"For weapons that are inconvenient to carry,like Savage Dragon,you can inscribe a Summoning Technique on them," Kagetsu explained, casually rotating his wrist.
Whoosh,!
The massive blade carved through the air as he gave it a few effortless swings.
Then,
Poof!
A cloud of smoke burst forth.
The greatsword vanished from his hand.
"When you're done using it, just release the summoning," he said with a relaxed smile, turning to Kikyo.
Kikyo's eyes lit up as she stared at his now-empty palm.
Nearby, Inuyasha and the others, who had been resting, were also drawn to the scene.
Kikyo lowered her gaze to the white bracers on her wrists.
"And mine?" she asked softly. "Do they summon my bow and arrows?"
"Exactly."
Kagetsu nodded, the smile in his eyes deepening.
"Try it. Use the Sage Power inside you,it's simple."
"…Alright."
Kikyo stepped forward, closing her eyes briefly as she guided her Sage Power into the bracer.
Poof!
White mist swirled around her left hand.
When it cleared,
Her familiar Demon-Slaying Bow rested firmly in her grasp.
A flicker of surprise crossed her face.
Without hesitation, she activated the bracer on her right wrist.
Poof!
This time, a full quiver of arrows appeared in her hand.
Kikyo examined them for a moment, then followed Kagetsu's earlier instructions,
Poof! Poof!
The bow and quiver disappeared again in twin bursts of smoke.
She looked up at him, her gaze softening.
"…You asked for my bow and arrows earlier… was it for this?"
"That's right," he replied with a gentle smile.
"This way, you won't have to carry them everywhere,and more importantly, you'll never be caught unprepared."
He paused, then added,
"There's something else."
He gently took her wrist, turning it slightly.
"On your right bracer,next to the summoning formula,there's another technique hidden."
Kikyo focused,and sure enough, beneath the 'Arrow' marking, a second, subtler inscription revealed itself.
She channeled her Sage Power into it.
Poof!
A small puff of smoke appeared,
And this time,
A single arrow rested quietly in her palm.
"This one's for emergencies," Kagetsu explained.
He guided her wrist slightly, pointing to the formula.
"It's not a summoning technique,it's a miniature sealing array."
He took the arrow from her hand and pressed it lightly against the bracer.
Poof!
The arrow vanished,sealed once more.
"You can store up to three arrows. Each activation draws one out instantly."
His voice remained calm, but there was clear pride beneath it.
"No need to summon a quiver. Just draw,and fire."
He let go of her wrist, adding,
"Releasing them requires chakra, and resealing them takes some effort,so it's a bit inconvenient. But for emergencies…"
"It's more than enough."
Kikyo raised her hands, admiring the bracers.
White leather.
Dark inscriptions.
Elegant.
Mysterious.
Her lips curved into a gentle smile.
"I love them."
For a moment, Kagetsu simply looked at her.
And then,before he could react,Kikyo stepped forward.
She rose onto her toes,
And softly kissed the corner of his lips.
Then she pulled back, a playful glint in her eyes.
"…This is your reward."
"Wha,!"
Sango's face turned bright red.
"They,they kissed!"
"Shippō, don't look!" Kagome quickly covered the fox demon's eyes,
Though her own gaze remained firmly fixed on them.
Inuyasha leaned against a nearby tree, arms crossed.
A flicker of something unreadable passed through his eyes,
Before he turned away in silence.
"…Sigh. Men."
Miroku shook his head dramatically.
Yet,His hand began to drift,very familiarly,toward Sango.
Thwack!
Hiraikotsu struck his head with perfect precision.
"OW!"
Miroku clutched his head, only to meet Sango's cold, unimpressed gaze.
"Heh. Men."
Kagetsu paid no mind to the chaos.
He wrapped an arm around Kikyo's waist, leaning close to her ear.
"There are two bracers," he murmured, voice laced with amusement. "So I believe I'm still owed one more reward."
Kikyo's face flushed slightly.
She quickly covered his mouth.
"They're all watching…"
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"I'll owe you the other one… later."
Kagetsu chuckled softly.
"Alright. I'll remember that."
He gently pinched her cheek, clearly satisfied.
Just then,
A strange, childish voice drifted through the air.
"Pure is foul, foul is pure…"
"Good is evil, evil is good…"
"Life is death, death is life…"
A group of children skipped past along the roadside, singing as they went.
The eerie rhyme lingered long after they had gone.
Kagome frowned.
"That's… such a strange song."
She looked after them uneasily.
"Clean is clean, dirty is dirty… why would they say 'pure is foul'?"
Kagetsu didn't answer immediately.
Instead,
His gaze shifted toward the distance.
Toward the mountain shrouded in thick, white mist.
Mount Hakurei.
"…What's wrong?" Kikyo asked softly, following his line of sight.
She studied the mountain carefully.
"…There's no demonic aura. No evil presence at all…"
Her brows knit together slightly.
"But… it's too clean."
Kagetsu's lips curved faintly.
"So clean it feels unnatural?"
Kikyo nodded slowly.
"…As if it doesn't belong in this world."
She paused.
"Legends say it can cleanse all sins… perhaps that's why."
"…Or perhaps not."
Kagetsu's voice carried a subtle chill.
"Sometimes, the closer you get to something 'holy'…"
His eyes darkened slightly as he looked at the mountain.
"…the more terrifying the darkness hidden beneath it."
They had already reached the outskirts of Mount Hakurei.
The forest was lush.
The air was pure.
Too pure.
There wasn't a single demon in sight.
Not even a trace of evil energy.
To anyone else, it would feel like sacred ground.
But Kagetsu knew better.
This "purity",
It wasn't natural.
It was suppression.
Beneath that flawless surface…
Lay something far more sinister.Thousands of demons.
Sealed.Contained.
And that eerie nursery rhyme,
"…Pure is foul, foul is pure…"
It wasn't just a children's song.
It was a warning.