Deep in the ravine, there was indeed a cave.
Most of the entrance was hidden by overgrown weeds. If Shinji hadn't remembered the direction of his frantic escape that night, there was no way he'd have found this place.
"This is it."
He pushed aside the brambles and stepped inside.
Dark, damp, the air thick with the stench of decay.
Kikyō followed behind him, a soft white spiritual light condensing in her hand, illuminating the path ahead.
The cave wasn't deep.
A dozen or so steps brought them to the end.
Shinji stopped.
There, lying on the ground, was a skeleton.
Bones, bleached white. The clothing had long since rotted away to fragments, just a few tattered scraps of fabric clinging to the frame.
The left arm was missing, a clean cut.
"It's him." Shinji recognized the pose of the skeleton. It was exactly how the old man had looked that night, when he'd carried him on his back.
But the flesh was gone. Just bones now.
It had only been a few days?
He frowned.
"Demon aura erosion," Kikyō said, stepping forward and crouching to examine the remains. "There was a lot of demon aura left in his body when he died, probably wounds from demons on the journey here. Combined with the heavy yin energy in this cave, it accelerated the erosion. The decomposition happened much faster than normal."
Shinji fell silent.
This old man had given his life to protect the Shikon Jewel.
And his body had been left here alone in this dark cave, slowly eaten away by demonic energy.
"He needs to be purified." Kikyō stood and took out a stack of white paper talismans from her sleeve. "He was a demon slayer. He spent his life cutting down demons. His remains shouldn't be defiled by their aura."
Shinji nodded.
"What do you need me to do?"
"Guard the entrance. Don't let anything in."
As she spoke, Kikyō began arranging the talismans around the skeleton.
The slips of white paper danced at her fingertips like living butterflies, fluttering down one by one to form a complete circle on the ground.
Shinji retreated to the cave mouth.
He stood with his back to the interior, scanning the trees outside.
No trace of demonic aura, but he didn't relax his guard.
These desolate mountains, anything could show up.
Behind him, Kikyō's low chanting began.
The sound was soft, yet carried an indescribable solemnity.
Shinji couldn't understand the words, but the inspiration he'd gained from the Shikon Jewel's pure spirit let him feel the flow of spiritual power.
A tremendous amount of spiritual power.
He glanced back.
Kikyō's hands formed a seal, and dazzling white light radiated from her.
The light enveloped the entire skeleton, slowly purifying every trace of residual demon aura.
Black mist seeped from the bones, dissolving into nothingness the moment it touched the light.
At the same time, the bones themselves began to grow transparent, as if dissolving in the radiance.
So this was purification?
Impressive.
Shinji's eyes flickered. It wasn't hard to recognize the mastery behind Kikyō's seemingly effortless display.
Like how ordinary monks needed elaborate rituals to set up barriers, while Kikyō could protect an entire village with her own spiritual power, ordinary monks needed external help, actual fire, to perform purification rites, but Kikyō could ignite spiritual flames from her own power and guide the departed.
He watched as the skeleton gradually faded in the white light, until finally only a small pile of grey-white ash remained.
Kikyō released her hand seal and took out a plain cloth bag from her sleeve.
She carefully gathered the ashes into the bag.
Her movements were gentle, slow.
She tied the bag shut and stood up.
"Let's go," she said.
"I'll give this to his family myself."
Shinji nodded.
The two of them walked out of the cave.
The sunlight was blinding.
Shinji squinted, waiting for his eyes to adjust before scanning the area.
"So next, we follow the path the elder took to get here and look for that 'Hiraikotsu.'"
Kikyō nodded, but looked puzzled. "You know the way he came…?"
She stopped mid-sentence, realization dawning.
This demon warrior couldn't even remember the way to the cave. How would he possibly know the route the demon slayer village elder had taken to get here?
He was going to use his usual trick.
Kikyō knew the way to the demon slayer village, of course. But the elder had been chased the whole way, he wouldn't have taken a straight path.
Sure enough.
Shinji crouched down, picked up a stone, and casually wiped the dirt off it with his sleeve.
Kikyō watched him, saying nothing.
But her expression clearly said: Not this again?
Shinji smiled.
"Hey friend, sorry to bother you," he addressed the stone.
"A few days ago, an old man came running through here. You know which direction he came from?"
The stone didn't respond.
[Unnamed Small Stone: Affection 0 (Stranger)]
[It doesn't want to talk to you.]
Shinji didn't give up.
He poured a little water from his flask onto the stone, giving it a wash.
Then he found a sunny spot and placed it there.
"Much better, right? If you hear anything, let me know. I'll come visit when I can."
[Unnamed Small Stone: Affection +1]
[Current Affection: 1 (Goodwill)]
[It thinks you're alright, but it really hasn't seen any big bones around here.]
[It does tell you, though: That old man was running fast. He came from the east, down that mountain path.]
Success.
Shinji stood up and brushed off his hands.
"East. Down that mountain path, that's where he came from."
Kikyō looked at him.
"The stone talked again?"
"Yeah."
"…"
Kikyō was silent for a moment.
"This ability of yours," she said.
"It's strange."
"But… also useful."
Was that a compliment?
Shinji smiled.
"Then let's keep looking."
He started walking east.
"Hiraikotsu is a big weapon. It couldn't have just vanished into thin air. It must have fallen somewhere along the way."
Kikyō followed behind him.
They made their way down the mountain path.
Every so often, Shinji would stop to chat with a rock or a tree root.
He didn't gain much affection, but he gathered plenty of information.
[The rock says the old man ran that way.]
[The pine tree says a giant centipede was chasing him.]
[There was a fight over there. The ground was covered in blood.]
A clear route map began to take shape.
There was still no word on Hiraikotsu's whereabouts, but at least they had a direction to search.
"Could a demon have picked it up?" Shinji asked.
Kikyō frowned.
"Possible. Hiraikotsu is forged from demon bones. To other demons, it's like a tonic. If a powerful demon found it, they might try to absorb it."
Shinji's heart sank.
If it had already been consumed, there was nothing they could do.
But,
"Maybe not yet," he said. "That thing sounds pretty tough. Digesting it would take some work."
Kikyō glanced at him.
"You're very interested in Hiraikotsu?"
"It's a good weapon." Shinji didn't deny it. "A blade that can slay demons? Who wouldn't be interested?"
Kikyō didn't press further.
They continued on.
The sun began to sink toward the west.
They'd left the mountains behind. Ahead lay an open plain.
At the edge of the plain, faint columns of smoke rose in the distance.
A human settlement.
"We'll rest there for the night," Kikyō said. "Resume the search tomorrow."
Shinji nodded.
They headed toward the smoke.
After about an hour, a rundown village came into view, more rundown than Shinji had expected.
Thatched roofs were full of holes, mud walls were riddled with cracks, even the wooden fence at the entrance had collapsed on one side.
Like something had trampled through it.
"This place…" Shinji frowned.
Something felt off.
.
.
.
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