After bidding Ayaka farewell and retracing her steps back toward the Sacred Sakura's root, Ei did not immediately return to Furuyama's side. Instead, she paused briefly, focusing her attention on the Shogun within the Plane of Euthymia.
"Shogun..."
She called out softly.
[...]
There was no response.
"...Shogun?!"
Her heart trembled. She called again, urgency—no, panic—creeping into her voice.
[...I am fine. I just... took a short nap.]
Within the Plane of Euthymia, the Shogun knelt on the ground, her expression weak as she spoke to reassure her worried mother.
"Hold on a little longer..."
Ei pressed her lips together, telling her to endure. She had wanted to bring her straight back to Tenshukaku for an examination, but the Shogun had refused, insisting that Ei focus on handling the monsters and not worry about her. They had argued for quite some time, yet she simply could not win against that stubbornness. The girl's obstinate temperament was exactly like her own. With no other choice, Ei could only steel herself and continue.
[Haa... do not worry about me, Ei... I can still endure.]
Perhaps sensing what she was thinking, the Shogun spoke again to reassure her.
"How can I not worry when you are like this? Do not push yourself, you little brat."
Unable to hold back, she scolded her in a tone laced with restrained irritation.
[That is too much... I am not smelly.]
The Shogun protested like a wronged child.
"Haa... you..."
Ei was truly at a loss with her. Only now did she realize how troublesome stubbornness could be. Of all traits to inherit, why did she have to take the worst one? Honestly...
Pushing those thoughts aside, she returned to serious matters and made her way back to Furuyama. Yet the elderly man before her had already grown half-transparent, as though he might vanish at any moment.
Seeing this, she quickly stepped forward—
"Oh my... has Shogun-sama returned?"
Her footsteps rang clearly in his ears. Hearing them, Furuyama immediately turned to face her. His ability to identify direction by sound alone was far too practiced.
"Yes, it is I... Are you alright, Furuyama?"
She asked with concern.
"Heh heh... My apologies, Shogun-sama. I look rather terrible now. I suppose I will be leaving soon."
Furuyama touched his own body. There was no fear in him, not even panic. Only a relieved smile, his tone relaxed.
"It is fine... There is still time. At the very least, have a cup of tea with me before you go. What do you say?"
Ei asked.
"Heh heh... Since it is your request, how could this old man refuse? Have you brought the tea set?"
Her words rekindled his final bit of enthusiasm. Determination returned to him, and he nodded solemnly.
"I must trouble you to brew it."
Seeing him regain some spirit, the corner of her lips lifted slightly.
"Not at all, not at all... This was my duty to begin with. Brewing tea for you is my honor."
Waving his hand, Furuyama began his work. Though blind, his movements were so practiced they were etched into memory, even more skillful than those who could see.
The two found a simple stone platform nearby. Ei crouched and used her Electro element to start a fire, while Furuyama began his familiar, professional routine.
During the process, Ei occasionally assisted him. But she was not Makoto—her technique was not especially refined. Furuyama quickly noticed.
"Shogun-sama, your movements seem somewhat rusty. Heh heh... No matter, leave it to this old man."
He chuckled and smoothly took over the task.
"Mm... I have not been in much of a mood for tea lately. It is only natural I would grow rusty. You should handle it. Do not let me ruin good tea."
Ei withdrew her hands. Continuing would only hinder him. She stepped back obediently and stood to the side, quietly watching his movements.
[Perhaps... I could—]
"You stay put for me!"
Before she could finish, Ei cut her off with a cold whisper, strangling the idea in its cradle. In that condition, she still wanted to show off. How could Ei treat it lightly?
[Why are you so angry?]
Perhaps sensing her mother's irritation, the Shogun obediently fell silent, though she still let out a small, cute note of dissatisfaction.
"You are asking me?"
Ei replied coolly.
[The only time... I ever saw you truly angry... was when dealing with the Takatsukasa family. That time... you really frightened me.]
The Shogun continued chatting with her, unbothered.
"I am angry now as well. Are you afraid?"
She answered again in that same cold tone. Though cold on the surface, beneath it lay mostly helplessness.
[...Mm.]
"Then behave yourself for me..."
She sighed, then turned her gaze back to Furuyama, who had already finished brewing the tea.
"There we are, Shogun-sama. Please have a taste. My skills have not declined, have they? Hahaha."
Mentioning tea immediately revived Furuyama's spirit. He laughed heartily.
"Thank you for your efforts."
She walked over and sat upon the stone stool opposite him. Holding the teacup with both hands, she looked at the elderly man. With unspoken understanding, they each took a sip.
"The fragrance is rich, the taste sweet upon entry. Exquisite. It is just as it used to be."
She praised him.
She had often drunk the tea he brewed in the past and had even observed his process.
"Mm~! Not bad. It seems this old man's tea artistry has not diminished at all, hahaha!"
He laughed loudly.
"Indeed... that is true."
She nodded in agreement.
Buzz~
In the next moment, the glow around Furuyama grew stronger. His transparency accelerated. Even the teacup slipped from his grasp, his fingers passing straight through its handle, losing all substance.
