The Second Archon War, Imperatrix Umbrosa 10 (Patreon)

Imperatrix Umbrosa 10: Beyond the Echoes of Storms

After more than a year of labor, it was time. Arcane sigils and scripts covered the workshop, and electro crystals and ingredients harvested from monsters had been used to create a variety of apparatuses and ingredients, and the very room crackled with power. Raiden herself stood at the center of power, taking one last look before engaging the process. A very enthusiastic Ami and Clara stood to the side, wearing goggles and lab coats, along with rubber boots and gloves. A rather more concerned-looking Mushu stood off to the side, glancing back towards the portal to the mortal plane.

At the center of the array lay a body that looked nearly completely identical to Raiden, though it was covered in a sheet and lay utterly motionless, every detail was exactly the same. There were no obvious seams or indications that it was an artificial creation, but the chest of the double did not rise and fall, and it was pallid, devoid of all life.

“Are you really sure about this?” Mushu asked Raiden, and the goddess nodded.

“Yes. This is the third time I have manufactured a robotic surrogate,” Raiden stated. “I have made improvements to the overall design.”

“Can we throw the lever?!” Ami asked eagerly. “I want to meet my new sister!”

Raiden nodded and made an imperious gesture. “Throw the lever, Clara.”

The girls squealed and slammed the lever home, causing lightning to arc. Raiden put her hands on the arcane circles, and lightning flashed from her into the duplicate. A rift in reality opened, and the humans in the room were suddenly awestruck. It was as if Raiden had changed before their eyes, throwing back the veil that hid her true self from the world. Her physical form didn’t shift, so much as the spiritual weight she gave off suddenly increased, and her divine presence was palpable.

Something of that essence was spun off, investing itself into the robotic clone. Soul and spirit suffused the vessel, and she began to glow with power.

AWAKEN.

At Raiden’s command, the robot opened her eyes, sitting up as the divine aura faded. She looked around the room, then up at Raiden.

“This unit is now online. Please provide commands.”

Before Raiden could speak, Ami flew across the room on a bolt of lightning and slammed into the robot so hard she actually rocked them both back. “ONEE-CHAN!”

The robot tilted her head to one side, while Raiden blinked in surprise. “Ami, this is not your sister. She is an artificial construct created to act as a shadow duplicate of myself and engage in foreign diplomacy.”

“Big sister,” Ami insisted, hugging the robot tightly. “She needs a name!”

“She is the Shogun,” Raiden said, furrowing her brow. “That is her function.”

The robot nodded. “Instructions accepted: I am the Shogun.” Raiden smiled and tilted her head in agreement, until the robot added, “I am the Shogun Onee-Chan.”

“No! That’s not a name!” Ami insisted. “Clara and I have a list!”

Clara hurried forward, holding up a sheet of notebook paper with a long list of names scribbled on it. “I like Raikou!”

“The Pokemon?” Raiden asked, her brow furrowing in consternation. The two girls nodded eagerly. “Unacceptable. She is not a Pokemon. She is my body double.”

“She’s my big sister and she needs a super cool name! What about Usagi!?” Ami demanded.

“I am not overly fond of Sailor Moon,” Raiden said, shaking her head again. She looked to Kenta. “What are your thoughts?”

“I mean, she’s a person, right? Not just a robot with no feelings or anything,” Kenta pointed out, coming over to examine the robot. She was precisely like Raiden in every way, from how she held herself to her inflection when she spoke. It did help that Ei tended to speak in a somewhat creepy robot monotone herself.

“Mushu: Designation, familiar,” the robot said. “Eminator of Eternity.”

“He’s your uncle,” Clara informed the robot. “What do you think of being named Bulma?”

The robot frowned. “I do not wish to be called undergarments.”

“She does need a name,” Kenta told Raiden, his tone blunt. “She is your daughter.”

“That is not what I intended,” Raiden said, her brow furrowing.

“Well, she’s like your heir or replacement, right?” Kenta said. He frowned. “Wait, is she a god?”

“Wait, Big Sis is a god like mom?!” Ami gasped. “I have it! She’s your shadow clone, right? She is Tsukuyomi!”

“Isn’t Tsukuyomi supposed to be a guy?” Kenta asked, folding his arms over his chest.

“Tsukuyomi,” Raiden said, her tone thoughtful. “I suppose by this world's standards, you are a god. You have not yet embodied an ideal, but you are made of my essence. Otherwise, you would not be a proper conduit for my powers.”

