Demon Sword Maiden-Chapter 141Book 12: : Boundless

The chains tethering Hekiraku City stretched tens of thousands of meters long. The eight ancient demon gods dug their colossal claws into the mountainside, sending rubble tumbling into the endless darkness below. Guided by them, the massive floating city gradually descended along the rim of the Boundless Abyss.

Lily and Ayaka peered into the engulfing darkness, their vision gradually adjusting. Faint outlines of the abyss’ sheer mountain walls and ancient, colossal bones buried deep within the gloom emerged—each exuding a chilling, oppressive aura that had endured for eternity.

"Sister Ayaka, can you still hear the bell?" Lily asked quietly.

"Now and then," Ayaka replied, her expression thoughtful. "It seems to be coming from somewhere deeper within…"

‘The Madam once said Ayaka would find her opportunity on the way to the Boundless Abyss… Could these distant bell chimes be her chance?' Lily pondered silently.

‘Sister Ayaka may find her destiny… but what about me?' Sadness welled up in Lily’s heart. If she failed to break through—if she truly failed— would she be trapped here, forced to become the Boundless Imperial Princess’ wife?

She couldn’t accept that. But then… her senior sister…

‘What am I supposed to do?'

"It's nearly impossible to cultivate my Lunar Heavenly Path in this pitch-black abyss. Even the Twelve Moon Phase Instrument struggles to help now—my comprehension has already surpassed its limits. I can only rely on the moon's reflection in the Mirror Dimension, but anxiety makes it hard to focus."

During their journey, Lily and Ayaka often entered the Mirror Dimension to train whenever possible. Yet, Lily secluded herself in the stone cavern where the Tsukuyomi Swordstyle was preserved, avoiding interaction with others.

To avoid worrying her sisters, Lily kept her marriage arrangements hidden from those outside Yomi-no-kuni. But even if they knew… what could they possibly do?

Now, once again, Lily entered the Mirror Dimension. Most of her sisters were diligently training within the Cloud Sanctum.

Lily lingered outside her senior sister's room but dared not enter. She didn’t know how to face her. If all her efforts turned out to be in vain… what then?

"Master…" In the dim stone chamber, Saionji Nanako stood quietly in a corner, her sorrowful gaze fixed upon Lily.

Though the others remained unaware, Nanako shared her body with Kagura. How could she not know everything Lily carried? The weight of Lily’s burdens was too heavy, too painful. Lily had little time to spare for her, and after a long, lonely stretch, Nanako’s sadness had turned to silent depression. All she could do was train endlessly.

By now, she and Kagura had reached the peak of the Throned Saint level and were on the verge of breaking into the Big Dipper Stage. With shared comprehension among their sisters, guidance from many seniors, and a near-perfect training environment, their growth had been steady and natural.

Yet Nanako remained deeply troubled. Her isolation, coupled with Lily’s burdens, made her withdraw even further. She sometimes even wished Kagura would stay dormant, leaving her alone to train endlessly. She barely spoke to anyone anymore.

But today, by chance, she had encountered Lily. Unable to resist, she softly called out to her.

"Nanako?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Master," Nanako said, lowering her head.

"What?" Lily turned toward the small figure sitting in the shadows. Her heart ached at the sight of Nanako’s frail shoulders and sorrowful eyes. She hurried over. "Of course not. What are you saying? You could never bother me—hearing that makes me feel ashamed."

"I know how kind you are, Master," Nanako said, her voice trembling with tears. "But… I still can't do anything to help you with your troubles."

"Would you come outside with me for a little while?" Lily asked gently.

Nanako’s strength now was more than enough to survive in the Boundless Abyss. As a Shikigami, she could manifest easily. With a thought, Lily returned to the real world, and Nanako materialized in a cloud of mist in a corner of Lily’s room in Hekiraku City.

"Master, do you remember the first time we met?" Nanako asked softly. Whenever she recalled the memories they shared, her eyes always lit up, her face regaining its former glow.

But hearing that only deepened Lily’s sadness.

"No, you mustn’t cling only to the past. You have to look ahead, Nanako," Lily said softly, placing her hand gently on Nanako’s shoulder.

"The future…? I’ve thought about it too," Nanako murmured. "When I’m strong enough, I want to fight for you, Master. Like that demon hound does… But the gap between us just keeps growing. Even as you face such terrible dangers, I, as a Shikigami, can only…" Nanako’s voice trailed off, filled with frustration.

"No! Don’t say that!" Lily cried, pulling Nanako closer. "You are not a tool! You’re not just a Shikigami! You are Nanako—my precious sister!" Lily wrapped Nanako in a tender embrace.

Nanako’s eyes grew hazy. She pressed her small face against Lily’s warm, towering chest, and tears silently streamed down her cheeks. It had been so long since she had felt Lily’s warmth, her scent, her heartbeat so close…

Yet, no matter how tightly she clung, her tears wouldn’t stop. Sorrow still clouded her face.

"Tell me—what do you want?" Lily whispered urgently. "Nanako, I’ve neglected you for so long… Only now do I realize how helpless you’ve been. Please… Tell me if there’s anything I can do!"

