Ultimately, although the 'Progenitor of Demons' Kibutsuji Muzan had been creating demons since his birth, the total number of demons was not large due to his intentional hiding. In the land of Japan, the probability of actually encountering one was not high.
Compared to continuous wars, frequent natural disasters, and the yokai ravaging everywhere...
...the human casualties caused by demons were simply insignificant.
Even if, according to Kanbe Hikaru's guess, the current Kibutsuji Muzan was in a dormant stage, he likely wasn't as cowardly as in later generations, and he shouldn't have met the Sun Breathing swordsman who could use power like the'sun', Tsugikuni Yoriichi, yet.
But Kibutsuji Muzan's dormancy should have been consistent from beginning to end; the only difference was whether he had completely hidden behind the scenes.
So, this was the first time they had encountered such an existence.
The first time they had heard of such a thing.
Neither phantom nor monster, but simply a 'demon' formed by an infected human.
This was normal.
"How do you know all this?"
The priestess Tsubaki turned to look at Kanbe Hikaru and asked suddenly.
"I guessed."
Kanbe Hikaru spoke very casually.
"Who are you trying to fool?"
Tsubaki frowned.
"When you called out that name just now, that thing's reaction didn't look like it was facing a 'guessed' answer."
Kanbe Hikaru did not answer.
He simply said: "Some things don't need to be known too clearly."
"You only need to know—this kind of thing dies in the sunlight."
Tsubaki wanted to press further, but Kikyo's voice interrupted her.
"Enough."
The priestess in white and red stood not far away, her longbow already put away, her black hair drifting gently in the morning breeze.
She glanced at Tsubaki, then at Kanbe Hikaru.
"We will talk about this later."
Tsubaki gritted her teeth and did not argue back.
The three of them stood on the messy battlefield, silent for a moment.
Then—
"I don't want the Shikon Jewel anymore."
Tsubaki suddenly spoke up.
Kikyo's brow twitched slightly.
Kanbe Hikaru also turned his head, looking at this priestess who had suddenly changed her attitude.
Tsubaki's expression was very serious.
On that glamorous face, there was no longer the previous arrogance and resentment, replaced by an indescribable...
Eagerness?
"What did you say?"
Kikyo asked.
"I said, I don't want the Shikon Jewel anymore."
Tsubaki repeated herself, then her gaze turned to Kanbe Hikaru.
"I can give up the ritual duel with you and give up the struggle for the Shikon Jewel."
"But—"
She took a deep breath.
"Give your shikigami to me."
"..."
Kanbe Hikaru fell silent.
Kikyo also fell silent.
The air seemed to freeze.
Tsubaki, however, became more excited as she spoke.
"I saw the whole battle just now!"
She pointed at Kanbe Hikaru.
"Those bone spikes, that armor, and that Dance of Bones—it was like a demon god descending to the world!"
"I have never seen such a fighting style!"
"Never seen such an existence!"
Her eyes were frighteningly bright.
"Kikyo, you have the Shikon Jewel, you have a village to protect, and countless people look up to you."
"You already have everything."
"This shikigami—give it to me! I am a priestess from Tahoto; in terms of shikigami, I am stronger than you..."
She had seen it too clearly just now.
The bones all over his body blooming like flowers, the red armor reflecting the moonlight, blade and bone intertwining into the most cruel dance.
At that moment, her heart beat faster than ever before.
Faster than when she first exorcised a demon independently.
Faster than when her master praised her for having 'excellent talent'.
Faster than... when she saw Kikyo pierce through a swarm of demons with a single arrow.
She had been jealous of Kikyo.
Jealous that she was stronger, jealous that she got the Shikon Jewel, jealous that she was always so calm.
But now, she was suddenly not jealous anymore.
She only wanted to snatch away that monster covered in bone spikes.
To claim him as her own.
Tsubaki herself was startled by the thought.
She had never felt this way about anyone.
But she couldn't control it.
Such words were so sudden that it was truly hard for Kanbe Hikaru and Kikyo not to fall into silence.
In this silence...
Tsubaki only assumed that Kikyo had agreed.
After all, compared to the Shikon Jewel—this one'shikigami' was nothing at all.
She felt she was the one taking a huge loss.
"So... is it a deal?"
She asked tentatively.
Then she saw—
Kikyo's face had no expression.
Absolutely no expression.
But no expression, in itself, was an expression.
The air remained quiet for three seconds.
Kikyo turned around expressionlessly, walked ten steps, and stopped.
She drew her bow.
An arrow was notched.
Aimed at Tsubaki.
"The ritual duel, let it begin, Tsubaki."
Tsubaki: "???"
Did this woman not hear what she just said!?
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