The Shogun still felt embarrassed about having cried earlier. Not only that... she realized how overdramatic she had been, which only made her feel even more awkward. Out of habit, she brushed her fingers through her long hair. Though the tips were shorter now from where they'd been cut, it didn't diminish her beauty in the slightest—the length loss was hardly noticeable.
After smoothing her hair back into place to make it look a bit neater, she decided not to bother rebraiding it. Letting it fall loose was fine for now—or perhaps she could restyle it later.
Her gaze then drifted to the pair of shapely legs she had just been sitting on. Ei hadn't complained once about it, as if it didn't bother her at all. That gentle, motherly tolerance made the Shogun feel both grateful and self-conscious. Slowly, she lifted herself from Ei's lap and knelt beside her instead.
"...You're not sitting anymore?" Ei asked softly, noticing the small movement.
The Shogun shook her head silently, her eyes still tinged with lingering shyness.
"Pfft... It's alright, you know," Ei said with a warm, loving smile. She crossed her legs loosely and sat hugging her knees, watching her daughter affectionately.
"..."
The Shogun turned her gaze away, toward the ever-shifting space around them... and the bisected corpse of the mouse nearby.
Poke~
"?"
A warm sensation brushed her cheek. Puffing up her face adorably in protest, she turned to see Ei—still sitting there like a playful child—reaching out to poke her cheek with one finger.
The Shogun tilted her head away to dodge, then wordlessly held out the violet handkerchief she'd used to wipe her tears earlier.
"Yours..." she said softly.
"..."
Ei blinked and smiled faintly. She had intended to give that handkerchief to her daughter in the first place, but—oh well. There would be other times. She reached out to take it.
And then—
BOOM~!
"!" ×2
A deep, resonant drumbeat echoed again like a death knell, reverberating through the air.
In the blink of an eye—Ei's outstretched hand found nothing.
"..."
She froze, her fingers still half-extended, her eyes lowering slowly to the empty space where her daughter had been. The Shogun was gone.
Had she been transported away? No... judging from the spatial shift, both of them had been relocated simultaneously—but into separate spaces.
The corridor had transformed again into the same tatami-floored room from before. The realization struck Ei all at once—the sound of the drum wasn't random. It was the trigger.
This house was a barrier, a type of magical formation. The drumbeat signaled a spatial rearrangement—each section of the structure being replaced or exchanged with another. Every time the drum struck, the space shifted its connections. If one happened to be standing at the border when it happened... they would be crushed or bisected between dimensions, like the mouse she had seen earlier.
She understood the mechanism now—but that didn't make her any calmer.
"..."
Ei remained motionless, still frozen in the same pose as before—hand outstretched. Her empty palm began to tremble, her breath shallow. Then, slowly, she clenched it into a fist, trembling with barely contained rage.
Her bangs shadowed her eyes, her head lowered, lips pressing tightly together until her teeth bit through the soft flesh.
"!!!"
Bzzzzt~!!
Suddenly, arcs of violet lightning crackled into existence around her. The current surged wildly through the room, crawling along the tatami, snapping across the air, and shattering the ceiling lamp above.
Whirr...
The very space around her began to warp and distort. Her long hair lifted weightlessly as if gravity no longer applied. Her once gentle purple eyes turned cold and menacing, glowing with a dangerous electric light.
BANG!
Her clenched fist slammed into the tatami floor beside her.
BOOM!
A thunderous impact rippled outward, the force splitting the tatami apart like a crashing wave. One by one, the panels tore away and flew up like dominoes collapsing in reverse.
To separate mother and daughter—such a crime was unforgivable. To Ei, it was a direct strike to her reverse scale, the one thing that must never be touched.
Yes—
She was angry.
Unreasonably angry.
BANG!
A powerful shockwave of thunder burst from her body, obliterating the surrounding walls and scattering debris in all directions.
Behind her, the Chakra Desiderata manifested, spinning in brilliant radiance. Her body lifted effortlessly into the air, her exquisite legs extending gracefully as her feet touched down with quiet finality.
Step, step...
Each step she took sent ripples through the space around her, like waves spreading across the surface of water. In this state, she strode toward the door—intent on finding the one responsible for this and cutting them down with a single strike.
Crash!
With one sharp kick, the wooden door splintered apart, and she stepped into the corridor beyond.
Tap... tap...
Her footsteps echoed through the silent hall, each one heavy with controlled fury. The air around her had dropped to freezing stillness.
Boom~!
The drumbeat rang out once more.
The scenery shifted again—another corridor—but this time, she wasn't alone. A new figure appeared before her... or rather, a demon.
Growl... hiss...!
It was a grotesque creature—massive and bloated, covered in clusters of tiny eyes, with multiple arms and a tongue so long it dragged wetly along the floor like a filthy mop.
Slosh, slosh...
Its jaw worked noisily, chewing something soft and wet. Each crunch came with the sickening sound of flesh being torn apart, blood and bits of meat oozing from between its teeth.
Tap... tap...
Ei came to a halt, her gaze cold and cutting as it fell upon the creature.
"Hm~?"
Slurp...
