"Alright. That settles it. I'll be on my way."
Seeing Inuyasha lower his head, his expression tangled with conflicted thoughts, Kagetsu turned to leave.
"Oh, right." He paused, Sage Mode fading from his eyes as the natural energy dispersed. He glanced back at Kagome and the others. "One more thing about Naraku."
"That guy… he's a half-demon. Just like Inuyasha."
"A half-demon?!" Kagome and Miroku exclaimed at the same time, eyes wide with disbelief.
Kagetsu gave a small nod. Combining what he had sensed earKagetsur in Sage Mode with the knowledge from his memories, he continued calmly, "But he's not the same. There's a trace of human presence in him, yes,but what he really is… is a patchwork of lesser demons fused together with festering evil."
He paused, voice turning cold.
"Most likely, he was once a human who craved demonic power. Devoured. Assimilated. His body and soul merged with countless low-level demons, then twisted further by the malice surrounding the Shikon Jewel."
A faint sneer tugged at his lips.
"Trash cobbled together from scraps like that… of course he'd cling desperately to the Jewel's power."
With that, he vanished into the forest in a blur of afterimages.
"So cool…" Shippō stared at the direction he'd disappeared, eyes sparkling with admiration.
"Hmph. That arrogant jerk," Inuyasha snorted, folding his arms. "He's collecting Shikon shards too, isn't he? What's he acting so high and mighty for?"
"Inuyasha," Kagome said slowly, frowning, "the shards he carries… he keeps them sealed in that bamboo tube on his back. He's never used them."
She hesitated.
"And I get the feeling he's doing something with their aura. Like he's… using it to lure something."
Inuyasha blinked. "How can you tell?"
"He must have altered the shards somehow." Kagome closed her eyes, focusing. After a moment, she opened them again. "I can sense the Shikon Jewel's aura on him very clearly. Eight shards in total."
"Well, yeah. You can always sense the Jewel," Inuyasha said, puzzled.
"No. This is different." Kagome shook her head. "It's much clearer than usual. It's like,"
Her eyes suddenly brightened as she searched for an analogy.
"It's like when you're making instant noodles. When the lid's still on, you can smell it a little. But the second you open it, the scent rushes out all at once!"
"…Oh!" Inuyasha's ears twitched as he caught on. "He's deliberately amplifying the shards' aura to attract demons who want them!"
"Wait, then why can't I sense anything?" Shippō piped up. "Inuyasha, can you?"
"I,of course I can!" Inuyasha shot back stiffly.
Shippō stared at him flatly. "You're lying."
"…Shippō." Inuyasha's voice dropped dangerously.
The little fox-demon yelped and instantly ducked behind Kagome.
Miroku stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Based on what Kagetsu said about the Shikon Jewel earlier,perhaps this enhanced aura can only be perceived by demons harboring malicious intent."
Not far away, Kagetsu heard every word.
A faint smile curved at the corner of his mouth.
Kagome was right.
He had used a sealing technique to modify the bamboo tube that stored the shards, carving a subtle formula that magnified their demonic aura without actually releasing their power.
Originally, it had been a simple method to lure in demons driven by greed. Since creating it, his efficiency in harvesting life force had increased dramatically.
By now, he had accumulated enough to resurrect himself twice over.
At this point, continuing to attract demons was merely a way to pass the time,live targets for training.
If he ever wished for peace and quiet, he could simply apply another sealing technique to suppress the shards' aura entirely. Clean. Efficient.
After parting ways with Inuyasha's group, Kagetsu considered his next move.
He had already met the core figures,Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, and Shippō.
There was one more he intended to see.
Kikyo.
By his recollection, Sesshomaru received the arm Naraku offered him shortly after Kikyo's resurrection. Miroku only formally joined Inuyasha's group around that same period.
In other words, Kikyo should already be walking this world again.
The problem was… her exact location.
Kagetsu frowned slightly.
"It doesn't matter. If necessary, I'll expand my Sage Mode perception and sweep the area."
He couldn't remember the precise village where Kikyo had first appeared after returning from the dead. Only that it had been near a human settlement.
"Inuyasha and the others don't stray far. They frequently return to Kaede's village. If I search methodically, I'll find her eventually."
He had just begun to move again when his steps halted abruptly.
Scarlet flared in his eyes.
The Mangekyō Sharingan bloomed open, its pattern rotating slowly as a chilling red light cut through the forest gloom.
His gaze locked onto the shadow behind a massive tree ahead.
"…So I've been discovered."
A low voice drifted out.
A figure wrapped in a baboon pelt stepped from behind the tree. The thick fur cloak draped low, concealing the face entirely. Only a faint, murky aura of malice seeped through.
"Greetings. I am,"
The voice stopped mid-sentence.
Kagetsu had already vanished.
In the next instant, he appeared behind the cloaked figure, chakra gathering silently in his palm,then dispersing just as quickly.
He turned his back and continued walking forward as if nothing had occurred.
"Pathetic."
The word fell coldly.
Behind him, the baboon pelt split cleanly down the center.
With a soft whoosh, the two halves slid apart and collapsed onto the forest floor.
Empty.
No flesh. No blood.
Merely a puppet animated by demonic power,not even worthy of being called a true clone.
From beginning to end, Kagetsu had never intended to exchange words.
Whether in his previous life or on the battlefields of the shinobi world, he had never been one for intricate schemes.
Against someone like Naraku,who thrived in deception, manipulation, and layered traps,the simplest approach was best.
Overwhelming force.
Strike first. Strike clean. Deny the opponent the chance to weave illusions or set snares. Drag the battle into a direct confrontation.
In that domain, he would never lose.
After disposing of the puppet, Kagetsu leapt onto the broad branch of an ancient tree.
His hands formed seals in swift succession.
"Wood Release: Four-Pillar House Technique."
Four thick wooden pillars burst from the branch, twisting and weaving together with natural precision. In moments, a small yet sturdy wooden house took shape among the treetops.
Kagetsu pushed the door open and stepped inside.
He seated himself cross-legged at the center of the room and closed his eyes once more, drawing in the surrounding natural energy.
For an Edo Tensei body, sleep was unnecessary.
The night was nearly over.
He might as well develop Sage Mode until dawn.