This isn't her first time being protected. Yeah, sister has always been protecting me...
Clearly I'm stronger than her, but every time it's her shielding me behind her...
Just like at this moment, clearly I'm stronger, why are you all desperately protecting me, even neglecting your own safety?
So that's how it is, so the heart that wants to protect someone has nothing to do with power...
Ei still doesn't know that in her sister's heart, it was the same feeling, truly thinking that Ei had always been protecting her.
[Ei: "Thank you..."]
At this moment, Ei seemed to realize that she is not that god who charges forward without hesitation to protect everyone.
She is actually also the Ei protected by all these 'people'.
Kitsune Saiguu sacrificed herself to protect Inazuma, but actually it was also to protect her.
Raiden Makoto went alone to Khaenri'ah, even more to protect her own little sister.
Now even these three samurai are also exerting all their strength to protect their Shogun.
After clearing away the monsters, the three samurai said, please have the Shogun return to Inazuma City, they will stay here to block the monsters, and won't let them advance half a step!
In their view, this moment right now is 'reality', and they didn't notice any abnormality.
The Traveler also, with high emotional intelligence, went along with them, entrusting this 'heavy responsibility' to the three.
[Ei was stunned for an instant, then spoke: "Thank you very much, I promise you all, I will give Inazuma a bright future."]
This promise was said to these three samurai, and also said to Ei herself; this is her guarantee to 'Inazuma'.
For Ei's guarantee, the three samurai believed in it without a doubt.
The Shogun's words must be fulfilled, and we too will never admit defeat!
Finally, the three samurai sheathed their weapons and simultaneously saluted as they said:
["The eternal path is vast, Narukami eternal!"]
["The eternal path is vast, Narukami eternal!!"]
The people of Inazuma silently recited this phrase together with them.
And what moved them even more was Ei's next words.
[Ei: "People's sacrifices once caused me immense pain, but I overlooked their form of burning everything away and shining with a strong light."]
["Now, I also want to give them... and the people who still deeply believe in me until now an explanation."]
Ei declared: Sister above, her soul blesses Inazuma. Miko at the side, wisdom decides the world!
I will definitely be able to give the elders of Jiangdong... Inazuma an explanation!
The people of Inazuma then said: Shogun! I-I have always believed... in your promise!
Ei awakened; she is not a lonely protector, she is also one protected by all living beings.
Humans are not only ones who can only be protected by her; humans are also worthy of her trust.
Humans... how powerful, resilient, worthy of pride for them.
At this point, Ei truly resolved to walk toward the future; she no longer fears the unknown of the future, because on this road of the 'future', she is no longer alone.
Yeah, on this pitch-black road to the future, walking alone always inevitably brings hesitation and timidity, afraid that one chooses the wrong path and leads the people following her astray.
But now she understands; the people by her side are not 'burdens', but 'lights' that can explore the 'darkness' together with her.
Inazuma's thunder light is not hers alone.
The thoughts of Ei in reality synchronized with those in the story; however, just as Ei resolved to move forward, she couldn't move, completely unable to take even one step forward.
Ei knew it was the Shogun resisting her; she was calling for her to converse with her.
So Ei asked the Traveler to act as her 'crutch' for a bit, supporting her to the cave beneath the Grand Narukami Shrine; she wanted to sever the 'past' there.
Zhongli signed the contract that concludes all contracts; then I shall come to prove my eternity that is sufficient to sever all 'eternity'.
The Raiden Shogun's 'eternity' is the unchanging program established by Ei; if it can be severed, then it is indeed severing 'eternity'.
"Is that so; the last one to face is indeed her." Ei seemed to have guessed it long ago.
No wonder Lucian never explained sister's eternity to her; if she doesn't think it through clearly herself, she really can't defeat the Shogun in the consciousness space.
The consciousness space is of the mind; even if Ei is stronger than the Shogun and can slash her ten or a hundred times, it's useless—ultimately, it still depends on who 'admits defeat' first.
And the Shogun is just a 'cold program'; to rely on her own consciousness to 'defeat' a pre-set program—how difficult that is.
Previously, fixing bugs could only count as modifying some code; now, it's about changing the underlying logic.
But if you ask whether she will win? She will win! Because my name is precisely called—Shadow!
Under Lumine's support, Ei arrived inside this unknown cave; inside the cave, there was a strange and peculiar torii gate.
This torii gate sealed the entrance to Raiden Makoto's consciousness space.
Drawing a bit closer, the few of them were pulled into a special space, just like the Plane of Euthymia.
Here, the Raiden Shogun had been waiting early for Ei's arrival.
This is Raiden Makoto's consciousness space, so the Raiden Shogun and Ei can appear together in this space.
[Raiden Shogun's tone ice-cold, devoid of emotion: "This body is the intrinsic assistant, also the guardian of the law."]
["If the intrinsic desires to deviate from the law, then this body... shall become Asura."]
The readers widened their eyes; what kind of super plot twist is this? I fight 'myself'?
Alright, everyone also knows that the Raiden Shogun and Ei are actually two people, but it still feels a bit strange.
After all, the two look exactly the same, and usually, Ei directly 'possesses' the Raiden Shogun.
The Raiden Shogun in the story stated that Ei traveled the world and seemingly grasped the truth of eternity.
But is this truth a new idea even firmer than the past, or is it an unavoidable 'wear and tear'?
The readers were stunned; these words have some meaning. If forced to say, this seems to really be a kind of 'wear'.
It's just that what Ei changed was only her ideas; she didn't lose her emotions or memories. Ei came this time precisely to prove this point, to prove that she is still her.
[Ei: "I have come precisely to answer you. We are both martial artists; at this moment, the way of dialogue has only 'battle' this one option, right."]
The readers were satisfied; this is the Electro Archon we know. What mouth escape? When encountering things, she directly solves them with muscles.
People with super muscles just need to go up and elbow; those using super brains have to consider a lot.
Ei told the Traveler that all her previous discomforts were because the Raiden Shogun was resisting her 'use'.
Now in this space, the two can coexist, so Ei is no longer affected.
It's time to let the Raiden Shogun know who the master is!
No, I mean, let the Raiden Shogun know who the mama is!
Still wrong... it should be letting the Raiden Shogun know who the dominator of her body is!
Uh... in any case, it's to make the Raiden Shogun distinguish clearly who is the big king and who is the little king!
===✧✦✧===
Character Voice Line · Raiden Shogun: About Samurai
"Worthy of their identity."