Naganohara Fireworks Store.
Yoimiya stared dumbfounded at the image that suddenly appeared in the diary.
"Su Xuan really went to Tenshukaku. Look at that angle—he can fly?"
"No wonder he could go back and forth between Inazuma City and Ritou in just half the night."
But even if he could fly, that wasn't a reason to challenge the General.
Just as Yoimiya was about to run outside to gaze at Tenshukaku, the diary abruptly lit up with a burst of light.
A miniature light screen appeared automatically, just like it did after major events.
However, the light screen from the diary was strange—it showed images but no sound.
A figure slowly appeared in the light screen.
"This is... Su Xuan..."
...
Rumble—
As Su Xuan was about to descend into Tenshukaku, thunder suddenly boomed overhead.
Inazuma City, once clear-skied, was now shrouded in dark thunderclouds.
The roar of the thunderstorm was like the Raiden Shogun's fury, sending Inazuma's citizens fleeing into their homes.
Purple lightning shot up from the ground, and a graceful figure suddenly appeared on Tenshukaku's rooftop.
"Outsider, your journey ends here." The Raiden Shogun coldly eyed Su Xuan hovering in midair. "You, who come from beyond this world and wield power from beyond this world..."
"Are an enemy of eternity."
The halo of Thunder Triple Strike suddenly manifested behind the Raiden Shogun.
Lightning erupted from her body, surging toward the heavens.
Countless streaks of purple light blazed so brightly that no one could look directly at them.
A long blade slowly rose from the chasm.
Su Xuan narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Outsider, journey, beyond this world?"
Su Xuan stared intently at the Raiden Shogun as she drew her blade, silently enveloping himself in a layer of energy shield.
But he didn't notice any trace of the diary near the Raiden Shogun.
It must have been Raiden Ei in the Plane of Euthymia sharing it with her.
After all, the relationship between Raiden Ei and the Raiden Shogun was special—they could share a diary replica.
[The one before me, with her impassive expression, drawing her blade without a word of parley, is the puppet general created by Raiden Ei to uphold eternity.]
[The Raiden Shogun in the hearts of Inazuma's people.]
[A puppet created on the foundation of eternal ideals won't consider anything else.]
[Just like how the Vision Hunt Decree and Sakoku Decree will harm Inazuma—that's beyond this general's scope.]
[The current situation is the same.]
[The Raiden Shogun won't consider how our battle might damage Inazuma City. She only knows I carry too much uncertainty, making me an enemy of eternity.]
[So, she must eliminate me.]
[I doubt even Raiden Ei right now could talk her down. That might be why Ei hasn't shown herself yet.]
[No matter. The Raiden Shogun's martial prowess is identical to Raiden Ei's.]
[The test results won't differ much.]
[That said, while the Raiden Shogun can't consider other factors, she does have one major advantage.]
[Like...]
[Milk Fragrance Slash.jpg]
The women broke out in cold sweat.
No wonder he went to test his blade—it was all for this photo?
"Enemy of eternity, I shall end your journey in Inazuma." The Raiden Shogun raised Musou Isshin high.
In the blink of an eye.
Purple lightning was already before Su Xuan.
Ignoring the energy ripples surging from Su Xuan's shield, the Raiden Shogun slashed down with Musou no Hitotachi without hesitation.
A flash of dazzling purple blade light streaked through as the Raiden Shogun's figure crossed paths with Su Xuan.
She sheathed her blade expressionlessly, and violent thunder immediately erupted around Su Xuan.
A soaring purple thunder pillar instantly engulfed him.
Boom boom boom—
The rampaging lightning triggered endless purple serpents in the sky.
The earth-shaking thunderclaps terrified all living beings on Inazuma's soil.
This scene left the women stunned, at a loss for words.
Anyone who took that slash would probably be incinerated to ash by the violent lightning.
Liyue Jade Chamber.
Ningguang, Keqing, and Ganyu exchanged glances. Ningguang pointed at the diary before them.
"Our diary replica is still here, so does that mean..."
"Look, he's fine after all..." Keqing exclaimed, pointing at the image.
Su Xuan had just mentioned that the Raiden Shogun's martial arts were no different from Raiden Ei's.
This proved that while the Raiden Shogun was a puppet created by the thunder god, her strength was on par with a deity.
"Blocking a god's slash head-on without a scratch—what kind of power is he using?"
...
The lightning faded.
The Raiden Shogun sensed the anomaly behind her and slowly turned.
Seeing Su Xuan standing unscathed before her, her brow twitched slightly.
Then she closed her eyes.
They reopened with a flicker of purple light. "I'm curious. What exactly is this power from beyond the world that you wield?"
"Raiden Ei?" Su Xuan was mildly surprised.
The Raiden Shogun would never ask him such a question—she'd simply follow up with another slash upon seeing him unharmed.
That meant after the Raiden Shogun's Musou no Hitotachi, she'd swapped consciousness with Raiden Ei.
"Yes." Raiden Ei nodded lightly.
Earlier, Raiden Ei in the Plane of Euthymia had planned to pull Su Xuan inside during his meeting with the general.
But her attempt had failed against him.
Remembering Su Xuan's mention of their battle potentially affecting Inazuma City, Raiden Ei had convinced the general with the rationale of [Facing power from beyond the world to strengthen the pursuit of eternity], allowing her to emerge and meet Su Xuan.
"I'm not sure how to answer your question."
"Or rather, I don't know how to explain telekinesis to you."
"You can think of it as an intangible energy created through mental power that can control surrounding objects."
"It's a kind of superpower."
After hearing Su Xuan's explanation, Raiden Ei fell into brief contemplation.
"I see. So it's energy generated through mental will."
"No wonder you withstood the general's Musou no Hitotachi. It also explains why I couldn't pull you into the Plane of Euthymia."
"Your mental will is no weaker than mine or the general's."
Every slash from Raiden Ei or the Raiden Shogun was a Musou no Hitotachi.
But the reason for the slash determined its power.
The mental will of Raiden Ei and the Raiden Shogun greatly influenced the might of Musou no Hitotachi.
Against someone whose mental will matched theirs, the slash's power was severely limited.
"Phew!" Su Xuan exhaled. "I've tested the Raiden Shogun's blade. Now that you're here, let me try yours."
"Plus, you can feel my telekinesis for yourself."
"Come on, let's change locations and keep fighting."