Seated at her desk in meditation, a noble figure suddenly opens her eyes.
Her deep, beautiful violet gaze instinctively turns toward some distant, unseen horizon beyond the window of Tenshukaku.
"That feeling just now…"
The most exalted and supreme being of this realm — the Narukami Ogosho — softly murmurs as she presses a hand against her chest.
Unlike the lifeless, puppet-like atmosphere that usually surrounds her, there is something different in her eyes at this moment.
Though still cold and restrained, there is now the faint trace of living emotion.
Her heart tightens.
As if something — someone — had suddenly plucked a long-forgotten string within her.
Her delicate brows draw together.
Raiden Ei falls into silence.
After some time, the once-deadly quiet Tenshukaku is disturbed by crisp, echoing footsteps.
The Raiden Shogun looks forward.
On the path leading into the main hall, a graceful, swaying figure appears without announcement.
Ordinarily, no one may enter Tenshukaku without permission. The Shogun's dignity is not something mortals may approach at will.
Those granted such access can be counted on one hand.
Which makes the identity of the visitor obvious.
"Oh my… how fortunate. This time it isn't the Shogun puppet, but my dear old friend herself."
A soft, teasing laugh rings through the hall.
A pink-haired shrine maiden steps through the doorway, her silhouette blocking the sunlight and casting the room into shadow.
She is breathtaking.
Long, silky pink hair flows behind her, tied neatly at the ends. Her shrine maiden attire is primarily red and white, sleeves wide and elegant. Fox ears rise proudly from her head, adorned with purple gemstone earrings. On her right ear hangs an Electro Vision.
Her slender legs are bare, feet resting lightly in wooden sandals. Her peach-blossom eyes shimmer with playful ambiguity.
"Yae Miko."
Raiden Ei's expression does not change.
"What brings you here?"
Yae Miko covers her lips with a soft laugh.
"My dear Shogun, must I have a reason to visit?"
Ei ignores the teasing tone and looks back out the window, watching sakura petals drift through the air.
"The Mikoshi Festival approaches. Shouldn't you be at the Grand Narukami Shrine?"
"It's terribly dull to be alone," Yae replies lightly. "I went out for a walk. The oni of the Mikoshi clan keep their doors closed. The tengu from overseas are nowhere to be found. And here in Tenshukaku, it's so cold and lifeless… how disappointing."
Ei lets out a faint huff.
"Has there still been no word from Lady Hakushin?"
At the mention of this, Yae's smile softens.
"Ever since the former Electro Archon passed, and Inazuma survived its calamity… Lady Hakushin grew disheartened. She withdrew to wander the mountains. It has been over a century since she last appeared. Though I've advanced far in my shrine training, even I cannot divine her whereabouts. Perhaps… it is also because of that person's death…"
Ei lowers her head slightly.
Silence falls again.
Suddenly—
Thunder cracks across the sky above Inazuma.
Moments later, rain pours down in sheets.
Yae glances outside.
The storm arrived too quickly.
Which means Ei's mood has darkened.
Gods are beings whose thoughts can stir heaven and earth.
Summoning wind and rain, commanding thunder — such things are trivial to them.
Even the storm sealing Inazuma's outer seas exists at her will.
The two stand in wordless tension.
After a long pause, Ei closes her eyes.
"I am tired. You may leave."
Yae has no clever trick left to lift her friend's spirits.
So she obeys.
Among all in Inazuma, she has spent the most time with Ei over the past five hundred years. Their bond runs deep.
The oni woman of the Mikoshi clan has long since vanished from public life. Only descendants of her adopted son remain — and no one even knows whether she still lives.
Yae steps outside.
The grand doors of Tenshukaku close automatically behind her.
She stands there for a long while, gazing at the sky.
The guards stationed nearby pretend to see nothing.
Eventually, the rain stops.
The clouds part.
Sunlight bathes Inazuma once more.
A brilliant rainbow stretches across Narukami Island.
The Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine murmurs softly:
"The sky has cleared."
Meanwhile — At Sea
"The sky cleared!"
Having finally passed through the thunderstorm zone, the Crux Fleet breathes a collective sigh of relief.
On the deck of the Alcor, sailors look up at the brightened sky, their spirits lifted.
Lumine and Paimon rush outside immediately and head straight for Luo Li, who hasn't moved from his position since the storm began.
"Wow! You're amazing!" Paimon exclaims. "Standing in that lightning without flinching! Any normal person would be terrified!"
Luo Li smiles faintly.
"Would you fear something that would never harm you?"
Paimon frowns thoughtfully.
"Well… if I knew for sure it wouldn't hurt me, maybe not. But that kind of terrifying scene? I'd still be scared!"
Just recalling the apocalyptic storm makes her shiver.
Lumine snorts.
"Paimon is such a coward."
"You hid just as fast as I did! Don't act tough!"
They immediately begin arguing over who was more frightened.
Luo Li watches the bickering pair with quiet amusement.
Then he lifts his gaze.
A rainbow stretches across Narukami Island in the distance.
Familiar pink sakura trees bloom across the land, breathtakingly beautiful.
"Hey—wait! What's that?!"
From the lookout tower, Xu Liushi points toward the horizon.
Everyone turns.
There, drifting upon the sea, is a massive structure.
A grand pavilion-like building floats upon the waves in the far distance.
Okay. That last image? Floating mansion on the sea? That's absolutely a setup.
Storm ends. Rainbow appears. Ei feels something. Luo Li returns.
And now something mysterious drifts toward them.
This arc is about to escalate.