*Disclaimer - I do not own the copyright to Kingdom Hearts nor Genshin Impact

*A/N - Yes. It's been a minute. I have nothing to say but to blame myself. Had this one on the back burner for a bit too long. Should've taken it out like… a month ago but then I got distracted by a certain zombie game. Sorry for the wait. But now that things are a bit calm (At least till June. I'm screwed that month. lol) Let's get right back to Sora and Eula's journey to Liyue. Plus, we have much ground to cover as more foes and friends are to be introduced giving the Keyblade's Chosen Wielder a better idea of how this world works and many more secrets to be discovered. With that out of the way, I hope you will enjoy this chapter and continue to stick around in this crazy crossover. Also, I really enjoy reading all the reviews and support for this story. Do continue to leave reviews for things you liked or didn't like. I read them all and try to learn from my mistakes. Plus, it's nice to see such support. Thanks again!

Sora was utterly confused.

Which wasn't saying that much, to be honest. However, this time it coincidentally was not his fault. Even in the busy life of being a Keyblade wielder, he was left in many unpredictable circumstances, and now was one of those times.

Beginning to sit up, the spiky-haired boy began to take in his surroundings and realized something that did not sit right with him. Wasn't he just on a couch?

Now, however, he found himself sitting on the ground in what appeared to be a green field. Drastically different from the room he was sharing with Eula. Speaking of the blue-haired girl, where was she?

Turning his head to the side, Sora found another interesting sight that lay in front of him. In the distance, he saw what appeared to be a giant pole that went up several meters into the air forcing him to raise his head and see if there was anything distinct about the object. Moving his gaze to the top of the pole, he saw what appeared to be a flag of some sort swaying in the slight breeze. The flag soon began to turn and was now displaying itself for him to see and once he did, he couldn't help but let a giant grin appear on his face.

On the flag was what appeared to be an all-white background with a good-sized black circle in the middle. However, inside the circle, there was one line going vertically and another large line going across horizontally. Leaving a symbol that Sora instantly recognized and made him excited.

"Oh! So that's where I am. One of the training fields. But… why now?"

Standing up, he began walking toward the flag and was about to start thinking about what to do next when out of nowhere a bright light appeared right behind him. As soon as he turned to the light it started dimming down until it stopped being so bright. Upon getting a better look at the light, Sora was able to see that it was small like an orb but emitting several different colors all around it.

"This reminds me of…"

But once he started getting closer to the orb, he realized that it wasn't what he thought it was. Instead, the orb seemed to grow in size and was now bigger than he was. The drastic change in size left the boy aghast and forced him to take several steps back. Getting ready to summon his Keyblade to use against the orb, Sora suddenly started to feel a strange sensation flowing in his heart. It was almost as if… his heart was pulling him toward the orb.

Knowing that he should be warier of the glowing orb, the pointed hair boy also countered that thought with another one. Following his heart.

Taking that chance, he began to walk up to the orb and raised his right hand to touch it when something magical happened. The strange orb showed its true form to Sora.

Memories.

Everything came flooding right back to the Keyblade wielder managing to throw him back several feet in the air and come tumbling down while rolling around on the grassy ground. It almost felt like he had the wind knocked right out of him. Leaving him to wince in pain while clutching his heart. But at the same time, a warm and comforting feeling was coursing through him right now that helped to calm and strengthen him. Another way of describing what he was feeling was the strange sensation he felt back during his adventure to stop Organization XIII in The World That Never Was.

When he and Roxas resonated together into one being. That feeling of being whole…

However, Sora knew that his Nobody now had his own body and was living the life that he thought he'd never have. Along with Ventus having his heart return back to his body and Xion also living her life free of pain or sorrow. Meaning that his heart was his alone.

But this strange feeling of memories continued to wash over him. Resulting in the boy raising his right hand to the side and summoning the Kingdom Key and beginning to point it forward while closing his eyes and chanting a spell he hadn't thought about in some time. Not since he was undergoing the Mark of Mastery and was about to be turned into one of Xehanort's pawns to recreate the real Organization XIII.

"…Plasma…"

Suddenly, the tip of the Keyblade began glowing a bright blue color which resulted in Sora quickly grabbing the weapon with both hands and letting his imagination run wild.

Blasts of orbs in blue light with a sort of electrical field around them were sent flying forward and impacted the ground ahead of him causing the area to be damaged. This left the boy wide-eyed and his mouth slightly open.

"No way! Ahaha! So cool!"

Having another idea pop into his head, the boy pointed his Keyblade at another area that held some rocks on the ground which was perfect for what he was about to do.

"Drip!"

A purple ring of light went flying around him and captured the rocks on the ground only now they were floating in midair. The Zero Gravity spell he just cast was something that he could recall many times it would have been useful back in his latest adventure. There were many moments that he remembered when he needed to pick things up like the crabs back in the Caribbean. This spell would have helped him a ton same with another one…

Deciding to use another spell that came to mind, Sora spotted another pile of rocks and aimed his weapon there.

"Gather!"

It was a sight for sore eyes. The pile of rocks was now floating in the air and circling around the orb of light that he just summoned.

"What is going on? Did that orb thingy cause me to remember how to cast these spells?" Sora asked while bringing a hand under his chin and considering what was happening.

'I was able to use some of my old spells that I lost the ability to use during my last adventure, but… I have no idea how I was able to do that… so strange.'

While this recollection of spells an amazing find it did leave him a bit concerned. Why did something like this happen now? In a place like this as well? Was he going to see anyone else? Was anybody here even? Questions kept popping up and he had no answers for any of them.

Hence, the boy let out a sigh and decided to sum it all up to his heart. Perhaps while he lost the power to use spells like these while searching for the Power of Waking and preparing for the Keyblade War with Xehanort. He had now garnered enough strength and power to use these spells again. At least, that's what he came up with because honestly, he was utterly confused and lost about everything.

But this did give him an idea. Was it just spells that he remembered?

Taking a step forward and stretching his arms and legs, Sora knew what ability he wanted to try as he missed doing this kind of attack.

"Hyah!"

Throwing himself forward, the Guardian of Light imagined himself performing a Fire Windmill where he spun the Keyblade forward while it was engulfed in flames and managed to hit whatever was in front of him.

Two things came to his mind instantly. The first being that he was able to use this ability again. And the other was that he was stronger than his time taking the Mark of Mastery. This meant that the force used to propel himself forward was-

"*skrrr* Oof."

Sora was now face-first into the ground with his Keyblade next to his body. The ability was able to be used but the amount of power used to commence the attack would need to be worked on. Plus, if this is how the ability went then it was likely the other abilities that came to mind would act the same way.

Figuring that he could check those abilities out now, he was about to start moving but a bright light suddenly appeared right above him. The light acted almost like a light being shined right into his eyes and forced him to cover his eyes. The next thing to happen was that it felt like he was floating up and not touching the ground. Flailing around in the air while still unable to see what was going on. None of this making any sense at all!

However, what happened next seemed to happen in a quick flash. Memories of his old adventures and everything that he's experienced. Followed by memories that seemed to show him with various people and animals. Along with the warm feeling that practically everyone that was flashing through his mind was considered a friend. Especially the guy with the red hat…

The next thing Sora realized was that he was staring right into a pair of beautiful eyes. Eula's eyes to be exact.

"H-Huh? Eula? What's going on? Where am I?" Sora asked the blue-haired captain.

Blinking several times, the girl was totally confused.

"Err… Sora? Are you okay? Did you hit your head on the couch?"

"No. I don't think so. Wait, what time is it?"

Taking a look outside, the spiky-haired boy realized that the sun hadn't even shone up yet and it was still pitch-black outside with all the stars shining brightly.

"Currently it's five in the morning."

"Five!?"

"Shhhh!"

Slapping his hand to his mouth, Sora realized his mishap.

"People are still sleeping!" Eula whisper yelled at him.

"Then why are you awake!? Why am I awake?!" Sora whisper yelled back to her.

Crossing her arms and letting out a huffing sound, Eula looked ready for vengeance.

"Hmph. I figured it would be best if we got out of here before sunrise. While it would be nice to take our time here. We are still dealing with time against us. Plus, don't tell me you forgot about what we discussed" Eula stated while eyeing the boy carefully.

'Earlier? Oh, no. What does she mean? What did we talk about? Let's see… after we made it back to the inn, Eula and I talked for a bit longer… hmm… what did we talk about? Oh! I asked her more about her… was it her clothes or cooking? Gah! I don't remem- wait… didn't I ask her more about Liyue? Which got her to talking about seeing… right. I know what she's referring to now' Sora thought to himself while struggling to find the right answer.

Clearing his throat, Sora put on a casual smile while beginning to sit up.

"Don't worry, Eula. I remember what we talked about. Different types of land surfaces and whatnot all across Liyue."

"Correct. For a second there, I thought I'd have to take vengeance on you for forgetting" Eula stated with an approving nod.

Chuckling at the blue-haired girl's comment, Sora began to pull himself up and reached into his pocket to check his phone. Adjusting his eyes to the light, he realized that Eula was right about the time. It was about five in the morning. Now knowing the time, he slid the Gummiphone back into his pocket and stretched a bit while reaching for his jacket he hung up and looked over at his traveling partner who was currently fixing the room up even though they had only used it for not that long.

After finishing up the last bit around the room did, she glance over at the Keyblade wielder and give the ok sign that the room was good.

"Let's get going."

"Yep."

