The air in Inazuma City was thick with tension, the kind that pressed against your chest and made every breath feel heavier than the last. The sky above was a swirling canvas of purples and grays, the Electro Archon's eternal storm crackling faintly in the distance. The Statue of the Omnipresent God loomed tall and imposing, its stone gaze cold and unyielding as it watched over the gathered crowd. The citizens of Inazuma had come in droves, their murmurs a low, uneasy hum that reverberated through the square. Some stood on tiptoes, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the spectacle. Others whispered to one another, their voices tinged with confusion and fear. The Tenryou Commission's grand ceremony was not just an event—it was a warning, a display of power meant to remind everyone of the Raiden Shogun's unbreakable will.
Samurai clad in dark armor lined the perimeter, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords, eyes scanning the crowd for even the slightest hint of dissent. The air was charged with an unspoken threat: Do not interfere. Do not question. Obey. The crowd, though restless, obeyed. They had no choice. The Vision Hunt Decree had already claimed so much, and today, it would claim more.
"Make way! Make way for General Kujou Sara!" a stern voice barked, cutting through the murmurs like a blade. The crowd parted reluctantly, creating a narrow path as the Tengu warrior strode forward with her usual commanding presence. Her sharp, golden eyes scanned the area, her expression unreadable but her posture radiating authority. Behind her, a group of samurai marched in formation, their armor clinking with every step. Between them, two figures were being paraded like criminals, their hands bound tightly behind their backs.
The first was Thoma, the ever-loyal housekeeper of the Kamisato Clan. His usual cheerful demeanor was absent, replaced by a grim determination as he walked with his head held high. The crowd recognized him immediately, and their confusion was palpable. Thoma was well-loved in Inazuma City, known for his kindness, his easy smile, and his willingness to help anyone in need. To see him in chains, his Vision about to be taken, was a blow to many. Whispers rippled through the crowd.
"Is that… Thoma?" a woman in the crowd whispered to her friend.
"It can't be! Thoma wouldn't do anything wrong!" another replied, her tone filled with disbelief.
The second figure was a stranger to most—a blonde traveler with an otherworldly aura, his golden eyes sharp and calculating even in the face of danger. Aether, the outlander, was an enigma to the people of Inazuma. He carried no Vision, yet here he was, bound and forced to kneel before the Statue of the Omnipresent God. The crowd's confusion only grew. Why was he here? What had he done to warrant such treatment? Some speculated that his foreign origins alone were enough to mark him as a threat in the eyes of the Shogunate.
"Who's the other one? The blonde guy?"
"I've never seen him before. Does he even have a Vision?"
"Maybe he broke the law? He's not from Inazuma, that's for sure."
The samurai shoved Aether and Thoma forward, forcing them to their knees on the cold, hard ground in front of the statue. The crowd watched in uneasy silence, the weight of the moment settling over them like a suffocating blanket. Aether's mind raced, his eyes darting around as he assessed the situation. The samurai were too numerous, the crowd too tightly controlled. There was no easy way out—not yet, at least.
"Any ideas?" Aether muttered under his breath, his voice low enough that only Thoma could hear. He kept his gaze forward, his expression calm, but his mind was working overtime. If there was even the slightest chance to escape, he needed to find it.
Thoma, kneeling beside him, gave a barely perceptible shake of his head. "Right now? Nope, no way. It's too late for that." His voice was steady, but there was a flicker of resignation in his tone. He tilted his head slightly, gesturing toward the raised platform in front of the statue. "Look over there."
Aether followed Thoma's gaze, and his breath caught in his throat. There, standing atop the platform, was the Raiden Shogun herself. Her presence was overwhelming, a force of nature contained within a single, immovable figure. Her violet eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, and her expression was as cold and unyielding as the statue behind her. She was clad in her regal armor, the Electro symbol emblazoned across her chest, and her long, flowing hair seemed to shimmer with an electric energy. In her hand, she held the Musou Isshin, its blade radiating a faint, ominous hum. The air around her crackled with power, and even from a distance, Aether could feel the sheer intensity of her aura.
