Demon Sword Maiden

Volume 12 - Yomi-no-kuni: Chapter 139 – Merciless Rei

At this point, Uesugi Rei had reached the strength of a septuple-soul Big Dipper.

Though she appeared to be just one step away from ascending to the Celestial Stage… that single step was unimaginably hard to overcome. To rescue Lily, Rei had skirted the edge of death, dancing between life and fatal peril. Every moment was a gamble with her life.

Without that desperation, how could she have advanced so rapidly?

Of course, her greatest reliance was the cursed blade she carried on her back—a weapon no foe had been able to withstand. It didn’t just slay its enemies—it destroyed their weapons and armor as well. Nothing could guard against it.

Swords, clubs, axes, shields—every piece of equipment was effortlessly cleaved in two. Because of that, Rei wielded nearly limitless offensive power against her enemies. Regardless of how well an opponent could regenerate or what abilities they possessed, the result depended solely on where her blade struck. If she hit their weak spot, they died instantly.

The real threat to Rei lay in her opponent’s ability to attack back. Even so, the path she had walked was brutally difficult. Yet her mental resilience was extraordinary. She was likely more resolute and enduring than most men in the world.

Now, her face bore a grave expression.

She was still far from reaching the level of a Supreme God. Thus far, she had faced three Infernal Stage opponents—barely surviving two of them after giving her all, and slaying the third only when desperation pushed her to the edge. That enemy, confident in his defense, never imagined her blade could cut through it as though it were paper. His arrogance led to his downfall.

Defeating that Infernal demon was what propelled Rei to the strength of a septuple-soul Big Dipper. She continued to battle as she traveled, gradually increasing her strength with each confrontation.

Beyond her raw power, the greatest growth she experienced was in her swordsmanship. It was her Sword Heavenly Path. Rei had relied on the sword her entire journey, and the blade she wielded now seemed almost designed to enhance her comprehension and mastery of sword techniques.

By now, her Sword Heavenly Path had advanced to the fourth stage! It was almost unbelievable.

Indeed, while her bloodline and willpower were critical, the sword in her grasp played a decisive role as well. Uesugi Rei seemed destined to wield a sword, yet it was love that gave her life purpose.

In terms of Heavenly Path comprehension, she had met the requirements to break into the Celestial Stage—but in other areas, she still fell short.

“The Boundless Abyss… With my current strength, it may be hard to reach. But now that I know where you are, I’ll come for you—no matter what sort of place it is. Lily, I will never let anyone take your freedom. But if something happens to you… I’ll never blame you. My feelings will never change.”

With eyes full of determination, she turned from the noticeboard and walked away. She walked over to the edge of the wheat fields and approached an old man who had been standing guard, as though for eternity.

“Elder, do you know which way leads to the Boundless Abyss?”

The old man narrowed his cloudy eyes and opened his cracked lips, his gaze fixed on the endless wheat fields. “Young lady, look at these fields. Will this wheat ever ripen?”

She looked out at the vast sea of wheat. “I… I can’t say for sure. But please, the Boundless Abyss—”

“Young lady, look again. Do you really think these fields will ever ripen?”

She stared at the golden wheat. She didn’t want to lie—but for some reason, something deep inside her whispered an answer her mind could not yet grasp. Even if something seemed impossible, as long as one held on to hope and gave their all, there was always a sliver of possibility.

“It’s wheat—it will ripen someday.”

The old man finally turned and smiled at her.

“Go west. The Boundless Abyss lies at the edge of Yomi. Cross the wheat fields, and at midnight, Death Carriages driven by Dark Celestial Maidens will appear. If you can offer the proper price, they’ll take you there.”

“Thank you, elder. The wheat will definitely ripen.”

“You seem distant, young lady, but your heart is as warm as this field. That kind of heart will ripen, in time.” The old man smiled warmly.

Rei tossed her silver hair and turned to leave. As her lithe frame moved forward, her blue skirt swayed, revealing her toned, long legs wrapped in sheer black stockings. She strode off into the distance, crossing the endless golden wheat fields.

Behind her, the old man transformed in a flash of golden light—revealing a tall, elegant woman with flowing black hair, clad in a straw hat and an ornate coat

¹.

“Death Carriage?”

Even the name alone made it sound ominous. Still, it appeared to be her only way forward.

The Boundless Abyss was unimaginably distant. The deeper one went into Yomi, the deadlier it became. Without that elder’s guidance, she doubted she could’ve arrived in time.

After leaving the wheat fields behind, Rei stepped into wide plains of grass.

“You can find plains in Yomi too?”

But the grass here was a deep purple, and each blade shimmered with a faint crystalline glow.

“These grasses are brimming with spirit energy,” she murmured, picking one up to inspect it.

No wonder so many powerhouses, despite the dangers and humiliations, still chose to enter Yomi. The mortal realm had no training ground that could compare to this. Of course, Takamagahara was ideal—but far harder to reach.