“I am…Tsukuyomi?” the robot asked, sounding slightly confused. “This was not in my original parameters. Will this bring about Eternity?”

“Yes. But now you need a disguise!” Ami said excitedly and pulled out a bag she and Clara had brought. “We have plenty!”

“A…disguise?” Tsukuyomi was dragged off the table as the two girls held up various cosplay costumes and wigs they had procured for her.

“But…she is to be my shadow,” Raiden said, sounding slightly forlorn and confused.

Kenta put a hand on her shoulder. “Sorry. You’re not getting out of your job. You can’t just have your double do all your work while you sit in your own pocket dimension and become a hikikomori.”

“I will not. I will meditate on Eternity and focus on bringing it about in Japan,” Raiden protested, but she colored faintly.

“Uh-huh. Well, your new volume of Shonen Jump is here,” Kenta said with a shrug.

“Really?” Raiden brightened, then suddenly caught on and scowled. “That is not amusing.”

“Really? Because I thought it was hilarious. Now, how exactly are we going to disguise your new daughter? Or you, for that matter, because your world tour is supposed to start in a few days.”

“She knows everything she must do. I shall have her attend the banquet tomorrow night in my stead. I shall monitor the situation incognito and take her place if the situation goes awry,” Raiden said with a shrug.

“No offense mom, but you’re not very good at hiding,” Ami told her bluntly. “You put on ‘disguises’ when we go out shopping and everyone still knows who you are, even when you wear different clothes.”

Raiden did stand out, with her purple hair, irises, and of course, the faint aura of power that always radiated from her. She would wear sunglasses and a hat, and change into a T-shirt and jeans, but it was still painfully obvious she was the Raiden Shogun to anyone who spared even a glance at her.

“I shall be truly disguised,” Raiden stated, and then she transformed into a bolt of purple lightning. Kenta was about to say that wasn’t going to cut it, but then the lightning flowed into Raiden’s sword, which Tsukuyomi took.

“I shall not fail you,” the robot said, taking the sword and bowing to it slightly. She slung the sword on her waist and nodded. “I am the Raiden Shogun. Let none question my authority.”

“Ok, that’s not bad,” Kenta admitted grudgingly. He met Tsukuyomi’s impassive gaze. “How much do you know about making diplomatic small talk?”

“I have several scripted conversations downloaded, along with access to a file containing Japan’s current foreign and domestic objectives,” came the rather monotone reply.

“To be fair, Raiden doesn’t really make small talk,” Clara pointed out. “If she did start being friendly and kind, I think people would probably notice.”

“Clarifying point: I am also the Raiden Shogun,” Tsukuyomi stated. “You refer to my creator, Ei.”

“Her name isn’t Raiden?” Clara asked, sounding confused.

“It’s more of a title,” Kenta explained. “Just like people who call her the Narukami Oshogo or the Electro Archon. Her personal name is just Ei. Though I don’t think very many people know that.”

“Correct,” Ei’s voice said, reverberating slightly from the sword. “Only you, the Emperor, and Ami know though. Clara may refer to me as Ei since she is my chosen ward’s close friend, but only in intimate circumstances such as this. In public, I am the Raiden Shogun.”

“This is really weird, mom. I mean, it’s cool too, but can you stop being a sword while we’re talking?” Ami asked.

Ei popped back out of the sword, standing beside Tsukuyomi. Right next to one another, they really were nearly identical. The only point of difference that Kenta could see was that they were actually mirror images of one another. Ei had a beauty mark below her left eye, while in Tsukuyomi’s case, it was under her right. She also wore her hair ornament on the other side, and her outfit was mirrored as well.

“You know, people are going to notice that you’re mirror twins when you show up in public,” Kenta pointed out. “There are enough observant people that they’ll pick out anything that seems wrong.”

“Yes,” Tsukuyomi agreed, and her skin and clothing flashed with lightning for a moment. Then she was a completely perfect clone of Ei. “When in public, I shall take this appearance.”

Raiden frowned at her clone. “But now she is the opposite of me. Before she was a perfect match.”

The three humans in the room quietly digested this revelation for a moment, then Ami and Clara started giggling and covering their faces with their hands, while Kenta sighed heavily. “Ei…things appear opposite of you in a mirror.”

