NOVEL NEXT "Expensive? Consider that after midnight, our establishment is the only safe haven for women here. Do you realize the difficulty in safeguarding you against the ferocity of Yomi's demons? Moreover, your exceptional beauty increases the danger. We take on significant risk by hosting you, which justifies the higher price, don't you agree?"
"Well…" Lily found herself unable to argue against that reasoning.
"Fine, take it. We're only staying one night," Chiya conceded.
Reluctantly, the driver handed over the payment. Four Blood Spirit Magatamas represented a considerable expense, one even the Queen of the Female Queendom would consider carefully. Yet, avoiding trouble by settling the fee was deemed preferable.
The night passed uneventfully, though the ‘standard' room left much to be desired. Noise from the main hall was incessant and disrupted their rest throughout the night.
That same night, atop the hotel, a gargantuan ghost clad like a sumo wrestler summoned the spectral frog servant.
"Are those four women truly as beautiful as you claim?"
"Absolutely! Particularly three of them. Master, I've served you for centuries and have yet to encounter such beauty. Even their scent is intoxicating, Lord Itakeru!" the spectral frog remarked, his gaze filled with desire.
"Really?" Air gushed from Itakeru's vast nostrils as he breathed heavily. His spectral eyes, as large as cowbells, glittered with greed and lust.
The remainder of the night passed without incident. Early the next morning, Lily and her companions departed, no longer comfortable staying there despite its safety, feeling as though they were constantly under surveillance.
They also aimed to cross the bridge as early as possible. A line had already formed at the Grudgeless Bridge. By chance, Lily noticed the two female Yomi ninjas she had seen the previous day. Once they presented their documents, they were permitted to cross.
After about an hour, it was finally Lily's turn. Adapting to the local time measurement proved challenging. Yoshiya Seki presented the documents, and to Lily's surprise, eyes emerged from the chest of the headless guard.
The guard continued his inspection in silence.
"Mister, is there an issue with the Black Inscription Document?" Seki inquired, recalling the Blood Spirit Magatama given the previous day to prevent complications.
The headless guard finally spoke, "The documents are in order, but due to recent thefts by female thieves in town, we must conduct a thorough search of all women passing through."
"What?" Lily frowned, sensing a discrepancy. While her physical strength was modest in Yomi, her experience with political subterfuge in the Heian Dynasty far exceeded local norms. She questioned the inconsistency immediately, "Those two ninjas who just passed, why weren't they searched?"
"Well, they're regulars and aren't subject to searches," the headless guard explained. "You, however, are newcomers and have been quite generous. That raises suspicions!"
"You! How dare…" Seki began, her voice quivering with indignation.
"What does the search entail?" Lily inquired.
"It's straightforward," the headless guard explained. "You'll follow us to a storeroom adjacent to the bridge for individual searches. If no contraband is found, you'll be free to cross."
"What did you say?" Lily trembled with outrage. They were not ordinary women; their dignity was at stake. A thorough search of their persons and belongings was out of the question for any expert or powerhouse, as it would expose all their secrets and treasures. It was tantamount to the humiliation of defeat.
"Preposterous!" Seki exclaimed, equally incensed. "No woman would tolerate such an invasion of privacy!"
"Hehe, you refuse? Then you cannot pass," the headless guard declared arrogantly, brandishing his weapon to block their way.
Their expressions hardened. The situation was teetering on the brink of violence.
Suddenly, a wave of potent auras surged from behind. Along the street, the immense figure of Itakeru, the sumo wrestler, approached, surrounded by a host of formidable demons. Itakeru, known as the Sumo Kunitsukami, was venerated as the God of Wrestling, possessing a divinity.
"What's all this noise? Why are you obstructing the passage across the Grudgeless Bridge?" boomed Itakeru, his voice resonating with formidable power.
"Lord Itakeru, these women could be the female thieves recently reported," the headless guard suggested.
"Nonsense!" thundered Itakeru, striding over to confront the guard with his imposing stature. "These women are distinguished guests at my hotel. How dare you accuse them of thievery? Just conduct the search in the storeroom as per the procedure, then let them proceed. Why complicate matters unnecessarily? Are you incompetent?"
Upon hearing Itakeru's words, Lily and her companions grew more anxious. Despite his seemingly heroic demeanor, his insistence on conducting a search raised their suspicions.
"My Lord, they have refused the search!"
"Perhaps you didn't explain it clearly! We are the guardians of Grudgeless Bridge, and our actions are purely part of our duties. Even though you are all exceptionally beautiful, we harbor no ulterior motives."
Itakeru bowed slightly and extended his large hand towards Lily, reassuring her, "Do not worry, my lady. I will conduct a swift search myself, and then you will be free to go."
As he reached for her hand, Lily quickly stepped back to avoid his grasp.
