Crossover: A Different Inuyasha.

Chapter 77 The Priestess's Sorrow and Shame, Naraku's Predicament

After calling his name, Kikyo seemed to have exhausted all her strength, her chest rising and falling slightly.

But when she tried to sit up, she found that her limbs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead.

The priestess tried to raise her arm, her joints twitched, but all she got in return was a weak, trembling tremor before she quickly fell back onto the mattress.

"wrong."

This is not ordinary weakness.

Is it a seal?

Kikyo frowned and began to channel her spiritual power. At the same time, a warm power rose from within her body.

Like a lit ember, it expanded the moment she awakened her spiritual power, swallowing up all the newly emerged spiritual power.

"This flame—Inuyasha!"

Kikyo's eyes were clouded, and she chose to try again. The azure flames rose once more, and this time even her physical strength was somewhat consumed, like a fire snake coiled in her body, neither biting nor burning her.

However, she was not allowed to use any power beyond "living".

She could only lie there, breathe, and keep her eyes open to remain conscious.

"Inuyasha, you chose to imprison me instead of killing me, is it for the Shikon Jewel?"

Kikyo lay on the flower-covered bed, her breathing steady and shallow. Her gaze fell on the "囍" character on the dome, and for a moment her eyes were complicated. Who is getting married?

"Me? Heh."

After a long while, the corner of her mouth twitched, and she muttered a soft curse, her expression a mixture of a cold laugh and some other more complex emotion.

"————What a bastard."

Her thoughts drifted back to the past.

While he was still alive, in that small house in Kaede Village, Inuyasha leaned against the doorframe, flipping through an old book he had pulled out from somewhere, while gazing at himself.

"Back in mainland China, newlyweds' rooms are covered with red '囍' characters everywhere, it looks so festive."

"Do you like Kikyo?"

"If it's pretty, I think I'll like it."

She smiled and replied, continuing to wipe the arrows, her mind filled with Inuyasha's radiant smile, while her hands trembled slightly.

The priestess, who was supposed to dedicate her life to the world, was then filled with fear of her future with the half-demon.

"If only back then—there would be no back then."

Kikyo gave a self-deprecating laugh, her low spirits making her realize something was different.

They still carry within them the vitality and warmth that only the living possess.

"Inuyasha, what kind of evil magic did you use to revive me?"

She remembered Inuyasha walking towards her through a sea of ​​spider lilies in the underworld, and his seemingly random words: "Kikyo, you can't have babies here, you know."

Kikyo took it as an extremely frivolous and outrageous remark, and became even more furious.

But now, lying on the bed covered with flowers, with the character "囍" filling my eyes, that phrase suddenly had a weight that made my heart tighten.

Red silk, the character for "double happiness," fresh flowers, red candles—each item tells a story of a direction she is not yet ready to face.

Inuyasha—does he still love himself?

The moment the thought popped into her head, she suppressed it, like a tender sprout just emerging from the soil, which she herself covered with soil.

But the bud still managed to sprout from between my fingers, with an unyielding persistence.

Has he suddenly realized his mistake and turned over a new leaf?

Kikyo closed her eyes, feeling something trembling slightly in her chest.

She tried to imagine the scenario: could she still be with Inuyasha?

Like before, walking side by side in the sunlight? This thought, like a stone thrown into deep water, rippled across her heart, spreading in waves, before she could even discern the shapes of the ripples—

No, that's not right.

Kikyo gathered her thoughts and banished that image from her mind.

The ripples shattered into a blurry expanse of light and shadow, which was then covered by another, harder layer that surged up.

That half-demon approached me only for the Shikon Jewel.

In the underworld, Kikyo honed this phrase, which she had recited countless times, as if she wanted to sharpen it further so that she could sever those inappropriate thoughts.

She cursed through gritted teeth.

"He's a complete liar!"

"A big liar?"

A voice came from the doorway, carrying the sound of someone who had stumbled upon a good show.

Inuyasha passed through the barrier separating the inside from the outside, saying, "I said, Kikyo, who did I lie to?"

