"This is… a priestess's spiritual power! It's purifying the miasma!"
As the surrounding corruption visibly retreated, the soft, pearly-white glow spread outward. Kagome's eyes widened in shock.
She was far too familiar with this pure, powerful energy.
It was the unique spiritual power of a shrine priestess.
"Kikyo… and Retsu!"
Kagome instantly realized who it was.
Sure enough, as the two figures drew closer, she clearly saw Kikyo in her red-and-white priestess robes, a bow slung across her back.
Beside her stood Uchiha Retsu.
Before long, the two reached them.
Retsu greeted them casually, "So you're here too, Kagome. And the demon slayer lady from before."
Then he glanced at the small figure hiding behind Kagome and waved.
"If I remember right, you're called Shippo, yeah? Little fox."
"Ah… y-yes…"
Shippo's tail shot straight up. He shrank further behind Kagome and nodded nervously.
The oppressive aura Retsu gave off last time had left a deep impression.
"You're… the two people who visited our village before?"
With the miasma dispersed, Sango finally felt better. Seeing the familiar pair, she spoke in surprise.
"That's right," Kikyo replied calmly, nodding.
She still remembered meeting Sango on the road—and how Retsu had taken a shard from her back then.
Thinking of that, Kikyo stepped forward and gently placed her palm against Sango's chest.
A soft white glow flowed from her hand.
Warm, penetrating purification power slowly entered Sango's body, dispelling the lingering corruption bit by bit.
The pallor on Sango's face quickly faded, replaced by healthy color.
She had stiffened at first when Kikyo suddenly touched her, but the comfort spreading through her body made her understand at once.
When Kikyo withdrew her hand, Sango immediately bowed deeply.
"Thank you very much. I'm completely fine now."
After thanking Kikyo, Sango suddenly turned to Retsu and bowed deeply as well.
"Thank you for your warning before. Even though our village was destroyed, many people survived!"
"Oh? Your village was attacked?" Retsu asked with feigned surprise. "What happened?"
"Yes. Thanks to your reminder, the villagers who couldn't fight evacuated in advance. The village was ruined, but most people survived," Sango explained, bowing again.
"Thank you so much!"
"No need to thank me," Retsu waved it off. "I only said a few words. The real credit goes to your father's decision."
"Ah, right… I'm Sango. I still don't know your name," she said hastily.
"Uchiha Retsu. Just call me Retsu."
Seeing them chatting so naturally, Kikyo frowned slightly.
She stepped between them and looked at Sango and Kagome.
"How did you end up traveling with Kagome and Inuyasha?"
At that, deep sorrow appeared on Sango's face, quickly followed by burning hatred.
She took a deep breath.
"After you left, my father led us to Himiji Castle for an exorcism. But it was all Naraku's trap.
"He controlled my younger brother and made him kill my father and our companions. I was deceived into thinking Inuyasha was my enemy.
"After learning the truth, I joined Kagome and the others to hunt Naraku for revenge."
Her voice trembled with suppressed pain.
"Naraku…" Kikyo murmured softly, sympathy flickering in her eyes.
Another victim of his cruelty.
"I understand," she said quietly.
Turning toward the cave, she continued, "Let's not stay here. We'll go in together. This should be something Naraku made to restore his body."
"Naraku!"
Kagome and Sango exchanged glances and immediately followed her.
"Shippo, Kirara, come on!" Kagome called.
The group soon entered the cave.
Kikyo's glowing spiritual aura moved like a barrier, shielding everyone from the dense corruption inside.
"Inuyasha is in here, right?" Kikyo asked suddenly, her voice echoing clearly.
"Uh… y-yes!"
Walking beside her made Kagome extremely nervous. She jumped at the question.
"Inuyasha and Miroku went in a long time ago, but they haven't come out. We don't know what's happening inside…"
Kikyo stopped.
She turned and looked at Kagome calmly.
"You seem… very nervous around me."
"N-No! Not at all!"
Kagome stiffened like a startled cat and raised her voice reflexively, avoiding Kikyo's gaze.
"…"
Sango, walking at the back and unaware of their history, glanced at Kagome in confusion.
Noticing her expression, Shippo quietly hopped onto Sango's back and whispered in her ear.
"Sango, that priestess is Kikyo. Kagome is her reincarnation."
"R-Reincarnation?!"
Sango stared ahead in shock.
"Does that mean… Miss Kikyo…"
"Yep!" Shippo nodded vigorously.
"She died fifty years ago. Then a demon called Urasue revived her using Kagome's soul."
Before Sango could respond, Shippo dropped another bomb.
"And she and Inuyasha were lovers. Because of Naraku's plot, Kikyo sealed Inuyasha for fifty years before she died."
"Ah!"
Sango couldn't help exclaiming in disbelief.
She had already noticed that Inuyasha and Kagome had special feelings for each other.
She just hadn't expected things to be this complicated.
She glanced between Kikyo's calm profile and Kagome's tense expression, her curiosity burning.
Now that Shippo mentioned it, she realized how similar Kagome and Kikyo looked.
The cave was silent.
Even their whispers carried clearly.
Kagome froze completely, wishing she could disappear on the spot.
But her pride kept her from running away.
"It's fine… I beat her last time. What am I scared of?" she encouraged herself inwardly.
Yet somehow, without Inuyasha by her side, facing Kikyo alone made her feel unbearably uneasy.
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