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Yoruko followed the secret method passed down by the Madam, forming hand seals at the edge of the cliff. At the base of the blade mark, a faint wisp of energy slowly gathered, coalescing into form until it manifested as a hazy, mournfully beautiful sphere of white light. The glowing orb drifted gently through the air, gliding before Yoruko, and under the guidance of her secret art, it transformed into a half-transparent spirit blade.

“The Oborozuki Soul… even after the blade mark has faded, its energy still lingers within heaven and earth. This Oborozuki Soul is but a minute fragment of the power contained within that strike of Tsukuyomi no Mikoto.” Yoruko grasped the spirit blade, and at once, she felt an overwhelming force, vast and unfathomable like an ocean of divine power. The surge of energy whipped her single ponytail, tied midway down her long hair, into a wild frenzy.

“I must deliver the secret of the Oborozuki Soul to Lily.” A resolute clarity that seemed to transcend life and death flickered within Yoruko’s eyes.

With her deep-blue ponytail swaying and her tightly fitted kimono outlining her mature yet slender figure, Yoruko leapt forward in a single bound, vaulting across the trench. She sped toward the shadowed skies above the depths of the ancient battlefield, racing straight for the entrance of the Celestial Demon Path.

***

The disappearance of the blade mark along the Celestial Demon Path, and the reopening of the gate between the three realms, remained entirely unknown to Lily at this time.

By now, aside from Iyo Island in the southwestern reaches of Akitsu Shima, nearly the entire Heian Dynasty had been reclaimed.

Major strongholds and vital routes had all been retaken.

Yet the sheer number of demons crawling out from the fissures in the earth, hailing from Yomi-no-kuni and Yomi Hirazaka, was overwhelming. Coupled with the monsters born from the land’s own dark forces, the Celestial Maidens simply lacked the manpower to eradicate them all. They could only dispatch demon-slaying squads to various regions to carry out suppression efforts.

To ensure the safety of the Celestial Maidens, they could not be spread too thin. Lily had decreed that every demon-slaying squad must include at least one Celestial Maiden whose strength had reached the Empyrean Stage. This ensured that no matter what kind of demon they encountered in the mortal world, they would possess an overwhelming advantage in power, guaranteeing their safety.

After all, throughout the long history of the Heian Dynasty and even within the vast flow of Takamagahara itself, there had been no shortage of tragic cases where female demon-slaying squads were defeated by demons and reduced to miserable slaves.

The safety of the Celestial Maidens always came first. Only after that came the countless lives of the Heian Dynasty.

Without centuries of hardship, discipline, and the tempering of both mind and desire, a Celestial Battle Maiden could never truly come into her own, save for rare prodigies.

As for ordinary mortals of the Heian Dynasty, a thousand years would see dozens of generations rise and fall.

Standing where she now stood, Lily’s perspective had naturally changed. A narrow, sentimental kindness that ignored the greater picture would only end up harming the masses.

Of course, Lily had no intention of abandoning the fate of the Heian Dynasty. What she sought to protect was the continuation of the entire human world, ensuring that humanity could endure, multiply, and avoid extinction or enslavement, rather than focusing solely on isolated, localized disasters.

“Lord Kamakura… I hope my choices have not disappointed you.”

Lily found herself gradually understanding Minamoto no Yoritomo more. If she were in his position, without overwhelming forces like Herikaku City or an army of Celestial Maidens at her command, how difficult would it be, as the supreme ruler, to make such decisions?

Was Minamoto no Yoritomo not also bearing burdens far beyond what ordinary people could endure, fighting in his own way?

In contrast, Minamoto no Yoshitsune, unaware of the vastness of heaven and earth, though undeniably brave and admirable, could he truly have resisted the Heavenly Path without Lily’s presence?

Even a single Kegaretsu deity descending would have been enough to annihilate all resistance.

Between Minamoto no Yoshitsune and Minamoto no Yoritomo, one embodied the ideal of a flawless hero, while the other chose to preserve humanity’s survival by any means necessary. Who was the greater hero? It was difficult to say.

Of course, Yoshitsune had shown her great kindness. On a personal level, Lily still found herself inclined toward him.

Lily did not return to reside in Heian-kyo. Ayaka’s former residence had long since fallen into disrepair. Although she visited the capital from time to time, she continued to live within Herikaku City.

This immense city hovered beyond Heian-kyo, proclaiming Lily’s supreme dominion over the world. Whether she desired the title or not, she was the Queen of all under heaven. And yet, the Queen had grown rather lonely of late.

She had visited Rinne several times, seeking guidance on the path ahead. After all, the Heavenly Path remained obscure, and darkness endured. For Lily, the true battle had perhaps only just begun.

However, Rinne had not been in good condition recently. Her spirit seemed weakened and unstable, and she often entered seclusion to stabilize her spiritual body and consciousness, refusing even to see Lily. This left Lily deeply worried.

Shimizu and Rei still came to visit her from time to time, but recently, Lily had been politely finding excuses to turn them away.

That sort of thing… indulging in it occasionally when she could no longer suppress it was not unacceptable. But how could it be done frequently? She had to maintain strong self-control and restraint.

For someone with Lily’s physique, this was an intense torment, far from easy. Yet her willpower far surpassed that of ordinary women.

With Rinne in such a state, unable to offer decisive guidance, Lily had no choice but to think things through on her own.

“The extended night…” Lily gazed out over the beautiful Lake Biwa. “If the extended night is not overturned, the world will never know peace. Yet… I still lack the strength to challenge Takamagahara, to uncover the truth behind the world of the gods.”

