At this moment, the atmosphere beneath the Statue of the Omnipresent God was tense and anxious!
The Tenryou Commission soldiers surrounding the area, seeing such audacious defiance, all drew their weapons and charged toward the blond-haired boy standing opposite them, quickly encircling him.
"Capture him!!" ×N
Aether swept his gaze across them once, then gathered Electro energy into his sword. In the next instant, he spun and unleashed a flurry of sword waves.
Swish, swish!
Each blade of energy struck its mark with precision, paralyzing the soldiers in front of him with crackling electricity. In the next instant, he turned back into lightning and dashed toward Thoma, aiming to slice through the ropes that bound him.
However, in the next second…
Crackle!Crackle!
"!" ×3
All three—Aether, Thoma, and even Paimon—instantly tensed. Before their eyes, the entire space they could use to escape was now sealed off by a glowing Electro barrier, its edges forming a cube-like enclosure.
Aether immediately stopped his movement, raising his sword defensively before him, his eyes glaring sharply at the source of this power.
"You can command the elements… without a Vision?"
Tap… tap…
The Shogun did not descend the staircase. Her exquisite legs stepped directly onto the air itself, descending gracefully like a queen from the heavens. Each step formed a glowing stair of pure Electro beneath her feet.
The cold wind swept across her as her entire body began to emit an intense electric radiance. Behind her, that long-lost Chakra Desiderata manifested once more, the magatama along its wheel lighting up one by one.
"You… are an 'exception.'"
Ding~ ding~ ding~!
Each magatama that lit up emitted a clear, bell-like sound, the tone rising with each one until the entire wheel was illuminated.
When her feet touched the ground below, ripples of Electro particles spread outward. The dense electric field around her erupted violently, distorting the very air.
"Exceptions… are the enemies of Eternity."
Her cold, beautiful voice rang out like thunder's whisper, sending chills down everyone's spines. The soldiers around them trembled, their footing unsteady, while the three before her instinctively took a step back under the overwhelming pressure.
"I-I can't breathe…"
Paimon clutched her chest uncomfortably, as though the oppressive aura had drained all the air from her lungs.
"Urgh… I can't breathe either…"
Thoma gritted his teeth, struggling to stay upright.
Aether, too, felt sweat bead upon his brow. Only now did he truly understand—the being before him was unlike Zhongli or Venti. This was the genuine divine pressure of a god revealed in full.
He wanted to step back—but there was nowhere to retreat. The barrier behind him sealed off all escape. He had no choice but to stand and fight.
Aether stepped forward, placing himself firmly between Paimon and Thoma, gripping his sword tightly in both hands as he prepared for the Shogun's attack.
The Shogun's violet eyes narrowed slightly as she observed his stance. Raising her arms, she pressed her palms together before her chest.
In the next instant, a glowing sigil—the mark of Electro—formed between her hands, pulsing with purple light.
Crackle!!
As the symbol appeared, she spread her arms once more. Her toes lifted slightly off the ground, her body rising gracefully as Electro particles whirled violently around her, forming a swirling vortex of lightning.
The roaring surge of Electro spread out like a tsunami, scattering dust, lifting fallen sakura petals, and stirring a fierce, icy wind. The entire sky turned a deep, thunderous violet.
"Uwaaah!" ×N
The nearby soldiers shielded themselves with their sleeves against the oncoming storm, some even losing balance and falling to the ground.
"Waaah~!!"
Paimon nearly got blown away, clutching tightly onto Thoma's collar. Aether grit his teeth, forcing his legs to hold firm despite the pressure.
Floating at the center of the storm, the Shogun straightened her posture. A circular space opened at the center of her chest—and from within, the ornate hilt of a blade slowly emerged.
"Huuh…"
Sensing Musou Isshin's yearning to see the world again, she exhaled softly, her voice carrying an almost enchanting allure. Then she grasped the hilt and drew it forth with a single, fluid motion, raising the blade high above her head.
The instant she drew Musou Isshin, the entire space trembled violently. Energy surged, lightning crackled endlessly, and the area transformed into a thunderous inferno.
"You will be inlaid upon this statue."
She would pull him into the Plane of Euthymia. There were questions she wished to ask. Ei was still in meditation—she could not disturb her. So she would bring him into her own domain instead.
Swish~!
