Chapter 445: Seeds of Stories, Brought by the Wind, And cultivated by Time

The dust settled, revealing the final outcome. 

The Raiden Shogun gripped Kusanagi no Inabikari, her expression devoid of joy or sorrow—only absolute indifference. 

"Musou" was the pinnacle of her martial prowess, a strike born from the abandonment of all thought. 

And yet... 

"That was not 'Musou.'" 

The decisive battle had reached its conclusion. The raging thunder, the deafening roar—all had quieted. The difference in strength between Ei and the Shogun was now undeniable. 

Ei replied, "It was indeed 'Musou.'" 

"I've come to understand something. Inazuma is not my Inazuma alone—it belongs to its people. They have their own joys and sorrows, their own loves and hatreds. They carry their own dreams. In the past, I denied all of this, but now I see how wrong I was. Pursuing one's wishes does not inevitably lead to tragedy—it can also bring forth something beautiful." 

The reason for the blade determines its limit. 

"This secret technique gathers the power of countless truths, the strength of a hundred thousand visions, and purges all curses and malevolence." 

"...I see. So this is how you've grown." 

The Shogun could see it—this strike bore traces of that divine official's "Musou no Hitotachi." Back then, the divine official had wielded the combined will of Inazuma's people. Now, Ei, as the Almighty Shogun, carried the dreams of her people upon her back. 

"What is this strike called?" 

"'Musou Shinsetsu.'" 

The word "Musou" could refer to the dreams of thousands, or to the blade in her hand—Musou Ishin. Both were tied to the past, to Makoto. 

"Shinsetsu" meant a new doctrine—a symbol that the old Inazuma had ended, and a new chapter was beginning. 

The Shogun lowered her blade. "Enough. You've won." 

"You've surpassed your past. The will of eternity cannot open new paths. I underestimated your soul—your resolve." 

"In the past, I failed to inherit Makoto's will. But now, bearing the gaze of thousands who look toward the light, I finally understand why she was right. With every strike I make, Musou Ishin awakens further. This was her gift—holding it, I feel as though I stand beside her. Familiar, yet unfamiliar... She has always been with me. So I must inherit her will and stride forward into the future." 

These words were the final conclusion to their centuries-long battle. 

Raiden Ei had finally walked the path of Raiden Makoto. 

"I acknowledge this." The Shogun's voice was calm. "Your change does not stem from erosion. This body will no longer hinder your revisions of the divine principles. I remain... your ally." 

"I will no longer impose unchangeable laws. Nothing in this world is truly eternal—all things shift with the passage of time." 

The only true constant was death. All things would eventually fade—except for change itself. 

In the time since the battle at Tenshukaku, this was the truth Ei had come to understand. The lives of Inazuma's people five hundred years ago and now were vastly different. 

Their clothing, their food, even the streets of Inazuma City—all had changed. Walking through the market with Yae Miko, she had witnessed countless new things. 

She also knew that people were ever-changing. The beliefs of one generation might not pass to the next. Just because the heads of the Kamisato and Kujou clans were once trustworthy did not mean their descendants would be. Blind faith was dangerous. Without restraint, humanity's darker nature could spiral into something terrifying. 

"Then it is settled. I shall be your shadow, just as you were once Makoto's." The Shogun paused. "Though, as a warrior, I hope we may cross blades like this again." 

"Do you resent this outcome?" 

"No. This was... a novel experience. One worth remembering." 

"Then... even back at Tenshukaku, you wavered, didn't you?" 

If the current Ei had faltered before the "Musou no Hitotachi," then the Shogun—the embodiment of her past self—must have as well. That strike had carried the hopes, frustrations, and desires for change of Inazuma's people. 

"...I did." 

The Shogun had wavered. But she could not act. Bound by the rules of eternity, she had no choice but to remain unchanging. 

And so, the conflict between Ei and the Shogun reached its end. 

Five hundred years of struggle had finally led Ei to understand Makoto's will—and to vow to carry it forward. 

The spectators approached from the sidelines. Paimon, ever impatient, spoke first. "So... is it really over?" 

Ei did not answer. 

Her attention was fixed on Musou Ishin. 

Makoto's blade, now in her hands, began to glow faintly. A single point of light drifted free, hovering before them. 

Then— 

A presence emerged. 

A consciousness. 

A spirit. 

"Hello, Ei. And to all of you who bore witness—I am the former Electro Archon, the one who caused you all so much trouble: Raiden Makoto." 

A voice that did not belong to anyone present echoed softly. The voice of a god who had fallen in Khaenri'ah five centuries ago. 

Ei's sister. 

"Makoto...?" Ei whispered. 

Li Mo lowered his head, refusing to listen. His fingertips brushed the ground, power silently spreading outward. 

He already knew what came next. 

"I'm so happy, Ei. I knew you would reach this point someday. I left a fragment of my will within Musou Ishin. Only when you could fully wield its power would I be released. As for why I chose such a roundabout method... well, the Ei of that time was far too stubborn to listen." 

A soft laugh. 

"I didn't have time to wait for you to change your mind. Forgive me for resorting to this." 

"...You never spoke of this. Not once." 

"Everything happened too suddenly. I regret leaving Inazuma to you so abruptly. These truths... I should have guided you to them gradually, so you wouldn't cling to 'Musou' so fiercely." 

"You sensed what would happen in Khaenri'ah." 

"To some extent. For the Archons, it was impossible to ignore. As I am now, I've lost all sense of time. I don't know how long it's been, nor what hardships you've endured. But I know you persevered. And I know... there must have been times you wanted to cry." 

Ei's grip on Musou Ishin tightened. "You underestimate me." 

"Ah, so you admit it." The voice was fond. "Because I considered this possibility, I left you one final gift—to ease Inazuma's suffering. Come, before my consciousness fades... accept it." 

"But the most important step... is yours to take." 

The light dissipated. 

A single seed fell into Ei's palm. 

Li Mo finally looked up—and withdrew his power.