"Clang!" As the Hatamoto Samurai acting as referee exited the Training Field, Kazuha and Kujou Sara clashed blades almost instantaneously!
"Buzz—" A grating sound of swords rubbing together filled the air, as their sheathed blades intertwined and sparked.
It was fortunate that both their blades were top-tier swords; otherwise, with just that one clash, ordinary swords would have been rendered unusable.
Their figures weaved through the Training Field, with only the 'clanging' of their swords colliding remaining.
Yu Jin watched Kujou Sara's continuous sword swings and couldn't help but feel a little surprised. He had thought she was a master archer, but he hadn't expected her swordsmanship to be so superb.
Although the battle was fierce, it was clear to any discerning eye that this was just a warm-up.
Both Kazuha and Kujou Sara possessed a Vision, and only when they began to use their element power would the battle truly begin.
"Hah!" Kazuha parried Kujou Sara's attack with his sheathed blade. Then, he smoothly arced his sword, disarming Kujou Sara's blade.
Just as he prepared to pivot and strike, Kujou Sara seemed to have seen through his intentions. Her long, powerful leg moved faster, directly kicking towards Kazuha's face.
Kazuha could only barely raise his arm to block Kujou Sara's kick. However, the immense force still made him retreat a few steps.
Kazuha rubbed his aching forearm, thinking that Kujou Sara truly lived up to her reputation as a General of the Tenryou Commission; her strength was indeed profound.
"Truly, my skill is inferior!" Kazuha laughed self-deprecatingly, his Vision on his Horsetail hair tie glimmering. The Electro element power in the air surged into his body through his Vision, greatly enhancing his physical capabilities.
"Boom!" This time, the sound of their swords clashing was no longer ear-pierpiercing, because their power was so immense that the sound of compressed air drowned out the sound of their blades colliding.
Seeing Kazuha begin to use his element power, Kujou Sara no longer held back. A faint crackle of lightning began to appear around her body.
Their battle instantly became spectacular. Although their speed increased significantly, so did the commotion.
Colliding Electro elements roared, and lightning occasionally sparked between them. With each clash, a faint purple mist would rapidly appear and then vanish just as quickly.
If it weren't for the Training Field being reinforced by the Grand Narukami Shrine, it would probably have cracked long ago.
After another instance of them pulling apart, Kazuha felt the aches and pains throughout his body, knowing that his stamina was running low. If he continued, it would only be a matter of time before Kujou Sara found an opening.
In contrast, Kujou Sara, though also panting, still held her sword steadily. As for him, he had already begun to tremble.
"Hoo-ah!" Having made his decision, Kazuha was about to unleash his strongest move.
More Electro element power gathered in Kazuha's body. Endless lightning sparked from his body, and his sheathed blade also turned purple from the abundance of Electro element.
"Chidori!" Amidst the dense, rumbling thunder, Kazuha shouted the name of his technique, which no one could hear.
"Boom!" Kazuha, along with his sword, transformed into a bolt of lightning streaking across the ground!
It was too fast; from Kazuha charging up to turning into lightning, it was but a moment.
Kujou Sara saw a purple light rushing towards her, and everything in front of her seemed to slow down.
She recalled the scene of falling off a cliff when she was a child. At that time, her wings were injured and unable to spread, and she could only watch herself get closer and closer to death.
Was it going to be like this again? No! Impossible! Raiden Shogun was watching her! She could not lose!
"Swish!" Black feathers floated in the air, and two pairs of pitch-black wings spread from behind Kujou Sara, allowing her to evade an attack that should have been impossible to dodge!
"Holy crap! Giant Ninja Stab!"
Yu Jin couldn't help but blurt out as he watched the scene unfolding before him.
"No, wait? What is that thing?"
Yu Jin scratched his head. Was it something he had forgotten again? Why was he like this lately, able to call out names but not remembering anything, which bothered him a little.
But he should check on Kazuha; he seemed to have lost.
"Cough, cough, cough!" The lightning dissipated, and Kazuha knelt on the ground. Behind him was a dark scratch mark, left by the Chidori.
Residual Electro element power surged within Kazuha's body, making his entire body feel like it was being pricked by needles. He knew he had reached his limit.
Looking at Kujou Sara descending from the Sky, Kazuha sheathed his blade and weakly said, "Kujou… General Kujou lives up to her name. I… I have lost."