And with one last look around the room, the two closed the door and began to continue onward with their journey to Liyue Harbor. Followed by Sora also considering that whatever happened to him in his dream… was going to help him greatly. Figuring out what the whole dream sequence meant would have to wait for another time. Now, his focus shifted to the girl walking next to him and their journey to the land of the Geo Archon. Where he hoped to find out more about the Heartless and their connection to this world. And maybe if there was a way, he could get back home…

"Eula, where are we heading now?"

"Hmm. I'm thinking we grab something light but nutritional to eat before we head out. The roads will be devoid of any travelers as they would be unwise to travel alone."

"Got it. Well, what do you think we should have?"

This started a fruitful conversation between the two discussing what would be considered a beneficial breakfast. Followed by the topic of various foods that could be argued for being a breakfast meal. Agree to disagree on the most important meal of the day.

Later…

After having reached the bottom of the Wanshuu Inn and managing to stop by and visit a stall that was selling small breakfast bowls. Which Sora found to be very delicious. The two now began making their way down the road and across the bridge that the boy found himself at while dealing with the Heartless.

"So, how much farther is it to Liyue Harbor?"

Stopping to the side and asking Sora to pull up his map on the Gummiphone, Eula was pointing to different unique locations that they would have to pass through.

"Right now, we are here," Eula said while pointing at the map. "We'll be entering the Guili Plains which shouldn't take that long. Again, we don't know how the roads will look so, we'll need to remain aware of our surroundings."

"Understood. And then we just keep going straight?" Sora asked, looking at the map.

"Yes. The foliage and environment will change and soon you'll start to notice Liyue Harbor coming up. Along the way are more waypoints for you to attune to."

"Sounds easy enough."

"Let's hope it's that way. We have no idea if the Heartless have managed to appear in Liyue at all" Eula said while frowning.

"Right. But whatever might get in our way we'll be ready for them!" Sora proclaimed while grinning widely.

Eula couldn't help but agree with the brunette's words. With the two of them working together any Heartless that tried to attack them would get sent flying. Followed by frozen, torched, shocked, and a whole bunch of other things. Nevertheless, they worked together as a team. Something that Eula really liked.

"Oh! I almost forgot."

Beginning to tap away on his Gummiphone, Sora pulled up the camera feature and smiled widely at the blue-haired girl.

"Why don't we snap a photo together?"

Blinking once and then twice, Eula was caught off guard by what he said.

"Snap a photo? Do you- Can you take a picture with your… device?" the Spindrift Knight asked, not familiar with the boy's device in his hands.

"Yep! What do you say? Right now, sound good?" Sora asked while still holding the Gummiphone.

"I-I now? Right here?" Eula stammered.

"Sure. Why not?" the brown spiky-haired boy casually replied.

"D-Don't you think it's a bit too soon for something like that!?"

Processing what she just said, Sora began interpreting it on a deeper level. Only… his interpretation was vastly different from hers.

"Oh… you're right… sorry, Eula. I didn't think about it that way."

"Hmph. I'm glad you understand now. Otherwise, I would have to exercise- "

"We can find another spot to take a picture together! I kind of forgot that it's the middle of the night and wouldn't exactly give off the best light to take a picture" Sora responded while beginning to walk ahead of the girl and continue thinking about where a good picture might take place.

Eula on her part was left stumped. This is not what she was getting at! She could feel her emotions flip and turn in a strange way. Truth be told, she hadn't ever really taken that many pictures in her life and could count the number of pictures using only her two hands. And even then, she still felt weird about having her picture taken.

However, the blue-haired Lawrence descendant would be lying to herself if she did not think that taking a picture next to the spiky-haired boy who she had now considered to be her new friend would be all that awful.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Eula saw that Sora had gotten quite a bit away from her while having his hands behind his head and still looking like he was coming up with places to snap a photo together. Shaking her head while having a small smile appear on her lips, she began jogging to catch up with the boy and pick his brain on what he considered to be a good photograph.

After covering much ground in the duo's journey

The sun had now risen and was lighting up the once dark-covered land. Providing a better view of all the new sights to be seen. Sora on his part was left flabbergasted at everything he was seeing.

"Wow…"

"Not used to seeing sights like these?" Eula curiously asked.

"Eh. Not really. Or I guess to be clearer, I've started to take more notice of things like this" Sora replied while gesturing to the sight of the mountains that looked to be closer.

"…Could you tell me a bit about some of the places you've been?"

"Absolutely! Hmm. Let's see…" Sora started to think about the many different worlds that he visited and how their landscapes all had unique characteristics. Plus, he also didn't want to describe things that might not be common in this world.

"Well, there was this one place that had sand as far as you could see in a scorching hot climate. I remember being completely unprepared to travel but were it not for my friends, then I would have turned out as burnt toast."

This got the girl to cover her mouth with her gloved hand to try and stifle a giggle. Imagining the boy comedically burning to the point he was charred and his friends trying to cool him down. But this led to another random thought.

"Wait… Sora."

"Yeah, what's up? Curious about the desert that I visited?"

"I'd like to hear more about that, but now something came to me. Since you're able to use different elemental abilities, then… why didn't you just cast some water to help you in the desert?"

"…"

"What?"

Sora's head was starting to spin around. Processing what Eula just said, he started thinking about when he was in Agrabah and traveling around with Aladdin and the others under the intense heat. The times he visited that world he hadn't learned the spell Water yet. But he did have another spell that dealt with the sense of coolness. Blizzard.

Couldn't he have just cast a Blizzard spell and used it to cool down from the heat?

The blue-haired girl began to worry as she saw Sora's face contort several times while falling more and more as realization began to settle into his head.

"Sora? Are you all, right?"

"Yeah. I'm good. I'm good…"

"You don't look good."

"I'll live with my past mistakes."

"What?"

Shaking his head and slapping himself with both hands, Sora put on a casual smile.

"Nothing. Nothing. Just thinking about what to do the next time I visit a desert."

"Mm. Well, it sounds like you've already visited Sumeru before" Eula responded, still curious about what he was thinking.

"Sumeru? The nation of Dendro, right?"

"Yes, you are correct. But didn't you just say that you visited the desert? Wouldn't you have already known that?" Eula asked the boy, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

Ruffling the back of his head, Sora came up with a quick answer to Eula's question.

"I'll be honest. I can't seem to recall where I was with my friends. Just that we ended up meeting a new friend and had to help him with some things. I didn't exactly get an idea of where we ended up" Sora replied, quickly giving a reason for not knowing about the desert in this world.

"I see… understandable really. There are so many sights to see across Teyvat."

"I'll bet. I can't wait to see some for myself" Sora cheerily said.

Smiling at Sora's enthusiasm, Eula couldn't help but smile herself. Along with feeling a bit daring…

"Say, Sora, when we get to Liyue Harbor…"

"Yeah? What's up?"

"Seeing that this will be your first time visiting the harbor, why don't we- "

Suddenly, in the distance, the two traveling adventurers heard something that sounded like a loud scream.

"Heeeeelllllllppp!"

"Huh? Eula did you- "

"Yeah… I heard something."

Growing silent, the two listened to see if they could hear anything else in the distance but didn't hear anything at all. That is until they heard something come crashing down followed by a person clearly screaming.

"Help! Someone! Anyone!"

Not even needing to talk this over, Sora shot Eula a glance to which she replied with a confident nod. The two then took off in a sprint toward the scream with their weapons both drawn. Eula's claymore floated right behind her while Sora had his Keyblade gripped by both of his hands ready for a fight.

Coming up on the other side of a hill, Eula was the first to scout ahead and tried scanning the area for any sign of life. With the sun still rising in the sky indicating that it was still early in the morning, it made things a bit easier for her to look around for whoever screamed. Sora wasn't that far behind and was also looking for anything that stood out. However, nothing was coming up.

That is… until Eula spotted a familiar dark creature far out in the distance jumping up.

"Sora! There in the distance!" she said while pointing her hand in the area she identified.

Following the blue-haired girl's hand, he immediately saw what she saw. A Shadow Heartless.

The two of them now were bolting toward the monster with their weapons by their side ready to stop it from escaping them.

Now only a few meters away, the spiky-haired boy spotted many more Shadows running toward something or rather someone. A man wearing a blue outfit with a small sash at his side and glasses on his face. He had gotten a few feet ahead before falling to the ground and rolling around several times before landing on his back and trying to scramble back to his feet while donning a scared look on his face.

"N-No! Wait! Someone! Help!"

Before the closest Shadow could lash out at the man, the sight of a blade slicing off the head of the monster could be seen followed by the other Heartless turning their heads to see the blade pierced into the ground. That is until it suddenly flashed in a bright light and was now in the hands of the spiky-haired boy who had come onto the scene.

Eula was now next to him and had her claymore held in both hands giving the boy a nod. Without wasting another second, the blue-haired woman took off in a sprint and heaved the large weapon at one Shadow managed to kill it instantly. She then started slashing at each Heartless that tried to attack her while drawing some attention off the downed man.

Sora on his part ran up to the man and began checking him for any injuries.

"Hey! Are you ok? Did they slash you anywhere?"

Coming to his senses, the man shakily shook his head.

"N-No. They didn't… w-watch out!"

Throwing his head to the side, Sora saw in the corner of his eye a Shadow leap right toward his face which resulted in a flashy move from the spiky brunette.

With his Keyblade still in his hand, he quickly flipped it around, so the teeth of the blade were behind him. Twisting on his front foot, he stabbed the weapon right through the incoming Heartless managing to kill it before spinning the Keyblade back to normal.

To Sora, he didn't think much of what he did since he had become familiar enough with his weapon along with using a similar technique back when he still had his Wisdom Form handy. However, the man was left aghast at what he saw but remembered there were more monsters in the area. Seeing his nervousness, the Keyblade wielder nudged his head to the side.

