Demon Sword Maiden

Volume 12 - Yomi-no-kuni: Chapter 245 - The End of the Herikaku Path

Only two people could walk this path? Could this road truly lead to Takamagahara? Everything remained uncertain, but judging from Shimizu’s intuition and the unusual nature of this river of light, it was highly likely that this was indeed the Path of High Heavens.

Even if only two people were allowed to travel this path, Lily and the others, with their resolute hearts, would never give up here. They would surely press forward without hesitation.

So then… who would Lily choose?

“Lily excels in combat. If only one person can accompany her, Her Majesty the Queen would be the best choice. Her Majesty specializes in arcane artes and can support Lily with divine spells to enhance her strength. Bringing Her Majesty would naturally be the most suitable decision,” said Chiya. Yet, even as she spoke, doubt lingered in her heart. As a fallen celestial maiden, she too longed for the Takamagahara, as did they all. But the journey ahead was fraught with peril, how could she feel at ease letting the Queen leave her side?

However, since they had all sworn their oaths as sisters, Chiya understood. From an objective standpoint, the Queen truly was the ideal candidate. Besides, Chiya also knew that this was the Queen’s own wish. It was just that, at this moment, the Queen couldn’t very well say it herself.

Queen Kaguya felt a flicker of joy in her heart, but upon noticing the dim light in Shimizu’s gaze, she said gently, “Although I would very much like to accompany Lily, in terms of overall strength, Miss Shimizu would be the more appropriate choice. As for support and synergy, Ayaka’s Heavenly Charm Dance is also a powerful aid, Miss Ayaka would be a good candidate as well.”

“Oh, no need to be modest. When it comes to divine blessings, spells, and the depth of artifacts, Your Majesty is far more suitable than I am,” Ayaka said with a hint of intellect in her eyes. “However, as the reigning monarch of the Female Queendom, the Takamagahara are far too dangerous. On top of that, Your Majesty is a wanted fugitive there, it would be unwise to take such a risk lightly…”

“Hehehe, all this back-and-forth, what’s the point? I’ve always been Lily’s shadow. If only two people can go, then in terms of strength and emotional bond… I’m the most suitable. Lily, I’m going with you!” Shimizu declared firmly, refusing to yield even an inch.

Among the sisters, the only one who remained silent was Rei. She stood at a distance, her ice-blue gaze steady, silver hair swaying in the wind, her expression somewhat despondent.

When it came to combat prowess and synergy, Shimizu was the most compatible. In terms of divine arts and support, Queen Kaguya and Ayaka were the better choices. Even Chiya was far more qualified than she was. What could someone like her, a mere Big Dipper Stage warrior, possibly say?

By this point, the sisters had all spoken their minds, and now they turned their eyes toward Lily, waiting for her to make her decision. Though the goal was to save a life, it was hard not to feel a touch of pride at the thought of being chosen.

Lily looked at each of her sisters, her heart filled with emotion. Faced with such peril, not one of them had shown fear or selfishness, each was willing to risk everything. Where else in the world could one find such incredible sisters?

Their assessments also closely matched Lily’s own thoughts regarding objective compatibility.

Yet, just as the others waited with anticipation, Lily turned her gaze toward Rei, who stood alone in the distance. Standing atop the river of light, she extended her hand toward her, her radiant eyes shimmering with resolve.

“Sister Uesugi.”

“Eh!?” The sisters were all taken aback. This wasn’t about choosing a consort or romantic partner! This was about selecting a companion to venture into a realm more perilous and powerful than Yomi itself, a partner to save someone from Takamagahara. And Lily had chosen someone with mere Big Dipper Stage strength? What was she thinking?

“Lily?” Even Rei herself could scarcely believe it.

‘Maybe… Lily is just trying to spare my feelings,’ Rei thought quietly. Still, she stepped forward with grace, her expression calm as she approached Lily and gently handed her the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. “Lily, thank you for your kindness. Although this is to rescue my mother, the other sisters are undeniably more suitable than I am. Take the Kusanagi with you…wielding it, you’ll be able to fight at your full potential.”

“No.” Lily’s voice carried a gentle but firm determination. With her other hand, she grasped the one Rei held the sword with. “I’m not just taking the sword, I’m taking you with me, Sister Uesugi.”

“Eh?” Even Rei, composed as she was, couldn’t help the flush that spread across her cheeks, her heart shaken by those words.

“Sister Uesugi, we’re going to save Bishamonten, your mother. How could you not go?”

“Lily…”

“With that determination in our hearts, I know we can save your mother!” Lily declared without hesitation.

Though surprised, the sisters all nodded with warm smiles after hearing her words.

Yes… Uesugi Rei was a proud, strong warrior. Who had the right to strip her of the chance to rescue her own mother? Who dared underestimate her resolve?

Even Shimizu, who had earlier furrowed her brow and felt a flicker of jealousy, now stood quietly nearby. She lowered her head, then gave a faint, understanding smile.

“Sister Uesugi, come.” Lily reached out sincerely, and Rei leapt gracefully onto the heavenly river, taking Lily’s hand in her own.

“Lily, be careful out there!” Queen Kaguya called out, eyes shimmering with reluctant emotion.

“Lily…” Ayaka, too, was moved, her eyes moist as she gave a solemn nod.

“Uesugi Rei.” Shimizu turned her face to the horizon, gazing at the clouds. “If anything happens to Lily… if she’s bullied by those lecherous gods of Takamagahara, I won’t forgive you.”

