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It stood before them, a three-storied pagoda.

Resembling a scaled-down version of the majestic pagodas found in the temples of Heian-kyō, this artifact held an air of profound significance. Kamakura hurled the pagoda, and as it ascended into the sky above the execution ground, it underwent a wondrous transformation. Gradually, it expanded in size, mirroring the appearance of an authentic three-storied pagoda. A mesmerizing display ensued as streams of blue and silver light emanated from it, encircled by ethereal ancient talismans and transparent spiritual entities that emitted gentle yet captivating radiance.

These seemingly innocuous fluctuations triggered a deep sense of unease within Lily. She could sense the sudden amplification of the dark and oppressive domain, causing her movements to become sluggish. Even her potent purple sakura domain seemed powerless in the face of the three-storied pagoda’s influence.

“A domain treasure!” Lily exclaimed, her voice tinged with concern.

“Hachiman Temple Three-Storied Pagoda!” Ayaka, weakened but alert, wore a solemn expression as Murasaki supported her.

“Lily, be careful. That is a middle-grade spirit artifact!” Ayaka warned, her voice laced with apprehension.

Murasaki and the others from the chief advisor’s manor had become embroiled in the earlier clash. They were saved when Lily’s side gained the upper hand and decided to join forces with the Tsunaga Sisters’ army.

It was a striking revelation that even high-level experts possessed only low-grade spirit artifacts. However, Kamakura, a mere clone, wielded a middle-grade spirit artifact in the form of a rare and precious domain treasure. This raised questions about the potential existence of even more powerful hidden treasures in the possession of the true Yoritomo, ones he hesitated to employ.

In stark contrast, Lily had been utilizing her domain treasure from the outset. Yet, under the weight of the newly intensified domain, she found herself trapped in a metaphorical quagmire, her body burdened and her every breath labored. Her once nimble evasion had been compromised, hindered by the newfound heaviness.

To everyone’s surprise, Kamakura’s form abruptly diminished, assuming the stature of an ordinary man. In his hand materialized a black sword adorned with a subtle yet captivating blue secret pattern. This top-quality low-grade spirit artifact emitted an exceptionally potent aura, commanding reverence and awe.

“Hah!” Kamakura crouched mid-air, assuming a formidable and robust stance. With a ferocious swing of his sword, he unleashed a blade of dark light and charged towards his adversary.

“So fast!” Hindered by the oppressive domain, Lily found herself unable to evade the imminent attack. She had no alternative but to deploy her sakura parasol, using it as a defense.

Boom! The strike was intercepted, yet Lily felt a jolt reverberate through her body as she was propelled backward.

Despite his reduced stature, Kamakura still possessed considerable power, surpassing Lily by a significant margin. Furthermore, his agility had heightened, giving the impression of calm and measured movements while in reality, he moved with astonishing speed.

Swish! In no time, Kamakura closed the distance and swung his black sword at Lily.

Bang! Lily, utilizing her folded parasol, withstood the impact of Kamakura’s strike, which carried the force of a collapsing mountain.

Boom! She collided with the ground, only to be swarmed by a multitude of black-armored soldiers, their raised swords poised to assail her.

Whoosh— A scarlet Higanbana flower blossomed, its deadly aura snuffing out the lives of the surrounding black-armored soldiers, including a skilled warrior from the ancient Hojo Clan who had arrived to lend support.

Lily, her attire in tatters, rose from the crevices in the ground. Her chest heaved with exertion, yet she refrained from taking flight, aware of the amplified suppression within the domain’s airspace.

Kamakura descended to the earth, his gaze fixed upon Lily. “Kagami Lily! Undoubtedly, you are the most exceptional prodigy I have encountered in recent years. Your presence reminds me of a certain individual. Alas, throughout history, geniuses often meet untimely ends, and beauty is but ephemeral!”

“In this regard, allow me to share an old adage: Persisting in wickedness leads to one’s own downfall¹.”

Fury ignited within Lily’s eyes as she confronted Kamakura, who drew nearer. Unwavering, she stood her ground, shielding Ayaka’s group behind her.

“Lily! We’re unable to penetrate this formidable barrier of wooden pillars!” Ijuin’s voice echoed from a distance.

Amidst the chaos, the battle on the ground underwent several shifts. The Yomi demons and the Tsunaga Sisters found themselves separated and encircled. Masakado and Michizane’s legion of hundred demons were pushed to the southwest corner, while Lily’s Yomi demons, the Tsunaga Sisters, and the guards of the chief advisor’s manor were cornered to the west. They stood at the base of the towering wooden pillars, their attempts to break free proving futile.

