Kagetsu held the broken white horn in his hand, its surface rough and wood-like. A flicker of hesitation passed across his eyes.
"Kagetsu?" Kikyo stepped through the door, bow and arrows slung over her shoulder. She noticed him staring at the horn as she passed by and couldn't resist coming closer. "You've been looking at it for a long time. What exactly is it?"
"This…" Kagetsu's gaze snapped back to reality at the sound of her voice. He rubbed the rough cross-section at the horn's base, his expression complex. "It's a broken horn that fell from the head of the man who killed me… the one called Uchiha Madara."
He could not be mistaken. The object in his hand was unmistakably the oddly shaped horn from Madara's forehead after he became the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki,the transformed Six Paths Madara.
He had discovered it a few days ago while idly inspecting the sealed space formed by the Reverse Four Symbols Seal,the one he had used just before his death in the Naruto world. Among the pile of sealed rubble, the horn had appeared unexpectedly.
How it ended up sealed there was a mystery. Perhaps when Might Guy unleashed the Eight Gates and severely injured Madara, the horn broke off. Somehow, the Reverse Four Symbols Seal had trapped it along with the debris inside him.
Kikyo's eyes widened in curiosity. She bent closer, carefully examining the horn.
It didn't resemble the horn of a demon or a dragon, nor did it look like a bull's. It appeared as if carved from white wood. One end was sharp and curved; the other bore jagged fracture marks, clearly broken by a powerful strike.
"Does it have any special properties?" Kikyo asked, her tone serious. She couldn't sense the slightest trace of demonic power or evil aura, only a faint, vibrant life force.
"It holds the power of the Uchiha Clan's ancestor,Indra, the son of Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki," Kagetsu explained. "This horn… it might be the key to increasing my strength."
Thanks to the Four Symbols Seal, he had discovered that Madara's chakra still lingered within the horn. And from Naruto's lore, he knew that Madara carried the chakra of Indra, Hagoromo's first son.
"Is there any danger?" Kikyo noticed the hesitation deep in his eyes. She gently grasped his hand, her voice laced with concern.
"There's no danger," Kagetsu replied, holding her hand and smiling softly at the warmth of her touch. "I just… don't know what will happen if I try to fuse this power into my body. That's why I hesitate."
He had already transplanted Hashirama's cells, gaining the chakra of Ashura Ōtsutsuki. Now, with Madara's chakra in his possession, he could potentially wield both Indra's and Ashura's power.
According to the lore, fusing these two forces could awaken the Six Paths power and the Rinnegan. Everything seemed perfect… but there was a problem. His Sharingan was still not an Eternal Mangekyō.
Thanks to Hashirama's cells, he could avoid blindness from his current Mangekyō, but he had no way of knowing what would happen if he attempted to merge these powers directly. If the fusion failed to awaken the Rinnegan, that would be one thing,but what if it triggered the Rinnegan while his eyes weren't ready, leaving him blind after a single use?
Hashirama's cells alone would not restore his vision in that scenario. The cost of failure could be catastrophic,losing his Mangekyō powers and possibly going completely blind.
"Then don't try it," Kikyo said firmly, squeezing his hand. "You're already strong enough. There's no need to risk this."
Kagetsu looked into her clear eyes, fingers tightening around the broken horn.
Ever since his last battle with Naraku, the demon's presence had completely vanished. Even Kagura and Kanna hadn't appeared. He couldn't sense the Flying Thunder God Marks he had left on either of them. As for the mark on Naraku, it had disappeared long ago when Naraku reshaped his body.
Naraku's current whereabouts were obvious. If the story hadn't changed too much, he was probably hiding within Mount Hakurei's Barrier, using Saint Hakushin's power to reshape himself.
This was a pivotal moment in Kikyo's fate,the point where she could transform from a "resentful clay doll of the dead" into the "holy priestess who sacrificed herself." In the original timeline, it was also the beginning of her tragic demise. Even though Kagetsu had altered her fate, resurrecting her and greatly enhancing her strength, danger still loomed.
He worried that without more power, Kikyo could still face a fatal end. The final battle was approaching, and the forces of Inuyasha's group and Naraku would grow even stronger. He had to gain more strength to protect her and ensure she would no longer be bound by the shikon jewel.
And as an Uchiha, the instinct for greater power ran deep.
Having thought it through, he no longer hesitated.
He opened his arms and pulled Kikyo tightly into an embrace. The scent of her hair filled his senses. His voice was firm.
"No. I've made up my mind. I must take this power. I need it to protect you and to finally free you from that cursed shikon jewel."
"Kagetsu, you… mmph!" Kikyo tried to argue, but her protest was cut short as his lips captured hers.
The kiss carried determination and tenderness. Her words vanished, her body relaxed, and she returned his affection with equal warmth.
After a long moment, they parted, noses brushing, breaths mingling. Kagetsu gently caressed her hair with his thumb.
"Don't worry. I won't act recklessly. If anything goes wrong, I'll stop immediately," he whispered.
"I'll stay with you," Kikyo said, her eyes serious. She no longer tried to dissuade him.
"Good," Kagetsu smiled softly, his eyes full of warmth. "With you by my side, I have confidence."
After a moment, he straightened, his expression becoming solemn. "There's no time to waste. Let's begin."
"Now?" Kikyo blinked, momentarily surprised. "What do you need me to do?"
"Nothing. Just stand guard nearby, so no one,human or demon,disturbs me." He smiled reassuringly. "I know the method. I just haven't tried it yet, so I'm naturally a bit nervous. Even if it works perfectly, you won't see much change at first."
"Wait." Kikyo hurried to the kamidana in the center of the room, bowing deeply in prayer.
Kagetsu felt her spiritual energy surge, and a protective barrier instantly enveloped the shrine, isolating it completely from the outside world.
Once finished, Kikyo slung her bow and arrows on her back, hung a samurai sword at her waist, and returned to Kagetsu's side. Her voice was steady and heavy with resolve.
"I'm ready."