The air above Seirai Island was thick with tension, the oppressive aura emanating from Momon's skeletal form weighing heavily on Raiden Ei and her puppet. The once-mighty Electro Archon, a being revered as the God of Eternity, now found herself facing a power so overwhelming and unknown that it defied comprehension. Momon's true form was a sight that struck fear into even the heart of a god. His crimson eyes glowed with an eerie light, their gaze cold and unyielding as he stared down at his opponents.
The Raiden Shogun puppet stood beside Ei, her expression as emotionless as ever, but even she seemed to hesitate under the weight of Momon's oppressive aura. The air crackled with energy, the storm above churning violently as if the heavens themselves were reacting to the sheer magnitude of the battle unfolding below.
Momon's voice, deep and resonant, cut through the chaos like a blade. "Let's begin," he said, his tone calm but carrying an unmistakable edge.
Before Ei or her puppet could react, Momon moved. He took a single step, his skeletal foot hovering just above the ground, and then—he was there. In the blink of an eye, he appeared directly in front of them, his towering form looming over them like a specter of death. Both Ei and the puppet swung their weapons in unison, their movements precise and fluid, but Momon was ready.
With a casual motion, he raised his black sword, the blade humming faintly as it blocked Ei's Musou Isshin just inches from his skeletal face. At the same time, his other hand—a bare, skeletal hand—reached out and caught the Shogun puppet's Engulfing Lightning mid-strike. The polearm, a weapon imbued with the power of Electro, was halted in its tracks, its blade trembling under the force of Momon's grip.
Ei's eyes widened in shock, her violet gaze flicking between Momon's skeletal hand and his crimson eyes. The sheer audacity of blocking a divine weapon with nothing but his bare bones was beyond anything she had ever seen. But before she could process what had just happened, Momon spoke again.
"[Earth Pillar," he intoned, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable weight.
The ground beneath them trembled violently, and then, with a deafening crash, a massive rocky pillar erupted from the earth. The pillar struck the Shogun puppet with devastating force, slamming into her stomach and sending her flying high into the sky. The puppet's body disappeared into the stormy clouds above, her form a blur of violet light as she was propelled out of the battle—at least for the moment.
Momon's attention turned back to Raiden Ei, his crimson eyes gleaming faintly as he leaned forward, his skeletal face inches from hers. "Seems like all that talk about Eternity was just you being lazy to rule your own country, huh," he said, his tone calm but laced with mockery.
Ei's jaw tightened, her violet eyes blazing with fury. "Silence!" she shouted, her voice sharp and commanding. She raised the Musou Isshin, her body glowing faintly with Electro energy as she activated her elemental skill. "Illusion shattered!" she cried, her voice resonating with the power of a god.
Behind her, the Eye of Stormy Judgment materialized, its violet light casting an eerie glow over the battlefield. The eye pulsed with energy, buffing Ei's coordinated attacks as she launched herself at Momon once more. Her movements were a blur of light and shadow, her strikes precise and relentless as she sought to overwhelm her opponent.
But Momon was ready. With a casual motion, he raised his black sword, the blade humming faintly as it blocked Ei's attacks with effortless precision. The Eye of Stormy Judgment unleashed its power, sending bursts of [AoE Electro DMG] rippling outward with each strike. The energy crackled through the air, the ground trembling as the Electro attacks tore through the landscape.
Yet, despite the sheer power of Ei's attacks, Momon remained unmoved. His skeletal form stood tall and unyielding, his crimson eyes gleaming faintly as he stared down at her. The Electro energy washed over him, but it had no effect—no damage, no movement, nothing. It was as if the attacks simply passed through him, leaving him untouched.
Ei's eyes widened in shock, her breath catching in her throat as she realized the truth. "You… you're immune to Electro?" she whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief.
Momon's response was a low, rumbling chuckle, the sound sending a shiver through the air. "I'm your worst enemy here, Miss Shogun," he said, his tone calm but carrying an undeniable edge. "Because I am immune to any Electro-power."
Ei's jaw tightened, her violet eyes blazing with defiance. She had faced countless foes in her long existence, but none had ever been so perfectly suited to counter her. Momon was not just a powerful opponent—he was her antithesis, a being who could negate her very essence.
Her violet eyes burned with defiance, her grip on the Musou Isshin tightening as she prepared to continue the fight. She had realized the truth—her Electro powers, the very essence of her divine might, were useless against Momon. His immunity to Electro meant that the only way to defeat him was through sheer skill and strength in sword combat.
With a swift, fluid motion, Ei lunged forward, her blade aimed directly at Momon's skeletal face. The Musou Isshin hummed faintly as it cut through the air, its edge glowing with a deadly light. But Momon was ready. With a casual tilt of his head, he dodged the strike, his crimson eyes gleaming faintly through the empty sockets of his skull.