The demon twitched, sniffing the air. The scent of something sweet and electric reached it, and several of its countless eyes swiveled toward her—scanning her from legs to chest, to face. The alluring fragrance stirred a primal hunger deep within it.
Splatter!
It tossed aside the half-eaten corpse in its hand, the remains hitting the ground with a wet, disgusting splat.
Thud! ×2
Its thick legs shifted direction, turning fully to face her.
"Heh-heh~!! And what do we have here? A pretty little thing, huh? What's a girl like you doing here? Did it drag you here... or did you walk in on your own?" The demon's voice was shrill and greasy, mocking and lecherous.
"..."
Ei's gaze remained icy, unchanging.
"What's wrong, sweetheart? Cat got your tongue~? Don't be scared... come here, I'll make you feel real good—"
The thing's laughter turned guttural as drool streamed freely from its mouth, pooling on the floor.
"Get lost."
Her cold voice cut through the air like a blade.
"...What?!" The demon's eyes bulged, its grin twisting with rage. Sharp teeth protruded from its gums like knives.
"Didn't you hear me? Those who stand in my way... will face the punishment of thunder. In simpler terms—get out of my sight."
Her fingers flexed, the sound of her knuckles cracking echoing through the corridor. The calm, gentle tone she had used with her daughter was gone—replaced with glacial venom. She had no time for this filth. She had someone to find.
"Y-You damn bitch! Don't think that just 'cause you're pretty you can talk down to me! I'm gonna—"
Hummm~!
Before the last word could leave its mouth, a streak of ethereal violet light swept across its massive body. For a moment, time itself seemed to halt.
Tap... tap...
Ei landed gracefully behind the demon, her blade—Musou Isshin—gleaming faintly in her grasp. With a smooth flick of her wrist, she shook the blood from the edge and continued walking without even glancing back.
"..."
The demon remained frozen in place, eyes wide, mouth agape. Only after she had vanished down the corridor did the inevitable happen—
Slice!!
A line of pure violet light tore across its torso, cleaving the bloated body cleanly in two.
"W-What is this?!" the creature howled in panic as searing pain spread through it. Its regenerative flesh refused to knit together—the wound burned with an energy it couldn't withstand.
"Uwaaaahhh~!!!"
Its entire body was consumed by violet light, disintegrating into nothingness as the remnants of its being were sucked into the rift of space left behind by the blade's strike.
"Ei!"
Tap tap!!
She sprinted through the seemingly endless corridor, her voice echoing as she called out her mother's name again and again—but no matter how many times she called, there was no response.
"Huff..."
Finally, she stopped running, slowing to a walk. Her eyes darted around the endless maze-like passage, taking in the countless doors and turns. Every few dozen steps, the surroundings seemed to change slightly—like she was trapped in a loop that would never end.
The hallway before her, which moments ago had faintly flickering lamps, was now cloaked entirely in darkness. The air felt heavy and endless.
Was she... isolated here alone? If so, then Ei must be trapped elsewhere too.
What about the children?
Had they been separated as well?
But there were no signs of anyone nearby.
Tap... tap...
Only the sound of her own footsteps and breathing echoed softly in the silence.
She exhaled slowly.
"...Ei."
Her hand moved instinctively to her chest—where Musou Isshin should have been. But the blade wasn't with her. It was with Ei.
If she had it, she could easily cut through the barrier. But why hadn't Ei acted yet?
No—she couldn't wait. She had to find her quickly. Even though she trusted Ei's strength completely, that bond of blood made it impossible not to worry.
Bzzzt~
The Engulfing Lightning formed in her hand, its blade humming with familiar energy. She held it ready at her back as she moved forward at a brisk pace, kicking open doors and scanning every room she passed.
She didn't know how long she searched, but eventually, she arrived at a familiar place.
Yes... the spot where the dead mouse had been.
Her hand tightened slightly around the handkerchief she still hadn't returned, her eyes narrowing as she traced her steps, retracing the route from memory.
Thankfully, no drumbeats had sounded during her search. The layout hadn't shifted again. Maybe whoever controlled this maze had turned their attention elsewhere... but to whom? Were there others in this mansion besides them?
As if in answer to her thoughts—
Step... step...
She heard it. Barefoot steps, echoing faintly down the corridor ahead. The sound was slow, deliberate... almost like someone pacing.
"?"
Her eyes narrowed. She gripped the polearm tightly and moved closer.
But before she could reach the corner, the source revealed itself.
Tap... tap...
The moment she saw it, she froze—and took half a step back instinctively.
It was... grotesque. A creature so twisted that it could hardly be called human. Probably a demon.
It crawled on all fours in a contorted, unnatural pose. Its torso and limbs were bent at impossible angles, its head twisted back ninety degrees so it could stare directly at her. Long, jet-black hair draped forward like a curtain, some strands dragging along the floor.
Click-click-click-click~!
The sound that came from its mouth was hideous—like metal gears grinding together.
Crack!
Then, without warning, its head spun a full circle with a loud crack of bone, making her flinch slightly despite herself.
How revolting.
Her brows furrowed in disgust. Not even Inazuma's yokai were this grotesque.
