In that instant, faint lavender particles could be seen pressing down relentlessly against the opposing dark-violet energy, colliding with overwhelming force. The countless thorns striking against her barrier let out ear-piercing sounds—like the screeching wails of witches. The resulting shockwave even lifted the unconscious Aether off the ground, sending his body crashing toward the nearby wall!
"Wah!!"
Paimon immediately flew forward, grabbing Aether with all her might, cushioning his fall as the two tumbled to the ground with a thud!
"Ow!"
She cried out in pain.
"Tch... grraaahhhh!!!"
The Balladeer, seeing his attacks having no effect—and even beginning to falter under her counterforce—gritted his teeth and unleashed every ounce of energy he had, roaring furiously!
The swirling maelstrom of dark-violet energy and thorny vortexes surged once more, reversing the tide and pressing back against her luminous energy.
The Shogun watched as her pale violet light began to recede. She sighed softly, then raised her naginata—Engulfing Lightning—and brought it down with a decisive slash toward the vortex's heart.
Vmmm~!
A thunderous cry of lightning echoed through the chamber. A colossal scar of violet light split the air itself, slicing the vortex—and all the energy within it—cleanly in two. The attack's core collapsed, scattering the gathered force and weakening its structure.
At the same time, a massive Eye of Stormy Judgment opened above her, and from its center, a graceful puppet's arm extended outward. In an instant, its fist punched through the swirling energy barriers before it, shattering everything in its path as it hurtled toward the Balladeer!
"What?!"
The Balladeer froze for a fraction of a second—then, realizing the danger, hastily summoned a defensive Electro barrier before him.
Boom!
The colossal fist slammed into his shield with a thunderous crash, shaking the entire chamber. Though he barely managed to block it, the immense force sent him skidding several meters back before his body slammed into the wall, cracking it upon impact.
His Electro barrier began to fracture, thin cracks spreading across its surface with a sharp crack-crack-crack.
"What... is this?! Ugh—what kind of technique is this?!"
He gritted his teeth, struggling to hold against the impact, staring in disbelief at the puppet's arm. Could it be... she had her own unique techniques?! Impossible!
Unless...
He understood—this must be the power of that heart! The very thing he desired most—the thing that could make him truly alive.
What the Balladeer imagined, the Shogun neither knew nor cared. All she focused on was breaking through his defenses.
With a flick of her wrist, another puppet arm materialized, grasping a massive, several-meter-long lightning spear. The enormous hand hurled it directly at him!
"!!"
Seeing this, the Balladeer dropped his failing shield and, without hesitation, transformed into lightning itself—barely escaping just as the spear struck.
Boom!
The combined impact of the fist and the lightning spear triggered a violent explosion. The blast's flames and shockwave swept through the room, blowing even his particle-formed body away!
His side was scorched by the spear's lightning—his once pristine outfit now tattered and burnt, pieces of fabric falling away.
Thud!
The Shogun charged forward. The violet light of her form blurred into motion so fast that he couldn't even react. He quickly conjured countless thorny obstacles of light in her path, but they proved useless—she was too fast, too precise. Every barrier, every thorn was sliced apart before it could touch her.
Zzt-zzt!
That brilliant thunderlight swept forward like a dragon of lightning, roaring through the air, leaving searing trails of heat and charred marks wherever it passed. In less than a second, it reached him—and the reflection in his eyes was not her gaze, but the edge of her naginata!
Vmmm~
The piercing clash of blades rang in his ears, the sheer resonance shaking his eardrums and triggering a rush of adrenaline through his body. In a split second, lightning gathered in his hand, forming a longsword—barely raised in time to block.
Bang!
The blade of Engulfing Lightning struck against his sword, the force nearly shattering his arm on impact.
"Urgh!"
A pale color washed across the Balladeer's face, sweat soaking his body through.
She's... strong!
Far stronger than he had imagined. Though she was, like him, a puppet—why... why did she seem almost equal to that woman? No... perhaps even stronger, one day.
