Demon Sword Maiden

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Following Ansha and Yinzuhi, the other Dark Celestial Maidens also dropped to their knees, offering their allegiance to Shimizu. Doubts still lingered in their hearts, but at this point, they had no other choice.

Yanagihada, too, had no alternative left.

Though she had been publicly humiliated, the fact that the punishment was carried out using an ancient tradition of the Dark Celestial Maidens gave her a strange sense of closure. Experiencing it again after so long, she found that some of the resentment buried deep within her had lessened.

Yanagihada silently scolded herself for being so helpless. As a woman, she had still risen to become commander of the Dark Celestial Maidens, a rank that would be equal to a divine lieutenant in Takamagahara, just one level below a divine commander.

And yet, she had been subdued, even punished in front of her peers. No one could judge her more harshly than she judged herself. Still, the deep-seated instinct to obey her superior eventually won out.

"I, Yanagihada… will obey." She lowered her head, her voice heavy with reluctance.

With all three commanders submitting, the rest of the Dark Celestial Maidens followed suit. Any remaining defiance was buried deep within them, unspoken and hidden.

"What's the current situation outside?" Shimizu asked.

Shimizu led them all to the main hall of Hekiraku City. Standing at the tower, she gazed into the endless dark expanse of the abyss. The fighting outside had quieted for now, but the air was still tense. She could feel another wave of attacks looming on the horizon.

With a graceful sweep of her hand, Shimizu summoned dark energy that flowed into hidden mechanisms throughout the city. The slow descent of Hekiraku City came to a halt. The floating fortress no longer sank.

"What?" The Dark Celestial Maidens stared at her, stunned by the feat.

"Without the eight demon gods dragging it downward, I can at least stop the city from falling further," Shimizu explained.

Even so, many of the Dark Celestial Maidens looked at her with awe. Only their highest-ranking leader was ever known to possess this ability. Several of them dropped to their knees in reverence.

Yinzuhi and Ansha took positions on either side of the wooden platform at the front of the hall. "Your Highness, Shadow Maiden, please step up."

Unsure what title was appropriate now, they chose "Shadow Maiden," believing it was the safest way to honor someone who claimed not to be the Imperial Princess, but the rightful owner of her body.

"So you've finally accepted it? That's good. But I'm not used to the title. Just call me Shimizu."

"Yes, Your Highness Shimizu," they responded in unison.

Shimizu didn't take the throne. Instead, she held Lily's hand and led her up the steps to the platform where the chief commander usually stood. "Lily, this place is yours. Just like it always has been."

"Huh?" Lily was confused. She had led her sisters before, especially back in Cherry Blossom Valley during the Heian era, but this seemed entirely different.

"You don't need to turn it down, Lily," Rei said gently.

Ayaka nodded in agreement, her expression calm but encouraging.

Lily slowly came to a realization. That seat wasn't meant for just anyone. If Shimizu had claimed it, Rei and Ayaka might have felt slighted or uncertain.

While Shimizu was stronger at the moment, Lily knew she would soon reach the Celestial Stage. Once she did, she could begin mastering the fifth form of the Tsukuyomi Swordstyle, and by then, even ordinary Supreme Gods would no longer be a match for her.

On top of that, she was Madam's goddaughter and the princess of Yomi-no-kuni. With all things considered, she had every right to sit in that position.

"I understand." Lily nodded. Regardless of how she treated her sisters in private, she needed to uphold dignity and composure in front of others.

Lily took her seat, glanced at Shimizu and the others, then spoke calmly, "Sister Shimizu, Sister Uesugi, Sister Ayaka, please sit on my left."

Queen Kaguya, Chiya, and the others were present as well. "Your Majesty, Your Grace, Asura-Onna, and Rakshasa-Onna, please sit to my right. Everyone else, find a seat and make yourselves comfortable."

"Lynne, you're really okay? That's such a relief!"

The platform was large enough to comfortably hold several sisters, and many began taking their places around it.

"Forgive me for worrying Your Majesty." Lily had many things she wished to say to each sister, but this wasn't the time for personal conversations.

Chiya, Renka, Isshiki, the fallen Celestial Maidens, and the disciples of Asura and Rakshasa Dojos all took their places on the left side of the hall. On the right, the three Dark Celestial Maiden commanders sat with their subordinates.

As Lily took in the scene before her, she couldn't help but reflect on how ironic fate was. Just days ago, she had been a helpless bride sent off to a remote place. And now, she stood as the one presiding over Hekiraku City.

Yet she knew she was qualified to sit here. That meant it was her duty to do everything she could to protect her sisters.

A flicker of scarlet light dashed across the corridor just outside.

"Nanako, come in," Lily called out.

"Me?" Nanako hesitated. Compared to the others present, she was just a Throned Stage adept. How could she possibly belong among such powerful women?

"Nanako, hold the parasol and sit behind me," Lily said.

"Yes!"

