Chapter 1143: Book 12: Chapter 83: Unexpected

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“What nonsense are you spouting? I am the Lord of Okai, an agent of the Heavenly Way! Whether prisoners or Hundred Maidens, I alone have the right to punish and kill! How dare you threaten me?” Lord Okai bellowed, his three heads roaring in unison.

“The Heavenly Way abandoned me long ago1.” A dangerous gleam flashed in Lily’s eyes as her form flickered, vanishing into a streak of crimson light. She surged forward, closing the distance in an instant.

The Hundred Maidens retreated to the side of the dark cells, huddling close as they pooled their spirit energy to shield themselves from the violent shockwaves erupting from the battle between Lily and Lord Okai.

The two septuple-soul jailors lunged to assist their master, but the moment they entered the fray, they were cut down without mercy.

Brilliant streaks of moonlight sliced through the air, painting the battlefield with ethereal beauty. Yet, beneath the elegance of each arc lay a devastating power that left the onlookers breathless.

Though the women of the Hundred Maidens were far from ordinary, they couldn’t fully grasp the intricacies of Lily’s swordsmanship. But the sheer force behind each strike was unmistakable, sending chills down their spines.

Lily’s relentless attacks drove Lord Okai—who had ruled this prison for tens of thousands of years—into a corner. And he was no ordinary foe; he was an Infernal Realm powerhouse!

Tomoko and the other Hundred Maidens stood frozen in disbelief. They had known Lily was powerful, but not to this extent. What they were witnessing was the final chapter of the Lord of Okai.

The Lord of Okai’s wild and ferocious strikes failed to land. Even if one did, it barely fazed Lily. Despite his fearsome strength, it became painfully clear—Lily’s power far exceeded his.

Though Lord Okai wielded many powerful treasures, none could shift the tide of battle in his favor.

The Hundred Maidens watched in awe as Lily danced around every one of Lord Okai’s attacks, her own ferocious slashes carving deep into the ox demon’s massive frame.

Though Lord Okai’s body was built for battle, Lily’s strikes carried a power that countered divinities, rendering his wounds nearly impossible to heal. With every strike, Lord Okai’s divine energy bled away, draining faster than he could replenish it.

With a final roar of fury and despair, Lord Okai collapsed, his divine power fully spent. His massive frame lay in ruin, riddled with slashes and punctures. His divine blood soaked the ground, and only one arm and half a shattered head remained.

“You… you will suffer Heaven’s wrath… Neither Yomi nor Takamagahara will spare you! You’ll be hunted by Takamagahara’s forces—you cannot fathom the terror!” Lord Okai snarled, his voice weak but defiant. He couldn’t believe Lily had truly killed him. With the last of his strength, he cursed her one final time.

“What a shame. Your curses are too late—I’m already on Takamagahara’s wanted list.” Lily flicked her blade, sending a spray of blood onto the ground just inches from the ox demon’s remaining eye.

The ox demon’s eye widened briefly, then dimmed as the last glimmer of life faded away. His massive body twitched once, then fell still. The Lord of Okai was dead.

Before the silent Hundred Maidens, Lily calmly collected the blood spirit magatamas formed from Lord Okai’s soul, along with his divinity—a small ox demon jailor statue.

To the Hundred Maidens, Lily’s actions seemed effortless—like she had slain countless divinities before, and this was just another.

“There’s no winning… This is unwinnable.”

“Even if we had three hundred years, we wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“Breaking through to the Celestial or Infernal Realm in that time would be a miracle. But even then, none of us would rival Lily… Lord Okai was a powerful Infernal Realm being with divinity—and she still killed him.”

“Why is someone like Master even among the Hundred Maidens? What’s the point of including weaklings like us2?” Several weak-willed Hundred Maidens members collapsed to their knees as Lord Okai’s massive form hit the ground, lifeless.

Even Tomoko, once filled with resentment, no longer dared meet Lily’s gaze.

The trial had reached its end.

High above the crumbled remains of Okai Prison, two colossal divine statues lay half-buried in the endless sands of Yomi. Between the statues rested an ancient stone teleportation formation, surrounded by vigilant Rakshasa Dojo guards.

“It’s about time they returned. Why hasn’t anyone appeared yet?” Renka muttered, frowning as she watched the silent teleportation formation.

“Master…” Hyozuhi whispered anxiously, standing at the edge of the clearing, her brow furrowed in concern.

Suddenly, the air above the teleportation formation twisted and shimmered.

“Are they finally arriving?”

One by one, the members of the Hundred Maidens began to materialize. Soon, seventy-six figures stood before them.

“So many of them returned at once?” Renka muttered, sensing that something was amiss. As she counted the gathered women, her eyes narrowed. Lily was missing. “Could something have happened to Kagami Lily? Did she… die in there?”

Renka scoffed. The thought was absurd. She knew well enough that, whatever the truth behind Lily’s abilities, her survival instincts far surpassed those of anyone in the Hundred Maidens.

