Kagetsu stood in the stone courtyard before the shrine, his tall figure clad in a suit of crimson lamellar armor identical to the one once worn by Uchiha Madara.
A katana rested in his hand. Compared to the long, sweeping blade of a tachi, a katana was far better suited for close combat on foot.
At that moment, the crisp clink of armor echoed from inside the shrine.
Kagetsu looked up.
The moment he saw who stepped out, a flash of amazement crossed his eyes.
Kikyo walked forward slowly.
She wore a plain white cross-collar undergarment beneath a fitted, dark breastplate that hugged her figure without restricting her movement, outlining the elegant lines of her shoulders and back.
The pauldrons on her shoulders were finely crafted,smooth and rounded, yet giving off a cold, steely presence.
For her lower half, she wore vermilion samurai hakama rather than the heavier armored skirt, which made her silhouette appear even more graceful and agile.
Today, dressed in full samurai attire, she no longer carried her familiar longbow.
Instead, a katana rested in her hand.
In that instant, the aura around her changed completely.
The gentle and sacred shrine maiden had vanished, replaced by something entirely different,a heroic and imposing warrior, cold yet elegant, like a valkyrie who had stepped out of legend.
This armor had been specially commissioned by Kagetsu.
While wandering through a nearby castle town, he had come across an armorer's shop and immediately thought of Kikyo.
The design had been modeled after Kikyo's replica in the movie Fire on the Mystic Island,though he had deliberately omitted the headpiece.
Noticing that Kagetsu had been staring at her without blinking since she stepped outside, Kikyo nervously lowered her head and examined her armor.
"I've never worn armor before," she said softly. "Did I put something on wrong?"
As she spoke, she turned slightly, unintentionally displaying the entire set before him.
"No. You're wearing it perfectly."
Kagetsu snapped out of his daze, a genuine smile spreading across his face.
"You're usually in your miko robes. Seeing you in armor like this… it caught me off guard."
At his words, a faint blush appeared on Kikyo's cheeks.
"…Does it really look good?" she asked quietly.
"Good?" Kagetsu stepped closer, admiration openly visible in his eyes.
"You look like a living valkyrie. One of a kind."
"That's a bit exaggerated," Kikyo said, lightly brushing a hand across the breastplate at her chest.
But the corners of her lips couldn't help lifting slightly, and her eyes sparkled with amusement.
Then her gaze shifted to Kagetsu.
The red armor he wore immediately caught her attention.
Her eyes brightened.
"You look very good in that armor too," she said in surprise. "Your presence feels completely different. Now I understand what you meant,you really do look… majestic."
"Of course," Kagetsu replied confidently. "I look good in anything."
After all, the Uchiha clan was famous for both strength and appearance.
Kikyo blinked, momentarily stunned by his matter-of-fact tone.
Yet when she looked at him again,his tall figure clad in imposing crimson armor, his sharp features framed by the setting sun,it was admittedly difficult to look away.
"Come on," Kagetsu said, drawing his katana. "Let's begin."
He walked to her side.
"If armor suits you this well, it'd be a waste if you didn't learn how to use a sword."
"Alright."
Kikyo mimicked his movement, drawing her own katana and holding it carefully. Her expression quickly became serious.
She had never been particularly interested in swordsmanship before.
But now, standing in armor with a blade in hand, the idea of learning didn't seem so bad.
At first, Kagetsu had only wanted an excuse to see Kikyo in samurai attire.
But seeing how earnestly she approached it, he pushed aside his playful thoughts and began teaching seriously.
"What I'm going to teach you is the Uchiha clan's hereditary swordsmanship,Uchiha Style Kenjutsu," he said.
"Some techniques rely on the Sharingan, which you don't have. But that's fine. Those are advanced methods anyway,you won't need them for now."
He slowly demonstrated several fundamental movements, carefully explaining each detail.
Kikyo watched closely.
"Sharingan?" she asked suddenly. "Is that the pair of eyes that turn red?"
She had noticed the change in his eyes before but had never asked.
"Yes," Kagetsu replied. "The Sharingan is our clan's kekkei genkai."
Seeing the confusion in her expression, he added, "In other words, it's a bloodline ability. Only those with Uchiha blood can awaken it under certain conditions."
Kikyo paused.
"This is your clan's swordsmanship… Are you sure it's alright to teach it to me?" she asked with concern. "Won't that cause problems?"
"It's fine," Kagetsu said casually. "I'm the head of the Uchiha here."
Then he raised an eyebrow and leaned slightly closer.
"Besides… if you take the Uchiha name someday, won't you be part of the clan anyway?"
Kikyo froze.
Her cheeks instantly turned crimson, the flush spreading all the way to the tips of her ears.
"W–Who said I'd take the Uchiha name?!"
Kagetsu didn't answer.
He simply watched her with a faint smile.
The silence only made her blush deepen.
Yet she didn't refuse to continue learning the swordsmanship.
Instead, she glared at him with shy annoyance.
"Teach me properly," she said. "Or I'll go to the nearby village and start exorcising demons instead."
Seeing the color still lingering on her cheeks, Kagetsu quickly suppressed his grin.
If he pushed any further, she might really drop the sword and run off.
"Alright, alright," he said.
And so he began teaching again,this time with complete seriousness.
The following hours passed with one teaching attentively and the other learning diligently.
Yet perhaps because of the meaning behind Uchiha-style swordsmanship…
Or perhaps because of his earlier words…
A subtle, almost romantic atmosphere lingered between them.
Occasionally, during practice, Kagetsu would step closer to adjust her stance or correct her grip.
When his hand brushed the back of hers or lightly touched her shoulder, Kikyo's ears would instantly turn red, and the hand holding her sword would tighten slightly.
"Alright," Kagetsu finally said, lowering his blade.
"Let's stop here for today."
He glanced at Kikyo's sweat-dampened bangs and added, "I'll go prepare dinner. You should wash up first."
"Okay."
Kikyo nodded without hesitation.
"I'll take a bath and change clothes."
As a shrine maiden, she rarely engaged in such intense physical training. After several hours of practice, she was genuinely exhausted.
She sheathed her sword at her waist and walked inside.
Kagetsu watched her go before removing his own armor.
With chakra and Hashirama's cells enhancing his body, this level of exercise barely affected him.
By the time dinner was ready, Kikyo had already finished bathing.
She stepped out wearing her familiar red-and-white miko robes, her long black hair still damp and loose around her shoulders.
Without ceremony, she sat down beside him with her back facing him.
"Help me dry my hair," she said softly.
Kagetsu looked at the long black strands cascading down her back.
The damp hair carried a faint, refreshing fragrance,the scent of shampoo.
Kikyo didn't just have shampoo now. She also had body wash and soap.
Those had been gifts from Kagome.
After Kagome had learned archery from Kikyo during her last visit, she had sent them as a token of thanks.
And like most girls, Kikyo had quickly grown fond of them. Ever since then, she used them every time she bathed.
Kagetsu gently channeled his chakra.
The invisible energy enveloped her long hair, slowly evaporating the moisture.
Thin wisps of steam rose into the air.
Before long, the dampness vanished completely.
Her silky black hair fell smoothly over her back once more, soft and glossy against the red fabric of her shrine maiden robes.