Clatter...
Pushing open the hidden stone door before them revealed a long, narrow wooden passageway. Its interior design was unlike any public structure—aged brown walls, faded golden trims, and torches burning on both sides gave it an air of secrecy and antiquity.
The corridor stretched deep, seemingly leading straight into a central hall. Strangely, there wasn't a single person in sight. Aside from the faint sound of the wind echoing through, all was silent—though from the faint reverberations ahead, it almost seemed like someone was speaking, carried by the air.
"Normally... there's no reason to build such a structure deep in the mountains."
Ei paced slowly along the hallway, her fingers brushing the wooden pillars as she spoke, her tone laced with suspicion.
Even with Ittetsu's directions, the two had spent quite some time searching before finding this place. If they hadn't been meticulous, they might have missed it entirely—the stone door itself was cleverly built with hidden mechanisms.
"It's clearly designed to avoid prying eyes... perfect for carrying out covert plans—or secret meetings."
The Shogun stepped beside her, examining the surroundings closely.
"Shogun... do you feel it?"
Ei closed her eyes slightly, sensing the aura around them before speaking softly.
"Mm... something's here."
The Shogun nodded in agreement.
"An unfamiliar aura... a dangerous one."
Ei's eyes sharpened, faint purple light glowing in her pupils.
Bzz~
At that same moment, the Shogun's eyes glowed in resonance—two brilliant violet lights illuminating the dim corridor. The two women stood in perfect unity, their gazes cold and sharp as they stared down the long, silent hallway ahead.
Tap... tap... ×2
Their footsteps were slow and steady—almost casual—as they advanced down the quiet passage, finally arriving at a wide tatami-floored chamber that resembled a dojo.
"!" ×2
Both froze instantly.
Before them sat dozens of wandering samurai arranged in perfect symmetry around the room. There were at least forty of them, all clad in armor and wearing straw hats, the hilts of their swords stained with dried blood. The men surrounded the hall completely, their sheer number filling the space to capacity—a most formidable sight.
For any ordinary person, even one possessing a Vision, this would have been a death trap. The only sensible option would be to flee. But the two who stood there today were anything but ordinary.
"Why are there wandering samurai in the Tenryou Commission's camp?"
The Shogun asked, frowning.
From her experience, these weren't mere drifters—they were mercenaries, and well-trained ones at that. Their armor alone betrayed their professionalism. Common ronin could never afford such equipment.
"Something's definitely wrong."
Ei's violet eyes narrowed, her tone dropping into a low murmur.
Clack— ×N
In the next instant, over forty armored ronin rose in unison, their armor plates clattering with chilling resonance. Their straw hats obscured their faces, but faintly, one could see the dark cloth masks tied around their heads.
They stepped forward, drawing their blades in perfect synchronization—the collective sound of steel scraping from forty scabbards rang sharply through the air. Yet, the two women before them remained completely unfazed.
"You dare draw your blades in front of the Almighty Shogun?"
The Shogun's voice carried clear warning.
"..." ×N
No one answered—only the faint sound of a mocking laugh could be heard among them.
"Haa... enough. Anyone who stands in our way... cut them down."
Ei spoke coldly, her words devoid of hesitation.
Then, her eyes flared with purple light as Musou Isshin formed within her grasp. The blade spun gracefully in her hand before falling naturally to her side.
"Agreed."
Bzz—
The Shogun's eyes shone in response. The wisteria-patterned paper umbrella in her hand dissolved into radiant motes of light, reforming into the Engulfing Lightning. Dressed not in armor but in a soft, pale lavender kimono, her elegance only magnified the beauty of her deadly aura.
"I'll take the left."
"Then I'll take the right."
They exchanged a single glance and raised their weapons together. Elemental energy surged from both of them, intertwining in perfect resonance and flooding the chamber with violet light.
Ei's long braid glimmered as lightning crackled around it, while the Shogun's flowing hair shimmered under the same glow, gently rippling in the charged air.
"Be careful..."
"You too..."
Ei seemed to understand the Shogun's concern and smiled softly at her.
Though none of these men posed any real threat to them, that moment of care between them was genuine nonetheless.
"..." ×2
Crackle!
In the next instant, two brilliant streaks of lightning—like living dreams—flashed forward into the midst of the enemy ranks. Their trails intertwined, sparking violently as the air filled with dazzling bursts of electric light, like the explosion of a flash grenade.
Crackle!
The corridor blazed white, forcing the surrounding samurai to shield their eyes. But in that brief moment of hesitation—
Bang! ×2
Both women struck down upon their targets, revealing their true forms amid the storm of light.
The Shogun, reformed from lightning, saw several of the armored warriors draw their blades simultaneously, charging toward her with frightening coordination—five of them leaping high into the air, blades raised for a downward strike!
Crackle!
She spun Engulfing Lightning in a smooth arc before driving it into the ground.
BOOM!!
A powerful surge of electricity erupted outward in a violent explosion.
BOOM! BOOM!
The shockwave hurled the attackers backward; those who had leapt upward were sent flying even higher. Some crashed directly into the warriors facing Ei, throwing their formation into disarray.
