"I was just talking nonsense back then; why do you remember it so clearly?" Kagetsu's cheeks flushed red as he defended himself awkwardly.
He recalled the fox demon he had once encountered while exorcising spirits with Kikyo. Back then, he had been brimming with anticipation, imagining the legendary beautiful fox spirit,soft ears, elegant tail, enchanting smile.
But when they finally tracked it down, what awaited them was a gigantic fox with a monstrous frame, blood-red beastly eyes, jagged fangs dripping with malice, and a suffocating aura of evil.
Not to mention the thick, rancid stench clinging to its fur,so foul that neither he nor Kikyo dared approach too closely.
In the end, Kikyo had purified it with a single sacred arrow.
Afterward, he had indeed sighed in regret, wondering aloud why it couldn't have been a cute fox-eared girl instead.
He hadn't expected Kikyo to remember that comment until now.
"What if this time, it really is a genuine animal-eared girl?" Kikyo ignored his defense entirely and continued teasing him.
"Forget about animal-eared girls!" Kagetsu, tired of her using this embarrassing memory against him, blurted out what was truly on his mind. "I think… a shrine maiden is quite nice."
"…"
Kikyo's footsteps faltered almost imperceptibly.
She recovered instantly and continued walking as though nothing had happened, but she fell completely silent.
Kagetsu had no intention of letting her escape so easily.
He stepped closer and pressed on, "I suddenly feel shrine maidens are much more attractive than animal-eared girls. Compared to fox spirits, I prefer shrine maidens. What do you think?"
"...According to the villagers, a group of defeated, fleeing soldiers once lived in these mountains."
Kikyo abruptly changed the subject, her tone calm and even, as though she hadn't heard him at all.
"At the time, there was also a princess among them. The soldiers protecting her all died in battle. Not long after, the princess herself passed away. Since then, demons have appeared in these mountains,most likely formed from her lingering resentment."
Watching her deliberate attempt to redirect the conversation, Kagetsu's lips curled slightly in amusement. Still, he followed her lead.
"So you think the demon is that princess?"
"Mhm." Kikyo nodded gently. "Judging by its habit of only capturing men, it's highly likely."
"Why would a resentful princess specifically target men?" he muttered, rubbing his chin. "Could it be that she had androphobia while she was alive?"
"Androphobia?" Kikyo stopped and looked at him curiously. "What is that?"
"It's when a woman feels irrational disgust, rejection, or even fear toward men," he explained simply.
"Mmm… perhaps." She lowered her gaze thoughtfully. "From its behavior, it does resemble that description."
"Or," he added mischievously, "maybe she's the domineering queen type,capturing young men to form her own harem. Look, all the missing villagers are strong, young men, right?"
Kikyo shot him a sharp glare.
What kind of ridiculous speculation was that?
Before he could say more, Kikyo suddenly halted.
"Hmm?"
Her gaze sharpened.
Kagetsu followed her line of sight.
Ahead of them, a faintly glowing barrier enveloped the forest depths. Pale light shimmered through drifting mist, obscuring whatever lay beyond.
"This must be the demon's barrier," Kikyo murmured.
She extended her hand toward him.
"Hold my hand. I'm worried we might be forcibly separated after entering."
"…Mhm."
He wasn't skilled in barrier techniques, but Kikyo was an expert. Listening to her was the safest choice.
He reached out and firmly grasped her slender hand.
Warm.
Soft.
His heart skipped.
This was only the second time he had held her hand.
The first had been when she inhabited her clay body,cool and faintly cold to the touch.
Now, her hand was warm and alive.
Kikyo tightened her grip and stepped forward.
"Wait."
He flicked his wrist.
A kunai engraved with the Flying Thunder God mark shot into a nearby tree trunk with a sharp thunk.
"Leaving a marker. If something goes wrong, we can teleport out."
"…Alright."
Without hesitation, she stepped into the barrier with him.
The moment they crossed the threshold, dense white mist swallowed their vision.
Though it didn't hinder movement, Kikyo's steps slowed almost immediately.
Kagetsu moved normally,but she seemed to struggle, as though bound by invisible chains.
"It seems this barrier deliberately restricts women," Kikyo observed calmly, though sweat had already begun forming at her temples.
"Want me to cut it down?" His hand drifted toward his sword, eagerness flickering in his eyes.
"No." She shook her head. "Once we pass through its range, the resistance will vanish. Destroying it may alert the demon. Before locating the missing villagers, we must not act rashly."
He nodded.
Ensuring the target's survival,first priority.
He tightened his hold on her hand and walked at her pace.
Kikyo refused to use spiritual power, relying solely on physical strength to avoid detection. Soon, fine beads of sweat dotted her forehead.
"Should I carry you?" he asked quietly.
"No. We're almost through."
A few steps later,
The resistance vanished.
Kikyo, who had been pushing forward against it, suddenly lost the counterforce. Her body pitched forward.
Kagetsu reacted instantly, pulling her back.
She stumbled straight into his chest.
He looked down.
Sweat glistened across her brow. Her breathing was slightly uneven, her chest rising and falling gently.
"You can just say if you're tired," he sighed.
He guided her down to sit, letting her lean against his shoulder. Chakra gathered in his palm and flowed gently into her body, restoring her stamina.
Kikyo closed her eyes briefly, allowing herself to rest.
Meanwhile, Kagetsu lifted his gaze.
The white mist drifted unnaturally.
Too dense.
Too quiet.
And behind them,
The barrier they had crossed was no longer visible.
The forest had changed.
He scanned the terrain carefully.
The slope of the mountain.
The faint remnants of stone steps, half-swallowed by moss.
Collapsed wooden beams hidden beneath vines.
His expression shifted.
He finally understood.
This wasn't an ordinary forest.
This was the ruins of an abandoned mountain castle.
And if his guess was correct,
The so-called "princess" might not simply be a resentful spirit.
This entire mountain was her domain.