Before Ei could react, Momon's skeletal knee shot forward, slamming into her stomach with devastating force. The impact was like a thunderclap, the sheer power of the blow sending Ei flying backward. She skidded across the ground, her body trembling from the pain as she struggled to regain her footing. The Musou Isshin slipped from her grasp, clattering to the ground as she clutched her stomach, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
He took slow, deliberate steps toward Ei, each footfall echoing like a death knell. The oppressive weight of his presence pressed down on her, as if the very air around her was conspiring to crush her spirit.
"What's wrong?" Momon's deep, resonant voice cut through the silence, his tone calm but laced with mockery. "Life flashing before your eyes?"
Momon stopped a few feet away from her, his crimson eyes gleaming faintly as he stared down at her. With a casual motion, he kicked the Musou Isshin, sending the blade skidding across the ground toward her. The sound of metal scraping against stone was sharp and grating, a stark reminder of her vulnerability.
The Musou Isshin came to a stop just inches from Ei's outstretched hand. She stared at the blade, her mind racing. This was no act of mercy—it was a taunt, a challenge. Momon was toying with her, testing her will to fight even when the odds were stacked against her.
Ei's fingers twitched, her hand inching toward the hilt of the Musou Isshin. Her violet eyes burned with defiance as she gripped the blade, her knuckles white from the force of her hold. With a grunt of effort, she pushed herself to her feet, her body trembling but her stance firm.
The winds howled through the skies of Serai Island, whipping against the jagged cliffs and the floating rock formations that hovered high above the stormy sea. Thunder crackled in the distance, illuminating the battlefield where two titanic forces clashed in a relentless struggle.
"You… will meet your end today," Ei declared, her voice as sharp as her blade.
Momon tilted his head slightly, an amused chuckle escaping his skeletal form. "Playing dirty games on me is a bad idea, Miss Shogun," he said, his voice reverberating with an eerie calmness, one that sent an unsettling chill through even the mightiest of warriors.
Then, as if time itself yielded to their command, both figures vanished in a blur of motion, reappearing mid-air atop a massive floating rock. Their blades met with a resounding clash, sparks flying as sheer force shook the surrounding terrain. The sky above them roared in protest, lightning streaking through the heavens like the wrath of the gods themselves.
Ei pushed forward, her strikes fast and brutal, each one strong enough to cleave through mountains. But Momon—
He saw everything.
It was terrifying. The way he blocked every single attack with precision, as if he already knew exactly where she would strike. No hesitation, no falter in his stance. It was almost as if time bent to his will, allowing him to see the future and react accordingly. His swordsmanship was inhuman, effortless yet overwhelming, his motions crisp and calculated like a maestro conducting a deadly symphony.
The battle raged on, their movements becoming a blur to any ordinary onlooker. The sheer force of their clashing blades sent shockwaves rippling through the sky, distorting the clouds, scattering debris, and shattering any floating rock unfortunate enough to be caught in their wake.
The Raiden puppet emerged from the shadows, her polearm gleaming with electrified energy as she aimed for Momon's back. She had observed the battle closely, studying his movements, waiting for an opening. The twin warriors, god and puppet, fought in unison, attacking from opposite angles in a deadly pincer maneuver.
Momon, however, remained unfazed.
Their fight continued for an hour—an entire hour of relentless strikes, counterattacks, and feints. Yet, not a single blow had landed upon Momon's body. He remained untouchable, a specter beyond their reach, a force beyond mortal comprehension.
The puppet's glowing eyes narrowed, her gaze fixating on the crimson orb embedded beneath his ribs. It pulsed with an ominous glow, almost hypnotic in its presence. A core? No… a weakness.
This must be it.
She shared a knowing glance with Ei before they both launched a coordinated assault. The puppet lunged, thrusting her polearm with all her might at the orb, while Ei swung her blade from the right, aiming to end this once and for all. Their strikes landed simultaneously with devastating force—
Crack!
Or so they thought.
The sound that echoed was not that of shattering crystal, but rather the disappointing chime of metal against something unbreakable. Their weapons had met resistance, an absolute defense neither of them had accounted for.
The puppet's eyes widened in disbelief.
"The hell is this thing?!" she snarled, pulling back and inspecting her weapon for damage.
"It doesn't take damage at all!" Ei hissed, momentarily stunned.
Momon let out a slow, deliberate chuckle. "That, ladies, is a World-Class Item," he said, his voice laced with amusement. "An artifact far beyond the likes of anything you can comprehend—one particularly effective against dragons. But, so sorry to disappoint you… it's not my weak point."
Before either of them could react, Momon's skeletal hand lashed out with monstrous force, striking the puppet square in the chest. The impact sent her hurtling through the sky, crashing into a distant floating island. The sheer force of the blow left cracks webbing through the rock upon impact.
Then, before Ei could move, she felt an iron grip around her throat.
Momon had caught her.
