"Hahaha…"
Watching the two of them flee in embarrassment, Kikyo finally couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing, her eyes full of amusement.
Uchiha Retsu looked at the mischievous Kikyo and laughed along with her as he stood up to close the door.
Just then, Kagome suddenly rushed back inside. The blush on her face hadn't faded yet.
She ran straight to Kikyo, stuffed something into her hands, and spoke rapidly,
"This is a gift from my hometown. Please accept it as a thank-you!"
Afraid Kikyo might say something embarrassing again, Kagome didn't wait for a response. She immediately turned around, ran out of the room, and even closed the door behind her.
Kikyo looked down at the item in her hand, momentarily stunned.
She glanced toward the direction Kagome had disappeared and shook her head helplessly before lowering her gaze in curiosity.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
Retsu leaned closer to take a look.
Resting in Kikyo's palm was a teardrop-shaped purple crystal pendant.
An elegant kikyo flower was delicately carved into the crystal. A red braided cord threaded through the top, and the clear crystal shimmered softly in the candlelight, making it especially beautiful.
"This looks far too valuable!" Kikyo exclaimed.
The craftsmanship was exquisite, and her eyes flashed with admiration before her expression suddenly changed. She stood up, intending to chase Kagome down.
"No need to go after her."
Retsu reached out and stopped her.
"This probably isn't considered expensive where Kagome comes from. Otherwise, she wouldn't have given it to you so casually."
He could tell that although the crystal had been beautifully polished with modern craftsmanship, there were faint cloudy inclusions inside.
It clearly wasn't a top-grade gemstone—most likely just a small accessory from an ordinary jewelry shop in Kagome's era.
Kagome had probably chosen it because of the kikyo flower carved into it.
Thinking back to the "strange items" Kagome had brought before, Kikyo realized they all seemed precious to people of this era. Combined with Kagome's casual attitude when giving them, she slowly nodded.
"Then I'll accept it."
She handed the pendant to Retsu, her eyes filled with anticipation.
"Help me put it on."
"Alright."
Retsu took the pendant and gently looped the red cord around Kikyo's neck, tying a simple knot behind her.
"Well? Does it look good?" Kikyo asked, glancing down at the crystal swaying lightly on her chest before looking up at him expectantly.
"Of course it does," Retsu said sincerely as he gazed into her bright eyes.
Compared to the pendant, the woman before him was far more radiant.
Before Kikyo could react, he suddenly pulled her into his arms and lowered his head to kiss her.
Caught off guard, Kikyo froze for a moment.
Then she wrapped her arms around him gently and returned the kiss.
After a long while, they finally parted.
Kikyo looked at him with warmth in her eyes and asked softly,
"What made you suddenly kiss me?"
"Hehe. No special reason," Retsu replied bluntly with a grin. "I just suddenly felt like kissing you."
Kikyo rolled her eyes at him, then stood on her toes and gave him a quick peck on the lips.
"Alright, that's enough. Go to sleep like a good boy," she said in a teasing tone, as if coaxing a child.
While Retsu and Kikyo were preparing to rest, Kagome and Inuyasha had already left the shrine.
They retrieved the bicycle from the bushes where they had hidden it earlier.
Kagome pedaled the bike, Inuyasha sat on the back seat, and Shippō rode in the basket as they hurried once again in the direction Kagura had gone.
"Inuyasha…"
After a long silence, Kagome suddenly spoke. Her voice was soft, but in the quiet night it carried clearly to his ears.
"Do you think… that child would really still be a half-demon?"
"I—I guess so."
Inuyasha's face instantly turned red again. His words came out awkwardly as he avoided looking at Kagome's back.
Kagome didn't say anything else.
She simply continued pedaling the bicycle in silence, though the tips of her ears had turned crimson.
The strange tension they had felt earlier when meeting Kikyo had long since vanished.
Now their thoughts were completely occupied by Kikyo's teasing about children, and their hearts pounded uncontrollably.
"But Kagome is human, and Inuyasha's mom was human too. Wouldn't the child be more human than demon? Can it still be called a half-demon?"
Shippō's puzzled voice suddenly broke the awkward silence, dragging the two of them right back into the embarrassing topic.
"Quit yapping! Kids shouldn't worry about stuff like that!"
Inuyasha shouted in embarrassment, his face growing even redder.
"ROAR—!"
At that moment, a surge of dense demonic energy erupted in the distance, instantly shattering the awkward atmosphere.
All three of them froze in alarm.
Kagome immediately sped up the bicycle, racing toward the direction where the demonic aura had appeared.
Soon, they arrived near the battlefield.
"Shippō, protect Inuyasha! I'm going to help!"
Kagome quickly spotted the chaotic fight below.
Kōga was battling Kagura—though it looked more like Kagura beating him one-sidedly.
Meanwhile, Sango and Miroku were riding Kirara in the air, fighting off Naraku's demons.
Kagome immediately took the bow from her back and shouted to Shippō before sprinting toward a nearby boulder.
"Kagome!"
Seeing her rush forward, Inuyasha panicked and tried to follow.
"Bonk!"
Shippō jumped up and punched him on the head.
As a lump instantly formed on Inuyasha's forehead, Shippō's eyes gleamed with a triumphant grin.
"Shippō!!"
Inuyasha clenched his fists, ready to retaliate, but Shippō wasn't afraid at all.
Without his demon powers, Inuyasha was no match for him right now.
Shippō stood in front of him boldly.
"You can't go out there! If Naraku sees you like this, you'll be in serious danger!"
"Damn it!"
Inuyasha gritted his teeth and clenched his fists tightly, staring at Kagome's figure on the battlefield.
It was obvious that the moment Kagome was in real danger, he would charge out without hesitation.
Meanwhile, Kagome felt relieved when she realized Inuyasha hadn't followed her.
Standing on the boulder, she drew her bow and placed an arrow on the string.
Spiritual power surged into the arrow.
With the sharp twang of the bowstring, the arrow shot forward wrapped in dazzling white light, instantly purifying several demons that had been sneaking up behind Sango and Miroku.
Sango sensed the sacred energy behind her and turned to see Kagome already preparing another arrow atop the boulder.
"Kirara, go to Kagome!" she called.
"Roar!"
Kirara let out a low growl and flew toward Kagome with Sango and Miroku on her back.
Seeing them approach, Kagome fired another arrow, shooting down the demons trying to block Kirara's path.
With Kagome's sacred arrows clearing the way, Kirara quickly reached her.
After landing, Sango immediately turned to Miroku.
"Monk, go protect Inuyasha! Kagome and I will support from the air!"
"Got it."
Miroku didn't waste a moment. He jumped off Kirara's back.
With Naraku's poisonous insects swarming outside, his Wind Tunnel was useless here. Kagome's sacred arrows were far more effective.
"Kagome, let's go!"
Once Kagome was seated, Sango patted Kirara's head and called out.
Kirara leapt into the air again, carrying the two of them straight toward the swarm of demons filling the sky.
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