At this moment, Watatsumi Island had already fallen into night. Unlike the thunderstorm raging outside, the sky here remained clear and radiant, shimmering with a glow like the Milky Way—beautiful beyond words. As the leader and strategist of Watatsumi Island, Kokomi could not rest yet. There were still countless matters to manage and oversee. By now, she was practically a night owl.
"Encountered a little trial… but it went smoothly enough."
That was Aether's report to her.
"Hmm… that does sound like their style. Still, as long as things went well."
"You don't seem very worried," Aether remarked, noticing her calm demeanor.
"Because I believe that with your ability, passing such a trial should be quite easy."
Her slender hand rested lightly beneath her chin, her tone as composed and confident as ever. Her voice was clear, delicate, and carried a trace of maturity that inspired trust and reassurance.
"..." ×2
Aether and Paimon both fell silent for a moment, exchanging glances.
Seeing their subtle expressions, Kokomi smiled wryly in her heart before speaking again.
"Your return means that the wandering samurai and sea monsters who landed on Watatsumi Island have been driven off, correct?"
She returned to the main topic.
"Of course~! We beat them until they were running with their tails between their legs!"
Paimon puffed out her chest proudly, earning an exasperated look from Aether.
"I was planning to kill them," Aether muttered.
"You can't just go killing people~! Don't you go learning from the Raiden Shogun—always cutting people down without a second thought!"
Paimon stomped her little foot, lecturing like a scolding parent, making Aether sigh tiredly.
—They'll only harm others later… shouldn't I have killed them? he thought silently.
"This will do… As long as Ookubo keeps a close watch, they won't cause trouble again."
Kokomi seemed to sense Aether's lingering dissatisfaction and offered him a gentle reassurance before continuing thoughtfully.
"You've worked hard… You deserve a reward. Let's see… a promotion just happened, so perhaps an increase… in salary? Hmm… I'll inform you later."
After pondering for a moment, she decided to postpone the matter. To be honest, such a small task—just driving away a few sea monsters—didn't really merit a reward. Still… perhaps if she delayed it long enough, he'd forget about it later… ahem~
"I understand. But I haven't seen Teppei anywhere."
Aether nodded casually, glancing around before asking.
"I've assigned Teppei a mission—a surprise attack against the Shogunate Navy. He didn't want to stay behind, and I respected his decision, so I let him go."
"A surprise attack on the Shogunate Navy?"
"Yes… Lately, those Shogunate troops have been constantly harassing us. Besides, Teppei seems to have grown much stronger recently. He's already defeated many Shogunate soldiers and earned quite the reputation, so I promoted him to Captain of the Herring Unit's Third Division."
She explained to Aether.
"..." ×2
Stronger? Aether and Paimon exchanged another glance.
"Back to the main point, Traveler… I have a special mission I'd like to entrust to you."
She smoothly shifted the conversation.
"A special mission?"
Paimon tilted her head curiously.
"Yes. Between Watatsumi Island and Tatarasuna, there lies a certain god's ruin. There are several small islets there, often used as transfer points for supplies."
"But lately, the stored provisions there have been mysteriously disappearing. However… whenever patrols pass through, they report no signs of danger. I'd like to commission you to investigate and uncover the truth."
...
Indeed, uncovering the truth—that was the very reason they had come here. Whether it was the work of a Thunderhelm Lawachurl or something else entirely, they needed to know. If it was the former, then fine; if not, it would be strange, since hardly anyone lived around these parts.
"In any case, it looks like things here are settled. We should get going, huh?"
Paimon said, then suddenly gasped, tugging the distracted Aether back to attention. He followed her gaze and saw a familiar face approaching from the other side.
"Teppei? What are you doing here?"
He and Paimon hurried over.
"Cough, cough…"
The man coughed a few times as he approached, startling the two into exchanging uneasy glances.
"Y-you're okay, right?"
Paimon asked worriedly.
"Cough… Sorry, I haven't been feeling well lately, ahaha…"
Teppei, noticing his own odd behavior, scratched his head awkwardly with a forced smile, making up a casual excuse to brush things off.
"Don't tell me—you came here to investigate too?"
"Yeah… I was surprised too. I didn't expect to run into you here. I just finished delivering supplies from the front lines and thought I'd clear out any remaining threats nearby… cough, cough!"
As he spoke, another fit of coughing struck him—this time, worse than before.
