Early that morning, Etsuko had already set up camp. Now she was busy tidying her belongings—an overwhelming pile of books spread across the table. Once the rain stopped, the investigation would continue, so she hastened to pack them all into her bag, lest she be caught unprepared.
But… there were simply too many books. She had no idea which to take.
"This one's important… this one too…"
She stuffed them in one after another.
"Ah, and this one—oh no!"
Thud…
A book slipped from her hands, falling to the ground. Thankfully, it landed inside the tent, safe from the rain.
As she bent down to retrieve it, a figure had already stepped into her sight—slender fingers reaching down first, lifting the book gracefully. That fair, refined hand belonged unmistakably to someone of noble bearing. And in that instant, her gaze was drawn further still—to the exquisite kimono of the stranger before her.
"Th-thank you… um…"
She accepted the book, flustered, and tried to speak.
"You are… Etsuko?"
The Shogun's voice was soft, tentative, carrying into Etsuko's ears with such calm that it dispelled her caution.
"Ah… y-yes, that's me. Hello!"
Etsuko greeted her awkwardly, bewildered that this stranger knew her name. She took a closer look at the beauty beneath the parasol. Why had she come? Was camping here forbidden? Could she be from the Tenryou Commission?!
"There's no need to be nervous. I am no foe—just an adventurer."
The Shogun answered with the practiced tone she used when speaking as an adventurer.
"Eh? You're… an adventurer?!"
Etsuko gasped, covering her mouth.
No way. Were adventurers this beautiful now? Was the guild's bar set this high? In that moment, she despaired for her own standing—how could she compete?
"…Is that so strange?"
The Shogun noticed her shifting expression and asked curiously.
"N-no, not at all. Haha… Um… are you here to explore the island too? Like the others?"
Etsuko shook her head, pushing aside her scattered thoughts, and asked earnestly.
"Indeed… and I accepted your commission."
The Shogun produced the slip of paper from her sleeve, handing it to her.
"A commission? Ah! I see! You're here to help us with the deciphering, aren't you?"
At last Etsuko understood, her tone brightening with relief. This was like rain after a drought—she had fretted over how to proceed after the storm, and now aid had come.
"…Deciphering? What do you mean?"
The Shogun lowered her gaze and asked quietly.
"To be frank… the thunderstorms over Seirai Island are spreading. Soon they may engulf the entire island."
The Shogun lifted her eyes toward the distance, where the violet storm blazed across the sky. Even here, the very air seemed thick with crackling Electro.
"…Why is it spreading?"
She turned her gaze back to Etsuko.
"Strange, isn't it? We don't know. But each time it spreads, it advances by the same distance—almost as if something were guiding it, marking its boundary."
Etsuko sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead.
"Taisuke insists it's divine wrath—punishment from the gods to prevent mortals from trespassing upon their will."
Not divine will… more like the lingering hatred of the Thunderbird, Kapatcir.
So that was why it had entrusted her with the feather, warning of this very disaster.
"Um… are you listening?"
Etsuko noticed her silence and asked nervously.
"Speak, I am listening."
The Shogun reassured her calmly.
"Mm… At first I didn't believe him either, but then we found something unusual scattered across the island. Strange stone altars."
"Altars?"
The Shogun's violet eyes narrowed.
"Yes. Taisuke researched them in an old text. They're called 'Warding Stones.'"
Etsuko pulled several photographs from her pocket and handed them over.
The Shogun accepted them. The images showed squat, stone structures resembling crude snowmen—their bases broader than their tops, draped with ribbons and decorated with paper charms.
"These are mechanisms used to seal away monsters."
The Shogun explained with calm certainty.
"Wow… you really are amazing~! No wonder you're such a seasoned adventurer."
Etsuko's eyes lit up with admiration as she looked at her.
"You flatter me…"
The Shogun shook her head modestly. Though, truthfully, this had little to do with experience in battle.
"Still, these Warding Stones have long since fallen into disrepair. They're in shambles. Trying to solve such puzzles without clues is maddening… but since it's our job, we have no choice but to keep at it."
Etsuko sighed, shrugging helplessly before gazing at her with renewed hope.
"But your arrival today is truly a blessing! Since you recognize these Warding Stones, you must also understand their principles. Please—you must help us!"
Her eyes sparkled with excitement, as though she might leap forward and embrace her at any moment. Not only was this stranger knowledgeable, but she was also a dignified beauty. How enviable—her companions would be green with jealousy.
"Very well… I shall help you unravel this mystery."
