Demon Sword Maiden

Volume 12 - Yomi-no-kuni: Chapter 132 – Rolling Thunderclouds

A massive crater, more than a hundred meters wide, had formed on the desolate ground of Yomi. Considering how incredibly durable the earth of Yomi was, the impact spoke volumes of the sheer power behind that single kick.

Lily hovered proudly in the air, her long hair rippling behind her like a banner of defiance.

“I could have drawn my blade and ended your life. But since you’re a supreme powerhouse, I won’t kill you without a fair fight. So either show me your true strength—or get out of my sight.”

Below, countless demons stared up in awe at the figure suspended in the sky. In an instant, the crowd rippled with shock and fear, voices rising in disbelief.

“That’s Kagami Lily? The new Princess of Yomi? They say she’s the most beautiful woman in all three realms…”

“She’s floating above Yomi’s skies… As expected of the Madam’s daughter. She truly has the strength of a god!”

All around, demons murmured in stunned realization.

“That’s Murasaki-Okami up there! The strongest Infernal in all of Yomi—only the Deadly Five can rival him! He once defeated two Infernal-stage female captains in just a few moves. That’s how terrifying his strength is! But now… this woman, Kagami Lily—Yomi-no-kuni’s Princess—just sent him crashing into the ground with a single kick… How humiliating is that for him? Just how powerful is she?”

A gaunt demon with oversized ears and a resolute gaze stared at the figure glowing high above, awe written across his sunken face.

“Could it be…? Could Lyn-hime actually be as powerful as one of the Deadly Five?” a weathered vagrant muttered under his straw hat.

“She managed to send Murasaki-Okami flying with a single kick… She must be on par with the Deadly Five!” exclaimed a green-eyed demon with a crimson mane and ghostly pale skin, his tongue flicking out in disbelief.

With a furious roar, the purple demon god shot back into the sky.

“Hahahaha! I held back earlier, thinking your guards were the only defense worth noting! Who would’ve thought the bride herself is the strongest one here?” he laughed wildly. “I’ll show you my true power now! Be careful—if that perfect body of yours gets hurt, it’d be a shame for all of Yomi-no-kuni!”

He brandished his massive warhammer and barreled toward Lily with overwhelming force.

“Hmph,” Lily said coolly, “as if I used my full strength earlier.”

The hammer swung down with the weight of a mountain. Lily gripped Oborozuki Muramasa, her spirit energy gathering in a focused burst. “Oborozuki,” she murmured, unsheathing her blade.

A wave of silvery blade light, cool as moonlight, swept across the sky of Yomi. The demon’s hammer strike split in two under the force, dispersing in chaotic blasts. The ground trembled violently, sending countless demons staggering as shockwaves rippled outward.

Lily’s sword energy collided with his massive hammer. Though his body was built like a fortress, the blow warped his armor and forced blood to spurt from the gaps. The demon god was hurled backward once more, unable to hold his ground.

The strike carried the combined essence of the Lunar and Sword Heavenly Paths, amplified by Lily’s monstrous strength. It was akin to a casual strike from a Supreme God. Even with his hammer absorbing the blow, the force drained nearly a tenth of his divine energy.

Blood sprayed from his mouth as he tumbled through the air. When he tried to heal, he discovered a sinister energy surging within him—disruptive, invasive, and nearly impossible to expel. Even though the blade hadn’t touched his flesh directly, its residual force shredded his insides. Beads of cold sweat trickled down his face.

“You… You truly are the Madam’s daughter,” Murasaki-Okami muttered, shaken. “Not even the Deadly Five have left me in such a state… A woman like you… I can’t control you.”

With that, he turned and fled, his pride in tatters.

Under normal circumstances, Lily might have given chase. But she was a bride now—traveling in ceremonial dignity. She shouldn’t have even appeared, if her guards had done their jobs. So she let him go without a second glance.

He had arrived like a storm—formidable and proud—but now fled like a beaten dog. His reputation would be in shambles. To come and claim the bride, only to be crushed by her instead… Murasaki-Okami would become the laughingstock of all Yomi-no-kuni.

But for Lily, this marked her rise to true recognition. Until now, many had seen her as a mere beauty—nothing more than a pawn offered by a powerful faction, a lovely gift to be traded away.

No one imagined that Kagami Lily’s strength rivaled the Deadly Five. In that instant, she wasn’t just Yomi-no-kuni’s bride—she was now known as a force who stood just beneath the Supreme Gods.

“No wonder the Madam arranged for her to marry the Boundless Imperial Princess—Yomi’s strongest Supreme God! Who else could possibly control someone like Lyn-hime?”

“That’s true! She may be gorgeous beyond words, but you’d have to survive just to be near her!”

“Even without guards, none of us would dare try to take her.”

The crowd of demons erupted in awe. From that moment onward, Kagami Lily’s strength would be known throughout all of Yomi.

Amid the sea of onlookers was a group of powerful bull demons. At their front stood Mauro—the three-eyed demon who had first found Lily when she fell into Yomi. Mauro hadn’t come expecting to steal the bride this time. Instead, he and his underlings were hoping to loot dowry treasures, abduct maidservants, or prey on any wounded female guards amidst the chaos.

But as Mauro stared up at Lily floating in the air, his expression was full of disbelief.