The remaining ronin regrouped and charged toward the Shogun again, surrounding her completely.
She merely smiled faintly, twirling her naginata before spinning gracefully.
Slash! ×N
The blade swept around in a full 360-degree arc, cutting through the ronin like slicing through paper. Blood sprayed across the tatami floor, crimson mist illuminated by arcs of lightning as the stench of burnt flesh filled the air.
Hearing footsteps behind her, the Shogun swiftly turned and lashed out with a backward kick. Her exquisite, white-stockinged leg struck the oncoming sword, the heel of her sandal catching perfectly on the enemy's guard. The two froze in this locked stance—she tried to pull back, but the warrior pulled in the opposite direction, holding her in place.
"Haaah!!"
Shouts erupted as several more samurai rushed her from behind.
Slash!
Without turning, the Shogun swung her blade with a wide arc, releasing a surge of sword energy that cleaved through two men in an instant. Blood splattered across the tatami, painting it red like the floor of hell.
"!"
The man holding her leg froze in shock, his grip loosening for just a moment. Seeing the chance, the Shogun slipped her foot free—abandoning her sandal entirely. Her bare, stockinged-foot glided smoothly from the strap, her sudden movement leaving the man dumbfounded.
"Heh... taste this."
She smirked coldly—and in the next heartbeat, her expression hardened. Her now-bare foot curved upward in a perfect arc before striking downward with lightning speed, landing a devastating blow squarely between the man's legs.
CRACK!!!!
"GAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
The air filled with the sharp, sickening sound of something breaking—followed by a shriek of agony that pierced the entire chamber. The man collapsed instantly, clutching his groin as he trembled violently. White froth spilled from his mouth, his eyes rolling back in pain.
The Shogun pressed her freed foot lightly against the tatami for balance, then flicked her naginata to hook the fallen man's blade by the guard. Raising her leg once more, she caught her airborne sandal between her toes with graceful precision.
Bam!
She kicked another incoming ronin squarely in the chest, the force snapping his neck backward at an unnatural angle before he fell lifelessly to the floor.
Tap...
Balancing on one leg, she set the sandal back down on the tatami, sliding her foot into it as if nothing had happened.
Ei glanced at her silently, speechless. The Shogun caught her mother's gaze and offered a small, sheepish smile.
This child, honestly...
Bzz~
With one clean motion, Ei swung her blade, tearing the very space before her. The rift swallowed the remaining ronin in front of her, crushing them to dust within the void.
The surrounding warriors glanced at the mangled corpses of their comrades scattered across the floor. Fear flickered in their eyes—but then they turned to the other side, where Ei was still fighting, and steeled their resolve once more, charging headlong toward the woman holding the naginata before them.
The Shogun's expression remained utterly calm. Amid the flurry of blades, she moved as though walking through empty air. Her naginata pierced the nearest warrior's chest before he could even react.
Slash!
Then, with a smooth motion, she withdrew the blade.
Blood erupted in a violent spray.
She turned, swinging the naginata's butt end backward, striking another warrior squarely in the face.
Bam!
The impact hurled him across the room, his straw hat shattering into fragments that scattered across the tatami floor.
"Raaah!!"
Another ronin seized the chance to rush her from behind, sword raised high for a slash. But without even looking back, the Shogun swung her leg around in a sweeping kick.
Crack!
Her heel slammed into his shin, breaking his balance. His body arched backward in midair—
Shing!
The Shogun turned smoothly, spinning her blade upward in a flash of violet light. Engulfing Lightning sliced through his waist with an almost weightless touch.
Blood sprayed like a crimson fountain as his body split cleanly in two. Arcs of lightning crawled over the cross-section, devouring what remained before scattering into glowing motes that faded from sight.
The men behind him instinctively recoiled in fear. In just the blink of an eye, more than a dozen of their comrades had been slaughtered. But they had orders—and their foolish loyalty blinded them to reality. They didn't even realize who they were facing. The Shogun had warned them once, but it seemed they were too ignorant to understand.
As the saying went—many had heard of the Raiden Shogun, but few had ever truly seen her. And these mercenary ronin were little more than street thugs. Whoever had hired them—the Takatsukasa Clan—was clearly up to no good. But since they had chosen to act this way, they could hardly complain about the consequences.
The Shogun vanished into lightning, reappearing before two of the retreating warriors. Both drew their blades in panic. She raised her naginata with one hand, effortlessly parrying the incoming strike, then swung her leg sideways—her foot connecting squarely with the other man's crotch.
Crack!
Another sharp, clean sound echoed.
"GAAAH!!"
The man collapsed instantly, clutching his groin as he knelt on the floor, completely incapacitated.
That move really is effective... the Shogun thought to herself with dry amusement.
Then, with a flick of her wrist, she deflected the second man's blade and swung her naginata in a swift reversal—cleanly decapitating the groaning one before her.
Whoosh!
Without pausing, she snatched up the fallen man's sword and hurled it across the room. It whistled through the air like a bullet, carried by a sharp gust—
And buried itself in the neck of a ronin attempting to ambush Ei from behind.
