The Sengoku period was an era of unceasing conflict, where human life was as cheap as grass and injury was a daily occurrence.
The villager with the slashed abdomen appeared to have been attacked by bandits, only narrowly escaping death thanks to the desperate efforts of his companions. Aside from him, many other villagers had sustained varying degrees of injury.
They carried the critically wounded man to a wooden hut and cried out, "Doctor Suikotsu, please, help us! Treat him!"
A fair-featured man stepped out of the hut. Seeing the situation, his expression shifted uncomfortably. He hurriedly said, "Quickly, bring him inside."
Once the villagers had finished carrying the wounded man in, they all exited the room to wait outside so as not to disturb the doctor's treatment.
Only Kikyo remained. She had already noticed the Shikon Jewel shard embedded in Suikotsu's neck. When she saw seven or eight young children lying within the room, she paused in surprise.
Suikotsu, preparing to clean the villager's wound, noticed the striking Kikyo. He asked casually, "Miss, is there something I can help you with?"
"My name is Kikyo. I know a bit of medicine; I might be able to assist you."
"That would be wonderful. Please, clean his wound first while I prepare the herbs."
"Understood." Kikyo knelt down, gently lifting the man's clothing and using a cloth dipped in hot water to wipe away the blood and grime surrounding the wound.
Suikotsu watched for a moment, and feeling reassured, went to the other side of the room to prepare hemostatic herbs. He felt a secret sense of relief; for some reason, the sight of blood made him feel intensely uneasy.
At that moment, Aomori walked up to Kikyo's side. He flicked a sphere of holy light to stop the villager's bleeding and said, "You've noticed it, haven't you? This Doctor Suikotsu possesses a Shikon Jewel shard, and a pure, untainted one at that."
"Yes," Kikyo replied, her hands never stopping their work.
"As you know well, the Shikon Jewel is easily corrupted. If it falls into the hands of one with even a flicker of evil intent, it becomes foul. This suggests that Doctor Suikotsu is a man of deep kindness."
"However," Aomori said, looking at Kikyo's elegant face, "he is a dead man. From what I know, in life, he was a notorious and bloodthirsty mercenary. Incredible, isn't it?"
"Indeed." Kikyo recalled her observations of Suikotsu. She was certain she hadn't misjudged him. A flash of insight struck her as she considered a possibility. "Two souls in one body? No... one soul with two faces."
"Exactly. He possesses but one soul, yet it manifests in two completely different personas. One thought for good, one thought for evil. So, in the end, what is 'good' and what is 'evil'?"
"What is good, and what is evil... even I do not know," Kikyo said, shaking her head thoughtfully.
Seeing that Suikotsu was about to return, Aomori asked, "Kikyo-san, do you have business at Mount Hakurei? Perhaps I can help you."
After a moment of reflection, Kikyo shook her head. "I wish to stay here for two days."
"Very well. When Inuyasha and the others arrive, you can decide then whether or not to enter." Having said his piece, Aomori departed.
Just as he left, Suikotsu returned with the herbs.
Kikyo stood up and said, "Doctor Suikotsu, you're back."
"Did something go wrong with the patient?" Suikotsu checked the man, suppressing his nausea. "No... he's doing very well. The wound seems almost closed. Did you do this, Kikyo-san? How impressive."
"No. I only cleaned the wound; I did nothing else."
"That is strange indeed."
Afterward, Suikotsu and Kikyo worked together to bandage all the wounded, laboring late into the night.
"Kikyo-san, it's late. Why not stay here and rest? You can sleep beside the children. I mean no offense; I'm simply concerned for your safety," Suikotsu said after seeing off the last of the villagers.
Kikyo looked at the children in the inner room. "They aren't your children, are they?"
"They are all homeless orphans. I took them in."
"I see. I have a place to stay, so I won't trouble you." Kikyo politely declined.
"Well then, please be careful."
"I will."
Kikyo left the hut and walked into the forest. With the help of her Soul Collectors, she ascended a tree branch to rest.
'A man of two faces. One side is of such extreme kindness that even the Shikon Jewel remains pure; the other is a cold-blooded killer. Perhaps in this world, there is no one who is entirely good, nor entirely evil. Are good and evil truly such opposing extremes?'
'And then there is that Aosora. His spiritual power is far greater than mine was even at my peak. Why would such a being travel with Inuyasha? What is his goal?'
Filled with questions, Kikyo closed her eyes.
