Demon Sword Maiden

Volume 12 - Yomi-no-kuni: Chapter 230 - The Only Demon God Unafraid of the Imperial Princess

Nanako had safely made it back into the city. Only then did Lily finally feel some relief. Nanako was too weak, any disturbance could be deadly. While other Dark Celestial Maidens were still engaged in battle, Lily couldn’t let Nanako risk herself as they did.

She looked up at Kuroyodai, still bound in chains like a colossal, immobile statue. The scene defied reason.

“Kill him while he’s restrained? If he dies, the entire abyssal army would surely collapse.” But… Kuroyodai was far too massive, and his divine power seemingly infinite. Severing even a single finger had required an enormous effort. Even if he allowed her to attack freely, Lily would likely exhaust all her divine energy before he could be killed, and the other demon gods wouldn’t just stand by and watch.

Better to leave him for now.

Lily didn’t want the battle to spill into Herikaku City. Seeing Nanako retreat safely into the depths of the city, she soared skyward, moving to a position high above and away from the fortress.

At that moment, Shimizu, Ayaka, and Queen Kaguya arrived at her side in midair.

“Where’s Sister Uesugi?”

“She didn’t want to be a burden here. She went beneath Herikaku City to assist the Dark Celestial Maidens in defense,” Shimizu replied.

Lily nodded. Rei was nothing like Nanako, she was proud and wild by nature. Forcing her to retreat into the city to hide would have been too humiliating. Besides, she had traveled across the Yomi alone and arrived safely. As long as no Supreme God targeted her, she could protect herself.

The Three Thunder Gods, two other Yomi Supreme Gods, and the ten Supreme Gods of the Boundless Abyss (excluding Kuroyodai) had taken formation, surrounding Lily and her allies.

Six against fifteen. The enemy still had overwhelming superiority in both numbers and overall strength. But at least this was still a fight they could engage in.

The fact that Kuroyodai, a monstrous god whom Lily couldn’t possibly defeat, had been bound in such an unexplainable manner, was lucky. Though no one knew why it had happened.

“Kagami Lily!” Fushirai snarled through his pain, covering the ruined side of his face. “I’ll rip you apart limb from limb!”

“You killed our friend of countless millennia. Today, we will avenge Lord Umashi!” declared Masen Sonshu.

“Hmph. If I hadn’t killed him, would you have spared me?” Lily shot back coldly. “The likes of you are a threat to my sisters. Every one I cut down is one less danger. I never planned on letting any of you leave alive.”

Masen Sonshu and Gokakuzo Shushi were no stronger than Umashi. As ordinary Yomi Supreme Gods, Lily was confident she could kill them with Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi and the Silver Lunar Force.

Unexpectedly, Kunhiza said, “Kagami Lily, as long as you’re willing to hand over the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, we Abyssal Demon Gods can let you go. We won’t interfere in your grudges with the Thunder Gods and the others!”

Lily responded with a cold laugh. “Kunhiza, do you take me for a fool? I’m starting to suspect there’s another mastermind behind the previous conspiracy!”

“No, that was all Kuroyodai’s idea. Now that he’s unable to fight, I can make the decision. If you hand over the sword, we Abyssal Demon Gods will take the treasure and leave,” Kunhiza replied.

Lily twirled Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, shimmering with silver light, in midair. The ethereal waves it stirred up made one’s heart tremble. Her gaze turned frosty and deep. “Very well then. I’ll give you the sword, do you dare come and take it?”

Kunhiza’s serpent-like hair flailed wildly as a sharp gleam flashed in his eyes. “What a pity, Kagamiy Lily. You’re so stubborn and unyielding. Had you simply abandoned the treasure, perhaps you truly could’ve escaped this disaster.”

“Kunhiza! Stop wasting time with them! Let’s all go in together, don’t tell me we can’t even handle a few female Supreme Gods? They don’t even deserve the title! This world should belong to us, the mighty demon gods!” roared a voice from the darkness.

From the shadows soared a demon god, over three meters tall, his entire body jet-black and glowing with a metallic obsidian luster. His build was burly and powerful like a savage brute. The ferocity of his aura was immense, perhaps only Kuroyodai could surpass him in might.

Yet despite his power, his height was considered short among demon gods. Still, Lily and the others dared not underestimate him in the slightest.

“Hehehe… Kuroyoku Tateo-no-Kami, your elder brother has been mysteriously sealed by a cosmic anomaly. Now, the reputation of our Abyssal Demon Gods rests on your shoulders. This Kagami Lily may be formidable, and she does wield a peerless divine sword, but as long as you’re careful of that blade, she’s no match for you,” said Kunhiza, his gaze toward Kuroyoku even more respectful than it had been for Kuroyodai.

Kuroyoku Tateo-no-Kami was second only to Kuroyodai in raw power, but only in that regard. Though his elder brother’s might was immense, his towering size brought limitations. In single combat, Kuroyoku was actually the more skilled fighter.

“So this is Kuroyoku? The one said to be the only being in the Boundless Abyss unafraid of the Imperial Princess?” Masen Sonshu looked at Kuroyoku with a hint of wariness in his eyes.

“You are Kagami Lily?” Kuroyoku pointed a thick, powerful finger at her as he spoke.

“Lily, be careful with this one,” Queen Kaguya warned her via sound transmission.

Lily could also sense the sheer menace radiating from Kuroyoku, yet she deliberately stepped forward, unwilling to let any of her sisters face him in her stead.

“Your sword is impressive, I’ll give you that, but I fight with fists and feet. My body strikes with the force of divine artifacts! I’ve no use for your blade. Don’t worry, I only wish to defeat you in front of everyone! Hahahaha!” Kuroyoku looked at her with a touch of disdain. “Come then! Do you dare face me in single combat?”

“What are you saying, Kuroyoku? We’ve got numbers on our side, we should attack her together, subdue her quickly, and seize the blade!” said Kunhiza.

“Attack together? Hahahaha! Back when I fought the Boundless Imperial Princess, though I couldn’t win, I never let any of you interfere. And now you want to gang up on a lone female warrior? Where is your pride as male demons?”

Kuroyoku was deeply arrogant, and at his core, he held female adepts in contempt.

“I don’t care how the rest of you fight, but this woman, I will duel alone. Anyone who dares interfere, I will kill them, no matter whose side they’re on!” Kuroyoku declared as he swept his gaze across the gathered demon gods.

For a moment, the crowd of demons was left visibly awkward. Yet his power was undeniable, and his unrestrained arrogance gave him the right to act as he pleased. This made Wakarai and the others, who had shamelessly launched a three-on-one attack earlier, look even more embarrassed.

He raised his massive hand toward Lily. “Make your move, woman! Don’t worry, once I’ve spoken, no one will dare ambush you. But if you lose, you’ll belong to me, Kuroyoku Tateo-no-Kami! So, what do you say? Dare to accept?”

“If you want to fight me alone, that’s your decision. But I won’t promise to fight only you,” Lily answered coldly. She wasn’t certain she could defeat Kuroyoku, and even if she could, if she agreed to a one-on-one duel, how would her sisters survive the assault of the fourteen ferocious Supreme Gods?

“Hahahahahaha! You really are an arrogant woman!”