"Furuyama..."
Instinctively, she rose and stepped toward him.
"It is alright, Shogun-sama. There is no need for you to worry about me. This is simply my fate. I am content. On this familiar land, I have seen you once more, heard your voice with my own ears, and shared tea with you as before. I have no regrets."
Furuyama stood as well, clasping his hands behind his back. Before her eyes, he gradually faded, yet there was not a trace of fear in his voice.
"Furuyama... I..."
Her eyes lowered slightly. She wanted to say something—but he stopped her.
"Shogun-sama, no matter what happens, you will forever be my Shogun—and the Shogun of Inazuma's people. In the years to come, I hope you will continue to protect this 'black' nation, this eternal nation, this nation you love. If you do so, this old man will rejoice even in the heavens. I beg of you, Shogun-sama."
Buzz~
In the next second, his figure dissolved into golden particles of light, scattering into the air before ultimately returning to the Sacred Sakura's root in the distance.
[Are you alright?]
The Shogun spoke gently, concerned for her feelings.
"Haa... No matter when it comes, parting is always like this."
Reluctant... and sorrowful.
Kitsune Saiguu, Makoto, and even earlier friends who had perished before her eyes—each of them had already parted from her.
"Let us go... to the next place."
She shook her head lightly, casting aside those thoughts, and stepped toward the final Sacred Sakura root within this region.
...
Five hundred years ago, that disaster not only took Kitsune Saiguu from her side, it also forced her into eternal separation from her sister, Makoto.
In her memories, the flames were fierce and scorching. The nauseating smoke coiled before her vision, stoking the impatience in her heart to the point of eruption.
Szzzz!!
With a single slash, she cleaved through a vast cluster of mechanical constructs before her. Breaking free from layers of encirclement, she finally saw her sister—collapsed upon the earth, barely clinging to life.
Tap tap~
"Makoto!"
Without a second thought, she erased everything blocking her path and rushed forward. Dropping to her knees in the mud, heedless of her own disheveled state, she gathered the dying woman into her arms.
Looking at the blood-soaked figure whose face so closely resembled her own, her nose stung. Tears welled in her eyes—one drop, then another—until they streamed freely down her cheeks.
Szzzz~
Behind her, the ill-timed mechanical roar sounded once more.
"Aaaahhh!!!"
Grabbing the naginata that had been cast aside, she let out a hoarse cry and swung with all her might in an almost disgraceful frenzy.
Hum~
A massive blade of light swept across the battlefield, severing the mechanical bodies before her.
Boom!
A violent explosion erupted, flames soaring into the sky and forming a towering mushroom cloud.
"!!"
Her teeth sank into her lower lip. Purple lightning flickered in her eyes, cold and merciless. Thunder roared around her body, whipping the hem of her kimono into the air. Even the end of her braid shimmered with violet radiance.
At that moment, she saw nothing—only the countless mechanical abominations like sworn enemies before her. She wanted to rise and annihilate them all.
Yet...
A slender hand gently tugged at her sleeve.
Her attention snapped back. In that instant, the blazing fury consuming her heart was extinguished.
"...! Makoto!"
Seeing that her sister was still alive, hope flared within her. She dropped back to her knees, clutching the trembling body in her arms.
Her tears fell upon Makoto's face, sliding down the pale skin and leaving glistening trails.
"Ei..."
Makoto opened her unfocused eyes and murmured her name weakly. But as soon as she spoke, blood spilled from the corner of her lips.
"I am... sorry... Ei... I... like this..."
"Do not speak! I will heal you!"
Ei hurriedly tried to support her sister's body—
"..."
But before she could act, the woman in her arms lifted a hand to stop her.
Ei froze, confusion written across her face.
"There is... no need..."
That gentle shake of the head sent her heart plummeting like falling ice. The fragile hope that had just been born withered away.
Slowly, she lowered her gaze to her sister's body.
A vast crimson stain spread across Makoto's chest. The wound had been pierced clean through. Blood continued to pool upon the ground, spreading like a nightmare before her eyes. Ei's face turned pale, and her pupils trembled uncontrollably.
"I am sorry... for making you... see this."
Makoto coughed weakly, forcing a fragile smile despite the agony. How could she not understand her sister's expression? Yet she was powerless. She could only expose this miserable, tragic sight before Ei's eyes.
Ei's entire body trembled. The surging turmoil in her heart erupted like thunder. Unable to hold back any longer, she collapsed against Makoto's chest and wept. Even so, her sobs were swallowed by the cacophony of the battlefield.
...
No one knew how much time had passed. The strange machines had all been destroyed. The smoke gradually dispersed, leaving behind a battlefield in ruins. The deafening artillery and elemental roars had faded, leaving only her quiet sobbing.
Tap tap~ ×N
Multiple sets of footsteps approached across the wreckage, surrounding her—no, surrounding them. Five figures stood at the center of her grief, gazes heavy and complicated as they watched her cradle the dying woman in her arms.
No one spoke at first. Perhaps none knew how to begin.
"...You..."
