As Uchiha Retsu was still pondering Sesshomaru's situation, his brows suddenly furrowed.
His sharp gaze swept toward the edge of the battlefield.
Several hornet-like Saimyōshō were gripping a Shikon Jewel shard with their claws, clearly preparing to sneak away.
Earlier, when Sesshomaru transformed into his giant dog form, the human arm embedded with a shard had been torn off by his raging demonic power and dropped onto the ground.
This fragment was meant to be retrieved by Naraku.
"Wind Release: Wind Blade!"
"Since you've delivered it to my doorstep, don't even think about taking it back. You've already benefited enough."
Retsu swung his hand.
A transparent blade of wind tore through the air, instantly slicing all the Saimyōshō around the shard in half.
Clang!
The shard fell to the ground with a clear sound.
"Ah! It's a Shikon shard!" Kagome spotted it immediately and ran over to pick it up.
To everyone's surprise, she didn't put it into her bottle right away.
Instead, she hurried over to Retsu and handed it to him.
"Retsu, here! This is for you!"
"Kagome…" Inuyasha started to say something, then stopped.
He knew that without Retsu's intervention tonight, none of them would have survived.
It was only fair that the shard belonged to him.
Retsu waved his hand and casually glanced toward the distant forest.
"You keep it. A 'kind-hearted benefactor' sent it specially. Might as well accept the gift."
He was still in Sage Mode.
Within several kilometers, everything was under his perception.
Not far away, he could clearly sense a chaotic, mixed aura of demonic energy.
Without thinking, he knew it was Naraku.
But he had no intention of acting.
First, Naraku was like a sewer rat—his strength wasn't top-tier, but his ability to hide was exceptional. That presence was probably just a puppet.
Second, Naraku was the best whetstone for Inuyasha's group.
If he killed him now, they'd lose their perfect antagonist.
"A kind-hearted benefactor? Who?" Kagome asked curiously as she put the shard into her bottle.
"The demon who gave Sesshomaru that arm," Retsu replied calmly. "Naraku."
"Naraku?!"
Miroku, who had just taken Kagome's antidote and was looking much better, stiffened instantly.
His expression turned serious.
"Naraku? Where is he?!"
Inuyasha rushed over, eyes blazing with killing intent.
"Over there," Retsu said, pointing toward the forest. "I sensed him just now."
As Inuyasha was about to charge off, Retsu grabbed him.
"But he's gone already."
Seeing their disappointed looks, Retsu continued.
"Actually, finding him is simple."
"Retsu, you have a way?" Inuyasha's eyes lit up.
Kagome and Miroku also looked at him expectantly.
"Simple," Retsu said. "You've been collecting Shikon shards, right? He tried to take this one, which means he's collecting them too."
Kagome nodded in understanding.
"So as long as we keep gathering shards, we'll eventually meet him. That's what Miroku thinks too, but…"
She looked worriedly at Miroku.
"We're afraid it'll take too long. His Wind Tunnel… might not wait that long."
"Don't worry," Retsu said confidently.
"It won't take long.
The Shikon Jewel has been shattered for too long. Not only is Naraku impatient—the jewel itself is too.
It won't tolerate being broken forever."
"The Shikon Jewel… drives Naraku?" Kagome froze.
"Yes," Retsu replied.
"In my perception, his already unstable demonic aura is mixed with the jewel's power.
While he thinks he's using it, he doesn't realize he's already been manipulated.
He's nothing but a puppet now. Pathetic."
He sneered in disdain.
"But isn't the Shikon Jewel supposed to grant any wish?" Inuyasha protested. "How can it be so dangerous?"
"You actually believe that nonsense?" Retsu shot him a look as if he were an idiot.
"You seriously think it grants wishes?"
"But… the legend says it's been able to do that for hundreds of years!" Inuyasha argued stubbornly.
Retsu rubbed his temples.
"Use your brain.
If it were really that powerful, would it have wandered around for centuries?
There are countless strong demons and humans in this world.
If it truly granted any wish, it would've been fought over to death long ago.
Do you really think it'd be left to you, a half-demon, Kagome, a half-trained priestess, and Miroku, a young monk?"
He paused, then added mercilessly:
"Take your father's clan in the Western Lands.
Your father's dead, but Sesshomaru's mother is still alive, right?
If the jewel worked like that, she'd have used it to revive the Great Dog Demon long ago.
Would it still be your turn?"
"…!"
Inuyasha was left speechless.
He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Retsu's logic struck right at the flaw in the legend.
"Still," Retsu continued, changing tone slightly, "it's not completely a lie. Just… not the way you think."
"What do you mean?" Kagome asked immediately.
"Inuyasha," Retsu said, turning to him, "what do you want to wish for?"
"I…"
Inuyasha hesitated.
Encouraged by Kagome's gaze, he finally whispered,
"I want… to become a full demon."
"Then I can tell you," Retsu said calmly, his voice cold, "your wish could be 'granted.'"
"The jewel might fuse with your body and forcibly awaken your demon blood.
You'd become a true demon.
But the price would be losing all reason—becoming a monster that only knows how to kill."
"What?!" Kagome's face turned pale as she grabbed Inuyasha's arm.
"In a way, that does fulfill his wish," Miroku said gravely.
"Exactly," Retsu nodded.
"The Shikon Jewel is an evil artifact.
Otherwise, Kikyo wouldn't have needed to purify it her whole life, or try to take it with her in death.
Naraku is already being corrupted.
He'll only grow more insane.
So don't worry—he won't hide forever. He'll come for you soon enough."
He looked at Inuyasha, who was standing there with his head lowered, conflicted and lost.
Then Retsu spoke again.
"You don't need to doubt this.
Look at your brother.
As a pure demon, Sesshomaru always wanted more power.
He tried countless times to take Tessaiga from you.
Yet he never cared about the Shikon Jewel."
Retsu's tone grew serious.
"Inuyasha, the demon blood in you is your father's gift.
Your human blood is your mother's treasure.
When you reject being a half-demon, you're denying your mother's existence.
You're throwing away what she left you."
"Human blood… Mother's treasure…"
Inuyasha's body trembled.
The words struck him like thunder.
He subconsciously pressed a hand to his chest.
Inside his beating heart flowed his mother's blood—
Her warmth.
Her love.
He had never realized that the identity he desperately wanted to escape…
Was actually the most precious gift she had given him.
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