The Shogun nearly slipped into her usual phrase, but corrected herself smoothly.
"Yes, yes! They're not far. Taisuke has been studying them all this time. I only came back to fetch more references. And now that the rain has stopped, we can go at once. I'll take you there~!"
Etsuko was overjoyed. She quickly slung the backpack full of documents over her shoulders and gestured for them to follow.
"One moment. I have a companion waiting. I will call her."
The Shogun had not forgotten Sara. She turned her gaze toward the stone wall where the hat-wearing girl still waited. Raising her hand, she beckoned gently.
"!"
Sara immediately dashed to her side, quick as an eager pet.
"Shogun—!"
"Shh~"
The Shogun pressed a finger to her lips in warning.
Sara instantly understood and clamped her mouth shut.
"My lady…"
She corrected herself, lowering her voice.
"Let us go."
The Shogun turned to Etsuko with Sara following closely behind.
"Mm! Please, both of you, come with me."
Overjoyed, Etsuko led the way as the three of them headed north across Seirai Island. Passing through Koseki Village and climbing the slope, they reached the cliffs near a Statue of The Seven.
The Shogun paused briefly before the statue, letting her fingers glide over the stone pillar.
Hum~
The statue glowed faintly, violet light spreading outward to repel the thick Electro energy that filled the area, preventing lightning strikes nearby. Only Sara noticed the act. Etsuko remained oblivious, walking ahead.
Indeed, the black-haired girl had no idea of the true identities of her companions. One was none other than the Raiden Shogun, Inazuma's Archon herself. The other—the Kujou Clan's own Sara of the Tenryou Commission. If she knew, she might faint on the spot.
Following Etsuko's lead, they arrived at the northern slope beyond Koseki Village, not far from a Statue of The Seven.
There, a brown-haired man in spectacles, clad in adventurer's garb, was crouched before a staff-like object resembling a shrine maiden's wand. He studied it intently.
"This seal… no, it still won't respond. Hah…"
Despite his many attempts, he had failed to activate it—he hadn't even managed to provoke a reaction. He was completely at a loss.
"Taisuke! I brought the documents for you."
Hearing multiple footsteps approaching, the man rose and turned. Etsuko stood there, accompanied by two unfamiliar women—one in a wide-brimmed hat, the other beneath a parasol.
"Ah… thanks, Etsuko. And these two are…?"
He greeted her politely, then glanced curiously at the newcomers.
"Hehe… these are our honored guests~! I've brought in a pro~fessional~."
Etsuko gestured dramatically toward the Shogun and Sara.
"An… expert?"
Taisuke blinked in surprise.
"I wouldn't call myself that… only a traveler with some experience."
The Shogun demurred softly. At her words, Sara—listening nearby—couldn't help showing a complicated expression.
"O-oh, I see. In any case, pleased to meet you. My name is Taisuke, an adventurer of the Inazuma Adventurers' Guild."
The man introduced himself respectfully. Since Etsuko vouched for them as experts, he had no reason to object. Any glimmer of hope was welcome.
"As fellow adventurers, there's no need for such formality."
The Shogun answered with serene poise.
"…"
Sara listened in stunned silence. Was her Shogun-sama always this skilled at pretending? No, no—this wasn't an act. This was simply the necessity of walking among the people. Yes, that must be it!
"Haha… still, basic manners can't be forgotten, right?"
Taisuke scratched his head sheepishly. But when his eyes caught the Shogun's face beneath the parasol, he faltered. Like Etsuko before him, he was struck dumb. Since when had the Guild become so competitive? Was she perhaps a noble's daughter dabbling in adventuring?
"Alright, enough of that! How's the research on the Warding Stones coming along?"
Etsuko cut in impatiently, steering him back to the task at hand.
"Uh… practically no progress. Just some odd traces we found."
Taisuke crouched again beside the Warding Stone, brushing aside straw to reveal faint marks.
The Shogun knelt gracefully, her fingers brushing over the patterns in the soil. After a moment of thought—
"These are… cat tracks?"
She asked calmly.
"Exactly. Pawprints. They run alongside the Warding Stone and lead out toward that path."
Taisuke pointed ahead, where slimes and hilichurls stirred.
"Cat tracks? That can't be related, right?"
Etsuko frowned in dismissal.
"…"
The Shogun's brows furrowed as she considered.
"Perhaps we should follow the trail and see—"
"No need."
"Eh?"
Taisuke blinked at her reply.
"That cat is indeed connected to the Warding Stone. But we needn't chase it."
