Demon Sword Maiden

Volume 12 - Yomi-no-kuni: Chapter 147 – Calm Before The Storm

Thousands of miles beyond the Boundless Abyss, the land stretched in wild, chaotic expanse. Even from such a distance, the gaping black chasm loomed across the horizon.

Wakarai stood atop a cliff, lightning dancing across his body, with Kurorai standing beside him, equally wreathed in crackling electricity.

A thunderbolt tore through the sky, and from its crackling blaze emerged a grotesque young man with a comically large nose. “Third brother, fifth brother! Hehehe!” the odd man greeted cheerfully. He had been in Yomi for so long that even history had forgotten his arrival.

“Eighth brother, are you the only one who came?” Wakarai asked, his tone tinged with disappointment.

“Hehe, big brother’s being cautious. He’s not as bold as he used to be in his youth.” This ‘eighth brother’ was Fushirai, the youngest of the Eight Thunder Gods.

“Fifth brother, there’s only three of us. Invading her domain directly might be too risky,” Kurorai said with a scowl, his thick black beard sparking like wild lightning.

Wakarai chuckled as he stared out toward the Boundless Abyss. “Who said anything about attacking? Didn’t the Boundless Imperial Princess invite every major power in Yomi? We’re just going to attend the celebration.”

Kurorai looked puzzled, but Fushirai’s eyes lit up with a spark of realization. “Ah, now I get it! Brilliant as always, fifth brother. Everyone in Yomi wants Kagami Lily! If something breaks out, we’ll seize the chance and take her for ourselves! Hehehe!”

“Oh, I see now,” Kurorai said, nodding. “We’d never beat her without all eight Thunder Gods. But entering her territory would still be suicide. Yet she’s arrogant enough to invite every powerhouse to her own wedding… she’s practically begging for trouble!”

“Fifth brother, I’ll help you. I don’t want much—just let me lick her feet once we catch her! Hehehe!” Fushirai, despite being an ancient god, spoke with crude enthusiasm.

“Don’t worry! What’s mine is yours. A wife of mine is a wife of my brothers!” Wakarai laughed. Arrogant by nature, Wakarai would never truly share a woman like Lily. He was fine discarding ordinary women once he lost interest—but Lily, the most beautiful across the three realms? Never.

But in this situation, he had no other choice. If he wanted even a shot at claiming her, he needed to adjust his approach.

“Fifth brother, I’ve heard that anyone who claims Lily can absorb her essence and gain immense power! Some say a Supreme God might even surpass their limits and rival the Boundless Imperial Princess! Is that… true?” Fushirai asked, thunder crackling in his eyes.

“Lily is the most beautiful woman in all three realms. She’s a treasure shaped by the world itself. Whoever claims her will gain unimaginable benefits,” Wakarai said, gazing into the distant abyss.

“Really? That’s amazing! Big brother’s a fool for passing on such a chance. How can anyone reach the top without taking risks?”

But Wakarai scoffed inwardly. While seizing a woman like Lily might offer power, it wasn’t the miracle others imagined. The idea that absorbing her essence could elevate someone to Supreme God status—or rival the Boundless Imperial Princess—was pure fiction. Her title as the most beautiful across the three realms was crafted as political leverage. In fact, Wakarai himself had his underlings spread those rumors, all to provoke chaos and stir every greedy powerhouse into madness.

Of course, every powerful being in Yomi lusted after someone like her. But beauty alone wasn’t enough to drive them into danger. The promise of power—of ascending in rank, perhaps ruling Yomi itself—was what truly sparked frenzy. And that was exactly what Wakarai had intended.

After all, even if a Supreme God managed to seize Lily, could they truly hold onto her without sufficient strength?

A true powerhouse might fight for a woman, but more importantly, they would gamble everything for a chance to reach the peak of power.

“We shouldn’t arrive too early. Let’s take our time. Once most of the other powerhouses have gathered, that’s when we’ll make our entrance,” Wakarai said calmly.

“Understood,” both thunder god brothers replied with a nod.

Just then, dark clouds churned on the horizon as thunder rocs soared in from afar, bearing Wakarai’s subordinates and loads of treasure.

“Fifth brother, what are you…”

“Aren’t we going to snatch the bride? Why bring gifts

¹?”

“Hehehe, my brothers, it’s still a wedding. We should at least pretend to be proper guests!”

“I see! So considerate, fifth brother! Hehehe!”

Rumors swept across Yomi-no-kuni: whoever could claim Lyn-hime, the most beautiful woman in all three realms, would gain immense power. A lesser god with an incomplete Heavenly Path could ascend to Supreme Godhood. A Supreme God could grow even stronger, perhaps stepping closer to the realm of a Great Imperial God.

At first, many of Yomi’s powerhouses were hesitant. But now, they were stirred into action. They hastily prepared gifts and rushed toward the Boundless Abyss—outwardly attending the celebration, while secretly plotting to claim the bride or stir chaos.

Across the vast expanse of Yomi, countless powerhouses surged toward the Boundless Abyss. It became a sight unseen in Yomi’s long and storied history—an event truly without precedent.

Lily’s wedding had become the grandest celebration Yomi-no-kuni had ever seen. All of Yomi-no-kuni stood under the ominous hush of a calm before the storm.

