"Damn it…"
Naraku's expression turned grim.
His Barrier had just been shattered by Deva Akane's spiritual power, and there was no time to form another.
Worse—
Kikyo's sacred energy clung to his wounds like a curse, suppressing his regeneration and leaving him unable to resist.
Then—
"Thud! Thud! Thud!"
The Diamond Spears struck.
Naraku's already broken body—nearly split in two—was pierced through again and again, riddled with glittering shards until he resembled a grotesque pincushion.
"Am I late?"
A calm voice echoed across the battlefield.
A brilliant pale-blue blade of light shot forward from afar—
And struck Naraku directly.
"BOOM!!"
The explosion of Yokai power drowned out his scream.
At the same moment, a silver-white figure descended swiftly into Inu no Taishō's tomb.
"…Sesshomaru!"
Inuyasha raised Tessaiga, clearly surprised.
Sesshomaru didn't even spare him a proper glance at first.
Then—
A cold look.
Sharp.
Disdainful.
"To allow filth like Naraku to disturb Father's grave…"
His voice was calm—but filled with quiet fury.
"…pathetic."
"You—!" Inuyasha snapped, instantly angered.
"Inuyasha!"
Kagome Higurashi quickly intervened, stopping him before it escalated.
Nearby, Miroku narrowed his eyes, watching the fading explosion.
"…Did we finish him?"
"…No."
As the smoke cleared—
Naraku's shattered remains were revealed.
Sango's expression fell.
"His Yokai aura… it's still there."
And then—
Kagome shouted,
"Look out—!"
Before their eyes, Naraku's broken body began to reassemble—
Then fade.
"He's escaping again…" Miroku muttered bitterly.
As Naraku's form retreated through the aerial passage—
Kasage, who had been waiting for this moment, acted.
High above—
Deva Akane stood atop Tekkei.
She calmly drew the Demon-Slaying Bow—
And took the single arrow from the quiver.
For a brief instant—
Her grip tightened.
The spiritual energy surrounding the arrow pulsed softly.
Kikyo's power.
Steady.
Pure.
"Go."
"Whoosh—!"
The Demon-Slaying Arrow streaked across the sky like a beam of light—
Piercing straight into the passage Naraku had opened through Hakudōshi's Barrier.
"…Kikyo's arrow?!"
Inuyasha's eyes widened in shock as he sensed the familiar energy.
Without thinking, he looked up.
But—
"Bang! Bang!"
Smoke burst apart in the sky.
Abi, Tekkei, and the circling Hell Birds—
All vanished into white mist.
Gone.
"Why…?" Inuyasha frowned. "Why was Kikyo here… and with Abi?"
Sango hesitated. "Was that really Lady Kikyo…?"
Inuyasha didn't hesitate.
"…Yeah. It was her."
His voice was firm.
"That arrow… it carried her spiritual power. I'd recognize it anywhere."
Kagome nodded slowly.
"…I felt it too."
Miroku exhaled, a small smile forming.
"Then we can ask her once we leave this place."
He glanced toward the others.
"…Either way, we obtained the final Shikon Jewel shard."
"This journey… was worth it."
---
### Elsewhere…
After guiding Sesshomaru to the entrance of the Yokai cavern, Kagura quickly returned.
She couldn't risk raising Hakudōshi's suspicion.
But as she stepped inside—
She froze.
Hakudōshi lay in the center of the room—
Surrounded by a pale purple Barrier.
"…A Barrier?" Kagura frowned.
There were no enemies nearby.
Why would he—
"Amber."
She glanced at the silent boy beside the wall.
"What is he doing?"
No response.
Kagura sighed.
"…Right. Of course."
"Kagura."
Hakudōshi's voice suddenly rang out.
Cold.
Sharp.
"Where did you go?"
She stiffened.
"…Just getting some air," she replied, forcing a casual tone. "Staying around you all day is exhausting."
"Answer me properly."
His gaze locked onto her.
Cold. Piercing.
Suspicious.
Kagura clenched her teeth slightly—
But before he could press further—
The Barrier suddenly trembled.
Violently.
Both of them turned.
The disturbance intensified—
And then—
A new spherical Barrier began to form.
But—
CRACK!
It shattered instantly.
A streak of light burst through—
A Demon-Slaying Arrow.
Like a falling star.
Radiant.
Unstoppable.
Before Hakudōshi could react—
It pierced straight through his chest—
Pinning him to the ground.
"…What?!"
At that same moment—
Naraku's broken form emerged beside him.
"—Naraku!"
Kagura's eyes widened.
Even Kohaku showed a flicker of emotion.
Naraku's body slowly regenerated as he stared at the arrow lodged in Hakudōshi.
That power—
Familiar.
"…Kikyo."
His voice was low.
Cold.
"…If that arrow had come any faster… I might never have returned."
For a brief moment—
His lips curled into a faint smile.
But then—
A presence appeared.
Right beside Hakudōshi.
Naraku's expression froze.
Then twisted.
"…Uchiha Kasage."
Kasage stood there calmly.
As if she had simply stepped through a door.
"Long time no see, Naraku."
Her tone was light—
But her eyes were sharp.
Unforgiving.
She had followed the Flying Thunder God mark placed on the arrow—
Straight to his hiding place.
Kagura saw her—
And for a split second—
Hope surged in her chest.
Kill him…
But outwardly—
She remained tense.
Her fan tightened in her grip.
Watching.
Waiting.
If Kasage attacked—
She would not hesitate to strike as well.
Naraku, however, forced himself to remain calm.
Even as his body struggled to recover.
"…How did you find this place?"
He needed time.
Just a little more time.
Kasage tilted her head slightly.
A faint smile appeared.
"…Why don't you guess?"
Of course—
She had no intention of explaining.
Everything had gone exactly as planned.
From entering Inu no Taishō's grave—
To sending only Abi to restrain Naraku—
To recreating that decisive moment—
The Demon-Slaying Arrow.
Infused with Kikyo's power.
Fired by Deva Akane.
And now—
The path to Naraku…
Was open.