me, a Vision is a symbol—a sign of divine recognition. Whoever can make it shine again must be a true powerhouse. That is why I organized the Crux Duel Tournament—to discover such a person. Besides, rumor has it that those who obtain a Vision will see their dueling skills rise as well."
Kazuha's lips curved slightly as he revealed a small smile. "I haven't mentioned this before, but back in Inazuma, I was actually a wandering swordsman." He let his hands rest naturally at his sides, his sleeves fluttering lightly in the wind.
Luya looked him up and down and nodded. "I can tell from your clothes, but when you speak, you don't sound like someone who relies on the sword or spear."
Kazuha gently shook his head and crossed his arms, determination flickering in his eyes. "A scholar may wield the brush, and a warrior the blade. On a long journey of wandering, what harm is there in learning one more skill?" His voice remained calm and gentle, as though telling an ordinary story.
After a brief pause, he continued, "Though I dare not boast of my strength, I have witnessed many skilled fighters across the continent." His gaze deepened, as if recalling past experiences in Inazuma.
Beidou looked at Luya with eager anticipation. "Emperor, since you're already here… why not join this tournament?"
Beside her, Kazuha echoed, "Yes, indeed. If the Emperor were to participate, the scale and level of this tournament would undoubtedly rise to a whole new height."
Faced with their enthusiastic and sincere invitation, Luya fell into thought. He realized he had nothing urgent to attend to for the time being. Moreover, the tournament had a special requirement: the participants must be people without a Vision.
And he happened to meet this condition perfectly.
In this tournament, he likely wouldn't encounter Hu Tao, Xingqiu, Chongyun, or other familiar faces—which meant there was no need to hold back.
Just as he thought of those people, Luya spotted Xingqiu and Chongyun in the distance.
As expected, that duo could be found almost anywhere throughout Liyue.
"Oh! Shop—no, Emperor. Didn't expect you to come watch the tournament too. You don't seem to have a Vision either. Why not join?"
"Yes, you should participate!" Chongyun and Xingqiu, taking turns as if rehearsed, urged him to sign up.
"Very well, very well. I'll participate." After a moment of consideration, a faint smile appeared on Luya's lips.
...
Very soon, news that the new Emperor would participate in the Crux Duel Tournament spread throughout the area. The announcement dropped like a boulder into a calm lake, sending waves surging outward.
All the participants who heard the news were stunned.
"W-What!!" someone cried out in shock. "The new Emperor is personally entering the tournament?!"
Exclamations erupted one after another, loud enough to pierce the sky. Everyone looked at one another, their expressions filled with disbelief.
Then came a chorus of lamentations:
"Sigh… looks like the prize is out of reach for us this time. With the Emperor's strength, no one can compete."
"Yes… better aim for second place instead." In an instant, the originally ambitious competitors all shifted their goals toward lesser honors.
...
The tournament soon officially began.
Using his own deck, Luya advanced effortlessly to the final round.
"Truly worthy of the Emperor."
"He leaves no room for anyone else!"
"He keeps OTK-ing people!"
"The tournament ended so quickly!"
"But… why hasn't the Emperor's final opponent shown up yet?!"
Right now, the final match was about to begin. However, to everyone's surprise, Luya's supposed opponent had yet to appear on the Duel Stage.
Minute by minute, time passed. The crowd grew restless, tension rising like steam, even bordering on chaos.
From within the crowd came scattered murmurs and complaints:
"Why isn't he here yet?"
"What kind of final is this!?"
...
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