Ch50 Miroku
(??? POV - Fork in the Road - 2 Days Later)
Should I take the left path or should I take the right path?
Currently I held no destination in mind and I already completed everything else earlier this morning. Nor have I heard anything else about any yokai activity that hasn't been dealt with recently in this small part of Honshū. Or anyone of need of my aid.
And once again no word on Naraku's current location.
Deciding just to chance it I placed my shakujō in the middle of the path and let it fall. With it falling to the right.
To the right then.
"I hear that there is a young woman working at the rest house up ahead." I hear someone say from behind me, turning around to see two travelers hiking up from behind me. One speaking to the other. "They say that she is lovely, with fair skin and large eyes."
Truly?
"I'm feeling a bit hungry, perhaps we should stop in to eat?" The other traveler said as they passed me by.
"Sure." He said as they continued to walk ahead.
I thought about what they said for a few moments.
Before using my foot to shift the shakujō onto the left path.
"To the left it is." I said, bending down and picking it up before following the travelers down the path.
Hopefully they were right about her.
(20 minutes later - Rest House)
They were not...
"Here you go." The woman in questions said, serving me a plate with a few skewered dango on it.
I just raised my hand in gratitude and took the plate as she walked back into the rest house. Not showing her my twitching brow or at the travelers who were behind my back.
They were correct on her having fair skin and large eyes...but she was not my type.
Not to say that she was a very beautiful young woman, she was much too plump for my tastes.
And from tasting one of the dango she will make one man or woman very happy in the near future.
I had taken this path, better follow through with it after finishing up here.
"So have you heard that the local daimyō's eldest daughter has been possesed." One of the travelers said, getting me to look at him before I hurriedly finished my skewer. "She has been in bed for weeks with no signs of recovery and has sent out his men in search of any priests to help her."
Well that is quite fortuitous that I decided to follow them.
For a chance to see this daughter and it has been a while since I had a decent haul.
"Excuse me do you mind pointing me in the direction of this daiymō's residence?" I asked, deepening my voice to appear male. Wasn't that hard to do with my looks, perhaps the only good thing I inherited from my father aside from my hōriki. "I might not be a priest, perhaps a monk should suffice?"
The men looked at each other before on shrugged.
"I believe that he would prefer any help he could get, please just let me finish eating and I'll give you directions." He said, getting me to nod.
"Very well." I said, both of us turning back to finish our dango.
Won't take me more than a minute to get ready, so might as well finish this.
(2 hours later - Local Daimyō's Manor)
"Monk if you so much as fail to drive away this yokai I shall send you away with nothing more than a bowl of gruel you hear me!" The daimyō roared out, an older man with an overbite.
It was easy enough to gain access and posing as a male, women monks were not all that common.
And judging by the contents in this room would provide beneficial.
"To live in such opulence while in these trying times, my lord your subjects must resent you." I said evenly looking at the room before facing the now red faced daimyō.
Might take some time to move with those two, but depending on the possession it should not take more than a few hours.
"The impudence!" He roared out enraged.
"My lord the longer we wait here, the greater the danger your daughter could be in.
It might have had a hold on her for weeks.
The longer we dwell on this issue, the greater chance it will move it's hold onto someone else.
" I said, letting the implications set in as he paled and nodded before we both got up.
Seems he did care for his daughter if he was to move that fast for me to works.
But it was also a legitimate concern.
If the yokai that had truly been possessing her for weeks without any other effects either it was very weak, smart, or a mixture of both.
He lead me to where she was resting before pulling back the door.
"Princess a monk has come to see you." The daimyō called out as I saw her lying face down in bed in the throughs of a rough slumber at the foot of a statue of Buddha.
And I could instantly tell there was a yokai here. Yet I couldn't quite tell where yet...
Bending down to look at the princess I looked at her face and held back a wince.
"My her face has swollen." I said, infuriating her father even further.
"It has always been like that, are you even a monk!" He roared out while I ignored her.
Pity, I wonder what she did in her previous life to deserve such a fate.
Looking past her I turned gaze up to the Buddha statue and frowned, I see.
Quite the devious yokai.
"Where did you get this Buddha statue?" I asked.
"From an impoverished nobleman, it is a blessed statue." The daimyō said, getting me to nod.
So that was at least how it had gotten into the manor.
Hmm...I think I can make this work.
