After all, the Shogun was primarily a creation of Raiden Ei to resist erosion.
Akio reached out and took the Raiden Shogun's hand. To everyone's astonishment, another figure identical to the Raiden Shogun, with the same attire and hairstyle, appeared in Akio's arms.
This was the perfect replication—a flawless copy of the Raiden Shogun's body. The only drawback was that it was still a puppet's body.
Fortunately, the Raiden Shogun herself was originally a modified version of Ei's body, so it remained flesh and blood.
"Shogun, take this body. It's no different from the one you're using now," Akio said. "From now on, you'll be an independent entity, separate from Ei."
"Why?" The Raiden Shogun frowned. "Even if it's a new body, it should still be mine. This is my body!"
"Ah, this~" Akio was taken aback. He hadn't expected the Shogun to be so assertive.
"I'll go. I created the Shogun, and she developed her own consciousness. This body rightfully belongs to her," Raiden Ei said softly. Musou Isshin flew out from the Shogun's chest and directly entered the new body.
Alright then. Akio didn't say much more. After all, both the Shogun and Ei were his future wives. If they were fine with it, so was he. The bodies were identical, so there was no difference.
"Mmm~" In Akio's arms, Raiden Ei let out a soft hum, opened her eyes, and felt her new body. It was exactly the same as before, with no discomfort or unfamiliarity.
"Since the inner self has awakened, let's duel!" The Raiden Shogun gripped her naginata once more and looked at Raiden Ei. "Show me your will! Let me see if you've been eroded."
"Alright~" Raiden Ei nodded. She knew that, as warriors, only in battle could they prove their resolve.
"In that case, let's fight in my space," Akio said with a smile. He clenched his hands, and in the next moment, the scenery changed. The Grand Narukami Shrine disappeared, replaced by a golden void.
"This is the Imaginary Space. Fight as you please; it won't affect the outside world," Akio said, waving his hand. A massive arena rose from the ground.
Having them fight here not only prevented the battle's aftermath from affecting Inazuma but also allowed Akio to intervene if things got too intense. In this space, Akio was an absolute god. At the very least, no Archon could resist his control here.
Two identical figures stood on the arena. The only difference was that the Shogun wielded a naginata, while Ei held Musou Isshin. Soon, the two clashed in a storm of lightning.
"Looks like this fight will last a while," Akio said, casually waving his hand. Golden energy materialized into chairs and a table. After everyone took their seats, Yae Miko pulled out a box of fried tofu from her Vision.
"Why do you carry fried tofu with you?" Kitsune Saiguu asked curiously.
"To satisfy my cravings anytime, of course. It doesn't spoil in the Vision," Yae Miko replied, pulling out a few small cups and some sake.
"Impressive! That's so like you, Miko," Akio praised, suddenly remembering he had some premium sea dragon meat stored away. He quickly tossed it into the Magical Kitchen to prepare a feast.
The group sat above, enjoying drinks and food, while the battle below raged on.
…
Time passed, and Akio and the others rested their chins on their hands, watching the two still fighting below.
"My, my, they're really going at it," Yae Miko said, bored. "And the Shogun, she's lost so many times. Why won't she admit defeat?"
"Let's play Genius Invokation TCG," Kitsune Saiguu suggested, equally bored, pulling out the cards.
…
More time passed, and a loud explosion jolted Akio and Raiden Makoto from their dozing.
Looking down, they saw the two standing on opposite sides of the arena.
The prolonged battle had left their clothes torn and marked with cuts.
The Shogun was the first to unleash a storm of lightning. At this moment, Magatsu Mitake Narukami no Mikoto revealed her most powerful form—Magatsu Mitake Narukami no Mikoto: Transcendence.
A massive, lightning-constructed puppet limb lifted the Shogun into the air, and a colossal blade of thunder seemed ready to cut down all eternal foes.
Seeing the Shogun's form, Ei remained still. She could also enter the Magatsu Mitake Narukami no Mikoto state, but she chose not to.
"The will I carry remains unbroken, uneroded."
The massive thunder blade swung horizontally, its powerful lightning surging through the space, as if to annihilate everything.
"Musou no Hitotachi!"
At this moment, Raiden Ei had not truly abandoned the stillness of eternity. What she wanted was for Makoto to return. Without bearing the wishes of the people, her blade remained the Musou no Hitotachi.
The two colossal blades of light collided, their powerful lightning scattering, shattering the golden blocks around them. The immense energy surged outward.
With a mere wave of his hand, Akio dissipated the energy, and the Imaginary Space absorbed it entirely.
On the arena below, the Raiden Shogun exited her Magatsu Mitake Narukami no Mikoto state. She looked at Raiden Ei calmly and said, "It ends here. I've lost."
"You haven't been eroded. Your will remains unchanged," the Raiden Shogun said. "I will pass the title of Raiden Shogun to Raiden Makoto and become your shadow."
"No," Raiden Ei shook her head. "Shogun, you shouldn't be my shadow."
"Huh?" The Raiden Shogun was slightly puzzled. "Why not?"
"Makoto never treated me as a mere tool, Shogun. Now that you have your own body, you shouldn't be my tool either," Raiden Ei said earnestly, placing a hand on her chest. "You should pursue your own ideals."
"My ideals?" The Raiden Shogun was at a loss. She was born for eternity, and as the Raiden Shogun, that was her duty and purpose. Now, stepping down from that role, she didn't know what to do.
"Who says pursuing your own ideals means you can't protect Inazuma? With Makoto ruling, two Raiden Shoguns guarding it, and Akio as the Great Divine Sovereign, Inazuma's future is brighter than ever!" Kitsune Saiguu's voice rang out from above.
Akio and the others descended to stand beside the Raiden Shogun and Raiden Ei. Kitsune Saiguu spoke with a smile.
"Indeed," Yae Miko nodded. With four deities in one nation, three of whom possessed unparalleled combat prowess, Inazuma's future would see an extraordinary leap forward!
"Makoto, I will pass the title of Raiden Shogun to you," the Raiden Shogun said, looking at Raiden Makoto with seriousness.
A/N: Enjoying the story? Read 40+ chapters ahead on Patreon! Your support helps: Patreon.com/nneol