"Kikyo!"
Watching Kikyo being carried in Uchiha Kasage's arms as they disappeared into the mountain peak's cave entrance, Inuyasha couldn't hold back his furious roar.
"Let's go, Sango!" Kagome reacted immediately, her expression turning serious. "Kikyo and Kasage are planning something big—we have to follow them!"
"Right! Kirara!" Sango called out without hesitation.
"Roar—!" Kirara growled as her body expanded instantly. Kagome, holding Shippō, leapt onto her back alongside Sango.
"Fly, Kirara!"
With a powerful beat of her wings, Kirara shot into the sky, heading straight for the mountain peak.
"Kagome! Wait!" Inuyasha quickly hoisted Miroku onto his back. Despite Miroku still being weakened by the lingering evil energy, Inuyasha pushed off the ground with force, leaping upward and following closely behind.
---
As they emerged from the cave at the mountain's peak—
Inuyasha froze.
Not far ahead, Naraku stood in an open clearing.
Endless streams of dense evil energy surged toward him like a raging torrent.
The Yokai he had fought earlier… had already been completely devoured.
Naraku's body pulsed with terrifying power. Flesh tore apart and reformed continuously, bones twisting and reshaping with sickening sounds that echoed through the air, sending chills down their spines.
Inuyasha's gaze shifted—
Kikyo.
She stood calmly beside Uchiha Kasage, watching Naraku without the slightest hint of urgency, as if observing something insignificant.
"The body Kagome destroyed…" Inuyasha muttered, his face darkening. His grip tightened around Tessaiga. "That bastard… he's using Witchcraft to rebuild himself!"
Before his words even finished—
He moved.
*Whoosh!*
Like an arrow, Inuyasha dashed forward, blade drawn, determined to strike before Naraku could fully recover.
But—
*Thud!*
A sacred arrow slammed into the ground directly in front of him, its shaft trembling violently, blocking his path.
Inuyasha stopped abruptly.
He looked up.
Kikyo slowly lowered her bow, her calm, piercing gaze fixed on him.
"Inuyasha," her silence seemed to say, "don't move."
Inuyasha's anger flared instantly.
"Kikyo! What are you doing?!" he shouted.
First, she had broken the seal. Now she was stopping him—watching Naraku complete his body without interference.
He couldn't understand it.
Kikyo didn't answer.
She simply turned her gaze back to Naraku, her expression composed, unwavering.
At that moment, Kagome and Sango arrived on Kirara, landing beside Inuyasha and Miroku.
Kagome glanced at the arrow, hesitating.
"Inuyasha… Kikyo… she must have a reason, right?" she said softly.
But even she wasn't fully convinced.
A heavy silence fell over the group.
"Damn it… It has to be that guy—Uchiha Kasage!" Inuyasha growled, glaring at him. "He must have influenced her somehow!"
"That's not true…" Kagome replied, frowning slightly. "Kasage saved me before… he's not a bad person."
Her defense only made Inuyasha's irritation grow stronger.
Miroku, watching quietly, suddenly spoke in a low, meaningful tone:
"Inuyasha… perhaps now you understand how Kagome usually feels."
"Hmph!" Kagome crossed her arms, shooting Inuyasha a pointed look—then glanced at Kikyo. A knowing smile appeared on her face as she nodded.
"Hey! What's that look supposed to mean?!" Inuyasha snapped, clearly uncomfortable.
Before anyone could respond—
A surge of overwhelming demonic power erupted outward.
Like an invisible tidal wave, it swept across the area.
Everyone tensed instantly.
Naraku… had completed his body.
As the violent aura around him slowly settled, Naraku opened his eyes.
A greedy, arrogant glint flickered within them.
He looked over the group, a sinister smile curling on his lips.
"So… you were drawn here by the evil energy and entered the cave I sealed."
Perhaps emboldened by his new body, Naraku made no attempt to flee.
Instead, he began speaking with mocking arrogance.
His gaze fell on Inuyasha first.
"Inuyasha… you could have become part of this body as well. What a pity."
Then, his eyes shifted to Kikyo.
Curiosity flickered within them.
"So it was you who released the seal… I should thank you. Thanks to your 'help,' I now possess this perfect body."
He paused, studying her carefully.
"But I wonder… you had the power to destroy that Yokai—to ruin my body while breaking the Witchcraft. So why help me instead?"
His smile widened slightly.
"What is it you want, Kikyo?"
Kikyo met his gaze.
Then—
She smiled.
A rare, radiant smile bloomed across her face—like a snow lotus blossoming in frozen stillness. Pure, calm… yet deeply unsettling.
Naraku's expression froze.
The smile vanished just as quickly.
"I only need a small favor…" Kikyo said softly, her voice calm but firm.
She looked straight into his eyes.
"Onigumo."
Naraku's eyes narrowed.
"…Onigumo. What a nostalgic name."
A cold laugh escaped him, laced with disdain.
"That pathetic bandit… saved by you fifty years ago, hiding in a cave on the brink of death."
His voice darkened.
"He willingly offered his soul to the Yokai… and from that, I was born—Naraku."
His smile turned playful again.
"So tell me… what could a priestess possibly want from a being like me?"
Before Kikyo could respond—
*Poof!*
A cloud of white smoke burst beside her.
Uchiha Kasage dispelled his Transformation Jutsu, revealing his Edo Tensei body—cracked and unnatural.
At the same time—
His Mangekyō Sharingan ignited.
Crimson eyes spinning slowly, radiating a chilling, oppressive aura.
Kasage looked directly at Naraku, a faint, dangerous smile forming.
"It's simple," he said coldly. "Just a small favor… you'll serve as the sacrifice for our resurrection."
Before the words even settled—
He vanished.
Using the Flying Thunder God mark left on the Yokai Naraku had devoured earlier, Kasage appeared instantly in front of him.
Too fast to react.
His palm struck Naraku's chest.
**Boom.**
Black incantations spread instantly across Naraku's body like living chains.
"Self-Cursing Binding Seal."
The markings tightened—
Binding him completely.
Naraku's expression twisted in shock.
"W-What… are you doing?!"
He struggled, pouring out his demonic power—but it was useless.
"Heh… I told you," Kasage said calmly. "Just a small favor."
Before Naraku could resist further—
Kasage's Mangekyō began to spin rapidly.
Naraku's eyes met his.
And in an instant—
They went blank.
Empty.
He was completely trapped within the Sharingan's genjutsu.
Kasage exhaled quietly.
*Good… it worked.*
For a moment, he had worried Naraku's nature as a fusion of countless Yokai might make him immune.
But now—
Everything was in place.
Kasage raised his hand slowly, placing a finger against Naraku's forehead.
His Mangekyō spun once more.
This was the critical step.
His voice dropped to a low, controlled whisper—
"Transfer Seal."