Durandal was, without exception, stopped at the gate of Tenshukaku. This was not some game world; ordinary people could not enter this place freely.
Durandal was not a staff member of the Three Commissions. Even if her demeanor was special, the warrior guarding the gate would not let her in.
"Unauthorized personnel are prohibited. Miss, please leave."
"I want to see the Raiden Shogun."
Durandal ignored the other party's gaze and calmly stated her purpose for coming to Tenshukaku: to meet the Raiden Shogun.
Naturally, the other party could not let her pass just because of Durandal's words. The Raiden Shogun was not someone ordinary people could meet; apart from the leaders of the Three Commissions, no one else needed to be heeded.
"No matter what your business is, please find the relevant department. You cannot stay long in front of Tenshukaku. If you persist, we have the right to take action against you."
"Find the relevant department? My problem cannot be handled by the Shuumatsuban, the Tenryou Commission, or the Tenryou Commission."
Durandal's lips curved into a smile: "I came here to initiate an Duel Before the Throne, to resist the Vision Hunt Decree issued by the Raiden Shogun."
"What?!"
The warrior's eyes widened, and he shouted: "Don't joke! Do you know what you're saying?"
The Duel Before the Throne was a rule personally set by the Raiden Shogun, solemn and cruel. Once it began, one loser was destined to receive the Raiden Shogun's divine punishment.
In the past, every person who received divine punishment died. This Damselette actually wanted to have an Duel Before the Throne? Did she even know what she was saying?
The guards at the gate were also shocked by Durandal's words. At the same time, Raiden Makoto, behind Durandal, was somewhat puzzled. She didn't know anything about an Duel Before the Throne. Was this a rule that came into being during her absence?
"Of course I know. You wouldn't be unclear about what an Duel Before the Throne is, would you? Now that I've said this, can you still stop me like this?"
The warrior lowered his head in silence. Since Durandal had said that, he naturally couldn't expel Durandal as he had just done, but... should he really let her in?
Who exactly was she? The warrior didn't quite understand. A Child who couldn't stand the Vision Hunt Decree and ran over to cause trouble out of hot-headedness?
If that was the case, then she would have to pay with her life in the upcoming duel. Did she... did she really have that strength?
"Kujou Sara is currently fighting the resistance and is not on Narukami Island. If you really want to have an Duel Before the Throne, then with her..."
"No, my target for the Duel Before the Throne is not that person named Kujou. The one I want to duel is your god, the Raiden Shogun."
Everyone around immediately widened their eyes. She was going to have an Duel Before the Throne with the Raiden Shogun? This... this was seeking death, right?! It must be seeking death!
If it were Kujou Sara, there might be a slim chance of winning, but challenging the Raiden Shogun, what was that if not suicide?
"You... you..."
"Enough, you've wasted a lot of time here. If others knew about this and told the Raiden Shogun, do you think you would face the Raiden Shogun's punishment?"
Durandal was not afraid of the Raiden Shogun, but others were different. As a member of the Shogunate, the warrior deeply understood the Raiden Shogun's majesty. Fearing punishment from the Raiden Shogun, he could only report this matter to the Raiden Shogun inside Tenshukaku.
While the warrior was telling the Raiden Shogun about this, others led Durandal to the Duel Before the Throne arena; the gate was obviously not suitable for a duel.
[Is this your plan? To make the Raiden Shogun abolish the Vision Hunt Decree through this Duel Before the Throne?]
[With the program your sister set for her, ordinary words won't make her change her mind. Since that's the case, I'll force her to agree to my request through strength. Maybe in the process of fighting, your sister, who is hiding inside Musou Isshin, will also come out.]
[I see. But what does this Duel Before the Throne mean? Why do they seem so afraid of it?]
[Because the losing party in an Duel Before the Throne will receive the Raiden Shogun's divine punishment, which simply means death.]
[Huh?]
[And I'm asking for an Duel Before the Throne with the Raiden Shogun. In their eyes, my actions are tantamount to suicide, right?]
Thinking about it, it made sense. A beautifully dressed Damselette suddenly ran to Tenshukaku and demanded an Duel Before the Throne with the Raiden Shogun. No matter how one thought about it, this person seemed crazy.
Durandal was still very self-aware. After all, her appearance was too deceptive. In order not to be seen through by the Raiden Shogun, the Electro Archon, she deliberately concealed her aura completely, just to make her agree to her Duel Before the Throne.
[Is... is it okay? Durandal. Won't you get hurt? You won't get hurt, right?]
[You don't need to worry about that. You should worry about the upcoming battle. What if one of us uses too much force, what will happen to Tenshukaku?]
[Ah...]
Tenshukaku was built magnificently, making one sigh in admiration that it was indeed the residence of the Raiden Shogun.
