Chapter 91: The Earth Barrier and the Sacred Tree
Hikaru woke from his slumber.
As an Oni, he didn't truly require sleep, but as his body gradually 'came to life,' he found himself able to enjoy the simple peace it offered. The rest he'd taken over the past few days had brought his condition to its peak, the Yao Qi coiling within him fully restored and potent.
He pushed open the wooden door of the shrine, ready to begin his daily routine of romancing his demonic weapons.
Then, he froze.
The scene outside the shrine was different. The entire expanse of Kaede Village was shrouded in a gossamer layer of faint white light. It was soft, not the least bit dazzling, yet it suffused the air with a deep sense of tranquility.
It was a barrier.
But this was nothing like the simple defensive ward that had stood before. This one was larger, more complex. Hikaru could see the faint, shimmering patterns of its construction hanging in the very air, weaving themselves into complex spiritual formations that were beyond his comprehension. The formations themselves seemed alive, flowing with a slow, deliberate current.
And at the very heart of the barrier, Kikyo stood.
Clad in her iconic white kosode and red hakama, her hair like a waterfall of polished jet, she was a portrait of focused power. Her hands were held in a delicate mudra, and a torrent of spiritual energy surged from her, transforming into ribbons of pure white light that plunged into the earth beneath her feet.
Hikaru's [Spiritual Perception] talent activated on its own. It was an ability granted to him by the Naohi, the fragment of the Shikon Jewel, allowing him to perceive the flow of spiritual power.
And in that moment, he perceived something extraordinary.
Kikyo's spiritual power had grown 'stronger.'
It was an obvious, tangible difference. The total volume of her energy remained the same, but its purity was on another level. The flow was smoother, more refined, and the oppressive pressure it exerted on demonic beings like himself was even more pronounced.
If the Kikyo of a few days ago was a drawn sword—sharp and exposed—then the woman before him now was a divine weapon resting in its sheath, her power restrained and deep.
'She's gotten stronger…' Hikaru thought to himself.
He descended the shrine steps, his footsteps silent on the stone as he made his way toward her.
Kikyo seemed to sense his approach. She released the seal, her hands falling to her sides as she turned to face him. The red fabric of her hakama fluttered in the morning breeze, the hem rolling up just enough to reveal the pristine white of her tabi socks. The wind pressed the garment against her legs, outlining the elegant curve of her hips. Her long hair, tied at the nape of her neck with a white ribbon, cascaded freely down her back, a perfect frame for her striking beauty. Faint beads of sweat dotted her cool, clear face, only serving to make her eyes and brows seem all the more radiant.
"You're awake," she asked, her voice calm.
Hikaru stopped beside her, his gaze falling upon the slowly flowing patterns of the barrier. "What are you doing?"
"Repairing the barrier," Kikyo replied, raising a hand to brush a stray drop of sweat from her forehead in a simple, natural gesture. "The previous battle with Kidomaru caused some damage, so I took the opportunity these past few days to mend it."
She paused, her gaze sweeping over the surrounding village houses. "And… I made some improvements."
As she said this, the priestess suddenly lifted her hand and took his. Her fingers were delicate, her palm soft as they intertwined with his own.
Hikaru was momentarily stunned.
He had already 'seen' that she was improving the barrier; she didn't need to tell him. But he had only seen it. Now, under Kikyo's deliberate guidance, he could understand with far greater precision what, exactly, was different.
He focused his [Spiritual Perception], exploring deeper into the structure of this new ward. If the previous barrier was a purely defensive measure, a simple wall to keep demons out, then this new creation was something else entirely.
It wasn't just for defense.
It could now issue warnings; any Yao Qi that approached within several hundred meters would trigger a reaction, allowing Kikyo to sense it immediately.
It could also purify; within the area it covered, the very impurities in the air were being slowly cleansed, creating an environment that actively suppressed demonic power.
It could even…
Hikaru's attention was drawn to the barrier's foundational structure. There, at its very base, was an exceedingly complex pattern, a formation unlike any he had ever seen. He couldn't decipher its purpose, but he could feel it—a cold, dangerous hum that promised ruin.
"What is that?" he asked, raising his free hand to point at the pattern.
Kikyo's eyes followed his gesture. "The prototype of an Earth Barrier," she said, her voice perfectly level.
"Earth Barrier?"
"It's a type of barrier that can be aimed at a specific target," Kikyo explained. "As long as you obtain something from the target—blood, hair, or even soil contaminated with their scent—you can set up a ward specifically designed to counter them. Within the range of this barrier, the target's power will be greatly weakened, and anything related to them will also be suppressed."
Hikaru's eyes lit up. Wasn't this the very method used against Naraku in the original story? Though in the anime, it exploited the human heart of Onigumo hidden within Naraku to force his surrender. The version before him was clearly different—it could only suppress an enemy, not control them. While not as absolute, its broader applicability made it far more practical for preventing another attack from Kidomaru. And it wasn't just for him; it would be very useful for dealing with other hidden threats.
After all…
"That arrow of yours shot off his arm," Kikyo's lips parted slightly, revealing a beautiful, shallow smile. "A lot of his blood splattered onto this land."
Hikaru was captivated by that smile for a long moment. Then, he let out a soft laugh.