A faint blush spread across Lily’s face as she breathed softly, standing by the window with both hands resting on the railing. Her lower abdomen leaned lightly against it, her chest rising and falling as her thoughts drifted.

“Hm? Where was my mind going?” Her cheeks flushed even deeper. What had been happening to her lately? Why did her thoughts keep wandering off like this? “Right… there’s another issue I can’t ignore.”

“I’ve already been intimate with Sister Shimizu twice…” Lily’s hand gently rested against her lower abdomen. “Although it is extremely, extremely difficult for Celestial Maidens to conceive through such acts, and with my strength, it should not be a concern… but still, in case… I should take precautions.”

“Ah!” Her face burned crimson. “W-What am I even thinking!?”

“The Heavenly Path! The Heavenly Path!”

“Lily, have you no shame? Where is your awareness as the Queen of the Realm? The masses are living in a world shrouded in darkness, and you’re here thinking about this instead of deciding the future strategy of Herikaku City?” She muttered to herself in deep embarrassment. “Besides… as a ruler, isn’t continuing the bloodline also part of my responsibility?”

“Ah!?” Lily froze, stunned by her own thoughts. “My mind’s all over the place today… I can’t think anymore, I just can’t!”

Covering her face, she hurried off to bathe, hoping to calm herself.

“Master, an urgent report from Iyo Island.” Clad in a female ninja outfit, Shiu appeared silently beside the clear bathing pool.

Within the shimmering water, droplets trickled down Lily’s snow-white back. Facing away from Shiu, she raised her arms, gathering her hair into place. From Shiu’s angle, she could at least see Lily’s underarms. Her own cheeks flushed as she lowered her head.

“Read it, Shiu,” Lily commanded. Though her tone carried authority, it remained gentle.

“Yes…”

The urgent report Shiu had brought revealed that, while the situation across Akitsu Shima had gradually come under the control of the Celestial Maidens in recent days, the conditions on Tsukushi Island were extremely unfavorable. After Ashikaga Kiyoshi retreated there, he had joined forces with the Cloistered Emperor, uniting with the local powerful clans and aggressively recruiting troops. According to covert ninja intelligence, vast numbers of demons far stronger than those scattered across the Heian Dynasty were continuously appearing on Tsukushi Island.

There were even indications that some of these demons had surpassed the Big Dipper Stage, reaching the Infernal Stage. This immediately put Lily on high alert.

“Tsukushi Island… Ashikaga Kiyoshi, what exactly are you trying to do?” Lily’s gaze turned cold. She finished tying up her hair, splashed a few handfuls of water over her body, and prepared to rise. “I’m coming out. You may withdraw, Shiu.”

“Yes… um, Shiu can assist Sister in dressing.”

“No need. A simple spell will suffice, there’s no need to trouble yourself.”

Ever since becoming a woman, Lily no longer allowed attendants to assist her in bathing. As for the reason… it was complicated. They were all women, so ordinarily it would not matter, but since Lily herself was attracted to women, it felt more appropriate to handle such things on her own.

Shiu withdrew, somewhat disappointed.

After putting on her yukata and simply tying up her hair, Lily stepped out. “Nanako, summon the sisters to the main hall,” Lily transmitted.

Inside the grand hall, Lily’s attire today was somewhat casual, yet it only enhanced her commanding presence as queen. With her hair tied up, it was obvious she had just come from bathing. Her dedication to affairs of the realm, even in such a state, earned the admiration of several sisters.

At this moment, not only the sisters of Herikaku City were present. Ashikaga Makoto, Ijuin Reira, Taira no Shizuru, Mizue, and others had also arrived. Recently, they too had been carrying out their duties within Herikaku City.

Lily swept her gaze across the assembled sisters and spoke, “Recently, I believe everyone has heard that on the southwesternmost land of the world, Tsukushi Island, abnormal phenomena have been occurring frequently. It is said that demons above the Infernal Stage have even joined Ashikaga’s rebel forces.”

As she said this, Lily instinctively glanced at Makoto and added, “These are the rebels of Ashikaga Kiyoshi. They have nothing to do with the Ashikaga family that remains within the Heian Dynasty.”

Hearing this, Makoto felt a sense of gratitude.

Bishamonten spoke, “My divine probe originally could cover Tsukushi Island, but recently I have discovered that the entire island is now enveloped by a grand formation that blocks divine sensing. Unless one approaches very closely, it is no longer possible to probe the situation there from tens of thousands of kilometers away.”

“That’s right. Lady Bishamonten must have already tried. I have also attempted multiple times. Though my divine power can cover the entire Heian Dynasty, it cannot penetrate the barrier surrounding Tsukushi Island,” Lily said, her expression grave.

“This is no trivial matter,” Chiya said sternly. “It means that Tsukushi Island now possesses a formation capable of blocking even a Supreme God’s detection. Such a feat is far beyond what mortal spellcraft can achieve.”

At this, the sisters grew even more uneasy.

“This suggests that there is a force far more powerful than the rebels and demons of the mortal world, secretly aiding Ashikaga Kiyoshi. But what kind of power could that be? And how did it manage to reach the human world?” Bishamonten’s expression turned serious.

“Exactly. That is what concerns me the most,” Lily replied.

After all, Lily and the others had only been able to descend into the human world because Izanami-no-Ōkami had nearly exhausted the divine power of a Great Imperial God. Aside from her own mother, no Great Imperial God would willingly do such a thing.

“So then… how did those beings above the Infernal Stage, and those profound formations beyond the mortal realm, arrive here?” Lily’s eyes sharpened. “Ashikaga Kiyoshi… what exactly are you trying to do?”