Demon Sword Maiden

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"Huh? What?" Lily stood stunned. The more time passed, the less she understood Shimizu. They were in a hurry to return, yet she suddenly proposed a duel. Lily had assumed there was a serious reason behind it, that they were on the same page. But this suggestion was far beyond anything she had imagined.

Lily's body, already naturally sensitive and further influenced by the Supreme God Spirit Crystal, reacted before she could stop it. Hearing that kind of proposal made her feel as though she were submerged in a hot spring.

Her face flushed red, but she quickly composed herself. Swordsmanship was something she always took seriously. If she had drawn her blade, then she would give it her all, even in a friendly duel between sisters. She had no intention of losing easily.

"Come on! We'll talk after you beat me!" Lily called out, a confident grin forming on her lips.

Once blades were drawn, Lily's warrior spirit always ignited.

"Heh, sure." Shimizu chuckled softly. Her posture was relaxed at first, but then she suddenly shot forward like a blur.

Lily dashed to meet her, her figure trailing behind like a streak of crimson light.

Their bamboo swords collided with a powerful impact. Forged from ancient stalks and reinforced with Shimizu's dimensional energy, the weapons were surprisingly sturdy, more than capable of enduring a clash between such formidable fighters.

"Ah!" Lily cried out, quickly withdrawing her sword and sweeping low at blinding speed. Her strike moved like a meteor trailing fire across the ground.

Shimizu reacted instantly, her wrists swift and fluid. She twisted her blade and intercepted the attack from below with precision.

Though Shimizu was a Supreme God and Lily merely possessed a body similar to one, they were remarkably evenly matched in raw strength. Naturally, if Shimizu used her divine powers, she could overwhelm Lily in an instant. But they had agreed to rely only on swordsmanship.

Shimizu's divine body commanded the sixth-stage of the Sword Heavenly Path. Though she had only recently regained it, some muscle memory lingered, albeit imperfectly. As a result, her sword skills now closely matched Lily's mastery of the third-stage Sword Heavenly Path.

Shimizu flicked her blade, deflecting Lily's strike, then dropped into a crouch and swung low in a wide arc. Lily leapt out of range, but the swing released a powerful shockwave that rippled through the bamboo grove.

The force struck her like a blast of wind, sending her stumbling backward.

"Sister! You're really going all out!" Lily exclaimed. She hadn't expected Shimizu to fight with such intensity. A direct hit would definitely hurt.

Lily somersaulted through the air with fluid grace. As promised, she used no spirit power to keep herself aloft and landed naturally. But when she lifted her gaze to counterattack, Shimizu had vanished.

A faint breeze brushed against her back. Her instincts kicked in. Shimizu was already behind her and mid-swing.

Lily rolled forward just in time, feeling the blade graze through the ends of her long hair. She responded by planting her blade into the ground, using it as leverage to vault into the air, positioning herself directly above Shimizu.

Just as Lily began her descent, Shimizu twisted her wrist and swung her bamboo sword upward, striking Lily firmly across the rear.

"Ah!" Lily yelped, stumbling forward from the unexpected strike. She turned with a scowl, clutching her aching backside.

"Sister, can't we duel seriously? Why would you smack my butt?" she grumbled, cheeks burning.

"It's your biggest weak spot. And the biggest target."

"You're mocking me!" Lily snapped. Fueled by frustration, she rushed at Shimizu with renewed intensity.

Their bamboo swords danced with fierce energy, creating powerful gusts that swept through the forest. Amidst the serene landscape of mountains and trees, the crisp sound of clashing blades echoed in every direction.

Under the current conditions, Lily and Shimizu were nearly equal in strength. After their prolonged duel, both were visibly exhausted, their bodies drenched in sweat.

In particular, Lily's soaked clothes clung tightly to her back and skirt, while the remaining fabric fluttered with her movements. Her sweat shimmered faintly, releasing a subtle and enchanting fragrance that few beings could resist.

Instead of faltering, Shimizu fought even more fiercely under the influence of the scent. Having already reached the sixth stage of the Sword Heavenly Path, her control over her body only sharpened as the duel progressed. Her advantage became increasingly apparent.

Shimizu's strikes gradually began to overpower Lily's defenses.

'This is bad. She's so strong!' Lily thought, cheeks flushing. 'No, I can't think like that. If I accept she's stronger, I'll only weaken myself. I have to fight back, not submit to that fear.'

Lily possessed incredible talent and potential. Though she was losing ground in the duel, she was learning with every clash. By observing and adapting to Shimizu's swordsmanship, she steadily approached the threshold of the fourth stage. But even with her real-time growth, she couldn't bridge the gap against someone already mastering the sixth stage. The longer they fought, the more their difference in skill became obvious.

Frustration built inside Lily. Her backside throbbed from repeated strikes. Every time Shimizu gained the upper hand, she would deliver playful but painful smacks to Lily's butt or thighs. The humiliation made it worse.

Determined to retaliate, Lily seized an opening. She swung her bamboo sword directly at Shimizu's slender but strikingly feminine hips.

The strike landed with a sharp snap.

"Ahh…!" Shimizu gasped, her cheeks flushed a deep red.