"Gather everyone else in the manor to outside the front gates, but leave the princess with me." I said, surprising the daimyō.
"What?" He asked, but I silenced him with a glance. Before taking a breath and sighing with my eyes closed.
"And listen carefully, no matter what you hear inside the manor no one is to look in until I'm done. Understood." I said seriously.
The daimyō looked he wanted to protest, but glanced at his daughter and nodded in acceptance.
"Now than I shall begin the exorcism." I said, ushering him out of the room and waiting until I heard the sound of his footstep. Once he was far enough away I trained my shakujō at the statue.
"You can come out now. Leave peacefully and I'll be merciful to you." I said in my normal voice.
In response to that the statue started to shake as the face on it turned wrathful with a fanged maw, letting out a snarl.
"Figured that you wouldn't leave that quietly." I said with a smile as the yokai emerged from the statue, appearing like a spirit before becoming solid.
So an itachi, and a rather vicious one at that.
Would only be a little trouble to deal with.
It snarled as it flew towards me. Jumping to the other side of the room and it swiped at me. Landing and seeing the itachi snarling and bristling at me.
Before noticing an odd glow from it's head.
"That light, a fragment of the Shikon no Tama." I said before tightening the grip on my shakujō.
It had one embedded in the shard of it's head. Well this endeavor turned out to be more beneficial than I had originally hoped.
The itachi snarled and flew at me, so I jumped into the air as it slashed into the wall behind me.
Channeling hōkiri into my shakujō and bringing it down onto the itachi's neck, slamming it down onto the floor and getting it to roar in pain.
Pulling back before snarling and pouncing at me, letting out an enraged snarl.
Only to silenced with a crack as I brought my shakujō onto it's head, getting the itachi to crash onto the floor dead.
"Easier than I expected." I said before plucking the jewel shard from it's head. Looking only a little surprised when the itachi started to shrink.
Until all that was left was a regular weasel carcass.
So it was just a regular animal that was turned into a yokai by the Shikon Jewel fragment.
Giving it a quick prayer before checking up on the princess. She seems to be doing better and looking restful. She'll wake up in a few hours on her own or I could heal her now and dispel the lingering traces of the itachi and she'll wake up now.
I know what I am going to do.
Tapping my shakujō onto the ground, I waited for those two to appear.
"Lady Miroku." I heard Hachiemon said, turning to face both tanuki.
"Hachiemon assist me in acquiring what we can, Takechiyo be sure to make plenty of noise." I said, getting the tanuki kit to nod.
"On it!" He said as he went to make noise.
This should not be long.
"Lady Miroku are you sure it is a good idea to keep involving him with-Ow!" Hachiemon said until a whacked him on the head with my shakujō, getting him to rub his head.
"He is only going to serve to distract them, you should have expected this when I honored your request and his father's order to keep him close by. You'll both be compensated, the sooner we get this done the safer he will be." I said, getting Hachiemon to nod before placing a leaf on his head.
Turning into another copy of myself before we went to pilfer what we could.
Honestly I was originally against the idea of brining Takechiyo along, but according to Hachiemon the kit's father suspected something and tasked him to get him as far away from their homeland as possible. While he would educate his younger brother Kikunosuke before doing the same.
Would have been against it somewhat, if I didn't detect and dispel a minor curse on him after meeting him.
Could have ended pretty badly if left untreated, but no real clue on who placed it on him.
Plus it helped to have an extra pair of eyes and ears on an exorcism like this.
Should be able to finish things here and sell them off in no time.
(Merchant Town- Sunset)
I had underestimated on how much the merchants here would undersell me.
All the valuables and the three horses should have been worth a lot more, but I'll take what I can get.
Better to sell everything off than to be traced back to me, by now the daimyō would have noticed everything gone. By tomorrow he could probably be able to buy back half of his valuables here while the rest would be carted off to be sold elsewhere or already bought up.
I was eating a bowl of millet deciding on where to go, inspecting the only item of value from the exorcism.
The fragment of the Shikon Jewel from the weasel.
"Three down, who knows how many more are left." I sighed out before putting it away.
After weeks of searching I have only found three, while Naraku could potentially have dozens of them at this point. Considering what they did to first go after the jewel according to Miyatsu they would be gathering them while the rest of Honshū would tare itself apart to claim them.
