Demon Sword Maiden

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Riyuki and the other Celestial Maidens had already vanished without a trace.

Lord Shikikai's massive body crashed into the ground, forming a deep crater. His divine form was far heavier than it appeared.

As the cavern continued to tremble, Lily hovered in the air, dazed. 'Is it really over?' Had they truly slain a Supreme God?

Rising from his fallen body, a prismatic purple crystal floated into the air. This was Lord Shikikai's Supreme God Spirit Crystal—far purer and more potent than the Blood Spirit Crystals left behind by Empyrean Stage gods. When a Supreme God perished, their Spirit Sea would collapse, and the powers and abilities it once held would return to the world, condensing into a crystal of unimaginable strength. That was the essence of a Supreme God Spirit Crystal.

The crystal emitted an energy that penetrated deeply into a woman's body and soul. Had Riyuki and the others remained, even with their combined defenses, they would have been unable to resist it. The aura would have left them entranced and helpless.

Only women like Shimizu, pure of heart and unwavering, could endure its influence.

"Um… What is this? I don't like it," Lily murmured, her cheeks flushing. Though she had resisted all of the Lord's techniques, the raw presence of his Supreme God Spirit Crystal still caused her composure to waver.

At the center of the crystal, faintly visible, was a carving of a golden, distorted beast. Standing over a foot tall, it surpassed the typical Divinity of an average god. This was Lord Shikikai's Divinity.

Unlike lesser spirit crystals, a Supreme God Spirit Crystal possessed extraordinary stability. Unless broken intentionally by the Supreme God's own divine energy, it would never fracture or shatter into Magatama crystals.

Within the grotesque form of his Divinity resided Lord Shikikai's Anima.

The presence of a Supreme God's Anima immediately drew the attention of both their Cursed Blades.

"Lily, it's yours," Shimizu said. "Murasame-Anko was forged from the world's black iron. It's already at its peak. Even a Supreme God's Anima won't enhance it further."

"Alright," Lily replied with a nod.

Oborozuki Muramasa absorbed the overwhelming Resentment Energy pouring from the Spirit Crystal, cracking it open. The blade surged with energy, drawing power from the world itself. The crystal burst apart into hundreds of violet-hued Arte Spirit Crystals, which now orbited the beast-shaped Divinity in constant motion.

Each Supreme God followed a distinct Heavenly Path. Though this one likely embodied negative forces such as lust, it had still ascended to the peak of that domain.

These Arte Spirit Crystals held the concentrated, purified power of that Heavenly Path.

"Ugh…" Lily trembled slightly. Even as she absorbed the Anima, she could feel its influence beginning to stir within her.

At last, the Supreme God's Anima emerged from the Divinity and flowed directly into Lily's Oborozuki Muramasa. The blade glowed more brilliantly than ever, surrounded by a soft, ethereal haze.

"Hmm…" Lily murmured, contemplative.

After all the slaughter and absorption of Anima within Yomi, Oborozuki Muramasa had already become a superior-ranked artifact. With the addition of a Supreme God's Anima, Lily expected it to evolve further, perhaps into a true Divine Artifact. Yet despite its strengthened aura, the blade remained largely unchanged.

Lily understood her sword well. Though the Anima had been drawn in, it had not yet fully merged with the blade. It felt as though the weapon had reached the limits of its current form. Yet Lily sensed that Oborozuki Muramasa still held untapped potential, awaiting a specific process or method she had yet to discover.

Even so, she had never intended to use the Supreme God's Anima to refine the blade. Oborozuki Muramasa itself had made it clear that this was not the proper path.

While Lily remained puzzled, Rinne's voice entered her mind. "Lily, I don't know much about weapon tempering, but I possess some abilities that might help. Return to Hekiraku City as soon as you can. For your blade to fully absorb the Supreme God's Anima and evolve into a Divine Artifact, it will likely need some external guidance. I'll teach you what I can later."

"I see," Lily replied softly, sheathing her weapon.

Rinne spoke again. "Lily, those floating crystals are Arte Spirit Crystals. You also hold the Supreme God's Divinity, an invaluable treasure. No matter how talented someone is, without a Divinity, they can never become a Supreme God. Take it quickly and store it away."

"Understood." Lily nodded, then turned to Shimizu and explained the value of the Arte Spirit Crystals and the Divinity.

"Sister Shimizu, you played the biggest role in defeating Lord Shikikai. Since I already claimed his Anima, these treasures should belong to you," Lily said. She wasn't particularly attached to them and spoke simply because she believed it was the right thing to do.

"What nonsense is that?" Shimizu snapped. "Say that again and I'll beat you up. Why are you fussing over this? We're sisters. Keep them all for now. I don't need them at the moment. And if I ever do, I'll take them from you myself."

"Well…" Lily hesitated.

"Do you consider me your sister or not?" Shimizu asked, clearly displeased.

With no choice, Lily accepted the items. Shimizu even handed her the black iron bangle and several storage treasures, keeping only the Nine-Headed Wyvern whip for herself, though Lily wasn't sure why.

"Now that I think about it," Shimizu said, "I already possess a Supreme God's body. His Divinity is useless to me. You should hold onto it. Maybe once you reach the Celestial Stage, you could use it to become a Supreme God."

"Huh?" Lily blinked.

"Then again," Shimizu added, smirking, "you might end up becoming a goddess of lust instead."

"Heh?" Lily flushed with embarrassment. "No, I don't want that!" After all, Divinity was only the final requirement to ascend to Supreme Godhood. Lily hadn't met the other conditions yet. It was clear Shimizu was teasing her.

"Sister Shimizu, stop making fun of me!" Lily protested.

"Exactly. You're already quite… If you add any more…"

"That's not what I meant…" Lily muttered.

A sudden feminine scream echoed from deep within the cavern.

Lily and Shimizu searched the area, gathering the treasures scattered from Lord Shikikai's fall. In the process, they discovered that many women had been imprisoned throughout the vast mountain range. Although most demons had fled, a number remained hidden deep within the mountain's tunnels.

Upon learning of the Lord's death, some demons tried to flee with captured women in tow. Others, driven by spite, sought to abuse or kill the prisoners before escaping.

Seeing the concern on Lily's face, Shimizu spoke calmly. "Lily, Hekiraku Realm is now under my control. But the women and green demons here have always been natural enemies. Without the pressure from demons, the women wouldn't grow stronger. This isn't our responsibility. You shouldn't let it weigh on you."

"But sister, we're already here," Lily insisted. "We can't just stand by and let them be slaughtered. Please, help them."

Shimizu gave a silent nod. Drawing upon the power of the Hekiraku Realm, she extended her influence across the vast mountain range, wrapping every cavern, tunnel, and prison in its grasp.