This is a battle between eternity and 'eternity'; no one knows how long it will last—perhaps it will continue like this forever.
Both are stubborn mules, and neither will use words to persuade; they only elbow each other with muscles, so indeed, it will take a very long time of elbowing to convince the other.
One can only say that Ei wrote the Raiden Shogun's 'eternal defense mechanism' too well, too absolutely; wanting to change the other's 'eternity' is an extremely difficult thing.
But this can't be blamed on others; the 'eternal defense mechanism' she set for the Raiden Shogun is actually the past her's understanding of eternity, and also the past her's stubborn vigor.
Now that Ei wants to change, she has no choice but to face the past 'self' head-on.
[Ei: "The law I set for the Shogun... no, the Shogun is the ideal of my past self, the cornerstone of 'eternity', unshakable."]
In order not to let herself be affected by wear and tear, from the very beginning, Ei didn't leave any retreat for herself, and she didn't even prepare a device to shut down the Raiden Shogun.
Now, the only way is to 'convince' the Raiden Shogun, to let the 'past self' acknowledge the current self.
[Raiden Shogun: "This body symbolizes supreme majesty, granted the authority to lead a nation, condensing everything of the 'Raiden Shogun'."]
["It naturally also inherits the pain of constant losses as Shadow advanced, and the determination to reach eternity."]
These words from the Raiden Shogun explain her thoughts; she is indeed the 'Ei' from back then.
The one who, after losing everything, led Inazuma and resolved to reach 'eternity'.
But the road to eternity is full of too many bumps; time will change a person's thoughts. In order to prevent anyone from correcting or stopping her when she herself changes, the Raiden Shogun was born.
["Everything is to confront 'wear and tear'."]
["Determination, courage, admiration, hatred... all will deteriorate and twist in the river of time."]
["Only the 'law' remains eternally unchanging."]
This 'law' is not some profound thing like the 'law' of all things or the 'law' of the great way.
The 'law' that the Raiden Shogun speaks of is actually the 'underlying logic (code)' that Ei inputted into her.
The Raiden Shogun wants Ei to prove herself.
To prove that determination, courage, admiration, hatred—these didn't change or wear down Ei's will.
Now, Ei's will has changed, but the Shogun cannot determine the reason for this change.
She cannot understand what emotions everything Ei saw and heard stirred up, because she now has no emotions whatsoever.
She cannot understand Ei's change, because those are all some ethereal 'hopes'; Ei 'merely' saw the 'hopes' that her subjects placed on her.
She did not change because of wear and tear, nor for herself; she changed for her subjects.
She is no longer the 'eternal guardian' of the past; she will be the 'guardian of Inazuma's people'.
And the Raiden Shogun before her eyes, she is the Ei of the past; she is still that 'eternal guardian'.
[Ei looking at 'her past self': "This is indeed the thought I had when I created you."]
["It has also become the high wall I must cross."]
Hearing this, the Raiden Shogun also understood that Ei had no intention of giving up.
[Raiden Shogun: "You, wish to make yourself my enemy?"]
["I am your past, the everlasting law, the guardian of 'eternity'."]
Ei looked at the Raiden Shogun whose momentum was gradually rising, with no fluctuation, and merely said faintly:
["And I am, the one who promises her subjects a dream—the 'Ei'."]
From this moment on, the shadow warrior of the past stepped out of the 'cage' named 'Shogun'.
She is no longer the 'Raiden Shogun' who protects Inazuma and guards eternity; she is 'Ei'.
Perhaps only at this moment did Ei truly replace her sister and become the true general.
She became the sister, and the Raiden Shogun is the past her, the little sister, the shadow warrior.
Now, it's time for me, this 'sister', to properly teach the 'little sister'.
Thunder and lightning arose everywhere, deafening; in a series of illustrations, it was all thunder light and blade light, even faintly showing cracks in space.
And during the battle, the Raiden Shogun was still spouting 'trash talk'.
[Raiden Shogun: "The proud and stern oni girl, in the end, had her fangs and claws severed..."]
["Even if the blood and filth have been cleansed, your blade can never shine as brightly as before."]
She said words that pierced Ei's heart, speaking of the 'past' that Ei once couldn't step over in her heart.
Even if the blood is wiped away and the filth is washed off, how could Ei forget the scene from back then when she grips the blade?
In the illustration, on Ei's side, a flash of memory passed: it was Mikoshi Chiyo, in that injured state.
Blood dyed the oni girl's clothes red, and the oni horn, as red as the blood, had one severed.
She still bared her teeth, her expression fierce and full of hatred.
It shouldn't be like this; why isn't the expression of Chiyo in her memory that smiling face of hers?
Although this memory surfaced in her heart, Ei did not hold back or reduce her offensive; after several attacks, she directly severed the Raiden Shogun.
However, this was of no use; the Raiden Shogun quickly restored her original form.
In this consciousness space, only whoever's consciousness yields first is the one who loses.
So, even if the Raiden Shogun can't beat Ei, by relying on saying such words to attack the heart, she can still win.
Moreover, if you haven't stepped over the 'past' yet, how can you speak of moving toward the future?
Indulging in the past is 'marking the boat to find the sword'; looking forward to the future, isn't that also 'gazing at plums to quench thirst'?
If you can't conquer one, how can you speak of moving to the other?
[Raiden Shogun: "The fox cherry blossoms dancing in the sky ultimately turned into black rain..."]
["As long as the ley lines still flow, the torment of time is endless."]
This time's memory is Kitsune Saiguu; the fox cherry blossoms dancing in the sky were originally a beautiful scene.
But afterward, Kitsune Saiguu fell in the black beast tide, and finally, the black rain filling the sky—what exactly was it, rain, or the blood scattered by the beast horde?
"My Hakushin blood is yours to spill as you wish."
In the illustration, a smile still hung on Kitsune Saiguu's face, just like in the old days.
This time, Ei hadn't broken yet, but the readers broke first—what's this about!
You fight, just fight; where do you get so many words? We cried once, and it's not enough; you still want us to relive it?
Seeing that Ei still hadn't broken, the Raiden Shogun continued:
["The divine thunder light enveloping Inazuma ultimately faded silently in the clouds..."]
["There will never be a second person, there will forever be no second person..."]
Who was this referring to this time? Raiden Makoto's figure flashed in Ei's memory.
===✧✦✧===
Character Voice Line · Ei: About the Raiden Shogun
"She is my past self; she will grow in the end."