The Infinite Journey of a Certain Flame

"Huh? You..."

Seeing the girl who was holding a blunt sword helping Kujo Sara to her feet, the woman's anger was barely concealed.

"What is this? Can this so-called duel before the emperor be changed halfway through? Your Inazuma rules and regulations are really arbitrary."

The woman turned her head away, complaining about things related to Thor, but actually casting a wary glance at Kiana.

She knew very well that if Kiana and the others joined the battle, she, who had come to pick up the scraps, would eventually become the target of everyone's attacks.

"Are you already planning to defy the imperial duel and oppose me?"

The woman feigned composure and tried her best to stabilize the situation.

"She spared me once before, and now... it's my time to repay her, General Raiden! Please allow me to spar with the lady on behalf of Kujo!"

Huh? A change of fighters halfway through the imperial duel?

Ying felt more troubled than ever before by Ying's request:

"Replace her?"

Song of Flames and Lightning (Genshin Impact Inazuma Main Story): Chapter 97, Luminous's Turn, Begins.

The duel before the emperor was solemn yet brutal.

Once the duel begins, the two sides must determine a winner; otherwise, the duel cannot be stopped.

Now, Ying forcefully intervenes in the duel and offers to fight the lady in place of Kujo Sara.

This is undoubtedly a challenge to the rules of duels before the emperor.

"From ancient times to the present, no one has ever dared to make such a request in a duel before the emperor. Traveler from a foreign land, do you know what you are doing?"

Ying looked at Ying with a very stern gaze.

As the goddess who presided over the duel before the emperor, she did not approve of this unprecedented suggestion.

"I know, phew... can't you make an exception?" Ying raised her head and looked into Ying's eyes.

"Hmm..." Ying hesitated, offering no reply.

"Hmph, a war of attrition? You guys are really pathetic."

The woman, who was about to succeed, was very annoyed by Ying's interruption.

If we can achieve our goal so easily, why waste time with them?

"General, are you really going to take orders from an unknown traveler like this?"

The woman's provocative words were intended to maintain the absolute advantage, rather than waiting for Ying to take over the fight.

Well, that would be troublesome...

However, her words could not directly influence God's will.

"The participants in the duel need not say more. I will make my own judgment."

Kage scolded the lady, then looked at Ying, who was supporting Kujo Sara.

If we don't grant her request, given Kujo's stance... we're bound to lose.

If one agrees, then the rules of the duel before the emperor become a joke.

"What should we do...?"

Ying remained silent for a long time, which made everyone present feel anxious.

Seeing that she still couldn't make up her mind, Kiana felt it was time to say something.

Otherwise, the lady would not hesitate to take Kujo Sara's life, and then use that as an excuse to demand the Heart of God.

Even though that thing was no longer on Ying's body, she still demanded it back, unaware of the truth.

By then, things will probably be even more difficult for Ying, right?

With that thought, Kiana tossed her cloak aside and took a step forward.

"Shadow, you are the one presiding over this duel before the Emperor. As a god, are you really going to be bound by the rules you set for yourself?"

"Hmm..." Kiana's relentless pressure made Kage's already hesitant heart even more uncertain.

Ultimately, after some thought, she realized that Kiana was right.

As a god, should one be bound by the rules one sets for oneself?

"Traveler from afar, I respect your decision. As for the envoy from winter, if you have any complaints about the duel I presided over before the emperor, you may leave now, and this duel will be considered as if it never happened."

It didn't happen... which means all our previous efforts were in vain?

The woman felt conflicted about Ying's bias.

He also realized that if he slunk away now, his plan to seize the Heart of God would once again be in vain...

"Her Majesty's will cannot be ignored... I must obtain the Heart of God..."

The woman closed her eyes, forcibly suppressing her inner anger, and simply raised her head to look at Kiana and Shadow with an extremely arrogant gaze.

"Hmph, fine, but remember not to back out this time."

Before the final duel began, the lady turned to look at Kiana.

Because she sensed that this person might not be from this world, the woman's expression remained very calm.

The calm was strange; had the arrogant and aloof woman from just moments ago been switched with someone else?

Why does she seem so calm now...?

Kiana was unaware of the reason, but simply returned the gaze without any hesitation.

Their eyes met, and a hint of panic flashed in the woman's eyes.

"Hmm? Her eyes... they feel..."

As if recalling the past, a hint of loneliness appeared on the woman's cold and beautiful face.

However, this emotion, which she should have rejected, vanished in an instant, and she quickly reverted to her cold, aloof demeanor.

“Your suggestion is a mistake. I will let your little sister taste real fear; she will die here.”

The woman spoke these words slowly.

"That's just empty talk, but Ying is more capable than you think. If you underestimate her, you'll regret it later."

Faced with Kiana's objective and neutral evaluation, the woman simply smiled coldly.

"Stubborn to the end? Just wait until reality leaves you speechless."

However, as the battle began, the woman suddenly felt as if she had been slapped in the face.

She never expected that Ying, whom she hadn't seen for several days, would become so powerful.

"drink!"

The power of the wind element condensed in Ying's hands and exploded into a spiral, which then formed a spectacular tornado due to the entanglement of the lightning element.

Faced with the raging wind and thunder, the woman had a strange feeling that she was overwhelmed.

However, as one of the Fatui's executors, she quickly regrouped and relied on the ice elemental power given to her by the Ice Queen to resist Luminous's fierce attack.

"Troublesome!"

The woman suddenly flicked her hand, and the chilling energy of ice element condensed out of thin air, then turned into ice spikes that protruded from the ground.

The target is aimed directly at Ying's vitals!

However, when faced with these ice spikes, Ying simply stomped her foot on the ground:

Tremble!

As the power of the rock element surged, the ice spikes that formed on the flat ground were crushed by the rocks.

The flying rocks caused the woman considerable injury.

She unconsciously took a step back after suffering a severe blow, but she did not give up.

"Get out of my way!"

Another burst of ice element erupted, forcing Luminous to retreat and thus avoid being frozen.

After successfully escaping danger, she immediately raised her bladeless sword and charged forward.

The target was aimed directly at the woman's vitals.

Having overused the power of ice, the woman was still reeling from the shock.

Now, Ying seized the opportunity and, without warning, closed in on him.

"hateful!"

Clearly, despite her physical advantages, the woman was powerless against Ying, a young and energetic girl.

After a few sword strikes, she was able to barely parry, but she had completely lost her initial arrogance.

"Well..."

Before long, the situation that should have been very favorable was completely reversed.

The woman, who was at a disadvantage, tried her best to deal with Ying.

However, if she cannot reveal her trump card, the fate of this duel may be sealed.

Kiana watched the battle unfold quietly, not worried that Ying might make any mistakes.

After all she'd been through, it was time to settle things with this woman she'd been hostile to since Mondstadt.

"What are you thinking about?" Suddenly, Shadow's voice came from behind, instantly bringing Kiana's scattered attention back to focus.

She turned around and saw that Ying had slowly stepped off the stage and was standing behind her.

"How could you..."

Kiana was somewhat surprised by Shadow's departure.

As the host of the duel before the emperor, she should have been sitting high above, waiting for the outcome of the duel.

Why did she suddenly come down? Could it be... that she did this for...?