“Oh…yes. I knew that,” Ei said hastily, blushing slightly.

“Correct. You merely forgot,” Tsukuyomi stated flatly. “It is of no consequence. Altering my form to be a more perfect double is a part of my functions.”

“Right. Well, why don’t all of you take a look,” Kenta said, pulling out a folder. “Because Lord Nakamura instructed me to make sure Raiden and her ward knew the protocol for a formal diplomatic function.”

“I have attended diplomatic events in the past,” Ei said, sounding slightly offended.

“Yes. But those events took place more than 500 years ago in Liyue, Mondstadt, and Sumeru, as well as in Inazuma. We do not yet possess memories of how to attend diplomatic functions in Japan,” Tsukuyomi pointed out. “Do not trouble yourself, Creator. I will-”

“Mom,” Ami corrected.

Tsukuyomi frowned at Ami. “It is rude to interrupt me. But you have a question for my Maker, or me?”

“No, you call her mom. Or mother,” Ami said, pointing. “Also, change back. It’s weird when you both look the same.”

Tsukuyomi stayed frozen, her eyes darting to Ei, who considered the matter. “It is acceptable for you to call me ‘mother’ as Ami does. From a certain perspective, you are indeed my daughter.” Ei paused for a moment, looking uncertain, then continued, “Additionally, there were…errors…with your predecessors. The first project was a failure. The second Shogun had…flaws. Perhaps this variable will ensure you are able to perform your function of bringing about Eternity more completely.”

“I see. I will comply... Mother.” Tsukuyomi switched her appearance back to a mirror image of Ei, then regarded her maker for a moment. “If I am to appear differently than you in private, may I take a further step?”

Ei nodded and motioned for her to do so.

Drawing her sword, Tsukuyomi gripped her hair, making as if to cut it.

“NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!” Clara and Ami wailed. “Don’t!”

The robot hesitated. “You do not wish for me to alter my appearance?”

“No, it’s a good idea,” Clara agreed. “But…”

“If you just cut it with a sword it’s going to look HORRIBLE. We can fix it!” Ami added.

Clara rummaged in their packs, and took out an entire kit for cutting and styling hair. “Don’t worry, we’re prepared!”

“Well, you can do that, but only if you both stay and listen to protocol lessons. And no, you’re not getting out of this, Ei. So sit right there and I’m going to explain how to act in a formal setting. Also, we got you some new clothes for this.”

“What is wrong with my clothes? I have worn this outfit for centuries,” the Raiden demanded in stereo, with both Tsukuyomi and Ei looking highly offended.

“That, actually, is the problem. So when we’re done here, the royal tailors will present you with a variety of new clothes, from more Western gowns and suits to traditional kimonos.

“It’ll be fun!” Ami said excitedly as she and Clara set to work undoing Tsukuyomi’s braid and preparing to cut it. Clara even held out several pictures from a barber, showing various haircuts.

“Which one do you like? It’s our first time, so it might be a little rough, but you’ll use your powers to disguise yourself when the party starts, right?” Clara asked.

Tsukuyomi nodded slowly, then looked at the pictures.

“Do you want a new haircut, mom?” Ami asked.

“No,” Ei said firmly. “My hair is practical, and a braid befits a warrior. Also…the last person to cut my hair was Makoto. She liked this haircut.”

“Oh. Ok, but If you change your mind, we can do it!” Ami said happily.

Murasaki popped out of the void, and pointed to one of the pictures. “Might I say, you’d look ravishing in this one, Elder Sister.”

Kenta began his lecture while his captive audience endured it. Ei’s eyes glazed over after about five minutes and he was pretty sure she was doing the godly equivalent of napping with her eyes open, but Tsukuyomi took things very seriously, and asked a number of questions. What countries favored a handshake? Which countries were the most important to glad hand? How should she make a toast?  As hostess, was it appropriate for her to give gifts, or accept tribute? And so on.

Kenta almost felt like this might work out after all.

In the end, Tsukuyomi settled on a simple and practical bob cut, which despite the ineptitude of her hairdressers came out looking rather flattering on her. If Kenta wasn’t mistaken, she also shrank her bust slightly and softened her features. Instead of a perfect clone, Tsukuyomi now resembled a teenage version of Raiden. Had Ei ever been a teenager? Technically probably, though that was a question for later.

