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Lily had also considered gifting Rei with a low-tier spirit artifact known as ‘Mutsukari’, one of the two weapons within Shuten’s treasure collection. However, Rei declined it, as it wasn’t a Cursed Blade and she found her mother’s ancient Nameless blade sufficient. There was another weapon once owned by a Celestial Battle Maiden in the stash, but despite its undetermined grade and seemingly low power, Kimiko asserted that it was remarkably robust. Its only defining attribute seemed to be its durability.

Shuten’s other low-tier spirit artifacts were weapons such as naginatas, spears, great swords, and batons. None of them were suitable for Rei. Besides, Lily had already chosen the perfect weapon for her, the mid-tier spirit artifact, Yasutsuna. Additionally, there were nine magical trinkets.

Among these, Lily found a pair of Celestial Maiden sandals particularly useful. Uncertain about how Shuten came into possession of this superior low-tier spirit artifact, Lily was fascinated by its unique feature – the size could adapt to the wearer’s foot, though within a certain limit. When Lily infused spirit power into them, an ancient message revealed that they could only be fully utilized by women. Though Shuten found no use for them, they were perfect for Lily. The sandals she wore were simply durable, made from grade-nine wood, but lacked any other abilities.

These sandals were a revelation. Not only were they more durable and lighter, but also pleasing to the eye, exuding the grace of the Celestial Maidens who once wore them. The ancient message revealed that these were worn by Celestial Battle Maidens during heavenly wars, allowing swift movement. Lily found her ground speed slightly increased, but it doubled when she moved in her Domain and leapt in the air¹. They were ideal for aerial combat, with the additional benefit of being able to walk on water and lava.

Lily adored this treasure, immediately donning them and feeling greatly contented. Her attention was also drawn to another peculiar item, an ancient key. Although devoid of spirit power, the key was constructed from a metal sturdier than bronze, which Lily couldn’t identify. Despite lacking spirit power, it radiated the aura of a mid-tier spirit artifact. Though it only appeared old and tough, its status as a mid-tier spirit artifact left Lily convinced of its extraordinary nature. It was intricately engraved with complex runes, emanating a daunting aura reminiscent of the Yomi depths. It felt extraordinarily heavy to hold.

However, no additional information could be gleaned from the key. Lily could only conclude that its significance was yet to be discovered. For now, she stored it away. Alongside these items, there were numerous grade-nine treasures which she couldn’t inspect all at once.

Most of the unique medicinal herbs she discovered were offered to Kimiko. There were also numerous valuable materials and artworks.

As they traveled in the ox carriage, Kagura observed, “Master, I’ve noticed you’ve stored an array of Shuten Doji’s treasures in the Mirror Dimension, including a variety of special gemstones, ores, and herbs. May I…”

“Kagura, feel free to take what you need,” Lily offered graciously. In reality, the amount of mundane treasures and materials Shuten amassed was staggering. She couldn’t even start to enumerate them. After all, this collection represented the accumulated wealth of a Supreme Archdemon!

“Master, one of his possessions is a small incense burner. That’s an ancient mid-tier spirit artifact!” Kagura noted.

“Yes, I know. It appears to be an alchemical tool used by the Celestial Maidens,” Lily responded. Though unique, she didn’t find it useful due to her lack of crafting skills and thus left it untouched.

“Master, Suzuhiko-hime taught me various Celestial Maiden alchemical recipes. Inside the Mirror Dimension, I can use this incense burner and Shuten Doji’s materials to create special gems and medicine. Most of the recipes I remember start with creating gems and medicine to enhance one’s Shikigami ability,” Kagura shared.

“That’s excellent, Kagura. Feel free to use whatever you find helpful,” Lily responded with a smile, thrilled at the prospect of enhancing her shikigami’s abilities².

During their carriage journey, although they seemed to be moving slowly, they were actually faster than riding the gigantic bird, Huan. Despite this, the journey still took several days. Fortunately, they encountered no obstacles en route. They circumvented Heian-kyo, headed towards the northern mountain ranges, crossed a few provinces, then turned south into the expansive Shinano forests. Eventually, they reached the boundary between Shinano and Kai.

All the cities they passed were in turmoil and deserted, and they managed to avoid detection by Yoritomo’s spies. As the carriage soared across the vast wilderness, even the towering Mount Fuji seemed distant. The Cherry Blossom Valley was now within their reach.

At this time, a gloom hung over the skies of Heian-kyo. Minamoto no Yoritomo was sitting in a private room of his, a pitch-black hall where a jade sphere displayed the stern and aged face of the Cloistered Emperor. The latter’s countenance was tense, even bordering on fear.

