The ground beneath the cliff was littered with human-faced fruit.
Kagetsu's gaze swept over the grotesque sight, and a cold smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"It has to be here."
He lifted his eyes toward the cliff's summit. Though veiled in drifting mist, he could make out the silhouette of a large, flourishing tree growing at the top,the demonic peach tree from the tales, the one that bore those abhorrent fruits.
"Let's go. It's up there. I'll take you."
Without waiting for further discussion, he bent down and scooped Kikyo into his arms.
"You, you can just carry me on your back," she protested softly.
He ignored her.
His arms slid beneath her knees and back, lifting her securely against his chest.
"…."
Kikyo opened her mouth to object again,but when she saw the mischievous glint in his eyes, she immediately realized he was doing it on purpose.
She shot him a sharp glare.
Then, with quiet resignation, she fell silent and allowed herself to rest in his arms, though a faint blush crept across her cheeks.
Kagetsu chuckled under his breath, clearly pleased with himself.
Chakra gathered at his feet. In the next instant, he leapt upward, soles adhering firmly to the vertical cliff face.
His body remained perfectly perpendicular to the rock wall,yet he strode upward as if walking across level ground.
Originally, he intended to climb straight to the summit.
But as they neared the top, he noticed something unexpected.
A narrow stone staircase carved into the side of the cliff.
It wound upward along the rock face, leading toward a structure embedded directly into the stone itself.
Changing course mid-step, he landed lightly on the stairs and carefully set Kikyo down.
"Is this… Peach Blossom Spring?"
Kikyo smoothed her wind-tossed sleeves and looked toward a stone tablet standing beside the staircase.
Three characters were clearly carved into its surface:
Peach Blossom Spring.
"It would seem so," Kagetsu replied, eyes narrowing slightly as he studied the ancient building at the top. "Let's go take a look."
He led the way up the final stretch of steps.
,
At the summit, an entrance appeared before them,half of the structure was embedded into the cliff face itself.
The steps leading inside slanted slightly downward.
Underground.
The entrance stood open, as though its owner had never expected visitors to reach this isolated place.
From outside, the interior was clearly visible.
Several ceramic jars were stacked neatly in a corner.
And dominating nearly the entire room,
Was a massive square bonsai planter placed in the center, leaving only a narrow walkway around it.
Kagetsu's eyes sharpened.
This was it.
The miniature world Peach Fruit Person used to cultivate humans like livestock.
Under the influence of its spell, anyone who approached would shrink and be drawn into that bonsai,trapped inside a false world no larger than a basin.
"Be careful," Kagetsu said, extending an arm to stop Kikyo before she could step forward. "I'll send a Shadow Clone first."
She paused and looked at him, surprise flickering in her eyes.
"You're being unusually cautious."
"Do I normally seem reckless to you?" he shot back, rolling his eyes.
"Yes." Kikyo nodded seriously. "You usually charge in without hesitation."
"…."
He had no rebuttal.
After a brief pause, he sighed. "I'm worried this so-called 'immortal' might have some… unusual techniques."
In truth, he remembered clearly: once someone was shrunk by this bonsai's spell, they couldn't restore themselves by ordinary means. Only Peach Fruit Person could undo it,or his death would nullify the effect.
In the original events, Kagome regained her size after being taken by Peach Fruit Person. Miroku and Shippō, however, remained miniature until he was killed.
Forming hand seals, Kagetsu summoned a clone.
"Shadow Clone Technique."
With a puff of smoke, an identical copy appeared beside him.
Without hesitation, the Shadow Clone stepped inside.
Kagetsu and Kikyo remained at the doorway, watching silently.
,
The clone first surveyed the room.
No immediate threats.
It inspected several ceramic jars. Inside were human-faced fruits submerged in a murky liquid.
Preserved.
Fermenting.
Disgusting.
Along one wall, a pile of weapons lay scattered,rusted blades, broken spears, cracked bows. Clearly the belongings of captives tossed aside after being shrunk.
At the rear of the room, a staircase led upward to the next level.
No movement.
Meanwhile, outside the doorway, Kagetsu quietly gathered natural energy.
In an instant, he entered Sage Mode.
The world sharpened.
Every aura became distinct.
Upstairs, several faint demonic presences lingered,likely minor demons serving Peach Fruit Person.
Farther off, at the edge of the cliff, a stronger demonic aura pulsed steadily. That must be the human-faced peach tree itself.
Beneath it were two more unusual signatures.
Peach Fruit Person.
And his "master",the sage who had been transformed into a bonsai.
So Peach Fruit Person wasn't upstairs.
Inside the chamber, the Shadow Clone approached the massive bonsai.
Peering down, it saw an entire miniature village contained within.
Tiny houses.
Fields.
Paths.
Even miniature people walking about, unaware of the outside world.
A complete microcosm.
The moment the clone stepped closer, it felt it.
A strange force surged from the bonsai,an energy formed from natural energy interwoven with something unnatural and distorted.
The shrinking spell.
It attempted to wrap around his body, to compress and pull him into that artificial world.
But even without Sage Mode active, the clone could gauge its strength.
It wasn't overwhelming.
With sufficient chakra output, he could resist it,perhaps even break free entirely.
Outside, Kagetsu felt the clone's feedback and relaxed slightly.
So the spell wasn't absolute.
He suddenly recalled another detail.
When Kagome had been pulled into the bonsai, everything on her person had shrunk with her,except the shard of the Shikon Jewel. Even the bottle containing it remained unaffected.
And one of the captured samurai had mentioned something telling:
Anyone inside the bonsai who began to master even a trace of spiritual or magical power would be selected as "fertilizer" for the demonic peach tree.
In other words,
The spell's control wasn't perfect.
Peach Fruit Person deliberately eliminated those who grew stronger inside, fearing they might one day resist,or escape.
Understanding dawned in Kagetsu's eyes.
So that was the truth behind this so-called paradise.
Not an immortal realm.
But a farm.
And its master was afraid of his livestock evolving fangs.
,