A wild idea suddenly flashed through Lily’s mind. Of course, it was a last resort. If she truly could not escape the Boundless Abyss, if she were forced to surrender herself to the Boundless Imperial Princess…

Still, she swore—she would never surrender her first time to that woman.

The instant that shameful idea surfaced, Lily’s face flushed fiercely, and her body burned with embarrassment. It was too shameful—too disgraceful. How could she even think such a thing? How could she treat something so sacred in such a utilitarian way?

There was no right or wrong in matters of the heart! How could she ever betray her senior sister? But… where was her senior sister now?

Lily was completely lost, unwilling to dwell any longer on these painful thoughts.

"Master, what I want… If one day…" Nanako hesitated.

Nanako seemed to recall that day long ago—when she had clutched the Sakura Parasol with determination and leapt from the cliff alongside Lily. Ever since then, it felt as if her heart had been frozen in time.

"Tell me," Lily urged gently.

"I don't want to trouble you, Master. I understand… I only have one small wish. If one day, when you're free of all your troubles, and if you feel willing… please return something to me."

"Huh? What is it?" Lily asked softly.

Nanako gently tugged at Lily’s collar, parting it slightly. "Just like that day under the cliff… when you took something from me… I want you to return the favor." She pressed her face closer, inhaling Lily’s familiar scent, her embarrassed gaze lingering on the generous curves hidden beneath the loosened collar.

Lily, sharp as ever, paused in slight confusion—then slowly understood Nanako’s true intention. Lily drew her into a tight embrace, feeling an unexpected wave of relief and warmth.

If this simple wish was what Nanako truly wanted, then at least it meant she hadn't been swallowed by despair.

"Yes…" Lily whispered, her cheeks burning, lowering her head shyly as she softly agreed.

Across the vast wastelands of Yomi-no-kuni, the world lay shrouded in darkness and desolation. Shimizu walked the lonely, darkened road, her Soul-Beckoning Lantern faintly illuminating the way.

It was no easy task for a lone woman to journey through Yomi-no-kuni. Somewhere along the way, Shimizu had acquired a straw hat and a rough hemp coat to conceal her appearance. Fortunately, unlike Lily, her body did not exude an enchanting, irresistible feminine aura that would lure demons like moths to a flame.

Thanks to her precautions, Shimizu avoided unnecessary attention and found her journey relatively easier. Even so, danger lurked at every turn. The path she left behind was strewn with the corpses of demons.

"Roar… Woman, even if you hide your face, I can tell you're prime quality! Damn it! I couldn't get the most beautiful woman across the three realms… Even Wakarai, a Supreme God, was beaten like a dog trying to claim her! Heh… You’ll have to do to quench my thirst!" snarled a hulking demon.

The speaker was an Infernal Stage demon, one who had trained for ten thousand years and entered Yomi only a millennium ago—an existence still considered low-tier among the Infernals.

Meanwhile, after absorbing vast amounts of Yomi energy through countless battles, Shimizu had reached the strength of a sextuple-soul Big Dipper.

"I suggest you give up now," Shimizu said calmly, her head lowered. "I'm in a hurry. You won’t catch me easily, nor will I kill you quickly. Why waste your time?"

"Heh! Arrogant women are the ones I like best!" the demon laughed greedily. The Infernal demon lunged at her, his immense aura distorting the air. His claw strikes tore through the atmosphere, unleashing waves of dark energy.

Shimizu moved like a phantom, narrowly evading the demon’s ferocious strikes. Yet, unlike Lily, her movement arts were not overwhelmingly fast, and repeated assaults could still catch her off guard.

However… The dark energy from his attacks was quietly absorbed by the ancient jade pendant hanging from her neck.

"Ah!" the demon gasped, feeling his soul momentarily seize up. "What… What is that thing?!" His unleashed divine energy was being absorbed by her. Although the drain was slight compared to his reserves, the feeling of losing anything at all gnawed at him.

And if he relied purely on brute strength without divine energy, he knew he couldn’t keep up with her agility. Frustrated, the demon tried to end it quickly, but his repeated blows missed. Only one final desperate strike connected—blocked by Shimizu’s blade—which sent her skidding backward.

"Ugh!" the demon snarled, feeling the backlash of his own dark energy. "You wretched woman! You’re using my power against me?!"

The two clashed again and again. Though the demon had only lost about three percent of his dark divine energy—a negligible amount—Shimizu grew stronger with each encounter.

If the battle dragged on, he might eventually land a fatal blow—or he might simply be drained to death. The longer he fought, the more his energy slipped away, inch by inch.

"I told you—you can’t kill me," Shimizu said flatly. "And I don’t have the time to kill you either."

"You want me to spare you? Dream on!" the demon roared.

"Heh, that’s not exactly it," Shimizu said sweetly, her voice taking on a strangely alluring tone. "What you truly crave… isn’t me, is it? You still dream of the most beautiful woman in all three realms, don’t you?"

"What’s the point of bringing that up?" the demon growled. "Every demon in Yomi knows Lyn-hime, Kagami Lily, is the most beautiful across the three realms! Someone like me could never reach her!"

"Hehe… How can you be so sure you’ll never have her?" Shimizu’s soft, tempting voice seemed to ignite a dangerous gleam in the demon’s eyes.