“If only… I had more power, or if my treasures were still intact…” Ayaka’s voice trembled, her treasures stripped away, and her injuries severe. She possessed less than 20% of her usual strength. Despite her efforts to cast spells, the wooden barrier before her remained unyielding.

“Lady Ayaka, please don’t push yourself,” Murasaki urged, offering support.

“I must attempt to break through the formation on my own!” Lily’s expression turned grave.

Just then, a thunderous boom reverberated through the air. A beam of light descended, and Masakado crashed onto the southern portion of the wooden formation.

Under the suppressive effects of the domain, Daitengu proved to be too formidable for Masakado, striking him with a powerful blow to the chest. Masakado rose to his feet and exclaimed, “Old man, you have the advantage today. I won’t entertain you any longer! We shall battle another day!”

With those words, he turned around and mustered all his strength to slash at one of the wooden pillars. Bang—!!! The massive pillar trembled, bearing a deep sword cut, but it remained intact. Dark energy surged forth, unexpectedly repairing the damaged pillar.

“What?!” Masakado’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Lily, observing from a distance, realized the severity of the situation. “Oh no, if even Masakado couldn’t break the formation, then…”

Gathering around Masakado, his hundred demons faced a dilemma. While he may have been capable of flying away on his own, it would be challenging for his subordinates to cross the wooden barrier in unison. The formation possessed potent magical power, rendering it impossible for them to fly over using their demon clouds.

“Damn it, am I, Masakado, destined to meet my end here today?” Determination flickered in Masakado’s eyes. “Brothers! This is not our first encounter with desperation. Let us fight!”

The vengeful spirits of the Taira warriors howled and clashed against the black-armored soldiers and the members of the ancient Hojo Clan in the corner. However, the cunning Tengu Army paid no mind to Michizane or Masakado’s men, instead focusing their assaults on Lily’s side.

More than half of the Yomi demons’ strongest fighters had already fallen, leaving the remaining forces severely depleted. Even if Lily possessed enough magatama, summoning more Yomi demons would take precious time.

Ayaka, despite her weakened state, continued to utilize her arcane arts with the support and protection of her comrades, preventing the ancient Hojo Clan experts from closing in. These adversaries had no trouble swiftly eliminating the Yomi demons.

The illusory projections of Raccoon Mita and the four-tailed cat demon wavered under the relentless barrage of attacks. They seemed on the verge of collapsing at any moment.

This situation was untenable.

Lily’s anxiety grew exponentially. If she couldn’t find a way out, everyone would perish in this place of conflict. Meanwhile, Kamakura still maintained his suppressive hold over her on the ground.

Lily’s movements remained stifled by the domain, making it challenging to evade attacks and forcing her into direct confrontation with a quadruple-soul powerhouse.

Bang! Kamakura delivered a powerful kick, sending Lily crashing into the midst of her Yomi demons.

“Lil’ Lily!”
“Miss Kagami!”

Anxiety gripped the hearts of everyone witnessing the struggle. In terms of raw strength, there was still a tremendous disparity between Lily and Kamakura.

Boom!!! Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed as Michizane was struck by Yoritomo’s powerful palm, sending him crashing to the ground with great force.

“Michizane!”

The vengeful spirit ministers swiftly gathered around their fallen leader, offering their support to help him stand.

“Cough, cough…” Demon King Michizane coughed up a mouthful of black blood, his body surrounded by crackling lightning. “This young man’s skills have improved greatly over the years…”

“Even Michizane…” Lily’s heart swelled with increasing anxiety.

“Michizane, Masakado, if you cease aiding Kagami Lily, I will allow you and your subordinates to leave unharmed. What do you say?” Yoritomo, the imposing figure in black armor, spoke from high above.

Michizane sneered, “If I, Demon King Michizane, were to agree to such a condition today just to save my own life, how could I ever hold my head high in this world?”

Masakado, using his sword for support, gasped for breath but wore a determined smile. “To be honest, I was contemplating leaving just moments ago… damn it! However, since Old Man Michizane put it that way, how could I, Masakado, allow myself to be ridiculed by the world? I have already experienced death once; what the hell do I have to fear?!”

“Hahahahahaha! Brothers, slay him for me!” Masakado burst into laughter and pointed his sword at Yoritomo.

The hundred demons under the command of Michizane and Masakado charged at the imperial army once again, ready to engage in battle.

However, in the face of the overwhelming suppression of the domain, the vengeful spirits of the Yomi demons and the guards of the chief advisor’s manor were no match for the formidable ancient Hojo Clan experts. One by one, the grotesque vengeful spirits fell in the midst of this fierce and chaotic battle.

There was no room for retreat. Any step backward would mean surrendering to the clutches of Yoritomo and the Cloistered Emperor. The stakes were high, and the determination in Lily’s eyes burned brighter.