"Please get back. We'll take care of them."

"Ok! Please do!"

Jumping to his feet, the man began running away but not before looking back at the boy who merely started charging at the monsters and engaging in combat with them. His eyes also drifted to the side where he saw the young woman using the weight of her large sword to kick several of the monsters in the face before slamming her weapon onto the monsters killing them.

Amazement was all the man could think of while watching the two skilled fighters.

Rushing right at the Shadows, Sora positioned himself to throw his left leg at the closest Heartless hitting it and then twisting his body around and slamming his Keyblade across the monster leaving stars to go flying. The impact threw the creature back to the ground quite hard and even managed to cause it to fade away.

The boy then rolled on the ground to dodge a Shadow from swiping at him which forced him to change the way his body was facing. Now, he was lying on his side with his right hand holding the weapon and starting to cast Fire spells to push back the incoming monsters. Spell after spell, the Heartless began to catch on fire while trying to reach him but before they could get any closer, Sora scrambled to get up and spun his Keyblade forward deciding to perform an ability he had just tried not that long ago.

"See how you like this!"

In the next second, the spiky-haired boy spun forward with his weapon imbued with fire creating a circle of flames and hitting the Shadows leaving sparks and stars to go everywhere.

Balancing himself, Sora spun around to see his handiwork but had to quickly block an incoming strike from a Shadow. Pushing his weapon forward, the Heartless went flying which gave him enough time to rush forward and slash at its body, killing it.

Looking around him, he noticed that he had some space to breathe which allowed him to glance over at Eula to see how she was doing. Said girl had just cast a shard of ice toward one of the Shadows piercing it in the head while throwing her claymore right at another Heartless. She then resummoned her weapon back to her hand and stabbed it right into the ground and used it to propel her leg forward kicking a Shadow back.

The Spindrift Knight then began to maneuver herself to take one step forward followed by another step all while swinging her claymore in a diagonal direction before lifting the weapon to side swipe a Heartless across the chest and strike at another with the edge of her blade. She then in a graceful display spun her upper body around while still holding onto the weapon with one hand which then allowed her to perform two quick slashes at a few more monsters. Her eyes never leaving the foes that lie in front of her.

Experience from her previous encounter with the Heartless had left her prepared to deal with them along with understanding the reality that she was facing a new enemy. One that she practically knew nothing about and would need to learn to adapt their movement and attacks. Based on what Sora had told her about the monsters, they were a force to not underestimate. Even though there weren't that many that could all change in a matter of seconds. Thus, it was of the utmost importance to finish this group off once and for all before they could start to spread.

Back with Sora, he had just blocked a swipe from one of the Shadows which allowed him to perform a reprisal and teleport right behind another Heartless sweeping its legs out and then stabbing it in the head. He then got a sudden idea of how he could use both his abilities and magic at the same time. Gripping the Keyblade's handle, the brunette swung the weapon back and was ready to throw it at some of the monsters that were spaced apart. However, at the last second before the weapon left his hand, he cast a Thunder spell but used the trajectory of the blade and performed an electrified Strike Raid. First of its kind.

Upon impacting the targeted Shadow, a flurry of sparks, stars, and lighting shot around the lone Heartless managing to kill it instantly. Seeing his handiwork, Sora summoned his weapon back and was about ready to repeat the action, but this time cast a Blizzard spell hoping to see how well the combination worked.

"Hyah!"

Just like the Thunder imbued Strike Raid, the Blizzard spell this time had the effect of creating a good-sized boulder of ice to encase multiple Shadows which let Sora quickly throw his Keyblade again managing to not only break the ice but the Heartless inside ending them once and for all.

With a pleasant result of his on-the-spot idea, he let out a grin before going back and swinging the Keyblade right into another Heartless before tilting the weapon to sweep another Shadow into the air allowing him to heave the blade down and split the monster in a clean strike. Taking a step back, he also aimed his sights at another group and quickly cast a Water spell followed immediately by a Thunder spell causing the elemental discharge between the two to kill all the Heartless.

Scanning the area around him, Sora saw that not that many Heartless were around anymore and it looked like Eula had just struck another few Shadows managing to finish them off. The area around them was now clear of any dark entities.

"Eula! You good?"

Letting her claymore fade away, she glanced over at the boy offering him a satisfactory nod.

"All good. How is he?"

"He? Oh, the guy. He should be right- "

"I'm right here."

Coming into view, the man who had been saved by Sora was walking up to them while having an appreciative look on his face.

"Thank you, two. Truly, thank you. If you hadn't gotten here in time, then I would have been a goner" the man said while offering Eula and Sora a bow.

"Don't worry about it. I'm just glad we heard you screaming" Sora said, putting his hands behind his head and taking on his signature pose with a warm smile.

"Likewise, but could you please explain why you were out here at this time of day? I understand that the morning is in full effect but based on the direction you were coming from it looks like you did not come from the Wangshuu Inn. Care to elaborate?" Eula stated to the man.

Beginning to nod, the man knew it would explain his situation a bit more clearly.

"Right, well, this morning I realized that I needed to run some goods over to Wangshuu Inn's main chef since. I figured I could leave my house early in the morning and make it back before lunchtime, but… those monsters appeared out of nowhere. I didn't even hear them coming. One second, I looked down in my bag, the next I ran like my life depended on it" the tired and frightened man said while having anguish written all over his face.

Displaying a frown on his face, Sora began to let his mind wander for a second.

'It sounds like the Heartless are appearing outside of Mondstadt now, or maybe that's how it's always been… that just makes our journey to Liyue Harbor even more important. Even if there's a small bit of knowledge in the harbor…'

"What's your take, Sora?" Eula suddenly asked.

Bringing a hand under his chin, the boy got to thinking.

"I think that the sooner we get to Liyue Harbor, the sooner we will have a better idea of what's going on."

"Hm. Same plan as before."

"Yeah." Looking over at the distressed man, Sora wanted to make sure he was okay before they continued their task. "Sir? Are you okay now though?"

"Yes… well, no. I don't think you can really get over the fright of seeing your life flash before your own eyes…" the man tiredly replied.

"…You're right about that."

Sora said those words while also knowing full well and even beyond what that feeling was. His time in the Keyblade Graveyard and having let himself be succumbed by darkness and losing himself to only appear on the border of life and death. The whole experience would be one that he wouldn't ever forget.

"Would you like for us to help guide you to Wangshu Inn?" Eula asked kindly.

"No, no. You two have done so much for me already. But thank you for the offer. I think that I should be good now… I'll probably start running there just to make sure I don't get caught up in a situation like that again."

Not entirely agreeing with the man's idea, Sora also knew that while the right thing to do was to help him get to the inn safely. The other right thing was to continue making his and Eula's way to Liyue Harbor to start their mission of visiting any of the libraries there and learn all they could about prior encounters with the Heartless in this world. In this situation, there was no right or wrong option to go with just the underlying factor that something bigger was at play and that something would not waste any time at all. The Keyblader knew that forthright.

"Ok… sir, promise me that you'll run straight to Wangshuu Inn" Sora prompted the man, looking at him square in the eyes.

"I will. I won't let this opportunity get away from me. Thank you. Both of you."

And with that said, the man respectfully bowed to the spiky-haired boy and blue-haired girl before adjusting the equipment he was carrying and began to set off toward Wangshu Inn with a bit of speed in his step. It would be a moment before either of the two said anything, but Eula was the one too as it was commonly termed 'Breaking the ice'.

"Are you sure it was a good idea to let him go alone?"

Shaking his head, Sora voiced what he had in mind.

"No. But at the same time, I don't think it would have been good to go with him."

This got Eula to tilt her head in curiosity.

"How so?"

"If we went with him, then who's to say that there aren't others on the road who might encounter the Heartless. Plus, the trip to Wangshu Inn isn't that far away. I'll keep my Keyblade summoned just so it attracts any Heartless that might show up and draw them to me instead of anyone else" Sora explained while lifting his hand and letting the Kingdom Key appear.

"Ideally, I would have suggested that we escort him back but… this is very much a whole new ordeal that I have to become familiar with."

"Don't worry about it too much. It took me quite some time to let it sink in that the Heartless can manage to flip everything around and put you into situations that don't make any sense."

Nodding at the boy's statement, Eula now turned around and scanned the area around them.

"Well then, seeing as there's not much left to do here. Shall we set off?"

"Yeah. Let's keep going. We've still got a long road ahead of us and I'm not even talking about the travel to the harbor" Sora commented while placing the Keyblade on his shoulder while continuing to walk with Eula back onto the main path.

However, thoughts of the yellow-eyed monsters attacking people who were traveling and left defenseless made the boy slightly frown. He knew these creatures well along with how dangerous they truly were. Which made it all the more important that they get to Liyue Harbor and try to learn anything that they can before things got worse.

A bit later…

After the Keyblade wielder and Spindrift Knight had gotten back onto the main road, the two had begun engaging in small talk yet again, only this time the topics brought up were more focused on the landscape surrounding them. Sora had so many questions and wanted to start typing up everything that Eula had to say about the land and make a note of some of the historical facts which he could look over later to understand this part of the world better. But he was still holding onto the Keyblade to make sure that if there were any civilians out, then the Heartless would mainly be attracted to him and his weapon of light.

Speaking of weapon of light, Eula had decided that now would be a good time to learn more about the boy and the blade that he wielded.

"Hey, Sora, would you care to enlighten me a bit about something?"

"Huh? Uh…Sure. What do you want to know?"

