Demon Sword Maiden

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Yanari was sent crashing into the ground with an earth-shaking impact, his body creating a deep crater in the unnaturally durable roads of Hyakki Street.

If Yanari had been on the Big Dipper Stage, that single kick would have left him crippled. As an Infernal Stage, however, he could recover by consuming divine energy, but even for him, the force of the blow was overwhelming.

Yanari staggered to his feet, clutching his chest as blood dripped steadily from his lips. His gaze fell on Lily’s pale, slender leg—there wasn’t a single injury, just the faintest hint of redness. It was utterly unbelievable.

“What… What is this?” he muttered hoarsely. “This woman… What kind of body does she have? How can her leg remain completely unharmed after taking my full-force strike? How is this even possible?”

At first, Yanari had assumed he had simply been careless, believing he could dominate Lily if he got serious. Despite his injuries, he felt confident that a well-timed strike would turn the tide. Yet now, he realized the horrifying truth—her physical defense was on an entirely different level.

She appeared to be on the Celestial Stage, though Yanari couldn’t gauge her exact level in Hyakki Street’s suppressive environment. Still, her physique was far beyond what a Celestial should possess. “No… my own physique is renowned even among Empyreans. She’s a woman—how can she possibly be stronger than me?”

“A Supreme God1?” Yanari’s pupils constricted, his mind reeling with disbelief.

In Hyakki Street, the difference in strength between Realms was compressed. A Throned Stage warrior with exceptional swordsmanship could hold their own against a less talented Big Dipper. Similarly, a skilled Big Dipper and a Celestial could be relatively even. This logic led Yanari to his current conclusion.

“No… Impossible!” Supreme Gods were not born from ordinary mortals—they were singular beings, tied to a Heavenly or Demonic Path. Not even Hyakki Street could suppress their strength. If she were a Supreme God, Yanari would already be dead, and she wouldn’t waste time entertaining his requests. Moreover, no Supreme God would need to enter Hyakki Street at all.

“This woman… Her physique is unreal. She must be on the Empyrean Stage. I’ve never heard of such a physique among Yomi’s women—perhaps she inherited it from the Celestial Maidens. It must be the pinnacle of their kind… That’s the only reason she could completely overpower me at this level!”

These were merely Yanari’s assumptions. He knew little about the physiques of Celestial Maidens; if he had, his shock would have been far greater. Lily, after absorbing a hundred Lunar Crystals, possessed a body that surpassed all other Celestial Maidens.

“As long as she’s not a Supreme God2, I still have a chance!” Yanari had reached the point of no return. Humiliated by a woman in front of countless demons, his pride as a man—and his status on Hyakki Street—were now on the line.

He had no choice but to risk everything. After hastily healing himself with divine energy, Yanari lunged at Lily again. “Your leg may be tough, but I only need to strike your weak point! You won’t withstand that!”

Yanari aimed a powerful kick at Lily. But Lily reacted instantly, her kick striking first. With a sharp impact, Yanari was sent flying again. Her attack connected with his leg, deflecting it, before slamming into his torso. Lily’s strength far exceeded Yanari’s.

“Enough!” Lily said, her tone tinged with impatience. “Haven’t you humiliated yourself enough? Let’s stop this here.”

“Damn it! You’ll never defeat me!” Yanari roared, blood trickling from his mouth. “You must be using some kind of treasure to bypass Hyakki Street’s suppression! Otherwise, how could a mere woman like you be stronger than me? I’m a real man, and I didn’t want to humiliate you with my sword… But you’ve forced my hand! You’ve disappointed me, woman!”

Yanari unsheathed his battered straight sword. Swordsmanship was his greatest strength, and now he intended to wield it. “No matter how tough your body is, you can’t block a blade. Spirit power won’t save you here!”

Lily turned to face Yanari, her eyes reflecting deep disappointment. Slowly and deliberately, she unsheathed the Oborozuki Muramasa with a reverent grace. “In that case, I won’t hold back any longer,” she said calmly.

“Shut up! Ridiculous!” Yanari bellowed, his voice trembling with fury. “If you consider yourself a true warrior and not some deceitful woman hiding behind tricks, hand over your treasure and fight me fairly!”

Lily stared at him, utterly baffled. She had no such treasure.

“You refuse? Despicable woman! Then I’ll kill you without hesitation!” Yanari wasn’t entirely convinced that Lily possessed a treasure. He made the accusation to preserve his pride—being forced to use his sword against a woman already bruised his reputation. ṝ�

With sudden speed, Yanari charged at Lily, transformed by the unsheathing of his blade. In Hyakki Street, swordsmanship could amplify one’s strength immensely, and Yanari now displayed the same deadly power he had shown when cutting down other demons.

For the first time, Lily felt genuine danger. Her body alone couldn’t withstand this attack. If she failed to dodge and took a direct hit at a vulnerable spot, she would surely die. In the face of peril, Lily’s reflexes sharpened, and she moved faster than ever. As she dodged forward, her blade lashed out in a counterattack.

