"…This is… the White Child?"
Despite the pain and weakness caused by the miasma inside her, Kagura couldn't help but widen her eyes in shock.
"Mm. An old acquaintance of yours," Uchiha Kasage replied lightly, guiding the White Child step by step toward her.
"Wasn't he already dead after you extracted his soul?" Kagura asked, her gaze fixed on him.
Looking more closely, she noticed that the White Child's original purple pupils had changed—replaced by strange eyes with concentric ripples.
"He is dead," Kasage answered calmly. "I simply turned him into a puppet."
The White Child stopped beside Kagura, his small figure level with her as she knelt on the ground.
—Pfft!
A dull, sudden sound broke the silence.
Kagura's eyes widened as she looked down—
The White Child's hand had pierced straight into her chest through the wound.
Her body tensed instinctively. For a split second, she thought he was going to kill her.
But then—
She froze.
The miasma raging inside her body began to surge outward, flowing rapidly into the White Child through his arm.
"…You could've warned me first," Kagura muttered, glaring at Kasage as the pressure in her body began to ease. "I thought he was trying to kill me."
"I told you he's my puppet. How could he possibly kill you?" Kasage replied flatly, without a hint of sympathy. "You're just too afraid of dying."
"…Hmph."
Kagura let out a dissatisfied snort but didn't argue further.
Right now, her life depended entirely on him.
After a brief hesitation, she chose to remain silent and endure it.
Moments later, all the miasma inside her had been completely absorbed into the White Child.
"…Mm!"
With a faint groan, Kagura felt the last traces of corruption leave her body.
The White Child withdrew his arm, his hand stained with fresh blood.
"…Haah…"
Kagura let out a long breath, relief clearly written across her face.
"I'm alive… Thank you, Uchiha Kasage."
With the miasma gone, her yokai body began to recover rapidly.
Nourished by her demonic energy, the wound in her chest started healing at a visible rate.
Even such a severe injury would fully close within half a day, as long as her power held.
—Bang!
Kasage released the Summoning Technique.
The White Child's body dissolved into a cloud of pale mist and vanished instantly.
"You really turned him into a puppet…" Kagura murmured, still watching the spot where he had disappeared, disbelief lingering in her eyes.
"Of course," Kasage replied calmly. "Otherwise, do you think he'd willingly absorb all that miasma for you?"
He paused slightly, then added,
"Even if he's Naraku's incarnation, no one would willingly take in that much corruption while alive."
"That's true," Kagura said, nodding slowly.
A faint, satisfied smile appeared on her lips.
"Still… seeing that brat reduced to this state feels pretty good."
Kasage glanced at her briefly before asking,
"So, what are you planning to do next?"
Kagura froze.
For a moment, she didn't answer.
From the moment she was born, she had lived under Naraku's control, acting only according to his will.
Her only dream had been freedom—true freedom, like the wind.
But now that she finally had it…
She felt lost.
"…Maybe I'll just wander," she said after a pause, slowly sitting up. A faint light appeared in her eyes. "I want to ride the wind… and see the world. Go wherever I want."
Kasage watched her quietly, then spoke in a calm but firm tone:
"That's a fine dream. But I suggest you don't wander too far before Naraku is dead."
His words immediately dampened her excitement.
"…You think he'll come after me again?" Kagura asked, her expression tightening.
"Without a doubt."
Kasage nodded.
"From your injuries, it's obvious. He pierced your chest and filled your body with miasma—but deliberately avoided your heart."
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"That wasn't mercy. It was cruelty."
"To give you freedom… and then take it away in despair. That's exactly how Naraku thinks."
He paused, then added,
"If he finds out you're still alive—and enjoying that freedom—he won't let it go."
Kagura fell silent for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh.
"…Yes. That sounds exactly like him."
"I have a suggestion," Kasage continued. "Join Inuyasha and the others. Work with them to kill Naraku. Only then will your freedom truly be secure."
"…No thanks."
Kagura curled her lips slightly, unimpressed.
"They've been completely played by Naraku. I'm not interested in getting dragged into their mess."
After resting for a while, her wounds had mostly stabilized, though her kimono remained torn and stained with blood, leaving her looking somewhat disheveled.
She stood up slowly and looked at Kasage.
"I'll stay with you and Kikyo for now. Naraku probably won't dare approach you so easily."
Kasage considered this briefly, then nodded.
"Suit yourself. As long as you don't stray too far, he likely won't risk attacking."
Kagura let out a small sigh of relief.
In her mind, Kasage was the safest option—far more reliable than Inuyasha, and far less unpredictable than Sesshomaru.
As for Sesshomaru…
She didn't understand him at all.
There was a real chance he'd simply cut her down the moment they met.
"By the way," Kagura asked, glancing around at the forest path, "what are you planning to do now?"
"Head to Kaede's Village," Kasage replied. "I'm going to find Sango—the demon slayer—and return her brother, Kohaku."
"…Kohaku… is alive?" Kagura's eyes widened in disbelief.
She had seen it herself—Kasage removing the Shikon shard, Kohaku collapsing lifelessly.
And yet—
"He's alive?" she repeated.
Kasage nodded calmly.
"I said I could bring him back. There was never a problem."
Kagura's interest was instantly piqued.
"Then I'll take you there," she said, a hint of excitement in her voice. "I want to see it with my own eyes."
With a casual motion, she summoned a large feather and stepped lightly onto it.
Kasage had originally intended to walk a short distance before using Flying Thunder God to teleport.
But seeing the massive feather beneath her feet, he paused… then stepped onto it as well.
"…I'm curious," he admitted quietly.
"What it feels like… to fly like this."