Uchiha Kasage stood on the stone plaza in front of the shrine, his tall figure accentuated by the red layered armor he wore—styled the same as that once worn by Uchiha Madara.
A katana rested in his hand. Compared to the long, curved tachi, the katana was far more suited for close combat on foot.
At that moment—
A crisp sound of armor lightly scraping echoed from inside the shrine.
Kasage looked up.
For a brief instant… he was stunned.
Kikyo stepped out slowly.
She wore a plain white cross-collar inner garment, layered with a dark breastplate that fit her form perfectly—neither restricting her movements nor hindering her agility. Instead, it highlighted the clean, elegant lines of her shoulders and back.
The shoulder guards were finely crafted—rounded, yet carrying a cold, unyielding presence.
Her lower body was clad in crimson samurai trousers, unburdened by heavy armor, making her figure appear even more graceful and fluid.
Today, she did not carry her usual longbow.
Instead—
she held a katana.
Her entire presence had changed.
The gentle, sacred aura of a shrine maiden was gone. In its place stood something sharper… colder.
Like a valkyrie descended to the mortal world.
This armor had been custom-made by Kasage after he had casually come across an armorer's shop in a nearby town. Its design was inspired by a version of Kikyo he remembered—though he had omitted the crown.
Noticing his fixed gaze, Kikyo looked down slightly, a hint of nervousness appearing in her expression.
"…I've never worn armor before," she said quietly. "Did I put it on wrong?"
As she spoke, she turned slightly, allowing him to see the full set.
Kasage snapped out of his daze.
"No," he said with a soft laugh, stepping closer.
"You're wearing it perfectly."
He looked at her again, more carefully this time.
"You usually wear shrine maiden robes… but now you look completely different. I just… lost myself for a moment."
A faint blush appeared on Kikyo's cheeks.
"…Is it really… beautiful?" she asked softly.
Kasage didn't hesitate.
"Beautiful isn't enough to describe it."
He stopped just in front of her, his voice low but sincere.
"You look like a valkyrie reborn. There's no one else like you."
Kikyo raised her hand, lightly brushing over the armor on her chest.
"That's… a bit exaggerated," she murmured.
But the slight curve of her lips—and the warmth in her eyes—betrayed her quiet happiness.
Then, her gaze shifted to him.
Her eyes brightened.
"You look good as well," she said, a hint of surprise in her tone.
"There's something different about you… something imposing."
She studied him for a moment.
"Now I understand—you weren't exaggerating earlier. You really do look… majestic."
Kasage nodded confidently.
"Of course. I look good in anything."
Kikyo paused, caught off guard by his shameless certainty.
But… looking at him standing there in red armor, tall and composed—it was hard to argue.
"Come," Kasage said, drawing his katana with a smooth motion.
"Let's begin."
He glanced at her with a faint smile.
"This armor suits you too well. It would be a waste if you didn't learn how to use a sword."
"…Alright."
Kikyo nodded, mimicking his movement as she drew her katana and held it firmly.
Though she had never cared for swordsmanship before, something about this moment—standing here in armor, blade in hand—made her feel… different.
Perhaps it wasn't such a bad idea after all.
Kasage had originally only wanted to see her dressed like this.
But seeing the seriousness in her eyes—
he set aside his playful intentions and began teaching her properly.
"What I'm teaching you is the Uchiha clan's swordsmanship—Uchiha-ryū," he explained, slowing his movements to demonstrate.
"Some techniques require the Sharingan, so you won't be able to use those for now. But that's fine—those are advanced techniques anyway."
He carefully showed her the fundamentals, correcting her stance and explaining each movement in detail.
"Sharingan… you mean those red eyes of yours?" Kikyo asked, recalling what she had seen before.
Kasage nodded.
"Yes. It's the bloodline ability of the Uchiha clan."
Seeing her slight confusion, he added:
"It's an inherited power—something passed down through blood. Under certain conditions, those with Uchiha blood can awaken it."
Kikyo hesitated for a moment.
"…This is your clan's swordsmanship," she said softly.
"Is it really alright to teach it to me?"
Kasage smiled faintly.
"I'm the one in charge of the Uchiha clan here."
Then, suddenly, he leaned in slightly, his voice lowering with playful intent.
"Besides… from now on, you'll carry the Uchiha name too."
"That makes you one of us, doesn't it?"
Kikyo froze.
"…W-what are you saying?"
Her cheeks flushed instantly—bright red—and even her ears turned pink.
Kasage didn't respond. He simply looked at her, smiling.
Her blush deepened.
"…Focus on teaching properly!" she said, her voice a mix of embarrassment and frustration.
"Or I'll go to the village and exorcise yokai instead!"
Kasage quickly coughed, suppressing his laughter.
"Alright, alright. Let's continue."
From that point on, the two trained seriously—one teaching, the other learning.
Yet—
an unspoken atmosphere lingered between them.
Every so often, as Kasage corrected her grip or adjusted her posture, his fingers would brush against her hand or shoulder.
Each time—
Kikyo's ears would flush faintly, and her grip on the sword would tighten ever so slightly.
"Alright, that's enough for today," Kasage finally said, lowering his blade.
Kikyo had been practicing for quite some time now. A thin sheen of sweat covered her forehead.
"I'll prepare some food," he added. "You should go wash up."
"…Okay."
Kikyo nodded, sheathing her katana.
"I'll bathe and change first."
She was truly tired—far more than she usually allowed herself to be.
As she entered the shrine, Kasage casually removed his armor. With his enhanced physique, this level of training hadn't affected him at all.
By the time he finished preparing the meal, Kikyo had returned.
She was once again dressed in her familiar red and white shrine maiden robes. Her long black hair hung loose down her back, still damp.
She sat beside him, turning her back slightly.
"…Help me dry my hair," she said softly.
Kasage glanced at her.
Her long, dark hair cascaded down her back, the damp strands carrying a faint, pleasant fragrance.
These toiletries—shampoo, soap, even bathing items—had been gifts from Kagome after she had learned archery from Kikyo.
And clearly—
Kikyo had grown fond of them.
Kasage raised his hand.
Chakra flowed gently, wrapping around her hair.
Slowly, carefully—
he evaporated the moisture.
A faint mist rose and disappeared into the air.
Moments later, her hair was completely dry—smooth, soft, and flowing freely over her shrine maiden robes, shining with a natural luster.
For a brief moment—
everything felt… quiet.