The clear sky darkened in an instant.
Thunderheads churned overhead, lightning writhing within—
a warning that the coming storm was nothing less than divine wrath.
What awaited them was the most terrifying punishment in all of Inazuma:
Raiden Ei's judgment.
She had believed that after imprisoning the rebels last time, the dream would finally stabilize.
Never did she imagine that only a few days later, Watatsumi Island had rallied again—
this time with even greater force.
The previous disturbance was caused only by rebel soldiers.
But now…
even Watatsumi's civilians had joined in.
Ei descended before the Sangonomiya Shrine, her expression cold as the lightning gathering above her.
Kokomi was waiting at the entrance.
Unlike their last encounter in Tenshukaku— this time the air between them crackled, both sides poised for a clash.
They each had something they could not back down from.
"General," Kokomi spoke calmly, "do you truly believe imprisoning your people in a dream is the correct path?"
The benefits of the dream were obvious.
The downsides… required thought.
"Immortality.
Ageless bodies.
Is that not enough?"
Immortality— a temptation almost no mortal could refuse.
Those who claimed they could resist simply had not lived long enough to understand the weight of life.
Watatsumi was "fortunate" to have been absorbed into the dream.
They now had rights equal to all of Inazuma.
And yet, despite this…
they rebelled.
Ei's fury was palpable.
Even as the creator of the dream, she could not kill.
But she could bind.
She could suppress.
She could silence resistance.
That was the extent of her authority here.
"Your island was once granted divine pardon," Ei said,
"allowed to hold faith separate from the Shogun.
And yet now, rather than show gratitude, you repay mercy with rebellion?
Have the people of Watatsumi grown too free?"
A bolt of lightning tore down from the sky.
Even if thunder in this dream could not kill, it could still inflict pain.
But before it struck Kokomi, a figure surged forward— slashing the lightning apart.
Ei's eyes narrowed.
To sever a divine strike, even a dream-forged one, was not something mortals could do.
Tartaglia twirled the water blades in his hands.
"Raiden Shogun…
your strength is as terrifying as the rumors say."
Without the amber power, without entering his Foul Legacy, that flash of lightning would've killed him instantly—
were they not in a deathless dream.
"It's you…"
Ei recognized him.
The man Su Ran had granted power to.
"This dream was created by Su Ran," Ei said.
"I can understand you defying me— but do you intend to defy him as well?"
In the hierarchy of Fatui Harbingers, there was no doubt:
Su Ran stood above all.
Tartaglia shrugged.
"Of course not.
Even if I wanted to, I'd only dare do it secretly."
His grin sharpened.
"But clearly, the genius doesn't care much for this dream.
Even if we destroy it, I doubt he'd be angry."
Water blades merged into a long spear.
"And I— can't do nothing."
A sliver of the "Regressor's" power flooded him, his strength skyrocketing to a god's level.
Ei's expression hardened.
The Seven were victors of the Archon War— still Archons in nature.
And right now, Childe had artificially stepped into that realm.
He could not surpass her.
But defeating him quickly would be impossible.
Even Zhongli, watching from afar, was stunned.
To elevate a mortal to Archon-level strength with no side effects—
that descending outsider's power was absurd.
"You wield strength that is not yours," Ei said coldly.
"Do you truly believe you can defeat me?"
"Can I?
Can't I?"
Tartaglia laughed.
"We'll know if we fight!"
A battle between two Archon-level forces erupted— and the already-shaking dream trembled violently.
Tartaglia fought with abandon, freed from the fear of death.
He was in heaven.
But he was still young.
Still inexperienced.
It didn't take long before Ei exploited a flaw.
A single decisive strike sent him crashing into the sea.
During the brief moment he was stunned, Ei unleashed an enormous surge of Electro, spreading across the island to bind every rebel in place.
If she could seal their movement and thoughts again, the dream would stabilize.
After that, she would deal with Tartaglia.
But a golden radiance flashed across the battlefield, shattering her storm of power.
Ei stiffened.
There was another Archon-level force here.
One she knew well.
"Morax…"
her voice grew low.
"Do you mean to stand against me as well?"
The earth trembled in response.
Zhongli stepped into view, no longer hiding.
"Baalzebul," he said, "your stubbornness leaves me no choice."
The two former comrades now faced one another, Archon against Archon.
The judgment she intended to deliver was now being judged in return.
—------------------------------
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