Chapter 220: Kaguya, Mount Hakurei
The ink on the page Niwa Nagahide had just closed remained wet, glistening faintly in the dim light.
Naturally, the dark conspiracies brewing within the Tenshukaku of Kiyosu Castle could not reach the Imagawa main camp stationed at Okehazama. However, Hikaru did not need to waste his energy constantly monitoring the movements of the Oda Clan. His attention was anchored to a completely different matter.
News had arrived from Kaede Village.
Through his network of fear, a fragmented and hurried message echoed in his mind that afternoon. The Tanuki Spirit's voice trembled, carrying that peculiar mix of absolute reverence and irrepressible excitement unique to the small, four-legged yokai.
The Bone-Eating Well was showing movement.
Hidden behind the shrine in Kaede Village, the ancient well had sat in absolute silence for untold years. Now, it had finally begun to react. For the past three months, a staggering quantity of yokai corpses had been continuously dumped into its depths. The remains came from various sources: the brutal mopping-up operations during the Tono tribe's southern invasion, the mangled bodies of miscellaneous yokai slaughtered along their travel routes, and the massive batch of charred remains delivered by the Demon Slayer Corps after they purged the world's lingering evils following Kibutsuji Muzan's defeat.
All of that accumulated death had finally triggered a response.
Inside the dark shaft, yokai that were nothing more than rotting corpses had suddenly sprung to life. Yet, this burst of vitality was an illusion. The moment these creatures appeared to revive, their life force vanished just as quickly. They merely jerked upward, startling the nearby guards, before collapsing back into lifeless husks.
"The Bone-Eating Well is an ancient structure constructed from the wood of the Sacred Tree, the Era Tree. Its true power should not lie in resurrecting yokai, but rather in reversing their physical state through time, briefly returning them to how they looked right before death."
Kikyo delivered this calm assessment after hearing the report.
She sat gracefully inside the tent, her longbow resting beside her knees. Her slender fingers methodically checked the fletching of an arrow. In the warm glow of the oil lamp, her crisp white robe and vibrant red hakama looked immaculate, her midnight-black hair cascading smoothly over one shoulder.
Hikaru leaned casually against the central wooden pillar of the tent, his Crimson Demon Eyes half-closed in thought.
The Bone-Eating Well.
In the original timeline of Inuyasha, it served as the sole passage connecting the violent Warring States period to the peaceful modern era. But in this chaotic reality, where the worldviews of multiple distinct realms had violently merged, its function might not perfectly mirror his memories. In the original story, yokai thrown into the well simply vanished, presumably transported to the other end of the space-time continuum connected to the well's bottom. They certainly did not resurrect, nor did they revert to their pre-death states, even if it was just a fleeting, fake flash of vitality.
Despite these alterations, the core essence remained unchanged. That well possessed the absolute power to traverse time and space.
And those four words concealed an ocean of possibilities.
Hikaru's Crimson Demon Eyes narrowed to dangerous slits.
He had been waiting for this exact day. From the very moment he first laid eyes on that moss-covered ancient well behind Kaede Village, from the second his system detected the favorability of the Sacred Tree, he had formed a plan. Once Kikyo confirmed that the plain-looking stone circle was indeed the Bone-Eating Well, he began systematically dumping yokai corpses into its depths.
He carefully calculated the concentration of Yao Qi in each corpse, the intensity of their residual resentment, and the exact intervals between each dumping session. Although he did not know the specific activation conditions required for this merged world, his pragmatic judgment as a transmigrator told him that the Bone-Eating Well demanded a massive, concentrated accumulation of Yao Qi to finally awaken.
So, he fed it.
He fed it continuously and steadily. It was the exact same principle he used when grinding favorability with his weapons. Quantitative change would inevitably lead to qualitative change.
Kikyo was entirely aware of Hikaru's intense focus on the Bone-Eating Well.
