"They're gone. Let's go in."
Kikyo stepped calmly through the barrier. Noticing that Uchiha Kasage remained frozen behind her, she turned back, giving him a curious look before gently reminding him.
"The way you opened the barrier… it was too direct."
Kasage blinked, snapping out of his thoughts, then quickly followed after her.
"Isn't that more convenient?" he replied with a faint grin.
Kikyo let out a soft chuckle. "Naraku's barrier is formed from demonic energy. Purifying that energy with spiritual power will naturally break it."
"I understand that," Kasage said, shaking his head slightly. "It's just… I didn't expect a shrine maiden to use such a straightforward method."
In truth, he would have done the same—overwhelming force was often the simplest solution. Still, seeing Kikyo act so similarly caught him off guard.
"I apologize for disappointing you~," Kikyo replied lightly, mimicking his tone with a rare hint of playfulness.
Kasage smirked. "How dare you disappoint this great master? You'll have to be punished."
Before she could respond, he scooped her up. Chakra surged beneath his feet as he dashed forward, carrying her toward the castle cloaked in thick, sinister energy.
"That Naraku… he's disgusting," Kasage muttered with clear irritation. "Turning a place like this into a poisonous nest. How does he even live here? He's like a rat hiding in filth."
They landed atop the tallest structure of the castle. Kasage set Kikyo down and looked over the edge. Below them, a sea of purple miasma drifted like a living fog.
"For a Yokai like Naraku," Kikyo explained quietly, "whose body is saturated with evil energy, any place he inhabits for too long becomes like this. The environment itself is consumed by his miasma."
She then extended her hand toward him. "Give me my bow and arrows. If a battle begins, I need to be ready."
Kasage nodded and retrieved her weapons from the Kamui dimension, carefully fastening them onto her back.
At this point, they were concealed not only by Kikyo's barrier, which masked their presence, but also by a layer of chakra-based camouflage. Their bodies appeared almost transparent, blending seamlessly into the surroundings.
It was a basic stealth technique—common among shinobi—often used alongside transformation jutsu during infiltration.
Kikyo's gaze swept across the castle grounds. The purple miasma choked everything below, and under the pale moonlight, not a single human figure could be seen.
She lifted her eyes and spotted Kagura and Kanna seated upon a feather, hovering silently above the castle, observing.
A sudden gust of wind scattered part of the miasma below, revealing a small, green-skinned Yokai hiding in a corner. He clutched a strange staff with a human head attached to it.
Kikyo's eyes sharpened instantly. "Where are Naraku and Sesshomaru? And who is that little Yokai? Should we capture him and question him?"
Kasage followed her gaze and waved dismissively. "That's Jaken, Sesshomaru's subordinate. Sesshomaru is inside the building right in front of him. Ignore him for now. Let's observe first."
Kikyo narrowed her eyes, focusing. Then her expression shifted.
"There's… the aura of the Shikon Jewel inside that building," she said, her voice tightening. "Is Naraku there as well?"
She frowned, her tone growing more serious. "The miasma is interfering with my senses. If you hadn't pointed it out, I wouldn't have noticed the jewel at all."
Kasage's Sharingan spun slowly as he studied the intertwining energies below.
"This is a trap," he murmured. "Naraku prepared this specifically for Sesshomaru. The miasma and corrupted energy are masking his presence… and dulling Sesshomaru's sense of smell."
Kikyo's gaze lingered on the building. "Should we warn him?"
"Not yet," Kasage replied calmly. "Sesshomaru isn't weak. Under normal circumstances, Naraku wouldn't stand a chance. He likely just hasn't found him yet."
He paused, then added, "I'll ask Kagura what's going on first."
Kikyo hesitated. "Could Naraku detect us? This is his territory… contacting Kagura could put her at risk."
Kasage gently took her hand, tracing her palm lightly with his fingertip. A faint, confident smile appeared on his lips.
"Don't worry. He won't."
Kikyo looked at him, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "What are you planning?"
Kasage raised his free hand, condensing a thin strand of wind-nature chakra at his fingertip. With a subtle flick, it dispersed into the air—an invisible current that vanished almost instantly.
High above, Kagura stiffened.
As a master of wind, she immediately sensed the disturbance. Her head turned sharply toward the castle roof.
Her gaze met Kasage's Sharingan.
The three tomoe spun.
In an instant, her consciousness was pulled into a genjutsu.
—
A vast white space stretched endlessly around her.
Kagura tensed, unfolding her fan as her yokai energy surged, alert and ready.
"Relax. It's me."
Kasage's voice echoed, and his figure appeared before her.
Kagura let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Her guard lowered slightly, though her expression remained serious.
"Where are we?" she asked.
"A temporary genjutsu space," Kasage replied. "Naraku won't notice anything here."
Her eyes widened slightly. "You've already reached the castle?"
There was relief in her voice—subtle, but unmistakable.
Kasage nodded. "I saw your message. What happened?"
Kagura composed herself quickly, her tone turning urgent.
"Naraku's body was destroyed not long ago. He's been devouring other Yokai to rebuild himself. But today… for some reason… he decided to devour Sesshomaru."
Kasage frowned. "He wants to swallow Sesshomaru? Has he lost his mind?"
"I thought the same," Kagura admitted, gripping her fan tighter. "But this time… he might actually succeed."
Her expression darkened.
"He mixed the poison of a cow Yokai into the miasma. It's subtle—powerful enough to affect even great Yokai without them noticing. It weakens their control over their own energy."
Kasage's gaze sharpened. "So that's it…"
"Be careful," Kagura added quickly. "Don't inhale the miasma."
"No wonder you avoid staying inside the castle," Kasage said thoughtfully. "So the poison is always present."
He paused, then asked, "Sesshomaru is skilled with poison. Will this really affect him?"
"The effect will be weaker," Kagura replied, "but if Naraku finds the right moment… it will be enough."
She continued, her voice steady but tense.
"The poison is unusual. If you don't use your yokai energy, you won't notice anything. But once it builds up… the more power you use, the faster it spreads."
Kasage nodded slowly. "I see."
He then asked, "What about the girl you captured?"
"She's gone," Kagura said. "A human boy named Kohaku took her away. If they stayed here any longer, they would have died from the poison."
"Besides Naraku and Sesshomaru, anyone else inside?"
"No. Just us."
Kasage exhaled softly. "Alright. That's enough."
He looked at her with quiet intent. "Kikyo and I will act soon. Don't resist too much—just enough to avoid suspicion."
Kagura held his gaze for a moment, then nodded.
"…Understood."
—
The white space shattered.
Kagura blinked—and suddenly she was back, seated on her feather in the night sky.
"Is something wrong?" Kanna asked softly beside her.
Kagura shook her head. "No… nothing."
Her eyes drifted back toward the castle roof.
Where there had once been nothing—
Two figures slowly emerged from invisibility.
Uchiha Kasage… and Kikyo.