“Right, it’s time to get your clothes, then we’ll take you on a tour of the palace and see if anyone notices you’ve been switched, and we’ll have you train the Sentai in blade work,” Kenta said, gesturing toward the portal back to their home dimension.

“And I shall remain with you,” Ei said, and slipped back into the sword.

“Very well,” Tsukuyomi said, and her appearance shifted back to that of Raiden. “Let us depart.”

The first test was the tailors, who had Raiden’s measurements. The duplicate passed this with flying colors, making only terse remarks to the woman who helped her dress and select her clothes. She ended up rejecting all the western-inspired garments, save for a couple of dresses Kenta insisted she would need for her upcoming overseas visits, and went with an array of traditional kimonos. All of them had the same purple hues that Ei herself enjoyed, and wore even in her casual outfits. As far as Kenta could tell, Ei hadn’t said a word throughout the whole thing, and Kenta took it to mean that Tsukuyomi either had the same taste as her mother, or she was just very good at emulating her.

After that came the training with the Sentai. Not all of them were technically capes, some were normal humans who were simply expert blademasters and that Raiden was grooming as potential masters of her style of fighting. No one noticed any difference, and if Kenta hadn’t known of the swap, he wouldn’t have either. Tsukuyomi was terse, commanding, and brutally effective. Even when Jugan the Verdant Star, himself a cape with several brute powers that enhanced his strength and endurance, dueled the Shogun, she utterly dominated him. She wasn’t even using any of her abilities that Kenta or anyone else could see: She was just that good.

“As deadly as ever, your Excellency,” Jugan panted, bowing deeply after he’d been defeated again. “And as instructive. It is an honor.”

“Kenta,” Raiden called, nodding to him. “Now you.”

Kenta started, and shared a quick glance with Keiga, who was kneeling next to him on the side of the training area. This wasn’t a scheduled duel, and normally he and Raiden didn’t clash in public.

“Are you certain, my Lady?” Kenta asked, rising slowly and picking up his katana.

“Yes. It will be good for the others to see an expression of their Archon’s power. It has been too long,” Raiden stated.

Kenta nodded slowly, then stepped into the arena.

“No. Not like that. Prepare yourself,” Raiden ordered, and then a glowing purple bubble sprouted around them, promoting gasps from outside. Those soon vanished, as did all sound, and the arena seemed to grow in size as the space was distorted around them. From an observer's point of view, they would have seemed to shrink, but Kenta suspected that the new godling was testing her powers and warping reality itself.

“Is this wise, Tsukuyomi?” he asked quietly.

“Wise or not. I must know the true extent of my familiar’s powers. Prepare yourself,” Tsukuyomi ordered, falling into a fighting stance, her sword held at high guard.

Kenta considered it, then grinned. It had been too long since he’d had a real fight. He grabbed his robe and removed it, tossing it to the side. Rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck, he grinned. “It’s been too long since I let the Dragon out.”

Then in a flash of lightning, Tsukuyomi struck. A normal human wouldn’t have even been able to follow her motion, but Kenta’s blood crackled with power. Horns sprouted from his forehead, and he doubled in size, purple scales growing on his shoulders and back as he roared and met the attack with a slash of his blade.

The ring of the two god-forged blades striking was like that of a temple bell, and Kenta snarled, his teeth becoming fangs as his eyes flashed with inner lightning. The only sign from Tsukuyomi was a small twitch of a smile. That line about her wanting to know Kenta’s limits was horseshit.

The newly minted Lightning General wanted to know her own.

What came next would have been too fast and furious for mortal eyes to follow at all, if Tsukuyomi’s bubble of reality hadn’t also distorted time, so that within it flowed at a glacial pace compared to that outside. Even slowed down to less than a tenth of normal time from an outside perspective, the battle was still too fast for outsiders to truly follow everything unless they had their senses enhanced by a Vision or Thinker powers of some kind.

Kenta soon found that even his vastly enhanced reflexes and speed were no match for Tsukuyomi’s. Clone or not, she had Raiden’s powers. He was blasted with lightning as well, as the godling teleported around him and struck from all sides, and he soon cast down his sword as it grew too small for his increasingly draconic hands. His size swelled until the arena itself had to expand as he breathed lightning and fury at his opponent, storm clouds swelling around him.

Soon he was as large as a bus, then as tall as a three-story building, then big enough to dwarf even the Imperial Palace. His blows caused titanic earthquakes, and his breath would have been enough to destroy city blocks while his roar would have shattered the ears of listeners for kilometers.