She paused her work, her dark eyes reflecting deep thought. "According to the ancient records kept in the shrine, the Bone-Eating Well has experienced similar anomalies in the distant past. But after every such occurrence, the priestesses of those eras would immediately stop throwing yokai corpses into the shaft, causing the anomalies to cease entirely."
She looked up at him. "Based on this historical inference, it should still be lacking just a little more energy."
Hikaru nodded slowly.
There was no rush. The complete awakening of the Bone-Eating Well was merely a matter of time. What occupied his thoughts far more was exactly what he intended to use it for once it fully awoke.
Or rather, who he intended to use it against.
Beyond simply conquering the well to obtain a time-related ability that would be considered absolute top-tier in any existing world, Hikaru harbored a very specific target.
He reached into his robes and withdrew a folded piece of parchment he had kept on his person for a long time. He unfolded it twice, revealing a rough but distinct sketch. The ink lines formed the outline of a massive, conical mountain with steep, snow-capped peaks.
Mount Fuji.
Revered as the sacred mountain of Japan since ancient times, it was widely believed to be the single place in the entire mortal realm closest to the Celestial Realm. The absolute highest point in the human world.
This parchment was the direct result of an extensive investigation he had ordered the Tanuki Spirit to conduct through their vast intelligence network a full month ago.
Located within Suruga Province, Mount Fuji stood as the highest peak in Japan, a sacred site jointly worshipped by both Shinto and Buddhist followers.
But Hikaru knew exactly what was hidden inside that mountain.
From the very first day he transmigrated into this brutal world, his mind had retained crystal-clear memories regarding the lore of Inuyasha. He knew with absolute certainty that the Mount Fuji of this world was not simply a dormant volcano waiting to erupt, nor was it merely a sacred landmark tied to ancient mythology.
Deep inside Mount Fuji, a true celestial palace lay sealed away in the dark.
The master of that celestial palace was an entity who arrogantly called herself the Celestial Maiden.
Her name was Kaguya.
Despite her self-proclaimed title, she was no divine being. She was a parasitic demon who had ruthlessly devoured the true Celestial Maiden.
Legends claimed that long ago, a Celestial Maiden descended from Takamagahara to the earth. While bathing in a mortal spring, her Celestial Feather Robe was stolen by a greedy human, leaving her entirely unable to return to the Celestial Realm. The stories said she simply resided in the mortal realm ever since.
The truth was far darker. That Celestial Maiden had indeed descended, and she was indeed trapped. But she did not live peacefully among mortals. She died.
Kaguya had taken advantage of the divine being's momentary weakness, devouring her flesh and soul. In doing so, the demon stole her flawless appearance, her divine power, and her very identity. From that bloody day forward, Kaguya styled herself as the Celestial Maiden.
She possessed two terrifyingly powerful abilities. The first was large-scale time manipulation. The second was the Mirror of Calmness.
Her time manipulation could force everything within a massive radius to fall into absolute stasis, leaving only the caster able to move freely through the frozen world.
The Mirror of Calmness used the divine Life Mirror in her hand as a flawless medium, capable of reflecting absolutely all energy attacks aimed at her directly back at the attacker without a single change in trajectory or power.
Offense and defense perfectly unified into a nearly unsolvable combination.
In the original timeline, she was eventually sealed back into the Life Mirror by Miroku's grandfather, a monk who possessed the Wind Tunnel. That terrifying ability, born from a bloodline curse inflicted by Naraku, could devour everything in its path, though it would eventually consume the user as well. It wasn't until fifty years later that Kaguya was unsealed.
However, this timeline had completely fractured.
Hikaru had already slaughtered Onigumo long before the bandit could ever transform into Naraku. Because of this, Miroku's grandfather could not possibly possess the Wind Tunnel curse, meaning the sealing of Kaguya had certainly never happened.