"Your weapon. I mean, your Keyblade. Could you tell me a bit more about it?"

Giving what Eula was asking about more thought, Sora figured that he could tell her in the most basic terms as things tended to get a bit… complicated when it came to understanding the weapon and the balance of light and darkness.

"Mm. The Keyblade is a blade surrounded by mystery while being a major part of balancing both light and darkness. The weapon is also able to operate any lock in existence and is imbued with magic and other amazing capabilities that even I have no idea about. And the real kicker about them is that they can only be wielded by chosen people who have a strong heart" Sora explained to the blue-haired girl.

Looking at the weapon in his hand, the spiky-haired boy could remember all the amazing things that he was able to do thanks to the blade. There was so much he still didn't know about the weapon that it almost excited him for what was in store. That thought alone made him start smiling.

"The Keyblade… how exactly does one appear to be chosen? How does one manage to have a strong heart?" Eula questioned while not understanding the explanation.

"That…I… I'm not sure."

A second passed before Eula could say anything else.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me right. There's still so much that I don't know about, but… I know for a fact that by following your heart will guide you to the answer you are seeking."

Sora affirmed this by bringing his free hand up to his heart and offering a kind look on his face.

The blue-haired girl didn't know what to think. Following your heart? What kind of ideology was that? Could following your heart actually lead you to whatever it is that you are seeking? Would it…. Would it be right?

This left the girl to go silent while considering what the boy had said. Alas, this was a whole new way of thinking which differed greatly from anything she had ever implemented in her busy and ridiculed life of seeking vengeance on the people of Mondstadt and the rest of her family. Trusting ideas and desires over fact and reason… the thought made Eula's head twinge. However, this new way of thinking… was somewhat interesting and something new. Perhaps something that could make a difference in her life.

"Anything else you want to know?" Sora asked, snapping Eula back to her senses.

"Well, seeing that you are quite skilled with the Keyblade which could be interpreted as a sword of sorts. What other weapons are you skilled with, Sora?"

Sora couldn't help the goofy smirk that appeared on his face as he heard the girl's question.

"Oh… you have no idea, haha!"

This led to the two engaging in a rather intensive conversation about the various weapons that he was able to use and even summon thanks to the Keyblade's influence. Ranging from shields, spears, guns, hammers, claws, ice skates, and even yo-yos. During the eventful conversation, Sora made sure to not mention anything too crazy or something that might not even exist in this world. The reaction on Eula's face at hearing all the crazy things he could do was priceless.

Having continued down the path and passed by many ruins sitting outside in the plain open, Sora thought about pulling his Gummiphone and snapping a photo of the strange ruins but decided to hold off on it. Plus, he still held onto his weapon and was holding it over his shoulder while taking in his surroundings. Eula was also keeping an eye out while addressing all the questions that the boy had asked her regarding the land.

"So, where do these Ruin Guards come from? Is there a factory that they were created at?" Sora asked, noticing an old machine with its body damaged greatly off to the side.

"I would assume so. I'm not too familiar with the supply and operation process of the Ruin Guards here in Liyue. However, back in Mondstadt, the machines are left over from the past structures that stretched all over the land."

"Whoa. Makes you wonder how big the original structures looked like."

"I know that there are books in the knights' library back in Mondstadt that depict what some of the temples around the region looked like before erosion and time caused them to collapse. Perhaps the next time we are back at headquarters we can ask Lisa for those books" Eula suggested.

"Yep. Now I'm curious about them."

Looking up ahead, Sora now saw what looked to be a landscape of hills turning into large mountains and the ground changing texture.

"Hey, is that…"

Noticing something standing up tall on a hill, the boy spotted what appeared to be a statue that looked like the one he saw back in Mondstadt that depicted the Anemo Archon.

"You'd be correct, Sora. That's Liyue's Statue of the Seven, Rex Lapis. The Archon of Geo."

"Are there statues like this in every region?"

"Yes. I'm not sure how many statues there are in each region, but there are about five statues of the Anemo Archon located around Mondstadt" Eula explained while recalling the different locations.

"That's neat."

Walking toward the statue of the Geo Archon, Sora spent the new little bit making his way to it with Eula following behind. Once the two were now up close to the statue, the boy could now see that the characteristics featured an older-looking person with a hood over their head. Putting his hand on the pillar, a glow began to surround him indicating that he had resonated with this statue.

"So, is there anything really different about connecting with the Statue of the Seven compared to the waypoint pillars found all over the place?" Sora asked the Favonius knight.

"The statues can heal minor injuries and give you a boost of energy, but waypoints don't do that."

"I see, that's good to know."

Taking another look at the statue, Sora had a few more thoughts concerning how these statues even worked or just who was the Geo Archon and more frankly. Who were these Archons that seemed to hold some rule over the various nations of this world?

Shaking his head and putting them on the back burner of his mind, the Keyblade wielder called out to Eula.

"I'm good here."

"Ready to see Liyue Harbor?"

"You bet!"

Beginning to walk away from the statue, Sora was preparing himself for what new sights he would soon be able to see with his own eyes. Along with a growing curiosity for what this new city would hold in store for him.

Continuing down the path just a little bit longer, he was now met with another waypoint marker which he quickly resonated with before being hit with a truly wonderful sight. The view of Liyue Harbor from where he was standing on the side of a cliff near the path provided him with an amazing sight to behold.

Since the two had left early in the morning, the sun was hanging high in the sky leading to Sora pulling out his Gummiphone to see what time it was for their arrival.

"9:00 A.M."

Looking over at Eula, the spiky-haired boy couldn't help the large grin that was plastered over his face.

"We made great time!"

"As we should have. Now we'll have plenty of time to begin our search around the city. Plus, I might know someone who can help us in our quest" Eula said while also taking in the sight.

Speaking of sight, Sora had a great idea suddenly come to him while he was still staring at the city that acted like a harbor.

"Eula! What about now?"

"Huh? Now? What are you- "

"The picture! What do you say? Does this serve as a good backdrop? I mean, we have the sun high in the sky and shining brightly." Sora reasoned with her while pointing to the harbor.

Many thoughts ran rampant in the young woman's mind but the one thought that stood out from the rest was a sense of embarrassment. Not entirely in a bad sort of way but more akin to nervousness than anything else. A picture with her newest friend who had not only stuck up for her back when people were talking ill about her but someone who was willing to stick with her and learn more about her for who she was… a true friend. Eula ridiculed herself mentally for making such a big deal out of something so small.

Letting out a puff of air, she sterned herself and walked near the cliff while making sure to not stand too close to the edge before nodding to herself.

"Sure… I suppose here would suit for a nice picture…"

"Great! Hmm. Now, how should we take the picture?" Sora began analyzing the situation around him.

They were standing around a plot of somewhat flat ground with no real trees or rocks around them. He then looked for anything that could hold the phone but to no avail, there was nothing that could be used.

Not wanting to be defeated by something so simple, the spiky-haired boy looked down at his weapon still in his hand and began brainstorming. First, he thought about using the Keyblade as a way to hold up the Gummiphone but that didn't seem like a stable plan. Next, he thought about just putting the device on the ground face up but the angle it was displaying wouldn't work well for the photo. And finally, he thought about running back to the area they had just passed to find something to help him in his endeavor.

However, one idea did pop into his head and it involved the use of magic.

"Hey… wait a second."

"Errr… Sora. What are you- "

"I've got it!"

With a burst of newfound ambition, Sora reached into his pants and grabbed his Gummiphone while navigating through it and setting it up to take a picture after a given amount of time. This was a feature he had no idea was a part of the phone but thanks to his friends back in San Fransokyo who were more familiar with technology like this, he managed to pick up on a few things about the device and technology as a whole.

Placing the Gummiphone on the ground now, he pointed his Keyblade at it before uttering a spell.

"Drip."

A blast of purple energy hit the device and now caused it to start floating up in the middle of the air. Lightly grabbing a hold of the phone, Sora maneuvered it so that it would stay somewhat still while having the picture-taking process ready to go. Adjusting it just a bit more, the picture was ready to be taken.

"Eula, I'm good here. How would you like to take the picture?" Sora asked.

Letting out a brief sigh, the blue-haired girl was at a loss.

"Sora, how did you want to take the photo? Is there any particular style or proper type of stance I should take?"

"Hahaha! Don't worry about it so much, Eula. Here, how about this…"

Walking over to where the Gummiphone was set to take the picture, Sora began to wiggle his body around and struck several poses which all left the blue-haired girl staring wide-eyed. First, the boy raised a thumbs up but didn't like that pose. He then switched to another where he waved at the camera but wasn't liking how that went. And finally, he just stood still while smiling at the device but once again didn't think that was a good idea.

The Keyblade wielder was making this problem so much more while having his traveling companion merely just watching him with a confused expression. That is until he had an idea come to him.

"Ah! I got it. Here how about this?"

Crossing his arms across his chest, Sora smiled both confidently and brightly at the camera mimicking how he took his picture with his friends back in Twilight Town.

Eula seeing the pose did not mind it at all and could see that it wasn't a very serious or comedic stance. Stepping right behind him, she mirrored the pose so that their backs were touching leaving the two to look at the camera waiting for their photo to be taken. It wouldn't be until a minute later that she spoke up.

"Uh… Sora?"

"Yeah?"

"When is the photo going to be taken?"

"…Oh."

"Oh?"

Moving his body forward and gesturing to Eula that he was going to move; he began ruffling the back of his head while awkwardly laughing.

"Ehehe my bad. I haven't set up the camera yet. Give me a second."

Running over to set the Gummiphone to take their photo, Eula couldn't help but let out a little laugh at how long they were just posing for the camera. Something utterly silly yet managed to make her smile.

