"That's right," Uchiha Kasage nodded, summarizing calmly.
"So I suspect that Kagome's world and ours are completely separate."
"They are not a future five hundred years apart."
"The Bone-Eater's Well is more like a gateway…"
"…allowing her to travel from her world to this one."
Kikyo's eyes lit up slightly as she followed his reasoning.
"Then that would mean…"
"There has only ever been one Shikon Jewel."
"And it is the one Kagome carries."
She continued softly,
"After I died fifty years ago… my soul didn't reincarnate into this world's future."
"…it went to Kagome's world instead."
"That would explain why neither Rito's techniques nor your Edo Tensei could find my soul here."
Kagome's expression shifted.
"So… that's the truth…"
Her previous belief—
that she came from this world's future—
completely collapsed.
"Kagome," Kasage said, looking at her with a faint smile, "once you get home…"
"…try breaking the tablet."
"Then we'll know for sure."
Kagome nodded firmly.
"Okay."
"I'll go now."
She tightened her grip on the wooden tablet—
and turned toward the well.
Without hesitation—
she jumped.
Kasage watched her disappear.
"…I'll be waiting for your call."
The moment she was gone—
he raised his hand.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu."
A cloud of smoke burst outward—
and an identical copy appeared beside him.
Kikyo looked at it, slightly puzzled.
"…Why?"
"Just in case," Kasage replied.
"If I'm summoned and can't return, it would be troublesome."
"When the technique activates…"
"…the clone will respond instead."
Inuyasha frowned slightly.
"Why do you even want to go to her world?"
Kasage smiled faintly.
"I'm curious."
"I want to see it for myself."
Inuyasha crossed his arms, thinking for a moment.
"…It's a weird place."
"The people, the buildings… everything's strange."
Kasage chuckled quietly.
To him, it made perfect sense.
Inuyasha—
a hanyō from the Sengoku era—
and Kagome—
a modern student—
were worlds apart.
Then he glanced at Inuyasha and said calmly,
"You should hope this works."
Inuyasha frowned.
"…Why?"
"If it fails," Kasage said lightly, "you might not be able to see Kagome again."
Inuyasha's expression darkened.
"That's not possible."
"I can just go through the well."
Kasage looked at him.
"…Have you forgotten why she could come here in the first place?"
Inuyasha froze.
"…What do you mean?"
Kikyo stepped forward quietly.
"It's because of the Shikon Jewel."
"Inuyasha… that's the reason Kagome could cross worlds."
She paused.
"If Naraku is defeated… and the jewel disappears…"
"…then Kagome's purpose in this world will end."
"And when that happens…"
"…the well may no longer work for her."
Silence.
Inuyasha's face changed completely.
"…No…"
Kikyo's voice softened slightly.
"If that happens…"
"…you may never see her again."
Those words hit hard.
Everything he had taken for granted—
suddenly felt fragile.
Since Kikyo and Kasage had already chosen each other—
Inuyasha no longer wavered like before.
His feelings for Kagome had grown stronger.
Clearer.
They had even promised—
to stay together in the future.
And now—
that future felt uncertain.
"…Is there a way?" he asked suddenly, grabbing Kasage's arm.
"Can you make it so she can keep coming back?"
Kasage shook his head.
"…No."
Inuyasha's grip loosened.
But Kasage continued.
"However…"
"If I can reach her world…"
"…I might find another way."
"To bring her here."
"Or send you there."
Inuyasha's eyes lit up.
"…Really?"
Kasage shrugged slightly.
"I won't know until I see it."
"If I can't cross over…"
"…then none of this matters."
Inuyasha fell silent—
but his anxiety didn't fade.
He began pacing back and forth, glancing repeatedly at Kasage and the shadow clone.
"…Why hasn't anything happened yet?" he muttered.
"Maybe it failed," Kasage said calmly.
"Or maybe something delayed her."
"Let's wait a bit longer."
Kikyo remained quiet, simply observing.
Only Inuyasha grew more restless.
After a while, he spoke again.
"…If she breaks it… will you know immediately?"
"If it works," Kasage replied, "the clone will be summoned instantly."
"If nothing happens…"
"…then the distance is too great."
"In that case, the technique failed."
He looked at Inuyasha.
"Don't worry. It should work."
"The fact that you can travel through the well means the two worlds are connected."
"Unless…"
He paused.
"…it really is just time travel across five hundred years."
"In that case, it won't work."
The Summoning Technique required connection—
proximity between worlds.
He had already lost his original summoning contracts when arriving here.
That proved how important that connection was.
Still—
he believed this would succeed.
The Bone-Eater's Well.
The sacred tree.
The natural energy tied to space and time.
All of it pointed to a bridge—
not a timeline.
Time passed.
Nothing happened.
Even Kasage began to frown slightly.
"…Did I miscalculate?"
Kikyo glanced at him.
"…You didn't feel anything?"
"No."
Inuyasha suddenly stood up.
"…I'm going."
"I'll check on Kagome myself."
He turned toward the well.
Kasage didn't stop him.
He also felt something was off.
Inuyasha stepped forward—
ready to jump.
Then—
Poof!
A cloud of smoke exploded behind him.
He turned sharply.
The shadow clone—
was gone.