"Kid, keep an eye on her."
Kagura casually tossed the unconscious Rin toward Kohaku.
"Alright."
Kohaku nodded and sat down beside Rin, guarding her quietly. His hollow eyes showed no trace of emotion.
Kagura guided her feather through the night sky at high speed. As she flew, her gaze drifted toward the Mōryōmaru following closely at her side, and her brows creased ever so slightly.
Without drawing attention, she subtly altered her path, curving slightly through the air. Seizing a brief moment when Mōryōmaru's focus shifted, a tiny white feather slipped from beneath her and drifted silently away on the night wind.
Afterward, she glanced back again. Seeing no reaction from Mōryōmaru, she let out a quiet breath of relief and accelerated toward Naraku's castle.
The white feather cut through the darkness, gliding past shadowed forests and silent villages before finally descending upon a shrine.
It passed effortlessly through the protective barrier and came to rest on a swing at the edge of the courtyard, waiting.
Before long, a hand reached out and picked it up.
Kagetsu examined the feather, sensing the faint but familiar demonic aura lingering on it. His brow lifted slightly,Kagura must be trying to send him a message.
To the naked eye, it looked completely ordinary, like any feather fallen from a bird.
But Kagetsu wasn't fooled.
The Mangekyō Sharingan slowly spun into existence in his eyes. Under its vision, a line of tiny characters formed from demonic energy became visible:
"Come to Naraku's castle."
This was the secret communication method he had taught Kagura,one that only his Sharingan could decipher.
"What is Naraku scheming this time…?" he muttered, crushing the feather into dust with a burst of chakra.
He glanced up at the moon, irritation flickering across his face.
"That guy always makes his move at night. Doesn't he ever sleep?"
Just as he turned to look for Kikyo, she had already stepped out, bow slung over her back.
"Kagetsu, something passed through the barrier just now," she said calmly. "What happened?"
"It's a message from Kagura," he replied. "She wants me to go to Naraku's castle. Sounds like Naraku is plotting something again,but she didn't give details."
"Naraku…"
Kikyo's expression tightened.
"I'll go with you. I can locate the barrier surrounding his castle."
"Alright."
Kagetsu didn't refuse.
He could locate Naraku himself using Sage Mode, but with Kikyo along, there was no need to expend the effort.
As Kikyo prepared to summon her shikigami, Kuromaru, Kagetsu reached out to stop her.
"No need. He's too slow. If Kagura sent this message so urgently, we shouldn't waste time. Just point the way,I'll take us there."
Before she could respond, he stepped forward, removed the bow from her back, and stored it within his Kamui space. Then he bent slightly and lifted her into his arms.
"Which direction?"
Caught off guard, Kikyo's cheeks flushed faintly. Still, she didn't resist. Instead, she wrapped her arms lightly around his neck and pointed ahead.
"That way."
"Hold on."
With that, chakra erupted beneath his feet.
In the next instant, his figure blurred into a streak of shadow, cutting through the night as he carried Kikyo swiftly toward Naraku's castle.
Elsewhere,
Sesshomaru followed the trail of scent Naraku had deliberately left behind, heading straight for the castle.
"Lord Sesshomaru, what is it?" Jaken asked, confused, when Sesshomaru suddenly came to a halt.
"This is Naraku's castle."
Sesshomaru's gaze remained fixed ahead, his voice calm and cold.
Jaken blinked, looking around at the seemingly ordinary forest.
"Eh? B-but… there's nothing here…"
Sesshomaru offered no explanation.
Though he couldn't see past the barrier, the thick, unmistakable scent told him everything.
Naraku was right in front of him.
And since Rin had been taken as bait, Naraku would never leave him locked outside.
Just as expected,
The air ahead rippled.
The scenery twisted and warped, revealing a dark, ominous castle emerging from within the barrier.
"The… the barrier opened…!" Jaken stammered, clutching his staff tightly.
Sesshomaru's eyes gleamed coldly.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward and entered.
"Lord Sesshomaru!"
Jaken scrambled after him.
"The barrier isn't fully concealing Naraku's aura…" Kikyo murmured as they approached, her brows drawn tight. "What is he planning?"
"He's trying to lure someone here," Kagetsu replied.
"Inuyasha and the others?"
"No."
Kagetsu shook his head, a faint smile forming.
"I can already sense a familiar demonic aura. This time, Naraku's target isn't Inuyasha,it's his older brother, Sesshomaru."
"Inuyasha's brother… Sesshomaru?"
Kikyo seemed slightly surprised.
She had heard of him before, but in her lifetime, she had never met him,nor even learned his name.
"Yeah," Kagetsu continued as he moved swiftly through the forest. "Unlike Inuyasha, Sesshomaru is a full-blooded demon,he inherited Inu no Taisho's power perfectly. He's incredibly strong… and incredibly proud."
"He despises weakness, especially in humans. That's why he doesn't acknowledge Inuyasha."
Before Kikyo could respond, she suddenly stopped.
"We're here. The barrier is just ahead."
She looked toward the invisible boundary and stepped forward.
"I'll open it."
"Go ahead."
Kagetsu set her down gently, watching with interest.
He had always been curious about how Kikyo would break Naraku's barrier. Inuyasha required the Red Tessaiga to tear through it,but in the original tale, Kikyo could bypass it effortlessly.
Now, he would finally see it firsthand.
Kikyo raised her hand.
Pure miko spiritual power flowed from her palm,gentle, yet impossibly pure.
The moment it touched the barrier,
The demonic energy composing it dissolved instantly, like snow under sunlight.
"Buzz,"
A clean opening formed without resistance.
Kagetsu stared for a moment… then sighed inwardly.
So much for expecting some intricate technique.
She hadn't outsmarted the barrier.
She had simply erased it.