Listening to Tsuruha's respectful words, Miketsu could not help but let out a soft sigh before continuing.
"Rest assured, I will eventually return. And this time, it will not be like the last time I slumbered; the Inari foxes will not suffer persecution. There are many powers that can assist you."
Miketsu spoke comfortingly to Tsuruha. Upon hearing this, Tsuruha's expression shifted slightly with emotion, and she bowed low.
"Tsuruha will wait at the shrine for your return..."
Ending her conversation with Tsuruha, Miketsu shifted her gaze to Qin Xin and Menreiki on the other side. They sat upright and poised, quietly awaiting Miketsu's words.
"Men-men, Qin Xin... you have both been acting as my clones for a long time. After I leave, I hope you can continue to do so. Of course, this will not be forever..."
As Miketsu spoke, she lightly waved her hand. Following a sudden sound, a gust of wind blew in from outside the grand hall. A sheathed tachi flew through the window, coming to a halt before Miketsu and hovering in mid-air. This was none other than Miketsu's personal weapon, the Blade of the Three Realms.
Looking at this rare treasure forged from the Fangs of the Yokai, the Flames of the Spirit, and the Blood of the God, Miketsu's eyes narrowed. A transcendent power, imperceptible to ordinary people, diffused into the Blade of the Three Realms. The hovering blade began to tremble slightly, accompanied by a series of hums, before finally erupting in a brilliant flash of light.
When the light dissipated, the hovering Blade of the Three Realms had vanished, replaced by three different weapons.
A divine bow adorned with golden rice ears flowed with a golden luster. A spirit spear, shimmering with blue crystalline light, reflected a cold edge. A demonic blade, sharp and dark, was shrouded in a deep red aura.
Using her extraordinary might, Miketsu had split the weapon that had accompanied her for years into three, directly separating the three forms it possessed.
With a wave of her hand, the hovering spirit spear and demonic blade flew toward Qin Xin and Menreiki respectively. Seeing this, the two girls reached out and caught them, gripping the weapons in their hands.
"Asakura Hao and Owl cannot simply vanish all at once because of my departure. Their stories deserve their own conclusions. Bring them to a fitting end, and then you may return to being yourselves. Afterward, you may keep these two weapons, hide them away, or pass them on to suitable candidates as you see fit."
Miketsu spoke slowly as she looked at Qin Xin and Menreiki. Hearing her words, the two girls tightened their grips on their weapons.
"No... we have been masks from the very beginning, and we only need to remain as your masks. There is no such thing as a 'self'," Qin Xin said, looking at Miketsu with an expressionless face. Miketsu smiled faintly at those words.
"No one exists solely to be another's mask... if you are unclear about your 'self', then go and experience the world to find it. Men-men... perhaps you will need to take good care of Qin Xin in the future."
Miketsu looked toward Menreiki as she spoke. After stowing the demonic blade, Menreiki replied softly and respectfully.
"I shall follow your will..."
Looking at Menreiki, Miketsu nodded slightly. Her gaze then turned to the bird-yokai girl on the other side.
"Makoto... our contract will not be severed after I leave. Using this contract as a medium, you will be able to enter the Celestial Realm with ease. There, you can successfully cultivate into a heavenly demon. If necessary, I will summon you to deliver messages for me."
"Makoto will await your summons at any time and place..." the bird-yokai girl said slowly, smoothing her golden feathers. Her contract with Miketsu, like those of Tsuruha and the others, would remain intact.
Finally, Miketsu turned her gaze to Kikyo. At this moment, Kikyo's face was clouded with a touch of sorrow. Before Miketsu could speak, Kikyo spoke first.
"Lady Uka, will Kikyo... be able to see you again in the future?" Kikyo asked softly. Miketsu's previous words and actions had made one thing clear: her departure this time would be for a very long period—perhaps exceeding the limits of a human lifespan.
Whether it was Tsuruha and Konkiku, or Menreiki and Qin Xin... or even Makoto, they were all spirit beasts or yokai. With their long lifespans, they were almost certain to live until the moment of Miketsu's return. But as a short-lived human, it seemed Kikyo was destined never to see Miketsu again in this life.
Miketsu clearly saw through Kikyo's thoughts. After a soft sigh, she spoke gently to her miko.
"The flesh may decay, but the soul can live eternally within the cycle of reincarnation. The fate of your soul has long been linked with mine. This connection is not easily erased. I promise that when I return, we shall meet again."
"Then, no matter how many lifetimes pass, when we meet again, Kikyo will surely become your miko once more..." Hearing Miketsu's words, the tension in Kikyo's brow relaxed, and she spoke with renewed resolve. However, Miketsu's expression turned somewhat serious upon hearing this.
"This life is this life, and the next is the next... it is best not to arbitrarily decide the fate of your next life while still in this one. In a sense, you will be different people," Miketsu said calmly. She wanted to remind Kikyo that her next incarnation might not be the same as her current self. For that future version of her, perhaps the best fate would not be to serve as a miko; perhaps being ordinary friends would be a valid choice as well.
A trace of sadness appeared on Kikyo's face. Seeing this, Miketsu continued.
"Though there is a distinction between the present and the future, when we meet again, I will give the you of that time a choice—to choose whether you are willing to become my miko once more. If your choice remains the same, I will restore your memories of this life..."
Miketsu's meaning was simple: when she encountered the reincarnated Kikyo, she would give her the opportunity to choose. If she wished to be a miko again, Miketsu would allow her two lives to overlap.
Hearing Miketsu's words, the worry between Kikyo's brows vanished. Finally, with a faint smile, she said,
"I shall follow Lady Uka's arrangements..."
Seeing that she had given instructions to almost everyone, Miketsu turned her gaze back to the final weapon hovering in the air—the divine bow radiating a golden light.
With a slight wave of her hand, Miketsu sent the final divine bow to Tsuruha, giving her one last instruction.
"Let this bow, which can channel my divine power, be sealed within this Inari Secret Realm. If an unexpected situation arises, Tsuruha... I permit you to use it."
Taking the divine bow that floated before her, Tsuruha gave one last respectful bow.
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