…
Aomori retraced his steps. Since he had time to spare, he hunted demons along the way to supplement his "household expenses."
"These demons aren't worth much individually, but the sheer number helps."
After clearing out a mountain's worth of demons, he headed for the next peak. However, his senses picked up a powerful aura of demonic energy the likes of which he had never encountered before.
"This energy is far stronger than Inuyasha's. At this time and place... could it be that person?" Aomori's lips curled into a smile as he flew toward the source.
…
Sesshomaru, resting against a tree trunk, suddenly snapped his eyes open. He stood up, taking care not to disturb Rin or Jaken, and walked alone to a clearing, looking up at the sky.
He saw a streak of light descend from the heavens, landing before him to reveal a man in white wearing a mask.
Sensing the unusual aura emanating from Aomori, Sesshomaru frowned. "Who are you?"
"I am Aosora," he replied simply, his gaze wandering over Sesshomaru.
Seeing his face, Aomori couldn't help but admire him. Truly the foremost bishōnen of this world; even Aomori felt the man was only a single step behind himself in looks.
His gaze moved downward to the two swords at the demon's waist.
One was Tenseiga, forged from the fang of the Great Dog General (Inu no Taishō) just like Tessaiga. It was the sword of life that could not kill, but instead resurrected the recently deceased.
Tenseiga, Tessaiga, and So'unga were known as the three swords of world conquest, legendary in their fame.
One had to admit, the Great Dog General had incredible style. It was hard to imagine that fangs capable of producing swords with such miraculous properties belonged to a demon who was ultimately mortally wounded by a mere Ryukotsusei.
It was a regret of Aomori's that he would never meet the man.
The other sword was Tokijin, forged from the fangs of Goshinki, the demon that had snapped Tessaiga in two. It was an ego-sword of pure slaughter, surpassing Tessaiga in raw destructive power.
"I'm quite interested in those two swords of yours. Would you mind letting me have a look?" Aomori spoke his mind plainly.
Sesshomaru stared coldly at Aomori. His remaining right hand tightened around the hilt of Tokijin. Had he not felt a sense of caution, he would have already drawn the blade to slash the man's face.
He said with a dark expression, "Do you... wish to die?"
"I do not."
Aomori knew Sesshomaru's weak point and intentionally provoked him. "You must be Inuyasha's older brother, Sesshomaru. Compared to Inuyasha, you really are lacking. No wonder the Great Dog General left Tessaiga to Inuyasha and not to you."
"You crave death!" Pushed to his limit, Sesshomaru did not hesitate. He drew Tokijin instantly and swung it at Aomori.
Though it looked like a casual swing, it unleashed a massive wave of sword pressure, tearing the earth apart in front of Aomori.
"It's a shame you two brothers don't work for a demolition company," Aomori quipped. Lightning flickered in his hand as he lightly pressed a palm toward the ground, snuffing out the rolling sword pressure entirely.
Sesshomaru's pupils contracted at the sight, but he did not cease his assault. He condensed his demonic energy and unleashed a strike even more powerful than the last.
"Soryuha!" (Dragon Strike)
The sword pressure split into several segments, rising like demonic dragons with heads bared, snapping toward Aomori.
"Now this move has some flair. But it's still not enough." Aomori clenched his fists and, with a series of punches, detonated every single demonic dragon.
This display of raw power overcoming technique made Sesshomaru realize the gap between them. However, challenging the strong was his nature. Instead of retreating, he closed the distance like a ghost and swung his blade.
There was no need to hold back against Sesshomaru. For the first time in this world, Aomori revealed a glimpse of his true strength. Using the fluid motions of the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, he battered Sesshomaru into a pitiful state.
Not only was the demon's armor shattered and several ribs broken, but his face had taken several hits, leaving behind bruised and swollen marks.
Sesshomaru had rarely been beaten so badly. He lay on the ground, questioning his very existence as a demon.
"Sigh, too weak," Aomori said, shaking his head.
"I am weak? Just who are you?!" Sesshomaru hissed through gritted teeth. He was on the verge of transforming into his giant hound form to fight to the death, but logic told him that even that would be futile.
"I am not a human. I am a God."
"A God?"
"How does my strength compare to the Great Dog General? Could I take him down?" Aosora leaned over and pulled Tenseiga from its sheath.