Kaguya might still be actively roaming the shadows of the world. Or, due to some unpredictable butterfly effect caused by the merging of worldviews, she might be sleeping deeply within her palace, ready to wake at any given moment.
She was a massive, looming threat.
Mount Fuji was located squarely in Suruga Province, which now fell entirely within Hikaru's established territory. Naturally, he had to prepare for her existence.
The Bone-Eating Well's ability to directly traverse time was one of the very few powers in existence that could perfectly counter Kaguya's time-freezing domain.
Beyond neutralizing a threat, Kaguya hoarded things that deeply interested him. She possessed the divine items carried by the true Celestial Maiden she had devoured. The Celestial Feather Robe, the Fire-rat robe, and numerous other magical treasures scattered across the mortal realm.
It was obvious to him now. The missing Fire-rat robe from the original story was initially brought down from the celestial palace by the true Celestial Maiden. How it eventually fell into the hands of Toga, the Great Demon of the Western Lands, and was subsequently gifted to Inuyasha's mother remained a mystery, but its origin was clear.
Coupled with the celestial palace hidden inside Mount Fuji itself, the potential loot was staggering. If he could obtain those divine artifacts and conquer them one by one with his system, Hikaru couldn't even begin to calculate how massively his power would inflate.
He laid out all these secrets to Kikyo, who watched him from her spot on the floor. She didn't interrupt, simply waiting in absolute silence as he detailed the demon Kaguya, the devoured Celestial Maiden, the Celestial Feather Robe, the Fire-rat robe, and the Life Mirror.
When he finally finished, a brief, heavy silence settled over the tent.
Kikyo did not display a single ounce of shock. She merely listened quietly, her dark eyes reflecting the sharp side profile of the Oni Samurai. Her focus was so absolute that Hikaru briefly wondered if she had zoned out.
"I see."
The priestess finally spoke, her voice soft and even.
She reached out, her pale fingers naturally tucking a stray strand of his long, white hair behind his ear. Her breath brushed against his skin, smelling faintly of clean morning grass and orchids.
"Since Mount Fuji is located within the borders of Suruga Province, which effectively places it within your territory, an ancient demon capable of wide-scale time manipulation and absolute attack reflection is indeed a threat that cannot be ignored."
Her tone remained perfectly calm and composed. She did not ask how he knew such ancient, hidden secrets. She trusted him completely. She knew he would never hide anything malicious from her, and that absolute trust was more than enough.
She lowered her hand. "That is exactly why you need the Bone-Eating Well."
Forged from the ancient materials of the Sacred Tree, which inherently possessed the power of time and space, the Bone-Eating Well could theoretically suppress Kaguya's time-freezing domain within a specific range.
Hikaru nodded, affirming her logic. "That is why I have been working so hard to force that well to activate. You know how I operate. I despise being passive. I prefer to dictate the flow of battle. Once that well is fully unsealed, and I secure its temporal assistance, I will march directly into Mount Fuji and eliminate Kaguya."
He paused, a dry smirk touching his lips. "And while I am there, I will relieve her of those divine treasures she stole from Takamagahara."
He spoke with such casual certainty about robbing a celestial palace that the normally cold and aloof priestess couldn't help but roll her eyes. The slight break in her stoic demeanor looked incredibly charming.
Kikyo shifted, leaning forward slightly. The crisp fabric of her white robe and red hakama rustled softly against the floor mats.
"When that time comes."
She leaned in extremely close, closing the distance between them until he could feel the warmth radiating from her skin.
"I want to go with you."
She did not phrase it as a request. There was no room for negotiation in her tone.
"Whether she is a celestial maiden or a great demon, it matters little. If she attempts to stop time, I will shoot through her heart before time stops. If she can reflect attacks, I will seal her spiritual veins before she even has the chance to raise her mirror."
The absolute, unshakeable confidence of the strongest priestess of the Warring States period was on full display.
She looked deeply into Hikaru's Crimson Demon Eyes. A faint, incredibly gentle smile curled at the corners of her lips.