"You really are…" he mused, "smarter than I thought."
Kikyo didn't respond, but an unmistakable flicker of pride—something almost girlish—danced in the depths of her pitch-black eyes.
The early morning sun cast long, rugged shadows across the landscape. They stood there, side-by-side at the edge of the shimmering barrier, their hands still linked. The golden light washed over the priestess in her white and red robes, making her appear exceptionally, breathtakingly beautiful.
Hikaru turned his head to look at her, a thought suddenly striking him.
"Kikyo," he said, his voice serious. "You really have become stronger."
Kikyo's posture stiffened slightly. "You felt it?"
Hikaru nodded. "Your spiritual power is much purer than it was a few days ago, and its flow is far smoother."
She was silent for a moment.
"Perhaps it's because…" Her voice softened, becoming almost a whisper. "My state of mind has changed."
'State of mind?'
Hikaru studied her, and this time, Kikyo did not avert her gaze. In those dark, lucid eyes, he saw something he had never seen before. The usual coldness and detachment were gone, but it wasn't the firm, unyielding determination she wore in battle, either. It was something else—a softer, warmer light.
"My former master once told me," Kikyo began to speak, "that a priestess's spiritual power is intrinsically linked to her state of mind. The purer the heart, the stronger the spiritual power, and the more stable its use. But if the heart is filled with distracting thoughts or wavers with uncertainty… the spiritual power will weaken."
Hikaru understood. He suddenly recalled that in the so-called 'original work,' this was also the case. It was said that once a shrine maiden fell in love, she would lose her power.
But Kikyo had grown stronger.
That proved something.
"Your 'love' isn't a distraction," Hikaru stated simply.
Kikyo started slightly, then a faint smile graced her lips. It was a subtle thing, but it sent a stir through Hikaru's chest.
"Perhaps," she said. "Or perhaps it is because…" She raised her hand, pointing to her own chest, to her heart. "It tells me that my choice was not wrong."
[Shikon Jewel: Naohi: Favorability +1]
[Current Favorability: 69 (Intimate)]
[It says: "Of course it wasn't wrong."]
Hikaru's expression remained unchanged. For a moment, he deeply suspected it was actually the Naohi telling Kikyo she wasn't wrong.
But just then, his gaze sharpened, focusing on something in the distance. He saw the very center of the barrier, the absolute epicenter of this land now shrouded in spiritual power.
There stood a tree. A colossal, ancient, and impossibly lush tree.
It was far taller than any other tree in the surrounding forest, its trunk so thick it would take nearly ten people with arms outstretched to encircle it. Its canopy spread like a great green dome, seeming to obscure a vast portion of the sky.
Most, in Hikaru's [Spiritual Perception], that tree was glowing. A vast, sacred radiance emanated from it, reflecting and interacting with the white light of the barrier.
"What is that…?" Hikaru's voice was laced with awe.
"The Sacred Tree," Kikyo's voice came from beside him. "The guardian tree of Kaede Village. This tree has existed for longer than the village itself. It is said that it was already here before Musashi Province was even established."
The Sacred Tree.
Of course. Hikaru would never forget that name, that existence. In the original Inuyasha story, it was a place of paramount importance. It was where the Shikon Jewel was burned in a timeline that would now never come to pass. It was said to possess the power to connect the past, present, and future, and the Bone-Eater's Well—created from its wood—was the very catalyst for the entire tale.
He had actually searched for this tree before. If he could find such a divine artifact and conquer it, the rewards would surely be immense. But he had never been able to find it.
And now, it had appeared on its own.
"I've never…" Hikaru frowned. "I've never seen this tree before."
Kikyo's voice was calm, not at all surprised. "That's because the Sacred Tree is the core of this land and the foundation of Kaede Village's barrier. It does not easily reveal its true form to outsiders. Only those recognized by this land can see it."
Sudden realization dawned on Hikaru.
That night of the great battle, he had blanketed the entire Kanto region with his blood mist and Bone Spikes. He had slain four Materialization-level demons and, in doing so, had purified the Yao Qi that had been permeating this land for so long.
He had gained the recognition of the land of Kanto.
The favorability gain had only been a single point. But it was that one point—that one sliver of acknowledgment—that had finally allowed him to see the Sacred Tree.
It made perfect sense, when he thought about it. This world wasn't purely Inuyasha; it was a mixed world with far more complex and dangerous entities. If a sacred tree with time-altering properties didn't know how to hide itself, it would have been plundered and destroyed by countless factions long ago. How could it possibly have remained safe until now?
"I see," Hikaru said in a low voice.
He stared at the giant tree, which pulsed with a holy light, his eyes burning with desire. If he was correct, this Sacred Tree should also be a target he could conquer. And its quality… in all likelihood, it was on par with the Shikon Jewel itself, or perhaps even surpassed it.
Hikaru's breathing quickened almost imperceptibly.
"Kikyo," he said, his voice tight with anticipation. "I want to go see that tree."
She glanced at him. There was no question in her dark eyes. She had long since seen and accepted Hikaru's 'goodwill' toward all things.
"Let's go," she said, her hand still holding his tightly, as if she had no intention of separating for even a moment. "I'll take you."
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