"Well done, little girl. How dare you embarrass your sister?" Shimizu teased. "Looks like I'll have to show you what I can really do." Her strikes grew faster and even more intense.

For a moment, it felt as though the entire bamboo forest was punishing Lily. Shimizu's attacks came from all angles, chaotic and unpredictable. Lily could do little but retreat, dodge, and defend under pressure.

Without realizing it, Lily had been pushed to the edge of the pond, where glowing lotus blossoms floated serenely across the water.

Cornered, Lily had no option but to block desperately. Shimizu's command over her sword had improved even further, and the difference in their abilities had become undeniable.

Lily's arms, thighs, and shoulders were struck one after another. Each hit landed cleanly, her defenses unraveling with every exchange.

"Surrender, sister!" Shimizu said with a challenging smile.

"I don't want to!" Lily shouted. Without warning, she opened a gap in her defense. As Shimizu lunged, Lily stepped onto a lone rock protruding from the pond with one leg, narrowly evading the strike.

The bamboo sword grazed lightly across Lily's chest as she leaned forward. Seizing the moment, she thrust her own blade toward Shimizu's midsection.

But Shimizu had anticipated it. She slipped aside effortlessly and lifted her sword, striking Lily's sash with surgical precision.

With a soft whisper of movement, the sash unraveled. Delicate ribbons flew loose, swirling through the night air.

"This is bad!" Lily could only grip her blade with one hand, the other desperately clutching her chest to keep her clothing in place. If she lost focus now, she risked exposing herself mid-fight.

But Shimizu wasn't done. With a mischievous grin, she grabbed one end of the loosened sash and gave it a firm tug. Lily had no choice but to spin with the motion, trying to keep her kimono from slipping off entirely.

The sudden momentum pulled Lily straight into Shimizu's arms.

The two clung to each other, blades still locked in one-handed combat. Shimizu held the upper hand, her sword sliding past Lily's guard. Half of the bamboo blade was pressed between Lily's breasts, its tip gently touching her lips.

Lily's face turned bright red as a wave of embarrassment surged through her. Even in her exhaustion, she pressed her lips firmly together. Saying anything now would feel like admitting defeat.

Glaring at Shimizu with quiet defiance, unwilling to be toyed with any further, Lily thrust her bamboo blade forward with force.

Lily spun back across the clearing and reached the bridge, the red fabric of her clothing fluttering around her. Lily's sash had nearly come undone, forcing her to press one hand against it, while Shimizu still held the ribbon on the opposite end.

For a moment, they stood frozen like that, tension suspended in the air. Lily's body was drenched in sweat, her chest rising and falling as fatigue bore down on her.

'This can't go on. If it does, I'll lose for sure!' Lily's sash was slipping, and she was quickly running out of options.

Suddenly, Shimizu yanked the ribbon and pulled Lily toward her while rushing forward at the same time. Lily leaned into the momentum and charged as well.

"This strike decides everything!" Lily shouted, her heart igniting with determination.

Releasing her grip on the sash, Lily gripped the bamboo sword with both hands and thrust it at Shimizu with all her strength. As Lily charged, Shimizu pulled the ribbon free without resistance. The loosened sash unraveled, and its long ribbons fluttered like streamers beneath the moonlight.

Without warning, Shimizu tossed her sword into the air and opened her arms wide, exposing her vulnerable chest to the oncoming strike.

"What are you doing?" Lily gasped. "If you want to lose, I won't go easy!"

But something felt wrong. Lily's instincts flared. She surged her spirit energy through the weapon, stripping away the bamboo layer and revealing a hidden blade that shimmered with the power of a true Spirit Artifact, sharp enough to wound Shimizu deeply.

Lily's eyes widened in horror. "No!" she cried out.

The tip was already within inches of Shimizu's chest. With all her strength, Lily twisted her arms and flung the weapon to the side, redirecting the deadly blow. The blade hissed through the air, slicing open part of Shimizu's sleeve and baring her shoulder. At the same time, Lily lost her footing and tumbled directly into her.

"Why would you do that? Why make me hurt you on purpose?" Lily shouted, disbelief flooding her voice.

Shimizu's eyes shimmered with sorrow and guilt. "I just… wanted to atone for my sins," she whispered.

As Lily stumbled toward her, she cried out with fierce sincerity. "No matter what happened, it wasn't your fault! If anything's wrong, it's that you're giving up on yourself! Minamoto no Shimizu, listen to me! If you ever try to hurt yourself again, I'll never forgive you. Not for the rest of my life!"

Shimizu's cold eyes brimmed with tears. It was as though a long-buried grief had finally risen from the shadows of her soul.

She didn't fall alongside Lily. Instead, she sidestepped, caught Lily's hand, and slowed her descent. Then, just as Lily neared the ground, Shimizu gave her a gentle shove, easing her down before retrieving the fallen bamboo sword.

The long, slender bamboo blade swung down and came to a stop, pointed precisely between Lily's parted legs.

"You lose," Shimizu said with a teasing smile. Though her eyes still carried sorrow, there was a glimmer of mischief and unmistakable confidence.