But could such a building really withstand the battle between the two? Durandal was skeptical. What if, by accident, too much force was used, causing Tenshukaku to collapse? With Inazuma's current finances, could another one be rebuilt?
[Um, Durandal... can you not...]
[We'll see. If that really happens, then I'm sorry.]
[Wuwuwu~]
Inside the training ground, Durandal stood quietly, waiting for the Raiden Shogun's arrival.
The news that someone wanted to challenge the Raiden Shogun quickly spread. Many people wanted to come and watch, but out of fear of the Raiden Shogun's lightning, they only dared to stay far away outside the training ground.
Soon, a woman almost identical to Raiden Makoto arrived. However, unlike Raiden Makoto's gentle gaze, she had no expression, just like Durandal.
She slowly came to the training ground, stopped opposite Durandal, and stared directly at Durandal in front of her.
Just by standing there, Durandal felt the surrounding aura change. Even without any action, she was constantly releasing her power.
"It is you who wish to challenge me to an Duel Before the Throne? Why?"
"Do you always ask such questions before a duel? Even if I tell you my thoughts, you probably won't take them to heart."
The Raiden Shogun might have her own consciousness, but her guiding principle was always [eternity]. Beyond that, she wouldn't care about anything else.
She probably asked this to make the duel seem more formal, so that others wouldn't see her problems.
"Since you want to hear it, I'll tell you. My purpose in coming here is to make you abolish the Vision Hunt Decree. A Vision is the holder's wish. Once it is taken away, those who lose their wishes will lose their souls and cease to progress."
Although Durandal knew it was meaningless to say this, she still stated her purpose.
The Raiden Shogun looked at Durandal and said: "You clearly don't have a Vision, so why do you do such things for those people? The wishes you speak of are merely a fleeting dream, an unstable factor that affects [eternity]."
"Therefore, the Vision Hunt Decree will not be abolished. You, who came to duel me for this matter, are also an enemy of eternity. I will once again subjugate you."
Saying this, the Raiden Shogun placed her hand in front of her, and a blade radiating Electro Element was drawn from her chest.
[Musou Isshin], this was Raiden Makoto's weapon, given to Raiden Ei when she passed away.
This sword was never sharpened when it was in Raiden Makoto's hand; it symbolized Raiden Makoto's peace.
The reason Raiden Makoto named it [Musou Isshin] was for it to witness Inazuma, beautiful as a dream, and the noble heart that coexisted with it.
But in Raiden Ei's hand, it had seen blood. Seeing the Musou Isshin in the Raiden Shogun's hand, Raiden Makoto's gaze was incredibly complex.
At this moment, the Raiden Shogun had already assumed a combat stance. She was giving Durandal time to draw her weapon. Once she drew her weapon, it would symbolize the official start of the duel.
She would not show mercy to Durandal just because she was a Damselette or a Child. For her, the ultimate fate of an enemy who dared to obstruct eternity was only death.
"[Musou Isshin], such a name, yet it is wielded to steal others' dreams. How ironic."
Durandal extended her right hand, and a great scythe appeared in her grasp. She swung it effortlessly, and like the Raiden Shogun, her eyes gradually turned cold.
"I don't care if you want to protect [eternity] or anything else, but you give me a very uncomfortable feeling. From your birth until now, you probably haven't tasted defeat, have you? Today, perhaps I can let you experience that taste."
Arrogance! This was the thought that appeared in the hearts of the Raiden Shogun and the other guards present. Did this person even know what she was facing?
The Raiden Shogun cleaved down with her sword, and violent Electro Element, carrying the force of thunder, surged towards Durandal.
Just when everyone thought Durandal would lose her life from this attack, she merely swung her great scythe lightly, and the slash was deflected into the air, only turning into unstable Electro Element after a long time.
This simple action alone brought no small impact to the onlookers and to the Raiden Shogun who had unleashed that strike.
She actually blocked it? Blocked the Raiden Shogun's divine punishment, blocked that fatal blow?
"Are you spacing out?"
The Raiden Shogun's body trembled, and she immediately turned and swung [Musou Isshin]. The moment she swung the blade, a huge force struck, sending her flying backward, retreating a considerable distance before stopping.
Durandal and the Raiden Shogun had swapped positions. Durandal, standing where the Raiden Shogun had just been, looked at the Raiden Shogun, whose expression was clearly a bit grim, and said.
"I said I would let you taste defeat, and I wasn't kidding. Are you... ready? Of course, even if you're not ready, I won't give you time. After all, this is an Duel Before the Throne."
Durandal's voice echoed through the training ground. The onlookers swallowed hard. Only one move had passed, but no one dared to underestimate this Damselette anymore.
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