Chapter 92: The Inactivated Bone-Eater's Well
The Sacred Tree was just ahead.
Kobe Hikaru followed Kikyo through the village, their path taking them across the raised ridges of the rice paddies and into a small, quiet grove. As they walked, the outline of the giant tree grew steadily clearer, its sheer scale becoming more apparent with every step.
The trunk was shockingly thick, its surface blanketed in heavy moss. Small vines clung tenaciously to the crevices in its ancient hide, and the gray-brown bark was a proof of time, covered in deep gullies and complex patterns. Its canopy was so vast it truly blotted out the sky, the dense branches and leaves displaying a hundred shades of green under the sun. Occasionally, a few wisps of golden light would pierce the foliage, gathering into tiny, brilliant specks on the grass below.
And there, upon the trunk, one could vaguely make out patterns slowly shifting across its surface. They were definitely not carved by human hands, but a naturally formed phenomenon—as if they were an expression of the extraordinary power inherent to the tree itself.
"We're here."
Kikyo stopped just before the tree. Her hand was still holding Hikaru's, their fingers interlocked, and she showed no intention of letting go.
Hikaru looked up at the colossal tree, an indescribable emotion welling up from deep within his chest.
This was the Sacred Tree.
"Can I get closer?" he asked.
Kikyo silently released his hand and took half a step back. "The Sacred Tree will not reject those it has recognized."
Hikaru nodded and stepped toward the ancient giant. With every step he took, he could feel a vast, surging power wash over him. It was not Yao Qi, nor was it the spiritual power of a priestess; it was something far more ancient, far purer. It felt like the breathing of the world itself, the fundamental rhythm of all things growing.
He reached out, placing his palm flat against the trunk. The bark was warm to the touch, carrying a steady, rhythmic pulse that brought a deep sense of peace to his mind.
And then—
[Target available for conquest detected]
[Sacred Tree]
[Quality: Divine Artifact]
[Current Favorability: 0 (Stranger)]
[A sacred tree that connects the past, present, and future. It has been growing here for thousands of years, predating even this country, and has thus witnessed countless partings of life and death. It bears you no hostility, but also no favor. To gain its recognition, you must provide sufficient sincerity.]
It really was a Divine Artifact.
This quality was on par with the Shikon Jewel. It was a tier above demon weapons steeped in Yao Qi, and even higher than mortal masterpieces like Sōza Samonji or the initial state of Muramasa. This was the highest-grade conquerable object Hikaru had encountered so far.
It was an existence akin to a deity.
The Shikon Jewel had been formed from the soul of the great priestess Midoriko, who perished in battle against thousands of powerful demons. It contained the Four Souls—Courage, Friendship, Wisdom, and Love—while also sealing the demons' undying resentment. The Sacred Tree, on the other hand, was a divine plant nurtured by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, possessing the power to connect time and space.
Their essences might be different, but their quality was undoubtedly on the same level.
"Interesting," Hikaru murmured.
He wasn't in a hurry to begin the conquest. First, he simply stood there, quietly feeling the warmth spreading from his palm, sensing that ancient and boundless power.
Then, he spoke. "How many years have you been growing here?"
His voice was very light, as if he were chatting with an old friend.
"A thousand years? Two thousand? Or even longer?"
The Sacred Tree did not respond. It just stood there silently, its branches and leaves swaying gently in the breeze.
"It must be very boring," Hikaru continued. "Watching people come and go, witnessing the endless cycle of life and death, while you alone stand here forever."
"However—" A slight curl touched the corners of his lips. "Starting today, I will come to visit you often."
There was still no response.
But Hikaru could feel it. The pulse beneath his palm seemed to have shifted, just slightly. It was a tiny, almost imperceptible change, but it was definitely there.
[Sacred Tree: Favorability 0. It is not yet interested in you, but it has now 'seen' you.]
Although the number was still zero, it was a beginning. He could foresee, however, that the rate of progress from here on out would be agonizingly slow—very likely much slower than the Shikon Jewel, which had the benefit of the Naohi's cooperation.
"How is it?" Kikyo's voice came from behind him.
Hikaru withdrew his hand and turned around. She was standing just a few steps away, her white kosode and red hakama standing out vividly in the dappled sunlight. Her long, raven-black hair fluttered gently in the breeze. Her expression remained as aloof as ever, but her pitch-black eyes held a clear hint of curiosity.
"It is an existence I can 'communicate' with," Hikaru admitted, seeing no reason to hide it. By now, even if he didn't say it explicitly, Kikyo must have guessed that his ability involved communicating with all things.
Kikyo raised an eyebrow, looking somewhat surprised. "You can sense it?"
As the priestess charged with protecting Kaede Village, she was well aware of the Sacred Tree's uniqueness, but even she could not sense anything tangible from the divine wood.
Hikaru walked to her side and took her hand again. The action had become second nature, so natural that neither of them felt the slightest awkwardness.
"I can communicate with it, but the progress is very slow," he said. "It will probably take a long time to gain its approval."