Why?!
Even now, with his power limit removed—enhanced even further by the Doctor—he still couldn't win. She stood before him, her expression calm and cold, as if she hadn't even begun to use her full strength.
What is this woman... really? She can't just be a puppet. What did Raiden Ei—Beelzebul—give her?!
The Shogun, seeing her naginata locked against his hastily conjured sword, remained composed. Her amethyst eyes flicked briefly toward his trembling arms, which could barely hold their guard, before she made her next, fatal move.
Still holding her naginata single-handed, she maintained her stance as a brilliant glow began to radiate from her chest beneath her kimono.
Zzt!
The next instant—Musou Isshin emerged from her chest, drawn forth in one smooth motion.
"!"
Damn it!!
The Balladeer's eyes widened, dread washing over him like the depths of the sea. But it was too late.
With one hand, the Shogun twisted her naginata outward, breaking his guard wide open. Her slender form slipped effortlessly inside his reach, her gaze fixed sharply on the exposed opening of his arm. Then—
She swung Musou Isshin upward in a flawless, ascending slash.
Shhk!
The blade cut through his arm as if through air—clean, smooth, without the slightest resistance.
"..."
The Balladeer froze in disbelief, staring blankly as blood sprayed into the air.
The Shogun stepped past him, her movement fluid and precise. As she turned, she swung her naginata horizontally—its blade striking him square across the head.
Crack!
The blow sent him hurtling backward like a fired cannonball.
Boom!
He smashed into the distant wall, leaving a gaping crater amid a cloud of debris.
Thud...
A severed arm fell to the ground with a dull sound. Its cross-section gleamed with the mechanical sheen of a puppet's inner structure—but even so, crimson blood and torn tissue spilled from the wound.
Boom!
With a thunderous crash, the shattered wall crumbled apart. From the haze of dust, the battered and broken Balladeer staggered out, clutching the stump of his severed right arm, his face a twisted mask of pain and fury.
"Cough! Cough!"
He hacked several times from the choking dust, his breathing rough as he glanced toward his missing arm. Blood dripped steadily from the severed edge, faint sparks of electricity crackling through the wound.
The Shogun's violet gaze flicked briefly toward him, then down to the severed arm on the floor. Without a word, she stepped forward and lightly kicked the arm toward him—wordlessly telling him to pick it up.
"Tch..."
The Balladeer clicked his tongue in resentment, ignoring his severed limb entirely. Instead, he summoned his magatama catalyst before him once again, readying another attack.
Dark-violet energy pulsed from the device, gathering violently as he prepared to unleash something powerful—but then—
Zzt-zzt!
A sharp bolt of lightning pierced through the air like a spear.
Boom!
It struck the magatama dead-on, knocking it violently from his grasp.
Clatter!
The artifact clanked against the ground, bouncing and rolling before finally coming to a stop, its light flickering weakly.
"Wh—! Who did that?!"
The Balladeer's face flushed red with fury as he shouted toward the direction the lightning had come from.
"...?"
The Shogun blinked slightly, momentarily confused. That attack hadn't been hers. Yet... the energy signature was unmistakable—familiar enough to stir her thoughts. Just as she wondered if it could be who she suspected, her guess was confirmed.
Soft, graceful footsteps echoed through the debris-laden hall, accompanied by a faint, soothing fragrance—the scent of cherry blossoms. A figure in pink passed by her.
Step... step...
"My, my~ what a pitiful sight... Kunikuzushi."
Her voice was melodious, like a songbird, tinged with teasing amusement.
The newcomer was a breathtakingly beautiful woman. Her long, silky pink hair was tied into a low tail, and atop her head sat a pair of fluffy fox ears of the same cherry hue, drooping slightly in a charming, almost playful way.