"Why? Ladies, do you not trust me, or do you disdain me—the renowned sumo wrestler Kunitsukami, Itakeru?" Itakeru's expression turned stern and displeased.
"Lord Itakeru, it is well understood that a woman's dignity must be respected. How can one casually touch or inspect my body? Moreover, to search an expert's possessions is akin to forcibly exposing all their secrets. This principle is fundamental. Surely you must be aware of this, my Lord? There is no need for pretense. We are not fools here. Are you implying we are unaware of your true intentions?" Lily challenged, looking up defiantly.
Itakeru's face darkened, and a terrifying aura emanated from him. "Is that so? Then we shall have to restrain you and conduct the search by force! Seize them!"
A horde of demons charged forward at once. Itakeru, despite his massive stature, moved with unexpected agility. Even as he directed his subordinates to attack, he launched a powerful palm strike towards Lily himself. As the deity of wrestling, his blow was tremendously forceful, significantly surpassing Mauro Kidou—the Yomi powerhouse Lily had previously encountered.
Itakeru’s strength was matched by his speed. While Lily was no match in direct combat, her superior reaction time allowed her to anticipate his moves. She leapt backwards, narrowly evading his attack despite not fully grasping its trajectory.
Itakeru was taken aback. Astonished that a Big Dipper Stage expert had dodged his unanticipated strike, he launched another palm attack, this time generating a formidable gust of wind.
In that instant, Chiya sprang into action, swiftly removing her jacket and casting it into the fierce gust to counteract the blow.
With a loud bang, Chiya's jacket disintegrated, the resulting shockwave obliterating nearby structures and trees. The gust dissipated, leaving Lily unscathed. Had the attack connected, it likely would have incapacitated her immediately.
Simultaneously, the surrounding demons, along with the two headless guards, advanced towards them.
Intent on capturing the women alive, they swung batons and weapon handles, or used their fists. Meanwhile, the Queen discreetly moved to a safer position at the back of the group.
Lily, unable to land safely, quickly drew her Oborozuki Muramasa in midair. With a sharp clang, she sliced through several batons. A headless guard thrust his spear towards Lily's stomach, which she deflected with her sheath with a resounding smack, pushing it aside.
Having fully mastered the Himemiya Sen-no-hana Painting and the Lunar Blossom technique, Lily was now deemed unbeatable among all Big Dipper experts. Her swordsmanship far surpassed that of the average powerhouse.
Using the momentum from her deflection, she spun and slashed at the headless guard's shoulder. Despite his septuple-soul toughness, her swift and powerful strike made a deep cut.
With a swift motion, her blade sliced deeply into his chest. However, before Lily could further harm the guard, a quintuple-soul spectral frog lunged from behind, thrusting his steel trident towards her.
Lily reacted instinctively, balancing on one leg and delivering a powerful kick with the other. With a loud bang, her kick snapped the trident in two, unleashing a massive shockwave that rippled through the area.
"What power!" exclaimed Itakeru, clearly taken aback. "A girl of the Big Dipper with such strength? Impressive! Once I capture you, I'll make sure to train you well!"
Itakeru now revealed his true form, launching a fierce double-handed strike towards Chiya. His hands bore the might of Spirit Treasures.
Meanwhile, Seki, encircled by several demons, demonstrated her formidable strength. She drew her jade-hilted straight sword and executed a graceful blade dance. With each swift swish of her blade, demons were either wounded severely or slain outright.
"Tsukuyomi Swordstyle!" Lily instantly recognized the technique.
From her technique alone, Lily discerned that she had reached the second stage of the Tsukuyomi Swordstyle, known as the Celestial Maiden Path.
During her time in the Heian Dynasty, Lily had observed various sword techniques from the Genji Clan and the Mirror Dimension that emulated the Tsukuyomi Swordstyle. Now, she was witnessing the authentic technique in action for the first time.
This confirmation of the Tsukuyomi Swordstyle solidified Lily's trust in the Queen's identity. Although she had never truly doubted them, her instincts alone were now backed by undeniable proof that these Celestial Maidens were indeed her allies.
Although merely the driver, Yoshiya Seki was a Celestial Battle Maiden at the Celestial Stage, lacking a divinity but still ranked among the top ten most powerful of all fallen Celestial Maidens in the Female Queendom.
Encouraged by this, Lily's confidence surged, and she began to fight with unrestrained vigor. She unleashed her Hazy Lunar Force, causing waves of cherry blossom petals to swirl around the bridge.
"Soul World? Is her Soul World truly this formidable?" Itakeru was astonished by the display.
The oppressive power of her Hazy Lunar Force1 slowed the offensive capabilities of all the humans present. Seizing the opportunity, Lily swiftly dispatched several of the weaker demons.