Ei wiped her tears and looked up at them, desperation flickering in her eyes.
"Can any of you save her?"
Clinging to her final sliver of hope, she turned to the hooded man closest to her.
"Morax... can you? Save her?"
Her voice trembled as she asked.
"...I regret to say that Baal's injuries are too severe. The Ruin Grader pierced through her chest and destroyed her 'heart.' Even with my power... I am unable to save her."
Morax's golden eyes were heavy as he explained in a low voice.
"I am sorry... Beelzebul. It was our fault. There were too many enemies. We failed to protect her. I truly am sorry."
The green-haired youth with white wings—Barbatos—apologized with deep guilt, his tone filled with self-reproach.
"...Heh."
She let out a faint laugh. It was not mockery directed at them—it was mockery of herself. Mockery of her own incompetence. Mockery of her failure to protect the one she loved. She had arrived too late. That cruel conclusion stabbed straight into her heart, forcing her to accept it.
"Beelzebul..."
Barbatos looked at her with concern.
"There is no need to apologize to me. This is not your fault. You each have your own duties. I am not unreasonable. The fault lies with me. I failed to protect her."
She tightened her embrace around the cooling body in her arms. The once-elegant pale kimono was drenched in blood, which continued to seep onto the already scarlet earth, staining it even darker.
"..."
Barbatos stepped forward as if to comfort her, but Morax raised a hand to stop him.
He simply shook his head.
The others remained silent. Two of them had not spoken a single word from beginning to end, yet the weight in their gazes revealed their emotions—sorrow, heaviness, complexity.
The first to leave was the woman of ice. With a sweep of her cloak, she departed the smoke-filled battlefield alone.
Another woman, wearing a tall hat, tapped her cane lightly.
Splash~
A bloom of water gathered into a white rose. She placed it beside Makoto.
"I am alright now... I wish to speak a few final words with Makoto. Would you please leave us?"
Ei steadied herself and spoke quietly.
"Beelzebul..."
Barbatos' emerald eyes were filled with worry. But seeing the firmness in her gaze, he said nothing more.
Before departing, they each left behind flowers formed of wind, stone, and water.
After they had gone, Ei picked up Makoto's blade—Musou Isshin—which had lost its light. Channeling her own power, she temporarily awakened the sword's final trace of brilliance.
Crack!
The surroundings fractured like shattered glass. Space shifted. The smoke-filled battlefield dissolved, transforming into a pale blue realm—the true Plane of Euthymia.
Hum~
Perhaps strengthened by the environment, Makoto seemed slightly more lucid, though she could only open her eyes and speak. Even so, blood still flowed from the wound upon her chest.
"Ei..."
"Do you feel a little better?"
Ei asked softly.
"Mm... but... I cannot... last much longer."
Lying in her sister's arms, Makoto spoke hoarsely.
"...You fool. Why did you hide this from me?"
Ei's voice trembled again with suppressed sobs.
"Because... I did not want... you to be hurt as well."
Makoto answered weakly.
"And it is acceptable for you to be hurt instead?!"
Ei could not hold back her shout.
"...I am sorry. It is... cough... a sister's duty... to protect her younger sister."
"What duty? I have always been the one protecting you!"
Ei's lips trembled.
"Hehe... perhaps... that is why... I hid it from you. Otherwise... cough... you would certainly have followed me here."
Makoto coughed up blood with nearly every sentence.
Ei's tears fell once more onto her sister's face.
"Do not cry... Ei..."
Makoto slowly lifted her hand and gently wiped at the corners of her eyes. Even moving her fingers was difficult, yet she used every last bit of strength to brush away Ei's tears.
"If you cry... you will become a little kitten... and that would not be pretty, hm?"
She forced a weak smile, teasing her even now.
Ei grasped her hand and pressed it tightly against her own face. The helplessness and grief within her poured forth like a flood. She squeezed her eyes shut, uncaring of how she looked, silently weeping like a despairing child. She did not wail loudly, but faint, broken sobs escaped her from time to time.
She understood now.
She would truly be alone.
Even Makoto—her sister—was about to leave her.
The despair was almost unbearable.
Makoto's own tears slid down her face as well.
After their sobbing gradually subsided, Makoto reached toward her chest. From her heart emerged a dreamlike bolt of lightning, pulsing like a living organ. Slowly, she offered it to Ei.
"This is...?"
Ei sniffed, her voice thick with tears.
"...Our child, Ei... You know... what to do... do you not?"
As she said "our child," a gentle, maternal smile bloomed upon her pale face.
"...I know."
Ei accepted the lightning—the lightning that symbolized the future—and placed it within her own body.
"Ei... after I am gone, do not remain trapped in grief. She is our child. Take good care of her. When you feel lonely, let her keep you company."
"Remember... do not cling to the past. Even if it is painful, even if it is sorrowful—even if ahead there is only a fleeting glimmer of light—you must keep moving forward. Let this nation shine once more with its own lightning."
I am sorry, Makoto... I cannot do it. I do not wish to lose anyone again. I do not wish to move forward. I will pursue my own eternity... and in doing so, I will disappoint you.