"That's… her?" Aether whispered, his voice barely audible. He had heard stories of the Raiden Shogun, of course—her divine power, her unwavering pursuit of eternity—but seeing her in person was something else entirely. She was majestic, yes, but there was something deeply unsettling about her presence. It was as if the very concept of mercy had been stripped away, leaving only.
"Yeah. That's the Raiden Shogun. The one and only." He paused, his voice dropping even lower. "Listen, Aether. Whatever happens next, don't do anything reckless. She's not someone you can just… fight."
Aether's jaw tightened, but he said nothing. He understood the gravity of the situation, but the thought of sitting idly by while Thoma's Vision was taken—while anyone's Vision was taken—was unbearable. He clenched his fists, the ropes digging into his wrists, and forced himself to stay calm. There had to be a way out. There had to be.
The Raiden Shogun stepped forward, her movements deliberate and unhurried. The crowd fell completely silent, the tension in the air so thick it was almost suffocating. She raised her hand, and a low hum filled the square as the statue behind her began to glow with a faint, purple light. The Vision Hunt Ceremony was about to begin.
The air in the square grew heavier, the tension so palpable it felt as though the very ground might crack beneath the weight of it. The Raiden Shogun's hand had been raised, the faint hum of Electro energy building as the Statue of the Omnipresent God began to glow. The crowd held its breath, the silence so absolute that even the faintest rustle of fabric seemed deafening. But just as the Shogun was about to speak, to declare the Vision Hunt Ceremony underway, the atmosphere shifted.
A sudden, unnatural stillness fell over the square, as if time itself had paused. Then, with a faint ripple in the air, a figure materialized out of thin air, standing directly in the center of the open area before the statue. The crowd gasped, their murmurs rising in a wave of shock and confusion. The figure was tall—towering at nearly 195 centimeters—and cloaked in a dark, gothic hooded robe that billowed slightly in the wind. Beneath the cloak, glimpses of dark, intricately crafted armor could be seen, its edges sharp and menacing. A mask covered his face, its design both elegant and unsettling, obscuring his identity entirely. His presence was overwhelming, a shadow given form, and the air around him seemed to grow colder, darker.
The samurai reacted instantly, their training kicking in as they surrounded the intruder, their swords drawn and their stances defensive. Kujou Sara, ever the vigilant general, nocked an arrow to her bowstring in one fluid motion, her golden eyes narrowing as she aimed directly at the hooded figure's head. Her voice rang out, sharp and commanding, cutting through the murmurs of the crowd.
"Who the hell are you?!" she demanded, her tone leaving no room for evasion. The tension in her voice mirrored the unease that had settled over the square. This was no ordinary intruder—his very presence radiated danger.
Aether's eyes widened as he recognized the figure. "Momon!" he called out, his voice a mix of relief and urgency. He knew Momon's capabilities well—his speed, his strength, his unyielding resolve. But he also knew the Raiden Shogun's nature. She would not tolerate a threat to her vision of eternity, and Momon's sudden appearance would undoubtedly mark him as such. A disaster was brewing, and Aether could feel it in his bones.
"Momon?" Kujou Sara repeated, her sharp gaze flicking briefly to Aether before returning to the cloaked figure. Her voice carried a note of realization. "So this is the second Honorary Knight?"
The crowd erupted into whispers, the name spreading like wildfire. "Honorary Knight?" someone repeated, their voice tinged with awe. "The actual Honorary Knights who saved Mondstadt and Liyue?!" another voice called out, louder this time. The citizens' confusion and unease grew. These were heroes, legends spoken of in hushed tones across Teyvat. Why were they being treated like criminals?
"But why? They are great heroes!" a voice protested, the sentiment echoed by others in the crowd. The people of Inazuma were no strangers to the Shogun's iron rule, but this—this felt different. This felt wrong.
"Silence!" Kujou Sara barked, her voice cutting through the rising murmurs like a whip. Her authority was absolute, and the crowd fell quiet, though the tension in the air remained. She turned her attention back to Momon, her bow still trained on him. "Adventurer Momon, surrender now. You are outnumbered and outmatched."