With a single horizontal slash of Musou Isshin in her hand—
the entire space began to shatter apart like broken glass. Countless fragments splintered and scattered as darkness spread through the cracks, rapidly engulfing everything with the intent to swallow the Traveler whole!
"Aether!"
Paimon cried out, reaching for his hand.
"!!"
Aether turned, trying to grasp hers—but it was already too late. This Plane of Euthymia was under her complete control. She alone decided who could enter or leave.
Darkness consumed the entire world, cutting Aether off completely from Paimon's presence. In the pitch-black void, he was now utterly alone.
Clatter!
The next second… the fragments began to reassemble, like a puzzle being pieced back together—forming an entirely different, unfamiliar realm.
The vast, empty landscape glowed in a soft, dreamlike blue. Smooth stone ground, drifting sakura petals, an endless ocean merging seamlessly with the sky, and a whirlpool-shaped moon hanging above—it was peaceful, serene, like a world detached from reality. Everything that had just happened felt like a fleeting dream.
"Where… is this?"
Aether stood alone, glancing around uneasily. The tranquility itself made him even more tense.
Tap… tap…
The sound of approaching footsteps drew his gaze—the Raiden Shogun was walking toward him.
Now, only the two of them remained.
The Shogun advanced with measured grace. The Musou Isshin in her hand faded from existence, replaced by another weapon—a long polearm, Engulfing Lightning, which hovered briefly before she gripped it and swung it in a smooth arc to rest behind her.
Aether instinctively stepped back half a pace, frowning warily at her every movement, each one carrying a sense of lethal intent.
"You… are the one furthest from Eternity."
The Shogun spoke coldly, her tone dripping with disdain.
She understood what true Eternity meant—and she also knew what Ei sought. She was no fool; she saw things with clarity. Yet the foreigner standing before her represented something completely incompatible with either form of Eternity. That alone intrigued her.
"?"
Aether's expression faltered for a moment before tensing again, unsure what she meant.
"Answer me… Who are you?"
Her voice carried a chilling authority.
"…I'm just a traveler."
Aether's lips curled slightly as he gave a short, almost mocking laugh.
A traveler?
The Shogun's eyes narrowed. When had Inazuma gained such a person? And why had he risked everything to save that boy? Did he have some connection with the Kamisato Clan?
Could it be that Ayaka had sent him?
"Why did you save him?" she demanded again.
"He's my friend. And what you're doing is wrong!"
As soon as he spoke, Aether channeled his elemental power, lightning crackling around his form as he flashed forward and swung his blade straight at her!
"Hyaah!"
With a shout, his sword gleamed with intense Electro energy, thrusting toward her chest!
"Huuh…"
She only sighed softly and, without even looking directly at him, tilted her body slightly to the side—effortlessly avoiding the strike.
"!"
Aether froze in disbelief. That speed—! It was just a simple sidestep, yet it had matched the velocity of his lightning-fast dash. It was as though she had seen straight through his every move.
"My right or wrong is not yours to decide."
With that cold retort, she seized her chance—raising her nagitana in one hand and swinging it in a powerful horizontal arc toward his back!
Whoosh!
"!"
Aether spun around just in time, raising his sword to block!
Clang!
"Urgh—!!"
The instant their blades clashed, it was like being struck by a runaway carriage loaded with steel. His hands went numb from the impact, and the shockwave sent him flying several meters backward before crashing hard onto the stone ground.
Boom!
He hit the ground with a painful cry but still forced himself back to his feet, glaring defiantly at the woman before him.
"You have no Vision—how can you wield—"
"I don't know!!"
Aether snapped furiously, cutting her off mid-sentence. He roared in frustration and charged again, unwilling to give her any answer.
Hit him once and then interrogate him? This felt more like torture than combat—and he had absolutely no patience for it!
The Shogun watched as the Traveler charged at her once again. With only one hand, she lifted her naginata and blocked his two-handed heavy slash.
Bang!
A tremendous shockwave erupted instantly, causing both of their garments to ripple violently in the air.
Their eyes locked for a moment—his filled with fury. In that instant, Aether had already forgotten Ayaka's urgent warning from before.
"So be it… if you despise me this much, then show me the full extent of your power."
Crackle…
Her form blurred into lightning, moving even faster than he could react. In less than a second, she appeared behind him.
"Let me see how strong you truly are."
