Hikaru naturally knew long ago that this world was not simple. On the first day of his transmigration, he discovered the existence of demons.
Those hideous faces, twisted bodies, and instinctive bloodlust didn't match anything he had seen in any film or television work. He once thought he had transmigrated into some original fantasy world, a chaotic era purely dominated by demons.
In the first week of his transmigration, he witnessed the spiritual power of an Demon Slayer. That day, a purifying arrow flying from afar almost pierced him, making him deeply realize the iron rule that'spiritual power suppresses Demonic Qi.'
In the first month of his transmigration, he pieced together the general background of this era from the idle chatter of some demons.
The Japanese Warring States period. Warlords divided the land, feudal lords fought, and human life was as cheap as grass. Demons ran rampant, hundreds of ghosts roamed the night, and villages were in constant danger.
Human forces like Demon Slayers, Onmyoji, and priestesses checked and balanced the demon factions, with neither side able to consume the other. But he had never been able to determine which world this was. Was it some original Warring States background? Or was it a work he had seen before?
Until now. The shikon jewel. Kikyo. The Demon Slayer clan, the ancestors of Sango and Kohaku. With these keywords put together, the answer was obvious. An anime he had watched countless times before transmigrating. Its name, Inuyasha.
Hikaru looked at the shikon jewel in his hand. This bead could be said to be the core item of the entire Inuyasha series. It is said to have been born from the Battle of the Four Souls, formed after a priestess perished together with hundreds of powerful demons.
The bead seals four types of souls—Aramitama, Nigimitama, Kushimitama, and Sakimitama—representing the four human virtues of courage, friendship, wisdom, and love. But at the same time, the resentment of demons is also sealed within the bead.
The forces of good and evil are in eternal confrontation within the bead; whoever gains the upper hand, the bead will lean towards them. If held by someone with good intentions, the bead will exert a purifying power; if held by a demon with evil intentions, the bead will cause the demon's power to skyrocket.
This is probably why the group of demons earlier would go to any lengths to hunt down the old man. As long as one obtains the shikon jewel, one can ascend in a single step and become a high-level demon. Or even, a Great Demon!
It's not just the present. In the original work that Hikaru knew well, countless factions were fighting tooth and nail for this bead. The half-demon protagonist Inuyasha wanted to use it to become a full demon. As the main villain, Naraku, formed by the aggregation of countless demons, also wanted to use it to become the strongest existence.
Even Hikaru himself had once fantasized in front of the screen, "If only I could get the shikon jewel." Now? It was lying in the palm of his hand.
"Screw it." Hikaru cursed, not knowing what expression to wear. Surprise? Indeed. But more than that, it was a sense of absurdity.
However, having said that, if this really is the world of Inuyasha, then the point in time he is currently in should be... the era when Kikyo is still alive.
Because the old man said that Kikyo is the only one who can suppress the shikon jewel. In the original plot, Kikyo was indeed the priestess who guarded the shikon jewel.
At this moment, it is at least fifty years away from the original timeline of Inuyasha! That is to say... this period of time is enough for him to do many things. For example...
He looked at the system panel again.
[shikon jewel] [Quality: Artifact] [Current Status: Dormant] [Affinity: Cannot be unlocked] [Unlocking Condition: Find the'Suppressor']
The Suppressor. That name the old man mentioned before he died. Kikyo.
"So I must find Kikyo first to unlock the shikon jewel's affinity?" Hikaru frowned. This condition was a bit troublesome.
Kikyo is the priestess who guards the shikon jewel. Her spiritual power is formidable, her archery is god-like, and she specializes in dealing with demons. In the original work, she once killed countless demons with a single arrow and was known as the "strongest priestess of the Warring States period."
And what is he now? An Ghost Samurai. A demon. Kikyo's prey. He even suspects now that the purifying arrow that almost blew him up back then originated from Kikyo!
"If I deliver it directly, won't I just get turned into a hedgehog by an arrow again?" Hikaru had a headache. He could imagine that scene—that would be too unjust.
But he soon thought of another possibility. The system only said to "find" the Suppressor, it didn't say he had to have direct contact. Perhaps as long as he brings the shikon jewel near Kikyo and triggers some condition, it will unlock automatically?
"It's worth a try." Hikaru tucked the shikon jewel into his bosom.
Anyway, before the old man died, he entrusted him to deliver this item to Kikyo; it was on the way.
Whether to fulfill the old man's last wish or to unlock the favorability of the shikon jewel, he had to find Kikyo.
Although it could be used directly, thinking back to the original work, neither humans nor demons who used the shikon jewel directly ended well, and they would subsequently become dependent on its power. Hikaru felt it was better to use favorability.
He stood up, walked to the cave entrance, and looked at the night outside.
The Demonic Qi in the distance had dissipated.
The group of demons pursuing the old man seemed to have given up the chase.
Perhaps because they lost the target's trail.
Perhaps because they sensed that the shikon jewel had changed its location.
Regardless of the situation, he could not stay here for long.
That group of demons would come knocking sooner or later.
"A village a few mountains away..."
Hikaru recalled the old man's words.
That should be where Kikyo was.
He looked down at the system panel.
[demon blade muramasa: Current Favorability 27]
After killing his way here, the favorability had increased quite a bit.
But it was still three points short.
After all, it wasn't guaranteed that killing one demon would increase it by one point.
"No rush."
Hikaru sheathed muramasa.
"On the way to find Kikyo, I should encounter quite a few more demons."
After all, he was carrying the shikon jewel now, and its attraction to demons was probably equivalent to a piece of walking fat.
"It's perfect to grind monsters and level up while traveling."
He stepped out of the cave and disappeared into the night.
But before leaving, he still looked back at the old man's corpse.
"Rest assured."
He said.
"I will let your grandchildren know about your death."
"If there is a chance."
After speaking, he turned and left.
Moonlight spilled onto the cave entrance, stretching his shadow long.
He walked a few steps, then stopped, looking at the moon in the sky.
"Kikyo..."
He murmured.
To be honest, he didn't mind this mission.
One could even say—he was looking forward to it a bit.
Kikyo.
In the work he watched before he transmigrated, Kikyo was one of his favorite characters.
That shrine maiden dressed in white robes and red hakama, with hair like a waterfall and a cold, aloof expression, yet revealing softness and vulnerability in certain moments.
She was powerful, yet toyed with by fate, dying with regrets.
Even after being resurrected and becoming a walking corpse, she still retained that nobility and pride.
Hikaru still remembered his feelings when he saw the scene where Kikyo completely dissipated.
A lingering regret.
A deep, lingering regret.
Of course, even excluding all of the above, just based on his current experiences and knowledge, it was hard for Hikaru not to be interested in Kikyo.
After all, she was a sufficiently powerful and beautiful young woman.
And although he had transformed into a demon, Hikaru still possessed human self-awareness and perception.
And even more so, the desires and impulses known as being human.
"What if I could save her?"
This thought flashed through his mind.
But it lingered for a long time.
As for Inuyasha and the like... they should just go cool off somewhere else!