Life at sea isn't easy.
Aside from the initial novelty, it quickly becomes a torment.
All around is nothing but water and sky, blending so seamlessly that it's hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. Despite the vast openness, the monotony can create the illusion that the ship isn't moving at all, leading to a suffocating and oppressive feeling.
The best way to cope? Probably just retreat to the cabin and sleep it off.
Other than that, there were few distractions, like...
"Checkmate."
"..."
Bai Luo stared at the board, his hand holding a piece trembling slightly.
No matter what, he simply couldn't beat Kaedehara Kazuha at Inazuman shogi, even after Kazuha had patiently explained the rules to him.
Even with over twenty retries and take-backs, he was still utterly defeated.
Forgive him...
Even in regular chess, he barely understood that knights moved in an "L" shape, and bishops... wait, did they move diagonally or something else? Whatever, it didn't matter.
As for shogi? Completely beyond him.
"Shogi requires time to develop a deep understanding, Mr. Himura. No need to rush," Kaedehara Kazuha said gently, pouring tea into Bai Luo's cup.
The fact that Bai Luo didn't know how to play didn't surprise Kazuha.
Shogi was primarily a pastime for noble families, rarely encountered by commoners.
Even if they did encounter it, commoners couldn't afford the luxury of time to master it; they had livelihoods to attend to.
From Himura Kenshin's habits, Kazuha could tell he wasn't of noble birth but rather a wandering swordsman from humble origins.
In that case, it was perfectly reasonable for him to be unfamiliar with shogi.
In fact, the mere fact that he knew the concept of "take-backs" and could somewhat follow the game's structure was already impressive.
"Why don't we try a different game?" Bai Luo sighed, propping his head up with one hand.
On this vast and empty ocean, what else could they do for fun?
Fishing? He wasn't sure he wanted to reel in something bizarre from these waters.
Had Kazuha not insisted on coming along, Bai Luo would've spent this journey sleeping, just like when he traveled from Snezhnaya to Inazuma.
"What would you like to play, Mr. Himura? I'll gladly accompany you."
Shogi's gameplay was fixed, save for minor differences in the names of pieces across regions.
"So how about... we stack the shogi pieces and see who can stack them higher?"
Bai Luo suggested tentatively.
Honestly, balancing shogi pieces on a rocking ship without them falling over sounded nearly impossible.
"...What an amusing idea," Kazuha replied, unsure whether to be impressed by Bai Luo's creativity or his sheer boredom.
Perhaps he was just that bored.
"Sea voyages are inherently monotonous, Mr. Himura," Kazuha said, attempting to console him. "Once you grow accustomed to it, it's not so bad."
Kazuha had experienced it himself and knew well how Bai Luo felt.
He couldn't imagine how Bai Luo managed the dangerous voyage from Inazuma to Mondstadt.
It must've been a perilous journey, intense enough to distract him from his current boredom.
"Perhaps you're just naturally suited for the sea," Bai Luo muttered, sighing. "As for me, I prefer the mountains and forests. Catching a small beast, roasting it over a fire, sprinkling it with cumin... even immortals would drool over the taste."
But his favorite memories? Wandering around Liyue Harbor, feasting in lavish restaurants under Childe's name. Spending someone else's money? That was divine. Even gods couldn't resist the thrill.
"Best not eat random things in the wild," Kazuha warned, a strange expression crossing his face, as if recalling a bad memory.
"Don't worry. I know what's safe and what isn't," Bai Luo said dismissively.
Though he rarely used poison in combat, he had studied toxicology and could identify dangerous plants. He wouldn't accidentally poison himself.
"Don't overestimate your knowledge," Kazuha countered. "This morning, something horrifying happened. Captain Beidou discovered that some of the fruit she carefully procured turned out to be bad. The sourness was so intense, even seasoned sailors broke down in tears. Now no one dares touch the fruit, and she had to hire a taste-tester at a high salary."
As Kazuha recounted the tale, a hint of lingering dread showed on his face.
He had almost bitten into one of those suspect fruits himself.
But he didn't notice Bai Luo freezing momentarily mid-move.
Could it be... that crate he helped load?
Ah, whatever. He was used to it.
"Hm?"
Bai Luo was about to brush it off when a sudden system notification popped up.
"What's wrong?" Kazuha asked, catching the faint mutter.
Bai Luo was unquestionably one of the strongest individuals aboard the Alcor. If something caught his attention, it had to be significant.
"Nothing, probably just my imagination."
Internally, Bai Luo was already swearing.
The system's abrupt notification was as cryptic as ever:
[Third Class: ??? (Awaiting Activation)]
[Activation Conditions: ???]
What was this nonsense? The last time, at least the Battousai Class came with clear tasks. Now it was all question marks?
'Are you kidding me?!' Bai Luo grumbled internally.
Just in case, he glanced at Kazuha's head. Thankfully, no [Target] label hovered over him.
Otherwise…
His little action was also caught by Kazuha.
He noticed that when Bai Luo looked at the top of his head, he also subconsciously raised his head.
But there seemed to be nothing else except the ceiling?
Unless...
"Excuse me!"
Kazuha suddenly excused himself, stepping out of the cabin to the deck.
The deck seemed as normal as ever, the crew going about their tasks, a few even greeting Kazuha in passing.
As the wind picked up, Kazuha leapt to the lookout post.
"What's wrong, Kazuha?" asked the sailor stationed there, a man named Xu Liushi.
Kazuha often climbed up to predict storms, so his appearance wasn't unusual.
But his increasingly serious expression was.
"Inform Captain Beidou to prepare for a course change."
. . . . .
If you want to see more chapter of this story and don't mind to pay $5 monthly to read till the latest chapter, please go to my Patreon[1]
Current Chapter in Patreon: Chapter 150: Is Lord Battousai a Fatui Member?[2]
Link to the current chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/genshin-impact-125281042[3]
https://www.patreon.com/Thatsnakegirl[4]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/Thatsnakegirl
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/genshin-impact-125281042
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/genshin-impact-125281042
[4] https://www.patreon.com/Thatsnakegirl