Demon Sword Maiden

Volume 13 - Takamagahara: Chapter 42 - Succession! Divine Might of Bishamonten!

“Rei-Rei, you don’t need to worry too much about Mommy.” Bishamonten’s voice was gentle as she explained, “Even after passing my divinity to you, I’ll only lose my Supreme God power. But my body, though stripped of its divine essence, will still far surpass that of ordinary women, and even those at the Big Dipper Stage. There may be short-term effects, but in the long run, it won’t harm a woman’s body in any way. I’ll remain perfectly healthy.”

“Is that so…” Upon hearing that, Rei finally relaxed a little.

“It’s you I’m more concerned about,” Bishamonten continued. “Though you’ve already broken through to the Celestial Stage and have the qualifications to receive a divine inheritance, your foundation remains unstable. Ideally, you should have waited until reaching the Celestial Pinnacle, but we no longer have the time. The key to accepting a divinity lies in whether you can withstand the immense power it holds! It will test both your body and your will. If you fail to endure it, the consequences may be beyond imagination! Do you understand? If you lack confidence, you must not force yourself!”

“Mother, no matter how dangerous it is, I must try! No matter how hard it gets, for Lily’s sake—I will succeed!” Rei’s eyes gleamed with a frost-like determination.

Bishamonten was reassured by her daughter’s mental fortitude and physical foundation, yet she couldn’t help but worry. Her daughter was too strong-willed, unlike Lily, who sometimes made little mistakes and revealed her soft, feminine side that invited affection.

Even so, Bishamonten loved her daughter deeply.

“Rei-Rei, I’ll now begin the transfer of divinity. You must prepare yourself completely.” Bishamonten’s tone grew solemn.

“Yes, Mother.” Rei knelt upright, her posture exuding unshakable resolve.

Bishamonten then fell silent. A faint, holy glow enveloped her body, pure and translucent like snow and ice. Her figure slowly levitated, serene yet brimming with restrained power.

The air trembled… then suddenly, a violent storm erupted, scattering snow in every direction!

The surrounding cavern faded away, replaced by an endless, boundless snowfield. The blizzard itself was composed of divine power, vast and immeasurable.

Even standing still amid that storm of divinity required tremendous effort from Rei.

Behind Bishamonten appeared a colossal, ancient celestial phantom; its crystalline body shimmered with deep blue radiance. One hand wielded a sharp sword, the other bore a treasured pagoda. A ring of azure ice-flames blazed behind it, its divine aura fearsome and majestic.

It was the manifestation of Bishamonten’s ancestral guardian deity!

Though the Bishamonten lineage consisted entirely of women, their guardian spirit was fierce and warlike, a symbol of how their women stood tall in the harshest of storms, the strongest and bravest across all three realms!

Under that divine pressure, Bishamonten extended her jade-like fingers and began to dance. Her long arms moved with a rhythm of strength and grace, her gestures embodying the ancient dance of gods and buddhas. The fluid yet powerful motion utterly captivated Rei.

Gradually, Bishamonten’s movements drew inward toward her abdomen. A blinding blue light began to radiate from her lower belly.

“Mmm… ahh…” Even for Bishamonten, forcing her own divinity out of her body was excruciating. Her trembling voice escaped in low moans, and beads of sweat formed across her glowing skin.

Then, from the blue light, an ice-blue Celestial Battle Maiden wielding a sword emerged. The figure grew in size after leaving Bishamonten’s body until it stood over a foot tall.

The Goddess of War held a sword in one hand and supported a pagoda in the other. A blazing halo of blue flame encircled her back. Her ancient armor was bold and revealing, her flowing skirt fluttered above countless writhing demons beneath her feet. Her entire form emanated the indomitable might of a war goddess who stood above all.

“So this… is Bishamonten’s divinity…” Rei gasped in awe, overwhelmed by reverence.

“Baby Girl! Accept her!”

“Yes!”

Rei devoted herself wholly to the inheritance. The blood of their lineage surged within her veins, awakening in resonance with the divine power before her.

Rei’s body lifted off the ground as if seized by an unseen force, her back arching under the weight of divine energy. Chains of icy light shot out from all directions, ripping her clothes and wrapping around her neck, wrists, and ankles.

From her waist down, only a faint blue undergarment remained as her abdomen tensed and arched forward.

“Ah!” Even one as resolute as Rei couldn’t suppress a startled cry. Being forced into such a posture caught her completely off guard.

“Baby Girl! Endure it! Don’t let your softer side defeat your will!”

Gritting her teeth, Rei forced herself to hold on. The divine essence of Bishamonten drifted closer, transforming into a torrent of blue energy that poured into her pale abdomen.

“Mmm… ahh… n-no…”

The surging divine power flooded her body, filling her Spirit Palace and pouring in without end! It was a sensation beyond words; agonizing, yet ecstatically overwhelming. A weaker woman would have fainted, lost herself completely, and failed the fusion.

“Baby Girl! Hold on! No one can help you now, you must rely on yourself!”

But the energy was far too violent. Rei felt her consciousness slipping, her body trembling uncontrollably.

