"This is the place."
Kikyo gazed at the familiar cave before her. A complicated emotion flashed through her eyes.
This was where everything had begun—the cave where she had once sheltered Onigumo, and the place where Naraku himself was born.
"Sister Kikyo, should we go inside now?"
Kaede looked at the cave entrance, then turned toward Kikyo beside her. Standing next to her elder sister again made her feel as though she had returned to childhood, instinctively wanting to rely on that strong presence.
"No."
Kikyo shook her head.
"Musō is already inside. The cave is narrow. If we all go in together, it will be too dangerous."
As she spoke, she took out a small wooden doll from her chest and casually tossed it onto the ground.
Poof!
A burst of smoke erupted, and Uchiha Retsu's figure appeared instantly.
"Kikyo, summoning me like this… did you run into trouble?"
Retsu turned to her, his eyes questioning.
"One of Naraku's incarnations named Musō appeared in Kaede's village. He should be the incarnation formed from the consciousness of Onigumo that Naraku separated from himself. I'm worried something unexpected might happen, so I need you to protect me."
Kikyo explained briefly, her gaze sweeping across the dark cave entrance.
She remained deeply wary of the place where Naraku had been born. With Retsu present, things would be safer.
"Musō… I see."
Retsu nodded, immediately recalling the related story. This incarnation of Naraku had been formed from Onigumo's lingering obsession within him. It had tried to rebel against Naraku but ultimately ended up being devoured by him—a rather unfortunate existence.
The current Retsu, however, was not the original body.
He was a special clone created by combining Kikyo's shikigami technique with his Shadow Clone Technique.
After returning to the shrine from Paradise Village last time, he and Kikyo had experimented with creating shikigami using strands of his hair.
However, they discovered that such shikigami could only rely on shrine maiden spiritual power. They contained no chakra and couldn't use ninjutsu.
Just like how a shikigami made from Inuyasha's hair couldn't use demonic power, a shikigami made from Retsu's hair was merely an empty shell—a puppet incapable of performing any ninja techniques.
Later, Retsu suddenly had an idea.
Since the summoned shikigami was only a hollow body, why not seal a shadow clone directly into that body using a sealing technique?
The result was what Kikyo had just summoned.
Its consciousness and chakra came from the shadow clone, but unlike ordinary shadow clones, the shikigami body was far more durable.
A normal shadow clone would vanish as soon as it took significant damage.
This shikigami body, however, could continue fighting as long as its chakra had not been exhausted.
It was the perfect safeguard when Retsu wasn't physically beside Kikyo.
Its only flaw was that a shadow clone's chakra was limited. Once it was depleted, it needed to be sealed again before being reused.
"Onigumo, I know you're inside. Come out!"
Once she confirmed Retsu was ready, Kikyo wasted no time and called out toward the cave.
The moment her voice echoed through the area, Inuyasha, Kagome, and the others immediately tensed up, staring warily at the dark cave entrance.
"Kikyo!!"
A frenzied shout erupted.
Musō burst out of the cave in the next instant. His eyes locked onto Kikyo the moment he saw her, his face filled with obsession and madness.
"I remember now! The one I want… is you, Kikyo!!"
Before the words even finished, his right hand transformed into a thick demonic tentacle, whistling through the air as it lunged toward her.
"Hmph."
Retsu snorted coldly.
A pale blue skeletal Susanoo suddenly manifested around him.
The skull's orange-yellow eyes glowed with cold light.
The ribcage of Susanoo quickly closed, shielding both Retsu and Kikyo inside it.
At the same time, the enormous half-body Susanoo raised its skeletal arm and firmly grabbed the incoming tentacle.
"Come here."
A cold smile appeared on Retsu's lips as the Susanoo arm yanked backward violently.
Musō's body was dragged forward by the overwhelming force, flying straight toward Susanoo.
His expression changed instantly.
His other arm transformed into another tentacle covered in vicious spikes and stabbed toward Susanoo's chest.
"Overestimating yourself."
Retsu's eyes flashed with disdain. He completely ignored the futile attack.
His right hand slowly clenched into a fist.
Susanoo mirrored the motion, its skeletal arm tightening with a cracking sound.
Clang!
The tentacle struck Susanoo's ribs like it had slammed into solid steel.
Not only did it fail to cause any damage, but the grotesque tentacle shattered from the impact, spraying foul-smelling blood everywhere.
Before Musō could react—
A massive whooshing sound filled the air.
Boom!
Susanoo's gigantic fist slammed into him.
Musō's body turned into a blur, flying backward like a kite with its string cut. He smashed into the cliff beside the cave, rocks exploding into fragments as dust filled the air.
"You bastard…"
A low growl emerged from the pile of rubble.
The next moment, the stones exploded outward.
Musō shot out again, his appearance now even more monstrous. Twisted demonic limbs covered his entire body, while dense demonic aura mixed with evil energy swirled around him.
"You annoying pest… who the hell are you?"
Standing atop a boulder, Musō glared at Retsu with violent fury.
"Me?"
Retsu smiled.
He casually wrapped his right arm around Kikyo's waist and pulled her firmly into his embrace, deliberately provoking Musō with his gaze.
"I'm Kikyo's man. Onigumo… do you have a problem with that?"
"You bastard! Take your filthy hands off her! Kikyo belongs to me!!"
Seeing Kikyo in Retsu's arms drove Musō completely insane.
His face twisted, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at the arm wrapped around her waist.
With a furious roar, he leapt forward.
His arms transformed into spiked claws filled with violent evil energy, shooting toward Retsu.
Watching Musō's frenzied state, Retsu raised an eyebrow mockingly.
Then he lifted his left hand.
At the same moment, Susanoo mirrored the movement, raising its palm toward the charging Musō.
Retsu's eyes sharpened.
In a low voice, he declared:
"Wood Release — Impalement Technique."
At once, countless wooden spears formed inside Susanoo's palm.
Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh!
A barrage of sharp whistling sounds tore through the air.
The wooden spears shot out like a torrential rainstorm, sealing off the entire space before Musō. There was nowhere to dodge.
"AAAGH—!!"
A horrific scream echoed through the mountains.
Musō's body was instantly pierced by the wooden spears, turning him into something resembling a porcupine.
His body flew backward again and was nailed to the cliff behind him by the spears fired from Susanoo.
But the attack didn't stop.
Wooden spears continued firing endlessly from Susanoo's palm like machine-gun fire.
The roaring barrage continued as the cliff face shattered, rocks flying everywhere while dust and smoke engulfed Musō completely.
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