"Kikyo!"
Watching Kikyo vanish into the mountaintop opening in Retsu's arms, Inuyasha couldn't help but roar.
"Come on, Sango!" Kagome reacted quickly, her expression serious. "Kikyo and Retsu must be about to do something important. We have to follow them!"
"Got it! Kirara!" Sango answered immediately.
"Rooaar!" Kirara growled and instantly grew in size. Kagome hugged Shippo tightly as she and Sango leapt onto Kirara's back.
"Up, Kirara!" Sango commanded.
With a powerful flap, Kirara shot into the air, carrying them toward the summit.
"Kagome! Wait for me!" Inuyasha shouted.
He hoisted the weakened Miroku onto his back and leapt after them, racing toward the peak.
When Inuyasha emerged from the opening with Miroku on his back, he froze.
Not far away, Naraku stood on an open clearing.
Countless streams of dense miasma surged into his body like raging currents.
The demon that had fought Inuyasha earlier had already been completely devoured.
Naraku's body was now undergoing horrifying changes—tearing apart, merging, and rebuilding itself. Bones and flesh writhed and squirmed, producing chilling sounds that made one's scalp tingle.
Inuyasha quickly spotted Kikyo.
She stood beside Retsu, calmly watching Naraku, as if observing a meaningless farce.
"That body Kagome shattered…" Inuyasha growled through clenched teeth.
"Damn it… he's using witchcraft to create a new body for himself!"
Without hesitation, he drew Tessaiga and charged forward, determined to interrupt the process.
Whoosh!
A sharp whistling sound cut through the air.
Bang!
A glowing arrow embedded itself in the ground right before his feet, blocking his path.
Inuyasha stopped abruptly and looked up.
Kikyo slowly lowered her bow, her cold gaze fixed on him.
"Inuyasha! What are you trying to do?!" he shouted angrily.
She had destroyed the seal, then stopped him from attacking, and now she was calmly watching Naraku recover.
He couldn't understand her at all.
Kikyo ignored him.
Seeing that he had halted, she turned her attention back to Naraku.
Kagome and Sango landed beside Inuyasha and Miroku.
Looking at the trembling arrow, Kagome hesitated before saying,
"Inuyasha… maybe Kikyo has her own plan?"
Even she lacked confidence in her words.
Everyone present frowned.
They all knew it was just self-comfort.
"Damn it! That Uchiha Retsu guy must've brainwashed her!" Inuyasha snarled.
He stared fiercely at Retsu standing beside Kikyo, especially annoyed when he recalled seeing Kikyo in his arms.
"I… I don't think so," Kagome defended weakly. "Retsu is actually pretty nice…"
Her words only made things worse.
"Looks like you finally understand how Miss Kagome usually feels," Miroku remarked quietly.
"Yeah!" Kagome nodded vigorously, smiling.
"Hey! What kind of look is that?!" Inuyasha snapped.
Suddenly, an overwhelming wave of demonic power surged outward.
Everyone stiffened.
Naraku had completed his reconstruction.
As his aura stabilized, he opened his eyes, greed and arrogance gleaming within them.
A sinister smile spread across his face.
"It seems you were drawn here by the miasma and wandered into my sealed cave."
Drunk on his newly restored power, he chose to boast instead of fleeing.
His gaze landed on Inuyasha first.
"Inuyasha, you could have become part of my new body. What a shame."
Then he turned to Kikyo.
"You were the one who broke the seal? Thank you for your 'help.' Because of you, I obtained this perfect body."
He tilted his head curiously.
"Kikyo… you clearly had the power to destroy it. So why help me? What are you planning?"
Kikyo suddenly smiled.
Like a snow lotus blooming in ice, her smile was breathtaking—pure, radiant, and utterly unexpected.
Naraku froze.
Then her smile faded, replaced by icy calm.
"Simple," she said softly.
"I need your help… Onigumo."
"Onigumo?" Naraku sneered.
"What a nostalgic name."
"Fifty years ago, the dying bandit you once saved… the one who offered his soul and body to demons. That Onigumo became me—Naraku."
He grinned mockingly.
"So tell me, holy priestess—what do you want from a monster like me?"
Poof!
A cloud of white smoke suddenly erupted beside Kikyo.
When it cleared, Retsu had dispelled his transformation.
His cracked Edo Tensei body was fully revealed.
At the same time, scarlet Mangekyō Sharingan bloomed in his eyes, radiating danger.
He looked at Naraku with a mocking smile.
"Nothing big," he said coldly.
"Just let you help us… as a sacrifice for our resurrection."
Before Naraku could react, Retsu vanished.
Using the Flying Thunder God mark he had left earlier, he appeared instantly in front of Naraku.
His palm slammed into Naraku's chest.
Black markings spread like living creatures.
"Self-Curse Binding Seal."
Dark symbols wrapped around Naraku like chains.
His body froze.
"W-What are you doing?!" Naraku panicked, struggling in vain.
"Heh. Like I said—just a little favor," Retsu chuckled.
His Mangekyō spun violently.
Naraku's eyes went blank.
He was completely trapped in genjutsu.
Retsu secretly let out a breath of relief.
He had worried Naraku might resist illusion due to his hybrid nature.
But it worked.
Now came the most critical step.
Retsu raised a finger and touched Naraku's forehead.
His Mangekyō spun faster.
In a low voice, he spoke:
"Transcription Seal."
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