"Kagome, what are you reading?"
"You even borrowed these books from the library recently..."
"Yeah, are you actually interested in this stuff?"
During break time at school, Kagome sat in her seat and smiled at her friends crowding around.
"Mm, there's just something I'm curious about, so I'm doing some research. Perfect timing—help me out!"
She handed out the books she was holding, not the least bit hesitant.
"Uh, that's fine, but what are you looking for?"
"Are you guys familiar with 'Gae Bolg'?"
"What's that? Never heard of it. If that's English, it's really strange."
Sure enough, as soon as she said it, her friends were all puzzled.
"Then do you know the name 'Cu Chulainn'?"
"Ah, I know! Way back, the teacher from the next class came over to sub for us and mentioned it casually. That was before Kagome started getting sick all the time."
"That's right, I remember now—it was from some mythology?"
"Celtic Mythology!"
She'd known she'd heard it somewhere but couldn't remember. Once reminded, Kagome finally understood.
But—
'A character from mythology? No way...'
She'd assumed it was just some historical figure, but he was actually a major figure from mythology?
Her expression froze. She'd already accepted time travel, but now she was in contact with beings from myth.
This world really was full of wonders...
"By the way, is your right hand okay?"
"Huh? It's fine—I just accidentally burned myself."
"Really? You should be more careful. Getting hurt on top of being sick all the time is pretty dangerous."
She'd been lost in thought when suddenly attention was drawn to her right hand. Kagome instinctively pulled it back with an awkward laugh.
If someone saw these Command Spells, it would be a big problem.
The teachers definitely wouldn't overlook it...
Making up excuses would be a pain too—she couldn't exactly say it was a skin condition.
So Kagome had to find a way to cover it up, to avoid being noticed.
Fortunately, as long as she disguised it as a hot water burn and wrapped it up, no one would be suspicious.
'Now I know who Koga's Servant is. I'll look up the details later.'
'The remaining mystery is the Nura Clan that Rikuo-kun mentioned...'
'Hmm... I've never heard of Ukiyoe Town.'
Solving one question only brought new ones.
Rikuo had given her a note with the address of the Nura Clan headquarters, asking her to visit if possible.
What initially puzzled her was why Rikuo would so readily reveal the location of his youkai den.
After all, nominally speaking, Kagome was still a miko.
A youkai inviting a miko to visit headquarters...
No matter how you looked at it, that was strange.
'It's fine—if it's the Master, it'll definitely be fine. The youkai at my place are all friendly to humans.'
Hearing such words from Rikuo in human form, Kagome believed him.
But the result was...
The address she saw when she opened the note meant nothing to her.
Apparently, Tokyo simply didn't have a place called "Ukiyoe Town."
"A youkai from another world?"
"I've really gotten caught up in something incredible."
Coming to this realization, Kagome didn't know what to say.
This "ritual" apparently wasn't as simple as she'd imagined...
She was just an ordinary student—why did she always run into such bizarre things?
"First the Shikon no Tama, now Dragon Balls..."
"When will this ever end?"
...
"Really now..."
"To think something like this would happen..."
Standing at the steps of Higurashi Shrine, a man in a suit and round glasses murmured quietly.
'My right arm, go seize the Dragon Ball!'
His thoughts were complicated. He hadn't expected there would come a day when his "main body" would remember him.
Dragon Balls...
He'd heard of similar things, but he had no idea what this "Dragon Ball" his main body desperately wanted was for.
No matter how many people he asked or how much information he searched, there was no record.
But if the main body valued it, it couldn't be simple.
Following the connection transmitted from the main body, he'd finally found this place.
"A shrine?"
"Is it a miko or a kannushi?"
He had no intention of taking anything by force. He planned to talk to the Dragon Ball holder and find out what the main body actually wanted.
It seemed something he hadn't anticipated had occurred in the Warring States period.
The man's name was Rion Kirinmaru.
He was the right arm severed from Kirinmaru by the Great Dog Demon six hundred years ago.
After being cut off and thrown into the Bone-Eater's Well, he'd come to this world and taken human form.
Possessing power far beyond ordinary people, he'd lived peacefully, occasionally exorcising youkai.
He frequently traveled to different countries in this era, recording various sceneries.
He'd thought he'd never have anything to do with that world again—yet now he'd mysteriously connected with the main body, Kirinmaru.
'Is the main body existing in another space, which is why I can sense this side?'
He'd never felt this connection before, yet now it was unmistakably clear.
Still not knowing what state Kirinmaru was in, Rion had no leads.
Everything was too unfamiliar to him—he urgently needed to find someone to understand the situation.
...
'Hmph, Shikon no Tama, you've actually done me a great favor.'
Floating in the dark space, Kirinmaru hadn't expected such good fortune.
Originally he could have escaped long ago, but suddenly being able to sense the resonance caused by a Dragon Ball was quite unexpected.
One Dragon Ball was no longer in the Warring States era.
And coincidentally, within this dimensional rift, he could sense "himself" in the same era as that Dragon Ball.
Could there be anything more fortunate?
'Get hold of that Dragon Ball, then leave.'
Unable to confirm whether he could still sense the other side after escaping, Kirinmaru extinguished his thought of leaving immediately.
Though he didn't know what the outside world was like now, the Great Dog Demon should be able to easily dispatch the other participants.
When the time came, he'd rendezvous with that Dragon Ball hidden in another era, and it would all be over.
"Easy as pie... Hahahaha!!"
Obtaining victory so easily—even Kirinmaru couldn't contain himself.
Facing the Great Dog Demon again, reviving his deceased daughter...
Perhaps both of his wishes could be fulfilled simultaneously!
Such a beautiful vision and future...
How could this anticipation and joy not make Kirinmaru happy?
...
"Ugh..."
"How long has Inuyasha been practicing?"
"I think this is the third day now."
Shippo and Miroku sat boredly on the grass, watching Inuyasha and Rikuo in front of them.
"Tch!"
"This method suits me better!"
"As expected of Inuyasha-san, great success!"
Watching the subtle change in the youkai energy, Rikuo knew there had been small progress in such a short time.
"Let's call it a day. I'm going to pick up Kagome."
"Oh! Take care."