His skeletal fingers tightened around her neck like a vice, lifting her off the ground effortlessly. For the first time in a long time, Raiden Ei felt powerless. She struggled, her hands gripping his wrist, but the strength he possessed was beyond anything she had ever encountered.
She was a god—the god of eternity, the ruler of Inazuma, a being who had stood undefeated for centuries. And yet, here she was, unable to pry herself free from the grasp of death itself.
Her violet eyes locked onto his face, onto those empty sockets burning with malevolent crimson light. There was no mercy, no hesitation, no humanity left in him—only an unfathomable abyss of power.
He was death itself.
A shudder ran through her spine as realization dawned upon her. For all her strength, for all her divinity, she was nothing but another soul standing before an entity that had long surpassed the boundaries of mortality.
Momon leaned in slightly, his voice barely above a whisper yet carrying the weight of undeniable finality.
"Now then, Miss Shogun… shall we see what eternity truly means?"
Momon stood tall, his skeletal form radiating an aura of absolute power. His crimson eyes gleamed faintly through the empty sockets of his skull, their light cold and unrelenting. With a casual motion, he threw Raiden Ei across the battlefield, her body crashing into one of the massive floating rocks with a deafening impact. The force of the collision sent cracks spiderwebbing across the surface of the rock, the ground trembling beneath her as she struggled to regain her footing.
Ei's violet eyes fluttered open, her body aching from the impact. She pushed herself up, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she stared at Momon. The undead Overlord stood with his arms spread wide, his skeletal form silhouetted against the stormy sky. His voice, deep and resonant, cut through the chaos like a blade.
"[Gates of Apollonia," Momon intoned, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable weight.
The air behind him rippled with dark energy, hundreds of dark circle portals opening in the sky. From within these portals emerged an arsenal of weapons—swords, spears, claymores, javelins, halberds—each one radiating a cold, malevolent energy. The weapons hovered in the air for a moment, their presence overwhelming, before they were unleashed with extreme speed, streaking toward Ei like a storm of death.
Ei's eyes widened in shock, her mind racing as she tried to process the sheer magnitude of the attack. She had no time to react, no time to defend herself. The weapons were upon her in an instant, their cold, dark edges gleaming with deadly intent.
But just as the first weapon was about to strike, a blur of violet light shot across the battlefield. The Raiden Shogun puppet, her body battered and broken, flew like a bullet, slamming into Ei and pushing her out of harm's way. The force of the impact sent Ei tumbling onto another floating rock, her body skidding across the jagged surface.
The puppet, however, was not so fortunate. The weapons struck her with devastating force, their cold, dark edges piercing her body with brutal precision. Spears, swords, and halberds impaled her from every angle, pinning her to the floating rock like a macabre sculpture. The sheer force of the attack caused a series of explosions, each one shaking the ground and sending shockwaves rippling through the air.
Momon watched with an unreadable expression, his crimson eyes gleaming faintly as the dust and smoke began to settle. The Raiden Shogun puppet's body was carved into the floating rock, her form impaled by countless weapons. Her violet eyes flickered faintly, her hand twitching as she tried to move. She reached for one of the spears that had pierced her stomach, her fingers trembling as she attempted to pull it free. But her strength was gone, her body broken beyond repair.
"Oh," Momon said, his tone calm but carrying an unmistakable edge. He tilted his head slightly, his crimson eyes gleaming faintly as he observed the puppet's futile struggle. "Impressive."
With a casual motion, Momon raised his skeletal hand, his voice resonating with an eerie calm. "[Triplet Maximize Magic - Reality Slash," he intoned.
The air around him rippled with dark energy, three massive slashes of pure destructive force cutting through the fabric of reality itself. The attacks streaked toward the puppet, their edges distorting the air as they moved. The puppet's body, already broken and impaled, was struck by the slashes, her form shattering like a broken mirror. The reality around her seemed to fracture, her body dissolving into fragments of light and shadow as the slashes tore through her.
Raiden Ei, watching from a distance, felt a pang of something she couldn't quite place. The puppet had been a creation, a tool, but in that moment, she had sacrificed herself to save her creator. Ei's violet eyes flickered with a mix of gratitude and sorrow as she stared at the spot where the puppet had been. The floating rock was now a jagged, broken mess, the weapons still embedded in its surface like grim reminders of the battle.
Momon turned his attention back to Ei, his crimson eyes gleaming faintly as he stepped forward. "Your puppet was… admirable," he said, his tone calm but carrying an undeniable weight. "But now, it's just you and me."
Raiden Ei clenched her fists. Her guardian, her creation—obliterated before her eyes. She exhaled sharply, her expression unreadable as she turned her gaze toward the monstrous being before her.
"You... inferior!" Ei's voice reverberated like a divine decree, her words laced with unshakable conviction. She rose into the heavens, her form enveloped by a swirling vortex of crackling violet lightning. The storm pulsed violently, distorting the very air, as if the skies themselves trembled in anticipation of what was to come.
