Volume 11 - Yamata no Orochi: Chapter 61 – The Sixth Chamber

Lily made her way back to her dwelling. Per Ayaka’s calculations, construction of the thirty-six altars scattered across the globe was projected to conclude in a few months.

No expense had been spared in their efforts. Similarly, the Ship of Ascension was antic.i.p.ated to reach completion within the same timeframe.

Lily was spared the need to fret over these matters. Her only obligations were to rest and train within the serene confines of Cherry Blossom Valley.

In a few days, Lily intended to journey to Ezo to acquire the fifth stone stele of the Tsukuyomi Swordstyle. Having never visited Ezo Island, she wished to explore it prior to her ascension.

Having not seen her senior sister for a while, Lily’s consciousness transitioned into the Mirror Dimension.

“Master,” greeted Kagura, found within the octagonal stone chamber.

“Kagura, how have you been?” It was known that Kagura had been dedicating her time to training in this locale.

“I have attained the Throned Stage,” Kagura responded. Unlike other experts, she faced no bottlenecks. Merely with time and rigorous training, she could gradually reclaim her prime strength, aided by an abundance of Anima.

Lily nodded in approval. “Yes, that’s excellent news.”

As Kagura resumed her training, Lily made her way into Rinne’s chamber.

Rinne lay there in silence, unaffected by the external world’s happenings, immune even to catastrophes.

“Sister Rinne… when might you awaken…”

Lily felt a wave of sadness wash over her. The memory of a recent dream, in which her senior sister awoke, brought a blush to her cheeks.

Silently kneeling before her, Lily took her hand, sharing recent events as if to keep her company…

Before departing, Lily revisited the octagonal chamber, sensing an odd pulse. Her gaze was drawn to the sixth wall, consistently embellished with an octagonal mirror, before which she previously felt sorrow upon seeing her reflection.

Approaching the mirror, she mused, “Huh? Lunar fluctuations?”

Initially, Lily’s grasp of Lunar True Intent was not sufficiently acute to detect anything. However, having ascended to the Lunar Heavenly Path’s initial stage, the Hazy Moon Stage, she now perceived the subtle and unusual pulses previously unnoticed.

Compelled to investigate, Lily found that the fluctuations appeared to emanate from behind the mirror. Unable to move it, she focused her gaze intently on the mirror and channeled Hazy Moon energy into her scrutiny.

“Could it be a switch?”

Lily quickly discerned a mechanism concealed behind the mirror, operable solely through Hazy Moon energy. Thus, she activated it.

The sound of shifting rocks filled the air as a stone portal behind the mirror was revealed. With a turn, the entrance swung open.

“The sixth chamber!”

Each of the first five chambers held wonders. And now, the sixth…

Upon entering, Lily discovered the chamber to be surprisingly small and utterly devoid of contents.

This struck her as odd. The preceding chambers had all been more expansive than their outward appearance suggested. This one, however, was smaller—peculiar, indeed.

Then, Lily observed inscriptions on the front wall. Despite being unable to decipher the script, she intuitively grasped its significance.

“What? Is that so?”

The inscription described an ability. Though intricate, its mastery was not beyond reach. Remarkably, it lacked progressive phases, making it immediately usable upon acquisition.

The inscriptions revealed that any adept could harness this ability within this chamber through their soul. It allowed them to link their consciousness to the Mirror Dimension, even from a distance, and manifest a spiritual form within.

“Isn’t it magical?” Lily grasped the technique swiftly. However, she found limited use for it personally, as she would never part with the mirror.

Consequently, Lily permitted Kagura and Yuki-Onna to acquire the skill, which they mastered in a day. Following this, Lily conducted experiments with them, discovering that regardless of the distance traversed in Cherry Blossom Valley, their consciousness could always access the Mirror Dimension. Given that this realm was inherently a construct of consciousness, sensations experienced by any spiritual form within mirrored those of the physical body. Despite the high concentration demand, their souls and core consciousness remained anch.o.r.ed to their physical forms, kilometers away.

Curious about the range of its effectiveness, Lily instructed Kagura to teleport to Heian-kyo and Suno. Astonishingly, Kagura achieved instantaneous projection into the Mirror Dimension.

“Kagura, are you truly in Suno at this moment?” Lily gazed at Kagura within the Mirror Dimension, taken aback. This version of Kagura was indistinguishable from her real counterpart.

“Master, Lady Kimiko is here with me. She finds this ability fascinating and wishes to learn it as well.”

“Certainly,” Lily responded with a smile.

While Kimiko was indeed a demon, she wasn’t bound as Lily’s Shikigami; otherwise, she could have entered the Mirror Dimension in her physical form.

It wasn’t long before the news spread widely.

All her sisters commenced learning the ability within the Mirror Dimension, with varying degrees of ease. Kimiko and Ayaka mastered it after a single reading, whereas Kotoka and Sakiko took several days to do so.

Yet, within less than half a month, all her sisters had acquired the skill.