Even Minamoto no Yoritomo, normally unflappable, showed visible signs of anxiety, his features twitching with fear. “Your Majesty, Cloistered Emperor… are you saying that Shuten Doji is dead? Is… Is that true?” Yoritomo’s voice lost its usual composure. His teacup trembled in his hand, tea spilling unnoticed.

The face of the Cloistered Emperor, etched within the jade sphere, remained solemn. “Indeed! Shockingly, it was Kagami Lily who ended Shuten Doji’s life.”

Crack!

The teacup slipped from Yoritomo’s grasp, shattering upon the floor. “Kagami Lily…” Disbelief filled his eyes. “Has she truly advanced to that degree?”

“From what my sources suggest, it was probably due to chance. Shuten Doji’s heinous crimes led to his downfall. But it is an indisputable fact that Kagami Lily was his killer.”

“Shuten Doji… Sigh… Why couldn’t he understand that regardless of his strength, he can’t act with impunity? The heavens themselves have abandoned him now!” Yoritomo shook his head in despair. “Regardless, Shuten Doji paid the price for his actions and was slain by Kagami Lily. His demise may be a blow to our alliance, but he had committed grave sins. If he had provoked divine wrath, it would have likely resulted in even greater damage to our plans and the world as a whole. Looking at it now, it might not be entirely negative. Yet, the rise of Kagami Lily fills me with dread.”

With a sharp, trembling voice, the Cloistered Emperor spoke. “Yoritomo, according to my information, Kagami Lily doesn’t pose an immediate threat. Yet, I fear that she will likely be our greatest adversary henceforth. As long as she is present, Tamamo-no-Mae, Fujiwara no Ayaka, and all your old friends pose significant threats! They were always at odds, hindering each other, but this woman has brought them together. We failed to eliminate Tamamo-no-Mae and Fujiwara no Ayaka this time. Once they recover, along with Shizuka Gozen, Tomoe Gozen, and even Raccoon Mita and Michizane… all drawn to Kagami Lily’s influence — they could form a powerful united front against us³!”

“Calm down, Cloistered Emperor. We remain the rightful rulers of this Empire, and the majority of samurais and clans remain loyal to us. Justice will prevail! However, it’s apparent that these forces planning to disrupt the Empire and world order have never been stronger. It appears we need to amass more power to safeguard the world and uphold the heavenly order,” Yoritomo responded with a meaningful tone.

“Ah, Yorimoto, your words reassure me. You are more dependable than I expected, human. But how do we handle the current situation? Despite Shuten Doji’s demise, the war in Suno must have worn our enemies down. Should we seize the opportunity to attack Suno again?” the Cloistered Emperor questioned.

After a moment of thought, Yoritomo shook his head. “No… Shuten Doji’s demise took me by surprise. I had assumed that Lily might escape with Tamamo-no-Mae and the rest, but I never anticipated that she could kill Shuten. We need to scrutinize Suno more thoroughly. We shouldn’t make hasty decisions before we fully understand the situation. Please allow me some time to deliberate…”

“Hmm… If that’s your judgment, let’s hold off. I must admit I’d feel uneasy launching another invasion right now. I’ll await your proposal.”

The Cloistered Emperor then vanished from the communication sphere. Yoritomo picked up a large shard of the broken teacup with his rough hand and inspected it closely. “Kagami Lily… Since his demise, no one else has pushed me to this limit.”

“I don’t hold a grudge for you killing one of my sons. However, you must understand… What you’re doing now… to the world, to the people’s future, to the stability of the heavenly order⁴, is incredibly… perilous! Do you understand your transgressions?” Yoritomo’s eyes flashed darkly. With a pinch of his fingers, the pristine ceramic shard turned to dust.

That night, the ox carriage descended from the dark clouds, landing in a desolate wilderness. An illusion formation, conjured by Ayaka and placed by Lily, concealed this area. Immune to its effects, they carried lanterns and navigated through the dark forest. Before long, they found the entrance to the Cherry Blossom Valley.

1. Robinxen: SO THEY DON’T LACK OTHER ABILITIES THEN DO THEY AUTHOR?!?!?!
2. Robinxen: This line feels really off… how can I put it… I’ll do my best to make it a bit more natural.
3. Robinxen: I call this the Kamijou Faction Effect.
4. Robinxen: I really feel like this plot is turning into a Lostbelt from FGO. Even the thing of turning humanity into something it isn’t to survive is straight out of that.