"So he went to the Lunar Capital, huh? Well, that's fine. As long as he isn't dead," Miketsu said with a nod, sitting within the secluded woods as she listened to Totosai. If Eirin weren't at the Lunar Capital, their overall medical level would probably regress by three hundred years. Just keeping him alive was quite an achievement; after all, the medical technology of the Lunar Capital was primarily developed for moon rabbits and Lunarians, not for a motley assortment of various yokai.
In truth, Eirin’s absence wasn't necessarily a bad thing. If she had actually taken charge of treating such an exceptionally severe, near-death injury, she certainly could have saved him, but what state he'd be in afterward was anyone’s guess. She called herself a doctor, but her essence was that of a researcher, and she was prone to using experimental and aggressive therapies. Regardless, although Toga wasn't dead, his disappearance from the Earth for several hundred years had the same impact as if he were. It was no wonder the Great Yokai's family discipline was so clearly lacking.
Miketsu, in her fox avatar, sat on the ground wagging her tail. Before her, Totosai hesitated for a moment before speaking again.
"Lady Uka, you haven't manifested in the world for over five hundred years. Does your sudden return signify that some great event is about to happen?" Totosai asked with a hint of concern in his voice. Miketsu responded bluntly.
"A great event? Rest assured, there's nothing like that. I only came here this time to pick someone up."
"Mhm, an old friend I haven't seen in a long time..." Miketsu said, looking up at the sky. At that moment, she sensed a trace of demonic energy. She turned her head slightly, peering in the direction from which it emanated.
"It seems a guest has arrived."
On the wasteland on the other side of the village, a dried-up well covered in green vines stood in a forest clearing.
A bird perched on the edge of the ancient square well, chirping away. Suddenly, as if startled, it took flight and soared into the sky.
Thump! Thud! Following the sounds, a large backpack was tossed out of the well. Then, with continued shuffling, a high school girl in a green uniform struggled to climb out. Once she reached the top, she sat by the well and let out a long sigh of relief.
"I finally made it back... it's so exhausting every time," Kagome said, wiping sweat from her forehead as she panted. Having just finished her exams, she had returned from the modern era.
"I feel like I completely messed up those tests... I didn't remember any of the cram sessions at all. I'm afraid to think of what the grades will look like... Lord Deity, please protect me, I hope it's not too bad..."
Clasping her hands, Kagome prayed casually to the gods to salvage her doomed grades, then stood up from the well frame and let out another long breath.
"Anyway, I should go find Inuyasha first. The exams were a headache, but we still need to find the Shikon Jewel shards."
As she spoke, Kagome prepared to shoulder her pack and head toward the village. But just as she took her first step, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air from the distance.
"Ah!"
Kagome was startled. As she stepped forward, her foot slipped, and she suddenly lost her balance and fell to one side. During the fall, her textbooks, snacks, medicine, and other items scattered everywhere. Kagome's eyes widened mid-fall; she realized clearly now—she was being attacked.
"Oh my... you accidentally tripped at the critical moment. That fall just saved your life, little human girl."
A dark, feminine voice drifted from the forest. Kagome, still on the ground, looked toward the source and saw a beautiful woman in a kimono. She held a folding fan, had long pointed ears, and was stepping out from the shadows of the trees. She looked at Kagome with a smile.
"Y-Yokai!" Kagome stared in shock. She hadn't expected to be ambushed by a yokai immediately upon exiting the Bone-Eater's Well. If she hadn't accidentally tripped and caused the attack to miss, she would likely be dead by now.
The yokai woman chuckled as she looked at Kagome. Kagome slowly stood up and shouted at the sudden stranger.
"Who are you? What do you want?!" Kagome demanded, assuming a cautious stance. The woman fanned herself with the folding fan, which swirled with the demonic power of wind, and walked forward slowly.
"I am Kagura, the Wind Messenger. I've come to take all the Shikon Jewel shards. Human girl, hand them over immediately and I might consider sparing your life. Otherwise, prepare to end up in a yokai's belly!" the wind-controlling demon named Kagura said slowly. As she spoke, a rustling commotion began in the surrounding forest.
Centipedes, Okuri-inu, Kyusu... countless yokai of various forms emerged from hiding, surrounding Kagome in a tight circle, leaving her no way to escape.
"So you really are here for the Shikon Jewel shards? I won't let you have them that easily!" Seeing the horde of demons surrounding her, Kagome picked up her bow and arrows with a serious expression. Faced with such a predicament, she did not immediately choose to yield. Kagura gave a cold laugh.
"Hmph, how stubborn."
As she spoke, Kagura swung her folding fan again. Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind rose out of nowhere and surged toward Kagome, carrying hidden wind blades. Relying on the powerful innate spiritual vision inherited from her soul, Kagome sensed the movement of the demonic energy in the wind. Drawing on her experience, she understood an attack was coming. She followed her intuition and hurriedly dodged to the side, barely avoiding the invisible blades.