Not entirely an inaccurate sentiment, but sooner or later Naraku will turn up or come after me themselves for my shards.
"Hey how were things in your village last night, I heard there was a pretty big fight than. I thought things had calmed down when that brood of omukade attacked." I heard one man said to another, both sipping sake.
A brood of omukade? Now that sounds troublesome to deal with.
Yet a battle there to, better hear out the rest.
"One survived and I swear to Amaterasu she had gotten even uglier than before!" The other man exclaimed, looking slightly intoxicated. "Worst part was that the bitch had gotten stronger and had a tatarimokke with her!"
Okay even more troublesome.
"A tatarimokke! How has your village still standing?" The man asked.
"Quite a few people stopping in town including some miko in strange clothing, and another hanyo." The man said before raising his saucer.
A hanyo?
"Same one as before?" The other man asked, getting his compatriot to shake his head.
"No I actually know what he was, thought he was a woman for a sec but was a yuki-onna hanyo.
Had something glowing embedded in his chest and quiet a few scars.
" The man said, before adapting a confused expression.
"That bitch had something similar embedded right above on of their eyes halfway into attacking the villages. "
Two glowing objects embedded, that must be two jewel shards and they sounded nearby.
And a yuki-onna hanyo...well maybe I have finally found what I have been searching so long for. First I need to see him in person though.
Perhaps the most direct route was the most appropriate one.
"Excuse me?" I asked as I finished my bowl and walked over to the two men, getting their attention. "Now where is the village this all took place?"
"Little late for a monk to show up, but after these past few weeks we could use some more relief." The more intoxicated of the men said before point straight down the path. "That away."
"Actually it is this way." The more sober one said, pointing in one direction while his compatriot followed his lead. "Straight down that way and among the cliffs, can't miss it. But if you leave at this time you'll be there by the middle of the night."
"But you'll reach our hot springs first, nothing but macaques there at night." The other man said, getting me to nod.
While I might miss them I could definitely use a soak.
"I see, thank you for your time." I said as they went back to drinking while I followed their directions.
Maybe I will miss this hanyo they talked about, but if what they said is true it would be worth the trouble on checking up on him.
(Sesshōmaru POV - ??? - Same Time)
Where is Jaken?
Normally he is far more punctual when I give him a task, knowing better than to upset me. Especially after weeks of searching and we have not found the dragon.
Or found a suitable new arm that would not go bad within a week or unworthy of further use.
For further example the one I was sure would go bad within a matter of days.
I had just used him as an intermediate for conversing with one of my father's former servants, I've found it more suitable to us Jaken for this purpose for subjects that I wasn't invested in.
Such as information concerning the matters of his territory or subjects. For as long as the silent truce with Kirinmaru continues it is less important than claiming the Tessaiga. It has stood since father's death and that is what I would prefer.
Only a matter of time until I claimed what is rightfully mine. Along with Y/N.
It has been an irritating process to keep track of him or my sister. They are around the accursed village near one of the jidai-ju most of what Jaken could pick up before vanishing for days without a trace.
I could care less where, but it was an inconvenience.
Including the one right now while waiting for Jaken.
During times like these I sometimes find myself missing the sound of the flutist Asano. It had been weeks since I have heard her play. Perhaps during my time recovering it was a mere comfort that I took solace in.
That I would prefer not to admit too, although she was perhaps no longer among the land of the living as her clan's dwelling had been burnt to the ground...
If we do come across the remnants again I believe I could afford to check, if only to reclaim the flute if it hadn't been reduced to ash.
Hearing the sound of rustling foliage I head someone approaching, looking to see an elderly human quickly running over to me with the Nintōjō in hand. Their clothes torn and panting heavily, before waving their hand over their face before their form flickered and was replaced by Jaken.
"Apologies Lady Sesshōmaru." Jaken squeaked out between pants as he leaned against the Nintōjō.
"Your transformation has improved." I commented, getting him to straighten out. "Yet you are also late. Did you find the dragon?"
"No, unfortunately not Lady Sesshōmaru." Jaken said as flinched under my gaze.
"Than you better have a decent explanation." I said, getting him to nod.
"A rather persistent mantis yokai my lady, one that I sought to dealt with myself rather to trouble you with an opponent far below your worth.
" Jaken said while I gave him a scrutinizing glance.
