The Shogun was sent flying into the sky by Jiang Chen's kick.
Without missing a beat, Jiang Chen chased after her.
Seeing him charge forward, the Raiden Shogun wasted no time—she raised her polearm and struck.
The two clashed mid-air.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound of their weapons colliding echoed across the sky.
Jiang Chen deliberately led the battle toward the open sea.
Fighting over Inazuma risked collateral damage, and while bullying the Shogun was fun, harming innocents wasn't part of the plan.
The Shogun, however, didn't share such concerns.
To her, Jiang Chen was a threat that needed elimination.
Under his guidance, they soon arrived above the ocean.
The storm clouds shrouding Inazuma's waters now became the Shogun's advantage.
The moment they arrived, she summoned lightning and hurled it at Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen, equally adept in Electro, retaliated without hesitation.
Boom!
Lightning clashed against lightning.
Watching Jiang Chen wield Electro, the Shogun frowned.
Daring to use lightning in front of me?
How presumptuous.
"Hmph!"
With a cold snort, she fully unleashed the power of her vessel, attempting to seize control of the very lightning Jiang Chen commanded.
"All thunder is mine to command!"
Jiang Chen felt the Electro energy he wielded destabilizing—the Shogun was trying to override his control.
"Outrageous!"
"I am the Thunder God!"
Jiang Chen declared with absolute seriousness.
The Raiden Shogun froze.
What?
Their battle naturally drew attention.
Makoto and Ei were currently catching up while keeping an eye on the fight.
Meanwhile, residents of Ritou also witnessed the clash over the sea.
Jiang Chen's booming declaration reached many ears.
"Huh?"
"The Thunder God?"
"Who is the Thunder God fighting?"
"That was a man's voice, right?"
"Isn't the Thunder God a woman?"
...
The people of Ritou were stunned.
What did that mean? Was their Archon an imposter?
"Pfft—"
"If the Shogun doesn't retort with 'You'll regret this,' this whole scene loses its charm."
Lumine couldn't help but comment.
The taunt was spicy—too bad the Shogun wasn't the type to banter.
Makoto and Ei also looked baffled.
If you're the Thunder God, then what are we?
The Shogun, after a brief pause, grew furious.
She activated her divine attire, her weapon morphing into its full battle form—the same as in her weekly boss fight.
Transformation complete, she swung her blade.
Slash!
A crescent of Electro energy tore toward Jiang Chen.
Unfazed, Jiang Chen swung his Unbroken Excalibur, meeting her attack with a fiery blade wave.
BOOM!
The two clashed violently over the sea.
Every exchange between them carried enough force to level mountains.
Watching from Ritou, the citizens gulped.
Is this how gods fight?
And didn't he claim to be the Thunder God?
Why is he using Pyro now?
Many grew curious about Jiang Chen's identity—and annoyed at his deception.
The battle also drew the attention of the Fatui, particularly Scaramouche.
Seeing the distant fight, his brows furrowed.
That guy from Liyue?
The Fatui Harbingers were well aware of Jiang Chen's identity.
Moreover, the Tsaritsa had explicitly ordered them not to provoke him.
After all, they couldn't afford another extortion incident.
The losses from Childe's blunder had nearly driven the Rooster to dismantle him for parts to recoup the costs.
And now, Jiang Chen was fighting the Raiden Shogun?
Was Liyue declaring war on Inazuma?
Scaramouche mused, though no one answered his question.
Jiang Chen was fully engaged in battle.
Each clash between them shattered the storm clouds, gradually dispersing the thunderstorm that had long plagued Inazuma.
Jiang Chen hadn't even unleashed his Noble Phantasm yet.
He was content to exchange blows, honing his skills against the Shogun.
With Karna's template and Uncrowned Martial Arts, Jiang Chen possessed unparalleled combat prowess—but he had rarely engaged in a true, prolonged duel.
Most of his fights ended in instant annihilation.
The strongest opponent he'd faced before was Osial, but what could a sea monster teach him?
How to spam ultimates?
That did nothing for his martial arts.
Now, facing the Shogun—a true warrior—Jiang Chen's skills rapidly sharpened.
His movements grew fluid, his techniques seamlessly merging into an unstoppable flow.
Their blades clashed relentlessly, Jiang Chen growing more proficient with each exchange.
"Truly remarkable swordsmanship."
Ei, the original martial artist, couldn't help but praise Jiang Chen's evolving technique.
His skill was on par with hers.
If possible, she'd love to cross blades with him herself.
"Of course!"
"He possesses the Uncrowned Martial Arts, after all."
Lumine nodded proudly.
She knew Jiang Chen's abilities better than anyone.
She'd experienced them firsthand—in more ways than one—and had even been forced to learn a few tricks.
"Alright."
"That fight won't end anytime soon."
"Ei."
"Let's discuss Inazuma's current situation."
Makoto, though not a fighter, had a sister who was—so she could tell Jiang Chen was using the Shogun as a whetstone.
Since that was the case, it was time to address her sister's other issues.
As she spoke, Yae Miko suddenly handed her a branch—freshly plucked from the Sacred Sakura.
For disciplining wayward sisters, nothing beats a good spanking.
This will do nicely.
Makoto stared at the offering in silence.
Then, without a word, she accepted it.
Yae Miko's grin widened.
Lady Saiguu, witnessing this, immediately dragged the mischievous fox aside.
What the hell happened over the years?
Why has Miko become like this?
Are you trying to get yourself cleaved in half by Ei?
Lumine, Guizhong, and Paimon watched in stunned silence.
She actually brought a whip?!
The trio instinctively took a few steps back.
Noticing this, Kamisato Ayaka also retreated cautiously.
As the least influential person present, she desperately hoped to avoid becoming collateral damage.
If possible, I'd like to faint right now.
Then I wouldn't have to witness whatever comes next.