Chapter 32

"The path of eternity is vast, and the Narukami is eternal."

This is the battle cry of the soldiers of Inazuma as they march to the front lines.

The so-called Narukami refers to the great Narukami Ogosho, the Raiden Shogun.

From the moment of birth, humans are filled with a strong longing and curiosity for the world. This is the anchor of their understanding of the world and the foundation of their rationality.

The world of the people of Inazuma is no different.

Long ago, there was wind, rain, and lightning; there was light from the heavens and the vast sea... and there was the Raiden Shogun.

It was the Shogun who summoned the lightning, igniting the trees and bringing fire to the people.

It was the Shogun who called forth the rain, nourishing the land and bringing abundance to the people.

It was the Shogun who protected Inazuma, defeating the demon gods and bringing peace to the people.

The Shogun's might has long transcended the constraints of life, becoming a faith passed down through generations in Inazuma.

Under this might and power, people have every reason to believe that their descendants will witness the same scenery, build their inner worlds with the same faith, and continue this legacy.

This is the eternal paradise promised by the Shogun to her people!

Even though two of the three commissions have been infiltrated by the Fatui, the Shogun's lightning remains as radiant as ever.

The woman stepping out of Tenshukaku wore a fitted purple kimono adorned with gentian flowers.

Compared to traditional kimonos, this one's collar was not tightly fastened but instead spread open toward the shoulders, while the hem was shorter than usual, reaching only to the thighs.

This was a practical outfit for combat, both elegant and unrestrictive.

Her dark purple hair was tied into a braid that hung down her back, the color fading toward the ends.

Though such a hairstyle might remind one of a village woman, on her, it was perfectly suited.

Her hair accessories were minimal, consisting only of a combination of a gentian flower and a folding fan.

Golden tassels hung behind her ears, adding a touch of nobility.

The most striking feature was the beauty mark at the corner of her right eye. Its presence did not detract from her beauty but instead softened the coldness in her gaze.

"The path of eternity is vast! The Narukami is eternal!"

After the Raiden Shogun emerged, led by Kujou Sara, the crowd chanted this slogan that had already echoed throughout Inazuma.

The Raiden Shogun's expression remained impassive, her light purple eyes flickering faintly with lightning.

Bai Luo crouched on a cherry blossom tree near Tenshukaku's training grounds, not daring to breathe too loudly.

He wasn't sure if the Raiden Shogun would sense his presence.

Fortunately, after she appeared, her gaze fell more on the young man who had challenged Kujou Sara to a duel before the throne, seemingly unaware of Bai Luo's invisibility. This allowed him to relax slightly.

"Hmm."

There were no lengthy speeches, no pre-battle rallying cries.

The Raiden Shogun stood tall before Tenshukaku, responding to her people's enthusiasm with an emotionless demeanor.

As the puppet pushed to the forefront by the Electro Archon, the Raiden Shogun only did what was necessary and avoided what was not.

A duel before the throne was merely a matter of nodding for her; there was no third option.

Kujou Sara, already familiar with the Raiden Shogun's style, took a deep breath and stepped down the stairs onto the training grounds.

Seeing this, the young man set down the white cat in his arms, gently patting its head to signal it to wait elsewhere.

Coincidentally, the cat ran toward the only cherry blossom tree in the training grounds, making Bai Luo, who had been hiding there, tense up.

"At this point, there's no turning back. Do you have any unfulfilled wishes? I'll do my best to help you achieve them."

Drawing her tachi, Kujou Sara sighed inwardly.

"Wishes?"

The young man spat out the blade of grass he had been chewing and gripped his own sword, his gaze burning as he looked up at the Shogun.

"I've already eaten the food I wanted to eat, and I've seen Tenshukaku. Other than the Musou no Hitotachi, I have no other desires."

"I understand."

So he seeks only death?

As the flag-bearing general Shimada Masayuki lowered his arm, the duel before the throne officially began.

Both were wielders of Electro Visions, and their fighting styles were equally swift and decisive.

Kujou Sara was the first to strike, her blade trailing lightning as she aimed for her opponent's head.

The swordsmanship of Inazuma, tracing its origins, actually stems from one person.

That person is the Raiden Shogun.

Polearm techniques, swordsmanship, and even the art of forging blades were all directly passed down by the Shogun.

Over time, these techniques branched out differently depending on the individual.

But at their core, one could still see traces of their shared origin.

Thus, aside from the influence of Visions, such duels also depended on each combatant's understanding and application of swordsmanship.

Kujou Sara's swordsmanship was honed in the military, its broad, sweeping movements carrying an air of solemnity.

After being trained by the Raiden Shogun, it also gained a touch of divine authority.

Her opponent, however, was different.

Having wandered the world for years, his swordplay always left room for flexibility.

This led to him being initially suppressed by Kujou Sara.

Even so, it didn't mean he was destined to lose.

In a way, Kujou Sara was a burst-type fighter, while the young man was more of an endurance-type.

Though her momentum was fierce, once her initial burst of energy was spent, the advantage would shift to the young man.

The first surge of energy wanes, the second weakens, and the third exhausts.

If she couldn't defeat him with that initial burst, it would be his turn to counterattack.

But as the fight progressed, Kujou Sara began to sense something was off.

The members of the Tri-Commission observing the duel were no longer seated.

After all, if the Raiden Shogun was standing, how could they dare to sit?

Among those watching, Kamisato Ayato also noticed something amiss.

To others, the head of the Kamisato Clan, who was often occupied with political affairs, might seem to know only basic swordsmanship for self-defense.

Little did they know, he was also a Vision holder with considerable combat prowess.

He could see that Kujou Sara's initial burst of energy was nearly spent, yet the young man had not taken the opportunity to counterattack.

For most of the fight, Kujou Sara was on the offensive, while the young man calmly parried and countered.

Even when openings appeared, he seemed to ignore them, letting the opportunities slip by.

This was less of a duel before the throne and more of a farce.

"Clang—"

Seizing an opportunity, Kujou Sara flicked her tachi, disarming the young man and pressing the blade to his neck.

The young man offered no resistance, even willingly dropping his weapon and allowing himself to be subdued.

By now, not only Kamisato Ayato but even Hiiragi Shinsuke, who was not known for his combat skills, could see that something was wrong.

"Do you even realize what you're doing?!"

The cold blade pressed against his neck, Kujou Sara's hand trembled slightly.

She had never believed her swordsmanship could surpass his, as she primarily relied on archery.

Her plan had been to use her swordsmanship to lower his guard, then switch to her bow to catch him off guard and win the duel.

But she had never expected the duel before the throne to end in such a farcical manner.

"I need to save my strength for the Shogun's blade."

The young man's eyes held a hint of apology.

He understood what this duel meant to her.

Yet he had undermined the solemnity of the duel before the throne.

"You won't survive it."

Sheathing her tachi, Kujou Sara spoke with grave seriousness.

Having fought alongside the Raiden Shogun for years, she had been fortunate enough to witness the Shogun's power.

That single strike, the pinnacle of the Raiden Shogun's martial prowess.

It had reached a level beyond thought, beyond mind, and beyond compare.

No one could survive that strike.

Not even a demon god.