Uchiha Kasage controlled Deva Path Kikyo as she leaped down from the terrace, landing lightly in an open area nearby.
He began testing her abilities, guiding her through various movements and physical techniques while observing carefully.
To his satisfaction, the black chakra receivers embedded within her body did not hinder her flexibility at all. There was no sense of discomfort, and her movements remained smooth and natural. More importantly, her spiritual power flowed without obstruction.
Since Deva Path Kikyo was still alive and not a corpse, this result was especially important.
Kasage then attempted something further.
He released direct control over her body and instead issued commands through the connection formed with her soul.
Deva Path Kikyo responded immediately.
She moved on her own, executing every command flawlessly, as if guided by instinct.
After confirming everything was functioning properly, Kasage guided her back inside.
"Let's see if you can eat."
A table had already been prepared, filled with simple food.
This was something the original clone had never experienced.
Created by the Four Shitō Gods solely to break the seal on the jewel box, she had been treated as a disposable tool. Once her purpose was fulfilled, she had no value. Naturally, no one had ever bothered to feed her.
Because of this, since her release, she had not eaten at all.
Through the Rinnegan link, Kasage could clearly feel the intense hunger within her body.
He guided her to sit, take a rice ball, and bring it to her mouth.
After a few bites, he completely withdrew control.
Deva Path Kikyo paused for a moment, then instinctively continued eating, imitating what she had just done.
Her speed increased rapidly. Her cheeks puffed out as she devoured the food, clearly starving.
Kasage sighed softly as he watched her.
"A living body really is troublesome. It needs food… rest…" He shook his head slightly. "If I forget to feed her one day, will she just starve?"
Kikyo, who had been watching quietly, suddenly froze as something occurred to her. Her face flushed instantly.
"Then… does that mean she also needs to bathe and…?"
She couldn't finish the sentence.
"To use the toilet? Of course," Kasage replied without hesitation. "She's alive, not a corpse. All normal bodily functions apply."
"No! Absolutely not!"
Kikyo stood up abruptly, stepping in front of Deva Path Kikyo as if shielding her. Her face was bright red as she glared at him.
Her tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.
She knew perfectly well that Kasage could share the senses of his Six Paths puppets.
And this one…
Looked exactly like her.
The thought alone made her feel as if she were completely exposed.
Deva Path Kikyo, still eating, looked up blankly at Kikyo, then lowered her head and continued eating, completely unaware of the situation.
"Is it really that serious?" Kasage asked with a faint smile, clearly amused. "She doesn't seem to mind."
"No means no!" Kikyo stamped her foot, her embarrassment only growing.
Seeing her reaction, Kasage chuckled softly and stopped teasing her.
"Alright, don't worry."
He closed his Rinnegan, his eyes returning to their normal dark color.
"If I don't activate the Rinnegan or transmit chakra, the visual link is cut. I won't see or control anything."
Kikyo turned to look at Deva Path Kikyo.
Sure enough, her eyes had changed back from the pale purple Rinnegan to their original amber color.
Only then did Kikyo relax.
She sat down beside her double, muttering softly, "That's better…"
"You're overly cautious," Kasage said with a smirk, watching the two identical figures sitting side by side.
"Hmph."
Kikyo turned her head away, still slightly flustered.
After a brief pause, Kasage's expression shifted as he looked toward a quiet corner.
"Kanade."
The glowing soul had been silently observing everything.
"Do you still have your body?"
At his question, Kikyo immediately understood his intention. He was thinking of creating a body for Kanade.
"…No," Kanade replied softly, a trace of sorrow in her voice. "When I jumped into the Cauldron of Resonance… my body was burned to ashes."
"I see…"
Kasage frowned slightly, thinking.
Kanade existed now only as a soul.
Although she could maintain this form on Hōraijima, much like the firefly spirits, she would be unable to leave or act freely without a physical body.
Without a body, she was essentially powerless.
"I have an idea," Kikyo said after a moment. "We could leave the island and search for a suitable body."
She continued thoughtfully, "There are yōkai that devour souls. Sometimes, they leave behind empty bodies… vessels without consciousness. Those might work."
Kasage's eyes lit up as he recalled a past encounter.
He had indeed seen such cases before.
"…A soulless body…"
He paused, then suddenly smiled.
"There's one available right now. I wonder if it will work."
As he spoke, a spiral of space twisted open before him.
From the Kamui dimension, he retrieved a simple yet ancient-looking box.
"The jewel box of the Four Shitō Gods?" Kanade exclaimed in surprise. "Why do you still have it?"
"Because it's useful."
Kasage opened it.
Inside were four beads, each glowing with a different color.
"These are… the power orbs of the Four Shitō Gods?" Kanade's voice trembled slightly with surprise.
"Exactly," Kasage replied. "But their souls have already been removed. What remains… is just an empty shell."
He extended the box toward her.
"This was both the source of their power and their true bodies."
Without souls, they were no different from lifeless vessels.
"Choose one," he said calmly. "I'll try to place your soul inside it."
"…Is that really possible?" Kanade hesitated, though hope was evident in her voice.
"We won't know unless we try."
After a brief pause, her soul drifted slowly above the box before stopping in front of a red bead.
"…This one. I remember… it belongs to Kyōra."
Kasage nodded.
He took the red bead, put the others away, and returned the box to the Kamui dimension.
"What should I do?" Kanade asked, her voice tinged with nervous anticipation.
"Nothing complicated. Just relax."
Kasage's Rinnegan appeared once more as he reached out, gently grasping her soul.
Purple flames flared again as the King of Hell emerged, its massive mouth opening slowly.
Without hesitation, he tossed both the soul and the red orb inside.
The jaws closed.
A clear chewing sound echoed from within.
Kikyo stepped closer, watching with curiosity.
"Will it work?"
"It should," Kasage replied quietly, focusing on sensing what was happening inside.
After a short while, the chewing sound stopped.
The King of Hell opened its mouth once more.
The next moment—
The red orb floated out, hovering silently in midair.