Demon Sword Maiden

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The Lord of Carefree City’s gaze swept across the dojo, his expression darkening as he took in the scene—the Dojo Master sprawled on the floor, his prized weapon now in Ayaka’s hands. His pupils contracted sharply.

"You possess some skill for a mere woman," the Lord of Carefree City mused, his voice thick with disdain. "However, I advise you to lay down your weapons and surrender. After all, if I, the Lord of Carefree City, were to personally strike down a human woman, what would that do to my reputation?"

He smirked. "Imagine the rumors—wouldn’t it be disgraceful for a great ruler like me to dirty my hands with something so insignificant?"

The suffocating weight of his aura thickened, pressing down upon the dojo like an unrelenting tide. Even Ayaka, standing at Lily’s side, felt her body tense under the crushing force. Her breath grew strained, her knees nearly buckling.

Yet, Lily remained completely unaffected.

With an air of complete indifference, Lily raised a hand and idly ran her fingers through the silky strands of her long black hair. Despite the overwhelming pressure from a Yomi powerhouse, her hair swayed gently, untouched by the suffocating force.

The Lord of Carefree City’s frown deepened, irritation flickering in his molten-gold eyes. ‘She’s unfazed?’

Lily extended two delicate fingers, holding the embroidery needle between them with a casual grace. "You mean this?" she asked, her tone light, almost amused. Without a second thought, she let the needle slip from her grasp.

Dark flames ignited across his massive frame, their eerie glow casting sinister shadows upon the dojo walls. He had no intention of engaging in a true battle—this was not a duel, but an overpowering. He would break her swiftly, crush her beneath his might, and parade her humiliation before the entire city.

This woman would serve as an example—a warning to all who dared defy him.

The Lord of Carefree City surged forward, his colossal hands stretching toward Lily, his oppressive might flooding the space around her. Any ordinary Big Dipper warrior caught in this suffocating force would be utterly paralyzed—unable to so much as lift a finger.

Lily remained perfectly still. But it was not because she couldn’t move.

Without lifting her gaze, she spoke—not to him, but to someone else.

"Captain Renka," her voice rang through the dojo, calm and unwavering, "how much longer do you plan to remain in hiding?"

"What? Renka?" The Lord of Carefree City froze, his outstretched claws halting mid-air. If this woman was truly one of the Hundred Maidens, then Renka could only mean Captain Renka—one of the commanding leaders of Rakshasa Dojo. She wasn’t necessarily stronger than him, but Rakshasa Dojo was one of the ruling forces behind Carefree City. Even he had to tread carefully when dealing with its captains.

"Heh… and what of it?" he sneered. "Do you truly think invoking her name will save you? You’re nothing more than a servant of Rakshasa Dojo—a mere tool! And I am the ruler of this city, fully backed by Rakshasa Dojo itself!" His smirk widened.

"Even if Renka could reach this place… so what? She wouldn't be able to save you." With that, he thrust his massive palm toward Lily, his overwhelming strength bearing down upon her.

"Enough." A surge of dark energy flooded the dojo as a dense demonic mist coiled into existence. From within the swirling shadows, a figure emerged—clad in sleek ninja attire, her presence exuding absolute authority. Renka had arrived.

"Captain Renka…?" His massive frame stiffened as his golden eyes narrowed. He had no choice but to halt his attack. Her arrival meant he wouldn’t need to lift a finger—Renka would surely deal with the girl herself. Yet, disappointment simmered beneath his rage. That meant Lily would be taken to Rakshasa Dojo… and he would lose the chance to punish her himself.

"Captain Renka," the Lord of Carefree City said, his voice carrying both suspicion and authority. "This woman claims to be one of the Hundred Maidens. Verify her identity. If she’s an imposter, then she has insulted Rakshasa Dojo, and I will see to it that she pays the price. But if she truly is one of the Hundred Maidens…" His golden eyes narrowed. "Then you, Captain, will owe me an explanation. She has caused trouble in my city, and I demand to know why."

Renka’s gaze swept over the gathered demons before finally settling on Lily. She wasn’t sure how Lily had noticed her presence, but now that she was involved, she had no choice but to handle this officially.

Her expression remained unreadable, but deep down, things had changed. Ever since that day—the day Lily had healed her after she returned from the trial—her contempt for this woman had begun to wane.

What the others did not realize—but Renka knew all too well—was that Lily’s status in Yomi-no-Kuni had already shifted. She was no longer just some participant in an event.