However, the edge of an invisible blade still sliced through Kagome's clothing. From the tear, a small glass bottle slipped out, containing several shimmering, pale purple shards.
"...The Shikon Jewel!" Seeing the bottle falling, Kagome frantically reached out to catch it. However, at that moment, a light breeze lifted the small bottle, preventing it from hitting the ground.
"It's mine now."
A smile touched Kagura's lips. But just as she prepared to use the wind to blow the bottle toward her, an unexpected change occurred.
A furry paw pressed down on the bottle. The small jar was pinned directly to the ground, and Kagura's wind power was instantly suppressed.
"What...?"
Kagura was stunned. She looked closely and saw a tiny grayish-white fox that had appeared out of nowhere. It was wagging its tail, batting the little bottle around with its two paws like a toy.
'Where did this fox come from?' Kagura looked at the sudden arrival in bewilderment. In her perception of the area, this creature hadn't been there at all. It was as if it had appeared out of thin air, which was startling.
"Th-That fox..." Kagome murmured blankly as she watched. In her memory, she seemed to recall a similar existence. If it really was that one, then this was going to be incredible.
At this moment, completely ignoring the stares of Kagura, Kagome, and the surrounding demons, the fox avatar of Miketsu was playing with her "toy" exactly like a real fox, batting it back and forth while looking down at the object inside.
'So this... is the legendary Shikon Jewel? The great treasure among yokai in the Sengoku era? It's slightly interesting... but only slightly.'
Seeing the target of her mission being toyed with by a fox, Kagura's lip twitched. She spoke up loudly.
"Hey, you wild fox over there. You look like a kitsune. Put that thing down right now, or there will be serious consequences," Kagura said sternly. "Wait... ugh! No! What am I thinking? You fox! Put that down, do you hear me? I know you're intelligent!" Kagura continued to shout. However, the "little fox" seemed not to "understand" Kagura's words. It tilted its head, one ear drooping, its expression both innocent and confused. This cuteness offensive made Kagura involuntarily cover her mouth and take two steps back.
'So cute!' Kagura screamed internally, while Kagome watched the whole thing in a daze.
'That Wind Messenger Kagura... she doesn't actually like small animals, does she?' Kagome thought to herself.
Kagura was now caught in a deep dilemma.
'What should I do... I feel like I can't bring myself to attack. In that case, I'll have to use other means. What do foxes like to eat? Oh... right, fried tofu! Anywhere with an Inari Shrine must sell it! Where's the nearest Inari Shrine?' Kagura's mind raced. She planned to have her demon subordinates watch the fox while she immediately went to an Inari Shrine to buy some fried tofu to bribe the little creature.
At that moment, a cold male voice sounded behind Kagura.
"What are you doing, Kagura? Hurry up and act."
Kagura jumped in shock, a chill running down her spine as cold sweat broke out over her body. She turned her head in horror. Perched on a branch of a tree behind her was a silver figure—it was a bizarre form draped in a silver-white baboon skin.
"Na-Naraku..."
"Move quickly, Kagura. We didn't come here to daydream. Inuyasha could arrive at any moment; we cannot delay. Kill them all and take the Shikon Jewel."
The silver-white figure murmured darkly. Kagura still showed a trace of hesitation on her face. After only a few seconds, Naraku lost patience with her inaction. Suddenly, Kagura felt a sharp, agonizing pain in her chest. She clutched at her heart, gasping for air in immense pain, and after a few breaths, she lost consciousness and collapsed to the ground, motionless.
"Pointless hesitation, pointless pity... To mess up your first mission like this. As my creation, you still have too many flaws. It seems I was too hasty during your making; you shouldn't have been born yet."
As he spoke, Naraku, draped in the silver baboon skin, looked forward again at the terrified Kagome and the harmless little fox.
"Kill them all. Seize the Shikon Jewel," Naraku murmured his command. Instantly, the surrounding yokai erupted into a frenzy. Under Naraku's control, they surged forward together to tear their prey apart.
Facing the tide of bizarre demons charging at her, the little fox that was Miketsu's avatar let out a tiny sigh.
'I guess there's no choice.'
By simulating demonic energy from her stores, Miketsu possessed a vast array of yokai abilities. However, her favorite to use was the one with infinite possibilities.
In a flash of light, a card appeared under the little fox's paw. Printed on the card was a yellow, round face with curved, squinting eyes and an exaggerated smile, complete with small red blushes on the cheeks. The simple design invited endless interpretations.
"Space-Time Meme Lore Summoning: Smirking Emoji!"
With a thunderous boom, a powerful shockwave erupted from the center of the clearing. The demons in the lead were sent flying. In the center of the shockwave, a massive yellow sphere was rapidly expanding in mid-air.
Rate on N.U.
