"Alright, everything's settled. It's time for me to go."
Seeing Inuyasha standing there with his head lowered, lost in thought and wearing a complicated expression, Uchiha Retsu turned and prepared to leave.
"Oh, right. One more piece of information about Naraku."
He deactivated Sage Mode and paused, turning back to Kagome and the others.
"That guy named Naraku is a half-demon, just like Inuyasha."
"A half-demon?!" Kagome and Miroku exclaimed at the same time, their eyes wide with disbelief.
Retsu nodded and added, combining what he had sensed in Sage Mode with his memories of the plot:
"But he's not exactly the same. He has traces of human aura, yet he feels more like a mixture of countless demons and evil energy.
Most likely, he was once a human who craved demonic power and, under the influence of evil miasma, was devoured and fused with countless low-level demons, turning into a monster."
He let out a cold chuckle.
"Only trash stitched together like that would be so obsessed with the power of the Shikon Jewel."
After that final mocking remark, he said no more.
His body blurred into an afterimage and vanished into the depths of the forest.
"So cool…" Shippo stared in the direction he had disappeared, eyes full of admiration.
"Tch, what a show-off!" Inuyasha snorted unhappily. "Isn't he collecting Shikon shards too? What's he so proud of?"
"But Inuyasha," Kagome frowned slightly, "Retsu always keeps his shards in the pack on his back. He never uses them.
And I feel like… he's using their aura to attract something…"
"How do you know?" Inuyasha asked, confused.
"Because he must have done something to the shards."
Kagome closed her eyes and focused for a moment, then opened them again.
"I can clearly sense the aura of eight shards on him. It's very strong."
"Aren't you always able to sense them?" Inuyasha asked.
"No, this is different," Kagome said, thinking hard. Then her eyes lit up.
"It's like instant noodles! When the lid is closed, the smell is faint. When you open it, the aroma suddenly bursts out!"
"Oh, I get it!" Inuyasha exclaimed.
"He's deliberately amplifying the aura to lure demons who want the Shikon Jewel!"
"But I can't feel anything," Shippo suddenly said. "Inuyasha, can you feel it?"
"I—I can, of course I can!" Inuyasha froze for a moment, then answered guiltily.
"Inuyasha, you're lying!" Shippo immediately exposed him.
"…Shippo!" Inuyasha glared at him dangerously.
Startled, Shippo quickly hid behind Kagome.
"Based on what Retsu said earlier," Miroku stroked his chin thoughtfully, "maybe only demons with evil intentions can sense that amplified aura."
Not far away, Retsu heard their discussion and smiled faintly.
Kagome was right.
He had indeed modified the bamboo tube containing the shards with sealing techniques, creating a formation that amplified their aura.
At first, he did it to lure evil-minded demons to him.
After that, his efficiency in harvesting life force skyrocketed.
By now, he had collected enough energy to revive someone twice.
Continuing to use the shards to attract demons was purely out of boredom—just for practice.
If he ever wanted peace and quiet, he could simply seal the aura completely.
Simple and convenient.
After leaving Inuyasha's group, Retsu thought for a moment and decided to find a quiet place to rest before going to look for Kikyo.
He had already met all the core characters: Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, and Shippo.
Kikyo, who had been resurrected, was someone he definitely wanted to see.
According to his memories, Sesshomaru received Naraku's arm after Kikyo's revival, and Miroku only joined afterward.
That meant Kikyo should already be alive.
He just didn't know where she was.
"Whatever. Worst case, I'll just use Sage Mode to search."
Retsu shrugged.
He only remembered that Kikyo's first major appearance after revival was near some village.
"Inuyasha's group doesn't wander too far anyway. They often go back to Kaede's village. I'll find her eventually."
Just as he was planning his next move, his steps suddenly stopped.
His Mangekyō Sharingan flared scarlet, glowing eerily in the dim forest.
His gaze locked onto a large tree ahead.
"So… I've been discovered?"
A low voice sounded.
A figure wrapped in a baboon pelt slowly emerged from behind the tree.
The thick fur completely covered the person inside. His face was invisible, and only a faint trace of sinister aura leaked out.
"Greetings. I am—"
Before "Naraku" could finish speaking, his voice abruptly cut off.
Retsu had already vanished.
In the next instant, he appeared behind the baboon-pelt puppet.
The chakra gathered in his hand quietly dispersed.
Without even turning around, he continued walking forward as if nothing had happened.
"Trash that hides in the shadows."
As his cold words fell, the motionless baboon pelt split cleanly in half.
With a rustling sound, it collapsed to the ground.
Inside, there was nothing.
It was merely a puppet controlled by demonic energy—not even a proper clone.
From the start, Retsu had no intention of wasting words.
Whether in his previous life or on the battlefield of the ninja world, he was never someone skilled in schemes.
Against someone like Naraku—who loved plotting in the shadows—the best approach was simple:
Attack directly.
Deny him any chance to manipulate, deceive, or set traps.
Drag the fight into a frontal confrontation.
That was where Retsu was strongest.
And there, he would never lose.
After dealing with the puppet, Retsu found a massive tree in the forest and leapt onto a high branch.
His hands formed seals rapidly.
"Wood Release: Four-Pillar House Technique!"
Four thick wooden pillars instantly grew from the branch, intertwining and assembling.
In the blink of an eye, a small, delicate wooden hut took shape.
Retsu pushed the door open and sat down in the center.
He entered Sage Mode once more and resumed cultivation.
For his Edo Tensei body, sleep was optional.
Dawn wasn't far off anyway.
There was no need to bother.
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