In the real world —
Liyue, Wangshu Inn.
Lumine truly couldn't laugh anymore.
From the way the Raiden Shogun acted in the video, it was obvious — this woman followed rules to the letter.
If something fit the rules, she acted.
If something didn't, she cut it down.
And she herself — Lumine — was a variable, a being beyond the Shogun's order of eternity.
So of course, the Shogun wanted to erase her.
She had said "You may walk out of Tenshukaku,"
but… what happens after she walks out?
Lumine sighed. The Shogun wasn't someone who could be judged by common sense.
She was rigid, stubborn — terrifyingly so.
"Lumine, don't worry so much! You've got Gu Chen, right? You'll be fine!"
Paimon floated over, patting Lumine's shoulder with her tiny hand.
Lumine shot her an exasperated glare.
"I'm not worried about me! I'm worried about him!"
"Eh?"
Paimon froze midair.
Worried about Gu Chen?
That didn't make sense.
"But… wasn't the Shogun unable to deal with Gu Chen?"
"Yeah, but that's in battle." Lumine pursed her lips.
"There aren't exactly many citizens around the gates of Tenshukaku, are there?"
"Eh— wait— you mean… the Shogun might actually attack right outside the palace?!
You and Gu Chen would both be in danger?!"
"Don't forget you too," Lumine said, tapping Paimon's forehead.
Paimon rubbed it, pouting.
"Then what do we do…?"
"What else can we do?"
Lumine sighed helplessly.
"We sit and watch."
After all, this was a vision of the past.
No matter what happened, they couldn't change it.
All they could do was watch from afar — spectators to a tragedy long done.
It made Lumine feel powerless.
In the video.
Lumine and Paimon had stepped out of the great hall of Tenshukaku.
They were walking across the vast courtyard toward the main gate.
The sky churned with thunder; the air was thick and heavy.
"Do you think the Shogun will really just let us go?" Paimon whispered.
"The air feels… weird. Like the pressure's getting worse.
That was really the Musou no Hitotachi that killed Signora… if that strike's truly unstoppable,
then how do we even fight the Shogun?"
Her voice trembled.
Lumine, meanwhile, pressed her temple, a pained look on her face.
"Lumine? Does your head hurt? You've got to hang in there — I have a bad feeling…"
As they walked closer to the gate, the weight in the air only grew.
Sparks danced faintly in the mist.
"I can hear shouting outside Tenshukaku…" Paimon said, squinting.
"Are people… fighting?"
Through the haze of her headache, Lumine followed the sound.
And then—they emerged from the gate.
There, she saw familiar faces—Kaedehara Kazuha, Gorou, and the resistance army.
Their eyes met, and both sides exhaled in relief.
"Hey!!" Paimon waved excitedly.
But in that same instant—
Kazuha's and Gorou's expressions changed completely.
Every soldier stiffened, panic flashing in their eyes.
Lumine and Paimon realized something was wrong.
Behind them—
a crack of thunder, a burst of violet light—
The threefold tomoe of lightning flared open.
The air hummed.
They turned—
and saw the Raiden Shogun emerge from that spinning thunder sigil,
blade already falling toward Lumine.
Everything froze.
Lumine had no time to react.
[Lumine]: "Wow. She really meant only until I stepped outside? (Qiqi·faceplant)"
[Gu Chen]: "The Shogun's a woman of her word. She said you could walk out, and you did. You're out, aren't you?"
[Kaeya]: "So if Lumine turned back into Tenshukaku, would the Shogun… stop attacking?" (meme grin)
[Paimon]: "Can we focus on the part where we're about to die?!" (Sayu·angry)
[Venti]: "Relax~ It's just a past life! Nothing to panic over!" (滑稽)
[Kazuha]: "Strange… in that life, we actually reached Tenshukaku? Even if Tenryou's head was gone, breaking through Inazuma City shouldn't have been possible… curious."
[Raiden Ei]: "Confess."
[Ayato]: "Only the Guuji could've managed that." (sips tea)
[Yae Miko]: "Me? Busy with more important matters~ Probably one of the lesser-known officials who made it happen. Maybe a certain quiet Kamisato?" (mischievous)
[Furina]: "A pity. Lumine's about to die. Tragic, really." (sighs)
[Lumine]: "???"
[Paimon]: "She won't die!!"
[Kaeya]: "The Shogun attacked out of nowhere. Even if Gu Chen shows up, he won't make it in time." (Hu Tao·grin)
[Hu Tao]: "My past-life client's here!!"
[Lumine]: "I believe in miracles!"
[Paimon]: "We can only believe in miracles!"
[Kazuha]: "Wait…"
The flow of time in the video seemed to slow.
Every detail, every gasp was clear.
The camera focused on Kaedehara Kazuha.
In his crimson eyes flickered violet lightning.
Two Visions hung behind his shoulder—one Anemo, one dull and lifeless.
And then—
the dim one sparked to life, a threefold tomoe of thunder burning bright!
"There will always be those who dare face the light of lightning head-on."
His friend's voice echoed through his soul.
Power surged through Kazuha's body—wind and thunder intertwining.
He flashed forward like a bolt of lightning itself—
BOOM!
A blinding clash shook the courtyard.
The Raiden Shogun's face remained cold as she pressed her glowing blade down.
Kazuha grit his teeth, bracing his sword — the Tsurugi-eating Tiger — against hers.
Sparks flew.
The Anemo Vision blazed bright, the reawakened Electro Vision even brighter.
"Haaah!!"
With a cry, Kazuha swung with all his strength.
The Shogun's stance faltered—she actually stepped back, eyes widening slightly.
Then, with a twist of her blade—
CLANG!
A shockwave blasted Kazuha back.
He slammed into the ground, his sword biting deep into the earth to halt his slide.
The Electro Vision clattered beside him—its glow fading once more.
But the sight—
that single strike that defied the heavens—
ignited the hearts of every soldier present.
"Charge!"
"Forward!"
"For Watatsumi! For freedom!"
The resistance roared.
And across Inazuma, the Eyes of the Statues of a Thousand Hands and a Hundred Eyes began to glow—
their owners' spirits rising once more.
[Venti]: "Holy—!!"
[Kaeya]: "Holy—!!"
[Itto]: "HUH?!"
[Beidou]: "What the—?!"
[Kazuha]: "That… was me? (stunned)"
[Raiden Ei]: "…Their will." (silent reflection)
[Gu Chen]: "Spread the word—Raiden Shogun took a strike from Emperor Ye himself! (Hu Tao·evil grin)"
[Venti]: "There will always be a general on earth who dares face the lightning of heaven!!" (meme grin)
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