<h4>Volume 10 - Dream Eater: Chapter 16 – The Three Sisters</h4>


    The colossal demons that leaped into action were either Throned Sovereigns or Throned Monarchs, their bodies adorned with ragged cloth armor and what appeared to be eerie Hannya masks on their faces. But something was amiss! Lily’s assumption was incorrect. They weren’t wearing masks; their faces were the terrifying visages themselves.


    One of the giant demons extended steel ws from its hands, shing towards Fuyuki, who was the nearest. Lightning energy surged from Fuyuki’s de, illuminating the dark forest as he engaged the foremost Throned Monarch demon.


    Reiko, still looking unstable as if affected by poison, was targeted by two of the demons. Once Daimon finished reciting an antidote spell, a faint green mist enveloped Reiko’s body.


    <i>ng!</i> Reiko’s sword shed with the demons, and a burst of energy sent her flying, blood spewing from her mouth. An ancient tree toppled over as she mmed into it.


    “Reiko!” Haruka yelled, weaving between the enormous trees andunching a barrage of explosive darts at the demons.


    Ayaka, positioned at the rear, immediately noticed that Reiko’s poison hadn’t been entirely neutralized. Without uttering a single spell, she flicked her finger, transforming a unique herb into a ray of light that instantly purified Reiko’s body.


    “What?” Reiko gasped as the excruciating pain and loss of control were instantly alleviated. She returned to her prime form and, fueled by an intense hatred for all demons, charged at them with surging spirit power.


    Both Daimon and Fuyuki stared at Ayaka, astonished. “I’m… Sorry!” Daimon yelled, filled with shame.


    ‘She effortlessly released such an incredible antidote spell? It’s hard to believe that the strongest among the threedies is this tall one! Her mastery of spells is beyondprehension!’ Fuyuki thought, his shock palpable. The knowledge andmand of Onmyo spells and abilities within the Heian Dynasty far outstripped that of the Asuka Kingdom. What the group didn’t realize was just how fortunate they were to be joined by the most exceptional Onmyoji in existence.


    A gray-faced, beast-like demon transformed into a sh of light, lunging at Shimizu. “Be careful!” Fuyuki yelled, recognizing the threat. This Hannya, a Late Throned Monarch, was stronger than him, possibly even more resilient. No one else in the group could face it.


    “S?h?i?t?!” Fuyuki swore, already contending with two other Hannya demons. Unable to aid Shimizu, his frustration mounted. ‘Why are our foes so formidable this time?’


    However, as Shimizu faced the red-glowing steel w, a surge of dark Celestial Maiden aura welled up within her. <i>Whoom!</i> In a blink, darkness engulfed a hundred-meter radius around her. With a simple flick of her sword, she cleaved the Late Throned Monarch Hannya in two!


    “What? With… One sh?” Fuyuki eximed, his voice trembling with disbelief. How could this have happened?


    The group had mistakenly believed Ayaka to be the hidden strength among the three girls. They had overlooked Shimizu, the typically quiet and asionally strange young girl, as the real force to be reckoned with


    ¹. She had taken down a Hannya demon, likely even mightier than Fuyuki, with a single blow.


    “Who are they really?” Their eyes were drawn to Lily, dressed in red, standing between the three girls.


    Fuyuki’s experience allowed him a deep insight. ‘The presence of such a remarkable sword expert and a mysterious Onmyoji in this team suggests more than meets the eye. Thedy in the center, who has yet to act, may appear ordinary in strength, but her influence must be considerable. Otherwise, why would she be in thepany of such powerful allies? I must exercise extra caution around her in the future; to offend her would be disastrous.’


    As he pondered this, three dark shadows abruptly loomed overhead. Three more Hannya demons had emerged, including two fearsome Middle Throned Monarchs and an incredibly massive Pinnacle Throned Monarch.


    “Oh no!” eximed Fuyuki, his voiceced with terror. The Pinnacle Throned Monarch Hannya was an immense threat, capable of annihting them in mere seconds, leaving them without defense. “Everyone, run! Miss Lily, hurry…” But his warning came toote.


    The three Archdemons had targeted Lily from the start and were now charging at her from three different angles at a terrifying speed. No one could intervene.


    Yet Lily seemed unmoved by the imminent danger, standing serenely as though oblivious to the enemies closing in.


    “Lily!” Fuyuki’s voice trembled with anxiety.


    The Hannya’s wicked weapons, glowing with sinister auras, were already streaking towards Lily when she suddenly vanished.


    “She’s gone?” Fuyuki gasped, disbelief in his eyes.


    The demons missed their strikes, equally bewildered.