"Speaking ill of others behind their backs without evidence is not the behavior of a noble priestess."

The silver-haired half-demon spoke as she walked towards the bed. Her footsteps seemed to pound on Kikyo's heart, making her nervous and at a loss.

"This is the enemy! The enemy!"

Kikyo's thoughts kept repeating in her heart, like beating a drum that was about to crack, trying to arm herself with a cold, hard shell.

She decided to take a hard line.

We must not let the half-demon look down on us.

But the moment she raised her eyes, Inuyasha stopped at the edge of the bed.

The candlelight flickered behind the half-demon, casting a golden-red halo over his silhouette—and then, his appearance began to change.

Her long, silvery-white hair turned black from the roots down, like the night falling from above and flowing down her hair.

His golden eyes then became calm and deep, like two pebbles soaked in the night, losing the fierceness and sharpness that belonged to a demon, leaving only a warm and gentle black.

The contours of her face remained unchanged.

But the roguish arrogance that permeated his eyes and brows was smoothed out somewhat, revealing a human face beneath, with a youthful spirit yet a resolute face that had been tempered by experience.

Kikyo was stunned.

This was the image she had seen countless times by the river in Maple Village, at dusk, and by the campfire—Inuyasha in human form.

That half-demon boy who loses all his demonic power on the night of the new moon, curls up beside her, and occasionally falls asleep leaning on her shoulder.

The sudden unfolding before her eyes caught her completely off guard, causing her to gasp for breath.

But before she could process the scene, the ink flowed back from the ends of his hair, the silver-white spread out again, and the gold shone brightly again. Then, demonic patterns appeared on his cheeks, neck, and wrists.

His eyes sank from gold to crimson, like two burning embers, exuding an almost primal and savage sense of oppression. His aura also suddenly deepened, becoming sharp and aggressive.

Monster form.

Kikyo's pupils contracted slightly; this was a demonic appearance of Inuyasha that she had never seen before, without any attempt at concealment.

"you----"

Her voice caught in her throat for a moment, then, as if struck by a thought, she blurted out a question.

"You found the Shikon Jewel?"

Inuyasha curled the corners of his mouth slightly, with an innate arrogance, "The Shikon Jewel? That's something only the weak would covet."

Inuyasha, who forgets his roots when he becomes powerful, slowly leans down, his crimson eyes burning with intense aggression, staring at Kikyo, who appears exceptionally fragile on the bed due to her spiritual power being sealed, and kisses her lips without saying a word.

This woman only becomes docile when she is weak.

"It's a different feeling from Jieluo and Feng." At first, he had the mindset of a scumbag.

Continuing with it is an immersive and enjoyable experience.

Kikyo, unable to move, stared blankly. After a moment of emptiness, she was overcome with shame, anger, and panic. But before she could utter a word or make a move, Inuyasha's appearance changed again with each breath they exchanged.

The demonic markings faded, his crimson eyes returned to golden, and he transformed back into his half-demon form.

Her lips, still warm with the touch of a half-demon, were softer than before, yet remained strong and domineering.

Kikyo's ears flushed slightly. She tried to turn her head away, but found that she didn't even have the strength to turn her head.

Inuyasha's breath pressed against her lips. Although the half-demon's body temperature was slightly lower than when she was a demon, it was still so hot that it made her heart race.

No, this can't be done.

Kikyo felt ashamed and afraid.

She knew that if things continued like this, she would be doomed.

Then Inuyasha changed again.

Under Kikyo's gaze, a mixture of shame and anger, his features softened once more.

Silver turned to inky black, and gold sank into the deep darkness, transforming into the appearance of humankind.

This time, his kiss was lighter, slower, and gentler than the previous two.

Kikyo's gaze froze completely.

She even forgot to breathe; her dark eyes churned with astonishment, shame, anger, helplessness, and something she had been suppressing deep within, but which she could no longer hold back at this moment.

Inuyasha straightened up, his black-haired, black-eyed human form appearing in the candlelight like a frozen ink painting.

