Kikyo sat atop Kuromaru, her posture calm yet commanding. She lifted her chin slightly, her gaze filled with cold disdain as she looked down at Naraku.
"A rat hiding in the gutter… should stay obediently in its hole."
With that, she turned away without hesitation, exposing her back as if he were no longer worth her attention.
The contempt in her eyes struck deeply.
For a fleeting moment, Naraku seemed to see another figure overlapping with her—
**Uchiha Kasage.**
A vicious glint flashed across his face.
His arm twisted violently, transforming into a grotesque black claw as he stepped forward, ready to strike again—
"Ghh—AAAH!!"
A sudden, searing pain exploded in his chest.
Naraku staggered, letting out a strained scream. His eyes snapped downward—
The wound Kikyo had inflicted had reopened.
From deep within it, a stubborn, radiant spiritual force surged—firmly embedded, relentlessly purifying the miasma within his body.
"…What is this?!"
His expression darkened.
This wasn't ordinary spiritual power.
It possessed something… unnatural.
A strange vitality.
No matter how much demonic energy he used to resist it, he could only erode a fraction of it—while his own power was rapidly purified, causing unbearable pain.
Worse—
When he stopped resisting—
That power began to *devour* his demonic energy instead, slowly regenerating and even growing stronger.
"…Damn it…"
"This is a small gift," Kikyo's calm voice drifted back to him from afar.
"I hope you like it."
"Naraku's" face twisted.
"Kikyo…!"
He clenched his teeth, fury burning in his eyes as he watched her leave.
Behind him—
She simply smiled faintly.
---
When Kikyo struck him earlier, her blade had already been infused with a new power—
A technique **Uchiha Kasage** had helped her develop:
**Sage Art: Spiritual Power.**
Through their training, Kikyo had gained access to a form of sage energy. While it did not enhance physical strength as dramatically as Kasage's Sage Mode, it possessed something far more specialized—
A terrifying purification ability.
After many failed attempts, Kasage had guided her toward the key:
Sage power was a fusion of **physical energy, spiritual energy, and natural energy**.
Kikyo's spiritual power alone was incomplete.
So she attempted something new—
Fusing her spiritual power with natural energy.
And unexpectedly—
She succeeded.
The result was a unique force:
A stable, persistent purification energy that latched onto yokai power like a parasite—feeding on it, growing stronger, and continuously erasing it.
Once attached—
It was incredibly difficult to remove.
That was why she had chosen close combat earlier.
At the moment she sensed Naraku's presence, she had already begun condensing this energy.
By the time she attacked—
She had only enough for a single strike.
But that was enough.
And judging from Naraku's reaction—
The effect had exceeded her expectations.
---
"…He's retreated."
Kikyo glanced back briefly, sensing Naraku's presence fading away.
A trace of seriousness crossed her eyes.
"He wouldn't appear without reason…"
Her thoughts shifted instantly.
"Inuyasha… Kagome…"
Something felt off.
She lightly tapped Kuromaru.
"Faster."
Kuromaru let out a low growl—
—and surged forward at even greater speed, racing toward Kaede Village.
---
Meanwhile…
Kikyo was unaware that Kagome had already returned briefly to the modern era through the Bone-Eater's Well.
Outside Kaede Village—
A fierce battle was already underway.
And at the village entrance—
An uninvited enemy stood blocked by Inuyasha.
"Damn it—just die already!"
Inuyasha roared, swinging Tessaiga with full force.
*CLANG!*
A sharp metallic sound rang out.
His blade had been stopped.
Musou—Naraku's incarnation—stood unmoved. His arm had transformed into a writhing tentacle, blocking the attack effortlessly.
With a sudden surge of strength—
*BOOM!*
Inuyasha was sent flying backward.
"…This power…"
Musou looked at his transformed arm, a greedy smile spreading across his face.
"…Not bad at all."
His gaze snapped toward Inuyasha, who was struggling back to his feet.
The tentacle lashed out again—fast as a striking serpent.
"Hiraikotsu!"
Sango seized the moment, hurling her massive weapon.
But—
Musou reacted instantly.
With a casual flick—
*BANG!*
The Hiraikotsu was knocked aside.
"…He's strong," Sango muttered, frustration flashing in her eyes.
"As expected of Naraku's incarnation," Miroku added gravely, tightening his grip on his staff.
"It doesn't matter!" Inuyasha shouted, leaping forward again.
Tessaiga rose high—
—and came crashing down.
But—
Too fast.
Musou's tentacles blurred into afterimages.
Before Inuyasha could react—
They pierced forward.
*SHHK!*
Straight through his chest—
—and neck.
"GAH—!"
Inuyasha was sent flying, crashing violently into the ground.
"Inuyasha!" Sango and Miroku shouted together.
"…Damn it…"
Inuyasha coughed up blood, forcing himself back up.
At the last second, he had shifted just enough to avoid a fatal blow.
His yokai body was already regenerating—but the damage was still severe.
Seeing him stand again, Sango and Miroku let out a breath of relief.
"Inuyasha!"
A familiar voice called out from the distance.
He turned—
"Kagome?!"
She was running toward them, a large backpack slung over her shoulders.
"Sorry I'm late!"
"Don't come any closer!"
"Inuyasha and Shippo shouted at the same time.
Meanwhile—
Musou's gaze shifted.
The moment he saw Kagome—
His expression changed.
A blurred image flashed through his mind.
A priestess.
A memory—unclear, distorted.
"…That woman…"
His voice dropped into a murmur.
"…Who… was she?"
"Inuyasha! That's Naraku's incarnation!" Kagome stopped beside him, finally noticing the enemy.
"Get behind me!" Inuyasha snapped immediately.
"…Right!"
Kagome quickly pulled Shippo back, positioning herself behind Inuyasha as she watched Musou warily.
The battlefield grew tense once more.
The next clash—
was about to begin.