The fight between Lumine and La Signora was still going, but La Signora was clearly at the end of her rope.
Lumine truly was a rare combat genius. Once she adapted to La Signora's attack rhythm, every move from the Harbinger failed to land.
Between bursts of fire and her nimble footwork, every slash of Lumine's sword cut fresh wounds into La Signora's body.
Crimson blood splattered across the ground, mixing with the searing flames into a deadly palette of red and gold.
"Need a hand?" Lu Chen asked.
"Of course! Obviously I do!" Lumine shot back. She had no intention of dragging this out just to win solo—taking down La Signora wouldn't even earn her a pile of Mora.
She just wanted the fight over with. Once La Signora and Scaramouche were out of the way, an even more terrifying battle awaited—
The clash between the two Raiden Shoguns was still undecided, and only when that puppet general was put down for good would this be truly over.
"Alright." Lu Chen set Scaramouche's limp body on the ground, his gaze locking firmly onto La Signora.
"Still resisting? You're the last one standing."
A sharp wave of danger surged through La Signora. Beneath her mask, her blood-red eyes blazed with even more frenzy and desperation.
She hesitated only for a heartbeat—
Then burst into manic laughter as her entire body ignited in roaring flames.
"Burn!"
"Burn this world!"
"Leave not even the ashes!!!"
With her eruption, the temperature spiked violently. The dome of the Tenshukaku was scorched away, and thick smoke rolled into the sky, choking the air.
From the raging inferno, massive fireballs began to crash down like a meteor shower of pure flame—spectacular and deadly.
"Burning Sky Meteor!"
Wreathed in flames, La Signora directed the meteors' descent—all of them hurtling straight toward Lu Chen.
He was forced to scoop up Scaramouche, grab Lumine, and dart through the blackened ruins to dodge them.
The elemental energy around them was nearly drained, and he couldn't be sure how long the Jade Shield would hold. Playing it safe, he decided to lean entirely on the thing he trusted most—his speed.
"This woman's insane," Lumine muttered, staring at the crazed figure in the center of the hall.
"She's fighting with nothing to lose," Lu Chen said flatly. "Once this ends, neither I nor Ei—nor anyone in this nation—will let her walk away. She's cornered, and she knows it."
"How scary, how scary!" Paimon squeaked, clinging to Lu Chen's collar as his speed left her no choice but to hang on for dear life.
Following Lu Chen's lead, they burst out of the firestorm and into the open air outside Tenshukaku.
The once-proud tower was now nothing but ruins. Countless onlookers gazed up at the highest point of Inazuma Castle, none daring to approach.
The battle of gods was far beyond mortal reach; all they could do was pray that the mighty would quell the storm and keep Inazuma safe.
La Signora emerged from the flames, her former elegance burned away to a monstrous visage. Her gaze swept the scene, locking instantly onto Lu Chen.
Another rain of meteors came crashing down.
"That's enough already!" Lu Chen tossed Scaramouche to Lumine and stepped forward.
The surrounding area's elemental energy was nearly spent—he couldn't even muster a proper Jade Shield. But...
Elemental mastery wasn't his only strength.
Pouring all his power into the throw, Lu Chen hurled the Skyward Blade forward.
The blade tore through the raging flames, carrying unstoppable momentum straight toward La Signora.
Her pupils shrank sharply beneath her mask. She tried to evade, wings snapping open to whip up a massive vortex of fire, hoping to slow the sword's path.
But at that exact moment, Lu Chen shot forward like a cannonball.
His fist drove a turbulent wave of air ahead of him, scattering the fiery vortex so completely that not a spark touched his clothes.
La Signora barely avoided the lethal Skyward Blade—yet in dodging, the sword's energy grazed her waist and abdomen, carving a deep wound to the bone.
She had no time to react. When she turned back, Lu Chen's fist was already inches from her face.
"Charged—Boom Fist!"
The sickening crack of bone and flesh rang out.
Time seemed to freeze. After the last meteors fell from the sky, the scorched ruins lay silent for a long, long moment.
The flames slowly died. Tenshukaku was nothing but broken walls and scattered rubble.
Lumine and Paimon peered into the smoke, searching for any sign of Lu Chen.
"He..." Paimon murmured uncertainly.
"Did we win?"
"We should... maybe... I think so?" Lumine said, unsure, but certain that no more sounds of battle came from within.
At last, Lu Chen's soot-blackened figure emerged, kicking aside a collapsed beam. A relaxed smile tugged at his lips.
"Of course we won."
Lumine and Paimon rushed to him at once.
"You nearly gave me a heart attack! That was way too reckless!" Lumine scolded.
La Signora had already been moments from collapse—Lumine thought Lu Chen would drag it out a bit, wearing her down before finishing her. She hadn't expected him to charge headlong without hesitation. Reckless didn't even begin to cover it.
"Time waits for no one," Lu Chen replied. Just then, Miko and Nahida came hurrying toward them.
"That fight just now... was incredible!" Nahida's eyes sparkled, her expression still filled with awe after watching it all.
"Where's Ei? Where's the puppet general?" Miko asked, scanning the ruins but seeing no sign of them.
"They're fighting in the consciousness space." Lu Chen turned to Miko immediately. "Take us to the consciousness space storage at Mt. Yougou—now!"
"Got it!" Miko nodded briskly. "Where's your anchor point? We'll head to the base of Mt. Yougou first, then I'll get you up there."
"Wait." Lu Chen paused, then nudged the unconscious Scaramouche with his foot.
"Bring this kid too. Letting him run off would be trouble."
Miko crouched to check his breathing.
"Still alive..." She clicked her tongue. "But after this fight, with that scrawny body, he won't recover for at least a year."
She let out a small laugh. "This brat's been causing chaos everywhere, strutting around all arrogant. Now, finally, someone's put him in his place."
Lu Chen shook his head with a smile. "He's stubborn. Once he latches onto someone, trouble follows."
"I'm not so sure," Miko said with a sly grin.
"Oh? And why's that?" Lu Chen asked.
"If you take him back to your other world, with a whole bunch of gods watching him day in, day out—do you really think he'd dare make trouble?"
"Uh..." Lu Chen blinked. She... might actually have a point.