"Let's go. We should head inside."
Kikyo stepped through the barrier, then turned back when she noticed Kagetsu still standing there, momentarily lost in thought.
"Your way of breaking barriers is way too straightforward," Kagetsu said as he snapped out of it and quickly caught up, unable to resist commenting.
"Isn't that more efficient?" Kikyo replied with a soft laugh. "Naraku's barrier is made of demonic energy. If I purify it directly with spiritual power, it naturally collapses."
"I get that," Kagetsu said with a grin. "It's just… not what I expected from a shrine maiden."
"Oh? Sorry to disappoint you~" Kikyo teased, deliberately mimicking his tone.
"Disappoint me? Then you'll have to be punished."
Before she could react, Kagetsu scooped her into his arms. Chakra surged beneath his feet as he shot forward, carrying her straight toward the ominous castle ahead.
"Seriously… Naraku is disgusting," he muttered. "Turning his lair into a toxic pit. The guy lives in this? He's basically a sewer rat."
They landed atop the tallest structure of the castle. Kagetsu set Kikyo down and glanced over the edge, his expression full of disdain as he looked at the thick, purple miasma drifting below.
"For a demon like Naraku, saturated with evil energy, any place he occupies for long becomes like this," Kikyo explained calmly. "His surroundings are gradually assimilated by his miasma."
She extended her hand toward him.
"Give me my bow. If a fight breaks out, we need to be ready."
Kagetsu nodded, retrieving her bow and arrows from the Kamui dimension and helping secure them across her back.
At the moment, the two of them were concealed by multiple layers of protection. Kikyo had already set up a barrier to suppress their presence, while Kagetsu cloaked them both in chakra.
The result was a faint camouflage,an almost transparent distortion that blended seamlessly with their surroundings.
It was a basic ninja concealment technique, often used in conjunction with transformation jutsu during infiltration missions.
Kikyo scanned the castle below.
The entire structure was shrouded in drifting purple miasma. Under the dim moonlight, not a single figure could be seen.
Then she looked up.
Kagura and Kanna hovered above the castle on a feather, silently observing.
Just then, a sudden gust of wind tore through the miasma below, briefly clearing a patch of visibility.
A small green figure appeared,
A diminutive demon clutching a staff topped with a human head, hiding nervously in a corner.
"Hm?"
Kikyo's gaze sharpened instantly.
"Where are Naraku and Sesshomaru? And who is that little demon? Should we capture him and interrogate him?"
"That's Jaken,Sesshomaru's retainer," Kagetsu replied casually, waving it off. "Sesshomaru's inside that building in front of him."
"Let's not act yet. We'll observe for now."
Following his gaze, Kikyo suddenly stiffened.
"That building… it carries the aura of the Shikon Jewel. Is Naraku inside as well?"
She frowned deeply.
"The miasma is interfering with my perception. If you hadn't pointed it out, I might not have sensed the jewel at all."
"This is a trap," Kagetsu said quietly, his Sharingan observing the overlapping flows of energy below. "Naraku mixed miasma with his demonic aura to disrupt Sesshomaru's sense of smell,so he can't locate him."
"Should we warn Sesshomaru?" Kikyo asked, her eyes fixed on the building.
"Not yet," Kagetsu replied. "Sesshomaru is strong. Unless something unexpected happens, Naraku shouldn't be able to defeat him."
He glanced toward the silent castle.
"He probably just hasn't found Naraku yet. Let me confirm things with Kagura first."
"Won't Naraku notice?" Kikyo asked, concern flickering across her face. "We're inside his territory. If we contact Kagura recklessly, it could put her in danger."
"Don't worry."
Kagetsu took her hand, lightly tracing his fingertips across her palm, a faint smile forming.
"He won't notice."
Kikyo looked at him curiously.
"What are you planning?"
Kagetsu raised his free hand. A faint thread of wind-attribute chakra gathered at his fingertips. With a flick, it dispersed into the air, merging seamlessly with the natural currents before vanishing.
At that exact moment,
Kagura stiffened.
As the embodiment of wind, she was incredibly sensitive to even the slightest disturbance in air currents. Her gaze immediately shifted toward the rooftop below.
The instant she looked,
Her eyes met Kagetsu's Sharingan.
The three tomoe spun rapidly.
Genjutsu activated.
Kagura's vision blurred.
In an instant, the world around her dissolved into an endless white void.
Startled, she snapped open her folding fan, demonic power rising cautiously as she scanned her surroundings.
"Relax. It's me."
A familiar voice broke the silence.
Kagetsu's figure appeared before her.
Kagura's tension eased. She lowered her fan and glanced around.
"Where are we?"
"Just a temporary illusion space," Kagetsu replied. "Naraku won't notice anything here."
He looked at her directly.
"I saw your message. What's going on?"
"You're already here?" Kagura's eyes widened slightly, relief flashing across her face.
If Naraku really succeeded in devouring Sesshomaru…
Her chances of freedom would shrink even further.
She steadied herself and spoke quickly.
"Not long ago, Naraku's body was destroyed. Since then, he's been capturing demons to devour and rebuild himself."
"Today… I don't know what triggered it, but he's set his sights on Sesshomaru."
"He wants to devour him and take his demonic power."
"That's why he had me capture the human girl,Rin,to lure him here."
"And why I secretly sent you that message."
Kagetsu blinked, visibly taken aback.
"…He wants to devour Sesshomaru?"
He rubbed his temple.
"Did he eat something poisonous and lose his mind? Where's all this confidence coming from?"
"I thought the same at first," Kagura said grimly. "But now… he might actually succeed."
Her grip tightened on her fan.
"He mixed the Ox Demon's poison into the miasma. Even great demons can be poisoned without realizing it. It interferes with their ability to use demonic power."
She added quickly:
"You should be careful too. Don't breathe in the miasma."
"No wonder you're staying outside," Kagetsu nodded. "The whole place is toxic."
Then he frowned slightly.
"Sesshomaru specializes in poison. Will this really affect him?"
"It won't be as effective," Kagura admitted, "but if Naraku finds the right opening, it's enough."
"The Ox Demon's poison is unusual. If you don't actively use demonic power, you won't even notice you've been poisoned."
"But once enough of it builds up…"
"The more power you use, the faster it takes effect."
"So even if Sesshomaru is already poisoned, as long as he hasn't used much power yet, he won't realize it."
"I see."
Kagetsu nodded thoughtfully.
"What about Rin? Is she still in the castle?"
"No," Kagura shook her head. "Kohaku took her away. The miasma here would kill a human child quickly."
Kagetsu considered for a moment.
"Besides Naraku and Sesshomaru, anyone else inside?"
"No. Just us."
"Alright."
Kagetsu gave a small nod.
"Kikyo and I will make our move soon. When we do, don't resist too seriously,just enough to avoid suspicion."
"Got it."
Kagura nodded.
The white void shattered.
Her vision snapped back to reality.
She found herself once again seated on her feather, hovering above the castle.
"Is something wrong?" Kanna asked softly, noticing her brief pause.
"Nothing."
Kagura shook her head,but her gaze drifted back to the rooftop below.
Where there had been nothing,
Two figures now slowly revealed themselves.
Kagetsu.
And Kikyo.