Demon Sword Maiden - Volume 12 - Chapter 158

Deep, thunderous drums echoed through the Boundless Abyss, each beat crashing like the judgment of the Thunder Gods themselves.

“This drum…” Rei murmured. She wasn’t considered a valued guest, and could only enter alongside the crowd of lesser demons. As she surveyed the surroundings, she noticed the ones performing the drumbeats—powerful, twisted demons perched high above, each beat laced with a subtle but unmistakable killing intent.

By now, the vast ten-kilometer-wide Rinpeki Stage was packed with demons. Countless powerful figures from across Yomi had gathered for this unprecedented wedding, each bearing their own hidden agenda.

For individuals like Rei—those without status, power, or lavish offerings—there were no seats. She stood on one of the many distant elevated platforms, reduced to a mere spectator of the grand affair.

Closer to the center were exclusive platforms adorned with banquet tables of various sizes. Some even featured bronze cauldrons, blood pools, and cavernous structures made of bone—accommodations tailored for powerful guests with more… unorthodox preferences.

Scanning the scene, one could see hundreds of thousands of formidable beings who had come from all corners of the realms to witness this event.

“So, it is Her Majesty from the Female Queendom. This way, please.” A female abyssal demon—draped in a strange kimono, with numerous tentacles extending from the back of her head—politely guided Queen Kaguya and Chiya to their seats.

As a Supreme God, Queen Kaguya held the highest level of status and was granted a prime viewing platform. The seat offered an unobstructed view and was attended by Dark Celestial Maiden guards and demoness servants.

“Your Majesty?”

As the Queen took her place, she noticed Asura-Onna and Rakshasa-Onna seated nearby on a neighboring platform. Renka and several others stood respectfully behind them.

Kaguya-hime held no fondness for these individuals. They had supported the Madam in marrying Lily off to the abyss—and during the wedding procession, her own party had even attempted to seize the bride. In truth, she had only helped them due to the unexpected clash between Lily and Wakarai.

“We were told that Your Majesty lent your aid during the procession. The Madam sends her gratitude,” both Asura-Onna and Rakshasa-Onna said, bowing politely toward Queen Kaguya.

The Queen returned the courtesy with a reserved nod. “It was nothing. I couldn’t stand by and allow Lynne to be harmed.”

Their polite conversation from separate platforms was soon cut short by the increasingly ominous drumbeats that thundered through the venue.

Queen Kaguya, sharp as ever, sensed that something was off. “Your Grace, you may appreciate the musical traditions of the Boundless Abyss, but I must say—I’ve studied music for over ten thousand years, and I’ve never heard such drums played at a wedding.”

Even Rakshasa-Onna and Asura-Onna felt an unsettling chill creeping into their hearts.

“Indeed, Your Grace,” Renka added cautiously. “There’s killing intent buried within the rhythm… it provokes unease.”

“Silence!” Rakshasa-Onna snapped. “This is the Madam’s sacred wedding alliance! How dare you spout such foolishness here? Step aside and kneel—you will be punished later.”

“Yes… I apologize.” Renka bowed her head. Though she had spoken out of genuine concern, she knew she’d crossed a line. With no other choice, she quietly retreated to a corner and knelt.

“Your Majesty, everything felt normal earlier this morning,” Chiya whispered into the Queen’s ear. “But just now… something about the atmosphere began to shift.”

Queen Kaguya’s eyes narrowed, her expression solemn. “Regardless… let’s see what unfolds. Look—Wakarai’s people have arrived as well.”

Not far away, Wakarai, Kurorai, and Fushirai arrived at another elevated platform near the central suspension bridge of the Rinpeki Stage. They cast a cold, warning glance toward Queen Kaguya and her entourage before taking their seats.

They were accompanied by numerous divine underlings, who were seated on larger suspended platforms positioned just behind those reserved for the Supreme Gods.

Lord Umashi had also arrived, taking his place at a more distant vantage point.

In addition to them, dozens of other overlords from across Yomi had gathered. Supreme Gods such as Lord Tenma, Dread Emperor Kyoma, the Lord of Oblivion, and the Sanzu Demon Queen were among them. The sheer weight of their presence made the atmosphere suffocating.

With the inclusion of factions allied to the Boundless Abyss, more than twenty Supreme Gods were present—an unprecedented number, even in the timeless history of Yomi-no-kuni.

A gathering of this kind had only occurred once before, during a massive battle more than a thousand years ago.

“Hmph… just as expected. Those who should be here—and those who shouldn’t—have all shown up,” the Queen muttered under her breath.

Two grotesque demons, with bloated bellies and short black horns, stood like stone monoliths along the mountain cliffs, each towering over ten kilometers tall. With deep, resonant breaths, they raised ancient horns and blew into them. Their bodies blended so well with the cliffs that they appeared part of the mountain itself.

The sound of the horns shook the very souls of even Throned Stage experts, striking fear deep into their hearts. The thunderous call drew the attention of the tens of thousands of rowdy guests, plunging the arena into silence.

From beneath the shrouded depths of Hekiraku City, enormous demonic spirits—each over a kilometer tall—began to emerge. They wore bizarre ancient garments and eerie masks. With theatrical sweeps of their sleeves, they performed a grotesque dance as they slowly advanced toward the central suspension bridge of the Rinpeki Stage.

Marching behind them were battalions of abyssal demon gods, each towering a kilometer in height, clad in thick, oppressive black armor.

