The Twelve Trials Starting from Zero

Inuyasha, who was practicing his swordplay by the Bone-Eater's Well, suddenly froze, immediately greeted Kagome beside him, and rushed out without hesitation, and then...

"Sit down!"

Chapter Seventy-One: The Scene of the Capsizing

Bang! Inuyasha, who was about to rush to find Kikyo, tripped and fell flat on his face.

"Kagome, what are you doing?" He immediately stood up, looking annoyed.

"You...you want to go find Kikyo, right?"

Kagome felt somewhat ashamed, but she finally mustered the courage to speak up.

These past few days, she had listened to Su Qi and stayed almost constantly by Inuyasha's side, having mentally prepared herself. She had no other choice but to stay, so that Inuyasha wouldn't follow Kikyo to his death.

"I..." Looking at the complicated look in the other person's eyes, Inuyasha felt inexplicably guilty, but still whispered, "Kagome, Kikyo's scent is nearby, and I can't ignore it."

"I understand, Inuyasha, you still can't let go of Kikyo, but... can I come with you?"

"what!?"

Ultimately, at Kagome's insistence, Inuyasha had no choice but to carry her on his back and run towards Kikyo's direction.

……

As the evening light shone and the twilight mist hung in the air, a luminous barrier stood faintly in the distance amidst the dense forest.

"That's... a barrier?"

Kagome, perched on Inuyasha's back, peered forward, her heart pounding with anxiety as the barrier drew closer. "That must be the barrier Kikyo set up," she thought. "Can I really go in with Inuyasha?"

The next moment, the two passed through the barrier without any hindrance and continued to go deeper.

They're here! Just like Kenshin said! If that's the case, as long as I continue to do as Kenshin said, I'm sure I can rescue Inuyasha!

This experience gave her a boost of confidence.

Soon, the two entered the depths of the jungle and saw a figure dressed in a red and white shrine maiden's robe, ethereal and serene.

"Platycodon grandiflorus..."

Inuyasha stopped nearby, staring intently at the other person, his expression suddenly becoming complicated.

What's with this guy? He makes that face the moment he sees Kikyo...

Slightly annoyed, Kagome dismounted from his back and looked at the figure in front of her.

“Inuyasha…” Kikyo turned around and saw Inuyasha and Kagome standing side by side in front of her. She was slightly taken aback and frowned as she asked Kagome, “Why are you here?”

If it weren't for saving Inuyasha, I wouldn't want to be here as a third wheel...

Kagome blushed slightly, feeling a little embarrassed and annoyed, but she still remembered Su Qi's instructions and endured his scrutinizing gaze, saying, "I... am very worried about Inuyasha."

"That's not what I'm asking. What I'm asking is why you were able to break through the barrier I set up?"

"There was no breakthrough; I just naturally followed Inuyasha in."

"Naturally?" Kikyo looked Kagome over carefully, then understood. "I see. Because you are me, I won't stop you."

I'm not some other person...

Kagome felt a little uncomfortable and couldn't help but retort, "I don't think so. We are two different people."

Kikyo ignored her and said to Inuyasha, "Inuyasha, we meet again. I've said it before, my resentment will never be appeased until I end your life with my own hands."

"Kikyo..." Inuyasha said with a guilty look, "I'm sorry, if I hadn't distrusted you, you wouldn't have died fifty years ago."

"It's pointless to talk about this now."

"Then how can you let go of your resentment? Must you take my life?"

"That's right, only your life can fill the void in my heart. So, are you willing to give it to me?"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Kagome suddenly interrupted, frowning as she exclaimed, "This is really strange! Naraku was responsible for Kikyo's death and Inuyasha's sealing away, so why does Inuyasha have to pay the price?"

You mean Naraku?

"That's right, everything that happened fifty years ago was the work of that big bad guy Naraku. He's the bandit Onigumo you saved before."

"Is that so, Inuyasha?"

“That’s right, Kikyo. What happened fifty years ago was a scheme set up by Naraku. He wanted us to kill each other…” Inuyasha also explained, but then added, “But I was also wrong. If I hadn’t distrusted you back then, I wouldn’t have fallen for the scheme and caused you to be seriously injured and die. So whatever you want to do to me, I can accept it.”

"Oh, does that include taking your life too?"

"Kikyo, you... you still resent me, don't you?"

Kikyo didn't answer. She took a few steps forward, nestled in Inuyasha's arms, rested her head on his chest, and wrapped her arms around his waist. She whispered, "Inuyasha, I'm just tired. Love or hate, I don't want to be bound by them anymore. So please, come with me and leave, okay?"

"Kikyo..." With a nostalgic scent filling his nostrils and memories flooding his mind, Inuyasha's expression softened instantly, his eyes slightly dazed as he said, "If this is your wish, then take it, my life."

"Wait a moment!"

Seeing Inuyasha sinking deeper and deeper into despair, Kagome finally couldn't help but interrupt him again, a hint of sadness in her heart, "Inuyasha, have you forgotten your promise to me? You said you hoped I would always stay by your side."

Inuyasha wavered for a moment, but after a brief hesitation, he finally said, "I'm sorry, Kagome, this is what I owe Kikyo."

"You're in the way."

Kikyo in his arms narrowed her eyes, pointed her finger, and several dead soul insects immediately flew out and bound Kagome.

