The Echo of Thunder

The storm had passed, but the air still crackled with remnants of its fury. Electricity lingered in the atmosphere, weaving through the mist like phantom veins of light. Ash stood among the fallen Raijū Hunters, his breath shallow, his muscles tight with the lingering strain of battle. The ground bore the scars of combat—scorched earth, shattered stone, the lingering scent of ozone and blood. Bodies lay twisted in final repose, their weapons still crackling with dying sparks.

For a moment, silence reigned, broken only by the distant roll of thunder retreating across the sky.

Then, a sound.

Not the wind. Not the fading echoes of battle. Something else.

A presence.

Ash turned sharply, his grip tightening around the hilt of his blade. Beyond the mist, past the wreckage of the storm, something shifted—subtle, deliberate. Predatory. A shadow darker than the rest.

Rin's voice crackled in his earpiece, hushed but urgent.

"Ash, you need to move. Now."

"I see it." His voice was low, controlled, but inside, the Oni-Wraith stirred—a cold whisper threading through his veins, urging him forward.

From the mist emerged a lone figure.

Tall. Shrouded in black armor that pulsed with an eerie blue light. Their helm bore no insignia, no mark of allegiance, but Ash knew.

A Raijin.

Unlike the hunters, the Raijin were not mere warriors. They were executioners. Ghosts of the storm, wielders of divine wrath.

Ash exhaled slowly. His body screamed for rest, but he had no choice. He shifted his stance, feet bracing against the uneven ground, sword raised.

The Raijin did not speak. They merely lifted their weapon—a Raijin-naginata, its blade forged from living lightning. The energy surged along the polearm, illuminating the mist in violent blue light.

Then they moved.

Faster than sight. Faster than thought.

The first strike came like a lightning bolt splitting the heavens. Ash twisted, the Oni-Wraith's power surging through his limbs. Shadow merged with motion, his body shifting like smoke. The Raijin-naginata carved through empty air, severing mist where his head had been a moment before.

A counter.

Ash lashed out, his blade arcing in a precise, vicious strike toward the Raijin's exposed flank. Steel met energy in a blinding flash. The impact rippled outward in a concussive blast, sending Ash skidding backward. His feet dug into the charred earth, absorbing the force, barely staying upright.

Rin's voice returned. "This isn't like the hunters, Ash. You can't fight this thing head-on."

She was right. The Raijin was different. Calculated. Relentless.

It advanced with inhuman precision, adapting instantly. Where Ash fought with instinct, the Raijin fought with inevitability—a force of nature given form.

A second strike.

Ash moved, but not fast enough. The Raijin-naginata's energy blade sang through the air, the force of its passing alone enough to distort reality. The shockwave blasted him off his feet, sending him into a roll. He recovered instantly, spinning to face his enemy, blade raised.

The Raijin did not relent.

A third strike.

Ash saw it, but the attack was faster than he could react.

The Raijin-naginata connected—not with flesh, but with shadow. The Oni-Wraith surged instinctively, wrapping him in darkness. The blade passed through mist and illusion, cutting through nothing.

For the first time, the Raijin hesitated.

A moment. That was all Ash needed.

He struck, moving with the unnatural speed of the Wraith within. His blade met armor, the impact resonating like a temple bell. Sparks erupted, energy crackled, the Raijin's form flickered like a dying star.

Not a fatal blow. Not yet. But enough.

The mist thickened. Shadows coiled.

Then, the Raijin was gone.

Ash exhaled heavily, lowering his sword. The storm had passed, but its message was clear.

The hunt was not over.

The Void – Oni-Wraith

From the abyss, the Oni-Wraith observed. The battle had pushed the synchronization further.

78% → 85%.

The chains weakened. The storm had spoken.

The Shogun's trial was far from finished.