In the Mind's Eye, following Yuhi Kurenai into this misty area, Inoyue finally understood why this place was called the Mind's Eye.
Stepping in, the sight was just like what one would see after activating the Mind's Eye: a world of black, white, and gray.
The difference was that besides the small path extending to who-knows-where underfoot, there was only black, white, and gray all around, a vast misty expanse, with nothing else.
Inoyue walked alone on this path; as for her master, Yuhi Kurenai, she was likely doing the same now. They entered at the same time but were not together, as if they had entered different spaces.
Yuhi Kurenai had speculated about this and mentioned it to Inoyue before they entered. This was her first time bringing someone along, so she didn't know what the outcome would be.
According to Yuhi Kurenai, there was no danger inside; only an endless path. By following it, one's state of mind would change, and eventually, one would emerge.
Inoyue had walked this path before. It was when she was on the verge of death in the treasure cave. She still remembered there was a voice accompanying her then.
This voice claimed to be the last demon of the Underworld, and she wondered how he was doing now, whether he was still lonely in that Underworld.
...
"You're here again!" The familiar voice rang out again, and Inoyue froze, immediately stopping in her tracks.
The voice was exactly the same as the one she had heard when she thought she was in the Underworld after her death. Solitary, desolate, and filled with a deep sense of ancientness.
"It's you!" Inoyue asked in surprise, feeling a bit uncertain because she hadn't died, nor was she on the verge of death.
"Don't you remember me?" There seemed to be a hint of disappointment in the voice.
"No, you misunderstood. I haven't died, but I still came here, which is why I asked!" Inoyue quickly explained, feeling a touch of reluctance in her heart.
"I see! But you are indeed not in the same state as last time. To come here as a living person, you are the first one so far." The voice expressed admiration.
"Do you still want to hear a story?" Inoyue asked softly. Anyway, this path was long enough, and she really didn't know how long she would have to walk. Walking such a path in such an environment with a voice for company was indeed a good thing.
The voice hesitated for a moment, then asked in return, "Aren't you in a hurry to leave?"
"Leave? Is that something one can rush?" Inoyue replied helplessly, then continued, "Where did I leave off last time?"
"Sesshomaru sought out his younger brother Inuyasha for his father's Tessaiga." The voice clearly still wanted to hear the story, so it immediately recounted the last ending.
"Oh, really? It's impressive that you remember so clearly. Then let's continue!"
Inoyue chuckled, then slowly began to narrate, "So, Sesshomaru learned that his father's grave was hidden in the Black Pearl in Inuyasha's right eye..."
...
With company, time passed quickly. Without company, days felt like years.
Inoyue retold Inuyasha's story. A reckless young man, unknowingly hiding a warm heart deep inside.
She narrated how Inuyasha, to protect Kagome, drew out the Tessaiga left by his father. After that, he unleashed his Kamui and defeated his older brother, Sesshomaru.
"Do you know the other meaning of Inuyasha?" The voice asked when Inoyue paused to rest.
"Yes! I do!" Inoyue nodded, "It means 'guardian'."
"Is that so? It seems you really like this story." The voice carried a smile, perhaps noticing that Inoyue was also deeply immersed in the story as she told it.
"Of course! Does that even need to be said?" Inoyue's answer was resolute.
"Aren't you leaving yet?" The voice asked again.
"Leaving? I want to leave too, but I don't know how." This was the honest truth; Inoyue had also been troubled by this question, but she had temporarily forgotten it while immersed in telling the story.
"As long as you want to leave, you can leave."
The voice kindly reminded her. However, Inoyue blinked adorably, "Is it that simple?"
"Of course, do you think it should be difficult?" The voice laughed heartily, full of vigor, as if it hadn't encountered anything happy in a long time. And Inoyue's current behavior had made him laugh.
Wanting to leave, she could leave. Inoyue closed her eyes, then thought about being able to leave. A few seconds later, she opened her eyes, but she was still on this extending path; she hadn't moved at all.
Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, and her small face showed a hint of displeasure. The meaning was quite clear: "Are you playing a trick on me, old man!"
The voice was amused by Inoyue's expression, then reminded her again, "Your mind seems a bit unfocused. Close your eyes, imagine a door with light leaking from it, then try opening the door!"
"Will it really work?" Inoyue was a little skeptical. Would leaving this Mind's Eye be that simple?
"It will definitely work." There was a hint of helplessness in the voice's tone, as if saying, 'I'm an old demon who has lived for so long, do I need to lie to a little girl like you?'
"When will we meet again?" Inoyue didn't leave immediately but asked, thinking that this great demon must be quite lonely by himself, and besides, telling him "Inuyasha" was also a way to recall her memories from her previous life.
"You can enter here in a living state, so meeting again is only a matter of time; it depends on you."
Inoyue understood the meaning of these words. It was simple: it depended on how her strength grew. Having entered the Mind's Eye twice, if she still didn't know the connection, she wouldn't be worthy of her true age.
"I'm leaving!" Inoyue closed her eyes, said goodbye, and then began to meditate according to the steps the voice had guided her through.
...
A massive redwood door appeared in her mind, ancient, elegant, weathered, and with a strong sense of gravitas.
Its scale was no smaller than Rajomon; in fact, from some perspectives, Inoyue felt that Rajomon couldn't even be compared to it.
Rajomon was just a door, a door for defense, and perhaps it had other functions, but at least Inoyue didn't know them now. But this giant red door that appeared in her mind, it seemed to connect two worlds; as long as she pushed it open, Inoyue could go to another world.
No light leaked from inside the door, unlike what the voice had said, that light would leak out. Perhaps with such a door existing, even if there was light inside, not a speck could penetrate.
Inoyue walked to the side of the door. The massive red door was even more astonishing when she approached it. If this red door was a normal door, then Inoyue was just a tiny ant under this door.
Click, creak, with Inoyue's approach, the door suddenly opened a tiny crack, and the light from inside shot out.
The light shining on Inoyue was not dazzling; on the contrary, it felt warm, like the rising morning sun.