Slash!
"Cough!!"
The severely wounded witch spat a mouthful of blood onto the tatami. She staggered backward, clutching the gaping wound nearly pierced clean through her abdomen. Looking down, she saw the lightning still crackling through her flesh, the edges of the wound sizzling and leaking a strange, corrosive fluid. The burning pain of scorched organs made her entire body tremble—her legs gave out, and she collapsed to the floor.
Step, step...
Before her, the two identical women—each wielding a weapon—advanced slowly. For the first time, the witch felt true fear. The agony wracking her body only heightened the tension crushing her mind.
"You... you two—!"
She kept crawling backward, her hands leaving bloody smears across the tatami. Her eyes widened as one of the violet-haired women dissolved into motes of light, merging seamlessly into the other—becoming one.
The sharp, echoing footsteps that followed were like the ticking of a death clock.
"I... I can't die... not yet..."
Gritting her teeth, the witch dragged her mangled body across the floor toward the Tenshukaku's great doors, leaving behind a trail of blood.
Aether, watching from the corner, turned pale. He averted his eyes, covering his mouth as nausea welled up at the gruesome sight.
The Shogun, expression cold as ice, followed at an unhurried pace. Her Musou Isshin gleamed with violent lightning, the blade itself thirsting for blood.
"I... I am a diplomat of Snezhnaya..."
The witch forced herself to stand, swaying as she pressed a trembling hand to her wound. Her voice was hoarse but defiant.
"If you kill me... do you know the consequences?!"
"..."
Step, step!
The Shogun ignored her completely, continuing forward.
"Stop!! I order you!!"
The witch stumbled backward, shouting frantically as her eyes darted toward the exit.
"Let her out!! I want to speak to her!!"
Step... step...
The footsteps grew louder, closer.
"Listen well! The Fatui will erase everything you hold dear—your Inazuma, your people, everything!!"
"...!"
Within the Plane of Euthymia, Ei's expression hardened. Her eyes glowed with dangerous light as her gaze fixed upon the witch beyond the boundary.
[Shogun, let me take over.]
"..."
The Shogun paused, sensing the deadly intent in Ei's voice. Without resistance, she yielded control.
When her eyes opened again, it was Ei who stood in her place—her divine radiance unmistakable.
To threaten her Inazuma, her people, everything she cherished... that was unforgivable.
The one before her would die.
"You... you—! The Tsaritsa will not forgive—!! Gaaahhh!!!"
The witch's eyes went mad with desperation. Her face twisted grotesquely as she screamed, abandoning all grace and composure. She raised the Delusion in her hand, unleashing every last fragment of her power. Darkness surged over her body, her limbs deforming into monstrous claws.
Boom! Boom!
The blackened miasma pulsed, the witch lunging forward with a shriek, her demonic claws aimed for Ei's heart.
"!"
Ei's eyes shone with divine fury. Musou Isshin flared with holy lightning as she swung—
Ssshh!
A single flash of violet light cut through the air.
Ei appeared behind her foe, elegantly spinning her blade before flicking it aside, scattering blood and light in a graceful arc.
The witch's body convulsed. Lightning engulfed her, forming a vortex of blinding radiance that exploded outward, cracking the tatami beneath them.
"No—!!!!!!!"
Her scream distorted, twisting into a monstrous howl before fading entirely. Like Amakusa Shirou before her, her form disintegrated, burned and corroded by divine lightning, until only violet ash remained—scattered into nothingness.
"Haa..."
Ei exhaled softly, as though releasing all lingering tension. She felt the Shogun's presence brush gently within her mind—like a small creature seeking comfort. Warmth flickered in her heart, and she allowed the Shogun to resume control of their shared body.
When the Shogun opened her eyes again, she did not turn her head but spoke quietly toward the corner of the hall, where the outsider still lingered.
"You... are the enemy of Eternity."
"!"
Aether flinched instinctively at her words.
"Earlier, I spared you. But now, you've trespassed into the Tenshukaku... and once again, you stand before me. I should execute you where you stand. However..."
She tilted her head slightly, her violet eyes glinting with dangerous light as she regarded the trembling youth.
"I've changed my mind."
"?"
Aether tensed, every muscle tightening in alarm.
"...I will permit you to leave the Tenshukaku on your feet."
Her voice was cold and precise—neither mercy nor emotion in her tone. She simply stood, waiting for him to go.
"..."
Aether could barely move. The memory of the witch's death still burned in his mind—swift, merciless, absolute. His legs shook beneath him; if not for sheer willpower, he might have collapsed entirely.
He had long forgotten the task Yae Miko had entrusted him with. All he could do now was survive.
Slowly, he took one heavy step after another, pushing open the great doors of the Tenshukaku and leaving the hall behind. He moved cautiously, as though afraid to make a single sound.
"..."
The Shogun watched him go, her eyes hardening further. Then, her body dissolved into particles of light and reappeared atop the Tenshukaku's roof. She stood at the highest point of Inazuma, the thunder rolling behind her as she gazed down upon the city.