"All right, we're good here. Get ready."

"Waiting on you."

Dashing back to where the taller girl was standing, Sora got into position followed by her doing the same and posing for the photo.

*Snap*

The two waited for a second before beginning to check out how the picture turned out. Sora was the first to see the photo and excitedly showed it to her.

"Here, take a look. I think it came out pretty good for the first time."

Looking down at the photo, Eula saw that the boy was smiling brightly while also managing to look both confident and happy with his arms crossed. Viewing the snapshot and herself, she could in some way say the same thing with her managing to have a small smile on her face but still looking like she was enjoying herself.

"What do you think?" Sora asked.

"I think… it's an excellent photo."

"Yes!" the Keyblade wielder cheered while pumping his fist in the air.

Checking the photo again, it was noticeable that the background featured a clear shot of Liyue Harbor and the clear sky around them truly making it a standout picture.

"Now then, shall we finally reach the harbor?" Eula suggested to the boy.

"Right, let's see what's in store for us."

With nothing else to say, the two began making their way down the trail and straight to the entrance of Liyue Harbor.

Coming up on what appeared to be a gate defended by two guards holding onto spears, Sora began to grow a bit anxious about what they would need to do to enter the city. But it appeared that Eula had noticed the boy's concerned face and hummed loud enough for him to hear.

"Don't worry about it, Sora. Let me do the talking. They'll most likely just ask us why we're here."

Nodding at what she said, he decided to take a step back and let her take the lead.

Walking up to the gate, one of the guards immediately stepped forward.

"Excuse me, miss, sir, may I ask that you step to the side with me to answer a few questions?"

"Certainly. That doesn't seem to be a problem" Eula calmly responded followed by Sora shaking his head.

"Thank you. This way if you'll please."

Stepping to the side next to the pillar, the guardsmen began asking the two questions.

"Now then, thank you for cooperating with us. Things have been… a bit strange lately."

"What do you mean?" Sora asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"Recently, many of the traders going into the harbor have been spouting nonsense about monsters chasing them or seeing things that don't make any sense at all" the guard stated, earning Sora and Eula to glance at each other.

"Monsters attacking?"

"Yes, however, the reports from several of the traders earlier this morning or should I say late last night were… alarming to say the least."

'There were more Heartless attacks in the middle of the night then…' Sora thought to himself while frowning.

The guard let out a sigh before continuing to address the two.

"This leads me to ask you two some questions since it appears that you are travelers coming into the harbor. Is that a reasonable deduction?"

"You'd be correct. We came from Mondstadt and have some business to attend to here in the harbor."

"What sort of business?" the spear-wielding guard asked.

"Looking for some information on a certain topic" Sora muttered earning the guard's attention.

"I see, well then, while you were traveling did you happen to see anything strange? Like a… monster that you couldn't quite explain."

It was at that moment that Eula took the opportunity to speak up first.

"No. We didn't see anything like that. Just saw the occasional Ruin Guard broken down in the distance or group of slimes minding their own business."

This caused the guard to nod his head.

"Understood. Did you happen to catch any other traders on the road coming from Liyue?"

"Yeah, we did actually. There was this one guy we crossed paths with, but it was short-lived" Sora answered, making sure to keep the stuff about the Heartless tight-lipped following Eula's stance on the matter.

"Hmm. Thank you two for taking the time to answer these questions. And welcome to Liyue Harbor."

"Thank you for the greeting and not a problem" Eula replied while offering a short nod.

Sora did the same before walking through the gate and officially entering Liyue Harbor.

Getting a good distance away from the gate and the guards stationed there, the spiky-haired boy now confided in his partner.

"Eula, why didn't you bring up that we encountered the Heartless?"

"Several reasons. The first is that if we mentioned seeing the Heartless, then we would be left trying to explain it to both guards, which would most definitely end up in them being confused about the strange creatures. I, myself, still have conflicting ideas about just what the monsters are."

This got the boy to merely nod his head in realization. Explaining the Heartless and what they were was a rather… complicated topic.

"The next reason is that we still have a great deal of ground to cover while we are here. We are still of the idea that there might be a book holding information about the Heartless which will help you get a better idea of the foe given that you are the only person here that is experienced with them."

"You're right about that" Sora responded while crossing his arms and having a contemplative look on his face.

"And lastly… I think I might know someone who could help us in our endeavor" Eula stated, earning an excited look from the Keyblader.

"Really!? Who?"

"Her name is Yanfei. She's a legal consultant. One of the best I know of. If we can find her, then I dare say we'll have an easier time exploring the city than just wandering around."

"Where can we find her?"

"Hmm. If I'm right, then she'll be located around one of the government buildings. Either way, let's make our way in. I'm sure you'll be in for a surprise."

Hearing this got Sora to raise his eyebrows while following behind Eula who had begun walking up what appeared to be a bridge. Moving upward, the Keyblade wielder immediately understood what she just meant.

"Whoa…"

The sight was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Sure, seeing the harbor from the cliff was one thing but to see it up close and from the point of view he was at now. It just made everything even more grand. The building structure and all the various colors being displayed. Assortments of reds and yellow filled everywhere he could see with so many people walking around or kids playing together running and laughing. Eyeing what appeared to be stairs that led to another level of the city, Sora had to wonder just how big this place was.

Then his attention was drawn out to the harbor and his mind was bursting with even more amazement. The sight of so many different-looking ships all with working crews on them and floating on top of the calm water creating an even more serene sight to take in. His attention was then caught onto something he recognized immediately. Lanterns.

Memories of his time back in the Kingdom of Corona and how he and his friends managed to see all the lanterns fly up into the night sky while being lit up. This just reinforced Sora's bright smile even more.

Reaching for the Gummiphone, the spiky-haired boy couldn't help but have a dorky grin on his face while snapping photo after photo of the city. Eula was standing to the side and merely watching the boy's excitement go through the roof.

"This is so cool! Haha!"

"I'd have to agree with you on that. Every time I come to Liyue, the sight always manages to make me pause for a minute."

"Does the city also light up lanterns and send them to the sky at night?" Sora asked, snapping another photo this time including himself in the picture.

"Occasionally, yes. Though, I'm not always here in the evening so maybe they might. But there is a special holiday that comes once a year specifically revolving around lighting lanterns and letting them soar through the night sky."

The Keyblade wielder upon hearing this couldn't help his face from starting to hurt from how large his smile was.

'Just like in Corona!'

Spotting something above him, the boy looked up expecting to see a mountain that caught his attention but was stunned at what he was now seeing.

A floating temple-like structure was hanging above the city.

"What is that!?" Sora shouted while pointing at the floating island.

Seeing what he was pointing at, Eula looked up and realized what had shocked him.

"That is the Jade Chamber. It's primarily used by the Liyue Qixing which is a committee made up of seven merchants and business leaders who govern Liyue and implement policies laid out by the Geo Archon. They also manage the governance of the region. Interestingly enough, that is the second Jade Chamber as there was another before that one."

"Really? *whistle* What happened to the first one?"

"Hmm. From what I remember based on what Jean informed us thanks to the traveler's input, the first chamber was sacrificed to defeat the ancient god Osial who had begun attacking the city but with the help of many including the traveler and Paimon they were able to save the city and defeat Osial."

"Wow. That's amazing. How exactly is it just floating in the air?" Sora asked, eyeing the floating structure.

"That…I'm not sure."

"I see… wonder what it's like up there…" Sora muttered, thinking that with his Flowmotion it should be a piece of cake to shoot up there but didn't want to cause any more problems than he needed.

Swerving his head to the side, he now spotted a few small children laughing and chatting away on the bridge but once they saw the boy looking at him, they instantly began to wave at him. With great enthusiasm, he waved back at the kids earning them to cheer and take off down the bridge into the city. Liyue Harbor seemed to be brimming with cheerful positivity to it. Which… got the brunette to come back to his senses and put down the Gummiphone.

He still had a lot of work to do here.

Nodding to himself, Sora spoke out to Eula.

"So, where should we head first?"

"Don't you want to take a look around the city?"

"I do. But… hearing what that guard said and seeing how lively the city is… I don't want that to go away. The sooner we search the libraries here, the sooner we can come up with a new plan to deal with the Heartless. Or at the very least make sure they don't dare appear in the city."

Sora affirmed to the girl while glancing at the harbor again. He did not want the city to suffer because of the Heartless.

Everything that he had said rang true. As much as Eula didn't want to think about worrisome thoughts, the truth of the matter was that her way of thinking was starting to change. Based on first-hand experience with the Heartless it was safe to say that the small, weak-looking monsters were not to be underestimated. Though they may be small in number… that could drastically change quickly. Not to mention, the people of Liyue might not even know what they are dealing with.

"Plus, if the Heartless do show up in the city… that'll only lead to people freaking out and leaving their hearts open to fear. This would cause the Heartless to take notice and go after them."

As Eula heard this bit of information, the blue-haired girl began to realize just how much of a problem that could become leaving her to merely sigh. These new monsters continued to surprise her by the minute. One moment you think you know enough about them and the next something new comes up.

"Well then, seeing that we are still technically against the clock, shall we start searching for my friend, Yanfei?"

"Yep. Lead the way."

Now with a plan in motion, the two continued to venture further into the city and take in all the sights it had to offer all while searching for a certain pink-haired premier legal adviser.

