"Why, you ask?"
Yae Miko looked at Ei with her usual teasing smile — though there was a faint trace of displeasure beneath it.
"It's been so long since we last met, and this is how you greet me? With that disappointed, accusing tone?"
"Ei, that really hurts my heart, you know."
Ei fell silent for a moment, ignoring Miko's complaint. Her voice grew cold.
"Why did you betray Inazuma? Why did you help them enter the Plane of Euthymia?"
"Betrayal? Oh my, that's far too heavy a word. I'm not carrying that blame."
Miko lazily brushed a strand of hair from her face, her tone soft but calm.
"I simply made a reasonable decision. I thought helping them would be interesting — and beneficial for Inazuma — so I did."
Ei's expression darkened. She pointed at Lumine and said in a low voice,
"Do you even know who she is?"
Miko arched a brow, smiling playfully.
"A very cute and amusing little one — why?"
"Oh, you mean her brother? The prince of the Abyss Order? He's certainly intimidating, I'll give you that."
"But I only trust what I've seen with my own eyes. From what I see, this little one is warm-hearted and fascinating."
"She has nothing to do with her brother."
Ei's brows furrowed.
"The Abyss is the enemy of Celestia. You're bringing disaster upon Inazuma, undermining its Eternity!"
Lumine tilted her head, glancing at Ayaka with a subtle look before raising her chin.
"You're the only one afraid of Celestia. You hate her, but you can't do anything to her!"
"But I'm not afraid! Celestia is my enemy! I'll fight her — and drag her down from her throne!"
"Your so-called Eternity is what's truly destroying Inazuma!"
Ei's eyes flashed coldly. A streak of blue lightning shot straight toward Lumine.
Miko flicked her writing brush lightly — and the thunder dispersed.
That single motion, however, completely enraged Ei.
"So you insist on turning against me for their sake!"
In that moment, Ei felt an indescribable sorrow.
She had already lost Kitsune Saiguu, Sasayuri, and Chiyo…
She had lost her beloved sister.
Now, only Miko remained.
Her pursuit of Eternity wasn't just to prevent Inazuma from walking down Khaenri'ah's path —
It was also because she couldn't bear to lose Miko too.
Miko should have understood that.
Yes, she had shut herself away for countless years, refusing to see anyone — not even Miko.
But wasn't that her way of protecting her?
Even so…
Even so, Miko still chose to stand against her — for two people who had nothing to do with her —
Even going so far as to raise her hand against her.
Ei's fury finally exploded.
Thunder roared across the heavens, and the sea surged violently, as though a massive basin had been overturned.
At that moment, Lumine finally witnessed — firsthand — the true might of a god of Teyvat.
From beginning to end, she had met many gods…
But none of them had the kind of presence Ei displayed.
The Maintainers of Celestia were undoubtedly stronger than Ei, but even then Lumine had not been weak.
Those Celestia-bound powers tended to be single-target strikes. Later, Windrider—Venti—could supposedly change the heavens with one arrow, but he was always performing theatrics; his true strength didn't feel as terrifying as Tartaglia or Rosalyne.
Zhongli was stranger still: outwardly a retired old man who rarely lifted a finger, delegating problems to Xiao and the others. Aside from Xiao's exceptional martial skill, Zhongli hadn't shown that kind of devastating power either.
As for Nahida… she was a little girl through and through; if you didn't know she was the Dendro Archon, you'd never believe it. Even the newly met Cryo Archon hadn't yet displayed her full might.
Only Ei—when enraged—unleashed the full force befitting an Archon.
The world flipped; at a thought, heaven and earth trembled.
Sky and sea—everywhere—were filled with her lightning.
This whole realm bowed beneath her thunder.
Lumine understood now why Ayaka had said the Shogun's thunder could not be opposed.
Just seeing that sight made the heart race. Lumine tightened her grip on the staff as cold sweat beaded down her back.
"Yae… I was right."
Ei hovered, slowly reaching to her chest. Endless purple lightning gathered at her heart.
"Only Eternity can secure Inazuma for generations.
Only Eternity can prevent all sorrow.
Only Eternity is closest to Celestia!"
She closed her eyes, tilted her head back, and took hold of a sword hilt that had appeared at her breast.
"Since you remain obstinate… I will kill them and bring you with me.
I will seal you in the Grand Narukami Shrine, and grant you the comfort of Eternity!"
"This is the Musou no Hitotachi"
"This blade is without thought; this heart is without mind…"
She drew the great blade, raised it high. The thunder in the sky swelled, converging toward the tip.
"The Musou Strike…"
Yae Miko's gaze went deep; she watched Ei with worry.
"This is a cut no one could withstand… it's Ei's ultimate martial expression. She's really angry now…"
Sighing, Miko waved a hand with a wry, helpless air. She had expected Ei to use a little force—never imagined she'd go full power. For once Miko didn't know whether to feel moved or exasperated.
Exasperated because Ei was blocking Miko's departure out of anger; moved because Ei wanted to seal and keep Miko safe like a treasure—treating her like a pet. Miko was the high priestess of the Grand Narukami Shrine, not anyone's pet! (Although, yes, in the past Kitsune Saiguu had doted on her like one.)
"Little ones, set me down. You can't stop her; I'll occupy her—she won't pursue you to the death."