Slash!
On the other side, Ei had just cut down a wave of attackers with Musou Isshin. Hearing the footsteps behind her, she turned just in time to see the thrown blade pierce her would-be assailant's throat, pinning him against the wall, severed arm and all.
"..."
Ei blinked in surprise, then glanced toward the Shogun—who returned her gaze briefly.
"!"
Suddenly, Ei saw several more enemies rushing in behind the Shogun. Without hesitation, she transformed into lightning and flashed forward—appearing right in front of her daughter.
"?"
This time, the Shogun was the one taken aback.
"Bend down."
"!"
Instinctively, the Shogun obeyed, lowering her stance. Ei vaulted over her back in a graceful roll, flipping sideways before bringing her blade down in a powerful strike.
Bzz~
BOOM!
The slash from Musou Isshin exploded across the space ahead, vaporizing the entire group of ronin in an instant.
In that same moment, the Shogun wasn't idle either. As Ei landed, she stepped forward and stomped down hard on an approaching enemy's foot.
BAM!
The tatami split beneath her heel.
"AAAH!!!"
The man screamed in agony, collapsing instantly—only for a violet flash to sever his head from his shoulders.
The Shogun swung her naginata again, sending out several arcs of lightning-infused sword energy.
Slash! ×N
Each wave of energy found its mark, slicing cleanly through throats one after another—like targets in a shooting range.
Ei, having just finished cutting down another group, leaned back against her daughter. The two stood back-to-back in the center of the room, surrounded by no more than a dozen surviving ronin.
"Shogun... there's something I've been meaning to tell you for a long time..."
Ei seemed to recall something and took the opportunity to speak softly.
"What is it?" the Shogun asked curiously.
"In my style of swordsmanship... there are no leg techniques."
As she raised Musou Isshin defensively, Ei sighed and gave her daughter a mildly reproachful reminder.
"But it works well."
The Shogun tilted her head slightly, her tone playful and defiant.
"...You're getting cheeky~."
Slash!
Ei smiled indulgently before slicing through the blade of a ronin's sword, then stepped forward and delivered a swift upward kick—aimed squarely between the man's legs.
"GAAAAH!!"
Her kick landed harder than the Shogun's earlier one. The man's body jerked violently upward before collapsing to the ground, his face twisting in agony. Ei followed up with another kick straight to his chest.
BAM!
The impact released a visible shockwave.
The ronin's body was flung backward like a cannonball, crashing into several of his approaching comrades and knocking them all flat on the ground.
"You used it too," the Shogun remarked dryly.
"...It is quite effective," Ei admitted with faint embarrassment.
"Cheeky, was it?"
The Shogun repeated her mother's earlier words in a teasing tone, her question carrying an innocent playfulness.
Pfft...
Ei couldn't help but laugh, then raised Musou Isshin high, as if signaling something.
Seeing this, the Shogun immediately understood. She lifted Engulfing Lightning as well, bringing the blades together. The clash of their weapons emitted a brilliant Baal sigil that rotated rapidly in midair, drawing in the surrounding lightning energy. The air warped with sheer elemental force, until—
BOOM!!
A colossal surge of electricity exploded outward, flooding the entire chamber. The storm of energy engulfed every enemy in front of them, reducing them to smoldering husks.
When the light faded, silence fell over the room. The only sounds that remained were the faint crackling of scorched flesh and the acrid stench of burning.
Back-to-back, both women calmly sheathed their weapons. The once pristine dojo had become a charred wasteland.
"You could've used that earlier," the Shogun commented flatly.
"I just wanted to get some practice," Ei replied with a shrug.
"And you called me the playful one~."
Ei ignored her daughter's comeback and exhaled softly, scanning the surroundings.
"It seems that's all of them."
"Quite the effort... hiring bandits to guard the entrance. Hmph. Let's keep moving."
"Mm."
They exchanged a brief look before stepping forward in unison, heading deeper into the hidden complex.
After a few minor scuffles, the two finally arrived at the innermost chamber—an expansive reception hall, more ornate than the previous dojo. The tatami floor was lined with unfamiliar banners bearing insignias unlike that of the Kujou Clan. Even the folding screens displayed foreign crests. In the center stood a large door adorned with a samurai helmet motif, surrounded by burning braziers that filled the air with a tense, oppressive heat.
"Is that... Kujou Kanjirou?"
The Shogun murmured, her gaze fixed on the young man standing in the center of the room—encircled by soldiers not bearing the Kujou family crest. Leading them was an elderly man with white hair, clad in brown robes and armed with a katana. His expression was arrogant and disdainful. Clearly, Kanjirou was outnumbered and outmatched.
"Shogun... step back. I'll handle this."
Seeing the danger, Ei narrowed her eyes and instructed her calmly, her motherly instincts compelling her to shield her daughter from harm.
"But—"
"Don't worry... I know my limits."
Ei's reassuring tone softened the concern in the Shogun's eyes.
"...Alright. I'll leave it to you."
The Shogun nodded obediently, understanding her mother's intention—and, with quiet trust, refrained from arguing further.