"If I take my heart back… I can escape immediately?"
Kagura stared at Uchiha Kasage, suspicion and uncertainty swirling in her pink eyes.
"…You're serious?"
"Relax."
Kasage smiled faintly.
A thin strip of wood appeared in his hand, quickly reshaping itself into a small, ordinary wooden token.
He held it out to her.
"If something goes wrong and you can't escape," he said calmly, "break this."
"I'll come personally."
Kagura looked down at the token in her hand.
Her fingers tightened around it.
Freedom…
So close.
"…Alright."
After a brief hesitation, she nodded.
"I accept."
Then she raised her eyes again.
"What about that escape technique you mentioned?"
---
"Sit still."
Kasage lifted his hand.
His finger moved toward her forehead.
Kagura felt it—
A light touch against her skin.
Her entire body tensed instantly.
At that distance…
If he wanted to—
He could kill her effortlessly.
But she didn't move.
Didn't resist.
She forced herself to remain still.
Trusting him—
Or perhaps gambling everything.
---
Nothing happened.
No attack.
No pain.
Kagura let out a quiet breath—
But in the next instant—
Her body froze.
Kasage's eyes—
Turned crimson.
A Sharingan spun slowly within them, its intricate pattern radiating an eerie, overwhelming pressure.
"Seal—transfer."
The moment their eyes met—
Kagura felt her entire body bristle.
Then—
A sharp pain pierced her vision.
"—!"
She bit down hard on her lip, suppressing a cry.
Beside them, Kikyo watched silently.
For a fleeting moment—
The same kaleidoscopic pattern flickered within Kagura's eyes.
Then vanished.
---
"It's done."
Kasage lowered his hand.
"I've implanted a dojutsu into your eye."
Kagura blinked, her vision gradually stabilizing.
"…A dojutsu?"
"When you reclaim your heart from Naraku," Kasage explained, "it will activate automatically."
"And in that moment—"
"You'll be sent into my dimension."
He paused briefly.
"Kamui."
"I'll sense it and release you afterward."
His gaze remained steady.
"Naraku won't be able to find you."
---
The pain faded.
Kagura exhaled softly.
"…Thank you."
There was hesitation in her voice—
But also sincerity.
After a moment, her expression shifted.
"Since we're cooperating…"
"I'll give you some information."
Kasage's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Go on."
---
"First," Kagura said, "Naraku's power suddenly weakened tonight."
"The barrier around his castle loosened."
"That's how Inuyasha and the others were able to locate him."
She continued:
"There's also a wolf yokai named Koga with them."
---
Kikyo spoke calmly:
"If his power weakened… it's likely because he's a half-demon."
"All half-demons lose their yokai power at certain times and become human."
Even though Naraku was formed from countless yokai—
He still had human origins.
So the weakness remained.
---
Kagura's eyes widened.
"…His power… disappears?"
A flicker of excitement flashed across her face.
That was—
A fatal weakness.
She quickly looked at Kasage.
"Second," she added, "Naraku is aging."
"Your technique is affecting him."
"Even with the Shikon Jewel, he still relies on me and Kanna to capture yokai… to replace the parts of his body that decay."
"So he rarely leaves the castle now."
---
Kasage raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Using other yokai's vitality to offset the backlash…"
A faint smile appeared.
"He really is resourceful."
Kagura didn't respond.
She simply shook her head.
"That's all I know for now."
---
She put away the Shikon fragments and stood.
"I have to go."
"If I stay too long, he'll notice."
"Honestly," Kasage said casually, "he probably already noticed the moment you left."
"Be careful."
"Don't die."
---
Kagura paused at the door.
"…He still needs me."
"As long as I don't delay too much, I'll be fine."
With that—
She slid the door open.
A gust of wind surged in.
An enormous feather appeared beneath her feet.
In an instant—
She was gone.
Vanishing into the night sky.
---
"…It's late."
Kikyo stretched lightly.
"I'm going to rest."
"No need," Kasage said suddenly.
"Inuyasha and the others are following Kagura."
"They'll be here soon."
---
Kikyo paused.
"…Already?"
Then she nodded slightly.
"With Kagome Higurashi, they can sense the Shikon fragments."
"They'll track them here eventually."
---
At that moment—
She felt it.
Natural energy gathering.
Flowing.
Condensing around Kasage.
A faint orange shadow appeared around his eyes.
He had entered Sage Mode.
Over time, both of them had trained to sense natural energy more precisely.
And Kasage's Sage Mode—
Had changed.
No longer resembling its original form.
Now, aside from the faint markings near his eyes—
It looked almost identical to his normal state.
---
"How far are they?" Kikyo asked.
"Less than three kilometers."
Kasage glanced toward the distance.
"Should we go meet them?"
---
Kikyo thought for a moment.
Then shook her head.
"No."
"Kagura has already left. They'll likely continue chasing her."
She turned toward the shrine.
"I'll activate the barrier—"
But then—
Her gaze fell on the Shikon fragments.
She paused.
"…No."
"If they come… I'll give these to Kagome."
---
She retrieved the fragments and returned, placing them gently on the table.
"Tonight is the new moon," she said quietly.
"If I remember correctly…"
"Inuyasha will lose his yokai power."
"And become human."
Her expression grew slightly serious.
"If they encounter Kagura in that state… it could be dangerous."
---
Kasage nodded.
"Then we'll wait."
A faint hint of curiosity appeared in his eyes.
A human Inuyasha…
He wanted to see it for himself.
---
The room fell quiet.
Kikyo sat beside him, calm as ever.
Kasage, growing slightly bored, reached out—
And took her hand.
Gently playing with her fingers.
Kikyo glanced at him softly.
But didn't pull away.
She simply let him.