Momon hovered across from her, his skeletal frame unmoving, his hollow crimson gaze fixed upon the spectacle before him. He remained eerily calm, undisturbed by the display of power unfolding. He had seen countless entities boast of their supremacy before, and in the end, none had ever stood against the inevitable.
Then, as suddenly as it had come, the electro storm shattered outward in a blinding shockwave, illuminating the battlefield in a flash of divine radiance. When the light receded, the Raiden Shogun no longer stood before him as she once had.
Now, she had become something else.
Her new form exuded overwhelming divinity—an entity transcending mortality itself. Ornate armor of pure Inazuman craftsmanship adorned her figure, every plate and engraving pulsing with an unrelenting current of electricity. Hovering behind her were four spectral arms, each a construct of lightning itself, shifting and flexing like extensions of her will. One of them—colossal beyond measure—clutched a single, impossibly long katana, a weapon that crackled with a force capable of sundering mountains. Beneath her, two titanic hands of thunder formed an ethereal throne, holding her aloft as though she were seated upon a divine altar.
Ei's glowing eyes burned into Momon's unmoving form. Her voice, now layered with a celestial resonance, thundered through the battlefield.
"Behold the eternal body, inferior! Mine is the most supreme and noble form!"
Momon remained silent for a moment, his unreadable skeletal visage fixed upon her transformation. Then, a slow, ominous chuckle rumbled from within his throat.
"No wonder your people fear you," he mused, his voice carrying an unnatural weight. "You speak of eternity, but I see something else—a being who has long awaited a worthy challenge. Perhaps, deep down, you always desired a battle where you could finally let loose."
Dark, foreboding energy surged around Momon, his body disappearing beneath a swirling maelstrom of violet and black. The oppressive aura sent waves of dread crashing over the battlefield. In an instant, his appearance was no longer that of the armored adventurer known to the world or the skeleton overlord, but something far more terrifying.
When the dark mist dissipated, he stood clad in a form that could only be described as apocalyptic. His armor, jagged and nightmarish, seemed forged from the very depths of the underworld. Shadows coiled and twisted around him like living tendrils, and atop his skeletal visage sat a grim, bladed crown—one that oozed a malevolent authority. Above him hovered a dread-inducing halo, an aberrant, twisting circle of darkness that seemed to devour the very light around it.
Without a word, Momon extended his armored arm into the void, and reality itself split open. From the swirling abyss, he drew forth a sword—one that did not belong in this world. Its blade pulsed with a dark, eerie glow, its surface adorned with glowing runes that seemed to whisper in an ancient, forgotten tongue. It was not just a weapon—it was an omen of annihilation.
The sky above Seirai Island crackled and howled, unable to contain the unfathomable power radiating from the two combatants. The very air distorted, space itself bending under the pressure of their divine presence. The floating islands that had once remained suspended in tranquil defiance of gravity were now being hurled away, crashing into one another or falling into the abyss below.
From every corner of Inazuma, eyes turned skyward.
The people of Narukami Island, from the streets of Inazuma City to the distant peaks of Mt. Yougou, gazed upon the spectacle with awe and terror. Fishermen along the shores, soldiers on other islands, shrine maidens at the Grand Narukami Shrine—all froze as their eyes locked onto the twin spheres of energy illuminating the heavens above Seirai Island.
One, a seething storm of violet lightning, an unyielding embodiment of eternity.
The other, a swirling abyss of pure darkness, the inexorable march of death incarnate.
The gods themselves had taken the battlefield, and Inazuma would bear witness to a war beyond mortal comprehension.
The two spheres of unimaginable power—one a storm of eternal lightning, the other an abyss of pure annihilation—expanded rapidly, their energies swelling to an uncontainable crescendo. Then, with a force that shattered the heavens, they collided.
A blinding eruption of violet and black erupted outward, swallowing the sky and sea alike. For a moment, time itself seemed to shatter. A soundless vacuum followed—a moment of unnatural silence, as though the world held its breath.
Then came the detonation.
A catastrophic shockwave roared through Inazuma, tearing through the air like a divine decree of destruction. The sheer force of the impact sent tsunamis racing across the ocean, their towering waves smashing into distant shores. Even the sky fractured—clouds were blown apart, and the once-stormy heavens over Seirai Island turned into an expanding, chaotic void of light and darkness.
From the far reaches of Watatsumi Island to the heart of Narukami Island, every single person felt the earth tremble beneath their feet. The people of Watatsumi and Narukami alike were forced to shield their eyes as the explosion's brightness outshone the midday sun, turning the entire sky white for an instant.
At the highest peak of Watatsumi Island, where the grand shrine stood amidst the cascading waterfalls, Sangonomiya Kokomi had been watching the battle unfold. The strategist, who had seen wars and devastation before, now found herself witnessing something beyond any battlefield she could have imagined.
