Beads of sweat the size of pearls rolled down Raiden Ei's forehead, yet her gaze remained resolute and unwavering.
She gripped the bullet wounds with both hands, desperately trying to suppress the strange power spreading inside her with sheer force of will.
But the force seemed to possess a will of its own, stubbornly resisting her control and continuing to surge deeper into her body.
Without a word, Shao Yun cocked the hammer of his Cowboy Revolver again and fired a shot into her left kneecap.
Raiden Ei's body jolted violently, lurching to the side.
A second shot followed, shattering her right knee.
With both knees destroyed, she lost her balance and collapsed heavily to the ground.
Yet, as an Archon, her vitality far exceeded that of mortals. Even with such devastating injuries, she did not die.
Lying prone, her skin pale as paper, Raiden Ei showed no expression despite the waves of pain and the rapid loss of life coursing through her.
Her eyes gazed blankly into the sky of the Plane of Euthymia, enduring agony without a sound.
She coughed weakly, her voice rasping as she murmured, "Cough... So that's it. Now I understand what the Shogun meant by a power from beyond this world."
"I thought it was Abyssal... but now I see. You're worse than the Abyss."
Shao Yun crouched down, picking up Micah's Revolver from where he had casually discarded it, then slowly walked to stand before the fallen Archon.
Lowering his head slightly, he stared coldly at her and finally voiced the question that had haunted him.
"Before I kill you... answer me this. I heard from Yae Miko that the Raiden Shogun hadn't held a Vision Hunt ceremony in over a month. So why... did she suddenly hold one that day?"
Why would the Raiden Shogun—who had reportedly remained secluded for a month—suddenly decide to conduct that absurd ritual?
Raiden Ei, her face cold as frost, met his gaze without fear.
After a moment of silence, she replied faintly, "Let me think… I recall the Shogun developed some minor malfunctions after being affected by leyline disorder."
"For example, she sometimes shut down the thunderstorm barrier over Inazuma's outer seas... or suddenly initiated plans to repeal the Vision Hunt Decree."
"I believed she'd recover on her own. But after a month, the malfunctions persisted. So, I repaired her—and had her carry out the long-delayed hundredth Vision Hunt ceremony."
Shao Yun's eyes widened in disbelief. He shouted, "So you're telling me... that day's ceremony was a coincidence?!"
He had long suspected some elaborate conspiracy. But now? Just coincidence? Was this world no more than some absurd "Waiting for Godot" play?
Raiden Ei nodded slightly. "That's right. Why?"
A bitter smile tugged at Shao Yun's lips. His voice brimmed with mockery and resignation. "If you'd waited just one more day to fix her... you wouldn't be in this mess."
Raiden Ei frowned slightly, puzzled. "You? What do you mean?"
Shao Yun raised Micah's Revolver and pointed it at her head. His voice turned cold.
"I couldn't care less about your Vision Hunt Decree or your Isolation Decree. You could've slaughtered all of Inazuma, and I wouldn't have lifted a finger."
"I came here with Lumine... just to see you. That's it. And then we were going to leave."
"But what you should never have done—what you damn well shouldn't have done—was lay a hand on Lumine."
Raiden Ei blinked, surprised by his words. "See me? What do you mean by that?"
Now that death was inevitable, Shao Yun had no reason to hide anything. He laid everything bare.
"Our journey had two goals," he said calmly. "First, to help Lumine recover her lost power. Second, we came on behalf of Barbatos and Morax."
At the mention of Barbatos and Morax, Raiden Ei's expression shifted subtly—surprise, perhaps? But she quickly regained her composure.
"I see..."
But Shao Yun continued, his voice turning sharp and unrelenting. "But that doesn't change a damn thing. I'm still going to kill you."
Raiden Ei smiled faintly, exhaling through her nose. Her tone was light, almost detached.
"Say what you like. But I have a feeling... you'll die a miserable death. A very miserable one."
Shao Yun gripped Micah's Revolver tightly, its barrel aimed at her temple. "You're right. Many people will die."
Raiden Ei glanced at the old revolver in his hand, raising an eyebrow. A trace of contempt flickered in her eyes.
With a mocking smile, she said, "You think you can kill a god with that rusty hunk of metal? You should be using the weapon that shattered Musou Isshin."
Shao Yun didn't budge. His grip tightened. His eyes hardened.
His voice dropped low—heavy with meaning. "The Spear of Longinus... was just a simple spear, once."
Raiden Ei furrowed her brow. "Spear of... what? What is that?"
The air grew cold with his killing intent. His voice turned glacial.
"Ask Him yourself—in heaven."
For a fleeting moment, a mix of emotion flashed across Raiden Ei's face—shock, bitterness, maybe even peace.
Yet she smiled.
"So, this... is my fate. Still... I'll never abandon my pursuit of eternity."
Shao Yun pressed his lips into a thin line. He stared down at the dying god and spoke solemnly.
"I don't care if you do or not. Now... any last words?"
"Euthymia... shatter…" Raiden Ei whispered, offering her farewell to the world.
She slowly closed her eyes, her face serene.
She knew her end had come, and she did not fear it. She had done all she could.
Images flashed through her mind—memories of her long and lonely existence.
She had witnessed countless partings and endless battles, yet she had always clung to her vision of eternity.
Meanwhile, Shao Yun whispered a silent prayer.
"May the Archon forgive my sins. And if I cannot be forgiven... cast me into the seventh circle of hell."
He took a deep breath. His finger gently squeezed the trigger.
Bang.
The shot echoed like a thunderclap.
The Plane of Euthymia fell silent.
Shao Yun stood still, gazing blankly at the scene before him.
He was waiting—for the same fate that befell the one who had slain the Salt Archon, Havria.
...
Elsewhere, the Man with a Top Hat watched as a white rift closed in the distance, his expression tinged with regret.
He murmured to himself, "Looks like... he chose not to come back."
But no one could ever know what he truly felt.
At that moment, Raiden Makoto knelt, hands over her eyes, her expression twisted with pain.
She cried out, "Why?! He could've changed the past! Why didn't he?!"
Her voice rang with desperation. Could anyone truly reject a chance to rewrite the past?
The Man with a Top Hat slowly put away the Sacred Sakura seed and answered calmly, "If you want to know, ask him yourself... though I'm afraid you no longer have that chance."
With that, his figure vanished into nothingness, as though he had never existed.
Left alone, Raiden Makoto slowly lowered her hands, staring into the void.
Her body began to dissolve into pink petals—sakura blossoms.
In her final moments, she whispered softly,
"Little fox... Inazuma is in your hands now…"
But before she could finish, her body vanished entirely—becoming a shower of petals that scattered through the space.
With that, both Raiden Shoguns were gone.
Their fates, like sakura blossoms—brilliant and fleeting—left behind only sorrow and awe.
...
Back in the Plane of Euthymia, Shao Yun stared quietly at Beelzebul's body.
Her form lay still, yet began to glow with harsh violet light. Tiny arcs of lightning coiled around her like serpents, pulsing wildly.
Shao Yun stood at peace. He could feel the rampaging Archon power surging inside her, desperate to break free.
The flashing light intensified. Her skin blackened, muscles tearing apart—consumed by uncontrollable lightning and fire.
The godly force inside Beelzebul ravaged her fragile vessel, trying to escape, to unleash destruction.
Shao Yun sighed. He knew this moment would come.
He closed his eyes. Spread his arms. Awaited the end.
In that moment, he felt perfectly calm. Ready for death.
But as the Plane of Euthymia trembled and cracked apart like shattered glass—
No pain came.
'Am I already dead? Was it so fast I didn't even feel it?' he wondered.