"Whatever it is you wish to do, I will help you achieve it. Even if you want to storm a heavenly palace and steal its treasures, I will gladly pave the bloody path for you."
Her smile widened slightly. "After all, you were always a greedy demon to begin with."
She paused, her voice dropping to a soft whisper. "And you are my lover."
Saying those words caused a faint flush to dust Kikyo's pale cheeks, yet her gaze remained incomparably firm. Her tone carried a tiny hint of teasing reproach, but beneath it lay an ocean of unconditional favoritism.
Listening to her absolute devotion while looking at the stunningly beautiful face hovering so close to his own, Hikaru felt his Shura heart beat powerfully against his ribs, even though he knew his current body was technically just a projection.
He didn't offer a verbal reply. He simply lowered his head and kissed her.
Kikyo didn't pull away. She obediently closed her eyes, her long eyelashes fluttering slightly as she tilted her head back to meet him, melting into the morning tenderness. Their lips parted, exploring the quiet intimacy deeply and thoroughly.
The atmosphere inside the tent instantly grew incredibly heavy, romantic, and completely silent.
However.
Just one tent away, the atmosphere was a completely different story.
In a large, opulent command tent pitched less than ten steps from Hikaru's, Yoshimoto sat rigidly upright.
Her deep purple, gold-threaded Junihitoe was draped perfectly over her frame, and her elaborate hair accessories were carefully arranged. Yet, at this very moment, the young daimyo who commanded three entire provinces wore an expression as dark and volatile as the bottom of a charred iron pot.
Click.
Click.
The expensive folding fan in her hand, beautifully painted with elegant pines and cranes, was being snapped open and closed with violent, irritable force. The crisp, rapid sounds completely shattered any illusion of ladylike composure.
It was too close.
The two tents were simply pitched way too close to each other.
When Hikaru and Kikyo were discussing serious military matters, their voices had been kept to a low murmur, preventing her from making out the specific words. But that heavy atmosphere, those faintly audible, intimate whispers belonging to a man and a woman with zero defenses around each other, it was maddening. Even without hearing the exact content, that sickeningly sweet aura kept drifting into Yoshimoto's tent on the morning breeze.
And then, just moments ago, all sound from the neighboring tent had abruptly ceased.
A man and a woman alone.
Early in the morning.
What exactly could they be doing now that required absolute silence?
Yoshimoto gritted her teeth so hard her jaw ached. She slammed her closed folding fan onto the low wooden table with a loud, violent thwack.
"Shameless."
The young daimyo squeezed the word through her clenched teeth. Her earlobes burned so hot and red they looked ready to drip blood.
Her mind flashed back to yesterday afternoon on the blood-soaked battlefield. She had been forced into an absolute corner by Shibata Katsuie's brutal assault. Right as death approached, that grey figure had descended from the sky like a god, swinging Banryu to effortlessly block the fatal axe blow.
She hadn't even been given a moment to properly savor that overwhelming sense of security, a presence that felt as immovable as a mountain.
Because the very second that wandering priestess named Kikyo appeared, she had naturally taken Hikaru's hand. The woman had even possessed the audacity to shoot a sarcastic warning arrow that grazed Yoshimoto's cheek, spouting some nonsense about purifying Yao Qi.
The more Yoshimoto dwelled on it, the more her blood boiled.
She was the dignified number one archer of the Tokaido. She commanded seven thousand elite vanguard troops and tens of thousands of subordinates. How could she possibly allow herself to be completely outdone in sheer momentum by a homeless, wandering priestess?
And was that demon completely blind?
She had practically offered him the world, explicitly stating, 'After entering the capital, I will make you the god of the people under heaven.' Yet he hadn't been moved in the slightest. He just turned around and went straight back to his tent to be disgustingly lovey-dovey with that shrine maiden.
"Detestable priestess." Yoshimoto muttered, her chest heaving violently beneath her heavy silk layers.