Kujou heard this and also sheathed her blade, looking at Kazuha with some regret. He was a true samurai.
Unfortunately, the loser of the Duel in front of the Emperor must accept divine punishment, and no one could survive Raiden Shogun's blade.
Kujou Sara walked off the Training Field, panting, leaving Kazuha alone on it to regulate his breathing.
"He lost! A victor has been decided!"
"That guy, as expected, was no match for General Kujou!"
"What a pity, so young."
...As Kujou Sara exited, the quiet Tenshukaku once again erupted into a clamor.
Gasps, taunts, and sighs were incessant.
"A victor has been decided?" Raiden Shogun's tightly closed eyes opened, her voice devoid of any emotion.
"Reporting… Reporting, Raiden Shogun, General Kujou is victorious!" The Hatamoto Samurai acting as referee knelt on one knee, speaking with some nervousness.
Raiden Shogun's aura was too potent; simply sitting there doing nothing was enough to double the pressure on people.
"Hmm." Raiden Shogun merely nodded, then stood up. She slowly walked towards the Training Field below the steps.
The Training Field now returned to silence. Even when the people of Inazuma saw their beloved Raiden Shogun, no one dared to utter a sound.
Many dignitaries on the high platform looked at Kazuha, who was propping himself up, and couldn't help but shake their heads with a sense of 'rabbit dying, fox grieving' (a feeling of sorrow for a fellow sufferer).
Most of them possessed a Vision, and Kazuha had initiated the Oni-gozen Ketto to resist the Vision Hunt Decree.
Even if their Visions had not yet been confiscated due to their positions, it was only a matter of time.
Raiden Shogun's will would not be changed!
Kazuha watched Raiden Shogun slowly walk towards him, his heart growing increasingly tense. His hand unconsciously gripped the hilt of his sword.
But Raiden Shogun showed no change; no one could withstand her single strike.
A katana appeared in Raiden Shogun's hand, and an indescribable pressure suddenly descended upon Kazuha.
With each step Raiden Shogun took forward, the katana in her hand brightened a degree. The pressure on Kazuha also intensified by a degree.
The originally clear Sky began to grow gloomy, and thunder dragons appeared within the dark clouds.
"Move aside!"
"Kazuha! Answer me!"
In the dead silence, a man's voice suddenly rang out, but neither the common folk nor the soldiers paid any attention to it; they were all captivated by Raiden Shogun.
And Raiden Shogun also paid no attention to the voice; no matter what, nothing could prevent this strike from being unleashed.
"Zzzzz!" As if the distance was close enough, Raiden Shogun's speed suddenly accelerated.
Kazuha was trembling all over at this point, all the pressure converging on him, and large drops of sweat continuously fell.
Seeing Raiden Shogun's rushing figure, Kazuha wanted to move. But his body felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, completely unresponsive to his command.
At this moment, Yu Jin had already donned his most familiar knight armor, because he might have to cause trouble later, and wearing the old man's skin or his own skin was the same.
Sheathing the sword, building momentum.
Yu Jin's body lowered. A samurai sword had appeared at his waist at some point. And his hand was tightly gripping the hilt.
Flames boiled within Yu Jin's body, and the sound of Burning firewood began to echo.
When the sound of fire reached its maximum, it would signify the birth of a new world. Thus, Yu Jin repeated it twice.
Of course, for now, it was just a small Burning.
"Hoo—" Yu Jin exhaled, and black smoke mixed with tiny sparks emerged from the gaps in his helmet.
"Draw your sword, Kazuha!!!"
"Didn't you say there are always mortals who dare to face the splendor of thunder?! Move!!!"
Kazuha's body trembled uncontrollably, and his normally nimble eyes were now bloodshot.
"Kazuha!!!"
"Draw your sword!"
Kazuha and Yu Jin's voices suddenly broke through the ringing in Kazuha's ears.
Senior, and a close friend!
His trembling hand suddenly became steady. He had told these two people his wish, and now, the opportunity to realize that wish was right before him!
A brilliant purple light flickered from Kazuha's messy hair, but compared to Raiden Shogun's sword glow, it was too weak.
Then, an even more minuscule sword glow flashed from Kazuha's waist.
And then, Kazuha saw it—beyond the abyss cleaved by the Musou no Hitotachi, a brand new path for a warrior!