"Sangonomiya-sama is currently not at the resistance camp, and we're not sure where she's gone. But before leaving, she instructed us to carry on as usual."
"Gorou-sama, bad news!"
A resistance soldier rushed over, panting.
"The Shogunate suddenly reinforced the frontlines—and Kujou Sara is personally leading them!"
Gorou's eyes widened.
"What?!"
"Damn it… Why now of all times? Sangonomiya-sama hasn't shown up for days, and the last of her 'contingency scrolls' have already been used."
"Hurry! All squads must assemble—we're heading to the front!"
"Yes, sir!"
Paimon turned to Lumine.
"Lumine, this sounds really dangerous! We should go check it out too!"
Lumine thought for a moment and nodded. It did seem urgent.
"Yeah, let's go!"
...
By the time Lumine arrived, the two forces were already in a standoff.
But…
Paimon scratched her head.
"Why are there… so few people?"
Lumine hadn't expected this either. The so-called front line barely had a hundred soldiers combined on both sides.
Compared to Liyue, where tens of thousands of Millelith once clashed with gods, this skirmish between a few dozen Inazuman troops hardly felt like a war…
It felt more like a "village skirmish" than a proper battle.
At the very front of the Shogunate forces stood a woman who had to be the general—Kujou Sara.
She wore the distinct armor of a Shogunate warrior: clean-cut short hair or a tidy updo, accented with elegant accessories that emphasized her disciplined and commanding presence.
Her eyes were sharp and resolute, brimming with unwavering conviction. Her serious expression gave off an aura that tolerated no nonsense.
Kujou Sara swept her gaze around.
"Only you here…? I was hoping to meet your so-called 'strategist lady.'"
"She's caused the Shogunate quite a bit of trouble. The resistance owes much of its survival to her tactics."
"But it ends here. When there's such a massive disparity in numbers, strategy becomes meaningless."
Lumine muttered under her breath.
"It's just a few dozen more people, not an overwhelming force…"
Kujou Sara gave a slight nod.
"We've thoroughly assessed the resistance's capabilities. All who defy the Raiden Shogun will face justice."
Gorou gripped his bow tightly.
"I believe in Sangonomiya-sama. And I believe in our warriors."
"The Vision Hunt Decree is not the right path. We will never stop resisting!"
Kujou Sara shook her head.
"…No matter. You've likely received the latest bounty notice. The blonde traveler—she should be with you now."
"If you hand her over, I might grant you a little breathing room. A decisive battle right now benefits neither of us."
Lumine's mouth twitched.
Wow. She's really underestimating us.
Gorou stepped forward.
"So you reinforced your troops just to—"
Kujou Sara reached behind her and took hold of her bow.
"She's important to the Shogun."
"But to the resistance? She should be expendable."
Gorou scoffed.
"You're wrong. She's just as important to the resistance. She's already joined our ranks—she's one of my soldiers now. I won't hand her over."
"'The resistance never betrays its comrades.' That's a rule Sangonomiya-sama laid down long ago."
"Gorou, let me fight."
Gorou turned back in surprise.
"You two? What are you doing here?"
Lumine shook her head with a faint smile.
"I'm part of the resistance too~"
Gorou grinned.
"Then let's fight side by side!"
Kujou Sara narrowed her eyes.
"So it's you two. This time, I won't let you get away so easily."
"I thought joining the resistance meant you'd cower behind them, seeking their protection."
"Your appearance here tells me you're braver than I expected."
"In that case, I have a proposal…"
"How about you represent the resistance in a duel before battle?"
Lumine: "?"
Paimon tilted her head.
"Duel before battle? What's that?"
Gorou explained.
"Before a full-on war begins, both sides can each send one elite warrior to fight."
"It doesn't mean much to the stronger side, but for the weaker side, it's a chance to boost morale."
"But her intentions are obvious—she wants to use this to capture you. Don't feel pressured. We can skip this and just fight."
Lumine waved her hand, and a Dull Blade appeared in her grasp as if summoned from thin air. She strode confidently to the center of the field.
"Don't worry. I won't lose!"
Just then, a burly man stepped out from the Shogunate ranks, holding an Inazuman polearm. His eyes were full of mockery and confidence.
"Hah! This is the perfect chance for me to earn some glory!" he bellowed.
Before his voice even faded, the brute charged at Lumine like a wild beast. His spear gleamed with deadly light as he lunged to skewer everything in his path.
But Lumine didn't even flinch. With one hand, she swung her Dull Blade—a burst of sword energy howled through the air, striking the brute's spear dead-on. With a sharp clang, the weapon was knocked clean from his hands, spinning through the air before embedding itself in the ground.
"Turn to dust!" Lumine shouted, stomping her foot.
The ground quaked violently as sharp stone spikes erupted from the earth like spring bamboo shoots. They shot toward the Shogunate soldier with terrifying speed, launching him into the air. Eyes wide with panic, he flailed helplessly before crashing down hard with a dull thud.
Kujou Sara gripped her bow with both hands and drew an arrow to her cheek. Her eyes were fixed dead ahead, breath calm and steady—ready to fire.
"You're impressive… It seems this duel serves no further purpose." Her voice was calm but resolute, a general ready to make her move.
At her command, the Shogunate soldiers raised their weapons and shouted in unison: "Eternity shines with the Almighty Shogun!"
Their morale surged, burning with fighting spirit.
Gorou raised his longbow in turn, drawing an arrow in one fluid motion.
He clenched his teeth, eyes full of iron determination.
"Tch… Looks like this can't be avoided. Warriors of the resistance—prepare for battle!"
His voice echoed across the field.
_
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