While the soldiers and the crowd were distracted, a small, floating figure darted through the chaos. Paimon, ever the quick thinker, zipped behind Aether and Thoma, her tiny hands working furiously to untie the ropes binding their wrists. "Paimon's got you!" she whispered, her voice a mix of determination and fear. The ropes fell away, and Aether rubbed his wrists, his eyes never leaving Momon and the Shogun.
"Thanks, Paimon," Aether said quietly, his voice tense. Thoma nodded in agreement, his expression grim. They were free, but the real danger was just beginning.
The Raiden Shogun, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. Her voice was low, almost a whisper, yet it carried an undeniable weight that silenced the square completely. "Such a cruel presence…" she said, her violet eyes fixed on Momon. Her gaze was piercing, predatory, as if she were dissecting him piece by piece, searching for the source of the darkness that clung to him. "You are an anomaly. A disruption."
Momon stood perfectly still, his masked face giving nothing away. He made no move to draw a weapon, no gesture of aggression. Yet his very stillness was unnerving, as if he were a storm contained within a human form, waiting to be unleashed.
The Raiden Shogun's expression hardened, her decision made. "I declare you a threat to Eternity," she announced, her voice resonating with divine authority. The air around her crackled with Electro energy, the ground trembling as a massive wave of purple light erupted from her body. She hovered in the air, her hair flowing as if caught in an invisible wind, her presence growing even more overwhelming. The crowd recoiled in terror, some stumbling backward as the sheer power radiating from her became almost unbearable.
Kujou Sara and the samurai quickly retreated, their faces pale with fear. They knew better than to stand too close when the Shogun unleashed her full power. The square cleared, leaving only Momon standing firm, his dark cloak billowing in the electrified wind.
From within the Raiden Shogun's chest, a glowing sword began to emerge—the Musou Isshin, a weapon of divine power, its blade humming with the energy of a thousand storms. The sight was both awe-inspiring and terrifying, a reminder of the god's absolute authority.
Momon, however, did not flinch. He remained where he was, his masked face tilted slightly upward as if meeting the Shogun's gaze. When he finally spoke, his voice was deep, calm, and utterly devoid of fear. "Eternity is nothing against absolute… death."
The crowd was stunned into silence by his words, his voice carrying an unnatural weight that seemed to press down on their very souls.
The words hung in the air, heavy and foreboding. The Raiden Shogun's eyes narrowed, her grip tightening on the Musou Isshin. The battle lines had been drawn, and the square braced itself for the clash of two forces that could shake the very foundations of Inazuma.
The sky above Inazuma City churned with an unnatural ferocity, the Electro Archon's eternal storm amplifying as the Raiden Shogun hovered high above the Statue of the Omnipresent God. Her violet eyes, once cold and lifeless, now glowed with an intensity that seemed to pierce the very fabric of reality. The air around her crackled with energy, her divine presence radiating an overwhelming pressure that forced even the bravest souls to their knees. Yet, Momon remained unmoved, his dark cloak billowing as he ascended to meet her, his towering figure a stark contrast to her ethereal grace.
Momon's masked face tilted slightly, his crimson eyes—visible through the slits of his mask—narrowing as he studied her. At first, he had sensed nothing from her—no life force, no soul, nothing that marked her as a living being. To him, she had seemed like a puppet, a golem animated by some higher power. But now, as her eyes glowed with a newfound vitality, he felt it—a faint, flickering pulse of life. It was as if something—or someone—had awakened within her, breathing life into the hollow shell she had been moments before.
Interesting, Momon thought, his mind racing. She was a puppet, but now… she's something more. What changed? There was no time to ponder the question. The Raiden Shogun's gaze locked onto him, her expression shifting from cold indifference to something far more dangerous—recognition, determination, and a hint of fury.
"You dare challenge eternity?" she spoke, her voice resonating with the power of a thousand storms. It was not a question but a declaration, a warning that echoed across the city. The citizens below, already cowering under the weight of her divine presence, felt their hearts tremble at her words.
Momon's response was calm, his deep voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "Eternity is an illusion," he said, his tone devoid of fear or hesitation. "And illusions… must be shattered."