As the light faded, she lowered her arm, her wide, cerulean eyes locking onto the unimaginable sight before her.
"By the heavens… what is happening?!" Kokomi gasped, stepping back. She could feel the overwhelming energy even from here, pressing down like an invisible weight. The ocean churned violently, reflecting the chaotic remnants of the clash in its restless waves.
Meanwhile, on Narukami Island, terror gripped the citizens as they scrambled for shelter. The explosion had been so close that it felt as though the world itself was ending. Windows shattered, trees bent under the force of the wind, and even the sturdy walls of Tenshukaku trembled.
At the Grand Narukami Shrine, Guuji Yae Miko stood beneath the sacred sakura tree, her usual playful demeanor stripped away as she gazed toward Seirai Island. Her eyes narrowed as she felt the full magnitude of the battle's destruction.
"Even Ei has never unleashed such devastation…" she murmured, gripping the sleeve of her ceremonial robes as the winds howled around her.
Elsewhere, on the outskirts of Inazuma City, Aether and Paimon finally saw the full, horrifying extent of what had transpired.
The island of Seirai—once a land of storms and remnants of the past—was gone.
Not destroyed. Not reduced to ruins.
It had been utterly erased.
The ocean now stretched endlessly where land had once stood, a massive crater in its place, as if the gods themselves had torn it from existence. The very fabric of the world trembled at the void left behind, where raw, unstable energy still crackled like remnants of a divine catastrophe.
Paimon floated beside Aether, her small hands covering her mouth, unable to form words. Her eyes were wide with sheer disbelief.
Aether clenched his fists, his golden gaze locked onto the void where Seirai Island once stood. He knew Momon was powerful—stronger than any human, stronger than any warrior he had ever met. But to face an Archon in battle and cause this level of destruction…
Was this the true extent of Momon's power?
Aether swallowed. He wanted to feel pride. Momon was his companion, a force to be reckoned with, someone he had fought alongside. And yet…
A shiver ran down his spine.
This power. This sheer, unrestrained might.
It wasn't just awe-inspiring.
It was terrifying.
Raiden Ei's massive ethereal arm, hovering behind her like the embodiment of divine wrath, moved with terrifying precision. A barrage of slashes, each crackling with untamed lightning, erupted forth in an unrelenting storm, streaking through the sky like divine decrees of annihilation.
Each arc of her blade split the air itself, leaving behind afterimages of violet radiance, while jagged bolts of lightning rained down in her wake, seeking to obliterate her opponent.
Yet, like a specter of death itself, Momon moved.
His armored form shot through the storm of slashes and lightning, his speed defying reason. The air behind him twisted and burned from the sheer force of his acceleration, the world struggling to keep up with his presence.
In mere moments, he closed the distance, Doom Blade in hand, and swung.
CLANG!
The massive katana of Raiden Ei and Momon's nightmarish blade met in a devastating collision. The impact released a spherical shockwave so vast, so consuming, that the ocean itself recoiled, creating massive tidal waves that threatened to crash onto distant shores.
The very fabric of the sky trembled. A ripple of destruction expanded outward, evaporating everything in its path.
And yet, Momon pushed forward.
Raiden Ei narrowed her eyes. Even in her absolute form, even as the Baleful Shadowlord, she could feel it—he was forcing her back. A being who should not exist, whose power defied all logic, was matching her strike for strike, and worse… he was gaining ground.
Her expression darkened.
"Puppet Shadow."
The command echoed through the heavens as a dark violet mass of energy materialized from her hand. Like a living void, it lunged at Momon, wrapping around him, constricting him like a god's judgment. The shadow pulsated with raw, lethal energy, each pulse crashing against him like an earthquake.
But it did nothing.
Momon remained unmoving, utterly unaffected.
The shadow twitched, as if aware of its own failure. In response, it shifted, expanding and reshaping until it became a massive spectral hand.
With the force of an entire mountain, it slammed into Momon from the side.
The impact sent him hurtling across the sky like a meteor, a streak of darkness against the storm-lit heavens. The sheer force of the blow sent shockwaves in every direction, distorting the clouds and causing tremors across the lands below.
Still, there was no damage.
Momon did not feel pain. He did not feel exhaustion. He merely adjusted his posture mid-air, already prepared to retaliate.
But Raiden Ei was faster.
"Slash Flurry!"
She became a flash of violet, materializing above him in an instant. Her massive blade moved with incomprehensible speed, splitting into countless afterimages as she unleashed a relentless storm of slashes.
Each strike rained down upon Momon with the weight of a god's fury, the force of her blows hammering him toward the ground below.
BOOM!
Momon landed on Yashiori Island with the impact of a falling star. The ground beneath him shattered, splitting apart in an eruption of dust and debris. A wide crater formed around him, its sheer size a testament to the overwhelming force of the battle.
But Momon, standing tall in the center of the devastation, remained unharmed.
