"Not bad, not bad. Compared to the last time when I sealed a pile of rubble, this time at least I sealed a demon."
Kagetsu clicked his tongue, surveying the scene inside his sealing space. Inside, besides Kamihime, there was the lake water and a pile of Naraku's dismembered limbs.
Once the Four Symbols Seal completes, it forms an independent sealing space within the body,similar to the Eight Trigrams Seal Minato used on the Nine-Tails. The Reverse Four Symbols Seal worked the same way, forming its own pocket dimension.
Interestingly, this was his second time using the technique. He had assumed the newly sealed items would merge with the space from the Ninja World War, but apparently, his resurrected body had reshaped the space. A new sealing dimension had formed, overlapping the old one in position but remaining separate.
Sealing spaces were illusions, not actual locations. They existed through chakra and sealing techniques and could only be entered with spiritual power. Kagetsu closed his eyes, projecting his consciousness into the new space.
It was dark. At the center floated a pool of lake water littered with demon limbs. In its midst grew a lush tree,the manifestation of the Four Symbols Seal itself, like the cage in Naruto's sealing space.
His spiritual projection stood on the water beneath the tree. Bound to the trunk by countless branches was Kamihime's misty form, motionless and unconscious.
After a few moments, he withdrew his projection and opened his eyes. The broken Mirror of Life remained in his hand.
Outside, the lake was calm. Naraku had vanished without a trace, the Dream Castle was gone, and the full moon had waned.
A message from his Shadow Clone arrived,Kikyo was worried. Having received it, he didn't linger and turned back to the shore.
"Kagetsu, are you okay?" Kikyo hurried to meet him as he stepped onto the shore, concern written across her face.
"Don't worry, I'm fine." Kagetsu spread his arms, spinning playfully. "See? Perfectly intact. I just sealed Kamihime, that's all."
"That's good." Kikyo let out a sigh of relief. "What about Naraku? I sensed his evil aura."
"He ran." Kagetsu's lips curved in a faint smile as he recalled Naraku's desperate self-destruction to escape the seal. "He tried to take advantage of the situation to devour Kamihime and me, but the sealing technique caught him. To avoid capture, he self-destructed his body and fled with only his head."
He bent down and gently patted Yuzuki's head. "Little one, it's over. The demon has been dealt with."
"Mm! Lord Kagetsu, thank you!" Yuzuki said, bowing her head obediently.
"It's over. Let's go."
"Okay." Kikyo nodded, then remembered something. She reached into her clothes and pulled out the robe of the four souls.
"What about this?"
"You keep it." Kagetsu glanced at the pink ribbon, thin as a cicada's wing. "It belonged to the celestial maiden devoured by Kamihime. We've avenged her. Consider it your reward."
"And these two." He produced the diamond-shaped hairpin and the Mirror of Life from his pouch. "Both came from Kamihime. The mirror can traverse space, and the hairpin transforms into a golden longsword. Both are quite valuable."
Kikyo examined them briefly before handing them back along with the robe. "You keep them for now. We'll talk when we return."
"Fine." Kagetsu casually sent the items into the Kamui Dimension and watched Kikyo mount Kuro Maru. Leading the way, he disappeared into the forest.
Shortly after, Inuyasha's group emerged from the dense woods and arrived at Lake Motosu, only to find it deserted.
"Kikyo and Kagetsu are already gone?" Inuyasha scanned the calm waters.
"Ah! The full moon is gone!" Shippō shouted, pointing at the sky.
Everyone looked up and saw the full moon replaced by a waning moon; the night had returned to normal.
"Is Kamihime dead?" Sango asked softly.
"Most likely." Miroku stared at the lake. "That massive spiritual attack… I don't think she survived it."
"But that woman is terrifying…" he added, clutching his chest as he sank onto a broken tree trunk. Kamihime's attack had left him badly injured.
"Monk, are you alright?" Sango hurried forward to support him.
"I can hold on, but I need some rest." Miroku's right hand, however, involuntarily brushed against Sango's buttocks.
Slap! A vein popped on Sango's forehead as she slapped him, turned away, and ignored him.
"Ah… maybe my hand is injured and acting up!" Miroku muttered awkwardly, holding the bright red handprint.
Kagome and Inuyasha exchanged helpless smiles. Some things never changed.
"Pull yourself together, Miroku clan!" Shippō shouted beside him.
At that moment, red lights drifted from the lake and gathered near Inuyasha's sleeve. The missing section of his fire rat robe slowly restored itself.
"The fire rat robe is back to normal!" Kagome exclaimed.
Meanwhile, Kikyo and Kagetsu had taken a detour to Lake Kawaguchi.
"To get something," Kagetsu said, forming hand signs. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
A Shadow Clone appeared and vanished instantly, returning moments later soaking wet, carrying a familiar object. After handing it to Kagetsu, it disappeared in a puff of white smoke.
Kikyo's eyes softened as she saw the item. Kagetsu approached Yuzuki and returned the Buddhist stone bowl.
"Th-this is…" Yuzuki's eyes reddened, tears welling. She wiped them away and held the bowl solemnly. "Thank you very much,!"
"Alright, let's go home." Kagetsu rubbed her head gently, then led the way into the forest. Kikyo followed on Kuro Maru, their figures gradually fading into the trees.