The three of them quickly arrived at Tenshukaku. The massive Statue of the Omnipresent God was already adorned with numerous Visions of various elements.
The martial arts platform beside Tenshukaku was surrounded by the people of Inazuma.
A duel before the Shogun hadn't occurred in many years, and they were here to witness the spectacle. For them, it was merely a spice to their otherwise dull lives.
On the platform sat two figures—a man and a woman. The woman was Kujou Sara, the general of the Tenryou Commission, while the man had brown hair, a tall and straight figure, a purple Electro Vision hanging at his waist, and a famous sword in his hand, which he was carefully polishing.
"Is this the man who initiated the duel before the Shogun?"
Someone in the crowd recognized the man and exclaimed, "I've seen him before! He seems to be strongly opposed to the Vision Hunt Decree!"
"How dare he challenge a duel before the Shogun? And against General Kujou? Isn't this suicide?"
"Exactly! General Kujou is the strongest warrior in the Shogunate. What makes him think he can win?"
The people whispered among themselves, clearly not optimistic about the young man's chances. In their eyes, Kujou Sara's martial prowess was beyond question.
Not far from the platform, the heads of the Tri-Commission sat as witnesses to the duel.
"Lord Hiiragi, Lord Kamisato, why are there three empty seats beside the Shogun's position?" Kujou Takayuki, sitting in the middle of the three, asked in confusion. Normally, there should only be seats for the Shogun and the Guuji.
"I'm not sure. Could there be some distinguished guests?" Hiiragi Shinsuke shook his head, indicating he didn't know.
"It's best not to speculate about the Shogun's intentions," Kamisato Ayato said calmly. He knew one of the seats was likely for Akio, but the other, he wasn't sure.
Before long, the Raiden Shogun emerged, her divine aura overwhelming. However, she remained silent, as if waiting for something.
The appearance of the Raiden Shogun instantly silenced the crowd.
Soon, three streaks of light shot across the sky and stopped above Tenshukaku, capturing everyone's attention.
People then realized that within the light were a man and two women, with the man holding a girl in his arms—Yoimiya?
"Is that… Yoimiya in Lord Akio's arms?" Among the Yashiro Commission's group, Kamisato Ayaka stared blankly at Akio holding Yoimiya. She unconsciously touched her lips, the memory of that warm sensation still lingering in her mind.
The three of them slowly descended, and Akio gently set Yoimiya down.
Being stared at by so many people, even Yoimiya blushed and quickly ran down, hiding in the crowd.
"You've arrived," the Raiden Shogun's eyes lit up as she saw the three of them and walked over.
"Shogun," Kitsune Saiguu greeted.
The Raiden Shogun nodded and led the three of them to their seats.
"Who is he?" Akio's appearance caused a stir among the crowd. They all recognized Yae Miko as the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine.
But who was this elegantly dressed man and the white-haired, fox-eared woman beside him?
However, the Raiden Shogun didn't seem inclined to explain. After waiting for the three to sit, she turned to the young man on the platform and said in an emotionless voice, "As a mortal, you dare to initiate a duel before the Shogun. I admire your courage. If you win, I will grant you one request."
"If I win, I don't want any reward. I only wish to convey my desires to the Shogun," the young man declared loudly.
"Then we'll discuss it after you win," the Raiden Shogun said indifferently, then turned and took her seat.
"Let the duel begin," the Raiden Shogun said, watching the two who had already begun to face off.
Everyone fell silent. This was going to be a fierce battle.
Kujou Sara usually wielded a bow, but she was skilled with various weapons. On this small platform, she had switched to a katana.
"Haa!" The young man gripped his sword tightly and charged at Kujou Sara, slashing down with all his might.
Kujou Sara merely raised her hand and blocked his powerful strike. As a tengu, her physical strength far surpassed that of a mortal.
With a flick of her wrist, she pushed the young man back, then swiftly thrust her katana forward, only for him to parry it.
Not giving him a moment to breathe, Kujou Sara followed up with two diagonal slashes, forcing the young man into a corner.
Seeing that he couldn't withstand Kujou Sara's onslaught head-on, the young man sidestepped her slash and moved behind her, delivering a horizontal strike.
Kujou Sara quickly blocked with her katana, then turned and followed up with another horizontal slash.
The young man reacted swiftly, jumping to avoid Kujou Sara's blade and attempting to get behind her again.
But Kujou Sara didn't give him the chance. She grabbed his arm and, with unmatched strength, flung him into the air before slamming him to the ground.
"Cough…" The impact nearly knocked the young man unconscious, but he didn't falter. He rolled on the ground, dodging Kujou Sara's stabbing attacks.
Then, with a powerful kick, Kujou Sara sent him flying, crashing into the edge of the platform's pillar before tumbling to the ground.
"Pfft…" The young man spat out a mouthful of blood but shakily stood up, glaring fiercely at Kujou Sara in the distance.
The situation on the platform was dire, but Yae Miko, resting her chin on her hand, asked, "Akio, it seems Kujou Sara has the upper hand, doesn't she?"
Akio nodded. "Indeed. Whether in skill or physical ability, Kujou Sara is far beyond him. This duel has no suspense."
The young man was barely dodging Kujou Sara's attacks, while Kujou Sara showed no signs of strain. The outcome was clear.
"Sigh… how boring. It seems today's brave warrior who dared to face the divine will also lose his life," Yae Miko said, yawning.
"Failure in a duel before the Shogun naturally results in divine punishment. His Vision will be embedded in the statue," the Raiden Shogun's emotionless voice declared.
A/n - One extra chapter at 300 Powerstones :)