He looked down at her, a slight smile playing on his lips, a hint of smugness, a touch of roguishness, and a joy he himself hadn't intended to hide. "It tastes pretty good."

Kikyo opened her mouth, wanting to curse him, but found that even the words of cursing were stuck in her throat, and her mind went blank.

Her ears turned as red as if they were burning, and her cheeks were also flushed with a thin blush, ignited by the light and her heartbeat.

The priestess eventually looked away, staring at the bellflowers on the edge of the bed.

"Shameless scoundrel, stay away from me."

But her voice was as soft as a flower petal, utterly harmless.

"You can leave before you do."

The room had been decorated as a wedding chamber, so how could Inuyasha leave? He said he would, but his body quickly and decisively turned over and got into bed.

The hem of his clothes brushed against the edge of the bed, and Er Gouzi placed his hands on either side of Kikyō's cheeks, drawing her gaze to himself.

The candlelight flickered behind him, casting his lowered silhouette onto her, like a closed door that shut out the whole world.

Inuyasha lowered his head, his hair falling down and brushing against Kikyo's forehead and temples, and spoke softly, "Then you have to tell me first which version of me you like."

Kikyo's breathing became even shallower.

She could feel her heart pounding in her chest at an indecent pace.

Like a rabbit cornered against a wall, it knows there's a hunter in front of it, but even its instinct to run away is held back by something.

Her gaze lingered on Inuyasha's face, his black hair and eyes, his eyebrows slightly raised, and a carefree smile playing on his lips, as if she were certain that she would have an answer.

She did have it, but Kikyo refused to say it even if it meant her death.

"What's wrong with you?"

The shrine maiden looked away, her expression revealing a bluff that even she could hear.

I don't like any of them.

"Yeah?"

Inuyasha moved half an inch closer.

His lips brushed against the priestess's earlobe, his warm breath caressing her temples and earlobes. He whispered in her ear, "But I've always loved you, Kikyo, I swear!"

I love you more than anyone else in the world!

Hearing the sweet words she had never heard before her death, the emotions that Kikyo had repeatedly suppressed surged up in her chest once more.

A bittersweet feeling, a warmth mixed with an indescribable sense of grievance and wavering.

She used all her strength to keep her voice from trembling, but the last syllable still betrayed a tremor that she herself might not have even noticed.

"Then why did you hurt me in the first place? Why did you steal the Shikon Jewel?"

Inuyasha's voice came from beside her ear, "Are you sure that's me?"

Like a thunderbolt striking, Kikyo's mind seemed to have been put on pause.

In that instant, all the fragments of memory seemed to pour out of a box and scatter before her eyes.

Grassland, Inuyasha, sneak attack, the stolen Shikon Jewel, and the deliberate statement that he was going to the village to kill all the villagers.

A strange possibility stirred the edge of her memory, but she dared not think further.

Inuyasha reached out, his fingertips touching Kikyo's cheek, his warm palm against her slightly cool face, his thumb gently tracing the tear tracks that slowly slid down her cheeks.

"Okay, stop crying."

"Let bygones be bygones, and we should embrace a new life."

Inuyasha smiled. "I have already captured the demon who was impersonating me."

2

"Guess who that is?"

"Don't talk nonsense, I didn't cry."

Kikyo instinctively didn't refuse; instead, she pressed her hand against the other person's palm, her voice dry and unease tinged with question, "Who is it?"

You'll find out tomorrow.

"Inuyasha, I need to know now—wait, why are you taking your clothes off?"

Inuyasha pointed to the large red "囍" (double happiness) character in front of the bed, "Today is our wedding night, what do you think I should do?"

"Me, me, me, ————"

The shrine maiden's sorrow and shame permeated the night.

The next morning.

Inuyasha crouched by the bed and lifted the frail and powerless Kikyo from under the covers.

The shrine maiden's spiritual power was still sealed, so she could only lean against his back, her chin resting on his shoulder, her breathing still dazed and languid.

"Where are you taking me?"

"The things we agreed on yesterday."

Inuyasha adjusted her position on his back, moving her to a more comfortable spot.

Upon hearing this, Kikyo became much more alert.