At the center of her vision was the Traveler, staggering weakly across the courtyard below. Her violet eyes locked onto him with the cold stillness of a judge gazing upon a corpse.
Rumble...!
Another flash of lightning tore through the sky. The Shogun raised Musou Isshin, its blade gleaming in the stormlight. The tip pointed toward the Traveler's neck from afar, then she turned the blade slightly, aligning its edge with surgical precision—as though deciding the cleanest way to cut.
Crack!
The moment the Traveler reached the gates leading from the Tenshukaku to the city—her form vanished with the thunder.
At the same instant, Aether felt a searing pain tear through his head, sharp enough to make him collapse to one knee.
"Ahh! My head...!"
Paimon appeared at once, her voice full of alarm. "Aether! What's wrong?!"
"My head hurts... and my breathing—hff—it's heavy..." he managed between gasps.
"What's going on?! Are you sick?!" Paimon looked up nervously at the darkening sky. Thunder rolled overhead, oppressive and close. She could feel it too—someone was watching them. Someone deadly.
"We have to get out of here, Aether!"
"Yeah..." he replied weakly, forcing himself upright. He stumbled forward, step by step, finally reaching the Tenshukaku's main gates. Beyond them lay the road to Hanamizaka.
His vision cleared—and ahead, familiar figures appeared, running toward him.
Gorou, Kazuha, and several members of the Resistance had arrived. They had seized the opportunity to infiltrate the city while its defenses were in disarray. With Kujou Sara having subdued the nearby soldiers, they had reached the palace perimeter unharmed.
Relief flooded their faces as they saw Aether safe. But just as they took their first steps toward him—
Whoosh!Thud!
An overwhelming pressure crashed down over the entire area, forcing everyone to one knee.
"Ghh...!" ×N
Even Aether could barely breathe, sweat dripping down his face as he fought to remain standing. Then, from behind him, he felt it—an ominous mark glowing with the crest of Baal.
Ssshh!
A rift opened in the air behind him. The pressure spiked, and his blood ran cold as he turned his head.
Flash!
From the crack in space emerged the Shogun herself, Musou Isshin already raised high—and without a word, she swung the blade down toward the Traveler's neck!
Aether felt the icy chill of death graze his neck before he even registered what was happening. Turning instinctively, his eyes met the Shogun's—those violet pupils blazing like twin storms of thunder. That cold, divine gaze pulled him in, paralyzing him where he stood.
[I will permit you to leave the Tenshukaku on your feet.]
Her earlier words echoed hauntingly in his mind, their true meaning dawning on him too late. Panic spread across his face as his eyes widened in horror—but it was already too late. The blade cutting through the air would reach his throat in an instant.
"Aether!!"
Gorou, straining under the crushing weight of her divine aura, dropped to one knee, shouting desperately.
"!!"
Beside him, Kazuha forced himself upright through sheer will. The sight before him—the godlike radiance of the Shogun and her descending blade—pulled him back into that nightmare memory from long ago.
Whoosh!
In that moment, the world seemed to slow. Even the purple-haired woman's movements blurred into slow motion.
—There will always be mortal beings who dare to face the might of thunder.
The words of his late friend rang clear in his mind.
His eyes locked onto the blade about to cleave through Aether's neck. He would not—could not—watch another companion be taken from him. Even if it meant defying divine judgment itself!
As that thought ignited within him, the Vision hanging at his waist—the one that had once belonged to his friend—flared to life beside his own, twin sparks of lightning burning bright.
Lightning surged through him. His body blurred forward with speed beyond mortal limits.
Ssshh!
In a heartbeat, Kazuha was in front of Aether, shielding him with his own body.
"Ahhhh!!!"
With a fierce shout, he drew his blade, channeling all his power into a single desperate block.
Boom!!
Steel met divine steel. The impact exploded in a storm of crackling lightning and shockwaves that sent rubble and dust flying—and Aether was thrown back by the force.
Ssshh!
Sparks erupted where the two blades clashed, arcs of electricity spiraling around them, their combined power shaking the very air.
"...!"
For a fleeting moment, even the Shogun's eyes widened in faint surprise before narrowing again. This boy—he dared to stand against her.
But the difference in their strength was vast. Kazuha was giving everything he had, gripping his sword with both hands, his arms trembling violently. The Shogun, on the other hand, held Musou Isshin with one hand—her expression calm, almost bored.
Her gaze dropped briefly to his side, where two Visions gleamed simultaneously.
So this is... the power of a mortal's resolve...
But even so... what of it?
Her eyes flashed dangerously. She pressed her blade downward with effortless strength.
Crack!
"Ghh...!"
Kazuha gritted his teeth, his arms screaming in pain as his knees buckled. One leg hit the ground, his sword trembling violently as the god's power bore down upon him.
Ssshh!
Electric arcs danced across her body, her braid glowing like molten light. The floor beneath her cracked, tiles and dust lifting into the air from the sheer intensity of her aura.
Then, she unleashed it.
Boom!
Crack!
A violent pulse of thunder erupted outward, a shockwave of divine energy sweeping across the courtyard. Kazuha's sword shattered instantly.