“Fight!”

Her voice resounded with unwavering resolve as she charged towards Kamakura, disregarding everything else.

Clang!
Clang!
Clang!

Lily’s attacks were met with Kamakura’s effortless blocks. The suppression from the domain greatly reduced her attack speed, making it easy for Kamakura to parry her strikes.

Clank!

With a swift thrust of his blade, Kamakura deflected Lily’s sword and aimed a powerful slash at her chest with both hands.

“What?!” Lily’s eyes widened. Her agility had always allowed her to evade direct hits to vital areas in previous battles, but this time, she couldn’t escape.

Suddenly, a black shadow stood in front of Lily.

Boom!!!

In the final moment, the painted projection of an ugly Yomi demon intercepted the attack on Lily’s behalf.

“Big Sister… take care…”

The grotesque demon, cut in half, blinked its large black eyes and spoke, its form gradually dissolving into wisps of dark smoke that dispersed into the air.

“You…”

Although it was merely a painted projection, Lily couldn’t help but feel a tinge of bitterness.

Lily fought with all her might, leaving no room for her to control or direct the painted projections. However, this particular Yomi painted projection relied on its own consciousness and instinct as a creation of Lily to protect its creator. In the eyes of the painted projections, Lily was their everything—a deity.

“Damn it… I can’t lose! I can’t lose!” Lily’s desperation echoed through her mind.

Suddenly, screams erupted from behind her. The Yomi demons had been almost completely wiped out, leaving the Tsunaga Sisters vulnerable to the relentless onslaught of the black-armored soldiers and elite warriors from the ancient Hojo Clan. As breaches formed in the frontline, the Tsunaga Sisters fell one by one.

“Stop!!!” Lily’s eyes turned scarlet as madness consumed her. Ignoring Kamakura, she leaped into the air and raised her sakura parasol. In an instant, the closed parasol expanded into a colossal red tower, crashing down upon her enemies.

Rumble—!!!

The hundred-meter-tall parasol obliterated the black-armored soldiers, instantly claiming countless lives and crushing two ancient Hojo Clan experts in the process. Lily swept the enormous sakura parasol across the formation of the black-armored army.

Boom!

Thousands of soldiers were sent flying into the air.

Confronting the oncoming Tengu Army, Lily suddenly opened the sakura parasol and leaped into the air.

Bang! Bang! Boom!

The colossal parasol knocked down each Tengu that approached, sending them crashing to the ground.

Unable to expand her domain, Lily relied on these methods to eliminate those who posed a threat to the lives of her sisters.

“Enough!” Kamakura transformed into a swift-moving black shadow, appearing behind Lily in an instant. His massive hand seized her ankle, swinging her violently.

Boom!

Lily’s body crashed forcefully into the ground, causing the surroundings to tremble and collapse as if shaken by an earthquake.

“Ah…” Lily let out a groan of pain.

“Kagami Lily, I gave you a chance! Now, die. What a pity…” Kamakura’s black sword aimed for a malicious stab at Lily’s lower abdomen—the vital area where her spiritual palace resided.

Pfft! Blood splattered.

“What?”

With her slender hands engulfed in purple flames, Lily desperately grasped Kamakura’s sword, despite the blood continuing to flow from her palm along the blade.

“I can’t die! I won’t die!”

“To possess such an indomitable will to live; how remarkable… but it’s futile!” Kamakura’s black spiritual energy surged as he exerted more force.

No matter how fiercely Lily struggled, her petite hand couldn’t withstand the full power of a sword wielded by someone at the quadruple-soul Bigger Dipper Stage.

Blood spurted as the black sword grazed Lily’s hand and descended upon her lower abdomen with irresistible force.

“Lily—!!!” Ayaka, Shimizu, and the others screamed in anguish, their hearts filled with helplessness.

Clang—!!!

Unexpectedly, Kamakura’s black sword encountered an unimaginably solid obstruction. The low-grade spirit artifact blade shattered with a resounding ‘bang’!

“What?!” Kamakura was utterly shocked!

Beneath Lily’s sash, a portion of the octagonal ancient bronze mirror was revealed².

Pfft—!!! Lily launched a fierce counterattack, slashing Yasutsuna across the face of Yoritomo’s clone!

“Ah!” Kamakura recoiled with a cry, shielding one eye as a steady flow of black blood streamed down…

Ding-a-ling, Ding-a-ling… Meanwhile, outside the wooden formation, in the dusky west, the sound of wind chimes resonated as if echoing from the realm of Yomi³.

1. LazyButAmbitious: hope Lily redirects this line at him when he’s about to die
2. Robinxen: I wonder what it did this time.
3. Robinxen: Oho? The cavalry is coming?