Kikyo stepped forward, intending to enter the cave—only to halt abruptly.
"There's… a barrier here."
"Yes," the demon slayer chief replied. "A powerful one. It prevents most people from entering."
"And how does one lift it?" Myoga asked curiously. "Is there some incantation passed down through the generations?"
"No," the chief shook his head. "There is no spell."
He paused.
"This place is, in truth… a grave."
"A grave?!" Myoga yelped in shock.
"The one who created the Shikon Jewel did not wish for others to approach this place," the chief continued. "But Lady Kikyo… you should be able to enter."
Kikyo tested it.
Sure enough, she passed through the barrier effortlessly—
But poor Myoga, perched on her shoulder, was immediately flung backward with a sharp zap.
"Why me?!" he cried indignantly as he tumbled across the ground.
The chief explained calmly, "Those who harbor pure goodwill and compassion toward humanity, who carry no malice or greed for the Shikon Jewel, will not be blocked."
As he spoke, he walked forward and passed through with ease.
Retsu stepped up next.
Truthfully, he didn't feel particularly charitable toward the world. Nor did he believe himself especially kind.
Still, there was no harm in trying.
To his surprise—
He walked straight through without resistance.
That… was unexpected.
He didn't dwell on it, however, and followed the chief into the cave.
The interior was dark and damp.
The only sounds were their footsteps and the steady drip… drip… drip of water echoing through the cavern.
Demon bones littered the ground.
Each step crushed ancient remains with brittle cracks beneath their feet.
The deeper they went, the older the remains appeared.
At last, they reached the innermost chamber.
A beam of light pierced through a crack in the ceiling, illuminating the scene ahead—
And even Retsu, who already knew the truth, felt his breath catch.
Countless massive demon corpses were piled together.
Layer upon layer.
Fused. Overlapping. Devouring one another even in death.
A mountain of bones.
At its peak—
A woman clad in armor.
Only her upper body remained visible. Her lower half was swallowed into the heap of demon remains, as if she had become one with them.
Both her body and the surrounding demons were encased in thick stalactite formations, turned into something like a colossal stone statue.
Ancient.
Unmoving.
Timeless.
Retsu stared at the woman at the summit.
He knew her name.
Midoriko.
The priestess who created the Shikon Jewel.
The chief's voice echoed solemnly through the cavern.
"These are the remains of demons—ogres, dragons, tsuchigumo, and countless others. They united for one purpose."
"To kill a single human."
"That woman?" Kikyo asked quietly, her gaze fixed on the armored figure. "The one consumed by demons?"
"Yes."
"She was a priestess from centuries ago. The creator of the Shikon Jewel."
He continued:
"In those days, when power still rested in the hands of nobles, endless wars and famine ravaged the land. Corpses piled high. Demons fed on the dead and the weakened, multiplying rapidly."
"There were monks and warriors who fought them. But among them, one stood above the rest."
"Midoriko."
"She possessed the ability to extract the souls of demons and purify them. She was the greatest exorcist of her era."
Kikyo's eyes flickered thoughtfully.
"Extracting souls and purifying them… the power of the Four Souls?"
Seeing that Retsu might not know the doctrine, she explained softly:
"It is said that all things in this world—humans, animals, even trees and stones—are composed of four souls."
"Aramitama, Nigimitama, Kushimitama, and Sakimitama."
"When united within a body, they form the heart."
"Aramitama governs courage. Nigimitama governs affection. Kushimitama governs wisdom. Sakimitama governs love."
She paused, realization dawning in her eyes.
"When these four incline toward good, they become pure spirit. When they incline toward evil, they become corrupted."
"That is the nature of the Shikon Jewel."
The chief nodded.
"To the demons of that time, Midoriko was a terrifying enemy. She could strip their souls and cleanse them, robbing them of power."
"So they united and killed her?" Retsu asked.
"They besieged her, yes. And their assault led to her death."
"But she did not truly 'die.'"
He pointed toward a gaping hole in Midoriko's chest.
"She battled them for seven days and seven nights. When her strength failed and the demons began to devour her, she used her final power."
"She tore the souls of all the demons from their bodies."
"And fused them with her own."
"She expelled that mass of souls from her body."
"That expelled mass…" Kikyo murmured, her eyes fixed on the hole in Midoriko's chest, "was the Shikon Jewel."
"Yes."
The chief's voice grew grave.
"Midoriko no longer had the strength to purify the demon souls she had extracted. So within the jewel, her soul and the demon souls have continued their battle endlessly."
"Even now."
Kikyo folded her hands before her chest.
"What an extraordinary priestess…"
There was no envy in her voice.
Only respect.
After learning the truth, the three left the cavern.
Outside, Kikyo turned to the chief and bowed her head slightly.
"Thank you for telling us the truth about the Shikon Jewel."
The chief waved his hands hurriedly.
"No, no—please. It was our elders who entrusted the jewel to you. And that burden led to your death."
"I should be the one apologizing."
Kikyo shook her head gently.
"What happened then was my oversight. I fell into a demon's trap. I do not blame others."
"But now the Shikon Jewel has resurfaced, bringing chaos once more."
"It must be resolved quickly."
"Lady Kikyo!" Myoga cried, leaping back onto her shoulder as soon as she emerged.
"What did you find inside? Did you uncover the jewel's secret?"
"Yes," Kikyo answered simply. "We did."
And that was all she said.
As they walked back toward the village, Myoga waited expectantly for further explanation.
None came.
He opened his mouth several times—
But one glance at Kikyo's calm, unreadable expression made him swallow his questions each time.
In the end, the flea demon chose silence.
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