"Are you sure you're alright?"
Aether frowned, asking again. Something felt off about Teppei. His whole aura seemed different from before. But what was it?
"It's nothing, really… probably just caught a chill."
Teppei quickly shook his head.
Then Aether noticed it—the hair.
Teppei's hair seemed to have turned faintly white. It wasn't normal. No, it was too abnormal.
"Teppei… your hair—it's turning white."
He finally voiced his concern.
"Eh? Ah… maybe I brushed up against some dust earlier. You know how it is out at sea—there's dust everywhere. It's normal."
Teppei waved his hand dismissively, trying to change the subject.
"Is that so…"
Aether's expression remained serious.
"Sigh… if I'd known it was you guys, I wouldn't have come. What a waste of effort. I thought I might earn some credit this time, but no such luck, huh?"
Teppei let out a bitter laugh.
"Teppei… don't you think there's something strange about the atmosphere here?"
Paimon asked nervously, glancing around. The beach was still cloaked in dim twilight, and that eerie feeling lingered thickly in the air.
"You're right… maybe it's because we're so close to Orobashi's remains. The taint of a god's lingering spirit must be stronger here."
Teppei guessed casually—and it actually made sense.
"But… why do I sense Electro energy in the air?"
Aether spoke up, confused. He scanned the surroundings again—there wasn't a single person in sight. Strange.
"Orobashi? I remember that name…"
"Orobashi brought our ancestors from Enkanomiya to the surface, which led to the founding of Watatsumi Island. Look over there—that's Orobashi's skeleton."
Teppei turned and pointed toward Yashiori Island. There, upon the cliffs, lay the enormous skeleton of a great serpent—its colossal white bones stretching across the land like towering ridges. Even from this distance, its grandeur was clear, as though it had become one with the island itself, part of the landscape.
"Whoa… that's huge!"
Paimon gasped loudly, while Aether's eyes widened slightly. He hadn't paid much attention before.
"Our ancestors always revered it as a guardian god. But during the Archon War, Orobashi invaded Yashiori Island, and the Raiden Shogun herself came to face it. With Musou no Hitotachi, she struck it down. That single slash created what is now known as the 'Musoujin Gorge.'"
"Huh?! That mean woman cut out Musoujin Gorge with just one slash?!"
Paimon's jaw dropped in disbelief. One strike that could reshape the land itself…? Unbelievable! Good thing they hadn't been on the receiving end of that back then, or they'd have been finished!
"..."
Aether frowned slightly, recalling his own battle with the Raiden Shogun—the oppressive, divine pressure of that moment. His expression grew grim.
"Yes… but though the Shogun slew the serpent, she also lost something precious to her. Ever since Orobashi's death, relations between Watatsumi and the Shogunate have been strained. But the Resistance this time—it isn't born from faith. It exists only to oppose the Vision Hunt Decree."
"…Orobashi destroyed civilizations and harmed Inazuma. The Shogun stepped forward to stop it. Now, the Shogun enacts the Vision Hunt Decree, stripping her people of their wishes… someone must step forward to stop the Shogun in turn—cough, cough!!"
Teppei's words were cut off by another painful coughing fit, harsher than before.
"Teppei…" ×2
Both Aether and Paimon's expressions grew complicated.
"I'm feeling a bit tired… I need to rest for a while. I'll see you later—cough, cough!! I'll be going first."
With that, the young man turned and began to leave, his steps weak and unsteady, his figure swaying as he disappeared into the dim path ahead.
"Take care of yourself!"
Aether called out after him. Teppei simply waved a hand without turning back, disappearing around the bend.
"..." ×2
The two stood in silence for a moment.
"Let's go too, Aether. We still need to report back to Kokomi."
"Yeah…"
They glanced once more in the direction Teppei had gone, sighing softly before heading off the other way. To them, Teppei had grown a lot—but still, he was someone worth worrying about.
...
Once the beach was empty, a faint violet light shimmered in the air and gathered into a human form. The Shogun revealed herself, her gaze following the two as they departed before lowering her eyes thoughtfully. Then, she turned her attention toward the direction Teppei had left.
Everything that had just been said—she had heard every word. Ignoring the unnecessary chatter, she replayed the key parts silently in her mind.