The Raiden Shogun's eyes flared, her grip tightening on the Musou Isshin. The blade hummed with energy, its purple light growing brighter as she prepared to strike. Without another word, she moved—faster than the eye could follow, a streak of violet lightning cutting through the air as she lunged at Momon. The sound of her movement was like thunder, a deafening crack that shook the very foundations of Inazuma City.
Momon reacted instantly, his movements precise and deliberate. From within the folds of his cloak, he drew his black sword—a weapon as dark as the void, its surface seeming to absorb the light around it. The blade hummed with a low, ominous frequency, its edge gleaming with an otherworldly sharpness. As the Raiden Shogun's Musou Isshin descended, Momon raised his sword to meet it.
The collision was cataclysmic.
When the two blades clashed, the force of their meeting unleashed an unimaginable shockwave, a burst of energy that rippled outward in all directions. The air itself seemed to tear apart, the ground below trembling as if the world itself could not withstand the sheer power of their clash. The shockwave tore through the city, shattering windows, uprooting trees, and sending debris flying in every direction. The citizens of Inazuma, already on their knees, were forced flat onto the ground, their faces pressed against the cold stone as the wave of energy passed over them.
Aether, Thoma, and Paimon, who had been watching from a distance, were no exception. Aether threw himself over Thoma and Paimon, shielding them as best he could as the shockwave hit. The force of it was overwhelming, a physical weight that pressed down on them, stealing the breath from their lungs. When it finally passed, Aether looked up, his golden eyes wide with disbelief.
"What… what just happened?" Paimon stammered, her voice trembling as she peeked out from behind Aether. "That was… that was insane!"
Thoma, his face pale, could only shake his head. "I've never felt anything like that before," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "That's the power of the Raiden Shogun… and Momon. They're on a completely different level."
High above, the clash of blades continued. The Raiden Shogun's movements were a blur of violet lightning, her strikes precise and relentless. Each swing of the Musou Isshin carried the weight of a god's wrath, the blade humming with Electro energy as it sought to obliterate its target. Yet, Momon met every strike with equal force, his black sword moving with a fluid grace that belied its immense power. The two combatants were a study in contrasts—light and shadow, thunder and silence, divinity and death.
As their blades clashed again and again, the shockwaves continued to ripple outward, each one more devastating than the last. The city below was in chaos, the citizens scrambling for cover as the ground shook and the air crackled with energy. The samurai and soldiers, including Kujou Sara, could only watch in stunned silence, their weapons forgotten as they bore witness to a battle that defied comprehension.
Kujou Sara's golden eyes were wide, her usual composure shattered. "This… this is impossible," she muttered, her voice barely audible over the din. "No one should be able to stand against the Shogun like this."
Yet, Momon did more than stand—he held his ground, his crimson eyes never leaving the Raiden Shogun's glowing gaze. With each clash of their blades, the air grew heavier, the tension thicker. The Raiden Shogun's expression shifted again, her fury giving way to something else—something almost like curiosity.
She pushed against his blade with immense strength, the raw power of her Electro energy crackling along the edge of her sword. "You cannot comprehend the weight of Eternity!"
With a sudden burst of strength, Momon pushed back, forcing the Shogun to disengage. She flew backward, her eyes narrowing as she steadied herself mid-air. For the first time in the battle, there was a flicker of doubt in her gaze.
Momon pointed his sword at her, the dark aura around it intensifying. His voice was calm, but it carried a weight that silenced even the storm. "You've declared me a threat, Shogun. Now prove your Eternity can stand against me."
The sky above Narukami Island had become a battlefield of gods. The once-stable storm that perpetually hung over Inazuma now raged with unprecedented fury, the clouds churning and twisting as if the heavens themselves were at war. Lightning arced across the sky in jagged streaks, illuminating the chaos below. The citizens of Inazuma City, their faces pale and their hearts pounding, could only watch in stunned silence as the two titans clashed above them.
Momon and the Raiden Shogun moved at speeds that defied comprehension, their forms blurring as they darted across the sky. One moment, they would appear high above the Statue of the Omnipresent God, their blades colliding with a deafening crash that sent shockwaves rippling through the air. The next, they would vanish, only to reappear miles away, their clash lighting up the horizon like a second sun. The sheer speed of their movements made it impossible to track them with the naked eye. All the citizens could see were the aftereffects—the blinding flashes of light, the thunderous booms that shook the ground, and the devastating shockwaves that followed.