Renka turned her gaze toward the Lord of Carefree City and the gathered demons, her expression unreadable. The demons stiffened under her stare. It wasn’t just her strength they feared—it was the overwhelming authority she represented. For all of Carefree City’s lawlessness, there was one force it could never afford to cross: Rakshasa Dojo.

"Captain Renka is here! This is perfect!" Unlike the Lord of Carefree City, the senior of the dojo had met Renka on multiple occasions. Recognizing her presence as a chance to turn the situation in their favor, he rushed toward her, dragging a few other masters along.

Without hesitation, they knelt before her.

"Captain Renka!" the senior cried out, his voice laced with urgency. "You must bring justice to this matter! "That woman—your so-called Maiden—she stole a treasure from your people! She barged in here, caused a commotion, and even injured the Dojo Master! You must punish her, and severely!"

Renka walked toward the Dojo Master, her boots clicking softly against the floor. He sat slumped on the ground, his fractured arms still trembling from pain. His lips curled in a grimace. "So it’s you, Captain Renka. You must discipline that maiden slave of yours!"

"Indeed," the Lord of Carefree City added, his voice smooth yet laced with underlying menace. "Captain Renka, surely you remember our partnership?" He stepped closer. "Had she been an official Rakshasa Dojo member, I might have let this slide. But she isn’t. She’s just a maiden slave—someone you picked up along the way." His golden eyes glowed with contempt. "Yet she dares to act so arrogantly in my city?"

His smirk widened. "I cannot tolerate this insult. The entirety of Yomi-no-Kuni must witness her fate!"

Renka hesitated for only a fraction of a second before continuing forward. She did not look back at the Lord of Carefree City. Her movements were slow, deliberate. And then, before the stunned eyes of every demon present—

She dropped to one knee before Lily, lowering her head in solemn deference. "Your Highness," her voice rang through the silent dojo. "The Princess1."

"Huh…?"

"What?!"

"Heh—?!"

Every demon in the dojo—along with the human disciples and the newly arrived Carefree City guards—froze in absolute shock.

Princess?

The woman who had barged into the dojo and caused an uproar— The woman who had used an unknown treasure to humiliate the Dojo Master— The woman the Lord of Carefree City had planned to publicly disgrace— She… was a princess?!

The Lord of Carefree City’s expression turned grave. His golden eyes flickered with doubt as he looked at Renka. "Captain Renka? You… what is the meaning of this? She claims to be one of the Hundred Maidens—how is she suddenly a princess? A princess of which nation?"

Yomi was home to countless factions, and even the weakest among them had their own so-called princesses. Ordinarily, he wouldn’t concern himself with a woman of merely elevated status. But this—this was different. Renka had knelt before her. That alone meant her status was beyond ordinary.

‘This is bad. Which faction does she belong to? Could she be an important figure under Rakshasa Dojo’s protection, just like us? No… even if that were true, why would Renka kneel? That level of respect is reserved for someone even higher…’ A cold chill crept down his spine.

‘Is she the princess of a power even greater than Rakshasa Dojo? Something that could erase Carefree City with a mere word?’ The more he considered the possibilities, the more his nerves frayed. Beads of cold sweat formed along his brow.

Just then, a voice—ethereal and commanding—descended upon the dojo like a thunderclap, sending a sharp tremor down his spine.

"She is not a princess of any nation!" A figure approached from above, her silhouette framed against the darkened sky. She was a young woman clad in flowing white and violet robes, standing atop a giant spirit owl as it glided effortlessly through the air.

As the owl reached the dojo’s rooftop, its body dissolved into countless shimmering blue feathers, scattering like fragments of light. The woman descended gracefully, landing with a presence that sent ripples through the air.

With every step she took, an overwhelming force spread through the room—a noble yet oppressive soul energy that weighed down upon all who bore witness. One by one, the demons in the dojo found themselves kneeling, not by choice, but by sheer instinct. For in this moment, she was the ruler of this world.

"Rak… Your Highness, Rakshasa-Onna!" The Lord of Carefree City’s breath caught in his throat. A shudder ran through his massive frame as he recognized her—the Supreme God of Rakshasa Dojo, the one force in Yomi no one could afford to provoke.

Without hesitation, he dropped to his knees, lowering his massive body until his forehead pressed against the floor. But Rakshasa-Onna did not so much as glance at him.

