"…"
Tsubaki pursed her lips and tugged hard at the prayer beads binding her body. When she realized she couldn't break them, she gave a cold snort, turned her head away with a dark expression, and refused to answer.
"Master, your guess is correct," Kikyo said as she stepped forward with Kagetsu. Her voice remained calm.
"It was Kagetsu who sealed Tsubaki's spiritual power, and we were the ones who summoned you from the Underworld."
She gestured to the man beside her.
"This is Kagetsu."
Tsubaki's master looked carefully at Kikyo's face.
"You are… Kikyo?"
His tone carried uncertainty.
Fifty years had passed, but the legendary shrine maiden who once guarded the Shikon Jewel had left a deep impression on him.
After all, his own disciple,Tsubaki,had left the temple in anger back then out of jealousy toward Kikyo.
But the woman before him looked exactly the same as the Kikyo from fifty years ago.
And he clearly remembered,
Kikyo had died fifty years earlier.
This strange contradiction made him hesitate.
"That's right. I am Kikyo," she replied calmly.
His eyes widened slightly.
"I remember that you passed away long ago. How is it that…"
"A great many things happened after that," Kikyo said simply. "In short, I was resurrected not long ago."
"After returning to the world of the living, I came to visit you. But that was when I learned from Momiji and Botan that you had already passed away."
"Yes… I am indeed dead."
The old priest glanced down at his body and gently patted the heads of Momiji and Botan, who had calmed down and were clinging to him.
Then he looked back at Kikyo, his expression turning solemn.
"Kikyo, since you summoned me from the Underworld, you must have something important to ask of me."
"The dead remaining in the world of the living disrupts the natural order."
His voice softened slightly.
"Even so… I must thank you."
"You allowed me to see my disciples again."
"And you gave me the chance to place the prayer beads on Tsubaki."
"I only hope I may return to the Underworld soon. The living world is not where I belong."
"Master!"
Momiji and Botan looked up immediately.
Their eyes filled with tears.
Even Tsubaki, who had been maintaining a cold expression, subconsciously glanced at him.
A complicated emotion flickered deep within her eyes.
But the old priest merely smiled gently and waited for Kikyo to speak.
"You won't remain here for long," Kagetsu said.
He actually felt a bit of admiration for the old man.
If it were him, he certainly wouldn't leave the world of the living early if he had the choice. That was exactly why he had gone to such lengths to ensure he could resurrect himself one day.
"In one month," Kagetsu continued, "I'll release the Edo Tensei technique."
"Your soul will then return to the Underworld."
"One month…"
The old priest nodded slowly, relief appearing in his eyes.
That would give him time to properly say goodbye to his disciples.
He turned to Kagetsu and Kikyo.
"What do you require of me during this time?"
"That is the reason we summoned you," Kikyo answered.
"Not long ago, Tsubaki used the power of the Shikon Jewel to curse the shrine maiden currently responsible for purifying it."
"I stopped her and brought her here."
She grabbed Tsubaki,who was twisting away with a displeased expression,and pulled her forward.
"I hoped you could discipline her during this month."
"So that she would abandon the path of a Black Priestess and stop pursuing the Shikon Jewel."
Kikyo glanced at the beads around Tsubaki's body.
A faint smile appeared.
"Though it seems you had already prepared something for her."
"These prayer beads were created while I was still alive," the old priest said softly.
"I simply never had the chance to place them on her."
He looked at Tsubaki with deep emotion.
"Fortunately, Kikyo brought you back."
"That allowed me to fulfill my final wish."
His tone turned firm.
"I understand."
"During this month, I will discipline Tsubaki properly and make up for the mistake of not stopping her back then."
"That was my own choice! I,"
"Tsubaki."
Her master's expression hardened instantly.
"Do you still cling to those thoughts from the past?"
His sharp gaze locked onto her.
"Do you believe you are stronger than Kikyo?"
"Stronger than anyone?"
"I…"
Tsubaki almost blurted out Of course I'm stronger than Kikyo.
But her eyes flicked briefly toward Kagetsu standing nearby.
The words died in her throat.
She snorted instead.
"In terms of priestess abilities, I'm not inferior to Kikyo."
"But when it comes to finding a man…"
She smirked.
"I admit I can't compete with her."
"…"
Kikyo's cheeks immediately flushed crimson.
Even the old priest was momentarily speechless.
Yes, his disciple had technically admitted she was "not as good as Kikyo."
But the direction of the comparison was completely absurd.
He coughed awkwardly.
"Let's… move on."
"Tsubaki," he continued, regaining his composure.
"The prayer beads will not interfere with your normal movements."
"But you cannot remain far from the temple for long."
"If you stay outside the temple barrier for too long…"
"The beads will forcibly pull you back."
"You old man!"
Tsubaki's temper instantly flared.
"Take them off me right now!"
"Or I'll send you back to the Underworld before the month is over!"
"Tsubaki," her master replied calmly.
"Call me Master."
"And besides…"
"I am already dead."
"Killing me means nothing."
"Ah, that reminds me."
Kagetsu suddenly spoke.
Everyone looked toward him.
The next moment,
His figure flashed forward like a ghost.
Before anyone could react,
BANG!
His fist slammed straight into the old priest's head.
The skull exploded instantly into fragments.
Gray-white dust scattered everywhere.
"MASTER!!"
Momiji and Botan screamed in horror.
They rushed toward Kagetsu, but he casually placed a hand on each of their heads, stopping them instantly.
Even Tsubaki's pupils shrank.
Without thinking, she charged toward him, fury blazing in her eyes.
Kagetsu turned calmly.
The crimson Sharingan appeared in his eyes.
Tsubaki suddenly froze.
Her vision blurred.
Looking down, she saw a black python coiled tightly around her body, its cold scales pressing against her skin.
She couldn't move.
"Calm down."
Kagetsu's voice was emotionless.
"The Edo Tensei body is immortal."
"Ordinary attacks cannot kill him."
As soon as he finished speaking,
The python vanished.
Tsubaki regained control of her body.
"…Genjutsu."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Just from a single glance…"
She quickly looked away from him and turned toward her master.
Momiji and Botan did the same.
They saw gray-white dust gathering in midair.
The fragments of the old priest's head slowly reassembled.
Within moments,
His head was completely restored.
As if nothing had happened.
The old priest touched his newly reformed head in astonishment.
"So this body is merely a vessel for the soul…"
He sighed in wonder.
"This technique truly is miraculous."
Then he smiled wryly.
"Though I must say…"
"Having one's head smashed apart is a rather unpleasant experience."