As the dust settled, his crimson gaze flicked to the edges of the crater.
Soldiers.
Dozens—no, hundreds of them—stood frozen in place, their weapons trembling in their hands. Warriors from both Inazuma's forces and Watatsumi's rebellion had been locked in battle only moments ago, but now… they could only stare in sheer horror at the armored figure before them.
For the first time in their lives, they understood what true power was.
And then, she arrived.
High above, Raiden Ei hovered in the sky, her divine presence casting a long, inescapable shadow over the battlefield. Every soldier fell silent, their breath stolen by the sheer magnitude of the scene before them.
The Archon. The God of Eternity. The embodiment of Inazuma's will… in her absolute form.
Even the most hardened warriors, those who had fought for years without fear, felt the weight of impending death upon them.
And then came the strike that would define history.
"Downward Slash."
The heavens ignited.
From above, Ei brought down her charged blade, an immense arc of pure, concentrated lightning descending upon Yashiori Island like divine retribution.
The very air was torn apart by the force of the attack. The energy crackled and roared, splitting the sky open as if it would swallow the world whole. The sheer scale of it dwarfed anything that mortals could comprehend.
If it landed, Yashiori Island would be cut in half—just as it had been centuries ago when the Serpent God Orobashi fell.
Momon's gaze hardened.
He had no interest in this human civil war. The lives of these soldiers meant nothing to him. And yet… they were about to be erased. Turned to dust in the wake of a god's fury.
Unacceptable.
Momon raised his Doom Blade.
"[Void Cut]"
He swung.
Reality itself shattered.
A vertical gash tore through the very fabric of existence. The air distorted, folding in on itself as though the blade had severed the threads of time and space. Beyond the cut, a swirling void appeared—a glimpse into the abyss, where galaxies swirled in an endless ocean of nothingness.
The moment Ei's divine strike touched the void… it vanished.
Erased.
The lightning slash, powerful enough to split the island in two, was devoured by the abyss, swallowed into nothingness as though it had never existed.
Silence.
The entire battlefield—both armies, both gods—stood frozen.
Even Ei's expression shifted slightly.
Momon exhaled, canceling the [Void Cut] before its power could erase more than necessary. The tear in space collapsed, sealing itself, leaving only the stunned silence of those who had just witnessed the impossible.
Then, his voice rang out like a death knell.
"You foolish woman!"
His voice carried across the battlefield, echoing in every soldier's ears.
"You would have slaughtered your own army in your arrogance."
Raiden Ei remained unmoving, her expression unreadable.
"I have no interest in the conflicts of mortals," she finally spoke, her voice reverberating with divine authority.
Momon's grip on his sword tightened.
"Neither do I."
And yet, the battlefield had witnessed something far greater than a war between mortals.
They had just seen two gods clash.
And one of them had defied Eternity.
Momon launched himself like a comet at Raiden Ei, the sheer force of his movement igniting the air around him. Their collision in the sky was cataclysmic, a blinding explosion of energy that sent cracks spiraling through the heavens. The battlefield below was momentarily forgotten—soldiers, warriors, and even trained generals turned and fled in all directions, their resolve shattering under the relentless shockwaves that rippled across the island.
Every strike between the two sent concussive blasts rolling outward, toppling trees, ripping apart the land, and sending tidal waves crashing against Inazuma's shores. The skies crackled with raw power, purple lightning and void-black energy intertwining as the combatants moved faster than the eye could follow, clashing again and again like dueling titans.
Raiden Ei wielded her Musou Isshin with unrelenting fury, her blade slicing through the void with precision, arcs of brilliant violet light trailing each motion. She unleashed wave after wave of pure electro-energy, each pulse meant to force Momon back, to sear his very essence with the might of the Shogun herself. But he did not falter.
Momon advanced through the storm of power, his crimson eyes gleaming beneath the eerie glow of his helmet. He was relentless, closing the distance between them despite the roaring surges of electricity that should have turned a lesser being into dust. His skeletal fingers tightened into a fist as he moved to strike, but then—something caught his attention.
Below them, amidst the ruins of their devastation, lay the massive, weathered skull of an ancient serpent—a dragon, a god, a creature long since fallen. Its presence called to him, and a dark thought formed in his mind. Without hesitation, he vanished, teleporting atop the great remains.
Raiden Ei halted in midair, her expression darkening as her gaze followed him. A terrible realization dawned upon her as she beheld the skull of her slain foe.
"You," she muttered under her breath, gripping her sword tighter. "What are you doing?"
Momon raised a gauntleted hand and placed it upon the cold, weathered bone. A deep pulse of magic surged forth, an unholy glow emanating from his palm as he invoked the incantation:
"[Create Undead]"
The island trembled violently, as though the land itself recoiled in horror at what was about to unfold. The very bones of the ancient god seemed to shudder, as if waking from a nightmare. Then, a horrifying screech echoed through the air—an otherworldly, guttural sound that made even the bravest warriors freeze in terror.
