The general stared at me intently, his eyes filled with determination and severity. His words came out carrying a mix of respect and defiance.

“Shogun, believe me, I am one of those who most respects your authority, but…” He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing, “I cannot allow this… not without first ensuring that you will not retract your decision.”

His words echoed through the hall. My heart began to race. I narrowed my eyes as I watched him, trying to remain calm despite the panic that was starting to take hold of me.

“What do you suggest, General?”
I asked, my voice coming out with a firmness that contrasted sharply with the chaos I felt inside. Internally, I was screaming, struggling to contain my fear.

The general slowly rose to his feet, drawing his katana in a smooth, precise motion. The metallic sound of the blade being unsheathed rang through the room, filling the air with palpable tension.

“Shogun… in order to accept this decision, we must resolve it in the oldest and most traditional way in Inazuma.”

His words hung in the air, his gaze locked onto mine. Suddenly, he pointed his sword at me, the gleam of the steel reflecting the light in the room.

“I challenge you to a duel. Let it be a grand battle, and let the more skilled warrior emerge victorious.” His tone was firm and unyielding. There was no doubt in his eyes.

For an instant, I froze. My thoughts clouded with the terror I was trying to hide, and then, in the midst of that confusion, I heard Ei’s calm voice resonate in my mind.

“I see… there is no other choice. We must fight.”

A chill ran down my spine. I felt cold sweat gathering on my back as I muttered under my breath, trying not to lose my composure in front of the general.

“Ei, are you insane?! I can’t even braid my hair properly, let alone wield a spear!” I cried in my mind, my desperation becoming obvious.

Ei fell silent for a few moments, then spoke with an unsettling calm.

“And… did I ever say that you would be the one fighting?”

I was completely confused by her words. Before I could form a response or even process what was happening, I felt a strange paralysis. My body, which until then had been mine, no longer responded to my commands.

Ei had taken control.

It was an indescribable sensation—once again, it was as if I were nothing more than a spectator trapped inside my own body. I felt every movement, but I was not the one making them. My eyes, now filled with a cold determination, locked onto the general. I could sense the difference: this was not my gaze, it was Ei’s—filled with centuries of experience and power.

“Very well,” Ei said through my lips, her tone calm yet merciless. “If that is what you desire, then so be it.”

With a simple gesture, she made a spear appear in her hands, formed from the very air itself. Electro energy crackled around the weapon, illuminating the room with violet flashes. She took a combat stance—balanced and flawless—her eyes never leaving the general.

The general watched cautiously, his muscles tense yet ready. There was no turning back. Both of them knew that from that moment on, the only way to resolve the conflict was through spear and sword.

The general, his expression solemn, raised his katana to the level of his face—a sign of respect toward his opponent.

“Shogun, it is an honor to fight you.”

But it wasn’t me.
It was Ei.

The atmosphere grew even heavier, the air charged with the expectation of the imminent battle. There was no sound, only the echo of restrained breaths from those watching. Even Kujou Sara, always steadfast, seemed surprised by what she was witnessing.

“This is far more serious than I expected,” I thought to myself as I watched helplessly from within my own body.

The tension in the room reached its peak when the general took the first step forward, his katana gleaming through the air. The clash of weapons was about to begin.