Inside the quiet, sealed room.
The young man stood before two twin women, a mysterious smile on his face.
He raised one hand. Dangling from it was a compass.
The compass swung slowly back and forth before their eyes.
As time passed, their gaze seemed to gradually lose its brilliance, their eyes slipping into a dazed state…
Unfortunately, that classic scene never actually happened.
Xia Zhi frowned slightly.
He had been swinging the compass for over an hour.
Yet Raiden Ei and the Raiden Shogun showed not the slightest sign of falling under Hypnosis.
Their eyes were still as clear as ever, fixed intently on the pendulum motion.
If it hadn't worked by now, there was no point continuing.
Ei's will was probably just too strong.
Or maybe his own Divine Power wasn't high enough yet to suppress her—he still needed to grow stronger.
Xia Zhi stopped, pocketed the compass, and shook his head. "Sorry. Looks like this method doesn't work either."
"It's fine."
Ei turned her head as she spoke. The Shogun mirrored the motion, the two identical faces locking eyes. In an instant, the atmosphere sharpened, bristling with tension.
Xia Zhi slipped the compass away. "Wait—you two are about to fight again?"
"Yeah."
"We must settle this."
He studied them both. "If that's the case, maybe I can help a little."
"A little… help?"
"Hm?"
Xia Zhi thought aloud. "What you're worried about is simple—you're evenly matched, but you don't have the time to keep dragging it out, right?"
"That's right."
"Exactly."
Xia Zhi smiled. "Then that's an easy fix. I happen to know a bit about the laws of time. I can carve out a special battlefield in a dream, where time itself stands still. You'll be free to fight as long as you want. What do you think?"
"In that case…"
"…That works."
"Good." Xia Zhi nodded. "Then let's go."
The three left the little room and stepped into open space.
Xia Zhi extended his hand, spreading the power of time until a wide area froze in suspension. "Time here has been stopped. You can fight for as long as you like."
Ei inclined her head. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it," Xia Zhi replied with a wave. "I'll leave you to it."
He turned and stepped outside the time-stopped field.
But instead of leaving, he lingered.
A second later, Ei and the Shogun walked back out as well.
For a moment, both seemed startled to see him standing there.
Xia Zhi grinned. "Guess I should be saying long time no see? How long were you two in there?"
Ei shook her head. "A long time… I can't remember."
The Shogun spoke solemnly. "The time spent on our duel could bear witness to kingdoms rising and falling. The energy consumed could tip the seas and blot out the sky. The will demanded could pierce a single heart and overturn dreams."
"Sounds intense," Xia Zhi said, intrigued. "So, how did it end?"
Ei's voice was complicated. "Still… a draw."
"A draw again?" Xia Zhi raised a brow. "You mean you still couldn't decide a winner?"
The Shogun replied, "Though there was no victor, I have acknowledged her. Her new will is not born from [erosion]. I will no longer hinder her from altering the laws. From this day forward, this body remains her ally."
Ei added, "And I won't enforce any more absolute, unchangeable laws."
"That's your choice," the Shogun said. "My duty will not change. But as a warrior, I look forward to facing her again."
"You will," Ei promised.
Xia Zhi cut in. "So, Shogun—while you've acknowledged her will, you're still not satisfied?"
The Shogun nodded. "Correct."
"Because you both know each other's techniques too well?"
"Perhaps… The battles are exhilarating, but they always end in stalemate. Neither of us can win, neither can lose."
Xia Zhi chuckled. "Then how about a match with me?"
"…With you?" the Shogun hesitated.
"Mm." Xia Zhi nodded. "So far I've only fought Osial and Azhdaha, and both times in transformed states. I want to try fighting without transforming. What do you say?"
The Shogun agreed with a nod. "I'll accompany you."
"Perfect. Let's go."
They stepped back into the time-stopped arena.
A naginata appeared in the Shogun's hands.
Xia Zhi conjured a spear of his own.
They clashed—yet the Shogun was forced back again and again.
Though their martial skill was on par, Xia Zhi's raw strength overwhelmed hers. She couldn't hold his blows.
At this rate, she couldn't keep up.
The Shogun backed off, her tone serious. "Mr. Xia, please be on guard."
Xia Zhi felt her aura rising sharply. He tilted his head with curiosity. "Oh? What technique is this?"
"This is our strongest move, mine and Ei's," the Shogun declared. "It is called Musou no Hitotachi. Long ago, the god Orobashi fell to this blade."
Xia Zhi blinked. Musou no Hitotachi?
Wait—I can use that too.
He remembered the First Meditation Technique he'd mastered, with its two opposing Traits: With Thought and Without Thought — the latter referring to the same state as Musou no Hitotachi, a mind empty of all stray thoughts.
[With Thought]: Countless desires, endless thoughts.
[Without Thought]: No stray thoughts, unity of man and heaven.
Xia Zhi smiled faintly at the Shogun—
—and activated [Without Thought].
On his system panel, a green buff appeared:
[Without Thought]: Your next attack or skill deals +1000% damage, then this buff ends.
The Shogun immediately sensed his aura explode. "You… what is this?"
"I've got a Musou no Hitotachi too," Xia Zhi said easily. "So let's find out—which is stronger? My spear, or your blade?"
By now, the Shogun's aura had peaked.
Their powers collided in a violent crash.
Ei, ever the warrior, naturally wanted to witness a duel of this caliber.
She hurried to follow them into the arena.
But she was too slow.
Just as she stepped in, she bumped into Xia Zhi's chest—he was already coming out. "Eh? You're… back?"
Xia Zhi smiled. "We're done."
The Shogun followed behind him, her expression strange.
Ei frowned. "How long did you fight?"
"Just a bit," Xia Zhi said.
"Did you decide a winner?"
He glanced at the Shogun, then nodded. "More or less."
"Who won?"
The Shogun answered herself. "Mr. Xia did."
Ei's eyes lit up with battle spirit. "Really?"
The Shogun confirmed, "Yes. And he won with ease."
Instead of discouragement, Ei's fighting spirit flared hotter. She fixed her gaze on Xia Zhi. "Then please fight me too!"
Xia Zhi gave a helpless laugh. "Forget it. There's no need. You and the Shogun are evenly matched. If she couldn't beat me, neither can you."
"Even so," Ei said firmly, "as a warrior, I must face you head-on, even knowing I may lose."
Such a battle maniac.
Seeing her determination, Xia Zhi sighed. "Fine. Let's go."
"Good!"
They stepped once more into the time-stopped field.
Since he'd already fought the Shogun, Xia Zhi knew Ei's capabilities. This time, he deliberately held back.
Her pressure wasn't as overwhelming as before, leaving her suspicious.
That's it? His spearwork is incredible, sure, but not enough to crush the Shogun so easily, right?
"Did the Shogun use Musou no Hitotachi earlier?" Ei asked.
"She did," Xia Zhi nodded.
"And you dodged it?"
"No. I crushed it."
"???" Ei blinked, dumbfounded.
"How?"
"With a Musou spear."
"…."
Ei fell silent. Then her aura surged—
She was about to unleash her own Musou no Hitotachi, to see for herself how he had "crushed" it.
Of course she was. That move was her proudest, strongest strike—one that could slay even gods.
And now someone claimed not only to withstand it, but to overpower it? Of course she wouldn't believe it without proof.
Xia Zhi smiled faintly and activated [Without Thought] again, his aura skyrocketing.
Then… that was that.
Just like the Shogun, Ei was blasted straight into the ground with a single spear strike.
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