She wore an elaborate shrine maiden's outfit of red and white, more ornate than any typical miko's attire. A broad black sash was tied elegantly around her slim waist, and the layered fabric of her skirt swayed lightly with each graceful step. Her bare legs gleamed fair and smooth, her feet clad in delicate high-heeled sandals.
The Shogun, recognizing the figure, half-lidded her violet eyes in mild helplessness.
"!!"
The Balladeer's expression twisted the moment he saw her face.
"Yae Miko!!"
He spat her name with venomous hatred.
"Ah~ look at you, calling out my name so passionately. If you missed me that much, you needn't sound so angry~"
Miko's lilac eyes narrowed mischievously as she gave a light wave, her tone dripping with playful mockery.
"You damned... fox!"
His face contorted with rage, as though he could bite her throat out at any moment.
"Heh~ You still have quite the spirit, don't you? Even after being beaten half to death by the Shogun."
Miko brushed a strand of hair from her fox ear, her tone unconcerned, as if his insults were little more than amusing noise.
"..."
The Balladeer fell silent for a few seconds, his eyes burning with fury. Then, glaring past her, he focused on the Shogun—hidden just behind Miko's silhouette. A cold smirk curled across his lips.
In an instant, his body erupted into lightning, vanishing from sight.
Boom!
He raced across the wall like a streak of thunder, darting in from a blind spot—his target, the Shogun's heart.
The Shogun raised her head, ready to counter—but someone else moved faster.
"..."
Yae Miko's violet eyes flashed cold. The crimson-handled wand in her hand gave a faint flick.
Chime~!
A clear, ethereal bell tone echoed through the air.
Zzt-zzt!
In that instant, several glowing Sesshou Sakura totems descended from above—each radiating with violet light. They landed precisely around the Balladeer, forming a circle like a purifying ritual array.
"Tch!"
Revealing his form once more, the Balladeer clicked his tongue in frustration. His eyes darted toward the Shogun's chest—toward that heart, pulsing with radiant life, tempting him. Yet he couldn't reach it. He took several steps back, only to find himself trapped within the ring of sakura.
"Decree."
Miko gave her wand a delicate flick.
Chime~!
Another clear, ethereal bell tone echoed through the air.
Zzt-zzt!
The Sesshou Sakura totems surrounding him flared to life, releasing torrents of lightning that intertwined into a crackling barrier, encircling him completely.
The Balladeer transformed into lightning, flickering about in a desperate attempt to evade the converging bolts.
"Seal."
The pink-haired shrine maiden twirled gracefully, her movements like a sacred dance. The hem of her robes floated elegantly as the bell in her hand swayed in rhythm, its crisp chime weaving through the air.
The Sesshou Sakura totems spun rapidly, forming a luminous altar of purification that trapped the Balladeer firmly within its center.
"!"
Damn it!
If he didn't break free now, he'd die—there was no mercy in her strikes. This was... the fox's killing move!
He gritted his teeth, clutching a Delusion in his left hand, forcing it to activate.
"GRAAAHHH!!!"
Pain surged through his entire body as the Delusion unleashed its corrupt energy. Electro power flooded through him, filling the space—his eyes turning white as lightning veins crawled up his skin.
Boom!
With one mighty leap, he transformed into lightning and tore through the Sakura's barrier!
"..."
Miko frowned slightly, her wrist flicking sharply as she swung her wand again—this time with far greater force.
"Smite!"
All of the Sesshou Sakura totems simultaneously released their lightning, converging into a storm that chased after the fleeing Balladeer like homing bolts of thunder. No matter how he twisted or turned, the searing light followed—locked onto him.
The Balladeer turned midair, conjuring a dense Electro shield to protect himself, determined to withstand the attack.
But he had forgotten—there was another still present.
"Don't even think about it..."
The Shogun's cold voice echoed. Raising Musou Isshin, she swung her blade forward.
It was a simple motion—no concentrated power, no elemental flow, no activation of her art. Just a casual slash.
Vmmm~!
