Kamisato Ayaka didn't expect Zeyan's words to turn in this direction, and her face immediately flushed slightly. "Eh? Why did we suddenly talk about this? Actually, no one usually pursues me."
The young lady of the Kamisato clan was certainly glamorous and highly regarded, but because of her high status, it inevitably made people feel inferior. Therefore, even Kamisato Ayaka had no suitors, which wasn't unusual.
Zeyan was a bit surprised to hear this. "Miss Kamisato, haven't you ever experienced being pursued?"
Kamisato Ayaka: "..."
Even she, who was adept at communication, didn't know how to respond to such a remark for a moment.
Zeyan smiled and said, "Thinking about it carefully, if Miss Kamisato were willing, the people who want to pursue you could probably line up from Inazuma City all the way to Ritou. It's just that everyone knows they aren't worthy of Miss Kamisato, so Miss Kamisato hasn't been pursued. In fact, it's just that Miss Kamisato is too outstanding."
Kamisato Ayaka bashfully opened her folding fan to cover her face, her eyelids lowered as she said, "Zeyan, please don't joke with me like this. I'm just an ordinary girl."
Zeyan smiled and said no more.
The heavy rain had turned the sky an ominous shade. Though it was still afternoon, it gave the illusion of nightfall.
They continued along the beach, and because they had slowed down, the terrain was easier to navigate.
Gradually, Zeyan noticed the seawater on their right seemed to be receding. To be precise, the two shores of the sea were moving closer to each other.
Zeyan looked to the right and could see many protruding reefs and small patches of sand in the water. There were also wooden boxes, oak barrels, iron pots on wooden frames, and totem poles with strange markings.
Seeing Zeyan's curious gaze, Kamisato Ayaka explained, "In this area, hilichurls appear from time to time. Even if they're cleared away, more will show up after a while... Zeyan should be familiar with hilichurls, right? After all, they're peculiar creatures found all over Teyvat. Liyue wouldn't be without them either."
Zeyan had never seen a hilichurl, but since he was pretending to be from Liyue, he could only nod and say, "So those are hilichurls."
At that moment, Zeyan spotted a broken carriage ahead. The carriage was severely damaged, with most of it buried in the sand, leaving only part of the body and a wheel exposed. If it weren't for the wheel, it would have been hard to recognize it as a carriage.
"This is..." Zeyan approached and, feeling around next to the wheel, pulled a sword out of the ground.
Kamisato Ayaka glanced at it and smiled. "That's a Dull Blade, a relatively common weapon. Why don't you take it, Zeyan? After all, we're not sure if the monsters in the wild are all gone. If any appear, you can use it."
Zeyan nodded and glanced at the weapon strapped to Kamisato Ayaka's back. "Miss Kamisato, what is your sword?"
Hearing this, Kamisato Ayaka drew her tachi and murmured, "This sword of mine is called the Amenoma Kageuchi."
Zeyan asked curiously, "Amenoma Kageuchi? As your weapon, this sword must be very special, right?"
Kamisato Ayaka held the hilt in one hand and gently stroked the blade with the other. "This is a shadow-forged blade of the renowned sword 'Hamon Mankou Amenoma.' It has a certain history and is a very good sword."
Zeyan sighed, "Only a renowned sword is worthy of Miss Kamisato's status..."
Kamisato Ayaka chuckled softly. "What I have learned is the Kamisato Art Tachi Jutsu. I will certainly not let this sword be disgraced, nor will I let the Kamisato Art Tachi Jutsu be disgraced."
Zeyan listened with envy, wishing to learn the Kamisato Art Tachi Jutsu. However, Kamisato Ayaka probably wouldn't teach him. This made Zeyan sigh inwardly. He remembered that the system had sent him here to improve his strength, but until now, he still didn't know how to do so.
After their conversation about the tachi jutsu, they continued on their journey. As the distance between the two shores narrowed, the seawater in the middle also became shallower, resembling a stream.
Arriving at this point, Kamisato Ayaka said, "Let's cross directly."
She felt that even Zeyan, though ordinary, should be able to manage crossing here.
Zeyan nodded, holding the umbrella in one hand and using the Dull Blade to poke the ground with the other, moving forward cautiously. Fortunately, he made it across without incident.
He looked back and saw Kamisato Ayaka, like a spinning ice crystal in winter, gliding across the broken ice, transforming into a rapid current. Within seconds, she had crossed. When the delicate Kamisato Ayaka reappeared, even the nearby seawater had frozen into a thin layer of ice.
"This is..." Zeyan's eyes widened.
After transmigrating to this unknown world, although he had heard that it possessed elemental abilities, this was the first time he saw such extraordinary power.
Seeing Zeyan's gaze, Kamisato Ayaka smiled slightly and said, "This is the Kamisato Art: Senho. Forgive my display."
The dripping wet feathers vanish in an instant, the white heron steps on water—what is there to resent!
The Kamisato Art: Senho was a famous sprinting technique. Someone who had come to Inazuma from a foreign land once said that only an ability called the Flowing Form could compare to the Kamisato Art: Senho.
"Let's continue," Kamisato Ayaka said as she led the way. "Ahead is the Chinju Forest. Beyond it lies the Kamisato Estate. Not far to the west of our estate is the mountain path leading to the Grand Narukami Shrine."
Zeyan nodded and followed.
The path through the Chinju Forest was clearly marked. Both sides of the path were lined with green grass, and blue flowers grew in abundance. Trees and shrubs were also common.
Zeyan noticed a pair of stone lanterns by the roadside, their golden light illuminating the dim path beneath the heavy rain. One of the lanterns had fallen to the ground, probably due to the storm, but even so, the light inside hadn't gone out.
Kamisato Ayaka helped set the stone lantern back upright and continued forward.
Unknowingly, a torii gate appeared ahead. Before it were only a few steps, flanked by tanuki statues that seemed to have been there for a long time, covered with moss.
They walked up the steps and passed through the torii gate, officially entering the Chinju Forest. Slowly, step by step, they climbed the mountain path, passing countless torii gates. Zeyan lost track of time. All he knew was that the sky was getting darker with every step. Finally, a building emerged in the distance.
The Kamisato Estate. He had arrived.