"Kagetsu ,I will never let you go,!"
Naraku's panicked roar echoed through the night as he looked down at the massive bow raised by the pale blue Susanoo. The terrifying power concentrated in that single arrow made his pupils shrink violently.
Without hesitation, he pushed his speed to the limit, fleeing desperately.
Kagetsu showed no intention of giving him time.
The moment the arrow locked on,
He released the bowstring.
Hum,!
The air compressed to its limit,
Then burst apart.
The arrow, forged from chakra and Kikyo's sacred spiritual power, became a streak of pure white light. It vanished from sight in an instant,
And reappeared the next moment, striking Naraku mid-flight with absolute precision.
BOOM,!!
A massive explosion erupted in the sky.
A radiant sphere of light bloomed, illuminating the entire night like day.
A devastating shockwave followed, crashing downward like a tidal wave. The already ruined castle collapsed completely under the impact, while a violent gale infused with chakra and purification energy swept across the land,erasing every trace of lingering miasma.
The demonic remains littering the ground disintegrated into dust.
"...Naraku's aura is gone," Kagetsu said calmly, watching the fading light in the sky.
"Yes… but the Shikon Jewel's presence vanished as well," Kikyo replied after a brief moment of concentration, her brows knitting slightly. "He's probably not dead. Either he escaped with the jewel… or it saved him at the last moment."
"W-What?! He's still alive?!" Jaken's jaw dropped, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Even after that attack?
He couldn't accept it.
Crack,!
A loud splitting sound suddenly came from beneath them.
The wooden structure they stood on began tilting dangerously to one side.
The immense weight of Susanoo,combined with the force of that last attack,had pushed the building beyond its limit. It was about to collapse.
Without delay, Kagetsu dismissed Susanoo, wrapped an arm around Kikyo's waist, and leapt into the air.
At the same moment, the Wood Dragon soared in from afar, positioning itself beneath them. They landed steadily atop its head.
Meanwhile, Kagura and Kanna had already seized the opportunity during Naraku's defeat to break free and escape into the darkness.
"W-Wait for me!"
Jaken panicked as the roof beneath him groaned and cracked. Seeing Kagetsu and Kikyo safely atop the Wood Dragon, his eyes lit up.
He jumped desperately, grabbing onto the dragon's back and clinging on for dear life as the structure collapsed behind him.
Boom! Crash!
The building crumbled completely.
Jaken glanced back, his face pale, then let out a long breath of relief.
"Jaken. We're leaving."
Before the Wood Dragon could descend, Sesshomaru's voice sounded from above.
A long, snow-white tail swept down, coiling around Jaken and lifting him away effortlessly.
"Miko… you have my thanks."
Sesshomaru's voice remained as cold as ever,but the words were clear.
Without waiting for a reply, he transformed into a streak of white light, following Rin's scent and disappearing into the night.
Standing atop the Wood Dragon, Kikyo leaned slightly closer to Kagetsu and whispered, "That daiyōkai… is surprisingly polite."
Kagetsu chuckled. "Getting a 'thank you' out of him isn't easy."
"I can imagine," Kikyo nodded.
With Sesshomaru's prideful nature, such acknowledgment was indeed rare.
The Wood Dragon descended slowly.
Kagetsu carried Kikyo down before setting her gently on the ground.
"Kikyo! Is Naraku dead?!" Inuyasha rushed over immediately, his voice filled with urgency.
"…Probably not," Kikyo replied, shaking her head. "At the moment he was struck, both his aura and the Shikon Jewel's presence disappeared."
"…Could they have been destroyed together?" Inuyasha clenched his fist, unwilling to accept the uncertainty.
Kikyo didn't answer.
Even she couldn't be certain.
"Inuyasha, go find Miroku," Kagetsu said. "If his Wind Tunnel is still there, Naraku is alive. If it's gone… then he's likely dead."
"Right!" Inuyasha's eyes lit up at once.
"Lie, I'm going too," Kikyo said firmly, her gaze steady.
The hatred born from Naraku's betrayal fifty years ago had never faded.
Kagetsu paused for a moment,then nodded.
"Alright. Sango has one of my marked kunai. She should be with Miroku. We'll use the Flying Thunder God to go straight there."
Without waiting further, he placed a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder, locked onto the Flying Thunder God mark near Sango,
And activated the technique.
In an instant, the three of them vanished.
"Kohaku!"
Sango's anxious voice rang out as she watched Kohaku retreat into the distance with Rin.
But he didn't hesitate,his figure soon disappeared into the night.
"Damn it…!"
Before she could give chase, a swarm of demons blocked her path.
"Out of my way!"
Riding Kirara, Sango hurled her Hiraikotsu with all her strength.
The giant boomerang spun through the air, tearing through the demons before curving back toward her.
Just as she reached out to catch it,
Kagetsu , Kikyo, and Inuyasha suddenly appeared directly in its path.
"Watch out!"
Sango's eyes widened in alarm.
The Hiraikotsu was already flying toward them.
Kagetsu reacted instantly. A kunai appeared in his hand and flew out in a blur, embedding itself into the ground. In the next instant, he grabbed Kikyo and vanished,reappearing safely beside it.
Inuyasha, however,
Had no such luck.
Still disoriented from the sudden teleportation, he barely registered the incoming attack.
Thud!
The Hiraikotsu slammed into him, sending him flying.
"Inuyasha!" Sango cried out, immediately chasing after the weapon. Catching it mid-air, she rushed toward where he had landed.
Fortunately, the boomerang had already lost most of its momentum.
Inuyasha wasn't injured,just sprawled on the ground in a cloud of dust.
"Damn it… Kagetsu , you bastard!" he shouted, pointing angrily.
"Sorry. I forgot to warn you," Kagetsu said with a straight face,though there was unmistakable amusement in his eyes.
Kikyo shot him a helpless glance before calmly drawing her bow and firing at the surrounding demons, clearing the area.
"You,!"
Inuyasha sputtered, ready to argue,
But his expression suddenly changed.
He dashed toward Kagome.
"Scattered Iron Claw!"
His claws tore apart a demon that had been sneaking up behind her.
"Kagome! Are you alright?"
"Inuyasha!" Kagome smiled in relief. "I'm fine! But Kohaku just took a little girl and left!"
Her words hung heavy in the air.