Uchiha Lie had handed the Shikon Jewel shards to Kikyo without hesitation for one simple reason—he no longer needed them.
He had already gathered more than enough life force. In recent battles, when demons attacked him, he killed them purely for practice. Absorbing life force was no longer necessary.
He also had no intention of giving the shards to Kagome. Naraku would inevitably target her again.
Kikyo, however, was different.
As a shrine maiden who once guarded the Shikon Jewel, she could purify it. If anyone was fit to temporarily safeguard those fragments, it was her.
After tossing the bamboo tube to her, Lie formed a hand seal.
"Poof!"
White smoke burst around him.
When it cleared, the black-clad ninja was gone. In his place stood a calm-looking samurai in simple armor, a sword resting at his waist.
"How about this?" he asked lightly. "This shouldn't frighten the villagers."
The blade at his side had been taken from a bandit leader days ago. It wasn't particularly impressive, but it served its purpose.
Kikyo gave him a brief glance. Her tone remained cold.
"Do as you wish."
She turned and walked toward the village.
Lie followed casually.
"By the way," he said, "my name is Uchiha Lie. You can call me Lie. I am a ninja."
"A ninja?" Kikyo paused slightly, curiosity flickering across her face.
In this era, ninjas were little more than skilled mercenaries who used smoke bombs and hidden weapons. Nothing supernatural.
"Yes. A ninja of the Uchiha Clan from Konoha Village."
His voice carried a strange solemnity, though a faint smile played at his lips.
"I see."
Kikyo did not question further.
Lie fell silent and followed her inside the village.
He understood perfectly why she did not refuse his presence.
Kikyo had only recently been resurrected. Most of her true soul still resided within Kagome. What animated this clay body was resentment and lingering attachment.
Her strength was limited. Even maintaining her physical form required the help of soul collectors gathering the spirits of deceased young women.
She could not defeat him.
Therefore, she tolerated him.
—
"Miss Kikyo! Thank you for curing my illness!"
As soon as they entered the village, grateful villagers bowed deeply. Their eyes shone with respect.
"Miss Kikyo!"
A small girl ran forward, holding up a handful of green plants.
"Is this a medicinal herb?"
Kikyo's cold expression softened instantly.
"You found ground cherries," she said gently. "They reduce swelling and relieve pain. Very good."
More children gathered around her, each showing off herbs they had found.
"This is plantain," she explained patiently.
Her voice was warm. Her smile genuine.
Watching from beneath a tree, Lie remained silent.
The contrast was striking.
The same woman who had pierced his skull without hesitation now knelt patiently among laughing children.
The villagers seemed to trust her completely.
No one questioned the quiet samurai standing nearby.
To them, he was just another passerby under Kikyo's protection.
Lie sat on a flat rock, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes.
He entered Senjutsu training.
He had no interest in village life. He knew Kikyo would not remain here for long.
—
Later, after the children scattered, Lie spoke.
"You're quite popular with them."
"Children are pure," Kikyo replied softly. "They do not harbor betrayal."
There was melancholy beneath her calm tone.
"But how long can you stay here?" he asked bluntly.
She fell silent.
"If they knew you are a restless spirit held together by resentment," Lie continued evenly, "they would fear you."
Kikyo did not argue.
"I only wish to live quietly," she said.
Lie studied her quietly.
She was astonishing.
Even though her current body was sustained by resentment, she maintained composure.
Yet he could clearly sense it.
Beneath the calm surface—
She was an incarnation of resentment.
The death energy around her was almost indistinguishable from that of a demon.
If provoked—
If she encountered Inuyasha, the man tied to her death—
She could lose control entirely.
Just as she once had.
But over time, as her spiritual power recovered, her pure heart would gradually purify that resentment.
The true Kikyo would return.
—
Days passed quietly.
Kikyo treated illnesses. Gathered herbs. Occasionally purified wandering demons.
Lie remained nearby, training and observing.
The villagers grew accustomed to the silent samurai. Out of respect for Kikyo, none dared question him.
One afternoon, Kikyo led several children to the riverside to collect medicinal plants.
Lie sat beneath a large tree nearby, sensing natural energy.
Then—
His eyes opened.
Two presences were approaching from the forest.
Hidden. Watching.
A faint smile curved his lips.
The time had come.
Soon, Kikyo would leave this village.
And the inevitable meeting with Inuyasha and Kagome would follow.
Sure enough, after observing for a while, Kikyo spoke calmly without turning around.
"Master, you have been watching us for some time."
A man stepped out awkwardly from behind a tree.
"Oh dear," he laughed nervously. "Your beauty distracted me."
"You flatter me," Kikyo replied gently.
The man—Master Harumi—walked closer.
Suddenly, he stumbled.
A scroll slipped from his sleeve and rolled across the grass, stopping between him and Kikyo.
"Could you retrieve that for me?" he asked.
His eyes sharpened.
"That scroll contains a demon-warding scripture. If a demon touches it… they will reveal their true form."
The air grew tense.
Lie's gaze sharpened slightly beneath the tree.
The test had begun.
And depending on the outcome—
Everything would change tonight.
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