"Momiji,Botan—this land, stained with yokai blood, must be purified by the two of you," Kikyo said calmly. "If left unattended, it will easily give rise to new evil beings."
The two young shrine maidens, now freed from the immobilization spell, huddled close behind her. Their faces were pale, their eyes filled with lingering fear from the gruesome scene before them.
Hearing Kikyo's command, they nodded quickly.
"Yes, Lady Kikyo!"
"Alright… this one doesn't look like it can resist anymore." The shadow clone's gaze settled on the motionless yokai lying on the ground. "Next… it's time for the next step."
"Yes." Kikyo nodded, then turned slightly toward him. "Did you retrieve it?"
"It's done," the shadow clone replied.
While Rinran had been fighting, he had secretly gone to the grave of Tsubaki's master—following the location Kikyo had given him—and retrieved the required medium for the Impure World Reincarnation.
It wasn't something Hongye or Mudan could know about. Digging up a master's grave was something they would never accept.
Kikyo's plan was simple:
Have Uchiha Kasage use the Impure World Reincarnation to summon Tsubaki's master back from the underworld—so he could personally resolve Tsubaki's situation.
As for whether the technique would even work in this world, Kasage had already tested it before out of curiosity.
The answer… was yes.
But there were differences.
In the world of shinobi, most souls remained in the Pure Land after death. As long as there were remains, they could be summoned.
But this world was different.
If too much time passed, the soul would reincarnate—and the technique would fail.
Take Kikyo, for example.
Though she had only died fifty years ago—a perfectly acceptable timeframe in the shinobi world—she could not be summoned.
Her soul was no longer in the underworld.
Tsubaki's master, however, had died only about a year ago.
His soul should still remain.
As for how Kasage confirmed Kikyo's case…
He had actually tested it.
Not long ago, after explaining the technique to Kikyo, she had asked a simple question:
"Is my soul still in the underworld?"
At first, Kasage had instinctively thought no—after all, Kikyo had been reincarnated as Kagome Higurashi.
But then he realized something important.
Kagome was from five hundred years in the future.
Which meant…
Between Kikyo's death and her reincarnation, over five centuries had passed.
Logically, her soul should still have been in the underworld *now*.
And yet—
The Impure World Reincarnation failed.
Kasage could only conclude one of two things:
Either her soul had already reincarnated…
Or summoning her required her original remains.
But Kikyo had been cremated along with the Shikon Jewel. There was nothing left to use.
Later tests confirmed it:
Those dead for more than ten years could not be summoned.
Which meant one thing—
Kikyo's soul had already reincarnated.
---
Meanwhile…
Rinran looked down at the completely motionless yokai and lazily swung her claws, still brimming with excitement. Pale blue chakra flickered faintly around her, and her crimson eyes still gleamed with thrill. Her tail swayed lightly behind her.
"Alright, stop playing. I'm withdrawing Susanoo—you should revert too."
Kasage's voice echoed from the diamond-shaped seal on her forehead.
The pale blue armor instantly dissipated.
Rinran glanced at where it vanished, a trace of reluctance flickering in her eyes before she withdrew her yokai power.
Her massive leopard form shrank rapidly, transforming back into a girl wearing a white top and black trousers, her fluffy tail still swaying behind her.
"Well?" Kasage looked at her, a faint smile forming. "Did you enjoy that?"
"Super fun!" Rinran nodded enthusiastically, her tail wagging faster. "Next time something like this happens, you *have* to call me!"
She glanced at the dying yokai, still visibly satisfied.
"I'm heading off!"
"Wait—I haven't given you the seafood I prepared yet!" Kasage called after her.
"I'll eat it next time!"
She waved without turning back.
"I'm going to show off to Big Sister!"
Before she even finished speaking, her body dissolved into white mist, the summoning released as she returned to the leopard yokai clan's territory.
"…That girl."
Kasage sighed, watching the mist fade. He had originally intended to ask about the resurrection of their clan leader.
"Kasage, everything is ready. We can begin."
Kikyo approached with Tsubaki, Hongye, and Mudan.
The shadow clone handed over the scroll to the original body before dispersing in a puff of smoke.
"I'm starting," Kasage said, stepping forward toward the yokai's massive corpse. His voice grew deeper. "Stand back."
"Kikyo… what are you planning to do…?" Tsubaki asked weakly.
She was truly shaken now.
She had once thought Kikyo and Kasage were reckless for releasing the yokai—but instead, it had been utterly dominated.
And by a summoned cat yokai, no less.
Thinking back on her earlier arrogance, her face burned with embarrassment.
"I… may have spoken too boldly before…"
"Didn't I say I would find someone to convince you?" Kikyo replied softly, a faint, knowing smile appearing on her lips as she gestured toward Kasage.
"I—I think that won't be necessary!" Tsubaki forced a stiff smile. "Kikyo, you've already convinced me! I'll take responsibility for this temple and properly guide Hongye and Mudan!"
Inwardly, she had already decided—
With these two around, she would stay hidden.
She could live for decades with the yokai inside her.
She would simply wait until they were gone.
"It's too late."
Kikyo lifted her chin slightly, her gaze steady.
"He's already begun."
Tsubaki's heart tightened as she looked over.
Kasage formed hand seals rapidly—then slammed his palm onto the ground.
Dark runes spread instantly, forming a complex array beneath the yokai's body.
Chakra surged into it—
Then—
A blinding white light erupted.
"AAAH—!!"
The yokai let out a final, agonized scream as its body convulsed violently.
Gray-white dust surged in like a tide, wrapping around it layer by layer.
The scream faded.
Then vanished.
Silence.
Tsubaki stared at the swirling mass of dust, her heart pounding.
She could feel it—
The aura of the dead, growing stronger.
Her breath caught.
The dust slowly began to settle.
And then—
A figure emerged.
Clad in priestly robes.
White-haired.
Aged.
Yet unmistakable.
Tsubaki's pupils shrank violently as her voice trembled.
"Ma… Master…?"