"My father was the strongest!" Sesshomaru wanted to say it, but the words wouldn't leave his throat. His prideful nature forbade him from lying; in truth, even he didn't know what the outcome of a fight between his father and Aomori would be.
Seeing Sesshomaru fall silent, Aomori examined Tenseiga and said, "To be honest, your demonic power is great and your technique isn't bad, but you've never been able to stand as a Great Demon (Daiyokai) equal to your father. Do you know why?"
Tenseiga was highly sentient; no matter how Aomori tried to coax it, the sword gave no reaction. He shook his head and slid it back into its scabbard. "It's because you've been staring at your father's shadow, neglecting your own. True strength is achieved by one's own hand. Your father didn't have the protection of an ancestor; he walked his path step by step on his own."
"On my own...?" Sesshomaru muttered.
"Mhm." Aomori took Tokijin from the demon's limp hand and infused it with Holy Light.
Tokijin surged with sinister demonic energy, trying to resist, but under Aomori's overwhelming pressure, the struggle was in vain. Once suppressed by the Holy Light, it transformed from a demonic blade into a holy sword radiating a pure aura.
Aosora gave it a light swing toward the sky. A pillar of holy light erupted, tearing the midnight firmament in two like a piece of parchment.
"Other people's things are never as good as one's own, but this will do."
Tenseiga was a memento from Sesshomaru's father; even if Aomori was interested, he felt it in poor taste to steal it. Tokijin, however, was different. He felt no guilt taking it; consider it the tuition fee for Sesshomaru's lesson.
As for whether the demon would actually learn anything, that was up to Sesshomaru.
"Alright, your little friends are about to find you, so let's end our chat here. This Tokijin and I share a certain destiny, so I'll be taking it. If you have any realizations or want to find me, look for Inuyasha. He knows my whereabouts."
With that, Aomori took to the sky, turning into a bolt of lightning and vanishing.
"One's own is better...?" Sesshomaru gazed in the direction Aomori had vanished, falling into deep thought.
"Sesshomaru-sama!" As Aomori had predicted, Jaken and Rin soon found him. Seeing Sesshomaru lying on the ground, they were struck with horror.
"Sesshomaru-sama, are you alright? Who did this? Could it be Naraku's doing? No, that can't be right. A mere Naraku couldn't possibly hurt you. It must have been an ambush by a horde of Great Demons!" Jaken wailed, helping Sesshomaru up alongside Rin.
Sesshomaru remained lost in thought, ignoring them.
"Sesshomaru-sama, your face is so swollen. It must hurt," Rin said, her eyes brimming with tears.
"..." This sentence finally snapped Sesshomaru out of his trance. He touched his cheek and said calmly, "I am fine."
Such injuries were not fatal to a demon of his caliber; a few days of rest would suffice.
"Then, Sesshomaru-sama, shall we continue? Should we not go back and let you recover first?" Jaken suggested.
"No." Sesshomaru was not a man who gave up easily. Furthermore, he had caught Inuyasha's scent on Aomori. Their goal was surely Naraku as well. If he kept moving forward, he would cross paths with them again.
'Aosora, was it? To call me weak... unforgivable. Next time we meet, I will make you see me in a different light!'
Sesshomaru's pride was immense. Having been treated this way by Aomori, his spirit would not be at peace until he settled the score.
"Jaken, we rest for two days, then continue."
"Yes, my lord!" Jaken nodded with a bitter smile.
…
After parting with Sesshomaru, Aomori stopped causing trouble. He simply caught two fat rabbits to bring back for breakfast.
As dawn broke, Aomori returned to the cave where the group was resting.
Inuyasha, who was on the watch for the latter half of the night, saw him and huffed. His nose twitched. "Why do you smell like Sesshomaru? Did you run into him? Wait... there's Kikyo's scent too. What the hell were you doing all night?"
Inuyasha's loud voice woke the others. Miroku yawned and said, "Ah, Aosora-sama is back. Good morning."
"Good morning, everyone." Aomori held up the two fat rabbits. "I brought breakfast."
"Thank you! Aosora-sama is so thoughtful."
"Ah, what cute bunnies. They look delicious."
"..." Inuyasha felt completely ignored. He shouted again, "Hey! Answer my question first!"
"Don't be in such a hurry. Let's eat breakfast first," Aomori said with a smile.
"Exactly, exactly."
"I don't feel like doing anything on an empty stomach."
Outnumbered, Inuyasha could only shut his mouth in grievance.