With those words, the butt of her naginata struck mercilessly against his back.
Thud!
"Urgh!"
Aether staggered forward, nearly coughing up blood from the impact.
But the Shogun did not relent. Her left leg swept sharply toward his knee, just as his balance faltered.
Kneel.
Crack!
Her strike connected, forcing him to drop to one knee.
Then, the Engulfing Lightning began to float before her, spinning slowly as it drew down the raging thunder from the heavens above.
"Bury the Thunder."
A flood of violent lightning cascaded downward like a tidal wave, crashing toward Aether at close range!
"!"
Seeing the torrent descending upon him, Aether broke into a cold sweat. But his instincts moved faster than thought—gritting his teeth against the pain in his knee, he rolled desperately to the side and switched to Geo alignment.
"Then turn to dust!"
He clenched his fist, golden Geo energy gathering around it before slamming it down onto the ground.
Boom! Boom!
With a deep rumble, jagged stone spikes erupted from the earth in front of him, forming a sturdy wall that blocked the oncoming storm. The torrent of lightning crashed violently against it, chipping and cracking the rock as pieces began to fall away. Even so, it held—barely. The sheer destructive power of that lightning was unimaginable.
"Wind Blade!"
The next instant, Aether gathered swirling Anemo energy into his palm, forming spinning blades of compressed wind. From behind the rock barrier, he hurled several of them toward the Shogun!
Whoosh! ×N
Watching as her lightning storm was stopped by the Geo barrier and seeing the approaching wind blades from all directions, the Shogun's delicate brows furrowed ever so slightly.
He can command the elements without a Vision… and even switch between multiple elements at will?
Clang! ×N
Spinning gracefully, she swung her naginata, slicing through each wind blade one after another with pinpoint precision. These tricks did not concern her—the man himself did.
This one… is truly peculiar. I'll need to tell Ei about him later. Such an existence poses an enormous threat to her—an enemy powerful enough to shake the very foundation of Eternity itself.
A traveler, she thought. If he's come this far, then he must have already crossed Mondstadt and Liyue. Most likely… he's familiar with Barbatos and Morax. No wonder he's so bold—those two are far more lenient.
But… this is Inazuma. This is her nation.
"It seems you're even more intriguing than I thought. In that case…"
Crackle…
Electric light surged around her naginata, wrapping it in violent thunder.
"I'll forge you into a cornerstone of Eternity."
As her words fell, lightning flashed across her eyes. In an instant, she vanished and reappeared behind him, both hands gripping her weapon as she swung.
"!"
Aether barely had time to react before her strike landed.
Bang!
The sheer force of her blow sent him hurtling backward, crashing hard against the stone ground several meters away.
Crackle…
The Shogun transformed into lightning once more, appearing at the spot where he was about to fall—turning and slashing again in one smooth motion.
Bang!
Another resounding impact.
Boom!
Aether had no chance to dodge; the blade sent him flying again, skidding across the stone floor of the Plane of Euthymia, leaving trails of dust in his wake.
"Kh—!"
He coughed weakly, a trace of blood staining his lip.
She's so fast! I can't even follow her movements—it's completely different from before!
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The next instant, he sensed another strike descending from above. Fighting the pain wracking his body, he rolled aside clumsily, narrowly avoiding the lethal slash.
Crash!
The naginata drove straight into the spot where his neck had been moments ago, embedding itself deep into the ground.
Boom! Boom!
Upon impact, the weapon released a burst of dazzling violet lightning, its power surging wildly through the air.
The faint particles reformed into the Shogun's figure. She merely cast a cold glance at the Traveler, who had narrowly avoided her previous strike. With effortless grace, she flicked her sleeve, grasped Engulfing Lightning once more, and vanished in a flash of lightning—reappearing right in front of Aether.
"Too slow."
Her low voice carried a mocking edge as she unleashed a flurry of rapid slashes.
Bang! ×N
Aether barely managed to stand, adrenaline surging through his veins as he desperately blocked her relentless assault. Each strike resounded like a thunderclap, arcs of violet light trailing behind every swing. His palms went numb, his body trembling from the paralyzing charge that accompanied every blow.
"Is that all you can do?"
So this was his strength? Pathetic. Did he really think he could challenge her with such feeble skill? She hadn't even used a tenth of her power yet.
"!"
