The golden and violet lights had each transformed into dazzling dragons of radiance, intertwining and clashing repeatedly across the Plane of Euthymia. Every collision erupted into violent sparks and thunderous booms that shook the realm itself.
Bang! ×N
Perhaps it was the blessing of that golden power, but Aether's dull blade somehow endured against Musou Isshin for so long—refusing to shatter. Yet, Ei's strength was unquestionable. Each time their weapons met, numbness spread through his arms, forcing him to grit his teeth and bear the pain as he fought.
Winds of dust and sand swirled violently through the Plane. Each slash stirred up waves of debris, obscuring their movements. Through the haze, only their blurred silhouettes could be seen flashing again and again.
Clang!
Aether was flung backward by one of Ei's strikes, tumbling through the air before righting himself mid-fall and landing on his feet.
"Tch!"
He glared at the violet figure in the distance, frowning as the dull blade in his hand gathered a surge of golden lightning. A long, radiant arc of swordlight burst forth, slicing through the air toward her.
"Haahhh!"
Whoosh!
The golden swordlight tore through the dust and storm, racing straight for Ei.
Seeing this, she flickered backward and tightened her grip on Musou Isshin, swinging in reply. Unlike the pure current of lightning, her blade released an arc imbued with the deep, celestial glow of starlight. The two swordlights collided midair, exploding into a storm of energy that rippled outward.
Boom!
The explosion's shockwave sent her hair and sleeves fluttering. Her expression remained stern, her violet eyes locked on the figure shrouded within the dust. She knew—the power of mortal wishes had changed him. His strength was now far beyond before. If she let her guard down even once, defeat was possible. The Traveler hadn't yet shown his full power. The unknown—that was her greatest risk.
"..."
Her gaze shifted toward Yae Miko, who watched from the side. The shrine maiden met her eyes and smiled—a knowing, playful smile.
Miko...
Vmm~!
Ei twirled Musou Isshin once, then raised it high above her head. Lightning gathered around the blade in torrents, until the entire sky glowed violet. The air crackled, the ground beneath her feet trembling as stones and dust were lifted by the surge.
At her command, streaks of lightning began to fall from the heavens like meteor rain—bolts crashing down one after another in the center of the arena. Each impact unleashed a fiery explosion that illuminated the sky.
"Haahhh!!"
Boom!
Aether burst from the flames the next moment, charging toward her through the chaos!
Thunderballs crashed around him in a storm of divine punishment, yet each time, he dodged—barely. Still, burns marred his skin, but he didn't care anymore. This would be his all-out strike!
Ei narrowed her eyes as she saw him emerging from the blaze. Exhaling softly to steady her mind, she let the blade in her hand shine brighter—its light like that of countless stars. She closed her eyes.
In that instant, time itself seemed to slow. The entire Plane of Euthymia shifted to shades of black and white—only Ei remained bathed in color, her violet light radiating absolute sovereignty.
"Without yearning, all returns to silence!"
She spoke the words calmly—and opened her eyes, which now gleamed with divine lightning.
Crack!
The world fractured. Countless rifts appeared in the air around her, like blades tearing through reality itself.
Normally, this technique was one that decided the outcome before the strike even landed. But—
"Heh..."
Aether only smiled coldly, unbothered by the deadly blades about to cut him apart. Within his amber eyes burned the glow of gold.
"!"
Seeing that expression, Ei's heart skipped a beat. A sudden sense of foreboding struck her. She didn't know what he was planning, but that smirk—it carried an air of inevitability.
"You've lost," he said firmly.
She... had lost?
Boom!
In the next moment, Aether erupted in radiant gold, light bursting from his body with world-shaking brilliance. The golden glow devoured the black and white world, flooding it with color once again—tearing apart the space she had created. His body turned into pure golden light as he shot straight toward her.
"What—?!"
Ei's eyes widened in shock. He had completely ignored the slowed flow of time—that meant his speed now rivaled her own?!
Crack!
The countless slashes that filled the air tore through space like a divine storm as Aether—now pure golden light—rushed forward. The fabric of the Plane split apart, and above them, the stars reformed into the shapes of multicolored Visions—manifestations of countless mortal wishes.
A Geo Vision flared brightly, infusing a golden radiance into his body. The next instant, a shimmering golden shield enveloped him—just strong enough to withstand the storm of deadly blades!
Crack!
