"Kikyo… I never thought… you would truly come back to life…"
It seemed that Kikyo's gaze had stimulated him. Naraku struggled to look at her and spoke hoarsely.
"Naraku, fifty years ago, you plotted my death. Fifty years later, I used your life to revive myself. This is karma."
Kikyo's voice was calm as she stared at him, enunciating every word.
"Hmph… I just never expected… the man beside you… could really bring you back…"
Naraku slowly rolled his eyes, hatred sweeping over Retsu. A cold smile tugged at his lips.
"Kikyo, I killed you fifty years ago. Now you can do it. Kill me and take your revenge."
"Retsu, should we kill him?" Kikyo ignored his provocation and turned to ask Retsu.
"Of course we should!" Inuyasha stepped forward at once, drawing Tessaiga, eyes blazing.
"This bastard killed so many people. He deserves to die!"
Retsu, however, shook his head.
"No. Let him go."
"What?!" Inuyasha roared.
He stared at Retsu in disbelief.
Retsu glanced at him and smiled faintly.
"Because the one who truly hates Naraku is you, not me.
"As for me… I should thank him. He used his own life to give me a second chance."
"You bastard!" Inuyasha exploded. "I'm killing him!"
He raised Tessaiga and charged.
"Inuyasha, stop!" Kagome shouted anxiously.
Seeing that he wouldn't stop, she clenched her teeth.
"Sit!"
The beads around Inuyasha's neck flared with light.
Boom!
An invisible force slammed him into the ground, shaking the earth.
Retsu slowly lowered the hand he had raised. Since Kagome had stopped him, there was no need to intervene.
"Kagome! Why did you stop me?!" Inuyasha shouted as he struggled up.
"Inuyasha, come back," Miroku said gravely. "With Retsu here, you can't kill Naraku. Charging in is pointless."
"Damn it…"
Inuyasha glanced at Retsu, then reluctantly sheathed Tessaiga and returned to Kagome's side.
Retsu turned back to Kikyo.
"Kikyo, give me a Shikon Jewel shard."
"Alright."
Without asking, Kikyo took out a bamboo tube, poured out a shard, and handed it to him.
Retsu caught it and flicked it with his finger.
Whoosh!
Like an arrow, the shard shot into Naraku's chest, sinking into his withered flesh.
With the shard's entry, Naraku's aura stabilized slightly. A trace of life returned to his eyes.
"Consider this your reward," Retsu said lightly. "Don't die too easily."
"You… you're really not killing me?" Naraku asked weakly, suspicion and confusion in his gaze.
"I talk any more, and I'll kill you now," Retsu said coldly, murderous intent flashing in his eyes.
"Hmph. You'll regret this!"
Naraku spat out the words.
Thick miasma surged up, enveloping his body.
In the next instant, he vanished into the night.
"Retsu… why did you let him go?" Kagome finally asked after Naraku disappeared.
"Because we can't truly kill him," Kikyo answered calmly before Retsu could speak.
"Why not?" Inuyasha frowned. "He was practically dead!"
"Naraku isn't like ordinary demons," Kikyo explained softly.
"He is formed from countless demons fused with Onigumo's flesh and soul.
"We don't know if he has other bodies prepared elsewhere.
"If we destroy this one, he may only hide deeper and become harder to deal with."
"But… what if he really can't revive this time?" Sango said anxiously.
"And even if we let him go, he'll just build another body, won't he?"
"You're right," Kikyo nodded.
"But when he looked at Retsu just now, there was only hatred. No fear of death.
"That means he knows he won't truly die."
"He can rebuild himself," Retsu added with a strange smile.
"But I want him to stay in this body for as long as possible."
His gaze swept over everyone.
"Do you really think the price of the Samsara of Heavenly Life is just aging?"
"What… what do you mean?" Kagome shrank closer to Inuyasha.
"That jutsu demands the caster's life," Retsu said calmly. "That price can't simply be avoided."
"But he didn't die," Miroku frowned.
"Because he's a demon," Retsu sneered.
"He forcibly stretched the dying process.
"When the technique ended, I sensed that his life force is still leaking away—slowly, continuously.
"Humans would've died instantly. He's just enduring it longer."
"So if we killed him now…" Kikyo realized. "When he revived, he might escape the effect?"
"Exactly," Retsu nodded.
"This was my first time using it, and the sacrifice was Naraku.
"I don't know if the effect would vanish with a new body. So it's better to keep him trapped in this one."
He had originally planned to use some random demon as a vessel.
Naraku had been a better choice.
"Alright," Retsu suddenly waved his hand casually.
"Naraku and the Shikon Jewel are your problem now. Good luck collecting all the shards and beating him."
"Hmph! We'll definitely kill him!" Inuyasha said confidently.
"Yeah, yeah. Go for it," Retsu clapped half-heartedly.
Then he turned to Kikyo.
"It's over. We should go."
"Mm." Kikyo nodded, then paused. "Wait a moment."
Retsu watched curiously as she walked straight to Kagome.
She handed her the bamboo tube of shards.
"Take this," Kikyo said seriously. "Don't let Naraku steal them."
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