    <i>Swoosh!</i> A scarlet sh materialized behind them, Lily’s hair dancing in the air as she flicked her finger. Beams of light, twinkling like stars, shot forth and ensnared the demons.


    Struggling desperately, the Archdemons found no escape!


    Thousand Sakura Linger! Lily employed this technique to hone it in realbat.


    Spinning gracefully in the air, she drew Yasutsuna. This extraordinary weapon, now imbued with new powers after defeating Shuten Doji, now sought Throned Monarch Stage Demons as its first victims. Somewhere within Lily, a pang of regret stirred.


    Upon its unsheathing, a terrifying wave of Resentment Energy emanated from the de, forcing all to submit to its power. Swift and lethal was the strike, and though Lily exerted no spirit power, relying solely on her Celestial Battle Maiden’s physical strength, the de’s passage was soundless and deadly. In an instant, the enemies’ Spirit Seas were shattered by the silent onught, and they fell lifeless to the ground.


    Fuyuki and hispanions could only stand agape. These were Hannya Archdemons! Even one could decimate their entire group. A Pinnacle Throned Monarch from whom escape was the only option! Yet all were in by Lily’s casual, quiet attack. From start to finish, no hint of spirit power could be sensed from her.


    “Is she… even human?” Fuyuki wondered aloud. She appeared as a celestial being, descending from the heavens. Yasutsuna’s single sh could vanquish Throned Monarchs, Throned Saints, and even double-soul Big Dippers. This weapon, imbued with the Anima of Shuten Doji, a Supreme Archdemon, had be something extraordinary.


    Suddenly, the earth trembled as more Hannya demons emerged from the forest. Not a single drop of blood marred Lily’s luminous de. She exchanged nces with Shimizu and Ayaka, then nodded.


    Kill!


    Ayaka’s naginata shimmered like a star, releasing a horrifying aura. With a leap, she decapitated a Hannya in a single strike. Shimizu, like a shadow, dashed through the terrain, dismembering any Hannya in her path. Lily’s movements were like scarlet lightning, her de appearing and disappearing, hacking her foes into pieces.


    The others watched, unable to intervene. In mere moments, this new wave of enemies waspletely obliterated. The three sisters, who had once stood behind Fuyuki’s group, now took the lead, sheathing their weapons nonchntly.


    “Three esteemed sisters!” Fuyuki eximed, dropping to one knee. “I can’t believe you’re actually so powerful. We were so na?ve to team up with you. Please forgive our ignorance!”


    Lily turned and smiled gently. “Don’t say that. Without you, we wouldn’t have found our way so easily.”


    Fuyuki’s eyes widened as he came to see Lily in a new light, recognizing the gentle and kind soul within her. A flush crept up his cheeks, and he stammered gratefully, “Then… Then… Thank you, sisters. We’ve never faced enemies so formidable before. Without you, those Hannya demons would have surely overwhelmed us!” Reiko, Haruka, and Daimon expressed their gratitude as well, bowing deeply.


    “What’s our next move, sisters?” Fuyuki inquired.


    “Next move?” Lily echoed, slightly confused.


    “Yes,” Reiko exined, her voice filled with awe. “With your immense strength, we’ll only slow you down, won’t we?”


    “Don’t think that way,” Lily reassured them, her voice gentle. “We agreed to team up, so let’s continue together until the end of this battle. We’ll share ten percent of all bounty kills evenly. The rest goes to the one whonds the kill. Does that sound fair?”


    “Is that… really okay?” Reiko’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. The promise of sharing ten percent was significant, considering that two Pinnacle Throned Monarchs had already been in. Even if that percentage were divided seven ways, it was still an enormous reward.


    The sisters’ rapid and efficient ying of the demons had been awe-inspiring. How many more would fall before their des in theing battle? Although keeping pace with them might be burdensome, it ensured safety for Fuyuki and the others. They could engage the enemy freely, honing their skills without fear. The opportunity was nothing short of incredible, filling them with joy and gratitude. They all expressed their thanks profusely.


    “Save your thanks forter. Let’s press on,” Shimizu urged.


    With a swift rearrangement, the seven-member team fell into a new formation, Lily leading, nked by Shimizu and Ayaka, while the remaining four followed closely. Together, they climbed to the peak of a mountain.


    “Look!” someone eximed.


    From their vantage point, they saw andscape alive with conflict. mes, electric sparks, and Eldritch Energy danced across the neighboring peaks. The constant rumble of quakes and sts echoed through the air, a clear testament to the fierce battles being waged against demons across the entire battlefield


    ². <h4>References</h4>


    Robinxen: These people are gonna get shocked each and every time if they keep concluding they now understand the power dynamic.


    Robinxen: It’s an exp farm!