Kikyo's "light"…
It could actually heal the genetic defect of the Mangekyo Sharingan?!
Uchiha Hikaru's eyes widened in disbelief.
But at that moment…
The "light" at Kikyo's fingertips suddenly dimmed, and she looked utterly exhausted, swaying as if she might collapse. "I'm sorry… This body's spiritual power is nearly depleted. I may not be able to continue purging the malice for you…"
"No, it's already enough."
Uchiha Hikaru stood up, steadying the faltering Kikyo.
Honestly…
She felt *incredible*.
As a living weapon of the Sengoku era, sealed in the darkness underground for a century, Uchiha Hikaru's mind had always been burdened with a heavy load of negative emotions. Thanks to her dual-soul nature, she'd kept them suppressed, much like she'd contained the malice absorbed from Miko's world.
But now, while not all those negative emotions had been purified, their overall weight had significantly lessened. Her ocular power had slightly diminished in quantity, but its purity had become far more refined.
More importantly…
Kikyo's spiritual power had partially healed the Mangekyo's genetic defect. Uchiha Hikaru's ocular power was no longer just accumulating in "quantity"—it was beginning to transform in "quality."
The black spot she'd seen in the mirror earlier was a precursor to the Eternal Mangekyo!
In theory, the cycle of "absorbing evil spirits from Miko's world," "having Kikyo purge the malice," and "strengthening the Mangekyo's ocular power" could be repeated endlessly. This could push her ocular power beyond that of an ordinary Eternal Mangekyo holder, potentially even approaching the Rinnegan!
Uchiha Hikaru had no issue with this—the hundred spirits she'd absorbed today were still well below her "appetite" limit.
Miko probably wouldn't mind either.
The only problem…
Was that it was a bit taxing on Kikyo.
In her clay-body state, Kikyo was already weaker than in life, and now, drained of spiritual power, she felt so light it was as if she weighed nothing.
"Eat this."
Uchiha Hikaru supported Kikyo, laying her head on her lap, and pulled a Senzu Bean from her pocket, holding it to the miko's lips.
"?"
Kikyo hesitated but opened her mouth and swallowed it.
After downing the Senzu Bean…
Kikyo's body showed no change.
This caught Uchiha Hikaru off guard. Could it be because Kikyo's current body, made of grave soil and ashes, was akin to an *Edo Tensei* construct, not a living, flesh-and-blood human body, rendering the Senzu Bean ineffective?
Meanwhile…
Kikyo closed her eyes and meditated for a moment, seemingly regaining a bit of strength. She gently raised her right hand, and several pale-green Dead Soul Insects flew in from outside, feeding her body with the collected soul essences.
Only then did Kikyo's complexion begin to improve. She stood and bowed. "Thank you, Miss Hikaru."
"No problem… I didn't really do much to help."
Now able to move again, Kikyo prepared to confront Naraku.
"Wait, Miss Kikyo, are you sure you want to face Naraku in this condition? It wouldn't hurt to wait for another chance. After all, Naraku doesn't know you're onto his true identity yet…"
Uchiha Hikaru hesitated.
"It's fine. My spiritual power has recovered enough, and the clay used to revive me contains the grave soil of the bandit Onigumo. With the 'Earth Barrier' it provides, Naraku can't kill me right now."
"…Alright."
Seeing Kikyo's resolve, Uchiha Hikaru didn't press further. She slipped on the mini wristband. "This wristband is one of Bulma's inventions. I'll shrink down to a few centimeters and hide near you. When we face Naraku, you'll draw his attention, and I'll look for an opening to seal his escape route with a barrier…"
After quickly confirming their battle plan…
Uchiha Hikaru pressed the wristband's button.
With a *whoosh*, she shrank at a visible rate, ending up thumb-sized on the floor.
"?"
Kikyo's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of curiosity crossing her face, though she said nothing. She grabbed her bow and quiver from the corner, slung them over her back, and held out her palm for the tiny Uchiha Hikaru to hop onto. Then she stepped outside, heading toward the "young lord's" residence at the castle's center.
Along the way, a few patrolling guards noticed Kikyo and raised their spears to stop her. But Uchiha Hikaru poked her head out of Kikyo's bag, casually tossing out a couple of three-tomoe genjutsu, sending them into a deep sleep.
And so…
The two reached Hitomi Ginto's room unimpeded.
"…The room's empty?"
Had Naraku already left?
"Outside the castle!"
Kikyo focused for a moment, making her judgment. "Naraku's set up a barrier in the mountains outside, using witchcraft to cultivate a new body. The vortex of malice in that direction just spiked—he's likely fusing with the demon acting as the蛊毒. We need to move now…"
As Kikyo turned to leave, Uchiha Hikaru quickly called out, raising her hand:
"Somersault Cloud!"
Within seconds, a black cloud streaked down from the sky, arriving above the castle in a blink and hovering steadily before Uchiha Hikaru.
"What's that…?"
Kikyo froze.
"No time to explain—get on!"
Uchiha Hikaru yanked Kikyo onto the Somersault Cloud.
Once they were settled, Uchiha Hikaru steered the cloud toward the direction Kikyo indicated, reaching a volcano-like mountain peak in just a minute or two. From hundreds of meters up, they could see two groups facing off on a flat stretch of the mountainside.
One was a tall, naked man radiating an eerie aura—Naraku, freshly equipped with a new body.
The other group included Inuyasha in his fire-rat robe, alongside Kagome, Miroku, Sango, and the others.
The Somersault Cloud's arrival quickly drew attention.
But since this timeline's Naraku had never met the revived Kikyo, and Uchiha Hikaru was a complete stranger, they didn't react immediately.
"…Hold on tight, Kikyo!"
Uchiha Hikaru dove the Somersault Cloud downward, already forming hand signs midair:
"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"
With a *poof*, Uchiha Hikaru split into five. Four shadow clones leaped off the cloud, using Sky Dance Technique to fly to four surrounding points—forming the corners of a rectangle when viewed from above.
With four soft thuds, the clones landed almost simultaneously, immediately sitting cross-legged and weaving hand signs in perfect unison:
Ju-Shin-Shi-Bo-In…
"Barrier Technique: Four Purple Flame Formation!!"