In that instant, an image of Lily surfaced in her mind. Her delicate shoulder was half-exposed, her beauty tinged with sorrow as she looked at Rei with a mix of longing, shyness, and fear. In Rei’s imagination, she herself appeared with flowing silver hair, tall and graceful, radiating an aura that inspired awe in Lily, a power strong enough to completely command her.

Without hesitation, Rei imagined herself pinning Lily to the ground.

Her eyes flew open, blazing with absolute confidence and dominance. She drew in the wild divine force and absorbed it all into her Spirit Palace!

“Ahhh—!!”

Rei’s entire body glistened with sweat as she screamed with wild intensity. Her toned legs and arms strained taut, her back arched, and the icy chains creaked under her strength.

At that moment, overwhelming energy surged within Rei’s Spirit Palace, so violent it threatened to burst free. Yet Rei fought back with every ounce of her will, determined to suppress it, to control it, and make that divine might her own.

“From here on, it’s up to you. Mommy can’t guide you any further,” Bishamonten said softly. “If I stay here, my presence might interfere with the stabilization of Bishamonten’s divine power. Out of habit, the energy still wishes to return to my body.”

“Baby Girl! Use your own strength to break the shackles! The moment you break them will be the moment you truly become the new Bishamonten!”

“Ah—ah—ah!”

The roar of the waterfall could not drown out Rei’s cry. The ground trembled, the mountains quaked, thunder rolled, and rain poured down in torrents.

Bishamonten leaned weakly against the rocky wall as she staggered out from behind the waterfall. Reaching the pool’s edge, she no longer had the strength to climb up and collapsed directly into the shallow water.

A pair of gentle hands lifted her up and helped her to a seat beside a large stone under a nearby tree.

“It’s you?” Bishamonten’s eyes held a wary glint, though her body was so drained that she could not even muster resistance.

“Drink this potion. It will help your body recover faster. It’s especially effective for restoring a woman’s vitality.” Taira no Furaku held a small jade-green vial to Bishamonten’s lips as she spoke.

Bishamonten frowned slightly, her expression filled with disdain.

With a helpless sigh, Furaku said, “Relax, I may have many concoctions meant to deal with women, but this one truly is just for restoring energy. I may be an unworthy Supreme God, but right now, you are powerless and without your divinity to protect you. If I wanted to harm you, it would be as easy as breathing. Why would I need to trick you? Even if I wanted to feed you some strange potion by force, you couldn’t stop me anyway. Believe me…”

Bishamonten found her reasoning sound and, though still suspicious, decided to drink it. To her surprise, warmth spread through her body, and her strength gradually returned.

With some energy regained, she straightened her posture and asked, “Taira no Furaku, at a time like this, what brings you here? What are your intentions?”

A hint of bitterness clouded Furaku’s eyes. “What intentions could I possibly have? You and Lily are the reason I’m like this. I’ve now become a criminal of Takamagahara. I’m not Bishamonten, the famed War Goddess of the Celestial Maidens. I’m just a fallen demoness. If the Yuten Army catches me, that infatuated fool, Ame-no-Tajikarao, will surely protect Lily, but me? He’ll seal my powers and toss me to the Heroic Gods. Wouldn’t that be worse than the hell I already live in?”

“Hmph. For a woman like you, wouldn’t that be the most fitting punishment?” Bishamonten sneered coldly.

“There’s no need to mock me, Lady Bishamonten. I’m already no better than a stray dog, with nowhere left to go.”

“Oh? So you do have some self-awareness. Then tell me, whose plaything do you wish to become next?”

Furaku’s face flushed red. “Please don’t humiliate me like this… even if I have done shameful things in the past.”

“Do you truly repent? Or is it merely that you have nowhere left to run and are trying to use us for your own gain?”

“Think what you will, Lady Bishamonten, but right now, to return to the Hekiraku Realm or even to Yomi-no-kuni, I have no choice but to beg for your help.”

“Who has time to care about your fate?”

“Ah, no need to rush… there’s no rush,” Furaku replied with a faint blush.

“Furaku, earlier you called Ame-no-Tajikarao an infatuated fool. What did you mean by that?” Bishamonten’s sharp eyes locked onto her, clearly probing for the truth.

“Oh, that? Those foolish Heroic Gods can’t see it, but I can. That oaf has clearly fallen for Miss Lily. That’s the only reason he acted so righteously for her. Still, it shows he’s a man of integrity. Otherwise, if he truly desired her, wouldn’t now be the perfect time to force himself upon her?”

Furaku’s tone carried a trace of wistful jealousy. “Then again, who could blame him? Wherever Lily goes, she captures hearts without trying.”

“Silence! Don’t speak of Miss Lily as if she were like you!” Bishamonten’s voice thundered. “Her charm lies in her purity! The body of a woman that could stir desire, yet tempered with dignity and unyielding strength! That’s what you should learn! A woman without sincerity and purity of heart, no matter how beautiful, can only invite contempt!”

“Being scolded like this by my elder sister… I have no words to refute,” Furaku murmured pitifully.

“Silence! Who’s your sister!” Bishamonten snapped.