Meanwhile, inside the Jade Chamber

Sitting at one of the tables located in one of the more spacious areas inside the chamber, Captain Beidou was sitting down sipping away at a freshly made cup of tea while waiting for the meeting to officially start. Along with her were a few other individuals sitting in chairs next to her. Those being Ganyu and Keqing who were also quietly waiting patiently. Not one to enjoy a quiet atmosphere, the one-eyed brunette let out a bored sigh.

"*sigh*"

"…"

"*sigh*"

"…"

"*sigh*"

"Captain Beidou, may I ask what you are doing?" Keqing calmly questioned while putting down what appeared to be a formal report on the table in front of her.

Leaning her face on her hand, the brunette turned to look over at the Yuhen of the Liyue Quxing.

"You know, you can just call me Beidou. The only people to call me captain are my crewmates… and the authorities" Beidou casually stated while smirking at the purple-haired girl.

"Right… Then, Beidou, why exactly are you making it obvious that you're bored?"

"I would apologize if it was any other reason, but not in this case. I'm used to having to wait patiently. However, Ningguang said to show up here in the morning and…" Raising her gloved hand to wave around the room. "What do you know? She's not even here."

Scanning the area inside the chamber, Ganyu had to agree that the Tianquan was running late which was a very rare occurrence to happen.

"Maybe something came up while she was on her way here?" the blue-haired half-quilin Adeptus muttered.

Crossing her arms, Beidou had a thought come to her.

"Speaking of something coming up, what exactly are we doing here? The message I got wasn't that transparent in the least."

"Well, based on the- "

Suddenly, one of the doors opened, and in followed the woman that had situated this meeting in the first place.

"Sorry for the inconvenience. I take full responsibility for arriving late" Ningguang commented while seating her off and nodding to one of her secretaries.

"Lady Ningguang, is something wrong?"

Putting on a façade of a smile, the white-beige-haired girl merely shook her head and figured that telling those in the room the truth would serve to drive home how troubling her situation was becoming. Her face now let go of the false smile and turned to a frown.

"Not good, Ganyu. Troubling to say the least."

"I take it that's the reason for calling us here?" Beidou questioned the girl, noticing how serious she looked.

Nodding her head, Ningguang summoned a piece of paper in front of her and laid it out on the table in front of her.

"Over the past couple of hours, I've received many reports from traders and my sources around the city on strange occurrences happening."

The others listening to her had many thoughts cross their minds but continued to listen as it seemed there was more to be said.

"Lately, there have been an increased number of encounters with strange creatures appearing out of nowhere and attacking anyone in the area."

"Strange creatures? What do you mean, Lady Ningguang?" Keqing asked while beginning to think about all the various monsters found in the region.

"Strange in that these monsters that have been reported have never been seen before. And before you ask, I also thought that this issue seemed a bit odd. But after receiving many reports all detailing the same thing from different people it's now become a concern. One that… I'm not quite sure what to do exactly" Ningguang explained to the group.

The Captain of the Crux lifted her eyebrow and stared at the Tianquan with an expression that could be summed up as surprised and confused.

"That's… a bit strange to be hearing from you."

"Tell me about it. While the city was blissfully sleeping the night away, I was left repeatedly questioning report after report of these monsters appearing all over the region. Each report is questionable to… outright worrisome. However, even though this problem has only become apparent in less than 48 hours there is still cause for concern."

"What plans do you have in motion now?" Ganyu asked.

"At the moment, I've sent an informant over to Mondstadt to assess the situation. Along with keeping this meeting between the four of us. For now, to say the least," Ningguang answered, recalling what she had done recently.

"Stopping the public from freaking out over these new monsters… quick plan of action" Beidou muttered.

"What about these monsters? What makes them so different to the point that you have taken such steps?" Keqing questioned, trying to wrap her head around the matter.

Reaching into her dress and pulling out a scroll, Ningguang unraveled the paper and spread it out onto the table while showing exactly what it was. A drawing of the monsters in question.

The three girls took a step closer to examine the picture and were left baffled.

"This is…"

"I've never encountered a creature like that in any of the books I've researched into monsters in the region."

"Same here. I don't think I have ever seen a thing like that before. Not in Liyue or anywhere else I've sailed."

Summoning another piece of paper, Ningguang also began to review the details that had been sent her way to further describe how dangerous these creatures were.

"This is a report I received detailing a first-hand encounter with the monsters. To summarize, the creatures appeared out of nowhere and began attacking an individual who was then… This will sound albeit outrageous but keep an open mind" the white-haired girl stated to the others catching their confused expressions.

"The individual was then swarmed by the creatures and a strange light in the shape of a heart appeared above him and… the individual was found to be turned into one of the creatures…" Ningguang finished summarizing the report.

…

No one said anything as they all tried to come up with a valid answer to something that sounded utterly ridiculous. But… at the same time, with how grave the Tianquan was making it out to be. There was no way to just disregard what they were hearing.

"What…"

The first to respond was Ganyu who had a horrified expression on her face.

"…That…" Beidou herself was lost for words.

However, the last girl to not say anything had donned a look of deep thought before addressing the Tianquan.

"Have there been any other reports entailing the same thing as this report?"

"No. Granted, the other reports only stated that they saw the monsters either from a distance or were frightened by them and put some distance in getting away before any kind of confrontation could occur" Ningguang explained, recalling each report that came her way word-for-word.

"I see... Then, for now, we should prepare the Millelith with enough information as possible on this new foe. Start by also sending out squadrons to secure the perimeter around the city and get the word out to- "

"One step at a time, Keqing."

"Huh?"

Picking up a quill that was nearby along with grabbing a piece of paper, Ningguang began to start writing something down along the paper.

"If we act irrationally, then that will only raise the concern around this matter."

"Leading to everyone freaking out about the possibility of turning into a monster," Beidou said while shooting Ningguang a glance to which she nodded.

"Hence why this should be kept on the down low for now."

"Lady Ningguang."

"Hmm. Yes, Ganyu, you've been a bit quiet lately. Please do say what's on your mind."

Taking a second to gather her thoughts, the blue-haired girl lightly grasped both of her hands together while sounding worried.

"Shouldn't we… at least alert others to this problem? Are you sure it's wise to keep this to ourselves?"

"I have given that idea some thought. However, it's as I stated before… the future of Liyue… it's in our hands now. Besides, what do you think I'm doing right now?" Ningguang asked while putting down the quill.

Walking up to Ningguang, Ganyu saw that the letter she started writing was already done and the entire page was filled with content relating to the situation at hand. And at the bottom of the letter, it was directed to a certain traveling duo.

"You are sending the letter to Aether and Paimon?"

"Yes. I do have some reservations about asking for their help as… Aether is still on his journey to travel across the different nations and find his sister. And while I hate to admit it, I was not of the best help when it came to offering him support in finding information about his missing sister" Ningguang stated while having a downtrodden expression.

"Didn't he say that he was heading to Sumeru?" Keqing asked, trying to recall what the traveler's next move would be.

"He did. Frankly, I'm sure he's already arrived and is getting involved in all sorts of adventures in the Dendro nation. However, at a time like this, I think it would be best to ask for his opinion and feedback on the matter. Who knows, perhaps he has already encountered these monsters before?"

The white-haired girl said this as she took another look down at the drawn image of the dark and mysterious-looking monster.

"So, what does that leave us to do? Act natural like there isn't some crazy monster situation happening right now?" Beidou asked, dragging the topic back.

"As it stands, Keqing and Ganyu, can I trust that the two of you will begin to start constructing plans and operations involving these monsters?"

"Of course, Lady Ningguang. I'll make sure to start working on preparations regarding the monsters" Ganyu affirmed.

"I'll also be working on finding all that I can about these monsters while making sure to tone down the seriousness of the issue. But Ningguang…"

Noticing Keqing's words stop, the Tianquan gestured for her to continue.

"Are you sure this is the right decision? Isn't there more we can do?"

Letting out an outward sigh, the white-haired girl looked down at the written letter and expressed her thoughts openly.

"For now, this is all we can do. There's still much we don't know about these monsters and frankly, I'm thinking about paying Madam Ping a visit personally. Once I am done with hearing another incoming report which should be arriving soon, then I'll stop by and visit her. Perhaps she might- "

In a somewhat dramatic sequence of events, one of the doors inside the Jade Chamber opened followed by a secretary running in and addressing Ningguang.

"Forgive my intrusion, Lady Ningguang! But something urgent has come in."

"There's no need to worry about barging in. What can you report?"

Walking up to the Tianquan, the secretary handed her a new report which was gratefully taken and immediately read at a hastened pace. It would only take a second for Ningguang to have her eyes widen and shoot a look at the secretary.

"When was this received?"

"Just now. It came from a farmer who happened to be staying at Wanshuu Inn and was relayed early this morning" the secretary answered.

Left with confusion, the other girls merely watched as Ningguang began to scramble for something on the table before glancing over at them.

"This new report… it claims that the farmer saw an individual engaged in combat with the strange creatures."

Crossing her arms across her chest, Beidou didn't all that thrilled.

"Is that it? I mean, not to bring down the mood but… I'm sure there are other accounts of people fighting these monsters. What makes this one so special?"

"It's the context that differs. The farmer claims that the individual knew exactly how to deal with these monsters. He states that he saw them engaged in combat last night some distance away from the inn and realized that no one else had noticed the fighting going on" Ningguang stated.

"That's odd. Wouldn't the Milleith have taken notice of the fighting? Especially if it was that close to the inn?" Keqing questioned.

Ganyu herself wasn't sure what to make of the situation and simply shook her head.

"The letter further states that the individual was soon met with another after the fighting ceased and returned to the inn. The farmer wasn't sure what to make of the situation and reported it to one of the Millieth guards this morning which led to the letter being received now."

