Kaede stared at the fragments of the Shikon Jewel resting in Kikyo's palm. Then she met her sister's calm yet serious gaze.
A trace of guilt rose quietly in her heart.
This matter… she bore part of the responsibility.
As Kikyo's younger sister, she understood better than anyone how dangerous the Shikon Jewel was—how it attracted countless demons and greedy humans alike.
Yet she had still entrusted it to Kagome, who had been powerless at the time, without fully explaining its dangers.
Because of that, a chain of disasters had followed.
Steeling herself, Kaede carefully recounted everything—the reappearance of the Shikon Jewel, and how Kagome had accidentally shattered it with an arrow.
After hearing the entire story, Kikyo did not reproach her.
She merely sighed softly, her voice tinged with melancholy.
"In the end… it was still greed over the Shikon Jewel that caused everything. Naraku's birth… and my death as well."
"Sister…"
Kaede looked at Kikyo and suddenly felt as if she were seeing the shrine maiden of the past again—calm, resolute, and strong.
She was about to speak when Kikyo interrupted her.
"Retsu. Do you have any way to find Naraku?"
She turned toward Uchiha Retsu, who stood behind her, seemingly lost in thought but clearly listening.
She knew he possessed many strange yet reliable abilities. If they could locate Naraku, it would remove a major threat.
That man was far too dangerous.
"No," Retsu shook his head. "He's like a rat in a gutter. His real body hides in the shadows. He won't show himself easily."
"You've seen Naraku?" Kikyo raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Yeah." Retsu nodded.
"Before I met you, I ran into one of his puppets. It suddenly jumped out and started babbling nonsense. I cut it down with one strike."
"..."
Kikyo fell silent.
Considering his personality, that sounded entirely believable. She could only shake her head helplessly.
"However," Retsu continued with a grin, "if you want to lure him out, it's actually pretty simple."
"He has two obsessions. First, the Shikon Jewel. Second, you."
"As long as you carry the fragments and stop hiding in small villages, travel around openly… once he senses you, he'll definitely come looking for you."
Kikyo shot him a sideways glance, wanting to refute him.
But after thinking it over, she realized it was indeed the most direct and effective method.
"…Fine," she conceded.
Then her tone grew serious.
"But you have to come with me. I can't face Naraku alone. I died at his hands fifty years ago, and my power still hasn't fully recovered. I'm no match for him yet."
"No problem," Retsu agreed without hesitation.
Even though he knew Naraku would never easily expose his true body, he still accepted.
"Sister, Naraku is extremely dangerous. You must be careful," Kaede warned anxiously.
"Don't worry, Kaede," Kikyo nodded as she stood. "I will."
"Goodbye, Sister."
After seeing Kikyo off, Kaede turned to Retsu and bowed slightly.
"Please… protect my sister."
"Leave it to me," Retsu waved casually as he followed Kikyo outside.
Early the next morning, inside the treehouse where they had stayed before, Kikyo and Retsu were already prepared to depart.
After leaving Kaede's village the night before, they had returned here using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
"Let's go," Kikyo said, slinging her bow across her back. "I wonder if we can reach the Demon Slayer Village today."
Retsu stored their supplies in his Kamui space.
After returning from Kaede's village, Kikyo had explained her next plan—to visit the Demon Slayer Village where she had once been entrusted with the Shikon Jewel, and investigate its origins.
Retsu, knowing the original story, understood that the jewel had been formed from the fusion of Midoriko's soul and countless demon spirits.
The cave where it was born lay outside that village.
But he said nothing.
He had nothing urgent to do, and following Kikyo suited him just fine.
Besides, he would finally meet the last main member of the group—the beautiful demon slayer, Sango.
"Before that," Retsu added, "let's buy a horse. Walking is too slow. Of course, I can carry you too—mainly because you walk too slowly."
"..."
After a brief pause, Kikyo replied, "Let's check the nearby market first. Riding a horse is more practical."
"Alright."
Retsu placed a hand on her shoulder and activated his technique. In an instant, they appeared on the ground below.
After leaving a mark on a tree, they set off.
Not long after they departed, the treehouse behind them collapsed with a creak and a dull crash, raising a cloud of dust.
Unfortunately, they failed to buy a horse at the nearby market.
In this era, horses were valuable commodities and not easily obtained.
In the end, they found another form of transportation.
A massive black bear demon.
Retsu had deliberately ventured into the forest after leaving the town and captured it.
Now, under the control of his Sharingan illusion, it lay obediently on the ground, allowing the two of them to ride on its back as it charged through the woods.
With a demon mount, their travel speed increased dramatically.
Before long, the outline of the Demon Slayer Village appeared in the distance.
As the bear leapt out of the forest, a mountaintop stronghold came into view.
Its walls were built from thick logs, standing firmly along the edge of steep cliffs. A winding path led from the foot of the mountain to the gate. Several watchtowers rose within the village.
"So this is the Demon Slayer Village?" Retsu asked, glancing at Kikyo curiously.
He remembered that before Inuyasha's arrival, this village would eventually be wiped out by demons under Naraku's command.
For now, it still stood intact.
"Yes," Kikyo gazed at the familiar settlement, complex emotions flickering in her eyes.
"Back then, this was where the demon slayers entrusted me with the Shikon Jewel, asking me to purify it. I never imagined…"
Here, she had accepted the jewel.
And because of it, she had died.
One could say this place was where her tragic fate had begun.
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