In her blind jealousy, she completely failed to acknowledge the simple fact that Kikyo was essentially his legitimate partner and had known the Oni Samurai long before Yoshimoto ever crossed his path.
Over in the far corner of the command tent, Motoyasu curled up tightly, trying her best to resemble a small, invisible quail.
The ten-year-old girl, dressed in a plain, unassuming grey kimono, kept her eyes wide behind her round crystal glasses. She stared intensely at the open account book in her small hands. Even though she was too panicked to comprehend a single word written on the pages, she absolutely refused to look up at her lord's terrifying expression.
As a political hostage responsible for transporting provisions, Motoyasu understood the delicate situation all too well.
Her lord wasn't actually angry at the demon. Her lord was completely, hopelessly jealous of the demon's attention. The entire tent reeked of a massive jar of spilled, aged vinegar.
At this critical, explosive juncture, whoever dared to speak up would instantly become a target for her lord's wrath. Motoyasu desperately wished she possessed a yokai ability to shrink herself and hide in the floorboards.
"Motoyasu!"
Yoshimoto's cold, sharp shout shattered the silence.
Motoyasu flinched so violently she dropped her account book. It smacked against the floorboards as she scrambled forward on her hands and knees, pressing her forehead flat against the ground.
"What are your orders, my lord!" she squeaked.
Yoshimoto took a long, deep breath, forcibly shoving the burning irritation down into the depths of her stomach. She desperately used her cold reason to prop up her crumbling dignity as a daimyo.
"The day has broken. Order the entire army to break camp immediately."
Yoshimoto stood up sharply. The heavy silk skirt of her Junihitoe dragged across the floorboards, tracing a cold, hard arc.
"Tell the vanguard ahead to stop dawdling. Our absolute target is the main castle of Owari, Kiyosu Castle."
Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "I want to see the Oda Clan's flag violently cut down from those castle walls before the sun sets today."
She turned toward the tent flap. "Also, send a messenger to tell Saito Dosan to roll right back to Mino and stop thinking he can take advantage of this chaos. As long as he doesn't provoke me and takes the initiative to submit, the impoverished, barren land of Mino Province is something the Imagawa Clan can easily do without."
She didn't care about the logistics right now. She simply could not stay in this camp a second longer. If she had to sit here and listen to those quiet, intimate movements from the tent next door, she was genuinely afraid she would lose her mind, grab her katana, and charge over there to hack the tent to pieces.
Since she had suffered a humiliating, silent defeat in romance, she would just have to reclaim her absolute dignity in blood on the battlefield.
"Yes! Your subordinate will convey the order immediately!"
Motoyasu felt as if she had just been granted a royal pardon. She snatched her fallen account book from the floor and scrambled backward out of the tent, running away faster than a frightened rabbit.
Meanwhile, back in the neighboring tent.
The long kiss finally broke. Hikaru slowly pulled back and spoke again, his voice low and steady.
"Speaking of Mount Fuji, I actually thought of another mountain. One that is also incredibly important."
Kikyo, who was still resting comfortably against the tall, armored chest of the Oni Samurai she worshipped as her god, raised her dark eyes. A flicker of surprise crossed her features.
Hikaru looked down at her, his expression serious.
"It is a mountain I saw back when I finally killed Kibutsuji Muzan. When I was tracking his fractured spirits and my perception was forced to explore the entirety of Japan."
He paused, the memory surfacing clearly in his mind.
Back then, as his senses chased Muzan's shattered soul fragments across the country, he had been granted a brief, omniscient view of the entire world. During that massive sensory expansion, he had spotted a specific peak. It was entirely different from Mount Fuji, yet it radiated an aura that felt even more special, even more dangerous. It was a mountain located far off in Kanto, one that held massive significance in his memories of the original timeline.
"Its name," Hikaru said quietly, "is Mount Hakurei."
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