Even so, when he did connect with Tsukoyomi, which was not often, she weathered the assault. She was built of something more than any mortal, though her disguise faded as the battle grew in intensity. Soon she wore her own youthful face, and her teeth were bared in a delighted grin as they fought. At last, she delivered a blow that sent Kenta plummeting from the sky to slam into the ground, a stroke that would have shattered mountains, but only cut Kenta shallowly.

His fall broke the either and caused it to tremble strongly enough to topple buildings and cause tsunamis, and he lay there, gasping for breath, his chest heaving as his body crackled with spent power.

Tsukoyomi plummeted from the sky, blade first, power streaming from her, descending like the lightning she was. Inches from Kenta, she halted, as a third individual emerged onto the field.

“Enough. You have proven your strength,” Ei declared, manifested from Tsukuyomi’s own sword and holding her in the air with but a gesture. “You are a worthy double, but I will not have you slay Mushu. Are you so defective you have lost control?”

“No, Mother,” Tsukuyomi panted. “Look where my blow would have fallen.”

Kenta’s own eyes tracked it, and he realized she would have buried the blade in the Earth by his head. So she hadn’t been actually trying to kill him, though truth be told, somewhere along the line, his draconic nature had taken over, and he’d certainly been trying to kill her. That made him feel guilty, though not as much as the anger he felt that he’d lost.

“YOU WIN,” he growled, and he began to shrink back to human size.

Tsukuyomi nodded and bowed. She turned to Ei. “If I have erred, I apologize. I simply wished to test myself as your vessel.”

“It is well,” Ei said, making a gesture of negation. “I too wished to test myself when I was younger. To seek one's limits through combat is the only way to truly know what you are capable of. There are few enough opponents in this world that can match you for even a few minutes. But beware: Mushu did not seek your death in truth. And there is one being that could end you utterly. Do not cross the Sustainer.”

“Not yet,” Tsukuyomi agreed.

Ei’s sudden blow sent Tsukuyomi plowing into the ground even deeper than Kenta was. She hovered over them both, her eyes furious. “No. Do not speak that aloud. Do not consider it. Not until I say it is time. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Tsukuyomi gasped, jerking a nod.

“Good. I have altered this space so I did not reveal myself, and your disguise remained intact. Return to my private plane. We will talk there.”

Then Ei vanished, even as Tsukuyomi resumed Raiden’s form. She was blushing slightly. “Apologies, honored dragon. I have misused you.”

“I don’t mind,” Kenta said, groaning as he stood up on two legs, his human form restored. He walked over to his katana as the arena shrunk back down. “I enjoyed it actually. We’ll do it again some time, kid.”

Tsukuyomi grinned, or at least, did the Raiden version of a grin as she gave him a small smile. “I look forward to it.”

When they returned to reality, it turned out hours had passed, but no one had departed. Indeed, more had gathered, and all had been awestruck to witness such an incredible display of power. Keiga hurried over to Kenta and checked to see if he was well, which he hastily assured her he was.

“When I saw you take Raiden’s blow, I was so worried for you,” Keiga said, burying her face in Kenta’s bare chest.

“Ah, we were just playing. Nothing to worry about babe,” Kenta laughed.

“Were you?” Keiga traced an angry red line that hadn’t been there before across Kenta’s chest. The scar wasn’t tender, but it was still fresh.

“Well, I mean, maybe we got a little carried away,” Kenta admitted. “But it’s fine. I haven’t really stretched my legs like that in a while.”

“Well, excuse yourself to the shogun, because I think you might need some… tender, loving care,” Keiga informed him. “Let’s head back to our room.”

Kenta grinned widely. “Yes ma’am!”

The next evening, Kenta and Keiga were in formal attire for the first diplomatic gala Japan had hosted in some time. The President of South Korea was attending, as was the Vietnamese Prime Minister, the Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and several other important figures from Oceania and Southeast Asia. There were diplomats from Europe and the United States as well, though notably, there was only an undersecretary from China. The Chinese Union Imperial was still in a state of crisis, with multiple rebellions and massive civil unrest taking place. Plus, with Raiden largely responsible for most of that, relations between Beijing and Tokyo were strained to put it politely.

“Are you nervous?” Keiga asked, leaning on Kenta’s arm.