With Lily still absent, Renka couldn’t help but wonder: Had she truly fallen, or been taken by a demon? Though she disliked Lily and often wished misfortune upon her, the thought of her death felt strangely unsettling.

The air shimmered again, and a crimson-clad Lily emerged from the formation.

“Master!” Hyozuhi gasped, her voice filled with joy. Yet, she remained rooted in place, mindful of the rules.

“Hmph. I knew it… That woman won’t be defeated so easily. If she could escape the demons led by Wakarai and Umashi, how could she have fallen here?” Renka chuckled to herself, never once considering that Lily might have slain the Lord of Okai.

“Huh?” Renka’s brows furrowed in confusion at the strange behavior of the Hundred Maidens.

The moment Lily arrived, the entire group parted, forming a path for her to walk through. What was going on? Hadn’t they ostracized Lily—especially Tomoko’s group? Why the sudden change?

Renka broke the silence. “I didn’t expect all of you to come out together. I guess your time in Okai Prison made you more cooperative? No matter. There are still some people unaccounted for. We’ll wait until tomorrow. If they don’t return by then, they’ll be marked as having failed the trial.”

“There’s no need to wait,” Lily said quietly, a somber expression on her face.

“What did you say?” Renka stepped forward, seizing Lily by the collar.

“Captain Renka, over the past few days, we searched every corner of Okai Prison. The missing Hundred Maidens fell into the hands of prisoners or jailors. Some fought to the death, others were killed, and a few… took their own lives to escape humiliation.”

Though Lily possessed great strength, she knew that Okai was too vast for her to protect everyone. Disappointment weighed on her, but she understood—this was the harsh reality of Yomi.

“We? What’s this supposed to mean? It sounds like you all got along far too well down there. This isn’t right—have you forgotten that in the Hundred Maidens trial, only one person can emerge as the victor?” Renka asked, her tone sharp with suspicion.

“Captain Renka, while I believe her report, the rules require us to wait until tomorrow,” Isshiki reminded calmly.

“True enough, Captain Isshiki,” Renka muttered, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the faces of the Hundred Maidens. “What’s with all of you? You look strange. Where’s your energy? What happened to your fighting spirit? You made it out alive, didn’t you? Get ready—the next trial will be even harder. The journey of the Hundred Maidens only grows more difficult from here.”

Renka’s words were meant to provoke them, but the Hundred Maidens remained eerily silent, unmoved by her challenge.

“Captain Renka,” Rie spoke softly, her expression calm. “Though the trials and training of the Hundred Maidens grow harder, for us… our journey is already over.”

“What? Rie, you’re one of the strongest among the Hundred Maidens! Why are you talking like this? What do you mean your journey is over?” Renka demanded, her confusion turning to frustration. “What’s gotten into you?”

“Captain Renka,” Lily interjected suddenly, her voice steady. “There’s something I need to ask.”

“What is it?” Renka asked impatiently.

“In this trial of the Hundred Maidens… does it end once the final victor is chosen?” Lily asked quietly, her eyes serious.

“Of course! Why even ask? That’s the entire point of the Hundred Maidens trial. What, did you lose your senses dreaming about nonsense? Have you forgotten the rules?” Renka snapped, her irritation rising.

Lily didn’t respond. She stood still, her expression unreadable as the wind stirred her long hair and rustled her clothes.

“Well? Say something! What’s going through your head? Why ask such a ridiculous question? If you don’t explain yourself, I’ll have you punished!” Renka barked, her patience wearing thin.

Before Lily could reply, Rie stepped forward and knelt before her.

“Master,” she whispered, looking up at Lily with unwavering respect.

“What!?” Renka, Isshiki, and the other Rakshasa Dojo guards gasped, stunned.

Before they could react, the remaining seventy-something Hundred Maidens knelt in unison, their voices rising together3. “Master.”

Even Tomoko, reluctant and bitter, lowered herself to her knees and whispered, “Master.”

“……”

The Rakshasa Dojo guards stood frozen in disbelief, struggling to comprehend what they were witnessing. Why were they all calling Lily Master? What kind of game was this?

Even Hyozuhi watched in stunned silence, her mind racing.

As Hyozuhi scanned the faces of the kneeling women, she noticed something unsettling—some of them gazed at Lily with reverence, even adoration. A realization struck her like a bolt.

“Could it be…”

Hyozuhi hurried forward and knelt at Lily’s feet, her voice trembling. “Master… Did you defeat every one of the Hundred Maidens in just a month? Have they all become your slaves?”

“What!?” the Rakshasa Dojo guards cried out in disbelief, their voices overlapping in shock.

“What kind of game is this?” Renka demanded, her voice laced with both shock and fury. “Have you all lost your minds? Stand up, now! Who planned this absurd farce? Was it you, Kagami Lily? Who else is behind this? I’ll make sure the one responsible is punished! The Hundred Maidens trial is a matter of life and death—not some childish prank!”