"Alright… let's head back."
Uchiha Kasage watched as the last of the Yokai remains crumbled into ash. With a slight flicker of his Mangekyō Sharingan, he extinguished the lingering traces of Amaterasu.
He turned, taking Kikyo's hand as they began walking toward the shrine.
As they moved along the path, Kikyo spoke:
"About the villager who was bitten by that rat Yokai yesterday…"
"I eliminated the one hiding in the village, but I'm concerned there may be more in the surrounding mountains."
She glanced ahead, thoughtful.
"I plan to investigate again. Will you come with me?"
At the mention of the rat Yokai, Kasage felt a flicker of irritation.
If not for that nuisance—
He might have watched Kikyo's Kagura Dance during the day…
…and again at night.
A wasted opportunity.
"I'll come—"
He suddenly froze mid-sentence.
His expression sharpened instantly.
"…No."
He turned to Kikyo, speaking quickly.
"I can't. I'm being summoned."
"A Summoning Technique."
Before Kikyo could respond—
*Puff!*
A burst of white smoke engulfed him.
And he vanished.
---
Kikyo stood still for a moment, staring at the empty space beside her.
Then—
She let out a soft, helpless sigh, a faint smile appearing on her lips.
"This again…"
She had seen this before.
Not long after her resurrection, Kasage had disappeared the same way—summoned by a cat Yokai.
Karan.
She was familiar with her.
Not only because Kasage had summoned her in front of Kikyo—
But because Kasage had also taught Kikyo the Summoning Technique.
While practicing, Kikyo had even used Karan as her summoning target.
They were… acquainted.
However, unlike Kasage, Kikyo couldn't use the technique with her own spiritual power.
Only Sage Power—
Or Sage Art Spiritual Energy fused with natural energy—
Could activate it.
She glanced toward the forest.
"…I suppose I'll ask him later."
Without further delay, she summoned her mount.
"Kuro-maru."
The wolf-like Yokai appeared, and Kikyo mounted swiftly before heading down the mountain path.
Now—
She would have to investigate alone.
---
Meanwhile—
Kasage's body reformed through space as the summoning completed.
Before the white smoke even fully cleared—
A sharp whistling sound tore through the air.
His instincts reacted instantly.
He ducked—
Scooping up a small figure lying on the ground—
And launched himself upward with a burst of chakra.
BOOM!
A massive skeletal hand slammed into the ground where he had stood moments before.
The impact shattered the earth, leaving a deep crater.
Midair, Kasage glanced down at the figure in his arms.
A petite cat Yokai girl—
Breathing heavily, her Demonic Power nearly depleted.
Shūran.
"So it was you…"
He lifted his gaze toward their attacker.
A towering Skeleton Yokai stood before them.
Tattered armor clung to its frame—
But beneath it, there was no flesh.
Only bone.
Crimson flames burned within its hollow eye sockets.
Fixated on him.
Kasage narrowed his eyes slightly.
"…Whatever you were…"
"You're about to become dust."
---
"ROAR—!"
The Skeleton Yokai lunged, its massive claws slicing through the air with a shriek.
Kasage sighed.
"You're just bones… why are you so loud?"
Even as he complained—
His eyes flared.
"Susanoo."
A pale blue aura erupted around him.
In an instant—
The skeletal frame of Susanoo formed, quickly gaining structure and mass.
Armor.
Muscle.
Power.
A massive chakra blade materialized in its hand.
Against enemies of this size—
There was no reason to hold back.
---
Before Kasage even touched the ground—
The blade flashed.
*CRACK!*
The Skeleton Yokai's arm was severed instantly.
Bone shattered and fell.
Landing smoothly—
Kasage followed through.
A horizontal slash.
Clean.
Precise.
The Yokai was cut in half.
*BOOM!*
Both halves crashed to the ground, sending dust into the air.
But Kasage didn't relax.
Yokai weren't always so simple to kill.
Without hesitation—
He drove the blade downward.
Piercing straight through the skull.
The crimson flames flickered—
Then—
Extinguished.
The massive body collapsed into lifeless bones.
Only then did Kasage dismiss Susanoo.
---
He gently set the girl down.
"…Shunran, right?"
Her eyes lit up instantly despite her exhaustion.
"That's right!"
Her voice was weak—
But full of excitement.
"I can't believe it actually worked!"
"This is the first time I successfully summoned someone since learning from my sister!"
She grinned, clearly thrilled.
"And it worked here of all places… my luck is amazing!"
She reached out, lightly patting his arm.
"Thank you!"
"I really thought I was going to die just now!"
Kasage chuckled faintly.
"It's nothing."
"Once a contract is formed, I'll respond—unless something prevents me."
From her words, it was obvious—
She had signed the summoning contract with Karan's help.
---
Kasage glanced around.
A thick mist hung in the air.
The ground was scattered with bones and debris.
The atmosphere was heavy—
Oppressive.
"…Where are we?"
Shunran answered:
"The boundary between the Underworld and the living world."
"The Graveyard of Yokai."
Kasage paused.
"…I see."
Recognition flickered in his eyes.
This place…
It appeared multiple times in Inuyasha.
Most notably—
It held the remains of Inu no Taishō.
Kasage immediately scanned the surroundings.
Trying to locate the enormous skeletal remains of the Great Dog General.
But the dense mist obscured everything.
Only vague silhouettes could be seen.
"…Tch."
Nothing visible.
---
He turned back to Shunran.
"So—what are you doing in a place like this?"
His foot nudged a fragment of bone nearby.
"And why were you being chased by that thing?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"Where's your elder sister?"
At the mention of the Skeleton Yokai—
Shunan's expression darkened.
She walked up to the shattered skull—
And kicked it.
SMACK!
Despite her small frame—
The force was immense.
The skull flew through the air—
Shattering further upon impact with a distant rock.
"…Serves you right."
She exhaled, satisfied.
Then her expression softened.
A trace of sadness appeared.
"I came here… to find a burial place."
"For our Lord."
Kasage's gaze sharpened slightly.
Shunran continued quietly:
"My elder sister always wanted to revive him…"
"So his body was kept in our territory."
She lowered her eyes.
"But now that plan has been abandoned…"
"We want to let him rest properly."