The righteous path, the way of the Heavenly Path, was long and filled with hardship. But straying into darkness and demonic paths was dangerously easy. The road of evil was easy to step onto—but treacherous with every step.

She couldn’t help but feel fortunate. Born with the body of a Celestial Maiden and wielding a divine cursed blade, her training conditions were better than most. But so were her burdens—far heavier than those of ordinary warriors.

Stealing the fiancée of the strongest being in all of Yomi? How many across Yomi would even dare to dream of it? Yet not only had she dared to imagine it—she knew she had to do it. And she had to succeed!

A herd of demonic beasts appeared across the plains, plump and healthy. Rei nocked an arrow and felled a fat goat with a single shot. She quickly built a fire and roasted the meat. The goat, nourished by spirit-rich grass, was incredibly delicious.

After her meal, she prepared to continue on her journey. But just then, the plains began to tremble. From the distant hills to the horizon, the earth shook. Dark clouds surged as a horde of demon riders on phantom horses stormed in, howling eerily like a tidal wave. They didn’t charge at Rei, instead scattering to hunt beasts across the plains.

Though she could have avoided them easily, she chose not to. She sensed this might be tied to the old man’s words—and walked straight toward the nomadic demons.

Soon, the nomads spotted her—a tall, beautiful goddess in revealing attire—and naturally, they wanted to seize her. A massive group of mounted demons quickly surrounded her, circling and jeering.

One wiry demon with a taste for tall women stood on his mount, twirling a rope into a lasso and flinging it at her.

“Hmph.” With a grunt, Rei snatched the rope midair and yanked it forcefully.

“Aaagh!” The demon screeched as he was flung from his mount—only to be trampled to death by the stampeding herd.

The beasts roared. The demons howled. The entire horde of nomad riders surged at her in fury.

Her eyes narrowed. She drew her gleaming cursed blade.

“Hyah!” With a shout, she unleashed a circular wave of icy energy that swept outward, instantly felling every rider within a hundred meters.

The demons, now enraged, fired volleys of arrows and spells. The stronger ones began to charge.

Suddenly, a sharp, flute-like sound pierced the air. At once, the demons panicked and scattered in all directions, completely ignoring Rei. Tens of thousands of nomadic riders vanished like mist, fleeing without a trace.

Rei then spotted eight women clad in revealing black armor, riding massive demonic horses that vaguely resembled her own steed, Nioh. Each of the riders had a cold, threatening gaze. Their presence was unmistakably formidable.

“Dark Celestial Maidens?” Rei murmured under her breath.

The women quickly rode over and encircled Rei, each pointing a long black spear wrapped in pale cloth directly at her.

“You—who are you?” one of the Dark Celestial Maidens demanded.

“Me? I’m a warrior from the mortal realm, as you can see,” she said, lifting her arms slightly, the motion emphasizing her impressive figure

².

The Dark Celestial Maidens glared at her with visible annoyance. Despite their beauty and formidable strength, none of them were particularly well-endowed, which seemed to fuel their resentment.

The captain of the squad, leading ten riders, was about equal to Rei in power—assuming Rei wasn’t wielding her divine Cursed Blade.

The captain leveled her spear at Rei and asked sharply, “What’s your business here?”

“I’m searching for the Death Carriage.”

“The Death Carriage?” Several of the maidens exchanged glances and smiled in a sly, knowing way.

“You’re looking for the Death Carriage? And where exactly do you plan to go?”

“To the Boundless Abyss.”

“Hmph, so you do know what you’re asking. Then you should also know there’s a price to ride the Death Carriage, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Then are you prepared to pay it?”

Rei gave a slight nod. “I am

³.”

“Then come with us.”

“Think you can keep up?”

With a shout, the Dark Celestial Maidens spurred their demonic horses into a full sprint.

Rei grabbed a coil of rope and threw it with precision, lassoing a nearby demonic steed. She leapt onto its back in one fluid motion, her pale but powerful legs gripping its flanks. The beast tried to resist—but a firm squeeze broke its will.

Mounted on the subdued steed, she charged after the Celestial Maidens, thundering across the open plains.

“The plains… ah, the endless grasslands of Yomi, echoing with the gallop of demonic steeds…”

Not far away, a demon burdened with ragged travel packs skipped across the plains, crooning a strange song that drifted across the skies.

Rei galloped onward, her long silver hair dancing in the wind. Following the Celestial Maidens, she soon arrived at a vast encampment. Black and white tents dotted the landscape like scattered pearls across the plains.

Towering beside the camp was a massive, ominous black carriage—so large it rivaled a mountain in size

⁴.

Footnotes:

1. Robinxen: Oooh, how mysterious.

2. Robinxen: Insert anime chest bounce.

3. Robinxen: Wait, did she actually ask what the price is? I forgot.

4. Robinxen: HOW THE HECK DOES IT EVEN SUPPORT ITS OWN WEIGHT?!