Rising to her feet, she explained serenely.
"But—"
"She's right! Even if the tracks are strange, our focus must remain on the Warding Stones, not some stray cat."
Etsuko immediately backed her up. What was a cat compared to their true work? And with an 'expert' on hand, the choice was obvious.
"…You're not just saying that because you don't want to run around, are you?"
Taisuke shot her a look of exasperation.
"Ahem! It's called a serious, professional attitude. Anyway—let's not waste the expert's time!"
Etsuko snapped at him to be quiet.
"…Still, I can't help but be curious about that cat…"
Sara thought to herself, stifling a sigh. Why was this man so fixated?
"A cat may be one clue. But for now, what matters is reactivating this seal."
The Shogun explained with her usual calm.
"A s-seal?! So that's what it is?!"
Taisuke's eyes widened, as if he had just grasped some great truth.
"Ugh, you sound so cheap when you say it like that!" Etsuko groaned, rolling her eyes.
Etsuko groaned in frustration, feeling as if they were being treated like clueless novices. How were they supposed to look in front of this expert now?
"Indeed. This was once a mechanism for suppressing monsters, though for some reason it has now been undone."
The Shogun paid no heed to trivialities, explaining calmly.
She walked around the central Warding Stone, her measured steps circling the three rod-like devices placed around it. Each was enclosed in a faint yellow barrier, unbreakable by normal means.
"These barriers are solid. No matter the method, they cannot be dispelled. And the central Warding Stone… it has an upper and lower tier. Both can be rotated."
Taisuke followed her movements, explaining as best he could. The two of them finally stood before the Warding Stone itself.
"If rotated properly, something might happen…"
He offered his guess.
"The barriers must be removed first."
The Shogun glanced at the three surrounding wards. Then, with a casual flick of her hand—
Bzzzt…Crack!
In an instant, the barriers around all three shattered and dissolved.
"!" ×3
Etsuko and Taisuke both gasped in shock. Even Sara stared wide-eyed. How could she dispel them so quickly?
"Wow! Incredible! Just like magic—you truly are an expert!"
Etsuko clasped her hands, eyes shining with admiration.
"H-how did you do that? I didn't even see…"
Taisuke rubbed his head blankly. All he'd seen was a flick of her wrist, and then the barriers were gone. Was this really magic? No wonder Etsuko called her an expert—she certainly lived up to the name.
"A mere trifle. Pay it no mind."
The Shogun shook her head. To her, failing such a task would have been shameful.
Her gaze drifted to the cliffs in the distance, where the mass of Electro still churned above Fort Hiraumi like a great violet vortex. From here outward, the storm had already consumed nearly all the land, leaving only this small area untouched.
The Warding Stone was just as Taisuke described—two tiers, broad below and narrow above, each tied with ribbons and adorned with three paper charms. These corresponded to the outer devices.
After a brief glance, she raised her hand, rotating both the upper and lower tiers.
"Sara."
"Here."
Sara hurried to her side.
"Take out pen and paper. Record the number of charms on each device."
"Yes."
Sara quickly pulled a notebook from her pouch, jotting down the numbers in her neat, elegant script—enough to make even Etsuko and Taisuke pause in admiration. Tearing out the page, she handed it up for the Shogun's reference.
"Well done."
The Shogun smiled approvingly before moving the Warding Stone's tiers with arcs of Electro, aligning the charms with their matching numbers on the surrounding devices.
Clack…
With the final adjustment, a deep rumble echoed. The thunderstorm that had threatened to spread further began to shrink instead. The dense Electro particles dispersed slightly, and the violet barrier drew back toward the island's center, condensing once more near the great storm suspended like a black hole.
It was progress, though not yet complete.
"Wow… today really is our lucky day. With an expert's help, our research finally advances."
Etsuko's face lit up with excitement as she glanced at Taisuke.
"As expected of an expert. Such elegant methods, and the puzzle is solved! This Warding Stone must now be resealed, yes?"
"But… the thunderstorm hasn't ended. Only the area is smaller."
Etsuko frowned in confusion.
"The creature's malice is vast. One Warding Stone alone cannot contain it. All three must be restored. There's no time to waste—let us move on."
The Shogun spoke evenly, already stepping toward the western road.
"Expert~! Wait for us!"
Etsuko grabbed Taisuke and hurried after her.
"Hah…"
Sara exhaled softly, watching them run. She turned to the restored Warding Stone, smiling with pride. Truly, was there anything her Shogun-sama could not do?