At that very moment, deep within the cave at the end of Hyakki Street, the Madam lounged in shadow. Reclining beside her seat, she exhaled smoke from her long pipe, her posture languid and relaxed.

“Madam, is Kagami Lily’s body really that valuable? Then why give her to the Boundless Imperial Princess? Wouldn’t that just make her stronger?” Asura-Onna inquired.

“Hehe, that’s merely a rumor spread by someone with an agenda. It’s not entirely true. Still… Lily’s body does possess qualities that no other woman can replicate. In fact…” The Madam grinned slyly. “Wakarai isn’t entirely wrong. In some ways, Lily’s body is even more remarkable than he claims. But no—it has little to do with actual strength.” Her eyes drifted, vacant and enigmatic as smoke curled around her face.

Rakshasa-Onna and Asura-Onna exchanged a glance, both momentarily puzzled.

Rakshasa-Onna glanced down at her own hand, as though recalling a past sensation. “It did feel good… but is it really that mystical?”

“Enough idle talk. You two should get moving as well. We are in-laws now, so the ceremony and gifts must be prepared with proper care,” the Madam said with a chuckle.

“Yes, Madam!”

At that moment, Hekiraku City—drawn by eight colossal demon gods—hovered deep within the heart of the Boundless Abyss.

The massive chains, forged from cold divine metal, trembled with a constant hum.

An enormous wedding stage was under construction, using Hekiraku City as its centerpiece. Even a city of its size wasn’t enough to host the sheer number of Yomi’s attending powerhouses.

Countless demon and spirit craftsmen from across the abyss toiled tirelessly, constructing layers of scaffolding and foundations around Hekiraku City for the grand stage.

“My demon artisans, this ten-thousand-year-old log is far too young—suitable only for side railings. How could you think to use it for the core framework?” A tall man with a flowing beard and dressed in traditional white robes barked, waving his wide sleeves and brandishing a set of construction scrolls at the brutish demons before him.

The man was once Emperor Kosho, a mortal ruler of an ancient dynasty. A royal born of the Tenson Clan—believed to descend from the gods—he had preserved his physical form even in death. Now, he was hailed as one of the greatest architects in Yomi and had been summoned as one of eight legendary Emperors tasked with designing the wedding stage.

Though the demons had little fear of him, the will of the Boundless Abyss decreed that the commands of the Eight Emperors were to be obeyed without question. They had no choice.

Stroking his beard, Emperor Kosho scrutinized the blueprints. “This central pillar must be carved from ancient purple divinewood—no less than a million years old, one hundred meters thick, and ten thousand meters long. Even in Yomi-no-kuni, such material is exceedingly rare.”

“Worry not, Master Architect. Whatever material you need, the Boundless Abyss will procure it at once. Your only task is to build it to the highest standard. No expense shall be spared,” a Dark Celestial Maiden assured him.

“Ah, splendid. Just as I’d expect from Her Highness, the Boundless Imperial Princess!” Kosho said, pleased.

A gleam of ambition flashed in Kosho’s eyes. Ever since his arrival in Yomi, his sole desire had been to apply his vast knowledge to the construction of awe-inspiring monuments.

“Hehehe, thank you for your dedication, Master Architect,” the Dark Celestial Maiden purred. Dressed in a revealing outfit, she leaned in close and draped her arms around Kosho’s shoulders. “Her Highness instructed me to take very good care of you. All of your needs…”

“Ah! N-no, I wouldn’t dare!” Kosho stammered, flustered. “All I want is to build an unprecedented stage for Her Highness—Rinpeki Stage! Please, Celestial Maiden, don’t tease me!”

Kosho was a man wholly devoted to his craft—an artist obsessed with architectural perfection. Lust had never swayed him in life, and certainly not now, centuries after his death.

The surrounding demons could only glare with envy, but none dared interfere. In the Boundless Abyss, only the Dark Celestial Maidens had the privilege to tease others—and no one had the courage to oppose them.

“Hmph, what a dull man. Completely useless.” The Dark Celestial Maiden, having long fallen into the abyss, now carried herself with all the mannerisms and wicked charm of a true demoness.

“Oh, the Rinpeki Stage…” He gazed wistfully at the vast construction site. “I wonder what year it is now in the mortal realm? I heard this Lyn-hime also came from there. If only I could ask her… that would be wonderful.”

“Come now, place those translucent jade beads only along the suspended bridge the bride will walk,” barked another of the imperial architects in the distance, directing a group of demon laborers struggling with crates.

Meanwhile, deep within the jagged cliffs of the Boundless Abyss, in the secluded village of male demons… Countless bonfires lit up the stage, and a mesmerizing feminine fragrance lingered in the air.

Ayaka stood at the heart of the stage. Though dressed simply and moving with elegant grace, her proud bearing and exquisite form made her maddening to behold.

The flickering firelight danced across her glistening skin, highlighting her allure as a dignified, mature woman. The sight pushed the gathered demons to the edge of madness. Even the human spirits observing from afar felt the irresistible urge to rush forward and embrace her, willing to brave divine wrath for even a moment of contact.

Yet Ayaka’s Celestial Maiden dance had enthralled them completely. Despite their frenzy, none could move. They were spellbound. It was now the third day of Ayaka’s continuous dance.

Footnotes:

1. Robinxen: So that Lily can take them all when she inevitably gets the protagonist treatment, of course!