He grunted. “Yes, but not for myself. Or for you. You look great.”

Like most of the Japanese attendees, they were both dressed in kimonos, Kenta in purple in black with a simple pattern, Keiga in blue with patterns of waves and aquatic plants on hers.

“I figured. She is a god you know, she doesn’t need you to babysit her. Raiden can handle herself,” Keiga told him.

Kenta made another noncommittal noise. He wasn’t sure Ei could handle herself. He was even more unsure about Tsukuyomi.

However, as she greeted each of the more important guests politely as they came to introduce themselves or pay homage, Kenta started to relax. She was, in fact, more personable than Raiden, making some brief small talk and appropriate remarks. They were all business, though impressively in the native tongue of each of the diplomats. But she would remark on some aspect of that nation that was admirable, or on some history of friendship, and even a few remarks about current affairs.

He sidled up to Nakamura, who had a glass of wine in his hand and looked like he wanted to guzzle it. “She’s not doing bad, is she?”

“Better than I feared, worse than I’d hoped,” Nakamura said, giving Kenta a polite smile and keeping his voice low. “But be careful. Someone’s going to have brought a Thinker or a Stranger along to listen in on us.”

“Sure, sure. But it can’t be a secret our god is a goof at this point,” Kenta said with a shrug.

Nakamura gave him a pained look, but Keiga giggled at Kenta’s side. “You know it’s true, Lord Nakamura. As much as I love her Excellency…she can be slightly odd.”

Nakamura muttered under his breath, and Kenta probably hadn’t been intended to hear it, but he did make out, “She’s a clown, and I’m the damn ringmaster.”

He snorted, but he circulated around to where Tsukuyomi was talking to the President of the Philippines. “And our new initiative will start with Davao, of course. Provided you sign the treaty, we will provide humanitarian aid and manufactured goods and raw materials to rebuild.”

“But will you yourself intervene in the case of another Endbringer attack?” the President demanded. “Rebuilding is all well and good, but-”

“That would require further negotiation. But at this time, I am not willing to offer myself as a deterrent. There is great risk for me to take the field against such foes,” Tsukuyomi said. Kenta agreed though he had a feeling she was more worried about pissing off Scion than actual danger. Or Ei was. He wasn’t sure on that actually. “However, perhaps an arrangement concerning my familiar, Mushu, and the Sentai could be reached, with the proper concessions.”

“I don’t know…” the Philippine head of state said uncertainly.

“Hey, have you seen the recording of my fight with her Excellency yesterday? I heard there were earthquakes in Tokyo for hours!” Kenta laughed, putting an arm around the man's shoulders. The much shorter politician flinched slightly, and his attendants stiffened, but Kenta continued, “You know, I’m an Endslayer too. Not The Endslayer, you know, but I held the fish still when she punched! Here, let me show you a clip, the whole thing’s hours long, but a few minutes might interest you…”

He steered the president away from Tsukuyomi, and then paused when he saw another disaster ticking down towards doom. “Uh, Keiga, will you check on the girls? Just make sure they’re doing OK.”

Keiga turned, and then paled. Clara and Ami had out a Jumpty Dumpty, and were playing catch. “I’ll take care of them.” She strode off, the water in glasses around her sloshing as she rolled up her sleeves.

As it turned out, a lot of diplomats were VERY Interested in seeing clips of Kenta and Tsukuyomi’s fight. The images were a little blurry due to the spatial and time distortion, but the few minutes they showed made Kenta look pretty damn good, and quite strong.

“This is…real? Not a simulation?” the Vietnamese Prime Minister asked, turning to Kenta.

“Sure is. At our training facility, you see,” Kenta said with a shrug. “We were holding back, of course. Didn’t want to level Tokyo.”

That generated a buzz of conversation, and Nakamura grinned. By the end of the night, no treaties were signed, but several governments indicated they were very interested in negotiating deals with Japan that involved Kenta and the Sentai helping in case of an Endbringer attack.

By the time the Raiden Shogun departed on her world tour a few days later, things were looking up for Japan's foreign relations, and for their economic future. And even for Nakamura’s heart palpitations.

For her part, Ei finally managed to read all of both Action Comics and One Piece. After all, One Piece had only been going for four years at that point. Kenta decided to order her every issue of Shonen Jump that had been printed. Something had to keep her occupied as he escorted Tsukuyomi around the world.