"You're Kagura? Kanna's… sister?"
While Kagura was still standing there in a daze, Kikyo studied her carefully—her mature beauty, her graceful posture—then glanced back at the petite Kanna sitting quietly on the swing.
A trace of confusion appeared in Kikyo's eyes as she blinked.
The difference between the two sisters… was striking.
"You must be Priestess Kikyo."
Kagura quickly regained her composure. With a soft *snap*, she unfolded the folding fan in her hand. The patterns on it matched her elegant kimono, and the way she held herself gave her the air of a refined dancer.
She lifted her chin slightly and introduced herself:
"I am Kagura—the Wind Sorceress. An incarnation of Naraku… and Kanna's sister."
"Nice to meet you. I am Kikyo."
A faint look of understanding crossed Kikyo's face.
"So you are one of Naraku's incarnations… no wonder your aura feels so similar."
She paused, then added calmly,
"If that's the case… then Kanna is one as well, isn't she?"
Uchiha Kasage, meanwhile, observed Kagura with quiet interest.
Unlike Kanna's pure and distant presence, Kagura was—
Striking.
Her fair skin contrasted beautifully with her vivid kimono, her pink eyes framed by faint purple shadow, and the emerald earrings at her ears swayed gently in the breeze.
If anything…
She looked more like a captivating dancer than a yokai.
"Uchiha Kasage."
He finally spoke, withdrawing his gaze.
"You came with Kanna, didn't you? She already told me why you're here."
He shrugged lightly, a helpless smile forming.
"Unfortunately, I don't know how to remove the side effects of that technique either."
"So Naraku will have to figure it out himself."
"I see…"
Kagura hadn't expected Kanna to have already explained everything, but she nodded nonetheless.
"I'll report that to Naraku."
At that moment, Kasage suddenly smirked.
"Still," he added casually, "I hope he does find a solution."
"So if I ever need it again… I can ask for his help one more time."
Kagura fell silent.
He had already pushed Naraku to the brink once—
And he was thinking of doing it again?
Kasage glanced at her standing so cautiously at a distance and couldn't help but find it amusing.
"Why are you standing so far away?" he asked directly. "You look like you're afraid of me."
"This is our first time meeting, isn't it?"
"N-not at all!"
Kagura's heart skipped.
She quickly stepped forward, trying to appear calm—though her grip on the folding fan tightened slightly.
"Kagura is afraid you will kill her if you learn she is Naraku's incarnation."
Kanna's quiet voice suddenly cut through the air.
Her tone remained flat—but her words struck precisely.
"You—!"
Kagura stiffened, shooting Kanna an annoyed glare before instinctively looking back at Kasage, her body tensing again.
"Relax," Kasage said with a faint smile. "As long as you behave, I won't kill you."
"I'm not some kind of mad killer."
"Why would I kill you for no reason?"
He picked up a slice of melon from the wooden table beside him and casually held it out.
"Want some? It's pretty good."
Kagura looked at the melon, then at him—
Her expression complicated.
"…No, thank you."
"Too bad."
Kasage shrugged and handed it to Kanna instead.
"Kanna, want more?"
Kanna accepted it without hesitation, continuing to eat in small, quiet bites, her cheeks puffing slightly as she savored the sweetness.
Watching this, Kagura's expression grew even stranger.
She could only stand there awkwardly.
"You don't have to stay standing," Kasage said, clearly entertained. "Sit wherever you like."
The contrast was amusing.
The Kagura who dared to oppose Naraku—
Was now this cautious.
After a brief hesitation, Kagura clenched her jaw slightly and walked toward the swing, sitting beside Kanna.
Fortunately, it was wide enough for both of them.
Kanna didn't react at all—continuing to eat her melon as if nothing had changed.
The silence became… slightly awkward.
Unable to bear it, Kagura spoke:
"You… don't want to know where Naraku is?"
Her eyes moved between Kikyo and Kasage.
"…Don't you want to kill him?"
Kikyo watched the two sisters—so different, yet strangely similar—and smiled faintly.
Despite being Naraku's incarnations…
They felt nothing like him.
"I've already been to Onigumo's castle," Kikyo said calmly, sitting down on another reclining chair. "I believe it's located in Hitomi Castle."
"Even though he hides it with a barrier… I can still sense it."
She paused briefly.
"But for now, I have no intention of killing him."
Her tone was quiet—but firm.
"With Kagome and Inuyasha… there's no need to rush."
"Onigumo?" Kagura frowned, clearly confused. "Who is that? Naraku?"
Kikyo looked at her, slightly surprised.
"You don't know?"
"You're his incarnation… and yet you don't know his origin?"
Kagura exhaled softly, her tension easing now that she realized Kasage truly had no intention of harming her.
"Kanna and I… are simply fragments separated from Naraku's body."
"We have independent consciousness… but we didn't inherit his memories."
"I see…"
Kikyo nodded thoughtfully.
"Then why do you obey him?"
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"You didn't seem willing to come here."
"…Could it be…"
She glanced at Kanna.
"Your hearts… are controlled by him?"
"How did you know?!" Kagura's eyes widened in shock.
She stared at Kikyo, then turned quickly to Kanna.
"Kanna—did you tell her?"
"Yes," Kikyo answered calmly before Kanna could respond.
"We know Kanna's heart is in Naraku's hands."
Kagura let out a bitter laugh.
Her fingers tightened around the rope of the swing.
"…That's right."
"My heart is with him too."
"There's nowhere for me to run."
"I understand."
Kikyo's voice softened slightly.
"Someone like him… would never truly trust anyone."
Kagura lowered her gaze briefly, then looked back up.
"Kikyo… what exactly do you mean by 'Onigumo'?"
Her voice carried urgency now.
"If Naraku has a past… then that might be the key."
"The key to breaking free."
Kikyo fell silent for a moment.
Then—
"Onigumo… is Naraku."
"Or rather," she corrected softly, "that was his name… before he became a yokai."
Kagura's eyes widened.
"Before… he became a yokai?"
"What happened to him?"
Kikyo's gaze drifted into the distance, her voice growing quieter—tinged with memory.
"Fifty years ago… I saved a bandit named Onigumo."
"He was burned all over his body. His bones were shattered."
"He couldn't even move."
She paused.
"But his heart…"
"It was filled with darkness."
"That darkness attracted countless yokai."
"And in the end…"
Kikyo's eyes dimmed slightly.
"He offered his body to them."
"Countless yokai merged into one—"
"And that… is how Naraku was born."