"Huh. Guess they had someone haul ass from the inn to the harbor to get this in" Beidou commented.

Ignoring that the Captain of the Crux said, Ningguang took another look at the letter's contents.

"Hmm…"

"Uh, Lady Ningguang, is there anything else that the letter states?" Ganyu asked.

"Only that the individual who engaged in combat with the monsters was dressed in strange clothing. Nothing that could be found locally. He also wielded a…"

Ningguang stopped reading the letter and had to take a double look at the contents of the letter.

"A giant key."

"I'm sorry. Could you repeat that?" Keqing asked, not sure if she heard right.

"The individual was wielding a giant key against the monsters…" Ningguang reiterated.

"…Maybe it only looked like a giant key but just had a strange design?" "Beidou suggested while not entirely believing that what was being discussed was indeed a giant key.

"Perhaps… it's a new style of blade?" Ganyu weakly reasoned.

Placing the letter down, her thoughts about the weapon being described were pushed to the side as another idea made itself apparent. What happened to the individual who was fighting the monsters? Where did they go? Are they still alive? Do they know anything about the creatures? Questions like this were rampant in the Tianquan's head.

"For now… We should stay on high alert. Which leads me to you, Captain Beidou."

Tilting her head to the side, Beidou grew curious.

"I'd like to ask that you and your crew start prepping for a trip to Inazuma."

Surprised by the sudden request, the brunette had to know more.

"That's a big leap from our current topic. Why the sudden request?"

"I'm still of the current topic at hand, however, the sudden trip to Inazuma does align with what we are discussing. You see, depending on the situation transpiring in Mondstadt, I would like to extend a helping hand to not only our trading partners but our regional friends as well."

"Do you think the situation is the same in Inazuma?" Keqing asked Ningguang.

"I'm not sure. But still, I would like to make it apparent what's going on here in Liyue and Mondstadt. Moreover, after I send this letter to Aether and Paimon, then they will be able to spread the word at a faster rate to warn the other nations."

"Quite the heroic thing to do" Beidou nonchalantly said.

"Yes… It is."

Ningguang responded while taking another look at the letter in her hands and spending a good minute reading everything once again. Keqing and Ganyu shot glances at each other and nodded.

"Right then, if you'll excuse us, Lady Ningguang. We'll get right to preparations" Ganyu replied.

Nodding at the girl's answer, Ningguang bid them good luck while being left with Beidou in the room now.

"So, what exactly do you want me to send to Inazuma? A letter basically saying there's a new monster that somehow turns people into monsters."

"Not quite."

Reaching across the table to pick up another piece of paper, Ningguang had another reason for wanting the Crux to travel across the sea to the Electro Nation.

"Seriously? Ah, I should have figured" Beidou commented while immediately seeing what was on the piece of paper.

"Of course, while we may be dealing with a strange monster problem. That doesn't mean business should be halted indefinitely. In fact, quite the opposite. Now would be the ripe time to start strengthening trade relationships with other nations. Hence, killing two birds with one stone" Ningguang explained.

"Right, right. Collaborative trade relationships are best built on a level of trust. You don't need to give me a lecture on business."

"Nevertheless, you and your crew will be reimbursed greatly. As usual."

"Great! The Crux could use a bit of repair all around. Well then, I'll start spreading the word with the crew. How soon do you want us to leave?"

"Seeing that I am waiting on feedback from Mondstadt and the situation is an ever-developing one… I say give or take in a few days. Depending on the situation of course."

Processing what Ningguang stated, Beidou immediately started forming an idea of what she would need. Which meant getting right to preparations.

"All right then, I'll start getting my crew ready for the trip. Anything else I should know or do?"

"No. Not yet at least. I'll contact you when more information is found or when the situation has evolved."

"Got it. Well then, I'm outta here. Let me know what's up."

And with that, Beidou began leaving the Jade Chamber. This left Ningguang to remain seated and look down at the letter once more. She had many thoughts about what had just transpired but the one that stood out from the rest was the one primarily centered around herself. Had she done the right thing in this case?

This situation was different compared to the other situations that threatened Liyue Harbor. In those scenarios, she understood what was coming. Now, however, this new monster was something that she had not predicted happening while also being left puzzled about what to do given that not a lot of information was provided.

Deciding that sitting down wouldn't help her at all, she got up from her seat and figured that she would have her assistants' help with keeping up the regular procedures while she paid Madam Ping a visit. But before she left the room, she managed to catch a glimpse of her chess set and began to wonder while examining each piece.

What would the next move be?

Back with a certain spiky-haired boy

He and Eula had checked out several different buildings that all dealt with trading and business. The idea that this Yanfei would be there due to her involvement with the law was a reasonable conclusion, but so far, their efforts were not coming up with anything good. Most of the time when he or Eula would ask the people inside if they had seen Yanfei the answer they got didn't help at all. This resulted in the two taking a break next to a small pond in the middle of an area with some stalls being operated.

Sora spotted an open bench and plopped down on it while having a tired look on his face. They were not having the best of luck finding Eula's friend. A moment later, the blue-haired girl joined him on the bench and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Hey, Eula, are you sure there isn't somewhere specific that we can check for Yanfei?"

"The thing with Yanfei is that when you need her, she tends to be difficult to find. But when you don't necessarily need her, she'll be easy to find."

Groaning at the simple yet difficult way of life, the spiky-haired boy was starting to grow impatient. The kind of impatient where if you can't find whatever you are looking for and don't have any clues at your leisure, then you'll start to be annoyed. That was the kind of impatient he was starting to feel.

However, before he could start rambling about how they should check in another location something seemed to happen. Standing off to the side of him was a little girl who had her tied into a bow… with her actual hair being tied into a bow. Followed by two large bells on her head with one on each side. The small girl merely tilted her head before addressing the boy.

"Hello. I'm sorry to disturb you but I couldn't help but hear you mention Yanfei?"

"Err, you'd be right. My friend and I are trying to find her."

"Oh! Then, I think I can help you with that!"

"Wait? Really!" Sora exclaimed, jumping up from the bench and leaving Eula to be startled.

"Yep. Oh, excuse me, I didn't give you, my name. Sorry about that. My name is Yaoyao. A pleasure to meet you" the girl now known as Yaoyao cheerfully greeted.

"Ha, don't worry about it Yaoyao. My name is Sora."

"Greetings, Yaoyao. My name is Eula Lawrence. Reconnaissance Captain for the Knights of Favonius" Eula replied.

"Nice to meet you, Sora, Eula. I think I have a good idea of where Yanfei might be."

"And where might that be?"

"Hmm. She's probably with Madam Ping for morning tea. I was just about to head over there myself but overhead you talking about her. Would you like me to guide you guys to her?" Yaoyao asked the two.

Seeing this as a miracle to their problem, Sora rapidly nodded his head while offering the young girl his thanks.

"Yes! I mean, *ahem* Yes, please Yaoyao. Take us to this Madam Ping where we might find Yanfei."

Giggling at the boy's change in tone, the young girl nodded.

"Ok! Well then, let's get going. By the way, I don't think I've seen you two around the harbor before. Is this your first time here in the city?"

"No, I've been to the city several times before but only for a short while or I didn't have much time to explore" Eula answered the kindhearted girl.

"As for me, this is my first time here in the city" Sora enthusiastically replied.

"Really? Then, how are you enjoying the city so far?"

"It's been great! There have been so many new things that I've never seen before and all the lanterns hanging up on buildings probably make the nightlife seem so vibrant."

"Mm-hmm. Once nighttime comes, you'll be in for a treat for how pretty and bright the lights make the city seem. It might even make you feel like it's still daytime."

Hearing this, Sora instantly thought back to his time in San Fransokyo and how the tall buildings and technological advancements made the city nightlife lively while also giving him so many amazing sights. One that he remembered dear to his heart was when he climbed up one of the tall buildings and got to the roof and looked out to the city. Seeing all the lights in the distance and how it gave the city an even more amazing atmosphere. That was an experience that he would never forget.

"I can't wait for nighttime then."

"What about you, Eula, have you seen the city at night?" Yaoyao asked the icy maiden.

"As a matter of fact, I have. A truly wonderful sight that makes me a bit envious of how beautiful it makes the city appear. Moreover, I have yet to be here during the Lantern Rite festival where the number of lanterns and lights displayed for all to see is twofold" Eula explained.

The more Sora heard about the nightlife made him even more curious about what he might see later today. His eagerness to see the nighttime was growing by the minute.

After some time had passed and the trio continued to make small talk with each other ranging from a variety of topics to be discussed. They were now climbing up some stairs leading to an open area which left the boy puzzled. However, once he shifted his gaze to the side, he was surprised by what he was seeing.

Standing there next to a table decorated with a teapot and cups and a small box of some kind was an older lady who had her arms behind her back while talking with another girl who had a strange red-looking hat. Her hair color was also that of a pink color and her attire consisted of red, black, and gold trimmings. Upon feeling that someone was looking at them the two women turned and saw the trio looking at them before Yaoyao was the first to move.

"Hi, Madam Ping, I'm sorry that I'm late. I managed to bring along a few new friends."

Smiling down at the younger girl's words, the older lady now suspected to be Madam Ping merely shook her head.

"It's all right dear. Besides, now we have more guests to join us for morning tea."

Looking over at Sora and Eula, Madam Ping could immediately tell that there was something unique about these two.

"Greetings, as you might have guessed my name is Madam Ping. Or at least that's what everyone tends to call me which… in a way has managed to stick with me."

