Demon Sword Maiden-Chapter 94Book 12: : After Midnight

Without Spirit Probe, Lily couldn't initially gauge the strength of the four demons. However, as her sword cut into their bodies, she quickly realized that they were no stronger than the Throned Realm.

Nevertheless, they weren't as easy to defeat as she'd thought. In Hyakki Street, spiritual energy couldn't be projected, and secret techniques couldn't be used. Thus, physical skills, swordsmanship, and the strength of the weapon itself played a larger role.

While experts in the Big Dipper realm were still stronger than those in the Throned realm, and those in the Empyrean stage were more powerful than the Big Dipper, the gap wasn't as wide as in the outside world.

The two remaining demons took out two katanas and faced off against Lily from two sides.

Though she had already killed two demons, also of Throned realm strength, Lily felt the difference in this world wasn't as vast as outside. And without Spirit Probe, she couldn't be certain these two were also at the same strength level.

Moreover, it was rare to see burly demons wielding katanas.

"Hyah!" One demon let out a rough roar, raising his katana and charging toward Lily.

Lily moved with unparalleled speed. Before the demon could lower his sword from its poised position, her blade had already sliced cleanly through his body, swift and merciless.

Knowing she couldn't form energy waves, she had to be closer and strike deeper with her blade.

The fallen demon crumpled to the ground, his sword still frozen mid-raise. Meanwhile, the remaining demon lunged forward, his blade slicing through the air toward Lily's waist.

Sparks flew as Lily spun gracefully, intercepting the strike with her sword held firmly in both hands. Though the dampening effects weren't as pronounced as in the outside world, Lily could still feel her power far outmatching that of her opponent.

As she pushed forward, her blade slid along the demon's sword, slicing across his upper chest, causing a burst of dark blood.

The demon collapsed to his knees, his sword clattering to the ground as Lily’s blade flashed once more, severing his head cleanly in one fluid motion. Ketai, sensing the tide had turned against him, had already bolted into the shadows. Meanwhile, the old woman, who had remained silent until now, swiftly raised a blowpipe to her lips and fired a poison dart straight at Lily with deadly precision.

Lily deflected it with her sword.

The old woman was startled, quickly backing out of the sliding door and closing it from the outside. Lily stomped on a discarded katana from the fallen demon and kicked it hard.

The katana pierced through the wooden wall, and a strangled cry echoed from the other side.

‘What job is this? This is clearly a den of depravity!’ Lily thought. Not wanting to linger, she turned to leave the room.

"Catch her! This woman killed Grandma and four guards!" Meanwhile, the little demon, Ketai, was shouting from the rooftop, jumping around.

Lily reached the courtyard, but the chaos had spread throughout the complex. Doors opened, and demons wearing various colored yukatas rushed out, some emerging from the corridors, all shouting loudly.

"That's her! The woman in red!" Ketai shouted.

Demon warriors jumped into the courtyard, encircling Lily.

"Hah!" A demon lunged at Lily from the side.

Lily moved with ethereal steps, shifting just enough to throw the demon off balance. She delivered a horizontal slash, severing his waist.

These demons, in terms of swordsmanship and footwork, weren't necessarily better than the skilled warriors of the Heian Dynasty. However, their strength was far greater. A Heian Dynasty warrior below the Throned realm would struggle to even stand under the gravity of Hyakki Street.

One by one, the demons attacked Lily. She dodged, spun, and countered, her blade flashing in the dim light. Each demon that rushed at her ended up on the ground.

Lily leapt onto a corridor.

Blocking her way was a demon in an orange yukata, with a deep black complexion and a robust, bare chest. He held a katana in his hand.

Suddenly, the demon quickened his pace, charging toward Lily with a strikingly fast slash aimed straight at her.

Lily parried with an upward strike, knocking the demon's katana out of his hand. She then spun and slashed, felling the demon with one swift motion.

"Lord Jyuu! Even Lord Jyuu has been killed! Quick, capture this woman!" the little demon, Ketai, yelled repeatedly.

Lily, dressed in red, moved through the dark courtyard, dodging and striking with her sword. No one could stop her, and the demons fell one by one. In no time, the two demons blocking the gate were slain. Amidst the cat demon's screams, Lily made her way to the gate, which seemed to have just closed.

Lily kicked open the gate and rushed out.

"Hmm?" On the street, she noticed that all the shops were closed, most of the lanterns had gone out, and the street was bathed in a ghostly blue light. There wasn't a single demon in sight.

"An empty street? Could it be past midnight?"

Lily noticed that the demon warriors who had pursued her stopped at the gate and didn't follow her out, for reasons she couldn't understand.

Remembering her surroundings, she confirmed she hadn't gone the wrong way and continued walking forward.

"They say Hyakki Street is dangerous after midnight, but it's also far from safe before then—full of traps. The whole thing about humans not refusing demons and demons not harming humans—I’d rather deal with a clear sword duel!"

