Hearing Master Harumi's words, Kikyo's smile stiffened slightly.
Her gaze fell upon the purification scroll on the ground. After a moment of silence, she was about to reach out and pick it up—
When Uchiha Retsu's voice suddenly rang out.
"Old man, pick up your own stuff. At your age, using excuses to flirt with a beautiful woman—don't you feel ashamed?"
The moment those words left his mouth, both Kikyo and Master Harumi froze.
The gentle smile on Harumi's face instantly stiffened.
Amid the awkwardness, waves of shock surged through his heart.
It was only when the man spoke that he suddenly realized—
There had been someone standing here all along!
Just moments ago, his attention had been completely drawn to the dark aura around Kikyo. He had utterly failed to notice this warrior standing so close by.
Kikyo, meanwhile, glanced at Retsu speechlessly and quietly withdrew her hand.
Retsu rested one hand on his sword, assuming the arrogant posture of a wandering samurai, and strode over leisurely.
Seeing that he had dealt with the monk's probing for her, Kikyo stood up and said gently to the children around her:
"Alright, everyone, go back first."
With that, she picked up her basket of herbs and turned to leave.
"Wait!"
Master Harumi hurriedly stepped forward to stop her, only for Retsu to block his path.
"Miss Priestess, she—"
Before he could finish, the figure before him vanished.
His heart jolted.
Just as he tried to circulate his spiritual power, he felt a chill at his neck.
A sharp blade was already resting against his throat.
Cold intent seeped into his skin.
Behind him, Retsu's voice sounded icy.
"If you don't want to die, get lost. Now."
At such close range, Harumi finally realized—
This man was also an undead.
But unlike Kikyo's overwhelming resentment and malice, this man carried only pure deathly aura.
Combined with his near-perfect concealment, it was no wonder Harumi had overlooked him.
Retsu wasn't surprised.
He had been sensing natural energy earlier, blending himself into his surroundings. To most people, he was little different from part of nature.
With Kikyo's presence drawing all attention, being ignored was only natural.
"You are also among the dead…"
Harumi's voice was heavy as he felt the blade at his throat.
"The human world is not a place for the departed. Please abandon your obsessions and return to the netherworld."
"Heh. And who asked you?"
Retsu sneered mercilessly.
"There are plenty of monsters in the mountains. Go kill a few of them if you've got the guts. Don't meddle in other people's business."
"I—"
Before Harumi could argue, Retsu cut him off coldly.
"I don't have time for your nonsense. Either leave, or die."
As his words fell, the icy sensation vanished.
Harumi looked up sharply.
Retsu was already standing behind Kikyo in the distance, as if the blade had never been there.
"Master Harumi! Are you alright?"
The young monk finally recovered and rushed over to support him, his face full of worry.
Just a glance from Retsu earlier had frozen him in place.
The pressure had been so overwhelming that he hadn't dared to move.
"So fast…"
Harumi stared at Retsu's retreating back, his voice filled with shock.
"This man… is even more dangerous than that priestess."
Walking ahead, Retsu glanced back.
Seeing that the two monks didn't follow, he withdrew his gaze.
He had intervened because he knew how deep Kikyo's resentment currently ran.
If she had acted herself, she would have killed them without hesitation—just like in the original story.
That would only stain her hands with innocent blood and deepen her corruption.
He wasn't sure whether these two monks would return later like before.
Up ahead, Kikyo had finished bidding farewell to the children.
She stood alone beneath a large tree, staring at the village bathed in sunset light, her eyes unfocused.
Suddenly, Retsu's head dropped into her line of sight from above.
"Getting ready to leave?"
Kikyo, lost in thought, was startled and stumbled back two steps.
Looking up, she saw Retsu hanging upside down from a branch, as if glued there by invisible force, arms crossed, watching her with interest.
"You…"
She looked at him, momentarily at a loss.
Over the past few days, she had realized just how strange this man was.
Powerful. Unpredictable.
He could ignore gravity and walk anywhere as if on flat ground.
Yesterday, she had even seen him walk freely across water just to catch fish.
He acted casually, arrogantly, and cared little for others' opinions.
He preferred solving problems with his fists.
Absurdly strong—yet he never abused his power.
He didn't slaughter innocents, nor did he go out of his way to save the weak.
To humans or demons alike, he seemed to "look down on everyone equally."
If Retsu knew what she was thinking, he would probably praise her insight.
In this era, the fact that he hadn't wiped out humanity alongside demons was already courtesy enough.
Expecting him to become some kind of savior was pure fantasy.
Unless a demon provoked him, or the plot demanded it, he wouldn't bother.
"Now that the monks have discovered your identity, you probably can't stay here anymore."
Still hanging upside down, Retsu continued calmly.
"So… when are you leaving?"
He remembered clearly.
In the original story, Kikyo would kill the probing monk that very night.
After being seen by a girl named Sayo, she would be forced to leave.
Hearing his words, Kikyo fell silent for a long time.
Her gaze returned to the golden village in the distance.
Her voice was soft, filled with sorrow.
"I just want to live peacefully here… Is that really impossible?"
"Almost impossible."
Retsu's tone suddenly turned serious.
He shattered her illusion without mercy.
"The Shikon Jewel has reappeared. It's been shattered and scattered everywhere.
"You were once its guardian. You're destined to be entangled with it again.
"Your revival isn't coincidence. It's fate.
"And fate is something you can't escape."
"The guardian priestess died long ago!"
Kikyo's face darkened instantly.
Black aura surged around her uncontrollably.
Her voice turned chilling.
"I am nothing but a corpse crawling out of hell, filled with hatred!
"My destiny is revenge!"
"Kikyo, stop lying to yourself."
Retsu was completely unfazed by her aura.
"Your reincarnation—the girl named Kagome—you've seen her, haven't you?
"If she can cross time and come to this era…
"Why would it be strange for you to return from the underworld after death?"
At her current state, freshly revived, she was no match for him.
And he knew it.
So he had no intention of holding back.
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