Yanari’s blade narrowly swept past Lily’s shoulder just as her blade aimed for him. But something incredible happened—Yanari’s shoulder twisted unnaturally, avoiding her strike at the last moment. Without pause, he sidestepped her attack with almost instinctive precision.

‘He dodged it?’ Lily was stunned. Her strike had been impossibly fast, yet Yanari evaded it. Could he have predicted her intentions? Had she underestimated his abilities just because of his vile demeanor?

In Hyakki Street, the power of swordsmanship was not something to be taken lightly.

Yanari flashed a cruel smile. Killing Lily would be a shame, but he had no other choice. With his massive form, he evaded her strike purely on instinct and found an opening. In a fluid motion, his wrist flicked, and his blade slashed horizontally toward the back of her waist.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Lily didn’t bother adjusting her weapon’s path. Instead, she drove her blade into the ground with force, using it as leverage to propel herself backward. Spinning midair, she released Oborozuki Muramasa and drew Yasutsuna in a seamless motion. Without hesitation, she swung the blade at Yanari’s waist.

Though the strike lacked overwhelming force, it was precise—cutting deeply into Yanari’s waist. A torrent of blood erupted like a crimson fountain.

Yanari staggered, his body trembling as his movements slowed dramatically. His battle instincts, honed against conventional fighters, were useless against Lily’s unpredictable and unorthodox techniques. He simply couldn’t keep up.

Gritting his teeth, Yanari ignored the gaping wound and turned to face Lily. He raised his weapon high, preparing for an overhead strike—only to see Lily already descending, her sword streaking toward his face.

Yanari’s world turned crimson for a split second—and then, darkness. On both sides of the street, the demons watched in silent terror, too afraid to make a sound. The once-dominant Yanari, feared across Hyakki Street, now lay split in two, lifeless in a pool of his own blood.

Lily had appeared to be on the brink of desperation moments earlier. Yet her flawless responses and unpredictable counterattacks had left the demons stunned. Many here were masters of swordsmanship themselves, but none had ever seen such unorthodox tactics—let alone ones so devastatingly effective.

“Is she even human? She’s like… the embodiment of swordsmanship itself!”

“No matter how dire the situation, she always counters perfectly. It’s as if she was born for battle!”

A group of wandering vagrants watched the scene unfold from atop the winehouse, exclaiming in disbelief.

Without hesitation, Lily retrieved Yanari’s treasures and Blood Spirit Magatama, claiming them openly in front of the silent demons. She paused briefly, casting a pointed glance at the onlookers before walking away.

That single glance made every demon who had once desired or schemed against her tremble in silent fear.

“I underestimated just how much swordsmanship could influence one’s strength…” Lily reflected as she stepped into the desolate street. Yanari’s final strike, though weak, had come dangerously close to landing a blow.

Hyakki Street was far more perilous than she had imagined. The danger didn’t stem from Yanari’s skill alone but from the rules governing this place—set by the mysterious entity that ruled it.

Here, swordsmanship amplified strength to such extremes that it even clouded Lily’s battle instincts, a dangerous reality she couldn’t ignore.

“Who is the one orchestrating all this? What kind of unfathomable power do they possess to impose such rules?”

Lily traveled through the night, encountering several opponents along the way. She moved with heightened caution, fully aware that in Hyakki Street, where strength could not be sensed, underestimating an enemy could be fatal.

Her adversaries were all demons, and one among them had come close to rivaling her when swordsmanship was factored in. Yet, she defeated and killed them all.

As dawn approached, Lily cautiously scaled the wall of a crumbling manor. Ensuring the area was free of demons, she concealed herself in a small, dusty room within the manor. She resolved not to step outside during the dangerous daylight hours.

At midnight on the third day, Lily emerged once more and resumed her journey. Battling for survival under the cover of darkness was far preferable to enduring the insidious demands she couldn’t refuse during the day.

Yanari had been one of Hyakki Street’s strongest opponents, yet Lily’s strategy of hiding during the day and moving at night ensured that she didn’t encounter anyone more formidable than him.

For a time, her journey seemed almost smooth—by Hyakki Street’s grim standards.

In the blink of an eye, more than a dozen days had passed. Lily maintained her cautious routine, yet she remained trapped within the endless confines of Hyakki Street. Lily couldn’t help but wonder—how long was Hyakki Street?

She dared not show herself during the day. At night, after defeating demons in combat, she questioned them for answers—yet none could tell her the truth.

“Heh… You’re powerful, woman. The strongest I’ve ever faced. Maybe no one in Hyakki Street can kill you,” snickered a dying demon swordsman, his voice ragged. “But escaping Hyakki Street? That’s another matter entirely.”

“Why?” Lily demanded, her blade poised threateningly.

“Why threaten me? I’m dying anyway,” the demon spat, his tone laced with bitter amusement. “But making the woman who killed me despair… that soothes me. Fine, I’ll tell you: unless you resolve your own destiny, you’ll never leave Hyakki Street. Your swordsmanship, no matter how supreme, won’t be enough. Hah… hahahaha…” His laughter grew weaker as blood gushed from his mouth. Moments later, his body went still.