ROAR!!
In the next instant, the creature screamed—a sharp, piercing shriek that made the very air vibrate. Its black hair writhed and shot forward like venomous serpents, slithering toward her with lethal intent.
"Hmph... troublesome."
She sighed softly, then drove her polearm into the floor, channeling her lightning power.
Bzzzzt!
Bury the Thunder!
A surge of blinding violet energy burst from her weapon, spreading out in waves across the floor like an electric tide, crashing toward the oncoming mass of hair!
The violent arcs of lightning collided with the strands, devouring them instantly. The current roared like a living storm serpent, its fury unmatched.
Crackle!!
The demon's hair burned away, the current spreading across its body.
"Uaaaahhh!!!"
To her surprise, it screamed—not in bestial agony, but with the voice of a human. It could still speak?
Thud-thud-thud!!
The creature flailed and rolled across the floor like a wounded spider, its limbs twitching spasmodically as the electricity ravaged it.
With a calm, precise motion, she swung her polearm.
Slash!!
A sharp wave of violet energy shot forward, cutting through the demon with pinpoint accuracy, cleaving it cleanly in two. A spray of blood and organs splattered across the floor, staining the tatami crimson.
Since the slash had gone straight through its head, it counted as a decapitation. The neck—the demon's weak point—was destroyed. It didn't regenerate this time but instead disintegrated into ash and vanished completely.
"Huff..."
She exhaled quietly and strode quickly in the direction the demon had come from. As she expected—
Just as she thought, she soon reached the entryway! Beyond the open windows, bright sunlight still poured in.
But then—she heard voices from the adjacent room. Familiar ones.
Clatter!
She reached out and slid open the door. Inside, she saw Tanjiro and the two siblings locked in battle with... uh, what was that? A boar's head? A muscular young man wearing a wild boar mask, dual-wielding swords, was clashing violently with Tanjiro!
Clang! ×N
Their blades collided again and again, sparks flying. Behind them, the siblings huddled together in a corner, trembling and holding each other.
"Aaaah!! I'm gonna kill that demon!!" the boar-headed man roared, shoving Tanjiro back.
"No! That's my sister!! I won't let you!!" Tanjiro yelled, blocking again, unwavering.
"You brat!! Mind your own business!!"
"She is my business—she's my family!!"
Their heated argument filled the air.
The Shogun sighed faintly, shaking her head. Her eyes glimmered with lightning as she focused on the boar-headed man.
Hum~!
In an instant, a giant Eye of Stormy Judgment opened in the air beside him. A spectral hand formed from pure energy clenched into a fist and punched forward before he could even react!
BOOM!
"Ughhh!!"
The impact sent him flying backward, crashing through the wall with an explosion of splinters and dust.
Crash!
He tumbled into the rubble and went still.
"Miss Raiden!!"
"Onee-san!!" ×2
Tanjiro and the two children's faces lit up with relief.
"Save the chatter. Come with me," the Shogun said curtly, signaling with her eyes for them to follow.
"Oh!" ×3
All three nodded quickly, moving toward the left-hand door. The Shogun, seeing they understood, turned and left through the doorway without another word.
Clatter!
However—
Just as the three were about to head out through the left door... the right door suddenly slid open.
"?" ×3
The three froze, looking over—and there she was again. Raiden Miss, standing at the right doorway.
"...Are you all unharmed?" Ei asked gently, concern in her eyes as she looked them over. Her gaze swept the room... but the Shogun was nowhere in sight. A faint pang of disappointment crossed her face.
"Eh? Ah... we're—uh... fine..."
"O-Onee-san?" Tanjiro stammered in confusion.
Wait, what?!
The siblings beside him also blinked in disbelief.
"Good. Then follow me," Ei said calmly, turning away.
"Ah... okay..." The trio, still bewildered, followed after her.
Tap... tap...
Meanwhile, the Shogun had noticed the others hadn't followed her and turned back.
"Why are you still standing there?" she asked sharply.
"?!" ×3
The three turned, their faces pale, staring in horror at another Raiden—this one standing at the left door.
"Stop wasting time and come quickly!" The Shogun's tone grew impatient. What were they hesitating for?
"B-but... you just—"
"We'll talk outside," she interrupted curtly, stepping out again.
"...Okay..." ×3
They started moving once more—
Tap... tap...
Ei reappeared, stepping back into view from the opposite doorway, looking confused.
"Why haven't you come yet?" she asked, frowning.
"???" ×3
All three stood frozen, utterly bewildered. What was happening?! Was this an illusion?
"You just told us to go that way—"
Clatter!
"If you keep stalling, I'll—huh?"
The Shogun, losing patience, slid open the door again—only to freeze mid-sentence.
Because standing directly across from her... was herself.
"..." ×2
For a long moment, the two identical figures stared at each other in silence, the tension thick enough to cut.
"Ehhh?!" ×3
Tanjiro and the two children gasped simultaneously, eyes wide as if witnessing a dream—or a nightmare.
Two Raiden Misses?!
No... not exactly identical. The hairstyles were different, and so were their expressions. The air around them felt distinct.
But still—
There were two of them?!