She walked forward with effortless grace, her gaze fixed ahead, her presence alone commanding absolute silence. The masters and disciples dared not breathe too loudly. Even attempting to speak felt like trying to push through an invisible force pressing against their very souls.

The Lord of Carefree City could do nothing but watch as Rakshasa-Onna approached Lily. Standing face to face, the contrast between them was striking. Rakshasa-Onna, the undisputed master of Rakshasa Dojo—a legend throughout Yomi—stood nearly a head shorter than Lily.

And yet, in this moment, it was Lily who carried an air of greater nobility.

"Lyn-hime." Rakshasa-Onna inclined her head and bowed. To her.

"Y… Your Highness?" The Lord of Carefree City. The Dojo Master. The senior. The disciples. The guards. Every last one of them was stunned.

Rakshasa-Onna, the Supreme God of Rakshasa Dojo, had just bowed to her. And yet, these very same demons had insulted her, humiliated her, and even raised their hands against her.

"Rakshasa-Onna," Lily addressed her evenly. She understood well—her identity was no longer what it once was. She bore a title now, one that demanded proper conduct. To dishonor that would be to dishonor Madam. Thus, she responded with a dignified bow.

"Lyn-hime," Rakshasa-Onna said, her tone respectful. "Everything has been arranged. Please depart soon—Madam is waiting for you."

"M-Madam…?"

The Madam Rakshasa-Onna spoke of—who else could it be? She was the unseen ruler of all Yomi—the force that dictated its fate from the shadows. If she so willed it, Carefree City could vanish from existence with but a single word.

The Lord of Carefree City sat frozen, his mind blank with disbelief.

‘What… what am I doing? Why did I even come here…? If only… if only I had never shown up…’

Only then did Rakshasa-Onna shift her gaze to the gathered demons. Her voice rang clear and commanding. "Lyn-hime does not belong to any single faction. She is the Madam’s newly acknowledged goddaughter—the Princess of all Yomi-no-Kuni!"

"What—?!" A wave of stunned silence washed over the dojo. The demons’ faces paled, their expressions twisted with sheer disbelief.

The Dojo Master, his arms still fractured and his face ashen, didn’t even have the strength to process the revelation. His vision spun—his body swayed— And with a dull thud, he collapsed unconscious on the spot2.

Rakshasa-Onna cast an indifferent glance at the unconscious Dojo Master, as if he were nothing more than a discarded insect. Without pause, she turned and strode toward the Lord of Carefree City.

"Carefree City exists under our protection," Rakshasa-Onna stated coolly. "I may have overlooked it recently, preoccupied with matters concerning the Hundred Maidens… but tell me—" She took another step forward, her gaze piercing. "Do you think Madam has ever given your city a second thought?"

Her lips curled into a faint smirk. "To her, Carefree City is nothing more than a speck of dust. Tell me—will it ever amount to anything?"

"Yes—yes…! We are nothing… nothing!" The Lord of Carefree City fell forward, pressing his forehead firmly against the ground. His mind spiraled in chaos, barely processing his own words.

"I have heard troubling reports," Rakshasa-Onna continued, her tone growing colder. "You have grown complacent—allowing your subordinates to run rampant, indulging in unchecked lawlessness. Women, particularly female adepts, are subjected to discrimination… abuse."

Her eyes darkened. "The Madam is not pleased."

Cold sweat trickled down the Lord of Carefree City’s forehead. He dared not utter a single word in defense. Under normal circumstances, he might have argued—after all, Carefree City was hardly the worst offender in Yomi. Countless strongholds and demonic dens abducted women daily, their atrocities far surpassing anything that occurred here.

But none of that mattered. Because the Madam and Rakshasa-Onna… were both women3. And no justification could ever sway them. He had no chance of explaining himself. No excuse would reach them.

And to make matters worse—he and his subordinates had just insulted, humiliated, and even raised their hands against Yomi-no-Kuni’s Princess. They had dug their own graves. How could he refute anything now?

"I—I am guilty! I am incompetent!" Desperation clung to his voice as he pressed his head against the floor, kowtowing frantically. "Please, Your Highness! Have mercy! Spare me!"

Rakshasa-Onna let out a soft, mirthless chuckle. With a graceful flick of her sleeve, she turned away. "Lord of Carefree City," she said coolly, "your pleas mean nothing to me." She gestured toward Lily. "If you seek forgiveness… ask Lyn-hime instead."