The skeletal remains of Orobashi lurched, the vast, winding structure of its body beginning to rise from the earth. Red orbs ignited within its hollow eye sockets, and its enormous jaws creaked open in a silent snarl. Ancient bones groaned as they shifted, reshaping into something unnatural, something cursed. The very air around the beast turned deathly cold as its immense frame coiled, ready to strike.
Raiden Ei felt her breath hitch. A rare flicker of something she had long suppressed—unease. She had slain Orobashi long ago, ending his rebellion, sealing his fate beneath the waves. And now, he stood before her once more, an abomination animated by necromantic will.
"You…" Ei's voice was low, almost a whisper, but heavy with restrained fury. "What have you done?!"
Momon stood tall upon the colossal skull, his presence like that of a dark sovereign surveying his domain. His crimson gaze bore into Ei's, and for a moment, silence reigned before he spoke, his voice smooth, calculating.
"I have merely reclaimed a resource," he said, tilting his head slightly. "You killed this creature once right? It was nothing more than a lifeless husk. Now, it serves a purpose once more."
Ei's grip on Musou Isshin tightened, knuckles turning white. Lightning crackled around her form, her presence growing sharper, more dangerous. "You dare desecrate the remains of a god?" she spat. "Orobashi's soul has long since passed. What you've done is nothing more than a twisted mockery."
Momon let out a soft, mirthless chuckle. "A 'mockery,' you say?" he mused. "No, Miss Shogun. This is strategy. I do not bring back souls—I raise warriors, weapons." He gestured to the towering skeletal serpent. "This snake is no longer bound by the weakness of life. He does not remember pain, nor sorrow, nor rebellion. He only knows one thing: my command."
Orobashi's empty gaze turned toward Raiden Ei. There was no recognition in those hollow sockets—only an unwavering, deathly focus on the one his new master deemed an enemy.
With a guttural roar that shook the entirety of Inazuma, Orobashi lunged.
Ei barely had time to react before the massive creature slammed into her, its sheer force sending her hurtling backward through the sky. She gritted her teeth, bracing against the overwhelming pressure as she struggled to halt her momentum. But Orobashi did not relent.
The undead serpent drove her back, past the storm-wrecked islands, past the trembling forests, forcing her toward Watatsumi Island. There, amidst the coral-pink landscape, the people of Watatsumi watched in frozen terror as the god they worshiped—their sacred protector—returned as a monstrous revenant of war.
Sangonomiya Kokomi stood at the edge of the cliffs, her breath caught in her throat. She could scarcely believe what her eyes beheld. Orobashi… their Orobashi… was alive. No, not alive. A puppet of undeath, its sacred form twisted into something beyond comprehension.
The realization hit her like a tidal wave: this battle was no longer confined to the distant shores. It had come to them.
"Get the people to safety!" she commanded, her voice snapping her soldiers out of their trance. "Now!"
Meanwhile, high above, Ei finally managed to break free from Orobashi's crushing assault. She raised her blade, electricity arcing in all directions, her resolve solidifying.
"You insolent snake," she growled, eyes blazing with fury. "I will cut you to pieces just as I did centuries ago."
A deep, knowing chuckle echoed from above. Standing upon Orobashi's colossal skull, Momon regarded her with something resembling amusement.
"Oh, really?" he mused, tilting his head. "That does sound impressive."
Ei glared at him, her patience wearing thin. "You truly believe you can stand against me? Is reviving my nemesis the extent of your tricks?"
Momon exhaled as if pondering the question. Then, with a chilling smirk beneath his helm, he answered, "Reviving your nemesis? Oh, no, Miss Shogun… this is merely a demonstration." He gestured to the undead behemoth beneath him. "Orobashi is nothing more than a tool, a fraction of my power."
Ei narrowed her eyes. "How many more of these tricks do you have hidden up your sleeves?"
Momon chuckled darkly. "You have no idea, Miss Shogun."
Orobashi struck with blinding speed, its massive skeletal jaws clamping down on Raiden Ei before she could react. The shock of the impact sent a thunderous boom across the battlefield, shaking the very foundation of Watatsumi Island. The undead serpent, now a harbinger of Momon's will, coiled its massive body around her, dragging her downward like a predator seizing its prey.
Ei gritted her teeth, feeling the razor-like bone fangs press into her. The sensation was unnatural, as if the very essence of death was trying to consume her. But she was the God of Eternity—she would not fall so easily.
With a sharp breath, she summoned a surge of electro energy, her body glowing with violet lightning as she slashed through Orobashi's jagged teeth, shattering them like brittle stone. The force of her attack sent shockwaves through the skeletal beast, forcing it to loosen its grip. Seizing the moment, she propelled herself upward with divine speed, breaking free from the undead monstrosity's grasp. The serpent, undeterred, dove through the cascading waterfall of Sangonomiya Shrine, descending into the shadowy depths of Enkanomiya with Momon standing motionless upon its head.
