Uchiha Kasage suddenly halted.
His hand moved instantly to the hilt of his sword.
Scarlet light flickered—his Sharingan appeared, cold and sharp as his gaze swept across the dense forest on both sides.
Kikyo reacted immediately.
She drew her longbow in one smooth motion, her expression turning vigilant as her eyes scanned the shadows.
The air grew tense.
Then—
*Rustle… rustle…*
Chaotic footsteps broke the silence.
From the bushes, several armored figures slowly emerged.
At first glance, they resembled human soldiers.
But something was wrong.
Their skin bore a pale, lifeless sheen—like poorly molded clay. Their bodies looked crude, unnatural… yet the naginata in their hands gleamed with deadly sharpness, and their movements were disturbingly fluid.
Kikyo's pupils tightened.
"…Clay figures."
Her voice lowered slightly.
"These are puppets created through Oni no Kijo Rito's ghost technique."
Kasage observed them with interest, his grip on his blade steady.
"So… made from calcined bones and grave soil."
His eyes flickered toward her briefly.
"Like your previous body?"
He smirked faintly.
"Though these… are far more crude. They don't even come close to your level."
Kikyo lifted her chin slightly, a faint pride showing in her eyes.
"Hmph. Of course not."
"How could something made from ordinary soldiers compare to me?"
Kasage chuckled softly.
"Our invincible Priestess Kikyo… truly unmatched."
Then his expression sharpened.
His killing intent rose.
"I'll clear them out."
*Clang!*
The blade left its sheath with a crisp, cutting sound.
In the next instant—
Kasage vanished.
A blur. A shadow.
A phantom weaving through the clay soldiers.
*Crack—! Crack—!*
The only sounds that followed were sharp, brittle fractures.
Across each clay soldier's body—
Clean, horizontal cuts appeared.
For a brief second, everything stood still.
Then—
*Shatter.*
The figures collapsed violently, breaking apart into scattered fragments like shattered pottery.
Silence returned.
Kasage flicked the wind chakra off his blade and calmly sheathed it.
His gaze shifted toward the faint soul lights drifting from the broken remains.
Kikyo lowered her bow and walked forward.
She crouched beside the fragments, gently touching the pieces as she examined them.
Kasage joined her, kneeling slightly as he observed the hollow interiors.
Inside—
There were no organs. No meridians.
Only broken bones… and a faint lingering scent of medicinal herbs.
The bones themselves were clearly tied to the souls that had just escaped.
Kikyo's expression darkened slightly.
"…It's the same technique."
Her voice carried a quiet tension.
"The same ghost art Rito used to revive me."
She frowned deeper.
"But… I destroyed her after I was resurrected. So why…?"
Kasage stood up slowly, a thoughtful smile forming.
"Then it's simple."
"Someone else inherited it."
His gaze turned toward the deeper forest, sharp and searching.
"If these clay soldiers are here…"
"…their creator is nearby."
Kikyo rose as well, her expression serious.
"Mm."
---
As they continued forward—
More clay soldiers appeared.
Wave after wave.
Each time, Kasage cut them down effortlessly.
But something became clear.
"They're not attacking randomly," Kasage said quietly, stopping mid-step.
Kikyo looked at him.
"…They're searching."
Kasage's eyes shifted toward a nearby river.
"…For someone."
Kikyo followed his gaze.
There—
A figure in a red kimono floated on the water's surface, drifting slowly with the current.
Kasage narrowed his eyes.
He could feel it clearly—
The aura of the dead.
Just like Kikyo once had.
"She's been revived… using the same technique."
Because of the clay body's density, the figure didn't sink.
It floated like a lifeless corpse.
Kasage stepped forward.
"I'll bring her over."
Without waiting, chakra gathered beneath his feet.
He stepped onto the water's surface and dashed forward.
Reaching the figure, he bent down, lifting her carefully—
Then returned to the riverbank in a swift motion.
He placed her gently on the ground.
Now, her appearance was clear.
Short wine-red hair clung wetly to her face.
A simple red kimono, unadorned.
Delicate features.
Young. Beautiful.
Unconscious.
Kasage tilted his head slightly, curiosity surfacing.
"…By the way."
He glanced at Kikyo.
"When you had a clay body… did you need to breathe?"
"If she stayed in the water like that… would she drown?"
Kikyo gave him a flat look.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then she sighed softly.
"Breathing is just a habit from when we were alive."
Her tone softened slightly as she explained.
"It doesn't matter if we don't breathe."
"She won't drown."
"She's unconscious because the soul inside her is too weak."
As soon as she finished—
Soft fluttering sounds filled the air.
From the distance, several pale white Soul Reapers approached, each carrying a glowing fragment of a dead soul.
They circled Kikyo once—
Then drifted toward the girl.
One by one, they gently placed the soul fragments into her body.
Kasage watched, slightly surprised.
"You still kept them?"
"I thought they would leave after your resurrection. I haven't seen them in a while."
Kikyo raised her hand.
One Soul Reaper landed lightly on her fingertip.
She stroked it gently, her expression soft—almost affectionate.
"Of course I kept them."
"I worked hard to find them."
"They may not be necessary anymore… but they still help me."
Kasage stared at the small white creatures.
Curiosity flickered again.
He slowly reached out—
But the moment his hand got close—
They scattered instantly, avoiding him completely.
He froze.
Kikyo burst into soft laughter.
"They don't like you."
Kasage snorted lightly, clearly displeased.
"Is that so?"
Without warning, he reached out and pinched her cheek.
"If I can't touch them…"
His voice softened with amusement.
"…I can at least touch their master, right?"
"Kasage—!" Kikyo laughed, swatting his hand away.
A faint blush colored her cheeks.
"Stop that."
She caught his wrist before he could continue, her expression shifting slightly.
Her eyes moved toward the girl.
"…She's waking up."
Kasage turned immediately.
The girl on the ground slowly opened her eyes.
Her gaze was unfocused… filled with confusion.
She stared blankly at the sky.
And only then—
Kasage noticed.
Her pupils…
A deep wine-red.
Just like her hair.