Chapter 63:
Sesshomaru was on his way back when a random old merchant caught his attention.
"Accessories! Free accessories!"
He was about to dismiss it when the merchant suddenly grabbed his arm. In an instant, he gave him a death glare but the latter was not the least bit affected.
"I have the perfect one for you. This pendant...please accept as I have no use for it, seeing that I'm already old and about to ascend to nirvana."
"Throw it. I have no use for such a thing."
However, the old man grabbed his hand anyway and put the pendant on his palm.
"Thank you for your patronage." He said with a carefree grin, but Sesshomaru didn't respond and just reluctantly accepted the pendant which had silver lining and a circular clear blue stone craft in the middle given.
Sighing inwardly, he decided to simply keep it in then walked off immediately. But, he stopped shortly as he sensed a familiar presence.
"What do you want, Kagura?"
"I really can't hide from you, Sesshomaru." Kagura casually replied as she emerged from the trees with her arms crossed.
"Out with it." He said impatiently, and it made her quietly smirk.
"I have valuable information about Naraku's hideout. You might want to come with me."
He raised a suspicious eyebrow at her.
"What is he plotting this time?"
"Hmm…he wanted to continue your delayed fight at Mt. Hakurei."
Quite confident that he has his companions somewhere secluded, he decided to accept the absurd offer.
"Hmph. Take me, then."
Kagura was secretly hoping that he would turn it down, but she was a little surprised that he easily took Naraku's bait.
"…alright. Follow me."
She released her feather hairpin and it transformed into her usual big feather boat, while Sesshomaru tagged along from below through walking at his own pace.
I know…he has all of this planned. Piece of scum, do you really think I'd fall for your trap? I will kill you before you could even produce another trash.
As he nonchalantly kept up with Kagura, a soft breeze passed by him and coincidentally, although faint; there was a mixture of Arisa and Kohaku's scent along with it. He frowned, and he quickly grabbed hold of Kagura's feather boat with his toxic whip, dragging it with her to the ground.
Kagura hastily got back up, and glared at Sesshomaru.
"What the hell do you think you're doing!?"
"It's about time you spill Naraku's true plan."
Kagura flinched slightly at his sharp remarks.
"Don't be ridiculous. Do you really think he'd trust me enough to tell me all of his propositions? I was merely told to come and get you."
"Then explain to me the presence of that young boy's scent."
What!? So Kohaku is nearby?
Kagura went speechless, and began sweating a little from the big possibility that he could kill her in that instant.
"If you really know what to prioritize, then go ahead and do what you must do."
Kagura stated in defeat, and escaped from the place like the wind she was. She looked down and didn't expect him to just see her go. She really thought he'd come after her and finish her off.
Have I finally become someone interesting to you, Sesshomaru?
She thought as a subtle blush tainted her cheeks.
After watching her slip, Sesshomaru speedily glided and sniffed for traces of Kohaku and Arisa's scent.
I miscalculated, huh. There is never a safe place to hide from Naraku.
At his shelter, Naraku clicked his tongue loudly after seeing that Kagura has failed him yet again. He didn't want to waste the trouble he went through just to locate where Sesshomaru and Arisa were. And when he found one of them, he considered it another stroke of luck… as they weren't together again.
That useless woman…of all the paths she could've used, she chose the one nearest to where Kohaku is.
He then turned to his side and ordered another person to take action.
"Hakudoshi. You are still in control of Entei, am I right?"
The white-haired young boy, looking the same age as Kohaku, smiled mischievously.
"But of course."
"Rush after Kohaku and Kanna before Sesshomaru does. Once you get there, do whatever it takes to kill the woman immediately with your spear."
"I will."
He replied, and then mounted on Entei, the fiery demon horse which they purposefully released from a hundred-year seal.
Either way, this is getting amusing.
Naraku thought as he chuckled devilishly and couldn't wait to see Arisa die.
Arisa woke up, and she noticed that she was in an open, wooden carriage being pulled by Kohaku. She struggled as she tried to remove the chains in her hands, causing unnecessary sounds that seemed to catch his attention.
"It's no use resisting. I've tied you up tightly." He absentmindedly warned, still walking forward with Kanna on the lead.
Still, she tried to break free by vigorously shaking both of her feet, attempting to loosen the chains as they were not that tight compared to her hands. And after a string of efforts, she was able to unbind her feet from the chains. She then quietly positioned herself to get away, and once she was ready, she jumped off from the carriage and ran as fast as she could.
Both Kohaku and Kanna were a second too late to notice that Arisa had already gone, and when Kohaku was about to go after her, he was stopped by another presence.
"…Hakudoshi."
"Nevermind and go back to Naraku. I'll be the one to kill her."
With those words, he and Entei went to the direction where Arisa went. However, it wasn't too long after Hakudoshi left that Sesshomaru had come and immediately pinned down Kohaku on his neck to the ground.
"Where is she?"
He asked the young boy coldly, but he wasn't answering. Sesshomaru then realized that he was back to being under control by Naraku, so he averted his glare to Kanna. Due to being created as an emotionless creature, she wasn't affected at all by his seething demeanor, therefore she was only staring at him; waiting for him to let go of Kohaku.
He then gauged the current situation as both pointless and a waste of time, so he relied on his nose to detect Arisa's scent. His diffuse anxiety and rage only enhanced when he smelled another one which had the same smell as Naraku in the same route where he picked up her scent.
To think that he was one step ahead of me again...despicable vermin.
Arisa was panting heavily as she continued to run while trying to loosen the chains that bound her hands, not minding where it would lead her to. She could feel her legs cramping and about to give up, but she didn't want to stop, especially that another Naraku-related being was after her right now.
I could feel it…! He's fast, and there's another evil creature with him…!
She assessed the situation she was in, and she wanted to cry in frustration of being chased again. Then, it became clear what Naraku's true objective was all along, and he wouldn't stop until he gets it.
That bastard is really intent on killing me…ugh! It really looks like I've made a persistent enemy.
She reached the end of the forest, and soon, a bright light had welcomed her. Unfortunately, she stopped by a cliff just overlooking the sea. Just then, her assassin had caught up to her.
Distressed, she turned around to see who it was, and it was a white-haired boy riding on a blazing horse. She didn't even need to focus that much in order to evaluate the demonic energy they both had.
"So you're another one of Naraku's henchmen…huh?" she fiercely asked, trying to ignore the alarming state she was in.
"Well, well. Someone's informed. I guess there's no need for me to tell you why I'm here."
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