Ei's eyes darkened. "Not this place..." she whispered, recognizing the entrance to the forsaken realm beneath Inazuma. The forgotten land—a place of secrets and sorrow.
As Orobashi plunged deeper into the eerie, mist-filled abyss, she followed, streaking after them like a comet of pure lightning. The deeper they went, the more the world around them transformed. The sky vanished, replaced by an endless cavern bathed in a ghostly glow. Ancient ruins, half-buried in mist, stood as silent witnesses to their battle. The void beneath them stretched into infinity, swallowing all light, a never-ending abyss.
But Ei had no time to think. She called forth her divine authority. "Clap!" The sound of her voice echoed like a judgment from the heavens. Two colossal hands, formed from raw divine energy, manifested above Orobashi's skull. In an instant, they crashed together with a force beyond comprehension.
The impact was cataclysmic. The undead serpent's skull caved in, shattered into countless fragments that dissolved into blackened dust. Its enormous body writhed for a moment, then spiraled downward into the abyss, vanishing into the eternal void below.
Ei hovered in the air, breathing heavily, her gaze locked onto the only remaining threat—Momon.
Only silence followed. For a moment, Ei allowed herself to breathe. But then—
A surge of dark energy erupted before her. Without hesitation, she raised Musou Isshin, just in time to block the incoming strike. Momon's Doom Blade clashed against her weapon, the force sending her hurtling through the air like a meteor. The impact sent her crashing through the ancient ruins of Enkanomiya, collapsing stone pillars and ancient statues in her wake.
Dust filled the air. Ei groaned as she struggled to rise from the rubble. Blood trickled down her lips; her armor had shattered, leaving her in her battle-worn undergarments, her body riddled with bruises and cuts. Her breath was ragged, and even her immortal body could feel the weight of exhaustion pressing down on her. She clutched Musou Isshin for support, its once-glorious glow flickering.
Momon, however, descended toward her, landing so lightly it was as if he were merely a feather drifting down from the heavens. He regarded her carefully, arms folded behind his back, expression unreadable.
"Do you want to continue?" he asked, his voice calm, almost patient.
Ei gritted her teeth. "Do I have another choice?" she spat, forcing herself to stand tall despite the pain lancing through her body.
"You could just accept defeat."
She chuckled weakly, coughing as more blood spilled from her lips. "Heh… defeat…" she whispered. "I'd rather choose death."
Momon tilted his head slightly, as if pondering her words. Then he shook his head. "As expected. But I'm not here to kill another nation's ruler," he said simply. "I'm just an adventurer."
Ei blinked in disbelief, staring at him. Then, despite the pain, she let out a laugh—a genuine, amused laugh that echoed through the ancient ruins. "An adventurer?" she repeated, her voice dripping with disbelief. "Pff, hahaha–cough, cough–" She barely managed to stop herself from collapsing.
Momon got confused. "What's so funny?"
"You wield power capable of defeating the God of Eternity," she said between breaths, wiping the blood from her mouth. "And yet you casually call yourself an adventurer… as if you had merely taken a commission to fight a god."
Momon crossed his arms. "Ah. So you admit defeat, then."
Ei hesitated. She had, without realizing it. But she could not let it end so unceremoniously.
"I'll admit defeat…" she said slowly, narrowing her eyes at him. "But only if you are able to block my most powerful attack—one last time."
Momon did not hesitate. "Very well."
With that, he released his armor. It disappeared like mist, revealing his skeletal form again. The ominous, black void that filled his eye sockets gleamed with an otherworldly glow. Dressed in only his battle-worn pants and boots, he stood there, unaffected, the embodiment of an immortal force.
He stretched out his arms as if welcoming the strike. "Go ahead."
Ei inhaled deeply, pushing away the pain. Her body began to glow, arcs of purple lightning surging around her like a violent storm. This was it—her ultimate attack, the one that even gods would fear.
With a wave aura as lightning crackled wildly around her. The very air trembled in anticipation of the godly strike she was about to unleash.
"The Final Calamity!"
A great portal, shaped like an ominous eye, materialized behind her, rippling with raw divine energy. From its abyssal depths, a colossal arm wielding an otherworldly katana emerged, its presence alone warping reality. The blade hummed with boundless destructive power, an instrument of judgment forged by the very essence of eternity.
The giant katana came down with an earth-shattering horizontal slash, cleaving through the ruins of Enkanomiya itself, sundering stone and shattering the ground as it tore toward Momon with the force of the heavens themselves.
But Momon did not flinch. His skeletal fingers moved gracefully as he uttered a single spell:
"[God's Hand]."
The moment the words left his imaginary lips, everything turned white.
All sound ceased. Time itself seemed to stop. The universe held its breath.
Then, silence...