He didn't even flinch, and the scent of his blood and that of another yokai more or less confirmed his words.
"Indeed, but next time do not presume such an opponent is one I will be looking to deal with myself unless I specified otherwise." I ordered, getting Jaken to bow shakily.
"Of course Lady Sesshōmaru." He said. "May I speak on something I observered that will be beneficial to your hunt for Tessaiga."
"Speak." I demanded, partially curious on what he found.
Jaken would never raise this issue unless he knew for certain that it would.
"While trying to deal with that inferriating yokai after being attacked, I found something about the Nint?jō that I never knew in since coming into your service Lady Sesshōmaru." Jaken said before looking nervous. "How much did Lord Tōga know about it?"
"Much more than I do, he claimed it from the boundary between this world and Yomi. Saying the Nintōjō held many different abilities." I admitted.
Beyond it's ability to detect my father's treasures I could care less about what else it held. And I had long believed that I had found them all.
Then perchance Jaken has found one such ability my father mentioned.
If it performed to what he claimed...I was intrigued to see if it will live up to his word.
He knew what I will do if he displeased me.
"Unless I transform Lady Sesshōmaru this new ability of the Nintōjō is ill suited in my hands. But it will be more than perfect in yours." Jaken said, placing the bottom of the staff into the ground and activated it. Getting both heads to raise up.
The woman head and the old man head letting out a soft hissing noise before steam rose from their mouths. Engulfing the Nintōjō in a matter of moments before fading away, revealing a sword.
It was shaped like a human odachi with a golden tsuba shaped consisting of four half circles. The kashira and the end were golden too and the hilt was black. The tip of the blade buried into the ground.
This was new, and Jaken was correct. The blade was unwieldy for someone of his size.
As he looked on I picked up the Nintōjō and took a practice swing. A little more weighted than a human odachi, but it suited myself fine.
Walking over to a nearby tree, I swung and cleaved a giant gash into the trunk. Yet despite the damage...something felt off.
Taking another swing with the same results, only I activated the Nintōjō.
A small flame generated from the blade and only on the fringes of where I made the second cut before slowly starting to spread. Waiting for a few moments before I activated the Nintōjō and in a cloud of steam turned back to it's true form.
The flames slowly spreading among the tree's trunk.
"What do you think Lady Sesshōmaru?" Jaken asked, looking hopeful.
Before I handed him back the Nintōjō.
"The blade is only a small grade above the common yokai blade and the flames are compared to embers, your discovery was adequate. But it shall serve the purpose when presented." I said, getting him to nod. "Now what do you have to report?"
"Nothing more than the usual except word from Myōga. A ronin Lord Tōga knew had been revived by that accursed Urasue before her death two days ago. The same one that owned Shusūi." Jaken said, getting me to tighten my right hand into a fist.
Ryūma...he had been brought back to life.
If I had known that she had desecrated his grave which was considered father's territory and a treasured location, I would have removed that dishonorable cur's head from their shoulders myself.
She is quite fortunate that someone else has beaten me to it. Yet in the end she will burn in the deepest pits Yomi and I'm certain father will deal with her himself in the afterlife.
"What is the status of Ryūma?" I inquired, getting Jaken to shake his head.
"Unknown although he possesses an army of shibito, what is known that eventually he will chose to return to the afterlife through an honorable death. Intending to challenge Y/N to reclaim Shusūi or to perish by his hands when the time comes." Jaken said before shaking his head. "Now why would he-"
"Silence." I said, getting Jaken to stop before he stopped talking.
Ryūma, the only human I would ever consider worthy of father's respect believes Y/N could have the potential to be a worthy opponent to die an honorable against. The same fate he chose once plague has ravaged his body.
The same sentiment he chose only for father,
My lips twitched upwards at that news.
"Lady Sesshōmaru-" "Jaken, I am going to intercept Inuko and Y/N before they reach that accursed village." I cut him off, my orders surprising him before quickly regaining his composure.
It has been long enough since she cut off my arm and since I lost...now was the time to strike before they disappeared once again.
"I believe I know what path they will take from where they last were sighted Lady Sesshōmaru." Jaken said.
"We will move immediately. Put out the tree first." I ordered, getting Jaken to look past me a squawk as he hurried to complete my order as half of the tree was now aflame.
But I could not care about that, I've waited long enough.
It was time to claim what was rightfully mine.