"Inuyasha, a promise is a promise!" Remembering Su Qi's previous advice, Kagome struggled as she said, "I will keep my promise! Even if Inuyasha and Kikyo die together, I will keep my promise! I... will die with Inuyasha!"

After uttering his last words, he was completely stunned by the Dead Soul Insects and tied to the tree, unable to move.

Inuyasha's body trembled, and the dazed look in his eyes vanished instantly.

"Inuyasha, let's go..."

Kikyo hugged Inuyasha again, preparing to help the dead souls pass on and use them as a guide to drag the latter down to hell, but she found that her hands were being grabbed.

"I'm sorry, Kikyo..."

Inuyasha lowered his head and met Kikyo's gaze, his eyes filled with guilt and sorrow, yet resolute. "I could never let Kagome get hurt, so I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I can't leave with you."

After saying that, he gently pushed her away, turned around without hesitation, and leaped out, severing the dead soul worms with a single slash, thus rescuing Kagome.

"Inuyasha..." Kikyo stood alone, her face filled with disbelief and sorrow. "You... have betrayed me again?"

"I'm sorry." Inuyasha supported Kagome, his expression filled with remorse, but he still said, "This is all I can do. Kikyo, stop torturing yourself. Let go of your resentment and find peace."

"You betrayed my trust, and now you want me to die?"

Inuyasha remained silent, unsure how to respond, and unwilling to hurt the other party any further.

"I won't give up so easily!" Kikyo drew her bow and aimed an arrow at Inuyasha. "If you don't want to leave, then let me take you with me!"

Chapter 72 The Tentacle Monster Must Die

"Miss Kikyo, please calm down..." Seeing the tense atmosphere, Kagome couldn't help but explain, "I don't think Inuyasha meant that."

"Shut up!" Kikyo gave her a cold look. "How could you possibly understand how I feel?"

It's all because of this woman! If it weren't for her, Inuyasha would have left with me... He could die for me, yet he could live for her. Is she more important than me? Why? Why did the bond between me and Inuyasha lose to her?!

Gazing at Kagome's face, so identical to her own, Kikyo's once-dormant heart was now churning with unprecedented waves. Was it resentment? Was it bitterness? Was it jealousy? Was it envy? Even she herself couldn't discern the truth.

Taking advantage of her distraction, Inuyasha suddenly leaped forward and grabbed her wrist. "Stop, Kikyo! I'm not your enemy!"

"open!"

A powerful burst of spiritual energy blasted out, sending Inuyasha flying.

He then drew his bow and nocked an arrow, the gleaming tip of which was once again aimed at him lying on the ground.

"don't want!!"

At that moment, Kagome cried out in surprise, and Kikyo's figure suddenly froze. The last wisp of her soul trembled, and she could no longer restrain the dead souls, which escaped from her body one by one.

It's that woman again...

The bow and arrow fell to the ground. She swayed her body, trying her best to restrain the dead soul within her, but it was all in vain. She could only watch as her body rapidly became sluggish and cold.

"We will meet again, Inuyasha!"

Helpless, Kikyo could only give Inuyasha a deep look before summoning dead soul insects to wrap around her body and retreat into the depths of the forest.

……

"That appearance, there's no mistake, it's the priestess I plotted to kill fifty years ago. But why? Why has Kikyo reappeared?"

On the thick tree trunk, a figure draped in white baboon skin stood quietly, looking down at Kikyo who was riding away on the Death Soul Insects. After pondering for a moment, he quietly followed her.

Soon after, seeing Kikyo getting further and further away from the village and Inuyasha and the others, he finally jumped down and stood in front of her.

"who is it?"

Kikyo landed, letting the dead soul worms entwine and support her weakened body. She stared at the unknown entity that had suddenly appeared opposite her, clad in baboon skin, her eyes filled with vigilance and coldness.

Naraku's lips curled slightly. "Kikyo, we meet again."

"Again?" Kikyo said coldly, "A yokai hiding its head and tail. I don't remember knowing you."

"Heh, Onigumo, do you still remember that name?"

“It’s you…” Her eyes flickered slightly, her expression growing even colder. “Should I call you Naraku now, or Onigumo?”

"Heh heh, that foolish and despicable man Onigumo is long dead. I am Naraku, the demon Naraku, and the culprit who made you and Inuyasha kill each other fifty years ago..."

As Naraku spoke, he stared at the woman opposite him, expecting her to look resentful and angry. But he was disappointed. Even with his enemy right in front of him, her expression remained as cold as before.

Is that all you wanted to say?

"..."

"Get out of here after you've said your piece."

“That won’t do.” Naraku chuckled. “Kikyo, you look very weak right now. I don’t want to let you recover your strength and come back to seek revenge on me.”

"That's right, I'm very weak right now, but do you think you can do anything to me with just a puppet?"

He was silent for a moment, then said coldly, "Kikyo, you are still as repulsive as you were fifty years ago. As for whether we can get rid of you, we'll have to try and see."

As he spoke, his upper body gradually rose higher, while the baboon skin on his lower body bulged, protruded, and tore apart on its own. Thick, root-like tentacles grew wildly, splitting and squeezing out, lifting him high and casting a large shadow that completely covered Kikyo opposite him.