Pale blue chakra erupted in an instant.
A skeletal frame took shape around them,then muscle, then armor,layer upon layer forming with overwhelming speed. Fully formed legs condensed beneath it as the colossal figure solidified.
The fourth stage of Susanoo stood complete, radiating a majestic, crushing presence.
BOOM!
The towering Susanoo slammed into the forest with a deafening crash.
The ground caved in, forming a massive crater. Nearby trees splintered and toppled, and a thick cloud of dust surged skyward.
Yet atop its head, Kagetsu , Kikyo, and Natsuarashi stood perfectly steady,untouched by the impact.
"Kikyo, are you alright?" Kagetsu asked, looking down at her with concern. Even knowing she was protected, he couldn't help himself.
"I'm fine." Kikyo shook her head gently, offering him a soft smile. "There's no need to worry."
Only after confirming she was unharmed did Kagetsu turn his gaze to Natsuarashi, who looked utterly drained.
"If your demonic energy was running out, you should've said something. Why push yourself like that?"
"I… I thought I could make it across in one go…" Natsuarashi scratched her head, her cheeks reddening as her voice grew smaller. "And I kind of forgot… I could stop and rest along the way…"
"I'm really sorry!"
She suddenly bowed deeply, nearly folding in half.
Kagetsu narrowed his eyes, recalling her earlier behavior. A faint smirk tugged at his lips.
"So that's why you insisted on taking the silver vine and food back first… You were worried you wouldn't make the trip and thought I'd take it all back, weren't you?"
"Ahaha… w-what are you talking about?" Natsuarashi laughed awkwardly, her eyes darting. "I was just worried it'd be inconvenient to carry things while flying! And that I might drop them!"
"Is that so?"
Kagetsu 's gaze lingered on her, making her tail swish nervously.
"Alright, Kagetsu , that's enough," Kikyo said with a soft laugh, stepping in to rescue her. "Natsuarashi isn't a flying-type demon. Carrying us this far is already impressive."
"Exactly! Miss Kikyo gets it!" Natsuarashi perked up immediately, shooting Kikyo a grateful look. "I'm not some bird demon,I can't just fly forever!"
Then, glancing nervously at Kagetsu , she hurriedly added, "Anyway, my energy's completely drained. I need to recover! The rest of the way isn't far,you can handle it yourselves!"
Before either of them could respond,
Poof!
She dismissed the summoning and vanished in a puff of smoke.
"…That dumb cat," Kagetsu muttered, shaking his head.
"Reckless, perhaps," Kikyo said with a faint smile, her gaze drifting toward the horizon, "but dependable. It's no small thing for her to push herself that far."
From atop the Susanoo, the view stretched far and wide. The edge of the forest,and beyond it, the canyon,was clearly visible.
Kagetsu dispelled the Susanoo, and the two descended gently to the ground.
He stepped in front of Kikyo, crouched down, and turned his back to her.
"I'll carry you the rest of the way."
"Alright."
Kikyo didn't refuse. A soft smile touched her lips as she leaned against his back, her arms slipping around his neck.
Kagetsu hooked his arms beneath her legs and lifted her securely. The warmth against his back made him smile faintly.
In the next instant,
He vanished.
His figure blurred into an afterimage as he sped forward, leaving the ruined forest behind and heading straight for the canyon.
Whoosh!
He burst out from the forest's edge and landed lightly along the canyon wall.
Before them, mountain peaks rose in the distance, shrouded in mist. Beyond the nearer ridges stood a towering, uniquely shaped mountain.
Unlike the others, its entire form was wrapped in a faint, sacred glow,visible even from afar.
"That one… is Mount Hakurei," Kagetsu said, his eyes fixed on the distant peak.
Kikyo followed his gaze, her brows knitting slightly.
"…Mount Hakurei…" she murmured. "For some reason… it feels strange."
"We'll know once we get closer."
Kagetsu already understood the truth behind it.
The one who resided there,the Saint Hakushin,was a man of contradictions. Though he maintained a powerful barrier capable of purifying demonic energy and rejecting impure hearts… he had still chosen to cooperate with Naraku.
That contradiction twisted the very nature of the barrier itself.
Even from this distance, something about it felt… off.
"Let's go."
Carrying Kikyo, Kagetsu leapt down into the canyon. Chakra gathered beneath his feet, allowing him to adhere to the cliff face as he sped downward.
Moments later, they reached the canyon floor and continued toward Mount Hakurei.
Not long after they departed, the fading light of evening bathed the forest in gold as several figures emerged from the trees,
Inuyasha and his group.
"Finally, we're out!" Kagome stretched, easing her sore limbs. Then she turned to Inuyasha. "Can you pick up Kikyo's scent?"
Inuyasha sniffed the air sharply before nodding.
"Got it. Kikyo and Kagetsu were here,they just left not long ago."
He clicked his tongue in irritation.
"If we hadn't wasted time helping those villagers find those three idiot Sarugami, we'd have caught up by now!"
"And what's wrong with helping people?" Kagome shot back, glaring at him. "Besides, we saved them from being sealed in that jar!"
"And Kagome figured out where they were right away," Sango added with a smile as she stepped out of the forest.
"Indeed," Miroku said, scanning the canyon below. "And we confirmed Naraku's direction from them. It wasn't a wasted effort."
"Those guys were pretty tough, too," Shippō added seriously, arms crossed.
"Hmph. Just a bunch of monkeys," Inuyasha scoffed.
Then he crouched down in front of Kagome.
"Get on. We're moving."
Kagome climbed onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Kikyo's trail goes down into the canyon," Inuyasha said, his voice sharpening. "We need to catch up before she runs into Naraku."
"Right!"
With that, he leapt forward, descending into the canyon at full speed.
"Kirara, let's go!" Sango called.
Kirara let out a low growl, transforming mid-leap. Carrying Sango, Miroku, and Shippō, she followed closely behind, flying down toward the canyon floor.