Chapter 444: Musou

Lightning flashed, and thunder roared. Purple currents filled the entire space as the violent Electro energy swept through everything. 

The battle between Ei and the Raiden Shogun was no different from a clash between two gods. 

Li Mo calmly set up a barrier. If it were just him dealing with this pure Electro upheaval, Thororm's Spell would suffice. But behind him stood Paimon and Lumine—two juniors he couldn't ignore. 

Casting spells without materials was second nature to Li Mo. Most mages relied on reagents, but then again, his mentor was the Age of Gods magus, Medea. Later, his growth had been fueled by the 100,003 Grimoires, so he was far from an ordinary mage. The only time he needed materials was when crafting something like the Mobile Church—a mystic code of the highest order. 

"How long are they going to fight? The commotion is insane… Are we really safe here?" Paimon fluttered around Li Mo, muttering incessantly. 

"Why wouldn't we be safe? This is just the aftermath. A month or two ago, when I fought the Shogun, the residual shockwaves were about this strong," Li Mo replied. 

Time here flowed differently—centuries had passed in this mental realm, accounting for the majority of Li Mo's lifespan. Yet in the outside world, only two or three decades had gone by. But in those centuries, he had experienced almost nothing. The empty mental space remained unchanging, its timeless nature rendering the passage of years meaningless. His body might have aged hundreds of years, but what about his mental age? 

It hadn't changed. 

Growth, in his view, came from experience—interacting with others, handling challenges. In short, stagnation bred no maturity. Centuries had granted him mastery of spells and accumulated knowledge, but no emotional growth. And let's be honest—with my personality, I'll never grow up anyway. 

As his thoughts settled, the floating nuisance reappeared before him. "But, Your Excellency! Didn't the shockwaves from your battle with the Shogun destroy the entire Tenshukaku that day?" Paimon pressed. 

"Ah, you mean that twin-colored lightning pillar?" 

"Yeah, yeah! It was sooo tall—purple and gold! Even we could see it all the way from Watatsumi Island!" 

Back then, during the Tenshukaku Incident, Lumine had been a fugitive, fleeing Narukami Island to join the resistance in Watatsumi. 

"That was the aftermath of the Shogun and me both unleashing Musou no Hitotachi—the clash of blades. I was exhausted afterward, so that was its full power." 

Musou against Musou. 

That strike remained a peak Li Mo couldn't replicate even now. 

"Then… could Ei and the Shogun also clash with Musou no Hitotachi?" Paimon asked. 

Li Mo paused, then glanced toward the battlefield. The Electro density in the mental space was absurdly high. This was a decisive battle—meaning the pinnacle of martial prowess, Musou no Hitotachi, was likely to appear. A duel of Musou versus Musou might happen again. 

"I didn't consider that. My oversight. Let's reinforce the defenses." 

He mentally sifted through defensive spells. Centuries of study had only gotten him halfway through the 100,003 Grimoires, most of his effort wasted on the Golden Derivation. Finding a suitable defensive ritual was tricky—Li Mo's focus had never been on protection. Why would an almost-immortal being prioritize defense? I'm practically Deadpool—just less chatty. 

Difficult, but not impossible. Worst case, he could always tank it physically. 

After strengthening the barrier, Li Mo relaxed, sharing snacks with Paimon. He even had the leisure to trick her into drinking bitter melon juice, laughing as she screeched in protest. 

While the spectators lounged, the combatants had no such luxury. 

Raiden Ei and the Raiden Shogun shared the same origin, wielding identical power. Their centuries-long stalemate proved neither could overpower the other. Different techniques, yet each knew the other's moves intimately—anticipating counters, predicting feints. No one understood each other better. 

"This is just a repeat of our past battles. Will you attempt the final strike?" the Shogun asked. 

The final strike—Musou no Hitotachi. Even without the Musou Isshin, the Shogun could still unleash it with her naginata, Engetsu. The pinnacle of skill wasn't bound to a single weapon. 

"Very well," Ei agreed. 

Musou no Hitotachi wasn't just martial supremacy—it was the embodiment of conviction. To warriors, combat was dialogue. Steel clashing was souls colliding, and this strike would convey their ideals perfectly. 

The Shogun embodied Ei's despair from 500 years ago—the grief of losing everything. Ei represented the present—a god who had regained companionship, determined to lead Inazuma forward. This was the collision of Past versus Present. 

Thunder roared like the apocalypse itself. Electro energy raged, engulfing the mental space—only the shielded corner remained untouched. Then, in the darkness, light—Musou no Hitotachi. 

No thought, no hesitation. The supreme technique of the Electro Archon, the zenith of divine skill. 

Li Mo stood, five fox tails manifesting as he revealed his Heavenly Fox form. His expression hardened, mana erupting like mist to stabilize the crumbling barrier. 

A clash of Musou was catastrophic. Having experienced it firsthand, Li Mo knew its power—the twin lightning pillar that day had shattered the storm clouds over Narukami. And that was just the aftershock. 

This time, the residual force was even greater. Yet Li Mo's focus wasn't on survival—he was studying the clash itself. 

"What's wrong? You look so serious! Is their fight beyond what you expected?" Paimon fretted. 

"That's not Musou no Hitotachi," Li Mo murmured. 

It resembled the technique, but its essence had changed. 

Had Ei… evolved further?