"Hey… wake up."
Uchiha Kasage stepped beside the unconscious boy and lightly patted his pale cheek.
Moments earlier, when Kohaku attacked, Kasage had knocked him out with a single strike through Susanoo.
"…Mm…"
After a short while, Kohaku's eyelids trembled.
His vision slowly cleared—
Blue sky.
Jagged mountain peaks.
Confusion filled his face.
"You're finally awake, kid."
Kasage's calm voice reached him.
Kohaku turned his head sharply—
And met a pair of scarlet three-tomoe Sharingan.
Beside he stood Kagura.
In an instant—
Memories surged back.
Naraku's command.
The collapsing wooden house.
That massive skeletal hand reaching for him—
Kohaku's pupils shrank.
He sprang to his feet, grabbed his kusarigama from the ground, and held it tightly, staring at Kasage with guarded tension.
"…Kagura, you—"
He suddenly noticed her standing beside Kasage.
Not resisting.
Not attacking.
Just… watching.
Confusion filled his expression.
Kagura rolled her eyes slightly, idly spinning her fan.
"Kohaku, what's so surprising?" she said with a mocking tone. "Are you really that loyal to Naraku?"
"I…"
Kohaku froze.
The realization hit him—
Kagura had already betrayed Naraku.
"…I see."
Kasage spoke softly.
"It seems you don't remember me."
Her tone was calm—almost gentle.
"I once visited your village… the Demon Slayer Village."
"Village…?"
Kohaku instinctively clutched his head.
Fragments surfaced—
Broken.
Incomplete.
"…I… can't remember anything clearly."
His voice dropped.
Frustration.
Emptiness.
"It's fine."
Kasage smiled faintly.
"I'll help you remember."
A slight pause—
"…though it may be a little intense."
Then she raised her hand slightly, beckoning him.
"Come here."
Her voice softened.
"Your sister is still waiting for you."
"…My sister…"
The word struck something deep inside him.
A face—
A memory—
A feeling he could never forget.
Without realizing it—
He took a step forward.
Kagura narrowed her eyes slightly.
"So that's your plan," she muttered. "You're going to free him from Naraku's control?"
Kasage nodded.
"I promised his sister."
Her gaze remained on Kohaku.
"…And since we've met, I'll keep that promise."
Kagura clicked her tongue.
"Tch. You promised to free me too."
Kasage glanced at her coldly.
"That's because you're afraid to die."
Her voice was blunt.
"You don't even dare to take your own heart back."
Kagura stiffened.
"Hmph."
She turned her head away, refusing to argue.
Kohaku, hearing Kasage mention his sister again, could no longer hold himself back.
He walked toward her slowly.
"…If this helps me remember… I'll endure it."
Kasage nodded slightly.
"It will hurt. Bear with it."
The next moment—
Her eyes changed.
Mangekyō Sharingan.
They locked onto Kohaku's gaze.
"Tsukuyomi."
Silence.
Kohaku froze completely.
His pupils went blank.
His body stood motionless—
Like a statue.
Kagura leaned in slightly, curious.
"…What did you do to him?"
"Nothing special," Kasage replied calmly. "Just letting him relive everything he forgot."
Kagura lost interest quickly and glanced toward the direction Naraku had fled.
"…What about Naraku?"
Her tone sharpened slightly.
"Did he escape?"
Kasage shook her head.
"No."
A pause.
"Kikyo is waiting for him."
Kagura's eyes flickered.
"…That priestess."
A trace of expectation appeared.
"Can she kill him?"
Kasage answered immediately.
"…No."
The word shattered her hope.
"Naraku's heart isn't in his body. Killing him won't be easy."
Then she added calmly—
"And I still need him."
Kagura frowned.
"…Need him?"
"To gather the Shikon Jewel."
Kasage's tone was matter-of-fact.
"I can't kill him yet."
Kagura's expression dimmed slightly.
"…So this was all just pressure?"
Kasage smiled faintly.
"If he isn't pushed… he won't move."
"…Fine."
Kagura sighed softly.
She glanced at Kohaku—
Still frozen.
Then turned away.
"Since Hakudōshi is gone, I'm leaving."
"Wait."
Kasage stopped her.
"If you go back like this… Naraku will kill you."
Kagura's body stiffened.
Her expression darkened instantly.
"…Then what should I do?"
She hesitated—
Then clenched he fists.
A fierce resolve appeared in her eyes.
"…Then beat me half to death."
Kasage blinked.
Kagura continued seriously:
"You said my heart is with Naraku. I won't die."
"…That's your solution?"
Kasage looked at her, speechless.
Yet—
It wasn't wrong.
Suddenly—
"AHH—!!"
A piercing scream broke the air.
Kohaku collapsed to his knees, gripping the ground tightly.
"I remember…!"
His voice trembled violently.
"I remember everything…!"
Tears streamed down his face.
"I… killed them…!"
His body shook uncontrollably.
"My father… my comrades…!"
"…And I even hurt my sister…!"
His voice cracked completely.
"That day… I should have died…"
Silence fell.
Kagura watched him—
Unable to speak.
Kasage's gaze softened slightly.
Then she turned to Kagura.
"No need for your plan."
She spoke calmly.
"Take the Shikon Jewel shard from him back to Naraku."
Kagura frowned.
"…The shard is inside him?"
Her expression tightened.
"He was already dead. That shard is the only thing keeping him alive."
"If you remove it…"
"…he dies."
"It doesn't matter."
Kohaku suddenly lifted his head.
His face was covered in tears—
But his eyes—
Clear.
Resolved.
He looked directly at Kagura.
"…Take it."
His voice was steady.
"If it helps… take it."
A pause—
"I only have one request."
His grip tightened.
"…Kill Naraku."
Kagura froze.
"…You…"
She stared at him, unable to understand.
Why would he choose death so easily?
But Kohaku knew.
He remembered.
He had seen Kasage before—
At his village.
With Kikyo.
And he understood one thing clearly—
Naraku feared them.
Which meant—
They could kill him.
"Don't worry."
Kasage spoke quietly.
"I'll only let you die… for a short time."
Her tone softened.
"I will bring you back."
A pause.
"I promised your sister… that I would return you to her alive."
"…Sister…"
Kohaku lowered his head.
Guilt.
Longing.
Pain.
"…She must have suffered so much…"
"You can tell her yourself."
Kasage gestured.
"Come."
"…Let me remove the shard first."
Kohaku stepped forward without hesitation.
Closed his eyes.
"…I'm ready."
"It will be quick."
Kasage placed he hand on his head.
Her eyes shifted—
Rinnegan.
"Human Path."
A soft glow emerged—
A white soul.
Slowly pulled from Kohaku's body.
Floating above her palm.
At the same moment—
His body went limp.
Life faded instantly.
He collapsed.
Kasage casually tossed the soul into the mouth of Yama, which appeared behind her.
Then—
She knelt down.
Remove the Shikon Jewel shard from Kohaku's back.
He stood—
And handed it to Kagura.
"…Take it."
"Give this to Naraku."
Kagura accepted it silently.
She glanced at Kohaku's lifeless body.
"…This is insane…"
Without another word—
She summoned her feather, stepped onto it, and rose into the air.
Kasage watched her leave with a faint smile.
Then—
he picked up Kohaku's body—
And he placed it in Yama's mouth.
As the King of Hell faded away into flames—
Kasage activated the Flying Thunder God Technique.
In an instant—
He disappeared.