Naraku glanced at Hakudōshi, who had been struck by the Demon-Slaying Arrow.
He lay motionless on the ground, eyes closed.
"Don't expect him to help you."
Uchiha Kasage's voice carried a faint mockery.
"That's a sealing arrow."
A small smile touched her lips.
"You should recognize it… it's the same arrow Kikyo used to seal Inuyasha back then."
Naraku's expression darkened instantly.
"Kagura. Kohaku. Stop him."
His tone allowed no refusal.
The moment the order was given—
Kohaku's eyes turned blank.
Without hesitation, he reached back, drew his kusarigama, and stepped in front of Naraku, taking a defensive stance.
Kasage watched quietly.
Her gaze lingered on Kohaku.
"…So you still haven't regained your memories."
She could see it immediately—
The stiffness.
The emptiness.
He was still under control.
Things had diverged.
Originally, Naraku would have hidden Akago in a human castle, placing Kohaku and Kanna as guards. That chain of events would have led to Kohaku regaining his memories.
But now—
Everything had been disrupted.
Because of her.
Naraku hadn't even had the time to properly execute that plan.
"…Kagura."
Naraku's voice dropped, cold and threatening.
"Move."
Kagura's grip tightened around her fan.
She glanced at Kasage—
Then gritted her teeth.
"Dance of Dragons and Snakes!"
She swung her fan.
Two roaring tornadoes spiraled forward, tearing through the air like twin dragons, closing in on Kasage from both sides.
At the same time—
"Whoosh!"
Kohaku's kusarigama shot forward, the chain clashing sharply as it aimed straight for Kasage's chest.
In that brief opening—
Naraku moved.
His body shot backward, fleeing toward the exit.
"BOOM!!"
A deafening explosion erupted.
The wooden house perched on the cliff edge collapsed instantly, swallowed by smoke, splinters, and dust.
From within the destruction—
A towering, pale-blue skeletal figure emerged.
Susanoo.
Its massive hand gripped Kohaku, holding him firmly but without harm.
Kagura burst out of the smoke, riding her feather, her clothes disheveled, breathing slightly uneven.
From a distance—
Naraku looked back.
His expression was grim.
But—
Thanks to that brief delay—
His body had finally recovered.
And he had no intention of staying.
In the next instant—
He vanished into the distance.
Kasage stood within Susanoo, watching him leave.
he didn't pursue.
Naraku had been buying time—
And so had he.
Kikyo was already in position.
Even before Deva Akane fired the arrow—
Kikyo had been preparing to intercept Naraku.
And with her—
A shikigami created from Kasage's Shadow Clone, placed nearby using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Everything…
Was already set in motion.
The skeletal form of Susanoo faded away.
Kasage stepped forward and looked down at Hakudōshi, still pinned to the ground by the sealing arrow.
She reached down—
And lifted him.
"What are you going to do with him?"
Kagura landed beside he, stepping off her feather.
Her eyes lingered on Hakudōshi.
"…Kill him?"
Kasage glanced at her.
"…You've noticed it, haven't you?"
Without waiting for an answer—
he raised her hand.
Wind-nature chakra formed at her fingertips—sharp, invisible.
With a light motion—
"Rip—!"
Hakudōshi's chest was sliced open effortlessly.
Inside—
Empty.
No heart.
Kagura's eyes widened.
"…What—"
"As you can see," Kasage said calmly, "he doesn't have one."
Even as they watched—
The wound began to heal.
"Even if you cut off his head… he won't die."
Her gaze shifted to Kagura.
"…Just like you."
A brief pause.
"Your hearts… aren't in your bodies."
Then, with a faint, almost teasing tone—
"For beings like you, you're surprisingly afraid of death."
Kagura's expression sharpened immediately.
"That's easy for you to say!"
Her voice rose slightly.
"Even if we don't die… it still hurts!"
She looked back at Hakudōshi, her gaze turning serious.
"…But I think I know where his heart is."
Kasage didn't interrupt.
"You told me before," Kagura continued, "that he came from a baby that had been cut in half."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"If his heart isn't here… then it's probably with that baby."
Kasage gave a small nod.
"That's correct."
Then she added—
"…But more precisely, that baby holds Naraku's heart."
"…What?!"
Kagura froze.
Her pupils trembled.
"…Naraku's… heart?"
For a moment—
She couldn't process it.
That child—
The one she had stayed beside—
"…I had no idea…"
Her hands clenched tightly.
Regret surged in her chest.
A chance—
So close—
Gone.
Kasage watched her quietly.
Then—
She placed her hand on Hakudōshi's head.
Her Rinnegan appeared.
"…I only need his body."
Her voice softened slightly.
Cold.
Decisive.
From Hakudōshi's body—
A faint white light began to emerge.
Slowly—
She pulled it free.
A soul.
Floating gently in her palm.
Kagura stared at it, stunned.
"…What is that?"
"The soul."
Kasage's eyes remained fixed on it.
"…Hakudōshi's soul."
She paused briefly.
"I read part of his memory."
Then—
"That baby… Akago… holds Naraku's heart."
Kagura stood frozen.
Everything connected—
Too late.
Kasage turned slightly.
Behind her—
The King of Hell (Yama) appeared, its massive mouth opening silently.
Without hesitation—
She tossed both Hakudōshi's body and soul into it.
Then she looked back at Kagura.
A faint, knowing smile formed.
"…Naraku trusted you quite a lot."
Kagura's eyes snapped toward her.
"He held your heart… and you protected his."
Kagura gritted her teeth.
"I didn't know!"
Her voice trembled with anger and frustration.
"I had no idea…!"
Kasage watched her for a moment—
Then smiled faintly.
But there was no warmth in it.
Naraku…
Would never leave something so important unguarded.
If he entrusted Akago to Kagura—
Then he had already prepared a way…
To control her.