Volume 12 - Yomi-no-kuni: Chapter 167 - Shimizu's Heart

The Boundless Imperial Princess stood at the peak of Supreme Godhood. She had honed her skills across countless eras and survived an unending string of brutal battles. Even when part of her strength was being siphoned away, she managed to hold her ground against Shimizu’s slight upper hand. As she adjusted and adapted, the advantage gradually shifted back into her favor.

A blast of force rippled through the air as two black tentacles collided. The Imperial Princess emerged from the shockwave unscathed, realizing that even if Shimizu disrupted her control over power, their physical bodies remained unchanged.

Under identical restrictions, the Imperial Princess’ Supreme God body still retained its unmatched durability. Abandoning any remaining caution, she switched entirely to offense.

Shimizu kept suppressing her opponent’s power and struck with Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. The Imperial Princess didn’t dodge. Without hesitation, Shimizu targeted a vulnerable spot, ignoring the eerie resemblance between them.

The blade cut through fabric and barely left a shallow wound along the Princess’ waist.

“What?” Shimizu froze in disbelief. Even with a sword as legendary as Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, her strength as a Big Dipper wasn’t enough to seriously harm the body of a Supreme God. It was a miracle she had wounded her at all.

The injury sealed itself in an instant, yet it only highlighted the strange, unhealed scar on her waist that refused to disappear.

The Princess retaliated with a sudden strike of Murasame-Anko to Shimizu’s shoulder. Even with little effort, the blow carved deep into her flesh, and blood gushed from the wound.

Shimizu cried out and staggered back, nearly collapsing from the pain.

“Sister Shimizu!” Lily’s heart clenched. She had feared this outcome. Shimizu could suppress power, but she couldn’t copy the Supreme God’s physical resilience or regenerative abilities.

Blood drenched her shoulder. Pale-faced and panting, Shimizu dropped to one knee, steadying herself with her blade.

“Hahahaha! Hahahahahaha!” The Imperial Princess burst into laughter. “You didn’t expect that, did you? No matter how clever your tactics are, they mean nothing before true power! I may have hesitated, but now I understand—your attacks can’t kill me, even if I don’t lift a finger to stop them.”

In a blur, the Princess appeared before Shimizu and delivered a brutal kick that sent her flying. Shimizu crashed into a stone statue of a demon god, shattering it into rubble. She tumbled across the stage, leaving a trail of blood in her wake.

“Die!” the Princess roared, rushing toward her and swinging her sword with deadly force.

Steel met steel as Shimizu rose, ignoring her pain and catching the attack just in time.

Though blood stained her body, her gaze remained firm. “You want me dead? Keep dreaming. I won’t die until Lily is safe.” With a surge of force, Shimizu summoned several dark tentacles that lashed out and hurled the Imperial Princess backward.

Despite being hit, the Imperial Princess sneered. “You’re finished. That foolish devotion of yours won’t save you now.” She summoned an ancient scroll into her grasp, its aura radiating divine power.

“This artifact holds divine energy. You may disrupt my power, but you can’t touch what isn’t part of the dark force.”

“Heavenly Light Maw Prison!” she called out, activating the scroll.

Normally, the Imperial Princess would never lower herself to use external treasures against someone like Shimizu. But now, pride meant nothing—she wanted victory.

Jagged rows of crimson-lit fangs erupted from the earth, lunging at Shimizu. While such spells couldn’t harm a Supreme God, they were more than enough to kill someone of Shimizu’s level.

With a pulse of will, Shimizu summoned Yachujo’s power to shield herself. But the Imperial Princess fought for control, and their influence clashed mid-cast.

A fang pierced through her defense. Blood burst from Shimizu’s shoulder as her focus faltered. That single strike from the divine spell could have killed any Big Dipper. Shimizu barely held on.

Her eyes hardened with determination as she raised Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. The blade cleaved through the fang, but the force behind it was immense. Blood sprayed from her mouth as she was thrown to the ground.

“Shimizu!” her sisters cried out in panic, their voices echoing with desperation.

She lay sprawled across the stage, her clothes in tatters, her body covered in wounds. The backlash alone had shattered several bones.

“Sister Shimizu!” Lily’s voice cracked, nearly breaking into sobs.

Kaguya-hime, Chiya, Asura-Onna, and Rakshasa-Onna rushed in, charging toward the Imperial Princess.

“Out of my way!” The Princess lashed out with a backhand slash. A wave of dark energy erupted, hurling the four women away like rag dolls. They had no strength left to resist.

“Sister Shimizu!” Lily dashed forward in fury. “How dare you hurt her!”

“Hmph!” The Imperial Princess deflected Lily’s attack with ease. With a brutal strike to the abdomen, she knocked her down and pressed her foot on Lily’s back. “You lash out because of that lowly woman? Am I worth less than some weak mortal to you

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?”

