Uchiha Retsu knew Kikyo was asking about his Edo Tensei body.
There was nothing to hide, so he answered frankly.
"This body of mine is the result of the 'Edo Tensei Technique.' To put it simply, it uses a living person as a sacrifice to pull a dead soul back from the Pure Land and bind it to a body made of dust."
He paused, remembering the small mishap during his revival.
"Though my resurrection was a bit special. The sacrifice seemed to be a demon. Didn't expect demons could work as offerings too."
"So… you can't really die, can you?" Kikyo asked quietly as she walked forward without direction.
"Pretty much. This technique was originally meant to revive the dead and make them drag enemies down with them."
Retsu explained,
"As long as the caster doesn't release it, the revived soul stays trapped in this body. Even if it's shattered, it'll reform from dust."
"That sounds… very evil," Kikyo said softly.
"You're right."
Retsu nodded seriously.
"The white-haired guy who invented it was an evil old bastard from the Senju Clan."
"The Senju Clan?" Kikyo caught the unfamiliar term.
"Yeah. The Senju—our Uchiha clan's mortal enemies. A bunch of people born evil."
He spoke with absolute conviction.
"When I've got time, I'll tell you the heroic story of how the Uchiha fought against the Senju's dark rule."
"Alright…"
Kikyo nodded, though she felt something was off.
Everything he said sounded like slander, yet he looked completely serious.
As they talked, a few reckless demons leapt out of the forest and were casually cut down by Retsu.
He looked ahead at a massive tree and stopped.
"Let's rest here for a bit. We'll move again after dawn. There are too many demons at night—killing them gets annoying."
"Alright."
Kikyo nodded and was about to set up a barrier.
But before she could, Retsu ran straight up the tree trunk.
She looked up in surprise.
He stopped about five or six meters above the ground, formed hand seals, and said softly,
"Wood Release: Four-Pillar House Technique."
At once, thick wooden structures grew from the trunk, weaving together.
In moments, a delicate treehouse formed around the tree.
Even Kikyo, usually calm and composed, widened her eyes in astonishment.
After checking its stability, Retsu pushed open the wooden door and jumped down, landing in front of her.
"All set. Let's go up. This way we can avoid the demons on the ground."
As he spoke, he pressed his hand to the trunk, leaving a Flying Thunder God mark.
Before Kikyo could react, he placed a hand on her shoulder and activated the technique.
Her vision blurred.
The next instant, they were inside the treehouse.
The dim wooden room had simple windows on the walls.
In the center stood part of the tree trunk itself.
Kikyo quickly understood.
"We're inside the treehouse now. That was Flying Thunder God—direct teleportation, right?" she asked.
"Yep. Saves us from climbing."
"…Mm."
She walked to the window and looked down.
By moonlight, she could clearly see the grass and trees far below.
They were indeed high above the ground.
"I'll set up a barrier," Kikyo said.
But then she froze.
In the room stood a candle holder, and on both sides were simple beds—complete with clean bedding.
"You… where did all this come from?"
She pointed at the furnishings, unable to maintain her usual composure.
Seeing her surprised expression, Retsu found her unexpectedly adorable.
Compared to her usual holy and distant demeanor, this version of Kikyo felt much more human.
Like a lofty priestess suddenly turning into a gentle girl next door.
He remembered Onigumo's old words to Kaede:
"Kikyo always acts so holy. I'd love to see her flustered someday."
Turns out, she really did look different when she showed other emotions.
"I can open a separate dimension. I keep my stuff in there," Retsu explained.
"I'm rarely in villages. I mostly sleep outdoors, so I carry these things with me."
"A separate dimension…"
Kikyo murmured, finally understanding.
She continued setting up the barrier and asked,
"You're not putting up one yourself? What if demons get in?"
"Uh… I know some sealing techniques, but not barriers."
Retsu shrugged.
"If anything gets in, I'll just kill it. Consider it pre-bed exercise."
Kikyo paused, gave him a helpless look, and continued her work.
This man really was brutally straightforward.
Near noon the next day, Retsu sat at the treehouse entrance, staring into the forest.
Soft footsteps sounded behind him.
Without turning, he asked,
"You're awake? Does your clay body even need food?"
Kikyo had slept unusually long, likely due to her weakened soul.
"No."
She sat beside him, gazing outside as well.
"This is only a clay vessel. It doesn't need food. As long as I have souls to sustain it, it can move."
"Where are you heading next?" Retsu asked, turning to her.
Instead of answering, she looked at him seriously.
"Can you really bring someone back to life… completely?"
"Of course."
Retsu smiled confidently.
"Why else would I bother turning myself into an Edo Tensei? This body is only temporary."
"…So you cast this technique on yourself?" Kikyo asked in disbelief.
"Yeah."
He nodded.
"I sensed I might die someday, so I prepared a scroll in advance. The target was myself. There were some accidents, but I survived like this."
"…"
Kikyo stared at him, speechless.
"What's with that look?" Retsu frowned.
"I died young, you know. Never even held a girl's hand. Dying like that? I wasn't satisfied."
Kikyo froze.
A trace of sadness flashed through her eyes.
She had died at eighteen—the most beautiful age of her life.
That regret… she understood better than anyone.
Silence fell over the treehouse.
Only the rustling of leaves in the wind remained.
They sat side by side, neither speaking.
To Read advanced Chapters, head over to P@treon
patreon.com/DarkVerse146