Kikyo spoke with a solemn expression, her voice tinged with confusion.
"That castle lord was very strange. I couldn't sense any vitality from him at all. It was as if everything below his neck was already dead."
She paused, turning to look back at the castle, now blurred by dusk. A cold glint flashed in her eyes.
"And the entire castle was shrouded in dense miasma."
Retsu smiled faintly.
"That's normal. That guy is the Naraku you've been looking for."
"Naraku?!"
Kikyo's expression changed. She looked up at him sharply.
"That castle lord was Naraku?"
"Yeah. That patchwork demonic aura made from countless fused demons—no one else has that. It's definitely him."
Retsu nodded with certainty.
Kikyo quickly calmed herself and followed at his side, analyzing the situation.
"From the looks of it, he's in very bad condition. He must be seriously injured."
"Definitely because of Kagome and Inuyasha," Retsu replied. "Inuyasha alone couldn't hurt him this badly. It was most likely Kagome's Sacred Arrow—pure spiritual power that shattered his body."
He knew the plot well. Naraku had been reduced to this state because Kagome's arrow had nearly destroyed him.
"Kagome… that girl?" Kikyo murmured thoughtfully. "If it was spiritual power, that would explain it."
Then Retsu suddenly changed the subject.
"By the way, your soul has fully recovered, right?"
Kikyo paused, then nodded.
"Yes. It's completely restored."
She frowned slightly.
"In his current state… Naraku probably can't be used for resurrection yet, can he?"
"No. On the contrary."
Retsu shook his head with a smile.
"Kikyo, we'll be free of these bodies soon. With Naraku's personality, he'll never tolerate staying this weak for long."
"You mean…" Kikyo's eyes brightened. "He'll try to heal himself."
She immediately thought of the wounded soldiers' talk about polluted land. Realization flashed across her face.
At that moment, the surrounding miasma began to stir.
The evil aura in the air suddenly grew restless, as if drawn by an invisible force, rushing toward the distance.
Kikyo's heart skipped. She looked up sharply.
The converging point of the miasma was a towering mountain not far away, resembling a long-dormant volcano.
"Looks like Naraku has started moving," Retsu said, gazing at the peak with a meaningful smile. "He's beginning to rebuild his body."
"Using miasma… to recover?" Kikyo murmured.
"Let's go. If we're late, we'll have to wait much longer to get rid of these bodies," Retsu reminded her.
"Alright!"
Kikyo snapped out of her thoughts and followed him toward the mountain.
The closer they drew to the source, the more lifeless the surroundings became.
Trees along the road were completely withered, their dry branches reaching toward the sky. No grass grew on the ground. Occasionally, bleached animal bones lay scattered, exuding decay.
There was not a trace of life.
At the foot of the mountain, they found a winding path and began climbing upward.
They could clearly feel it—the source of the miasma lay within the mountain's depths. With every step, the aura grew thicker.
A soft, pearly-white glow gradually enveloped Kikyo.
She was using her spiritual power to repel the corruption.
Though the miasma couldn't harm her clay body, her soul resided within it. Being soaked in evil energy was uncomfortable.
Moreover, Retsu had recently replenished her chakra. Her spiritual power was abundant.
The gentle light spread outward like a protective veil, enveloping Retsu as well.
Even though his reincarnated body was immune to corruption, being wrapped in her spiritual aura made him feel far more comfortable.
It was like stepping out of suffocating smog into fresh air.
Retsu glanced at her with approval and silently quickened his pace.
"Inuyasha and the others are ahead," he suddenly said. "That girl, Kagome, too."
Kikyo paused briefly, then nodded.
"…Yes. Let's go. If this was arranged by Naraku, it won't be unguarded."
Ahead of them, thick miasma poured out from a cave in the mountainside.
The source was clearly inside.
At the cave entrance, Sango stood clutching her chest, her face pale and covered in cold sweat.
Her wounds from Naraku had not fully healed. Now, assaulted by miasma, her body could no longer endure it.
Kagome and Shippo stayed close to her.
Inuyasha and Miroku were nowhere to be seen—they had already entered the cave.
"Sango, are you okay?" Kagome asked worriedly. "The miasma is getting stronger…"
"Mm…"
Sango groaned softly, then looked up in surprise.
"Kagome… you're completely fine?"
"I think so," Kagome replied, confused. "I don't feel uncomfortable at all."
At that moment, Shippo and Kirara unconsciously took two steps toward the cave.
Realizing what was happening, Shippo froze in shock.
"What's going on?! It's like something's pulling me in! What's happening in there?!"
"Meow!" Kirara nodded vigorously.
"Will Inuyasha and Miroku be alright…?" Kagome asked anxiously.
Ever since they entered, there had been no sound.
Only suffocating silence.
They waited for a while longer, forcing down their unease.
Still, nothing.
"Why haven't they come out yet…?" Sango whispered.
"I'll go in and check…" she said through clenched teeth, struggling to stand.
"No!" Kagome quickly stopped her. "Sango, you can't!"
"Yeah!" Shippo added. "You'll collapse if you go in like this!"
Kirara blocked her path as well.
"Sango, let's move away first," Kagome pleaded. "Staying here is bad for you."
Just then, clear footsteps sounded from behind them.
Kagome startled and turned around—only to see the miasma rapidly thinning.
"The… the miasma is fading…" she said in surprise.
Sango also looked back.
A soft, pearly-white glow was approaching.
As it drew nearer, the surrounding corruption retreated as if meeting its natural enemy.
Through the thinning haze, two figures could be seen walking side by side within the light.
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