"Lady Kikyo, where are we going now?"
Seated on Kuro Maru's back and leaning lightly against Kikyo, Yuzuki gazed up at the sunlight filtering through the canopy. The rays slipped through the leaves, weaving a shimmering golden lattice across the forest floor. Tilting her head, she asked curiously.
"To find the sealed demon," Kikyo replied gently. One arm circled Yuzuki's waist, steadying her to keep her from slipping. "We're close. It lies within Lake Motosu, just ahead."
"Are we going to fight a demon soon?" Yuzuki looked up at her, eyes clear and serious.
"Mhm." Kikyo raised a hand and softly stroked her head. "Don't be afraid. I'll protect you."
Yuzuki shook her head firmly. "I'm not scared… I'm just worried I'll slow you down, Lady Kikyo. You don't need to worry about me!"
"Kid, just sit still and don't overthink it," Kagetsu said casually as he walked alongside Kuro Maru, not even glancing back.
"Lord Kagetsu, I,"
"You're late. I've been waiting here for ages."
A crisp, impatient female voice suddenly cut in.
Yuzuki flinched, startled, and quickly looked ahead.
Beneath a towering tree stood a woman clad in magnificent robes. Purple-striped garments, embroidered with intricate patterns, draped elegantly around her figure. In her hand was a delicate folding fan. Her pink eyes carried a sharp impatience, and her beauty was so striking it felt almost otherworldly,like a spirit of the mountains.
"Kagura," Kagetsu said, his gaze steady as he ignored Yuzuki's reaction. "You're here for the Buddhist stone bowl, right?"
He took the stone bowl from Kikyo and casually tossed it toward her.
Kagura caught it with ease, idly tossing it once in her palm before speaking. "Thanks. I followed a lead earlier, but by the time I arrived, the entire village was already dead. Humans really are fragile."
She clicked her tongue lightly, sounding displeased.
"Good thing Kamihime can sense these items. I only realized you had it after I tracked you down." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "It wasn't easy shaking off Naraku's watch just to wait here… and you still made me wait this long."
"My apologies," Kagetsu replied flatly, his expression completely lacking any sincerity.
Kagura scoffed but didn't press the matter. Her tone turned serious.
"I came to inform you,the items needed to break the seal have all been gathered. Kamihime will be unsealed tonight. Don't be late."
"Don't worry," Kagetsu nodded. "We'll reach Lake Motosu before nightfall."
"Good."
With that, Kagura said no more. She flicked her fan lightly, summoning a gust of wind that lifted her sleeves and hem. In the next instant, she vanished into the forest.
Watching the drifting leaves settle back to the ground, Kikyo spoke calmly.
"Let's go. We should hurry as well."
"Mhm."
Kagetsu nodded in agreement.
In the original course of events, Kamihime would seek out Inuyasha's group after being unsealed,targeting the Robe of the Four Souls and even abducting Kagome. But now that events had already begun to diverge, it was best to reach the lake as quickly as possible.
"Wow… it's beautiful!"
Yuzuki couldn't help but gasp in awe at the sight before her.
Even Kagetsu and Kikyo paused, momentarily captivated.
The sun was setting, and golden light spilled across the lake, turning its surface into a shimmering sea of molten gold. A thin veil of mist hovered above the water, glowing faintly under the fading sunlight, like something out of a dream.
Kagetsu's eyes swept across the lake.
There was no sign of the Dream Castle that should have stood at its center. It seemed likely that its appearance was tied to the moon,it wouldn't manifest under daylight.
Night fell quickly.
Seated cross-legged by the lakeshore, Kagetsu had already entered Sage Mode. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open.
As the full moon rose into the sky, the surface of the once-empty lake rippled,
And then, silently, an exquisite palace emerged.
Its structure was grand and elegant, its glazed tiles reflecting the moonlight with a cold, ethereal glow. It looked less like a demon's domain and more like a celestial residence descending upon the mortal world.
But Kagetsu barely spared it a glance.
His attention shifted sharply toward the distance.
Kagura's demonic aura was approaching.
She was likely on her way to Lake Kawaguchi to throw in the final Buddhist stone bowl and break Kamihime's seal.
"…The Shikon Jewel?" Kikyo suddenly opened her eyes as well, her gaze turning toward the depths of the forest behind them. A flicker of surprise crossed her face. "Aside from the evil aura of that castle… I can also sense the presence of the Shikon Jewel. And it's getting closer."
"It's Inuyasha and the others," Kagetsu said, rising to his feet and stretching slightly. "What you're sensing should be the shard Kagome carries."
He paused, then added, "Kagura and her group are at Lake Kawaguchi right now. They're preparing to break Kamihime's seal."
He hadn't expected this.
In a complete departure from the original events, Inuyasha's group had arrived before Kamihime was even unsealed. Most likely, the strange full moon phenomena over the past few days had drawn their attention.
Reaching into his ninja pouch, Kagetsu took out a kunai and handed it to Yuzuki.
She was pressed tightly against Kuro Maru, her expression tense.
"Take this," he said. "Don't lose it. If anything happens, I'll be able to find you immediately."
"Shadow Clone Jutsu."
With a puff of smoke, an identical figure appeared beside him.
The clone met his gaze, gave a slight nod, and without a word, vanished into the forest,heading straight toward Inuyasha's group.
"Kagetsu, what are you planning?" Kikyo asked.
"The Robe of the Four Souls should be with them." Kagetsu drew another kunai, turning it lightly in his hand. "Once Kamihime is unsealed, she'll likely go after it. I'm sending my clone to secure it first."
In Sage Mode, he could clearly sense a peculiar human traveling alongside Inuyasha's group. That person carried something unusual,an object that, to his perception, seemed composed of natural energy itself.
It had to be the Robe of the Four Souls.
As he spoke, he flicked his wrist.
The kunai shot forward with a sharp thud, embedding itself deep into a tree by the lakeshore, its blade glinting coldly in the moonlight.
"If Kamihime heads over there," he continued, glancing at Kikyo, "I'll try to bring her here using the Flying Thunder God. When that happens,"
"I'll take the shot," Kikyo finished calmly, already understanding his intent.
At that very moment,
A strange demonic aura suddenly erupted within his perception, accompanied by an overwhelming surge of malice.
"Kamihime… has appeared."
Kikyo's expression turned grave. "What a powerful evil presence…"
"She's heading toward Inuyasha's group," Kagetsu said sharply, his gaze locking onto the depths of the forest.
"And she's moving fast."