“Shimizu…” For the first time, Rei realized that Shimizu wasn’t as unruly as she appeared. In fact, she seemed more mature than before. Why was that?

“Lily, once you two set off, we’ll follow along the river of light. Maybe we’ll also find a way through the Gate of Ascension,” said Shimizu.

“Mm!” Lily nodded firmly.

And so, hand in hand, Lily and Rei stepped onto the brilliant heavenly river, heading toward the boundless heights of the High Heavens.

The others couldn’t step onto the path themselves and could only fly alongside them.

Like that, the sisters followed beside the glowing river as it soared higher and higher. The massive mountain below had grown tiny in the distance. All around them, the azure sky stretched endlessly, clouds drifting like silk.

But as they continued their flight, they reached a certain height, and suddenly, amidst the radiant sky, Lily and Rei began to fade like mirages. At that point, even when the others tried to speak to them or send transmissions, the pair could no longer hear them.

Shimizu, unwilling to part, reached out to grab Liy, but her hand passed through nothing, just a fleeting shadow, leaving only a trace of her scent behind.

Lily and Rei pressed on along the river of light, their figures growing fainter and fainter, until at last they vanished into the end of the heavenly path.

Even when the others continued to fly higher, all they saw was the endless sky of the Herikaku Realm, they could not reach Takamagahara.

The sisters hovered there in the high sky, gazing at the fading heavenly river. In that direction, there was… nothing.

It seemed the mystery behind this journey was far more complex than simply walking along the heavenly river.

“Let’s go back.”

Lily and Rei walked hand in hand, experiencing the same sensory distortion as the other sisters. Everything around them gradually faded into nothingness and blur. The figures of their sisters remained nearby for a while, but their voices slowly drifted away.

The two of them stepped into a vast sea of clouds. All around was white mist, limiting their vision to just a dozen meters ahead. Here, all fluctuations and detection abilities were disordered, as if two different worlds had overlapped.

In this place, if one’s mind lacked firmness or one’s emotions were not sincere, they might easily fall into an abyss with no end. But Lily and Rei, whether it was their trust in each other or the conviction behind their journey, remained unshakably resolute. No matter how uncertain the road ahead, they advanced without hesitation.

They did not know how long they had been walking through the mist.

A vast, surging wind began to blow. Yet, for some reason, Lily sensed that although the wind carried the majesty of the heavens, it also bore a somber weight, an indescribable darkness distinct from the gloom of Yomi.

It was heavy, cold, and carried a murky presence.

“Is this truly Takamagahara ahead of us?”

The mist before them began to shift in color, turning a pale, murky gray, and gradually thinned. Though both felt uneasy, they exchanged a firm nod, tightened their grip, and boldly stepped out from the clouds.

Before them stretched an expanse of dark clouds, like ink-brushed mountain ranges painted with endless strokes of a divine brush!

Clouds became mountains. Clouds became rivers. Clouds were sky. Clouds were land. An overwhelming, ethereal scene unfolded, formed entirely of clouds like diluted black ink, spreading across the heavens.

Though shrouded in somber coldness and desolation, it still struck Lily and Rei with awe and wonder. Beneath their feet, the once brilliant river of radiant light had become faint and muddy, flowing toward the distance.

Wooo—wooo—wooo… The wind howled like the groan of a hundred thousand mountain gods, sending Lily and Rei’s black and silver hair whipping in wild disarray.

Amid this boundless, multidimensional canvas of chaos, like the splash of divine ink across the cosmos, only Lily’s silhouette stood out in a touch of vivid crimson.

She and Rei held hands tightly, like two lost girls wandering through a realm of cloud and haze. In this vastness, they seemed so small, so helpless, so alone. If someone unfamiliar with their purpose had seen this scene, they might have felt pity, worrying whether these two girls could ever find their way home.

Ahead, a faint silver river flowed gently toward a floating island shaded in dark cyan. Upon the island stood rugged peaks and ancient, twisted pines.

Lily stepped forward, only to feel the light beneath her feet grow increasingly dim and unstable. Her foot slipped through emptiness and nearly fell. Rei swiftly wrapped an arm around Lily’s waist and caught her just in time. Lily stumbled, her head accidentally landing against Rei’s shoulder. Though unintentional, the moment reminded them both of the past, and Lily couldn’t help but blush.

But Lily was no longer the same as before. As she sensed the flow of the world around her, she realized that although this place was vast and desolate, its spiritual energy was surging. However, it was cold and chaotic. A regular human adept, unable to control it properly, might injure themselves just by breathing it in. But Lily’s body, what could such a constitution fear? She had endured the crushing gravity and searing heat of Yomi. This chaotic energy posed no threat to her.

Naturally, she could master it with ease.

“Sister Uesugi, this light bridge won’t be able to carry us to the island. I can fly us the rest of the way,” Lily said.

“Oh… Then I…”

“I’ll take you with me.”

Rei wasn’t fond of being pulled along, of letting another woman steer her path. But she wasn’t the type to fuss either. She gave a simple nod.

Lily summoned her divine power, gripped Rei’s hand, and leapt into the air, soaring through the skies of the High Heavens.

Here, the sky was the sky, and the earth was also the sky, no ground could be seen. Even though everything around them was gloomy and vast, the sensation of flying freely through such an illusory realm remained utterly exhilarating.