Each time their blades met, the impact was catastrophic. The shockwaves radiated outward like ripples on a pond, but these were no gentle waves—they were violent, earth-shattering forces that tore through the landscape. Buildings trembled, their windows shattering as the waves hit. Trees were uprooted, their trunks snapping like twigs. The ground itself seemed to groan under the strain, cracks spreading like spiderwebs across the streets. The citizens, already on their knees, were forced to press themselves even closer to the ground, their hands covering their heads as debris rained down around them.
"What… what is happening?!" a man cried out, his voice barely audible over the roar of the storm. He clung to the base of a shattered lamppost, his eyes wide with terror as he stared up at the sky.
"It's the Shogun!" a woman shouted back, her voice trembling. "She's fighting that… that monster!"
"Monster?!" another voice interjected, this one filled with disbelief. "Didn't you hear? He's one of the Honorary Knights! He saved Mondstadt and Liyue!"
"Then why is he fighting the Shogun?!" the first man shot back, his voice rising in panic. "This is madness!"
The citizens' confusion and fear were palpable, their voices rising in a cacophony of shouts and cries. But their words were drowned out by the next clash of blades, a collision so powerful that it sent a shockwave rippling across the entire island. The force of it knocked people off their feet, sending them sprawling to the ground. The air itself seemed to vibrate, the pressure so intense that it felt as though the world might tear itself apart.
High above, Momon and the Raiden Shogun reappeared, their blades locked in a deadly stalemate. The Shogun's violet eyes burned with an intensity that matched the storm around her, her expression a mix of fury and determination. Momon, his crimson eyes gleaming through the slits of his mask, met her gaze with an unyielding calm. For a moment, they hovered there, suspended in midair, the tension between them palpable.
"You cannot win," the Raiden Shogun declared, her voice resonating with the power of a god. "Eternity is absolute. Your defiance is meaningless."
They vanished again, their forms blurring as they streaked across the sky. The next clash occurred over the sea, the impact sending a massive wave crashing toward the shore. The one after that lit up the mountains, the shockwave causing a landslide that sent boulders tumbling down the slopes. Each clash was more devastating than the last, the sheer power of their battle reshaping the landscape of Narukami Island.
Aether, Thoma, and Paimon watched from a distance, their faces pale with shock. "This… this is insane," Paimon stammered, her tiny hands clutching Aether's arm. "They're going to destroy the entire island at this rate!"
As another shockwave rippled across the island, Aether made a decision. "We need to get to safety," he said, his voice firm. "And then… we'll figure out what to do next."
Thoma, his usual composure shattered, stared up at the sky with wide eyes. "I knew Momon was strong," he said, his voice trembling with disbelief, "but to be on this level of power… to go toe-to-toe with an Archon… it's insane. This isn't just strength—it's something else entirely."
Paimon, hovering nervously beside Aether, clutched at his arm with tiny, trembling hands. "They're tearing the sky apart!" she cried, her voice high-pitched with panic.
Aether's jaw tightened, his golden eyes glowing faintly with determination as he stared up at the chaotic scene above. His mind raced, trying to make sense of the battle unfolding before him. This wasn't just a fight—it was something far greater, far more profound. "No," he said quietly, his voice steady despite the turmoil around him. "This isn't just a fight. This is a declaration of power. Momon isn't just challenging the Raiden Shogun—he's challenging the very concept of eternity itself."
High above, the Raiden Shogun hovered in the air, her violet eyes blazing with divine fury. Her grip on the Musou Isshin tightened, the blade humming with an almost unbearable intensity as she gathered her power. The storm around her responded to her will, the clouds churning and lightning arcing across the sky in a display of raw, unbridled energy. She raised her blade, the air around her crackling with Electro energy, and with a swift, fluid motion, she unleashed a devastating horizontal slash.
