Lightning Split the Sky, Illuminating the Entire Sea.
A whirlpool churned in the waters, and from its depths emerged a pale blue sea serpent, its roar shaking the heavens.
Its serpentine body was adorned with twin whiskers, a horn-like protrusion on its head, and a row of fin-like spines along its back. Ethereal blue patterns covered its scales, giving it a menacing yet mystifying aura.
Just glimpsing its form had been terrifying enough—but now that it had fully revealed itself, the very sky and sea seemed to tremble in its presence. Its mountainous bulk loomed so vast that it almost seemed to pierce the heavens themselves.
Beidou's Electro-infused strike, which had once taken the form of Haishan's phantom, was colossal in its own right. Yet before this serpent... it looked as insignificant as an ant.
"We... have to fight that?"
A sailor standing beside Kazuha nearly dropped his "Debate Club," his grip faltering.
He had stayed behind because he, too, wielded a Vision—he thought his elemental power would give him an edge against the beast.
But now...
All he felt was despair.
Yet as Beidou faced the serpent, her resolve only burned brighter. The lightning around her flared violently, as if answering her unyielding spirit.
"This... is the power that slew Haishan!"
The serpent reacted swiftly. Water swirled and compressed in its maw before erupting in a devastating torrent, thick as a river, swallowing Beidou and her phantom Haishan in an instant.
"Support the Captain!"
Kazuha leapt into the wind, gathering the chaotic sea breezes into a razor-sharp blade that slashed toward the serpent.
"Right! We took down Haishan—what's there to be afraid of one lousy snake?!"
"Heh, maybe after this, I'll finally get a Vision too!"
Kazuha's words ignited the crew's fighting spirit.
The first to move was the sailor with the Debate Club. Watching Beidou clash with the serpent sent his adrenaline surging. Sturdy Geo energy gathered around his spiked club, reshaping it into the form of a stone spear.
He had grown up on tales of Rex Lapis, dreaming of the legendary "spears of stone that fell like rain."
Poor as he was, he could never afford a proper spear—only this Debate Club, gifted to him by Beidou. Even when he finally had the money, he never replaced it.
So here he was—a sailor who fought with a greatsword, but in his heart, he was a spearman.
Maybe he couldn't summon a storm of stone spears like the Geo Archon... but one spear?
Easy.
With their lead, others joined the fray.
Flaming arrows, razor winds, icy shards, a stray sandal, a snapped belt—
Those with Visions unleashed elemental skills, while those without manned the ballistae and cannons. Even the ship's cook charged out with a cleaver and a salted fish, eager to join the fight.
The serpent had ignored ordinary bolts and cannonfire, but elemental attacks began to take effect.
Beidou, who had been on the verge of being overwhelmed, now pressed the advantage with her crew's support. With Kazuha's winds bolstering her, she leapt again, her blade descending toward the serpent.
But they had all overlooked one thing.
"In every beam struggle, the left side loses—unless you're that idiot Dyna." (??? idk what this mean)
Bai Luo, his hand resting on his sword hilt, couldn't help but mutter.
But in this desperate moment, the Crux Fleet had no choice.
Besides, this was Teyvat. Surely the "left-side curse" didn't apply here... right?
Indeed, the three remaining warships had gathered nearly all the fleet's Vision-wielders—only a few had stayed with the merchant ships under Beidou's orders.
If they fell here... those merchant ships would be left defenseless.
And so, against all odds, the serpent was being pushed back, its watery breath faltering under the relentless assault.
Just as Bai Luo thought the battle was nearing its end—
Disaster struck.
"ROOOOAR—"
Another deafening roar split the air. Lightning from the dark clouds struck the sea, forming three more whirlpools.
Three additional serpents surged from the depths, surrounding the three warships—including the Alcor—alongside the first.
At a glance, the four serpents were indistinguishable. And their threat was equal.
"This... can't be..."
Kazuha, standing atop the crow's nest, felt his strength drain away at the sight of the four monstrous beasts.
One serpent had required the combined efforts of three ships and nearly a hundred people just to hold it off. Four? Even if the entire Crux Fleet returned, they wouldn't stand a chance.
"BOOM—"
Beidou, who had been on the verge of overpowering the first serpent, finally buckled under the pressure.
The phantom Haishan shattered. The crushing force of the water blast sent her hurtling backward—
Had Kazuha not softened her landing with a gust of wind, she might have pierced straight through the Alcor's hull and sunk into the abyss below.
"What... are these things?"
Steadying herself with Kazuha's help, Beidou wiped blood from her lips. Instinctively, she reached for her flask—only to remember she had already emptied and discarded it before the battle.
"Ever heard of Osial?"
A new flask was tossed her way. Bai Luo's voice followed, calm as ever.
Still clad in red, his reverse-blade sword in hand, his eyes flickered between the four serpents.
"The... Vortex God?"
Of course Beidou knew Osial.
Ask any citizen of Liyue, and they could recount the tales of the great sea demon sealed beneath the waves by Rex Lapis.
"Wait—you're saying this is Osial?!"
Beidou's brow furrowed as she glared at Bai Luo. If she weren't injured, she might have smacked him for crushing morale further.
Being surrounded by four serpents was bad enough. If the crew learned this was Osial himself, most would lose the will to fight entirely.
Why, out of all the gods Rex Lapis had battled, was Osial the one so often spoken of?
Because the terror he had wrought was unforgettable.
The people of Liyue had faced tidal waves that blotted out the sky. They had been jolted awake by quakes that shook the very earth.
All were the work of Osial.
But... why would a god sealed by Rex Lapis appear in these distant waters?
"She's not Osial." Bai Luo sighed, reading the system's prompt. "She's Vortex's Remnant— Beisht. The last follower of the Vortex God. And... Osial's wife."
"Osial's wife?!"