Kikyo had already left the place where she met Inuyasha and Kagome.
She walked alone along a silent forest path.
Night deepened the crimson and white of her shrine maiden robes into colder hues. Only the occasional chirping of insects disturbed the stillness.
Suddenly, she stopped.
Her gaze lifted toward the dense branches above.
"You can come out now," she said calmly. "There's no need to hide."
"How did you find me?"
Uchiha Retsu's figure flickered into existence beside her like a phantom, curiosity in his voice.
"I left something on you," Kikyo replied without emotion, continuing forward. "So I can find you whenever I wish."
"Oh? You secretly did something like that?"
Retsu exaggerated his shock and began patting himself down theatrically, searching for the "something."
After a moment, his fingers paused.
Inside his ninja pouch, he found a small, exquisitely folded paper crane.
"Hmph. As if you didn't do the same thing," Kikyo shot him a sidelong glance, disdain faint in her tone.
"Ahahaha… did I?" Retsu scratched his head, caught red-handed. "I was just worried you might run into danger!"
Kikyo ignored his excuse and continued walking.
Retsu examined the paper crane briefly before slipping it back into his pouch. He didn't know exactly what it did, but it might be useful someday.
Watching Kikyo's steady pace, he already had a guess.
She was most likely heading to Kaede's village—to ask about Naraku and the truth of what happened fifty years ago.
The road indeed led toward the village, not far from here.
Still, he asked, "Where are you going? And why?"
"To see my younger sister," Kikyo replied simply. "To ask about the truth of my death fifty years ago."
Confirmed.
Without hesitation, Retsu placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll take you. Walking is too slow."
Before she could respond, he activated the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Their figures vanished instantly.
They reappeared in a familiar forest.
Moonlight filtered through the branches, scattering pale patterns across the ground.
"Where are we?" Kikyo asked, faint recognition flickering in her eyes.
"The forest where you sealed Inuyasha," Retsu said, pointing toward the towering Sacred Tree of Ages nearby.
"I came here before and left a Flying Thunder God mark on a tree."
"So… here…"
Kikyo paused.
She hadn't expected to return to this place so directly.
After orienting herself, she began walking toward Kaede's village.
"That was the Flying Thunder God Technique?" she asked thoughtfully. "You can travel such distances? Anywhere?"
"In theory, yes. But the farther the distance, the more chakra it consumes," Retsu explained. "And I have to leave a mark beforehand."
"Can you leave a mark anywhere?" Kikyo stopped and turned to look at him.
"…You left one on me, didn't you?"
"…Yeah," Retsu admitted without struggle.
"Mm."
She simply nodded and continued walking.
They soon arrived outside Kaede's hut.
Without hesitation, Kikyo lifted the straw curtain and stepped inside.
Her entrance was not quiet.
Kaede jolted awake.
"Sister… Kikyo?"
In the moonlight streaming through the window, she saw the familiar figure and sat up abruptly, disbelief filling her voice.
"What is it, Kaede?" Kikyo asked evenly. "Are you afraid of your sister?"
"N-No!" Kaede hurried to explain. "I heard you fell from a cliff… I thought you had…"
"Well, it's understandable," Retsu's voice came from behind Kikyo as he stepped in, lifting the curtain aside. "If someone saw their sister who died fifty years ago standing at their door in the middle of the night, they'd be scared too."
Kaede's gaze sharpened at the unfamiliar man.
"Sister… who is he?"
"Uchiha Retsu. A ninja," Kikyo replied simply.
Seeing Kikyo unwilling to elaborate, Kaede wisely refrained from further questions.
Instead, she looked at Kikyo carefully.
"Sister… do you still intend to kill Inuyasha?"
"I've already seen him," Kikyo said calmly. "And the girl called Kagome. It's settled."
"S-Settled?" Kaede's eyes widened. "You didn't… kill Inuyasha, did you?"
"…Kaede. Have you grown senile?" Kikyo sighed faintly. "No. We merely talked. He and Kagome are together. Alive and well."
"That's good… that's good…"
Kaede exhaled in relief.
She had feared Kikyo might act on her old resentment.
After a moment, she studied her sister more closely.
"You seem… different."
"I have changed somewhat," Kikyo acknowledged softly, placing a hand over her chest, feeling the chakra and spiritual power flowing within her.
But she did not elaborate.
Instead, her gaze sharpened.
"Kaede. Tell me everything you know—about what happened fifty years ago."
"About Naraku?" Kaede hesitated, then rose and lit the hearth in the center of the room.
Firelight flickered, illuminating the lines on her aged face.
She glanced at Retsu, who stood quietly at the side, not interrupting.
Only then did she begin.
"It all began with Onigumo's wicked desire. He offered his body to countless demons… and thus, Naraku was born."
Kikyo's eyes slowly filled with understanding.
"That bandit…"
"Yes," Kaede nodded. "He once said that the Shikon Jewel becomes more beautiful when it is tainted."
She looked at Kikyo carefully.
"Sister… Inuyasha was also deceived by Naraku back then. He—"
"I only wanted to know the true cause of my death," Kikyo interrupted gently. "But Inuyasha has indeed changed."
"Kagome is an extraordinary girl," Kaede said with a faint smile. "She's been healing his heart, little by little."
"She has changed him," Kikyo agreed.
Then her tone turned grave.
"But I came mainly to confirm what Kagome said about Naraku. If he knows I've returned, he may target me again. And the Shikon Jewel has reappeared. He will surely try to seize it."
She extended her palm.
Several shimmering fragments of the Shikon Jewel lay quietly in her hand.
"Tell me, Kaede—what exactly happened to the Shikon Jewel? Fifty years ago, it vanished with my death. Why has it reappeared… and in fragments?"
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