"Y-You're giving them… to me? Thank you!"
Kagome could clearly sense that the bamboo tube contained Kikyo's Shikon Jewel shards. She hadn't expected Kikyo to hand over all of them.
"Mhm." Kikyo placed the tube in Kagome's hands and said calmly, "I already learned from Kaede that you were the one who brought the Shikon Jewel here.
"Now, you are the one who protects it. These belong to you."
After speaking, she said nothing more and quickly returned to Retsu's side.
"All set."
Retsu glanced at the bamboo tube in Kagome's hands, slightly surprised.
He hadn't expected Kikyo to entrust the shards to her.
But now, the Shikon Jewel was no longer useful to him.
And after what had just happened, Naraku would be weakened for a long time due to the life drain from the Samsara of Heavenly Life.
Letting Kagome keep the shards posed no real problem.
Retsu placed a hand on Kikyo's shoulder, preparing to activate Flying Thunder God.
"Kikyo… c-can you… come with us—"
Inuyasha suddenly spoke up anxiously.
But before he could finish, Kikyo interrupted him in a cool voice.
"Inuyasha, protect Kagome."
Her gaze passed over both of them.
"Don't let her repeat my fate."
"…Yeah." Inuyasha stiffened.
He understood immediately—she was talking about their tragedy fifty years ago.
Though Naraku had orchestrated it, their own mistrust had also played a crucial role.
"Inuyasha," Retsu added calmly, "Naraku will probably lie low for a while after this.
"Use this time to grow stronger. That sword of yours has terrifying potential."
From the story alone, it was obvious.
Wind Scar, Backlash Wave, and all the later evolutions—
It wasn't just Inuyasha growing stronger.
Tessaiga itself was evolving.
"Of course Tessaiga is strong!" Inuyasha boasted, slinging it over his shoulder.
Retsu waved.
"We're leaving."
Just as he was about to go, Sango's voice rang out urgently.
"Wait, Retsu! I… may I ask you something?"
He paused, already guessing her question.
"What is it?"
"Can you help revive my brother, Kohaku?"
Sango bit her lip and gathered all her courage.
"As long as he can return to normal… I'm willing to be the sacrifice!"
"Sango…"
Kagome, Miroku, and Shippo were all shocked.
Yet none of them stopped her.
They knew how important Kohaku was to her.
Retsu looked at her resolute eyes.
Though he already knew the truth, he still asked,
"Is your brother dead?"
Hope instantly lit up in Sango's eyes.
"No! After Naraku revived him with the Shikon Jewel, he lost all his memories and became completely controlled!
"That's not the real Kohaku anymore!"
"Troublesome, but not impossible," Retsu said after a moment of thought.
He recalled the life force he had stored for his revival plan.
Then he added, "It should be doable, but I'll need to see him first.
"When you take him back from Naraku, bring him to me.
"And don't worry—I've got plenty of sacrifices. I don't need yours."
With a flick of his finger, a wooden kunai shot out and landed precisely at Sango's feet.
"I've marked this.
"If you need me, break it. I'll know."
Without hesitation, he activated Flying Thunder God.
He and Kikyo vanished.
"Gone?!" Shippo exclaimed.
"That guy's always been like that," Inuyasha said calmly.
"Nothing surprising."
"Today was really something…" Kagome stretched and sighed.
"We met Naraku, saw Retsu and Kikyo come back to life…
"It still feels unreal."
"Seriously," Miroku agreed.
Sango bent down, picked up the wooden kunai, and carefully tucked it into her clothes.
Then she looked at Miroku's pale face.
"Let's find somewhere to rest. You need treatment."
She helped him onto Kirara's back.
"Thank you, Sango," Miroku said softly.
"It's nothing," she replied with a small smile.
Her brother now had hope.
Elsewhere, Retsu and Kikyo reappeared inside the room of the temple where they had stayed before.
"This is… the old temple?" Kikyo recognized the furnishings.
"Yeah. It's late. Too lazy to walk," Retsu said, opening the window.
Cool night air flowed in.
"You didn't kill Naraku for more than one reason, did you?"
Kikyo stepped closer and looked at him intently.
"I feel like… even if you could've killed him, you wouldn't have."
"Huh? Woman's intuition?" Retsu teased.
She rolled her eyes.
"So I was right."
"Yeah." He nodded.
"I was worried that killing Naraku now might create a second Naraku."
"A second… Naraku?" Kikyo frowned. "What do you mean?"
Retsu asked in return, "How was Naraku born?"
"Onigumo, driven by evil desires, offered his body to demons and fused into Naraku," Kikyo replied.
"That's the surface explanation," Retsu said.
Then his gaze sharpened.
"Onigumo was just an ordinary bandit.
"Not a demon. Not a monk. Not a priest.
"Just a wounded man you saved.
"So how could someone like that accomplish something like this?"
Kikyo froze.
She had never thought about it that deeply.
Retsu continued,
"In this world, people die every day.
"Killed by bandits, eaten by demons, starved, drowned.
"There are countless people more miserable and more evil than Onigumo.
"So why was he the only one who became Naraku?"
A mocking smile appeared on his lips.
"If it were that easy, people would be lining up to sacrifice themselves for power.
"Why would it be his turn?"
He stared straight into her eyes.
"But in fifty years, there has only been one Onigumo.
"And only one Naraku."
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