Three days later, everyone gathered in the center of the courtyard, their eyes fixed on the towering kiln.
By now, the smoke rising from its chimney had thinned to a faint wisp. The heat inside had clearly subsided,
It was time.
"The kiln can be opened now," Enju announced solemnly as she stood up from her vigil.
Her words immediately drew everyone closer.
"It's ready?" Inuyasha asked, unable to hide his curiosity.
Enju nodded and stepped forward, carefully removing the sealed clay blocks from the furnace door.
As the door slowly opened, a wave of heat rolled out, carrying the faint scent of medicinal herbs.
Unlike ordinary kilns, this Demon Kiln had been enhanced with Enju's magic. It didn't require complete cooling before being opened.
Kagetsu stepped closer and looked inside.
Faint embers still glowed among the charcoal.
And at the very center,A humanoid clay figure lay quietly.
It had been formed from Suiko's remains and grave soil. Its shape was rough, lacking fine detail,only a general human outline.
Strange glyphs covered its surface, drawn in ink mixed from demon blood, herbs, and spiritual reagents. They pulsed faintly with a dim red glow.
These inscriptions,were the core of the resurrection ritual.
Only after witnessing the process firsthand did Kagetsu fully understand the difference.
Clay bodies like Kikyo's and Enju's,lifelike, almost indistinguishable from the living,required a painstaking process. Rare materials, careful shaping, and precise ritual work.
Once completed, the body would naturally assume the appearance it had in life.
In contrast, the mass-produced clay soldiers used elsewhere were crude imitations,little more than expendable shells, lacking intelligence and individuality.
"Let's go inside and take a closer look."
As Enju stepped into the kiln, Kagetsu and Inuyasha moved to follow,
"Stop."
Kikyo's voice cut in sharply.
"No men allowed."
"…Huh?" Inuyasha blinked. "Why?"
"No reason," Kikyo replied flatly. "Just stay out."
Without waiting for further protest, she pushed Kagetsu, Inuyasha, and even Miroku back away from the entrance.
Once they were a fair distance away, she turned back.
"Kagetsu. The bundle I gave you this morning."
"Here."
Kagetsu took out a storage scroll, released its seal, and handed over the wrapped bundle.
Kikyo accepted it, then paused at the entrance. Her gaze swept over the three men.
"…And don't even think about peeking."
With that warning, she stepped inside.
A barrier formed over the entrance, completely blocking their view.
"What's the big deal?" Inuyasha muttered, frowning as he watched Kagome and Sango follow her in. "Why can't we go in?"
Miroku folded his arms thoughtfully, then gave him a knowing look.
"…Because Priestess Suiko is a woman. There are certain steps… that aren't meant for men to witness."
Inuyasha only looked more confused.
Kagetsu, however, had already figured it out.
When Kikyo had been resurrected in the past,
She hadn't been clothed.
Kikyo clearly remembered that,and had no intention of letting history repeat itself.
He glanced sideways at Inuyasha.
Back then, this guy had stood around shamelessly while Kagome bathed… and even now, he still hadn't put it together.
"It's hot in there anyway. Why bother?"
Shippō sat on the ground, fiddling with a small handheld device Kagome had brought from her era. He glanced up briefly before returning to it.
Miroku looked at him with a sigh.
"You really don't understand anything, do you?"
"Agh! It stopped working again!" Shippō groaned.
Miroku leaned in for a look.
"It runs on 'batteries,' according to Miss Kagome. She hasn't returned to her time in a while, so she can't replace them."
Kagetsu glanced over,and paused.
It was a handheld game console.
A familiar one.
He didn't dwell on it. Kagome's world wasn't necessarily identical to the one he remembered,differences were to be expected.
"Shippō," he said, beckoning him over. "I can get it working again."
"Really?!"
Shippō's eyes lit up as he ran over and handed it to him.
Kagetsu opened the battery compartment and removed the drained batteries.
A faint current of lightning-style chakra gathered in his palm.
Crackle.
A brief spark flashed.
He placed the batteries back inside and returned the device.
"Try it."
Shippō pressed the switch.
The screen lit up instantly.
"It works! That's amazing!"
"It's only temporary," Kagetsu said with a faint smile. "You'll still need replacements."
Back when he was younger, he had done the same,forcing a bit more life out of dying batteries just to keep playing.
For a brief moment, something nostalgic flickered in his eyes.
Before Inuyasha or Miroku could ask further,
The barrier vanished.
Kikyo, Kagome, Sango, and Enju stepped out.
And with them,
A new figure.
Everyone's attention was instantly drawn to her.
She wore a red and white miko robe, her long black hair falling freely over her shoulders. Her pale skin seemed almost luminous under the sunlight.
A distinct cross-shaped marking rested on her forehead.
Her eyes were still somewhat vacant,
But the aura she carried was undeniable.
Strong. Unyielding.
A warrior who had fought countless battles.
She was,Suiko.
The greatest priestess of the Heian era.
The creator of the Shikon Jewel.
The origin of all the tragedy tied to it.
Standing beside Kikyo, the two looked strikingly similar in attire,yet completely different in presence.
Suiko was like blazing fire,a battle maiden forged in blood.
Kikyo was like the quiet moon,calm, pure, and unwavering.
One had created the Shikon Jewel.
The other had protected it.
One belonged to the Heian era.
The other to the Sengoku era.
Two legends, separated by time,
Now standing side by side.
Kagetsu's gaze shifted.
To Kagome.
The girl from the modern world, dressed in her school uniform, now stood beside them as well.
Three priestesses.
Three lives bound by the Shikon Jewel.
At last,They had all gathered.