The barrier shattered instantly, but Aether had already broken through. The stars infused him again—this time with the power of Anemo—granting him mastery over the winds. He leapt through the air, performing a midair dash, and unleashed a barrage of wind blades toward the woman before him!
Bang! ×N
For the first time, Ei faltered. Her expression betrayed disbelief as she struggled to defend against the storm of blades. Musou Isshin spun in her grasp, parrying strike after strike, yet the force of his onslaught drove her backward step by step.
Impossible... how could this be?!
She fought desperately—one god against the combined strength of countless wishes. Across from her, Aether pressed harder, his entire body blazing with lightning as he flickered forward, appearing right before her.
"!"
Her motion froze as his voice thundered through the battlefield.
"This is the will of the people!!"
He roared, eyes burning with golden fire. His entire body flared with Pyro energy, and the dull blade in his hand ignited, transforming into a blazing greatsword. In that moment, it was as if every hope, every dream, every prayer of the people poured into him. The starlight above erupted in unison, descending to merge with his form. He leapt high, raising the flaming sword—and struck downward with all his might!
The blinding firelight reflected in Ei's violet eyes. She bit her lip in defiance, channeling every ounce of her power. Electricity surged through her body as she met his strike head-on with Musou Isshin.
Boom!
The collision of fire and lightning unleashed a cataclysmic explosion. Golden light spread outward, consuming the entire realm, while the violet glow of her lightning began to fade. Her knees buckled as she stumbled backward, cracks spiderwebbing across the ground beneath her feet.
"Haahhhh!!!"
Aether shouted, pouring the last of his strength into the strike. The golden radiance reached its peak—and with a final surge, he drove Ei backward, forcing her weapon from her grasp.
Crash!
"!"
In that instant, time seemed to slow again. Ei's eyes widened in disbelief and confusion as her balance gave way. She fell backward, her violet gaze reflecting the blinding gold and the silhouette of the boy standing before her.
So this... is the will of the people...?
Miko... was this your plan all along?
I see now... I was never fit for this... I'm sorry, Makoto...
Her delicate fingers loosened around the hilt of Musou Isshin, letting it slip toward the ground—until—
Crack!
Time itself stopped.
Truly, completely stopped.
Everything froze—the light, the dust, even Aether and Yae Miko.
"Idiot."
"!"
The single word—soft yet affectionate—snapped her back to consciousness.
Thump.
She felt herself fall backward—into someone's arms. Strong yet gentle, they wrapped around her from behind, holding her as if to keep her from vanishing.
"Shogun..."
Ei bit down hard on her lip, fighting back tears as she placed her trembling hand over the wrist of the one holding her. Her entire body shook as she bowed her head, struggling to contain the storm in her heart.
"As I thought... without me, you would become like this again."
The Shogun's voice came softly from behind her as she held Ei close, her tone filled with quiet gentleness.
"There's nothing wrong with it. This... is your way, Ei."
Her words were gentle, soothing the woman in her arms.
"Don't say 'I'm sorry.' If she could see you now, 'Makoto' would be heartbroken."
"...Mm. I don't want... to make her sad."
Ei lowered her head, brushing away the tear that had already slipped down her cheek.
"Perhaps Makoto already foresaw this outcome the moment she entrusted you with the Gnosis. Or maybe... because she foresaw it, she allowed you to create me."
"Shogun..."
Relaxing her body, Ei sank deeper into the Shogun's embrace, as though seeking warmth, clutching tightly onto her hand.
"They were right—the will of the people is powerful. But... this body also has its own wish."
At those words, the Shogun lowered her gaze toward Ei, whose tearful violet eyes met hers. In that moment, they looked at one another with profound, wordless emotion.
"My wish... is the same as yours. What you bear, I shall bear with you. That wish within me surpasses all else—even the will of the people cannot outweigh it."
"..."
Ei's eyes widened slightly—as if she finally understood.
She released the Shogun's hand and stepped forward, passing by her. As always, the Shogun took her place, standing ahead of her. Reaching out, she caught Musou Isshin before it could fall to the ground.
Crackle!
The moment her hand touched the hilt, the sword regained its color, radiating an even brighter light than before. The glowing emblem of Electro upon the guard began to spin slowly. Turning her head, she glanced back at Ei, who was watching her with concern.
"Leave it to me. You can entrust everything to me—everything you carry. After all, this body was created for you. This body... is your puppet!"
The one who bore Ei's will—now stood stronger than ever before.
Crack!
The entire space fractured like glass—then shattered completely!
Time resumed.