For a split second, his eyes went wide. Then, pain tore through his chest.
Thud!
"Gah—!!"
From the air, a massive spectral arm—one of the puppet Shogun's mechanical limbs—manifested and drove its fist squarely into his stomach. Blood and saliva burst from his mouth as his body folded under the blow.
Before he could recover, the same arm seized him by the throat and lifted him effortlessly into the air, bringing him face-to-face with the emotionless visage of the Shogun.
"...Interference."
Her voice was cold and devoid of life. She tightened her grip, then hurled him aside like a discarded object—straight toward the group of resistance soldiers rushing in from the distance.
Crash!
Gorou instinctively tried to catch Kazuha as he was hurled through the air, but the impact was too great—he and the soldiers behind him were all knocked over together.
"Gah!"
Kazuha crashed to the ground, clutching his chest as blood spilled from his lips. The twin Visions at his waist dimmed and fell lifelessly beside him. His vision blurred; pain radiated through every nerve.
He understood—Raiden Shogun had held back. If she had used even a fraction more of her true strength, there would have been nothing left of him—not even a body. Still, that technique... what was it?
"Kazuha!! You—Raiden Shogun!!"
Aether's voice broke the moment, filled with fury and despair. Seeing his friend collapse, he glared at the purple-haired woman approaching him, her blade glimmering with divine light. He called out her name, casting aside his fear and replacing it with pure rage. He sprinted forward, drawing the dull-edged sword in his hand as arcs of lightning gathered along its length. Leaping high, he brought it down toward her in a desperate strike.
"..."
The Shogun readied herself to deliver a fatal counter, but—
[Shogun, hold your hand.]
'...Ei?'
She froze for an instant, confused by the sudden interjection.
[I'm curious about him. Bring him into my Plane of Euthymia. I wish to speak with him.]
'...'
She paused silently.
[...May I?]
Ei's voice softened with quiet warmth, seeking permission.
'Yes.'
How could she refuse? Whatever Ei wished, she would obey. If Ei wanted to speak with him, she would comply.
Watching the Traveler's strike descend toward her, the Shogun's lips curved into a faint, rare smile. Closing her eyes, she allowed the surrounding space to shatter like glass, reforming into fragments that enveloped them both.
Darkness swallowed the world. Aether's surroundings twisted, dissolving into another plane entirely.
"!"
He landed heavily, his strike cutting through nothing but air. Looking around, he realized the world had changed again.
Wind carried crimson dust across a vast plain. The sky was dim and heavy, the air thick with despair. Ancient, broken torii gates stood scattered across the landscape, illuminated by a foreboding red moon.
This place felt familiar yet profoundly different from before. It wasn't the serene stillness of the Shogun's domain—it was darker, oppressive.
He understood immediately. This was not the Shogun's Plane of Euthymia. This belonged to her.
Across from him sat a woman identical in form to the puppet—a serene figure with long violet hair and divine bearing.
The woman Yae Miko had called Ei.
"..."
Ei opened her eyes, violet light flickering within. Her expression was unreadable, her gaze studying the golden-haired boy before her. Slowly, she unfolded her legs, her elegant form rising to stand.
"So we meet again... or rather, for the first time—Traveler."
Her voice was calm and gentle, softer than the puppet's cold tone.
"...Yeah. Though we've only crossed paths once before."
He caught her meaning—she referred to the moment she had briefly manifested during the battle against La Signora.
[Ei...]
'It's fine. I just want to speak with him for a while.'
Ei's voice was tender as she reassured the Shogun within.
"Come closer. Let me have a proper look at you."
She gestured lightly for him to approach, her tone intentionally gentle, showing no hostility.
"..."
Aether hesitated, scanning the surroundings—no sign of ambush, no killing intent. His instincts told him she meant no harm.
He sheathed his sword and stepped closer.
Ei's gaze followed him carefully, studying his face, his clothes, and the empty space where a Vision should have been.
"Let me think... what could have driven you to stand before us again?"
Her arms folded loosely as she sighed. Her half-lidded eyes glimmered with quiet resignation. She had said 'us', and Aether understood exactly what she meant.
"The Shogun spared you once. By all logic, you should have kept your distance."
"..."
Aether frowned slightly, meeting her gaze.
"Tell me... does your reckless courage come from your desire to protect others—or was it because you wished to see me again?"
She asked the question casually, her tone neither mocking nor kind.
"You know about the Fatui, don't you?"
His voice was firm—direct.
"Of course."
"They're manipulating you. Both you and the Shogun. They're leading you down the wrong path!"
Ei listened quietly, then exhaled softly.
"Oh? So you came all this way—just to tell me that?"
Her words carried a faint trace of disappointment.
"These words—are they all you came to say?"
"What do you mean 'all'? Isn't that enough?!"
Aether's frustration flared. Was she truly so detached from the world outside? So indifferent?
But Ei's thoughts were elsewhere. What she wanted to hear from him wasn't about politics or mortal affairs. What she sought... was something that stirred her curiosity—the essence of the one standing before her.
The one the world called... the exception to Eternity.