She kicked Lily with cold fury, again and again.

A blood-slicked hand scraped across the stone. Shimizu rose unsteadily, dragging her sword behind her, her long hair in disarray as she crawled forward. “Lily… I won’t let you hurt her…”

Her body trembled. Her vision blurred and her awareness began to slip, but her gaze never wavered. All she could see—was Lily. Protecting her was everything.

“Sister Shimizu!” Lily cried out, ignoring the pain of being crushed beneath the Imperial Princess’ foot. Her only concern was the woman crawling toward her.

“What a pitiful ending. Is this what love looks like to you, Minamoto no Shimizu? You can tamper with my power, but you’re still nothing but weak.” With a flick of her hand, dozens of talismans appeared, each crackling with lethal energy—each strong enough to kill a Celestial.

“Die!” she roared, unleashing the barrage of spells with lethal precision.

Shimizu no longer had the strength to lift her blade. She summoned Yachujo’s defense through sheer will, but three spells broke through and raced toward her.

Even so, Shimizu’s voice called out one final word, “Lily…”

A trio of explosive impacts lit up the stage— But a warm body collapsed over Shimizu, shielding her from the deadly magic.

Shimizu felt a soft, trembling body press against her—warm and unmistakably feminine.

“What…?”

Lily’s back was bare, her clothes torn away by the impact. She had taken the full force of the three spells—and remained completely unharmed. Spells that could easily kill a Celestial had no effect on Lily. Her body, now tempered to rival that of a Supreme God, shrugged them off with ease.

“Lily…”

Lily gathered Shimizu into her arms, cradling her broken, bloodied form.

“Lily… run. I’ll hold her off. Just… get away…” Shimizu whispered, blood staining her lips.

“No, Sister. I’m not leaving.” Lily wiped the blood from Shimizu’s mouth and smeared it across her own cheek.

A burst of scarlet flames erupted around her, blooming like a blood-soaked flower in the darkened abyss. Above her, the faint outline of a crimson moon shimmered into view. “I endured everything you did to me. But I will never forgive you for hurting my sisters.”

Lily’s eyes glowed a deep, furious red. The Boundless Abyss trembled as her rage surged—so fierce that demons across the realm instinctively shuddered.

Even the Imperial Princess blinked in surprise. But she responded with a surge of overwhelming dark energy. “Kagami Lily… You have potential, I’ll grant you that. But rage alone won’t change a thing. You still can’t touch me.”

“You hurt Sister Shimizu—I’ll make you pay!” Lily cried, charging forward with Oborozuki Muramasa blazing in crimson fire.

“Anger from the weak is laughable! No matter what you do, you’ll always be bound, always owned. You’re still just a fragile woman!” The Imperial Princess vanished into shadow and struck with blinding speed.

For the first time, Lily unleashed her Blood Lunar Force—a fresh breakthrough on her path through the Lunar Heavenly Path. Her power may have touched the realm of a Supreme God, but the Imperial Princess stood far above. Even now, Lily stood no chance in a direct clash.

Suddenly, the Imperial Princess’ dark energy faltered. Black winds spun out of control, wild and untamed.

Even in her battered state, Shimizu lay on the floor, staring directly at the Imperial Princess.

“What is this…?” the Imperial Princess murmured in confusion.

Shimizu had disrupted her control completely. The Imperial Princess was left with only her physical strength—though even that far surpassed what any Big Dipper could match.

Lily’s scarlet blade crashed against the dark form of the Imperial Princess, knocking her into the stage below. She hit the ground hard, carving a deep crater into the center of the Rinraku Stage.

“Cough cough cough…” The Imperial Princess coughed harshly, blood trickling from her lips. The old wound at her waist reopened, soaking her bandages in red. Staggering to her feet, she clutched her sword with shaking hands. “You filthy wretch… Minamoto no Shimizu, you conniving little snake!”

Shimizu gave a faint smile through the pain. “Call it what you want. I’d do anything… if it’s for Lily.”

“You vile women! Kagami Lily, you exploited my weakness—shameless!” The Imperial Princess snarled and darted toward Shimizu. “I’ll kill you first!” If Shimizu died, her interference would vanish—leaving Lily powerless again.

A red blur cut through the air. Lily stood between them.

“Boundless Imperial Princess… You’ve saved me before, and you’ve also hurt me. I was forced into this marriage, but not by you. So I’ll give you one last chance.” Lily lowered Oborozuki Muramasa, its blazing aura fading into stillness. “No divine energy. No spirit power. Just sword against sword. A true duel

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.”

Footnotes:

Robinxen: I really want to know what this woman is on…

Robinxen: This woman is crazy, even if she agrees she’ll just abandon the rules the moment she starts losing.

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