The attack was unlike anything the citizens of Inazuma had ever seen. A massive arc of Electro energy erupted from the Musou Isshin, extending outward in a blinding wave of violet light. It was a strike meant to cleave the entire city in two, a display of power so overwhelming that it left no room for resistance. The citizens screamed in terror, their voices rising in a chorus of panic as they braced for the inevitable impact.
But in the blink of an eye, Momon appeared before the attack, his towering figure a stark contrast to the blinding light of the Raiden Shogun's strike. His dark cloak billowed in the wind, the edges of it seeming to dissolve into shadow as he raised his black blade. The sword, a weapon as dark as the void itself, hummed with a low, ominous frequency, its surface absorbing the light around it.
With a single, fluid motion, Momon swung his blade. The movement was precise, almost effortless, but the force behind it was unimaginable. The black sword cut through the arc of Electro energy as if it were nothing more than paper, the massive wave of power dissipating into harmless fragments that rained down like glowing embers. The citizens below stared in stunned silence, their fear momentarily forgotten as they witnessed the impossible.
The Raiden Shogun's eyes narrowed, her expression shifting from fury to something far more dangerous—recognition. She hovered in the air, her blade still raised, as she studied Momon with a calculating gaze. "You…" she said, her voice low and resonant, carrying the weight of a god's authority. "You are no mere mortal. What are you?"
Momon's response was calm, almost casual, but it carried an undeniable weight. "Oh, no, no, Miss Shogun," he said, his deep voice dripping with a dark, almost mocking amusement. "I'm no mortal at all. I am death himself."
The words hung in the air, heavy and foreboding. The Raiden Shogun's eyes narrowed, her expression shifting from fury to something far more dangerous—recognition. She had faced countless foes in her long existence, but this… this was different. Momon was not just an opponent; he was a force of nature, an embodiment of something far older and more primal than even her divine power.
For a moment, there was silence. Then, with a roar that echoed like thunder, the Raiden Shogun transformed. Her body dissolved into a blinding surge of Electro energy, her form becoming a living storm. Lightning arced around her, the air crackling with power as she surged forward, a streak of violet light cutting through the sky. Her movements were faster than thought, her strikes carrying the weight of a god's wrath.
But Momon was ready. As the Raiden Shogun transformed, so too did he. His body dissolved into a swirling mass of dark smoke and shadow, his form becoming something intangible, something otherworldly. The air around him grew colder, the light dimming as if the very concept of brightness was being erased. He moved like a phantom, his movements were fluid and unpredictable, a shadow-given form.
The two forces collided in midair, their clash sending shockwaves rippling across the island. The sky above Inazuma City became a battlefield of light and darkness, the storm above churning violently as the two titans clashed. Each collision was cataclysmic, the force of their strikes sending bursts of energy outward in all directions.
The Raiden Shogun's voice cut through the chaos, her tone sharp and commanding. "You dare to mock eternity?" she demanded, her words resonating with the power of a god. "You, who stand before me as if you are my equal? You are nothing but a disruption, a stain upon the fabric of this world."
As the battle raged on, the sky itself seemed to split apart with each collision of blade and will. Momon and the Raiden Shogun moved faster than mortal eyes could track, their figures flickering in and out of existence like ghosts of destruction. Every clash of Musou Isshin and Momon's ominous black greatsword sent out shockwaves that ripped through the air, tearing apart clouds, shaking the seas, and sending arcs of electricity and slashes of void-like energy across the horizon.
The sheer force of their battle carried them beyond Narukami Island, their speed so great that they seemed to vanish into the storm itself.
The people of Inazuma could only watch in horror and awe as the heavens raged. From the streets of Inazuma City to the distant shores of Yashiori and Kannazuka, citizens turned their eyes skyward, their faces pale. Even the most battle-hardened warriors of the Shogunate had never witnessed such devastation.
In the air above the raging ocean, beyond the reaches of Narukami, the two combatants reappeared in a violent flash of light.
Seirai Island.
A land forever scarred by calamity, its skies darkened by eternal storms, its soil still seething with residual Electro energy from the wrath of the Shogun herself. It was a land that bore witness to her past destruction. And now, it would witness another battle unlike any before.