Kikyo nodded, her expression returning to its usual calm. "The Sacred Tree has been growing here for thousands of years." She parted her red lips to speak. "It is indeed not easy to make it approve of a demon who only arrived a few months ago."
Hikaru laughed. "Are you trying to discourage me?"
"I am just stating the truth." The corners of Kikyo's mouth curled up into a faint, fleeting smile.
This woman—she was usually so aloof. For her to occasionally show an expression like that was simply unfair.
"Let's go." Kikyo gave his hand a gentle pull and began walking back. "The Sacred Tree won't run away. There will be plenty of time in the future."
Hikaru followed her, but another matter suddenly surfaced in his mind.
The Bone-Eater's Well.
According to the original story, the Bone-Eater's Well was constructed from the wood of the Sacred Tree. That well could connect this era to modern Japan five hundred years in the future, allowing people from a later time to travel back.
If he could find that well, perhaps he could try to develop favorability with it, too. He might even gain some clues about the nature of 'time travel'.
"Kikyo," he spoke up. "Do you know about the Bone-Eater's Well?"
Kikyo's footsteps faltered. "The Bone-Eater's Well?" She turned to look at him, her brows furrowed slightly. "How do you know that name?"
Hikaru's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"
Kikyo's expression turned a bit strange. "The Bone-Eater's Well is a part of the Sacred Tree, a well used to dispose of demon corpses. But it has been abandoned for a long time."
"Abandoned?"
Kikyo nodded. "That well is right behind the shrine—you actually see it every day."
Hikaru fell silent. He could indeed see it, but every time he passed by, he never received a system prompt, not even when he touched it. It was no different from any other old well, not even as useful as the one in front of the shrine that had helped him block a few attacks from the Kamaitachi.
That was the Bone-Eater's Well?
No, that wasn't right.
'That well probably hasn't been activated yet,' Hikaru realized, connecting another piece of the puzzle.
According to the original lore, the Bone-Eater's Well had existed from the start and was indeed used to dispose of demon corpses. The problem was, before Kikyo was tasked with guarding the Shikon Jewel, there weren't actually that many demon corpses to dispose of. For most demons, she could just purify them directly with her spiritual power. Only when the numbers were so great that she couldn't purify them all in a short time would she resort to using external objects.
And since it was a well for disposing of demon corpses—where the bodies would vanish once thrown in—it stood to reason that the well itself might require demon corpses to function. Since there had been no need to dispose of demon corpses previously, it was highly likely that it had never been 'activated'.
"Activated?" The word made Kikyo startle slightly, and she seemed to see right through his thoughts. "Perhaps that is the case."
"But from now on," she continued, "this abandoned well will indeed need to be put to use."
She didn't elaborate, but Hikaru already understood.
Now that the Shikon Jewel was in her possession, the number of demons attacking the village was increasing by the day. If the corpses accumulated to a large enough number and couldn't be purified quickly, letting them rot would pollute the land.
At that point, the Bone-Eater's Well would be needed.
And the Bone-Eater's Well would finally be 'activated'.
"It seems—" Hikaru took a deep breath. "There is one more thing I need to wait for."
Kikyo looked at him, that faint smile appearing on her lips again. "Good luck," she said.
Her voice was very soft, yet it carried an indescribable gentleness.
[Shikon Jewel (Naohi): Favorability +1]
[Current Favorability: 70 (Intimate)]
[It says: "She is encouraging you."]
Looking at the prompt, Hikaru couldn't help but complain internally.
'Do I need you to tell me that?'
Returning to the shrine, Hikaru began to formulate a new strategic plan.
The Sacred Tree was of Divine Artifact quality, so its favorability cap should also be 100. However, at the current rate, maxing it out would likely take years, maybe even decades.
That was far too long.
But in this regard, Hikaru wasn't in a hurry. He knew that some things couldn't be rushed. More, he knew that such effort was always proportional to the reward. It was just like his relationship with Kikyo—it had grown from initial 'utilization' to mutual trust, and now to treating each other with genuine sincerity. How many trials had they gone through to reach this point?
The Sacred Tree was the same. It needed time to get to know him, to understand him, and to trust him. Being overly eager would only be counterproductive.
As for the Bone-Eater's Well, that would require even more patience.
"Put these aside for now," Hikaru told himself. "Focus on the things at hand."
The Thunder Horn, the Dragon Scale, and the Nekomata Claws.
And Yura of the Hair.
The progress on these four was all.
The Thunder Horn currently had 7 favorability, increasing by one to two points every day.
The Dragon Scale was at 4 favorability; although it required caution, it wasn't actually the slowest.
The Nekomata Claws were at 3 favorability.
Yura of the Hair was at 6 favorability. Considering she started at negative thirty, she was the fastest progressing of the lot, thanks to his ability to communicate directly with her. But because she had her own consciousness, the later stages might prove much more difficult.
People, after all, weren't as easy to fool as inanimate objects.
So, for what came next...
"Let's focus on the Thunder Horn first!"
Lightning—it was perfect for both offense and escape, an ideal power for Hikaru at his current stage.
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