With a cold, cutting taunt, she suddenly lifted her naginata upward, striking his sword with overwhelming force and sending it flying from his hands.
Clang!
The next moment, her knee slammed into his abdomen.
"Guh—!!"
Even though she had held back, Aether felt as if his insides had been turned upside down. Doubling over, he collapsed to the ground, coughing and retching violently.
But the Shogun gave him no chance to recover. In the instant he fell to his knees, she reversed her naginata and struck the flat of the blade against his head.
Thud!
A harsh, ringing sound echoed.
Aether was sent flying once again, rolling several times across the ground before coming to a stop.
The Shogun's cold eyes followed him as she advanced step by step. Raising her free hand slightly, she clenched it.
A surge of Electro energy coalesced at his throat, gripping him with invisible force and lifting him into the air before her.
"Urgh—ah!!"
Aether clawed at his neck in agony, struggling as though suffocating. His legs kicked frantically, but to no avail.
"I care not for your relations with Barbatos or Morax. This is Inazuma. Here, you have sinned—and must be punished. Even if they stood before me, they could not stop what is to come."
"Ghh… nngh—!"
He still struggled, though his movements grew weaker, his face paling as his eyes began to roll upward.
"…Hm."
Her amethyst eyes narrowed slightly as she regarded the fading life in his gaze. After a moment, she loosened her grip slightly, lessening the pressure.
At that instant, Aether seized his chance—gathering his elemental power. From above, countless crystalline shards of Geo energy rained down like spears, interwoven with sharp bursts of Anemo wind as they surged toward her.
Foolish.
She needed only a single glance to judge his recklessness. I was about to spare you… and yet you still resist?
Swish!
With a flick of her hand, she hurled him aside like discarded refuse, then enveloped herself in a shimmering Electro barrier. Raising her naginata, she unleashed several arcs of sword energy that sliced effortlessly through his counterattack.
So… you like to use all kinds of elements, do you?
Such gaudy theatrics.
She lifted her hand, forming the sigil of Electro—a mark glowing with Electro energy—between her fingers. The symbol pulsed once, radiating light that expanded across the entire Plane of Euthymia. The scenery flickered, turning gray and distorted like a fading photograph.
"All unstable elements must be purged."
Crack!
As the gray fragments dissolved, the elemental power forming in Aether's hands suddenly vanished.
"What—?!"
He tried to summon it again—but nothing responded. Panic flickered in his eyes. His elemental energy… was sealed?
Just as he suspected—every time he tried to summon his power, it felt as though an invisible lock had clamped around it.
Bang!
While he was still in shock, the flat of her naginata slammed into his face with brutal force. The blow distorted his features and sent him flying once more.
Boom!
The Shogun, now standing where he landed, withdrew her weapon with calm precision and began walking toward him again. From beginning to end, she had maintained total control—never once out of rhythm.
Seeing her approach, the fear in Aether's heart spiked. On the ground, he scrambled backward on his elbows and heels, retreating as much as the closed realm allowed. But in this sealed space, there was nowhere to run. The drifting sakura petals seemed almost to bury him alive.
No choice left…!
Gritting his teeth, Aether called forth Electro energy once more—it was the only element he could still command. He conjured an Electro barrier around himself, and his sword began to glow with violet light. Lowering his stance, he took a deep breath and lunged forward, turning into a streak of lightning that surged straight toward her.
"AAAHHHH!!"
Ignoring the pain in his chest, he shouted and swung with every ounce of strength left in his body.
"…"
The Shogun halted her steps. To her eyes, his so-called high-speed charge moved in slow motion. Her gaze shifted toward his exposed side—precisely at the ribs.
A cold glint flashed through her eyes. In the instant he closed in, she swung her naginata in a single, flawless arc toward the target.
The two figures crossed.
Aether's body passed through her as he landed behind her. The Shogun remained where she stood, gracefully spinning the naginata once before resting it behind her back.
A single moment of silence—
Crack!
"AAAHHHH!!"
Aether's Electro barrier shattered. Blood burst from his side as a bolt of lightning descended from above, striking him squarely. His body convulsed violently, twitching as smoke rose from his scorched clothes.
The pure white stones beneath him were stained crimson.
The Shogun turned slightly, her expression unreadable as she gazed upon the Traveler lying motionless in a pool of his own blood. For just an instant… her eyes softened, touched by a faint trace of something unspoken.