Lily was also unsure about what constituted no harm. What if a demon asked her to do something indecent but not physically harmful? What then?

Ketai had mentioned that after midnight, Hyakki Street became extremely dangerous, so Lily took no chances. She moved cautiously, carefully walking forward.

The cold stone underfoot and the tightly shut doors of the various strange houses along the street created an eerie atmosphere. It was unsettling to think that just moments ago, the street was bustling with activity. The sudden shift to this eerie silence sent chills down Lily's spine.

As Lily walked through the chilling Hyakki Street, a figure appeared in the distance, coming toward her.

The figure stopped about fifty meters ahead of her. It seemed to be a human man in a tattered robe, with a thin face, a scar on his left cheek, and two swords crossed at his waist.

Lily stopped, her long hair and wide sleeves rustling in the night wind. There was a moment of silence.

Finally, the man spoke: "To walk on Hyakki Street at this time, you must be quite skilled. But this will be your grave."

"Are you human? Which era are you from? Why do you want to kill me?" Lily asked.

"In Hyakki Street, whenever you meet a stranger, you must kill them, or you'll be killed. Otherwise, the unseen rules here will kill you," the man said. "I can't even remember which era I'm from. All I know is that I was a sword prodigy back then. I trained in the mortal world for just a few decades and became invincible. The top ten swordsmen of my era were all slain by my blade. The mortal world—it's too weak!"

He continued, "Since you're about to die, I'll let you know these things. I came down to Yomi not because I failed to pass through the Heavenly Gate, but because I chose to descend. I wanted to pursue the way of the sword, and this place was perfect for that."

"What's your name, sword prodigy from the human world?" Lily asked.

"My name is Tsukahara Michio. Remember it well, woman. Even if you fall here in Yomi, your body will likely remain intact, only to awaken in some nightmarish female prison, subjected to unending torment. Perhaps that fate would be kinder than what awaits you now. Ah, there is one alternative for women to endure past midnight—submission, serving their conqueror. But I have no interest in such matters, so for you, there is only death," the swordsman declared coldly, his voice devoid of compassion.

"How do you know you're not the one who's going to lose?" Lily asked coldly. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

"Me? Impossible. No one in the mortal world ever beat me."

"Before we begin, I have a question. Can you answer it?" Lily asked.

"Go ahead. Since you're a woman, I'll be a bit more patient."

"I’ve always wondered—why do some people enter Yomi as souls, others retain their physical bodies, and still others become vengeful spirits? Do you know why?" Lily asked, sensing this question would help her grasp the workings of Yomi better, even if it had little to do with swordsmanship.

"That’s one of Yomi’s smaller but intriguing secrets," the swordsman replied. "I learned it here on Hyakki Street for the price of two copper coins at an information shop. Sharing it with you costs me nothing, so why not?"

"When people die in the mortal world, their bodies are usually left behind to decay, be consumed, or otherwise destroyed. However, those at a higher level, known as ‘immovable spirits,’ retain bodies that do not decompose. Depending on their fate, their souls may ascend to Takamagahara or descend to Yomi, while their physical bodies either dissipate or sink into Yomi. At some point, these souls and bodies might reunite in Yomi, allowing them to exist there as physical beings again. Often, such individuals or demons are guilty of crimes and are taken by the Ox-Headed and Horse-Faced Guardians to specific hells for punishment lasting hundreds of years. Some eventually gain freedom or escape, roaming Yomi as living beings. However, if they die a second time in Yomi, they vanish completely."

"Vengeful spirits, on the other hand, are born from souls burdened with deep resentment in life. After death, their hatred keeps them from ascending to the heavens or entering hell. Defying celestial summons and rites meant to guide them to rest, they remain in the mortal world, transformed into vengeful spirits or monsters."

"Thank you for explaining. I didn’t know any of that," Lily said calmly before hesitating for a moment. "I thought you might not be a bad person—must we fight?"

"When strangers cross paths after midnight, it’s a simple rule: if one doesn’t die, both will perish," Michio explained coldly. His eyes narrowed, and after a brief pause, he added, "I don’t particularly desire women, but I don’t refuse them either. If you’re willing to serve me in a side alley, we can avoid this fight."

Lily exhaled softly, her expression steady as her hand moved to her sword. She drew it slightly, revealing its gleaming edge. "Then let’s decide this by life or death," she said, her voice firm and unwavering.

"Hahaha!" Michio chuckled, his tone filled with a mix of amusement and admiration. "A bold woman indeed. I like your decisiveness. I might even be starting to like you."

"Are you ready?" Lily asked as she fully unsheathed the Oborozuki Muramasa, its blade shimmering ominously as it pointed directly at Michio.

"Let’s see what you’ve got!" Michio sneered. "Years ago, I met a woman claiming to be part of the Night Parade of Hundred Maidens1. She was one of the strongest opponents I ever faced, but even she fell to my blade. This scar on my left cheek? It’s a memento from her," he said coolly, his eyes glinting with both pride and challenge.