“Lily, this ability might not be universally functional, possibly failing in unique locales or against ancient wards. Nevertheless, it appears superior to voice transmission orbs

¹. Its drawback, however, lies in the significant focus required. Even I must allocate ten percent of my attention. For most, engaging in any external tasks while utilizing this would be unfeasible. Hence, prioritizing your safety during such mental connections is paramount,” Kimiko explained.

Lily nodded in understanding and relayed this crucial information to everyone.

This revelation was significant. The sisters could link their minds to the Mirror Dimension from any distance, facilitating communication with Lily and amongst themselves. This enabled them to train, exchange information, and share skills at will, irrespective of their physical locations.

Princess Asuka, too, acquired this capability. Presently in Cherry Blossom Valley with Reika, she prepared to organize her soldiers into teams for altar protection.

“This place seems bustling. Has something transpired recently?” Shizuka Gozen inquired upon her return from overseeing an altar’s construction.

Lily experienced a surge of conflicting emotions. Yet, she recognized the need to confront the inevitable. Given her sisters’ awareness, concealing the truth from Shizuka Gozen was no longer an option.

Lily offered a deep bow in her direction.

“What’s the matter, Miss Lily? Why such formality?”

“There’s something I need to share with you, something I’ve hesitated to mention until now…”

Lily candidly revealed her speculations regarding the ancient mirror, expressing her uncertainties about whether her mirror was the very one previously possessed by Shizuka Gozen.

“Are you suggesting that the mirror in your possession could be mine?” Shizuka Gozen responded, visibly taken aback.

“My apologies, Madam. I lacked the courage to inform you earlier.”

“Heheh, I understand. A mirror const.i.tutes the lifeblood of a Mirror Girl and is cherished deeply. It’s challenging to come to terms with the idea that one’s mirror has been appropriated by another,” Shizuka Gozen replied with composure.

“In the spirit of candor, if indeed the mirror was originally yours, I’m unable to relinquish it at present. The reason being, within it lies…”

“No need to explain further, Lily. I comprehend the gravity of your actions—you’ve saved the world, eliminated Minamoto no Yoritomo, and incapacitated the Cloistered Emperor, all in vengeance for my husband. My life would be a small price for your triumphs. Should my mirror be essential to you, it’s yours to keep. However, may I inspect it? I’m curious to ascertain if it’s the same mirror I entrusted to Yos.h.i.tsune, the one I misplaced,” Shizuka Gozen stated with heartfelt sincerity.

Shizuka Gozen’s magnanimity deeply touched Lily, compelling her to reciprocate. She retrieved the ancient mirror and pa.s.sed it to her.

The sight of the ancient mirror immediately brightened Shizuka Gozen’s eyes. She lifted it for a closer examination, tenderly tracing the ancient engravings adorning its edges.

After a moment of scrutiny, she concluded, “It bears resemblance, yet it is not the one I owned.”

This revelation prompted Lily to silently exhale in relief.

Handing back the mirror, she advised, “Lily, your trust honors me. However, you must safeguard this artifact diligently. Under no circ.u.mstances should it be displayed to others.”

“Understood, and thank you for the guidance, Madam.”

Lily reclaimed the mirror, securely tucking it into her waist belt.

“Additionally, Madam…”

Lily shared details of the newfound ability with Shizuka Gozen and extended an invitation into the Mirror Dimension. Surprisingly, Shizuka Gozen’s consciousness was obstructed from entry, even with explicit consent.

“Let’s not dwell on it. I can still relay information to the others who can enter, right?” Shizuka Gozen appeared undisturbed by the setback.

Lily experienced a flush of shame, yet the clarification that the mirror wasn’t Shizuka Gozen’s alleviated her guilt.

Shizuka Gozen departed to Heian-kyo to oversee the Ship of Ascension’s construction.

The Mirror Dimension buzzed with activity, with several sisters making their entrance as and when Lily permitted.

Lily found herself granting access subconsciously, even in deep slumber. The number of sisters seeking entry demanded no conscious effort on her part.

Inside the Mirror Dimension, Lily observed Rei, Shimizu, and Ayaka in their spiritual forms, each mirroring their physical appearance. The tactile sensations among these spiritual bodies felt utterly lifelike, offering solace in the knowledge that the sisters could remain united despite physical distances.

Rei expressed her astonishment while exploring the area. “I stand in Kamakura, yet here I am as well. Truly miraculous.”

“Indeed. It seems I’ll have the opportunity to visit you more often in the future, Sister Uesugi,” Lily remarked, standing next to the stone lamp.

Rei casually strolled up to Lily, reaching out to grab her b.u.t.tocks.

“Ah! What are you doing, Sister?” Lily exclaimed, clearly embarra.s.sed.

“Quite realistic, isn’t it?” Rei observed, glancing at her fingers maintained in a deliberate pose.

Footnotes:

1. 
   

   Robinxen: Utterly broken ability in any setting that hasn’t developed radio yet, or at least relies on physical correspondence.