Yet even such a light strike carved a blade of energy that stretched across the entire room. It sliced through the Balladeer's shield as easily as cutting paper.
"Wh—?!"
His face went pale with shock.
The Sakura lightning, unimpeded, surged straight through the shattered barrier and struck him squarely in the chest.
BOOM!
A blinding explosion erupted, engulfing the Balladeer completely in fire and thunder.
Yae Miko watched the blast with a satisfied, almost radiant smile. Her gaze slid toward the Shogun, who instinctively averted her eyes—her reaction almost... cute.
"Hehehe~"
Miko chuckled behind her hand, amused. The Shogun sighed softly, violet eyes giving her a look of quiet helplessness.
A few seconds later—
Step... step...
Miko strode forward, waving her hand lightly. The smoke cleared, revealing the Balladeer slumped in a corner—his body wrecked, his face streaked with blood, glaring weakly at the two women before him.
"Cough!"
He hacked again, blood spilling from his lips.
"My, my~ you look dreadful. Why not just stay down and rest? Must you make it harder for yourself?"
Miko's tone was drenched in playful malice.
"Yae... Miko!!!"
He growled, trying to rise again—but his mechanical body was too damaged to muster any more power. Even standing was difficult.
"Ara~ you really do hate me, don't you?"
Miko mused with feigned pity.
"Tch—!"
With a bitter click of his tongue, he slumped back down, his head resting against the cracked wall. His gaze turned to the Shogun—cold, unwavering, yet weak.
"..."
The Shogun met his stare. Her hand tightened slightly around Musou Isshin, lost in thought.
"Shogun..."
"...?"
Hearing the voice beside her, the Shogun turned, puzzled, toward the pink-haired shrine maiden.
"...You decide his fate," Miko said softly. "But remember—whichever path you choose, it will be right and justified. You owe us nothing, so don't torment yourself over it."
It was as if Miko could see straight through her inner turmoil, her words carrying quiet reassurance.
"...Miko."
The Shogun stared at her, captivated by that radiant, knowing smile.
"Hehe~ Alright then~ It's your choice now."
Miko's lips curved in a tender, almost motherly smile as she gestured toward the broken figure before them.
The Shogun turned her gaze once more—to him... her kin. Her brother.
Her lips pressed together for a moment... then relaxed.
Whoosh!!
Her eyes hardened with resolve. In a flash, she raised her blade and swung toward his neck!
Zzt-zzt!
Slash!
A streak of lightning filled the air. The Balladeer closed his eyes tightly, awaiting judgment—but when several seconds passed and pain never came, he dared to open them.
His neck was untouched. Only the wall behind him bore the mark of her strike—a deep, jagged scar carved clean through it.
She had spared him.
From the side, Miko smiled faintly, her expression serene—just as expected.
"Why?!"
The Balladeer glared coldly at the woman before him, whose blade still rested lightly against his throat.
"Today... you should have died by my hand," the Shogun said evenly. "But for Ei's sake... I will let you live."
Her amethyst eyes gleamed with cold authority as Musou Isshin's blade traced a thin line of blood across his neck.
"Ei's sake? Heh... Hmph..."
He lowered his head with a bitter laugh, disdain still flickering in his gaze.
"Kunikuzushi, listen well," Miko said, her voice uncharacteristically stern. "Once, Ei spared you out of compassion. And today, the Shogun does the same. But as they say—'Mercy given twice is mercy spent.' If you bring chaos to Inazuma again, there will be no next time."
Her lilac eyes turned sharp and cold, a deadly warning in her tone.
"...!!"
The Balladeer clenched his teeth, trembling with fury.
"The debt you've accrued... let your comrades bear it. Now go—before we change our minds."
Miko waved her hand dismissively.
"!!"
The Balladeer, beaten and broken, forced himself to his feet. He grabbed his severed arm, his movements heavy and unsteady. Then, with one final glare, he turned and fled through the hole in the wall, disappearing from sight.
Only silence remained.