The two left the secret chamber and passed through the barrier. They could faintly hear the songs of the little witches practicing their dance in the courtyard, as well as the rustling of the morning breeze through the bamboo forest.

Inuyasha turned a corner and soon stopped in front of a stone gate.

"arrive."

He pushed open the stone door with one hand, and the hinges rolled over the stone groove with a low hum, carrying a heavy feeling of something that hadn't been opened for years.

The chamber was small, with stone walls on all four sides. The only source of light came from a flickering fire inside.

In the center of the secret room, there was something wrapped in layers of hair, like a giant cocoon, with a faint, dim light emanating from its surface.

Kikyo lifted her head from Inuyasha's shoulder, her gaze falling on the tuft of hair.

She could feel something flowing inside that mass—like stagnant, trapped air slowly churning, held down tightly by the strands of hair, unable to break free even a fraction.

"The contents inside are a bit disgusting."

""

"I won't show it to you."

As Inuyasha spoke, he raised his other hand and pointed it at the hairpin.

An invisible wave spread out from the point of contact, penetrating the layers of hair and reaching the core inside.

Immediately afterwards, a projection appeared above the cocoon-like mass of hair—

It was a cave, dark and damp, with water droplets dripping from the stone walls, and a fire flickering weakly in the corner.

A man covered in bandages lay on a straw mat, his eyes darting around, looking at the woman beside him with a murky and greedy gaze.

"Oni Spider!"

The familiar scene made Kikyo blurt out, but then she realized something, her face turned pale, and she gripped Inuyasha's clothes tightly with her five fingers.

The scene changes.

The demon spider lay in the cave, merging with a group of monsters. The monsters covered his body like mud, seeped into his pores, and mixed with his flesh and blood.

His face twisted, swelled, and deformed within the demon's embrace.

In the end, he became a human with spider-like scars on his back from burning.

He left the cave and came to Maple Village, where he observed Inuyasha and Kikyo.

Then it transformed into Inuyasha's appearance.

Kikyo's face turned pale and sorrowful.

She closed her eyes; she no longer needed to see what happened next.

Inuyasha snapped his fingers, and the projected images of Naraku's soul memories abruptly stopped, shattering like bubbles.

This secret technique, devised by the old hag Li Tao and Chunlan, is actually quite effective.

Moreover, with Tsubaki's addition, they are sure to create even more interesting secret techniques.

Even this lump of flesh, Naraku, still has value.

The room remained quiet for a long time.

The eerie fire had been extinguished for a long time.

In the dark, secret chamber, the witch behind him bit the half-demon's ear.

"Love me, Inuyasha—"

Kikyo's voice came from behind him, close to his ear, with a soft, almost broken tone, soaked with tears.

"Please."

The three words were both light and heavy—light as if afraid of rejection, heavy as if all self-esteem was placed on them.

She no longer knew what to do.

Without hesitation, Inuyasha pulled Kikyo from his back to his front, placing his palm on her lower back and his other hand through her hair, pressing her head against his chest.

"Alright, I was also wrong back then; I didn't realize someone was impersonating you."

"No, no, no, it's all my fault."

The priestess, consumed by deep self-reproach, shook her head and wept in the half-demon's arms.

"—I didn't recognize it first, and I shot that arrow—it's all my fault!"

Kikyo's fingers gripped Inuyasha's collar tightly, as if trying to hold onto something to keep herself from sinking.

"Alright then, it's definitely more your fault." Inuyasha's voice came from the darkness, making Kikyo frightened.

These words, so out of character for a half-demon, made her heart leap into her throat.

In the darkness, Kikyo could only see the dog demon's eyes glowing faintly and hear his heartbeat pounding in her ears, one beat after another.

"Therefore, one"

Inuyasha lowered his head, forehead to forehead, nose to nose.

"As punishment for making a mistake, you must unconditionally grant me one request."

Kikyo reached out and wrapped her arms around the man's neck, tilted her head back, and kissed his lips.

"Whether it's one or many, I promise you, please don't leave me, Inuyasha."