The violet-haired woman, who had been falling backward, reopened her eyes. In an instant, her entire body erupted with lightning so dense it warped the air around her.
Crack!
Her feet hit the ground with explosive force, stabilizing her stance in less than a heartbeat. The blade of Musou Isshin gathered the light of a thousand stars, its edge shimmering with power enough to rend the heavens.
"What—?!"
Aether's eyes widened in alarm. The energy radiating from her was on a completely different level than before—far beyond anything he had faced.
"The battle... is only just beginning."
The Shogun's expression hardened, her violet eyes cold and unyielding as she glared at the Traveler wreathed in flame. Then, gripping Musou Isshin, she brought the blade down in a blinding arc!
"!"
Aether reacted on instinct, raising his flaming greatsword to block.
Clang!
Boom!
The instant their weapons met, the ground beneath them rippled like waves from the sheer force.
"Ghh—ahh!!"
He felt her strength surge—tenfold what it had been before. Even empowered by the wishes of the people, he now seemed utterly insignificant in comparison.
The Shogun's body blazed with lightning—her pupils, braid, and sleeves all glowing with radiant light. Behind her, the Chakra Desiderata spun in perfect harmony with her power. The vast sky itself turned into a dreamy shade of violet, her radiance consuming half the heavens and suppressing even the golden light on the other side.
Crack!
As Musou Isshin roared with thunder, the Shogun formed a blade sheath of pure lightning in her palm. Her legs shifted—one forward, one back—as she lowered her stance, poised for a forward draw.
This was a blade carrying her dreams—a strike embodying her will, her wish, her everything.
Secret Art: Musou Shinsetsu – Shadow Severance!
Crack!
Dropping to one knee, she drew the blade vertically with divine precision.
Whoosh!
A single slash carved through the air, slicing open the void before Aether.
Boom!!
The impact hurled the golden-haired Traveler—empowered by the collective will of the people—dozens of meters through the air. He couldn't even recover before crashing violently into the ground, creating a massive crater upon impact.
"!"
Yae Miko, who had been watching the battle unfold, suddenly sensed something wrong. Her expression—usually calm and amused—shifted into genuine surprise as she glanced at the Traveler who had just been hurled across the battlefield.
What's going on? The outcome should've been decided already, and yet—
"Don't tell me—"
A realization struck her. She turned sharply toward Ei—no, the Shogun.
When did they switch places? She hadn't even noticed!
A frown creased her face as she propped her chin in thought. This was bad—really bad. The Shogun's swordsmanship... was that of a killing machine. And now, in this serious mode? That was trouble.
She hadn't expected the Shogun to intervene herself. Did Ei actually agree to this? If things truly went south, she might have to step in personally. These two—mother and daughter in spirit—were giving her endless headaches.
Crash...
Inside the crater, Aether groaned, forcing himself up through the rubble. His body ached all over, his arms scraped, his clothes torn to shreds. For a moment, he was tempted to just lie down and play dead. But he knew she wouldn't allow it.
Right now, he felt completely tricked by that sly fox. Why hadn't she done this instead?!
Tap... tap...
Hearing footsteps approaching from the distance, his mind flashed back to that first encounter—the painful memory of being beaten senseless by the Raiden Shogun. Not Ei... but the Shogun herself.
Damn it, his stomach wound was throbbing again.
The Shogun advanced slowly toward the spot where the Traveler had fallen. Her presence blanketed the entire Plane of Euthymia, the air vibrating with divine energy. Violet particles swirled around her like a tempest. Each step she took sent ripples through the ground, bending the space beneath her feet. Fragments of shattered stone and space itself lifted and drifted in her wake. Behind her, the Chakra Desiderata gleamed—the magatama and Electro sigils shining like stars in a dreamlike sky.
No one knew this body better than she did—it was, after all, her own. Ei merely resided within it.
With steady steps, she lifted Musou Isshin, lightning coiling around her hands.
Crack!
The Engulfing Lightning materialized before her, embedding itself into the ground. She grasped its hilt in her other hand, crossing the two blades in a flawless flourish. Standing there, dual-wielding naginata and sword, she radiated absolute dominance. The golden sky above grew dim, more than half now consumed by her violet radiance.
"You bear the wishes of the people," she said coldly. "And this body bears her wish."
"The battle is only beginning. Show me... whether you remain as weak as before."
Her violet eyes narrowed dangerously, piercing straight into the Traveler's soul. That ethereal, chilling voice froze the air itself—and Aether's breath caught in his throat.