"The Resistance isn't about faith—it's only to oppose the Vision Hunt Decree. Orobashi destroyed civilization and harmed Inazuma, and the Shogun stepped forward to stop it. Now the Shogun enacts the Vision Hunt Decree, stripping people of their wishes… someone must step forward to stop the Shogun in turn."
The words echoed in her thoughts.
"Hmph… very well. Then stand up, if you must."
She wanted to see—to what extent her people's desires could take them. Could the power of their wishes truly make them stronger? Strong enough to challenge her?
But that was for later. For now… there was another matter to attend to—the boy.
Just as she was about to move, she paused, lowering her gaze to her attire. After a brief sigh, she let violet light envelop her body. When it faded, her appearance had changed—she now wore a simple kimono, her hair cascading gracefully as she held a wisteria-patterned paper umbrella. After brushing a hand through her smooth, elegant hair, she finally began walking in the direction Teppei had gone.
After all, no matter what else, he was still one of her people. How could she simply stand by and watch him waste away?
"Cough! Cough!!"
Hidden behind a rock, Teppei sat alone, his face pale as he clutched his chest, trembling in pain. It felt as though his very organs were rotting from within.
"Cough!! Pft…"
His throat itched, and an unnatural sensation welled up inside him. Instinctively, he spat it all out into his trembling hand.
"!"
The sight of bright red blood stunned him. A complicated expression flickered across his pale face.
"Haa… I guess I really have overworked myself, huh?"
His hoarse voice rasped weakly. Opening his hand, he let the crimson liquid drip through his fingers onto the damp sand, staining the pale beach a dark red.
A few strands of gray-white hair fell from his head as his fingers brushed through it. He felt as though he had aged decades in mere moments. The once youthful skin of his face now carried faint wrinkles—disturbingly unnatural.
"What's… happening to me?"
His blurred eyes narrowed weakly, muttering to himself. He had no idea what was going on with his body. Just as he was about to give in and let himself drift into unconsciousness, he heard footsteps approaching.
Sha—sha—
The steps were light and graceful, carrying a quiet, measured rhythm. A woman's footsteps, perhaps? Just as that thought crossed his mind, a slender shadow fell over him.
"…Pull yourself together."
A soft, gentle voice spoke—so calm and reassuring that he instinctively felt at ease. Teppei looked up slightly, his tired eyes finding the figure standing before him, and nodded faintly.
It was a beautiful woman beneath a paper umbrella. Her violet-and-white kimono shimmered softly under the faint light, ethereal like something out of a dream. Her face was hidden by the umbrella, from which delicate strands of wisteria petals hung like drops of water. For a moment, he wondered if he was seeing an angel… or if perhaps he had already died and ascended to heaven.
Was he… dead already? He couldn't help but wonder.
"You're called… Teppei?"
The woman spoke again.
"…Yes."
His mind foggy, Teppei still managed to understand her words.
"..."
The woman was silent for a moment before slowly bending her knees, crouching before him with graceful ease. She lifted the umbrella slightly, revealing her violet eyes—and a face of breathtaking beauty.
"..."
Even in his dazed state, Teppei couldn't help but be captivated by her beauty. His fading gaze grew distant, entranced. Other than his own Lady Kokomi, he had never seen anyone so beautiful.
"…It hurts, doesn't it?"
The Shogun paid no mind to his stunned expression and spoke softly instead.
"..."
He nodded faintly with his aged, frail face. Seeing this, her brows furrowed ever so slightly. He was already close to his limit.
Her gaze dropped to the Delusion gripped tightly in his trembling hand, and a sigh escaped her lips.
"This item… may I take a look at it?"
She gestured toward the Delusion.
"...(nods.)"
Teppei weakly nodded and, with all the strength he could muster, placed it into her hand.
"..."
The Shogun examined it closely, channeling her own elemental power into the object to activate it. At once, the stone's core emitted a dim, ominous glow—a sinister energy, dark and malevolent, like the essence of a curse.
"This is…"
Teppei's eyes widened in shock and fear.
"A Delusion… something that should not exist."
The Shogun's tone was calm but cold.
"De…lusion? But this is—"
"You're a member of the Resistance, aren't you?"
She cut him off, her question direct.
"Eh? Y-yes…"
Her voice carried no threat, yet he found himself answering instinctively, almost as if compelled. It wasn't fear—just an inexplicable urge to obey.
"There was a time when I never would've dreamed of defeating Shogunate soldiers or saving my comrades… ahaha… cough. It's all thanks to this thing, really."