That position placed her as Lily's personal attendant. It was an honor Nanako never dreamed of, and though her heart raced with joy, she remained composed.

Knowing the occasion demanded restraint, she approached the platform quietly and sat behind Lily without making a fuss.

Glancing around, Lily saw rows of Celestial Maidens and Yomi women seated in an orderly formation. The sight was dignified and awe-inspiring.

"Sister Shimizu, now that you have control of Hekiraku City, its defenses must be stronger. How long do you think we can hold off the demon attacks?" Lily asked.

"As long as the demons don't launch suicidal assaults and no Supreme Gods intervene, we can hold our ground indefinitely," Shimizu replied.

"But that's the problem," Queen Kaguya said, her tone grave. "Among the Supreme Gods, only the Lord of Oblivion and Queen Sanzu remain neutral. There are at least eight Infernal deities and nearly ten abyssal demon gods surrounding us. Kuroyodai alone is said to be so powerful that the former Imperial Princess could only barely hold her own against him. Right now, those Supreme Gods are hesitating because they don't fully understand the situation. But if they learn that the Imperial Princess is no longer here, they'll attack without holding back. Even Hekiraku City cannot survive an assault from twenty Supreme Gods."

The sisters grew visibly tense at the Queen's warning.

Although Shimizu had reclaimed her body, she was still far from matching the strength of the Imperial Princess. She possessed the raw power of a Supreme God, but none of the techniques or abilities the Princess once commanded. Worse still, when their bodies merged, a vital portion of her strength, the Dark Lunar Force, had transferred to Lily for reasons yet unknown.

Although Lily had acquired the Dark Lunar Force, her understanding of it was still shallow. She was far from being able to harness its true power like the Imperial Princess once had.

Lily turned to Asura-Onna and Rakshasa-Onna. "You still can't reach my godmother?"

They shook their heads.

Rakshasa-Onna replied, "If the Madam were here, would we still be worrying about any of this?"

Asura-Onna added, "Logically, she should be aware of something this significant. But we can't reach her, and we don't know why."

"Could something have happened to her?" Lily asked, worry flickering in her voice. Despite being married off to the Boundless Abyss, she still felt a deep concern for the Madam.

"The Madam is the strongest existence in all of Yomi-no-kuni. Her safety isn't something we need to worry about," Asura-Onna said calmly. "I recall a time when she vanished for over ten thousand years. No one can guess what she'll do."

Lily understood. The Madam would appear only when she wished to, and there was no one in existence capable of forcing her hand. After a moment of silence, Lily spoke with resolve. "If I can break through, I won't have to fear these demon gods."

"What?" The Dark Celestial Maidens stared at her in shock. Most of them had assumed Lily was little more than a symbolic figure, elevated due to her status as Yomi-no-kuni's princess. None of them had imagined she possessed such strength.

Though many had seen Lily fight a Supreme God, they believed others at her level could have done just as well or better. After all, the final moments of the battle were confusing. Lily and Shimizu had joined forces to expel the strange soul from Takamagahara, but most couldn't tell exactly what had occurred.

Much like the demons outside, they assumed Shimizu was merely a rebellious clone of the Imperial Princess. The outcome made little sense to them, and they believed Lily's role in the battle had been minor at best, perhaps nothing more than a few clever tricks to assist from the sidelines.

"Break through?" Yanagihada asked, her tone blunt. "Lyn-hime, ever since we saw you fight, we've been curious. You're likely a bit weaker than the weakest Supreme Gods, but among Celestials, you're extraordinarily powerful. May I ask what your true level is?"

"Well, about that…" Lily hesitated. If she admitted she was only at the Big Dipper Stage, would anyone believe her? "Naturally, I haven't become a Supreme God yet," she said after a short pause.

Yanagihada was stunned. Was Lily truly still a Celestial? She had fought Supreme Gods and survived. How could someone at that stage possess such overwhelming strength?

"Lyn-hime, I never imagined Your Grace could be so powerful despite still being a Celestial. You're surely the strongest among us," Yanagihada said, though she spoke with some hesitation. "But breaking through after reaching the Celestial Stage isn't easy. I don't doubt your talent, but every Supreme God has ascended through a unique path. After so many eras, those paths have already been claimed. Unless Your Grace happens to possess a Supreme God Divinity, forging a new path would be almost impossible."

Lily paused, deep in thought. She didn't want to hide the truth from her sisters, but anything said here could easily spread among the Dark Celestial Maidens. Her strength came from inheriting the will of Tsukuyomi no Mikoto, a secret that could invite enormous complications if exposed.

Even so, she needed to give a plausible explanation for her power. Reaching into her sleeve, Lily revealed the Supreme God Divinity she had taken from Lord Shikikai. "I came across this by chance."

"What…?" The moment the Divinity was revealed, many of the women present gasped. Those who had not yet reached Supreme God level were especially affected, their cheeks flushing as they struggled to keep their composure.