Seeing the older lady's kind demeanor, Eula offered a simplistic yet elegant bow of her head with her hand on her heart.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Madam Ping. My name is Eula Lawrence. I'm currently affiliated with the Knights of Favonius."

"Hey there, my name is Sora. It's nice to meet you" Sora warmly replied.

"Mm. It's nice to see you again, Yanfei" Eula greeted the pink-haired girl who had stepped closer to the trio.

"Eula! It's good to see you again. This is a bit of a surprise."

"Oh, I take it you two know each other?" Madam Ping questioned the pink and blue-haired girls.

"Yep. Awhile back… I managed to get myself into a bit of trouble haha… but Eula here was able to help me out. And ever since we stay relatively in contact with each other" Yanfei clarified.

"Is that so? Well then, I believe you deserve my thanks, Eula" Madam Ping directed to her.

"Nonsense. It was the right thing to do to save her."

Nodding at the captain's words, Madam Ping agreed wholeheartedly with her.

"And that it was. Now then, would you two care to join us for some morning tea?"

Shooting a quick look at each other, Sora and Eula didn't need to say anything as their mindsets were on equal footing.

"Yeah! That would be great. Thank you for the offer" Sora excitedly replied.

This would lead to the two finding a place on the table and having cups of tea poured for them while also engaging in a delightful conversation.

"Well, since it seems a bit strange to go about things like this. I don't think we actually introduced each other" Yanfei commented while glancing over at Sora.

"A bit of a different way of meeting but nothing wrong with that."

"Right, but to make sure we get things sorted I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Yanfei, a top legal expert in Liyue. And I don't like to brag all that much but… nobody comes close! I cover all sorts of areas regarding commercial litigation, civil mediation, criminal lawsuits, and almost anything else you can think of."

"Ehehe as you already heard. My name is Sora and… I guess you could say I'm an adventurer. Not sure if that's an actual status haha" the boy stated while ruffling the back of his hair.

"Actually, there are trades that do identify adventuring as an actual job profession. It's better to identify that not everyone can do the things that adventurers can do which in giving them status does benefit them to continue to well… adventure" Yanfei confided to the boy which got him nodding his head and paying close attention to what she was saying.

"Heh, that's good to know. But speaking of adventuring there is a reason for us running into Yaoyao" Sora explained to the pink-haired girl.

"Oh, what is the reason?"

"They said that they needed to find you" Yaoyao replied while pouring herself a cup of tea as well.

"Huh? You guys needed me? For a legal situation perhaps?" Yanfei asked that last part with a glint in her eyes.

"Our apologies, Yanfei, but not this time," Eula said, having a small smirk on her face at her friend's eagerness.

"Ha, next time then. But what did you guys need with me?"

Sora looked over at Eula who gave him an affirming nod. She knew that he wanted to elaborate on their reasoning.

"Well, how do I put this… You see, there have been some events going on involving a monster that we wanted to see if you could help point us in the right direction."

"Oh? A monster problem? I don't think I'll be much help there sadly."

Shaking his head, Sora needed to set the record straight.

"Not in the fighting sense but more on the lines of helping us get access to a library or two."

Madam Ping who had been quietly watching the conversation play out, began to grow curious about what the spiky-haired boy was getting at trying to research more about a monster.

"Well now, that's certainly not what I was expecting" Yanfei calmly said.

"Circumstances have led us to… taking a different approach to deal with this monster" Eula added.

"I see, but needing my help? That seems a bit strange."

"Not in the slightest."

"Oh?"

"Reason being is that while you are quite the expert when it comes to the law…"

"That I am" Yanfei confidently stated while smirking.

"It's only right to think that you are familiar with certain texts found in libraries that could deal with monsters. Given that there are regulations and laws dealing with liabilities and repercussions for someone if they have their property destroyed by a monster. Just to name one idea for why you would be the best possible candidate to help us in our quest" Eula explained, hoping to have painted a clearer picture for needing the girl's help.

Taking a sip of her tea, Yanfei had to admit that she was relatively right about knowing a bit about monsters. Specifically, the kind of legal content relating to a monster's actions.

Yaoyao on her part was amazed by what she was hearing and figured that she could start making a mental note to do some homework on learning more about monsters for her training with Madam Ping.

"Hmm. Well, Eula, you'd be correct in assuming that of me. Very well, I'll help lend a hand to you and Sora's quest to learn more about this new monster. Speaking of the monster, how do you know it's a new monster?"

Just as Sora was about to answer her question, another girl's voice appeared out of nowhere managing to steal the spotlight.

"Yes… please do tell me how you would consider this monster you're after to be… new. I'd love to hear more about your reasoning."

Turning around, the Keyblade wielder was met with the appearance of someone that he had never met before.

The girl before him had long white hair that reached past her back while having something being held in her hair on top of her head. Followed by a red-looking ribbon hanging near her forehead and wearing a very stylish dress consisting of white, gold, and brown colors. Another distinctive fact about the girl's appearance was her red eyes and how she continued to stare into the boy's while managing to keep a collected smile on her face.

Red eyes met blue eyes.

Meanwhile, in another part of Liyue Harbor

Standing along the side of a building holding, there appeared to be an orange-haired man who was wearing a white jacket that left part of his stomach visible while having a red scarf wrapped around his neck. He also wore white pants with black boots and had a strange-looking red mask placed on his head. This man was better known as Childe, or as others knew him, Tartaglia. The Eleventh of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers.

Reaching into his pocket, Childe pulled out what appeared to be a letter directed to him from one of the scouts under his management. There had been a bit of activity recently being monitored across the region about platoons of Fatui soldiers being attacked by strange dark creatures. At first, he wanted to sum it up to the soldiers being caught off guard and whatnot but after receiving several letters all indicating similar instances… he knew something was up.

Hence, why he had asked many of the soldiers under his command to stay out of close quarters and keep a maintained open space for operation. If what the reports said was true, then these monsters kept appearing out of nowhere without any warning whatsoever. An enemy that tends to play dirty.

This resulted in him having to lean a bit more into his spy routine and act by going into the field himself. But of course, being the kind of guy, he was. He was going to take his time before getting into the action of it all. Besides, it was practically impossible for anyone to do anything on an empty stomach. As he said this, the man's stomach started roaring ferociously leaving him to chuckle and shake his head.

"Time to get to work…"

In another part of Liyue

Leaning on the edge of a cliff, a certain individual was taking in the view that lay before him. Though this wasn't a very crucial part of his plan to write about visiting the spot, he still figured he could spare a moment to do so. The view of Jueyun Karst and the pool of water below him offered a nice view that also acted as a way of giving him some ideas.

The figure better known as the Master of Masters continued to take in the amazing view with his hands crossed behind his back. It appeared that he was killing some time for whatever reason.

Suddenly, a burst of light appeared right behind him signaling that he had gotten just what he wanted.

Turning around, he was met with the appearance of a small figure floating in what appeared to be a blue shield. In addition, the figure was dressed in blue robe-like clothing with a white mask on its face with two ears that extended above its head. In addition, there appeared to be a blue staff of some sort in the stranger's hand. The figure then began to mutter something before speaking loud enough to be heard.

"You… who are you? Why did you summon me?"

"And a greeting to you as well. Glad you could come" the Master of Masters replied nonchalantly while using his hands intuitively.

"I asked you… who are you?"

Letting an outward groan, the Lost Master knew he was going to have to give some exposition to get what he wanted.

"You're really taking your whole protective shtick seriously. I can kinda admire that. Not that it's going to matter much."

The figure continued to watch the man in the hood closely.

"*sigh* Fine, fine. Look, I called you here to… propose a sort of deal."

Laughter could be heard coming from the blue-clothed figure.

"You are a fool… for thinking the Abyss would ever agree with this."

"Huh. I see… well, I tried at least" the Lost Master said while beginning to casually walk away from the shielded figure.

Taken back by the sudden action, the figure called out to the hooded man.

"Where do you think- "

"Look. If you're not willing to at least play ball and hear me out, then I don't see any reason to stick around."

"You're quite confident in thinking that you can walk away," the figure said in a strained voice while beginning to wave their staff around.

Sensing that he was about to be attacked, the Master of Masters merely turned his head to the side to watch as the shielded figure began casting what appeared to be a blue spell toward him. This got him to tilt his head comedically before in the next instant a burst of light appeared.

Left with only a split second to realize what just happened, the shielded figure looked down and realized that it was starting to fade away but before it could completely disappear. The appearance of the hooded figure was now standing to the side while having his arms behind his back again and shaking his head.

"Before you go. Don't worry. Your princess is none of my concern. But I do need to talk with her about something. That is if she'll accept my offer to talk. If not… well, it doesn't matter. I'll just get my answers elsewhere. Either way, take care."

As the Master of Masters said this, the small figure couldn't say anything as their entire body had now faded away leaving the Lost Master to himself again. Several thoughts ran rampant around his head.

"That went well. Hmm… I figure you've made it to Liyue Harbor already but… you're still moving a bit too slow, Sora."

Beginning to walk away, the Lost Master began formulating his next plan and how he would need to get into contact with someone from the other group causing problems in this world.

"Guess I should go pay a visit to the harbor and kill two birds with one stone. Find someone in the Fatui… and give you a little push forward. Things are going to get a lot worse before they get better…"

The Lost Master knew that while confronting the boy would speed up many things. It wasn't the right time for that. He still had a few more things that needed to be investigated. Besides, the Heartless in this world had to have started coming from someone… or something. And that required a bit more looking into than the Keyblade wielder at the moment. Many more mysteries were still at play, and it wouldn't be that long before he and Sora encountered more of what this world had to offer.

This world was not right. Not even in the slightest.