Chapter 33: The Musou no Hitotachi
"So what if I can't block it?"
The young man picked up his sword that had been flung aside and gripped it tightly.
"Whether I can withstand it or not is one thing. Whether I face it or not is another, right?"
As he watched the Raiden Shogun descend from Tenshukaku, the young man began to tremble.
Was it because of the intimidation that an Archon naturally excludes? Or is he afraid of the rampant lightning?
Neither.
He was trembling because of excitement.
That strike was the Musou no Hitotachi.
And it was a strike that countless warriors dreamed of.
It represented the pinnacle of martial arts and was the ultimate goal of all warriors.
Who knows the hardships faced by a warrior, even in death, their valor would be admired.
To face the Musou no Hitotachi was both his lifelong pursuit and his bid for a chance at victory.
Feeling the thunderous might emanating from Tenshukaku, Kujou Sara sighed and stepped aside to clear the way for the Shogun.
The moment the young man had thrown down his weapon, the outcome of the duel had already been decided.
And the strike he sought was about to descend.
With a thunder-imbued sword in her hand, the Raiden Shogun descended the long staircase of Tenshukaku, step by step.
Ordinary stairs seemed to transform into a stairway to the world's end as she stepped on them.
At the end of this stairway was not paradise but endless, raging thunderstorms.
The sword named Musou Isshin, born from the divine power of the Electro Archon Baal.
Though its blade had never been sharpened, the presence or absence of an edge did not diminish the authority of the Musou no Hitotachi.
Lightning wrapped around Musou Isshin, making the sword radiate an aura of destruction.
The flickering lightning even gave the impression of space being torn apart.
After descending the stairs, the Raiden Shogun slowly opened her previously closed eyes.
It might have been an illusion, but her usually emotionless eyes seemed to carry a certain gleam.
At the same time, the Shogun's symbolic Raiment of a Thousand Eyes and a Hundred Arms appeared behind her.
"Can I resist?"
The young man felt a tingling sensation all over his body, his hair standing on end due to the lightning.
Goosebumps covered his skin.
"As you wish."
The Raiden Shogun raised Musou Isshin, unexpectedly responding to him.
Whether it was an illusion or not, compared to her initial emotionless "hmm," the young man thought her voice now carried a hint of gentleness.
With her permission, the young man raised his unremarkable sword.
Compared to Musou Isshin, his sword was old and worn.
The blade had visible nicks, and the hilt wrapping was slightly faded.
The young man's Vision began to glow, and tendrils of lightning climbed the blade.
But compared to the Shogun's lightning, his was like the moonlight compared to a faint glimmer.
It wouldn't even attract the attention of onlookers.
The surrounding soldiers, including the representatives of the Tri-Commission, were already prostrate on the ground.
This was divine might, and also divine punishment.
Even looking at it with the naked eye carried the risk of being blinded by the lightning.
The heads of the Tenryou Commission and the Kanjou Commission had intended to use this spectacle to intimidate the Fatui, hoping to leverage more benefits.
Unexpectedly, those intimidated ended up being themselves.
The sky gradually darkened, as if the light dared not compete with the Musou no Hitotachi.
With the sound of thunder, the Raiden Shogun's sword fell.
In the young man's eyes, the Shogun's figure seemed to grow infinitely taller, as did her sword.
Under this sword, he felt incredibly insignificant.
Even his soul seemed to be on the verge of being severed.
But he neither evaded nor cried out.
Instead, he swung his blade towards the seemingly endless strike.
Yes, his fighting style had always been primarily defensive.
But today, for the first time, he chose to take the initiative.
Clang—
The thunder-imbued Musou Isshin clashed with the equally thunder-imbued but unknown sword.
Lightning flashed, and Musou Isshin effortlessly cut through the blade, striking the young man without pausing.
Boom—
Blinding lightning ravaged the entire training ground, turning the sturdy floor to powder and leaving only scorched earth.
Bai Luo held onto the fluffily puffed-up and struggling white cat, not daring to let go.
He knew that if he loosened his grip, the cat would rush into the lightning without hesitation.
Could it be...he knew I was here, so he sent the cat over?
Upon reflection, it seemed quite possible.
For a duel of this caliber, Bai Luo would definitely be present.
And the young man happened to know about his invisibility technique, capable of deceiving all senses.
Sigh, if I can help, I might as well help. Anyway, this level of commotion won't interrupt my invisibility.
As for a cat disappearing here, no one would notice.
Even the fiercest beast wouldn't dare face such powerful lightning.
The lightning gradually dissipated, leaving behind only scorched earth and the smiling corpse of the young man.
Indeed, somehow the Raiden Shogun had preserved his body, preventing it from becoming part of the land's nutrients.
"Give him a proper burial."
With Musou Isshin lowered by her side, the Raiden Shogun raised her free hand.
A lightning-attributed Vision floated up from the young man's body, drifting towards her hand.
"Stop!!"
A blade, carrying a violent wind, cut through the air with a sonic boom, knocking the Vision out of the air.
Kaedehara Kazuha stood at the edge of the training ground, still in a throwing posture.
Behind him lay several unconscious or dead Tenryou Commission soldiers.
The usually peaceful wind around him was now agitated by his emotions.
He caught the long sword brought back by the wind and looked mournfully at his lifeless friend.
"Be careful, Your Excellency!"
Kamisato Ayato, who had been waiting on the sidelines, immediately rushed forward to meet Kazuha.
Ayato only used his martial skills to block Kazuha's attack, not his elemental power.
His combat prowess had always been a mystery in Inazuma.
If not for Kazuha's impulsive act, Ayato wouldn't have revealed his strength.
But he had no choice.
To outsiders, it seemed he was trying to impress the Raiden Shogun, who rarely left Tenshukaku.
In reality, he was ensuring the Shogun wouldn't rashly use the Musou no Hitotachi.
Otherwise, Kazuha wouldn't survive.
As Ayato had anticipated, standing in front of the Shogun as the head of the Kamisato Clan made her immediately lower Musou Isshin.
No matter how ruthless, the Shogun wouldn't carelessly harm a member of the Tri-Commission.
They represented the foundation of Inazuma.
If something happened to him, Inazuma would suffer greatly.
Just as Ayato was contemplating how to break the stalemate, an unexpected event occurred.
From beneath a sakura tree in the corner of the training ground, another red figure dashed out.
He grabbed the young man's broken weapon and charged towards the Raiden Shogun...or rather, towards the Vision in front of her.
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