A soft emerald light seeped steadily into the little girl's body.
The grotesque wound on her abdomen began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye—flesh knitting together, blood receding, life returning.
A few minutes later, the chakra in Uchiha Kasage's palm gradually faded.
He withdrew his hand.
The girl's wound had completely disappeared.
Only smooth, newly formed skin remained, faintly flushed pink—standing in stark contrast to the dried blood staining her torn kimono.
Her breathing, once barely there, was now steady and strong.
"…Alright."
Kasage stood up.
"She'll live."
Kikyo looked down at the girl in her arms, relief softening her expression.
"Thank you… Kasage."
There was still a trace of amazement in her eyes.
Even though she had seen this technique before—
It still felt almost miraculous.
Kasage noticed her expression and couldn't help but feel a hint of satisfaction.
Back then, he had gone out of his way to learn this technique from Tsunade.
And the price…
Was painful.
Not only had he spent nearly all his savings—
He had also taken on mission after mission, pushing himself relentlessly just to gather enough money to pay for her "tuition."
He had even helped cover that infamous gambling debt.
Thinking about it now…
He almost felt emotional.
*I wonder if she'd shed a tear for me… her half-student bought with money…*
Shaking off the thought, Kasage reached out and gently took the gray cloth bundle still clutched tightly in the girl's hand.
"…She survived this long because of this."
He carefully untied it.
The moment the cloth loosened—
The concealment barrier shattered.
A faint but pure spiritual aura spread into the air.
Inside—
Was a worn, unremarkable stone bowl.
Old.
Cracked.
Plain.
And yet—
Kasage's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…So it's this."
"Kagase?" Kikyo immediately noticed his reaction. "Do you recognize it?"
Kasage handed the bowl to her.
"This is the Buddha's Stone Bowl."
"One of the five items needed to break Kamikuya's seal."
Kikyo's gaze sharpened slightly.
"…No wonder a yokai attacked the village."
Kasage nodded.
"Despite how it looks… it's extremely valuable."
"It's on the same level as Inuyasha's Fire Rat Robe."
He glanced at the unconscious girl, a faint trace of surprise in his eyes.
In the original course of events—
The child who carried this item would die after delivering it.
But now—
She was alive.
Because of him.
His gaze shifted toward the stone staircase nearby.
Only now did he fully register it—
This was the entrance to a temple.
Kasage scanned the surroundings carefully, observing the traces left behind.
It didn't take long for him to piece everything together.
"…I see."
His voice was quiet.
"To protect the stone bowl, the abbot sent her away."
"He stayed behind to stop the yokai."
Kikyo's grip tightened slightly around the girl.
"…But he failed."
Kasage nodded.
"The yokai killed him quickly."
"And caught up to her."
He looked at the bloodstains.
"She was mortally wounded… but didn't die immediately."
"…Because of the stone bowl."
Kikyo lowered her gaze.
The girl had collapsed here—
Using her own body to shield it.
"The abbot must have placed a barrier on it," Kasage continued.
"That's why the yokai couldn't find it."
"And left… after killing everyone else."
Silence fell between them.
Heavy.
"Kasage…" Kikyo spoke softly, her voice tinged with sorrow.
"Let's bury them."
Her eyes moved across the scattered bodies.
"They deserve to rest."
"…Alright."
Kasage glanced around the village.
"Where?"
"Near the temple."
Kikyo pointed toward an open space nearby.
"So they won't be alone."
Kasage nodded once.
Then—
He clasped his hands together.
"Wood Release."
The ground trembled.
A sapling burst forth from the earth, growing rapidly into a towering tree within seconds.
Branches spread outward—
Then multiplied.
Like living things, they extended across the village, gently wrapping around each fallen body.
The ends of the branches shifted and reshaped—
Forming wooden coffins.
One by one—
Every corpse was carefully enclosed.
Then—
The branches retracted, drawing the coffins back to the tree.
They aligned neatly in rows.
Kasage stepped forward.
His palm struck the ground.
"Earth Release."
The soil surged like waves.
It rose—
Then swallowed the coffins whole.
Moments later—
The ground settled.
In place of the bodies were small, orderly mounds of earth.
The corpses were gone.
The overwhelming stench of blood faded.
Silence returned.
"…Done."
Kasage clapped his hands lightly.
It had taken less than a minute.
Kikyo looked at the now-quiet village.
"…Thank you."
Her voice was soft.
"It's nothing."
Kasage gave a small shrug.
"They already paid for it."
He lifted a bulging cloth bag in his hand.
Kikyo blinked—
Then stared at him.
"…You took valuables?"
Kasage smiled slightly.
"They don't need them anymore."
"These are just… funeral expenses."
Kikyo sighed, rubbing her temple faintly.
"…You really…"
But she didn't argue further.
He wasn't wrong.
If they hadn't taken them—
Someone else eventually would.
"…Let's go."
Kikyo carefully placed the unconscious girl onto Kuromaru's back.
Then she entered a nearby house, quickly returning with clean clothes.
She wrapped them around the girl—
And placed the Buddha's Stone Bowl securely in her arms.
With someone riding Kuromaru, the two of them continued on foot.
Kasage had no objections.
This wasn't the first time Kikyo had taken in a survivor like this.
Most of the villagers living near her shrine had once been saved the same way.
The girl would have a place to go.
A place to live.
Without another word—
They left the ruined village behind.
And continued their journey.
Toward Mount Fuji.
Toward the Sea of Motosu—
The place Kagura had mentioned.