"Lady Kikyo, everything seems so peaceful lately."
"The roads are clear of rampaging yokai, and the villages seem at ease."
"There isn't a single trace of Naraku's usual mischief."
Kohaku spoke as he handed a cup of water to Moroha, his eyes drifting toward Kikyo, who was quietly absorbing the `[Shikon]` (Dead Souls) she required to sustain her form.
"His aura has almost vanished. He must be hiding, much like he did at Mt. Hakurei," Kikyo replied, her voice soft and contemplative. "He must have suffered a significant setback; otherwise, he would never be this quiet."
"But as long as we have that Lord on our side, defeating Naraku should be easy!" Kohaku said, looking toward the figure standing on a distant peak, gazing out over the land.
Toga, the Great Dog Demon.
A legend whose name echoed through the history of the Great Yokai. After witnessing his overwhelming power, Kohaku felt as though no one could ever hope to surpass him.
"..."
Kikyo, however, remained silent.
As one of the chosen for this `[Reality Marble: Ritual]`, she understood the complexity of Toga's position far better than Kohaku. While he was currently an ally, the one who held his tether--the Master of this war--would not remain passive forever.
Kirinmaru.
The news she had gathered from Toga was startling: the Beast King of the East had entered the fray. A truly formidable Great Yokai had joined the game.
The uncomfortable truth was that, sooner or later, they would have to face the Great Dog Demon in battle.
`[Command Spells]`.
That was the ultimate trump card Kirinmaru held over Toga. A single Spell might not be enough to break the soul of such a warrior, but two or three... used at the right moment, they could force even the most prideful heart to obey. A simple command to "seize the Dragon Balls" would be enough to ignite a catastrophic conflict.
The sheer power of the Great Dog Demon was beyond anything a single person could withstand. A casual swing of his `[Wind Scar]` was enough to drive back even the corrupting influence of the Shinkon Jewel. His presence was a weight that even Inuyasha could never hope to manifest.
The only question was where Kirinmaru was currently hiding, and how long it would be before he emerged.
"Sigh..."
Kikyo let out a faint sigh. Oddly enough, she wasn't particularly worried about Naraku anymore. Even without her, the variables introduced by this Ritual were too numerous for him to control. There were others now--powerful others--who could and would hunt him down.
What truly troubled Kikyo now was Moroha.
This "daughter" of hers (or so the girl claimed) possessed great potential, but her spirit was too honest, too impulsive. She wasn't built to handle the devious, layered schemes of someone like Naraku. As long as Kikyo was here, she could guide her, but if she were to vanish... the girl would be easily manipulated.
It was a constant source of worry.
Unbeknownst to herself, the lingering regrets that had kept her in this world were beginning to shift. Her soul was no longer anchored solely by her past with Inuyasha.
Listening to the girl's bright, youthful calls, she couldn't help but be moved. For the first time, Kikyo found herself envying the life that Kagome led.
'Just a little longer... at least let me see the end of this Ritual.'
If she could, Kikyo wanted to watch this child grow into a woman. But she knew that day would never come for her.
"Those strange, foul auras have started to vanish en masse lately."
"The scent of Sesshomaru lingers here as well... was it his doing?"
"Hmm..."
Sniffing the air, Toga identified the lingering scent of his eldest son. He knew exactly who had been purging the area of those "Demons." If Sesshomaru was the one taking action, he had no reason to worry.
He had complete faith in the boy's competence. After all, Sesshomaru was only a single step away from becoming a Great Yokai in his own right, perhaps even surpassing his father's own legacy.
'The only thing I wonder is if he has...'
What truly interested Toga was Sesshomaru's emotional state. From the subtle shifts in the boy's aura, it was clear that someone--either human or yokai--had managed to "soften" that ice-cold heart. He just didn't know if it was that kind of relationship yet.
Inuyasha already had two love interests and a wonderful daughter. Sesshomaru really needed to pick up the pace.
SHN-T!
"Ugh!"
WHOOSH!!
K-RACK!!
There was no end to the number of Demon-Yokai that ambushed them as night fell. By now, both Akame and Kagura had become accustomed to the sudden, frantic assaults.
"They seem to be targeting us specifically."
"None of them are even half as strong as Hakudoshi or Moryomaru were, though."
Kagura watched the latest batch of corpses dissolve into ash, her brow furrowed in confusion. Demon-Yokai of this level could never hope to harm them. They were so weak that Sesshomaru didn't even bother to lift a finger; Akame and Kagura could dispatch them with single strikes.
"Ugh, I have a very bad feeling about this..." Jaken muttered, cold sweat dotting his forehead.
"You're overthinking it, Lord Jaken," Rin said, patting the imp on the head. "Everyone is here. We're perfectly safe."
"Idiot! I'm not talking about safe!" Jaken snapped, pushing her hand away. "It's the sheer wrongness of these creatures. Seeing these twisted, remodeled yokai... it makes my skin crawl!"
Jaken wasn't a coward by nature--he had seen his fair share of horrors. His unease stemmed from the nature of the power that was warping these creatures. Even to his eyes, these weren't "normal" yokai.
"I see. So they are Naraku's disposable pawns?"
"Are you trying to buy time, Naraku?"
Sesshomaru's voice was like a cold breath on the wind. He had already sensed the truth. The reason Naraku had been silent lately was likely because he was still regenerating from his last defeat. To prevent anyone from hunting him down while he was vulnerable, he had pushed his "Servant" forward to act as a lightning rod.
As long as Naraku remained hidden and his Servant was out there causing chaos, the attention of the world would be drawn away from him.
Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, Kikyo, Koga... every major player in this war would eventually be drawn to Muzan's chaotic activities.
The `[Shikon Jewel]` fragment Naraku had given to Muzan wasn't a gift of kindness; it was a way to ensure the Caster would draw as much hatred and attention as possible. Naraku wanted Muzan to be loud, to be noticed, so that no one would have the spare energy to look for him.
And given Muzan's nature, pulling hatred was the one thing he was truly good at.
"Master Miroku? Have you heard the latest rumors?"
"Yeah. Someone is out there specifically hunting down and capturing yokai."
"Ten to one, it's that Servant everyone's talking about."
"Man, I wish Inuyasha would hurry up and bring Kagome back."
"And Rikuo too... saying he had to go to Kyoto at a time like this..."
Miroku, Sango, and Shippo sat around their campfire, their expressions grave as they discussed the news.
"All we can do is wait for them," Miroku said, his voice heavy as he looked at the `[Wind Tunnel]` in his palm. Since Rikuo's arrival, the burden on his hand had eased considerably, and he hadn't needed to use the void nearly as often.
"I just hope they're back soon..."
"Um... Kirin-san? You're here again today?"
"Haha, my apologies. I know I've been visiting quite often, but I truly couldn't help myself. I was just so curious."
Kagome was starting to get used to the frequent visits from the polite stranger.
"Hey. You're a yokai, aren't you?"
"You're hiding it well, but you can't fool my nose!"
Inuyasha, who had come to pick Kagome up, stood protectively by her side, glaring at the man with a look of open accusation.
"Oh?"
"As expected of the Great Dog Demon's son. Your sense of smell is quite remarkable."
Unlike the stunned Kagome, the man--Osamu Kirin--admitted the truth with a casual, almost practiced ease.
"I am the right arm of Kirinmaru, the Beast King of the East. Or rather, I am the human form that arm took after being severed 600 years ago."
"What?!"
Inuyasha was floored. A high-level yokai on par with his father?
"But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Miss Kagome... would you be so kind as to tell me everything you know about the `[Dragon Balls]`?"