These guard formations split into two, lining themselves with precise discipline along both sides of the Rinpeki Stage.

Following them came pitch-black demon gods, some glowing faintly with strange lights. They pulled enormous black-metal war chariots, each ancient in design and imposing in presence. Inside stood ranks of Dark Celestial Maidens.

Though these maidens were no taller than ordinary women, each one radiated a killing aura potent enough to slay a giant demon god on her own.

Their unity and discipline formed a devastating force. While the demons of Yomi were powerful and vast in number, they often lacked cohesion. Aside from the elite, most demon armies were poorly organized and ineffective in coordinated battle. They couldn’t compare to the precision of the Dark Celestial Maidens.

Queen Kaguya stood in concern as the performance unfolded. Beyond the ceremonial opening, everything that followed no longer resembled a wedding—it looked like a military parade.

At that moment, a massive black wagon emerged from the darkness, pulled by a thousand emaciated abyssal prisoners.

These prisoners were condemned souls, guilty of unforgivable crimes and sentenced to eternal torment in the abyss. Their bodies were pierced with iron rods that oozed blood, and thick chains bound them as they dragged the enormous, wheelless black-and-gold wagon. It scraped loudly across the stage floor, creating a harsh, unsettling sound.

Seated atop the wagon were two massive, corpulent demon gods, each standing over ten meters tall and radiating the terrifying pressure of Supreme Gods.

Each demon held a heavy black chain. At the end of those chains was a young woman dressed in a tattered red wedding gown. One chain was fastened around Lily’s neck by a heavy metal collar, while the other bound her left ankle.

The young woman knelt quietly beside the two demon gods, her hair disheveled and her expression steeped in sorrow. The fabric of her dress had slipped from one shoulder, exposing her pale skin and much of her chest. She appeared both hauntingly beautiful and unbearably pitiful.

“Lynne!” Upon seeing Lily bound and displayed inside the black wagon, Kaguya-hime’s heart felt as though it had shattered completely. Had she not made the firm decision to wait for the right moment to ensure Lily’s rescue, she would have already leapt into battle against those demon gods without hesitation.

From a distance, Rei stood perched on a tall lamppost. She, too, had spotted Lily.

“Wasn’t this supposed to be a wedding? How did it become like this…” Rei’s heart filled with a mixture of concern and confusion.

“Master! Sister Lily!” Ten kilometers away, Nanako clutched the crimson railings at the edge of a viewing platform, her eyes brimming with tears. “Why… Why are they treating her like this?”

Ayaka wore a gray cloak to conceal her translucent Celestial Maiden coat. She and Nanako had crossed the shadowed mountain pass and emerged from the cliffs, arriving just in time.

Ayaka gently placed a hand on Nanako’s shoulder. “Stay calm. If Lily is truly in danger today, we won’t just stand by. But we must not waste our lives. We can only save her if we survive. Wait for the right moment, Nanako.”

Nanako clenched her teeth and nodded, her tears falling silently.

Acting recklessly now would only endanger Lily further. No matter how much pain and worry gripped her, Nanako had to hold it in. For Lily’s sake, she needed to stay composed and wait—for the sake of giving her the best chance at survival.

“Ah…” Lily knelt silently on the dark execution platform, her eyes glistening as she gazed across the mass of demons. Tens of thousands of them now took notice of her condition and began shouting, the air erupting with a deafening roar.

Yet, Lily’s face remained calm, her expression serene.

Although her senior sister had said she could intervene once, Lily knew she would never call on that help unless it was truly necessary. She couldn’t bear to see her fall into another deep sleep, uncertain of when or if she would awaken again.

To Lily, the cries of the demons were no more than meaningless noise. She met their uproar with detached indifference, her face wearing a faint, weary relief.

The Boundless Imperial Princess had gained nothing from her. Even if Lily were to be taken tonight, all she felt was a quiet scorn toward that woman.

But now, the Imperial Princess no longer desired to possess her. Instead, consumed by fury, she wished only to sentence her to death. Even so, Lily didn’t harbor a single trace of regret.

Her senior sister had awakened and fulfilled the promise they had shared for so long. Lily had given herself to her, just as she’d always hoped. In that, her deepest and most cherished wish had come true. She was content.

That night had shown her the joy of being a woman, of sharing her body and heart with someone she truly loved. What more could she possibly ask for? Even if she were to die here today, she would leave without a single regret.

Still, Lily bore a heavy weight. Her senior sister had awakened, but had told her this body wasn’t hers. So where was her real body? There was still much she had to accomplish—for her senior sister’s sake.

Her other sisters also needed her protection.

Lily adjusted her dress, pulling the loose fabric back over her shoulder. She was a woman now, and aside from her senior sister and those she loved, she wouldn’t allow her body to be seen by lechers like these.

Even if, in this situation, it ultimately changed nothing.

The tens of thousands of demons gathered at the grand wedding shouted in surprise.

Then, dark tentacles emerged above Hekiraku City, stretching skyward as if to pierce the heavens. They resembled the limbs of a colossal octopus coiled over the entire Boundless Abyss.

The swirling divine darkness condensed into the shape of a slender young woman. Her jet-black hair flowed around her, and she wore a revealing black Celestial Maiden kimono, complete with a long skirt and trailing ribbons. Embedded across the fabric were ornate, dark-gold cufflinks shaped like demon heads, pulsing with eerie and cursed energy. She was the second star of the wedding—the Boundless Imperial Princess.