Chapter 482
"After all, he is Her Excellency, the Almighty Shogun, so don't try to understand a god with the mindset of a mortal. This is a secret, so just don't tell anyone. Even if you do tell, it won't matter; it's just that the general has another clone. They're both the general, so there's no difference."
"I would never speak nonsense! The General must have her reasons for doing this, and I would never interfere with the General's plans."
Kamisato Ayaka whispered intimately to Kaguya, pouting her lips in dissatisfaction.
Listen to what kind of talk this is! Does this person think she's some frivolous, outspoken young girl?
Kaguya smiled at her, raised her folding fan, and gently patted Ayaka's head.
After a pleasant and harmonious breakfast, Ayaka cleared the dishes and went outside to take care of some chores.
Raiden Ei felt he had found an opportunity, so he said with a straight face:
"Kaguya, Makoto, I need to go out for a few days."
"What's up?"
Kaguya put down the official document she had just picked up, and Makoto asked directly.
Raiden Ei presented his perfectly prepared reason, and said in a serious tone:
"I'm going into seclusion to practice my martial arts."
"Eh? You've been Raiden Shogun for five hundred years, and you're still practicing martial arts?"
"In the way of martial arts, if you don't advance, you regress; there is no end to cultivation."
Raiden Makoto stroked his chin, looked at the Raiden Ei thoughtfully for a while, and then slowly nodded.
Raiden Ei breathed a sigh of relief, stood up expressionlessly, and was about to leave.
Kaguya picked up the official document again, glancing at it as she casually wrote:
"Go to the Mount Yougou. It's close to Inazuma City and the Great Sakura Tree. If something happens here, or if there's a change in the Inazuma Ley Line, you can detect it immediately."
Don't forget that the Great Sakura Tree is still in Kaguya's hands. Sooner or later, she will have to complete the act of "planting the Great Sakura Tree in the past" to close the time loop.
During her first visit to Grand Narukami Shrine, Kaguya discovered that Istaroth's power was hidden in the cave. The Anqi Faction deduced that it was part of Istaroth's closed-loop system.
Since Istaroth has already made the arrangements, the Anqi Faction don't need to make any further preparations. They can simply activate this setting without further ado, saving themselves some trouble.
Raiden Ei, of course, was unaware of Kaguya's plans; she had simply considered them carefully. With her invincible power, as long as she placed a barrier at the entrance, no one could break in. Everyone would know she was in seclusion there, and once they reached the door and saw the impenetrable barrier, they would understand she was alright and wouldn't worry unnecessarily.
This is a good thing.
"Okay, sister."
Raiden Ei nodded and transformed into lightning, flying towards Mount Yougou.
After everyone left, Shin, Yae Miko, and Kusanaagi gathered around Kaguya. Someone brought out some melon seeds, and the group started chatting while eating them.
"What do you think she's secretly planning to do behind our backs?"
"I don't know. I guess she thinks she's hiding it well, but anyway, the way she looked, it must be something very serious."
"I don't know either, I can't think of anything. Yae Miko, you've spent the most time with her in these five hundred years, what's your plan?"
"What do you mean I spent the most time with her? You all know that before Kaguya, she wouldn't even let me near the Tenshukaku! How would I know anything about that?"
Yae Miko slammed her hand on the table, her face full of displeasure.
As if she hadn't had enough of complaining, she continued:
"If we're talking about who she's spent the most time with, it's the General. Why don't you ask her to release the General... The General? Oh no!"
Yae Miko suddenly realized what was happening.
Seeing the change in her expression, the others immediately perked up.
Yae Miko explained:
"I remember now, there's a big problem with the General! You all know how stubborn Shadow is. This guy created the General for the sake of eternity. The underlying logic she set for the General is to absolutely maintain eternity and eliminate all obstacles—even if that obstacle is Shadow herself!"
"!!!" ×3
Nobody's eating sunflower seeds anymore.
In the brief silence, the only sound was the rapid scratching of Kaguya's pen on the paper.
[Ayaka, we have important business to attend to with the General. It is confidential and cannot be disclosed; please understand. The trip will last anywhere from a few days to over a month. Upon receiving this letter, you should first inform Saro and instruct her to accompany you for protection. Next, go to the Tenryou Commission and inform Mr. Ayato of this matter, ordering him to diligently guard Inazuma Castle and continue with the previous work. Finally, take care of yourself and do not worry; I will return.]
Kaguya brought a paperweight and placed the letter on a prominent spot on the table.
She then got up and walked to the balcony side by side with Raiden Makoto.
Yae Miko and Kusanaagi exchanged a glance and quickly followed.
Mount Yougou, the cave of the Heavenly Fox Shrine.
After Raiden Ei set up an unbreakable barrier, he started moving forward, stepping into that vast and empty world of meditation.
"Inner, Inazuma's eternity cannot be stopped."
"I know. I'm the one who set you up like this, I know all of that."
"Then you should also understand that to shake Inazuma's eternity, you must prove to me—prove that you have not wavered because of wear and tear, prove that your will to change is as pure and flawless as it was at the beginning! Defeat me with your conviction, or else I will take your place and lead Inazuma to eternity!"
Raiden Shogun raised his Naginata, and a thunderous roar descended, illuminating the space of consciousness.
Raiden Ei's response was swift and decisive, without any hesitation.
"Don't stand in my way! And don't even think about replacing me!"
If you replace me, then you'll be the one by my sister's side from now on! What a treacherous general! You knew the guy I personally created would also have designs on my sister! How could I let you succeed!
Raiden Ei's eyes turned cold as he drew his longsword, which emanated a terrifying aura of destruction from its crackling, lightning-infused surface.
Two pairs of clear, calm eyes met, and then each transformed into a bolt of lightning and pounced on the other.
"Boom!!!"
Dream of the Sword clashed with the general's Naginata in the lightning purgatory, instantly shaking the entire world.