"A shrine maiden? That's unexpected."
Upon hearing Uchiha Kasage's introduction, Kanade's soul flickered gently, her voice carrying a trace of surprise, though not disbelief.
After all, on Hōraijima, strange bonds were nothing new. Even a revered being joining with a yōkai to produce half-yōkai children was not unheard of. Compared to that, a human shrine maiden falling in love did not seem so strange.
Her tone soon became more solemn as her soul light glowed faintly.
"I am Kanade, the priestess of the Hōraijima temple. It is a pleasure to meet you, Kikyo."
"It's a pleasure to meet you as well," Kikyo replied softly, inclining her head.
Her gaze lingered on the emerald glow of Kanade's soul. After a moment, she asked gently, "Could you tell me what happened on this island… and why you became like this?"
"…Of course."
Kanade paused briefly. A quiet sadness crept into her voice as she began recounting the tragic past of Hōraijima.
While the two spoke, Kasage, already familiar with the story, did not listen in. Instead, he retrieved Suiko's body from the Kamui dimension.
Carefully, he removed the remaining black receivers embedded within her and extracted the Rinnegan as well. The power of the Six Paths was completely withdrawn, returning her body to its original state.
Once finished, he placed Suiko's body into a wooden coffin and stored it again within the Kamui dimension.
His attention then shifted to Kikyo's clone lying nearby.
He did not act immediately. Instead, he turned and extended his hand toward the King of Hell floating beside him.
A faint wisp of soul light drifted out from its mouth. Kasage caught it precisely and examined it.
He quickly noticed that traces of Gōra's yōkai energy still lingered within the soul.
At first, he intended to purge it using chakra. But then his expression changed slightly.
He drew upon the long-dormant Sage Power within his body, gathering it into his palm.
This power, cultivated from the teachings of the Peach Hermit, had only ever subtly strengthened his body and extended his lifespan. He had never found a more practical use for it.
But now, an idea formed.
Sage Power… and yōkai energy were not entirely different in nature.
Perhaps…
Without hesitation, he guided the Sage Power into the soul like a gentle stream, carefully pushing out the remaining yōkai energy bit by bit.
The process was delicate, but steady.
Before long, the yōkai energy was completely replaced.
In his hand, the soul now glowed softly, wrapped in pure Sage Power.
Kasage nodded faintly and tossed it back into the King of Hell's mouth. At the same time, he commanded it to extend a thick, fleshy appendage that pulled in Kikyo's clone.
The massive jaws closed slowly.
A faint, unsettling chewing sound echoed as body and soul merged within.
After a short while, the mouth opened again.
The clone was pushed out.
She stood upright, clad in her familiar samurai armor. Her expression was empty, her eyes lifeless, her body completely still.
"…Interesting."
Kasage raised an eyebrow, studying her closely.
By reintroducing a soul—albeit an incomplete one—he had effectively restored her to a form of life.
Through the Sage Power embedded within that soul, he could now sense her clearly.
There was a connection.
However, it was incomplete.
Though she possessed a soul, she lacked true consciousness. She could not think for herself. She could only obey commands transmitted through that connection.
Kasage tested it.
Walk forward.
Turn.
Jump.
The clone obeyed instantly and perfectly, moving like a puppet following precise instructions.
"Kasage… what is she doing?"
Kikyo's voice came from behind. She had just finished speaking with Kanade and turned around—only to see her own double hopping awkwardly in place.
Her cheeks flushed red with a mix of embarrassment and disbelief.
"Why is she… doing something so strange…?"
Kasage smiled faintly and explained the process—removing the yōkai energy, restoring the soul, and establishing control.
Kikyo listened carefully, her expression thoughtful.
"…It does resemble a shikigami," she said after a moment, observing the clone closely. "But compared to a true shikigami… it has no real advantages."
She shook her head slightly.
"A shikigami only requires spiritual power. But she is a living body—she bleeds, feels hunger, grows tired. All the weaknesses of the living remain."
She paused, then added, more seriously, "And her strength… is not particularly impressive either."
"That's exactly why she works," Kasage replied calmly. "To create the Deva Path puppet, I need a soul inside the body. Without a soul, there can be no spiritual power."
He continued, his tone patient.
"A corpse puppet doesn't feel fatigue or pain. Even if damaged, it can keep fighting. But a living puppet is different. Hunger, exhaustion, pain… all of it affects performance."
"However," he added, glancing at the clone, "spiritual power comes from the soul. If I want her to use shrine maiden abilities… a soul is necessary."
Having made his decision, he no longer hesitated.
Through their mental link, he commanded the clone to step forward and enter the mouth of the King of Hell once more.
This time, he chose not to work externally.
Instead, he would modify her body directly from within—more efficient, and far safer.
Closing his eyes, Kasage channeled his Yin–Yang Release.
Black receivers began forming slowly inside the clone's body under his precise control.
Unlike before, he could not be careless.
This was not a corpse, but a living body with a soul.
Every receiver had to avoid vital organs, especially the heart. They were placed only along key meridian points, ensuring they would not disrupt bodily functions or movement.
It was an extremely delicate process.
Time passed quietly.
"How is it? Is it done?"
Kikyo, now slightly drowsy, stepped forward after he opened his eyes, curiosity clear in her voice.
"It's finished."
As he spoke, the King of Hell opened its mouth once more.
The clone stepped out.
She looked almost identical to Kikyo.
The only difference…
Her eyes.
They were no longer amber, but pale purple—the Rinnegan—radiating a cold, oppressive presence.
"Kikyo… what do you think of my 'Kikyo'?"
The clone suddenly turned and spoke.
Her voice was identical, yet carried a faint teasing tone.
Kikyo immediately understood.
"…Kasage."
She walked up to the puppet, her expression both embarrassed and slightly annoyed. Reaching out, she pinched its cheek gently.
"This is an imposter. Don't call her Kikyo."
"Alright, alright," Kasage said with a small laugh, raising his hands in surrender.
After a brief pause, he shrugged lightly. "Then I'll just call her… Deva."
"Hm. That's fine."
Kikyo nodded, satisfied.
She released the puppet's cheek and observed it again, curiosity lingering in her eyes as she studied the Deva Path that looked exactly like herself.