“Not long ago, she couldn’t even resist me… and now she’s strong enough to defeat Murasaki-Okami with one blow? Is she really on the level of the Deadly Five now? We’re not even in the same world anymore…” Still, he chuckled darkly to himself. “Heh… doesn’t matter. I once had her at my mercy. That’s a story I can brag about for the rest of my life.”

Lily calmly sheathed her blade and descended, landing gracefully on the carriage platform.

Isshiki, having recovered slightly, followed and dropped to one knee before Lily. “Thank you for saving me, Lyn-hime. I failed as your guard and forced you to intervene… I am ashamed.”

Renka stood frozen, stunned. Lily’s progress since their last meeting had once terrified her—and now, it left her speechless. There was nothing left to do but accept it.

“It’s fine. Let’s rest briefly, then resume the journey,” Lily said, turning to return to her carriage.

“Your Highness, Lyn-hime!” Renka dropped to her knees, uncaring of her tattered clothes, her forehead pressed to the ground. “I have wronged you many times back in Rakshasa Dojo. I don’t expect forgiveness. All I ask is that you punish me as harshly as you see fit. Only then will I find peace.”

Her cheeks burned with shame, yet her voice was steady. Before the crowd of demons, she made her plea for atonement.

Lily merely glanced over her shoulder with indifference. “You think I have time to deal with petty, self-absorbed women who torment the weak? If you truly regret it, go find a corner and give yourself five hundred lashes.”

With a flick of her long sleeves, Lily turned and disappeared into the carriage. Ayaka cast one brief look at the trembling Renka before drawing the curtains shut.

“Your Highness… Lyn-hime…” Renka broke into sobs, overwhelmed by guilt and regret.

“Get up. What use is our pride now?” Isshiki approached and gently placed a hand on Renka’s shoulder. “Our only duty is to live up to the Madam’s expectations.”

The two captains slowly rose and began regrouping the procession, steadying themselves to resume the journey. But just then, endless waves of dark clouds began rolling in from the distance, swiftly devouring the skies above.

Thunder rumbled ominously as the procession was swallowed by a vast storm front—lightning-laced thunderclouds stretched for hundreds of miles in every direction.

Panic rippled through the swarm of demons below. Several were struck by bolts of lightning, reduced to ash on the spot. And yet, the rest remained wild with excitement.

“Look! A real powerhouse is coming!” a demon cried out, even as his feet sizzled from stray sparks. Despite his injuries, he stood trembling with anticipation, eyes fixed mockingly on the ceremonial carriage.

A voice forged from thunder and crackling lightning echoed across the heavens. “How dare you arrange this marriage… when I, Wakarai, still walk this world?”

From within the storm, bolts of lightning converged and took shape—forming the figure of a tall, striking man wreathed in raw electricity. Wakarai had arrived.

“This is bad…” Renka and Isshiki exchanged grim glances. Murasaki-Okami had been overwhelming, but at least they had been willing to fight him. This, however, was something else entirely. Wakarai—one of the Eight Thunder Gods—had descended.

The Thunder Essence was governed by nine Heavenly Paths. Wakarai, as the wielder of one, held the status of an ancient Supreme God—one blessed with Divinity. He stood on a level far beyond mere Empyreans, a sovereign force over all beings.

Soon, massive birds cloaked in lightning descended behind him, their wings spanning several kilometers. Atop them rode thousands of divine beings and elite demons—his entourage.

“Your Highness, Wakarai!” Renka stepped forward, knowing full well she stood no chance against him. Still, she had her duty.

She knelt before the carriage and lifted her gaze with solemn reverence. “I am Renka of Rakshasa Dojo. Under the command of the Madam and Rakshasa-Onna, I escort Princess Lyn-hime to her marriage in the Boundless Abyss. I hadn’t expected Your Highness to appear… Please accept my respects.”

Wakarai cast a cold glance downward, electricity swirling violently around him. He frowned and waved dismissively. “Who do you think you are? Begone.” A gust charged with lightning blasted Renka off her feet, hurling her into the side of the carriage. Her clothes were torn apart, her body scorched and trembling in pain.

Wakarai advanced through the air, each step crackling with thunder as he neared the ceremonial carriage.

Despite her injuries, Renka dragged herself forward and knelt once more at the carriage entrance. “Your Highness, this is the ceremonial carriage of Lyn-hime, the Princess named by the Madam herself. Please, I beg you to stop.”

“What? Didn’t I already tell you to disappear?” he snarled, a surge of lightning building in his palm.

“If Rakshasa Dojo has offended you, then take my life. But I cannot let you pass…”

With blinding speed, Wakarai closed the distance and kicked Renka aside like a ragdoll. He spared her life—not out of mercy, but because she still served the Madam.

Isshiki knelt beside her, motionless. She understood all too well—resisting him would only leave her broken beside Renka.

“A Princess, chosen by the Madam herself? Has she already forgotten what she promised me back then?” Wakarai scoffed, flicking his hand. A surge of wind and lightning burst forth, tearing away the curtains of the ceremonial carriage.

Lily sat with her eyes closed behind the delicate mesh, clad in her crimson wedding gown embroidered with blooming Higanbana. Her expression was serene, unwavering. Beside her, Ayaka—dressed in pure white miko robes—held her gently.

The storm winds swept through the carriage, causing the hair of both women to billow like silk in a tempest.

1Footnotes:

Robixen: I made it to the end of the chapter before I realised I didn’t place any commentary at any point this time, I wonder why.