Teppei spoke weakly to her—confiding in this stranger, though they'd only just met. For some reason, he simply wanted to talk.
The Shogun glanced down again at the Delusion in her hand.
"If only I could become stronger… just a little stronger… Raiden Shogun is wrong. The Vision Hunt Decree shouldn't exist. I could still do… so much more… cough!"
Through it all, the Shogun remained silent—merely listening, her expression calm and unreadable.
"Power can indeed accomplish many things… but when one wields an unfamiliar power without control, it may devour its user—or worse, drive them into madness. Moreover… this thing itself is born of corruption. It's already eroding your body."
The Shogun's voice, once gentle, grew increasingly stern.
"You mean… my condition… it's because of this?"
Teppei's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Correct. It's consuming your life force. This thing can never replace a Vision."
"But… I—"
"Power or life—choose."
"..."
Teppei fell silent.
"…Power can always be gained again. But once life is lost… everything becomes meaningless."
Finishing her words, she slowly stood and looked down at the young man sitting weakly beside the stone.
"Besides, you are still in your prime. You shouldn't make reckless choices."
Raising her hand slightly, a sigil of Electro's crest appeared in her palm, glowing with ethereal violet light. The sigil coalesced into a shimmering orb that drifted forward like a snowflake, landing gently beside Teppei and merging into his body.
Hum~
She then activated a healing art of her own design. A soft violet light spread through Teppei's body, easing the tension in his organs and restoring the flow of his blood.
"!"
Teppei immediately felt his pain easing, his entire body relaxing as a comforting warmth filled him.
"In a few days… your body will recover. Do not touch this thing again. Understood?"
"Y-yes…"
Teppei nodded obediently.
"One more thing… who gave you this?"
The Shogun narrowed her eyes slightly, her tone sharpening.
"It was… a mysterious sponsor. He said… if I wanted to become stronger, this secret weapon would answer my wish."
Teppei repeated the man's exact words.
"…He?"
"Yes… it sounded like a man. But I couldn't see his face clearly."
"..."
A man? Not her? The Shogun's mind stirred. Could there be others involved?
"Sigh… I knew it… these past few days, I've been getting weaker. I've had this strange feeling of dread in my heart. Before, I'd only feel tired after battles—but today, when I returned, I realized I couldn't see clearly anymore. What a shame."
As Teppei muttered weakly, she turned her gaze back toward him.
"There's a new recruit on Watatsumi Island. He's incredible… I've always wanted to fight alongside him, to catch up to him. But… ahaha… it seems I never will."
"After all… I was never one blessed by the gaze of the gods, was I?"
There was a faint hint of peace in his tone now. He smiled faintly, half in resignation, half in self-mockery.
"Sorry… I've kept this bottled up for too long. It just… slipped out. I didn't mean to trouble you."
"…A god's gaze is not as precious as you think."
The Shogun spoke quietly, her eyes soft but distant. Then, she closed her umbrella, turned, and began walking down the beach, her steps slow and measured.
"…Wait! Please—who are you?"
Teppei called out, struggling to his feet. He needed to know—the identity of this noble, graceful woman who had saved him.
"..."
The Shogun stopped, turning slightly to look back at him from a few meters away. Meeting his searching eyes, she averted her gaze toward the sky before answering softly:
"If you truly believe I am wrong—that the Vision Hunt Decree should not exist—then show me. Show me the strength of your conviction, and how far your wishes can take you."
"!!"
Though her voice was calm, every word reached his ears with perfect clarity.
In the instant he blinked, the umbrella-bearing woman before him vanished. When his eyes opened again—
She had changed.
Her violet gentian kimono gleamed under the night. Her long hair, braided and flowing down her back, framed a face no longer gentle but divine—radiant with authority. Lightning flickered within her eyes as they met his, paralyzing him with awe and fear.
"R-Raiden… Shogun…"
He whispered the name unconsciously.
"Teppei… as I said before… a god's gaze is not as precious as you think."
Crackle!
In the next second, her slender form dissolved into lightning, vanishing into the sky in a burst of violet radiance and rolling thunder.
"..."
Thud—
Moments later, Teppei collapsed weakly to the ground, his mind blank, as if frozen in disbelief.
Raiden… Shogun.
The Shogun… herself.
Only now did the young soldier understand… why this god commanded such unshakable devotion from her people.