"H-How is this possible…?"
High above the ruined courtyard, Hiten stared in disbelief.
The massive lightning sphere he had poured so much Demonic Power into had been blocked… effortlessly.
The pale blue skeletal giant had not even cracked.
Fear crawled into his heart.
Without another word, he turned and fled.
The dark clouds above began to thin as he shot across the sky.
The skeletal Susanoo slowly faded away.
Uchiha Lie looked up at the escaping figure and sneered.
"Running now? Too late."
"Flying Thunder God Technique."
Before the last syllable finished—
He vanished.
In the next instant, he appeared directly in front of Hiten mid-air.
Chakra surged violently around his leg.
He kicked.
Crack—!
The clear sound of bones shattering echoed through the sky.
Hiten's sternum caved inward.
He spat out a mouthful of blood as his body flew backward like a broken puppet—
Straight toward where Kagome stood below.
Kagome's eyes widened as Hiten came crashing toward her.
She was about to dodge—
But Uchiha Lie appeared in front of her again.
Pale blue ribs formed instantly.
With a heavy thud, Hiten slammed against the Susanoo barrier.
Blood splattered across its translucent surface.
The impact shook the ground.
When the dust settled, Hiten lay motionless.
Uchiha Lie dispersed the Susanoo and walked forward calmly.
He flipped Hiten's body over with the tip of his foot.
A black Flying Thunder God Mark was clearly visible on his chest.
"Trash is trash," Uchiha Lie muttered coldly. "Did you really think a few Shikon Jewel shards made you invincible?"
He reached down and plucked the three glowing shards from Hiten's forehead.
Then, without hesitation, he tossed them toward Kagome.
"Catch."
"Eh?!"
Kagome scrambled to catch them.
The pink shards glowed warmly in her palm.
"These are… for me?"
"Yes."
Behind them, a spatial vortex opened.
"Kamui."
Hiten's body was pulled inside and disappeared.
Uchiha Lie retrieved his samurai sword from the ground and sheathed it calmly.
The blade was not just for cutting demons.
It also served as a marker for his teleportation.
The Flying Thunder God Technique, created by the Second Hokage, allowed him to move instantly between marked locations.
Speed beyond reaction.
Power beyond comprehension.
---
A Simple Choice
"Lie," Kagome asked hesitantly, holding the shards carefully, "don't you need these? I saw you collecting Shikon Jewel shards too."
"I already took the ones from the other demon," he replied calmly. "These are yours."
He gave her a faint smile.
He did not need every shard.
He only used them to lure demons.
Besides—
Kagome was the reincarnation of the priestess who once guarded the jewel.
Collecting shards was her path.
If he took everything, it would disrupt her growth.
But if he gave her everything, those shards would eventually fall into Naraku's hands.
Better to split them.
That way—
Naraku would never fully complete the jewel.
---
The Question
Kagome hesitated.
"Lie… are you human?"
He raised an eyebrow.
"Of course I'm human. What did you think?"
She laughed awkwardly.
"No, no, of course not…"
But she had wondered.
The cracks on his skin.
The lifeless aura.
The unnatural calm.
"You want to ask about this body, right?" he said flatly, touching his cheek.
She nodded quickly.
"Yes!"
He looked at his hands calmly.
"This body is created by the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu."
"It is made of dust and earth."
"It exists to hold a soul that should have already returned to the afterlife."
Kagome froze.
"…So you're… dead?"
"Yes."
He answered it like it was nothing.
"In a world filled with demons, is a dead man really that strange?"
Kagome blinked.
When she thought about it—
Maybe not.
She scratched her head awkwardly.
"I guess… that makes sense?"
Then another question popped into her mind.
"How did you die?"
He paused.
His tone became slightly heavier.
"I was killed."
"With your strength?!" she asked in shock.
He gave a bitter smile.
"I worked hard for years."
"But sometimes… hard work loses to someone using a cheat."
His eyes darkened briefly.
The memory of that overwhelming power—
That helpless defeat—
Still lingered.
Kagome sensed the change in atmosphere and quickly stopped asking.
The air grew slightly quiet.
Then—
"Kagome! Kagome—!"
A familiar voice echoed from the distance.
"Inuyasha!"
"And Shippō!"
Kagome stood up immediately and waved.
"I'm here!"
Relief filled her face.
Uchiha Lie brushed dust from his clothes.
"Your mutt has found you."
He turned slightly.
"I'm leaving."
"Lie!"
Kagome bowed deeply again.
"Thank you. For saving me. And for the shards."
He waved dismissively.
"It was nothing."
Then he paused.
His left eye turned crimson.
A Kamui vortex opened.
From it, a piece of yellow fox pelt fell into his hand.
He handed it to Kagome.
"This belongs to the father of that little fox demon traveling with you."
"Give it to him."
Kagome stared at the pelt in shock.
"This is… Shippō's father?"
She looked up to ask how he knew—
But he was already gone.
Only a faint breeze moved through the ruined courtyard.
Kagome blinked.
"He left so fast…"
Moments later, Inuyasha and Shippō rushed in.
"Kagome! Are you okay?!"
She smiled softly, still holding the fox pelt and the glowing shards.
"I'm fine."
But deep inside, she couldn't stop thinking—
That mysterious man.
A dead ninja.
Walking between worlds.
And moving the fate of the Shikon Jewel from the shadows.
Their paths had crossed again.
And she felt certain—
It would not be the last time.
---_______________________________
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