"Lady Kikyo, I don't think the barrier will hold much longer."
A steadfast-looking man stepped forward, his voice laced with concern. Fear flickered in his eyes as he looked at the horde of demons outside, but he didn't back down. Instead, he stood beside Kikyo at the village's edge, prepared to face the monsters head-on.
Many villagers, much like him, had gathered behind her.
Kikyo wasn't fighting alone.
Even if they couldn't help much, they refused to let her face danger by herself.
Kikyo's gaze swept over the countless demons. Her expression remained cold and unreadable, but deep down, she felt the weight of the situation.
Ever since she took custody of the Shikon Jewel, the village had been under constant attack. But this time it was worse than ever.
These demons hadn't come randomly; they were organized, as if following a plan.
There weren't any high-level demons among them, but their sheer numbers made up for it. The barrier wouldn't last much longer.
And even if it broke, Kikyo was confident she could still deal with them.
But
Her lips pressed together as she looked back at the villagers.
The village would inevitably suffer in the battle.
People would die
'No, I can't let that happen.'
'This is my responsibility.'
Kikyo took a deep breath, her resolve hardening.
With a steady hand, she pulled an arrow from her quiver.
She drew her bow and released.
A brilliant flash of white light streaked through the sky, cutting through the night like a shooting star.
"Sacred Arrow!"
Boom!
The arrow struck the massive snake demon right between its eyes.
Kikyo's gaze sharpened as she infused the arrow with her spiritual energy, triggering an explosion of purifying light.
The blast instantly wiped out a portion of the enemy ranks.
But the demons only hesitated for a moment before surging forward once more, quickly filling in the gap.
The priestess was powerful, sure.
But there were too many of them.
If she pushed them too far, they'd just merge into a larger, more monstrous form!
They would claim the Shikon Jewel no matter what!
"Raaaargh!!"
Instead of retreating, the demons grew even more frenzied.
The barrier was cracking apart, its fractures growing wider.
Kikyo continued firing her arrows, desperately trying to hold them back.
ButIt was pointless.
She knew it.
A deep sense of helplessness weighed down on her.
She was strong, but she had no large-scale attacks to wipe them out all at once.
And she wasn't naive enough to believe this attack had happened by chance.
Someone had orchestrated this from the shadows.
What should she do?
For the first time in her life, Kikyo felt powerless.
Had she been too arrogant to take the Shikon Jewel for safekeeping?
A bitter thought crept into her mindperhaps she should have left the village the moment she took possession of it.
Because of her, the villagers were suffering.
Kikyo lowered her gaze, her voice soft as she murmured,
"Oh gods"
"If you can hear me
"Please answer me
"Please save this village"
The mighty priestess revealed a moment of vulnerability.
And as a priestess, the first thing she thought to do was pray to the gods.
But
"It's useless, isn't it?"
A bitter smile tugged at her lips.
She had been praying since the day she became a priestess.
Yet never once had she heard a response.
Sometimes she wondered
Was she even a good priestess? Had the gods ever truly existed? Why had they never answered her?
And now, she expected them to?
As that thought crossed her mind, something unexpected happened.
The demons outside suddenly froze.
Whoosh
A small flame flickered to life in the darkness.
A mere ember, dancing like a tiny star.
Then, in the blink of an eye It erupted into an inferno, spreading like wildfire!
The sea of demons was instantly engulfed in the raging blaze!
The night sky burned.
The villagers inside the barrier stared in stunned silence, unable to comprehend what was happening.
"Is is it a god?"
A trembling voice broke the silence.
And that was all it took.
"Yes! It must be a god! A divine miracle!!"
"The gods have finally answered our prayers!!"
"The gods are watching over us!!"
The people of the village fell to their knees, bowing toward the raging flames.
Despair vanished from their hearts, replaced by newfound hope.
If the gods were here Then they would be saved!
"A god?"
Kikyo stared at the fire in a daze.
And then, through the flames, a figure emerged.
A tall man walked forward, his steps slow and deliberate.
Behind him, the inferno raged, glowing with an eerie, star-like brilliance.
Lynn lifted his gaze, crimson eyes locking onto Kikyo's.
Then he grinned and spoke.
"The gods of Japan are long dead."
"Priestess"
"How about becoming a Devil?"
.
.
.
The Devil's Shrine Priestess
Everything seemed to tremble.
"The gods of Japan are dead?"
Lynn's words struck Kikyo like a bolt of lightning, shaking the very foundation of her beliefs.
As a shrine priestess, she had been raised to respect the gods, taught of their existence and power. She had devoted herself to them, believing in their will.
But now
A man stood before her, claiming that the gods were no more.
Kikyo took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm.
It shouldn't be true
Maybe this man was simply someone who blasphemed the gods.
And yet Somewhere deep inside, she felt that what he was saying might be right.
Her gaze fell upon Lynn.
"Devil?"
The word sounded foreign to her, unfamiliar and unsettling.
Having lived in Musashi her whole life, Kikyo had little knowledge of Devils beyond what she had read in ancient texts. The descriptions she had come across painted them as ominous beings.
Devils were higher beings than these Yokai and demons.
Was this man the same?
Her expression grew serious, fingers tightening around her bow.
Even though he had saved the village, she couldn't afford to let her guard down.
Lynn, as if oblivious to her wariness, raised his hand and tapped on the barrier.
A soft BANG sound echoed.
Crack.
Before her eyes, the barrieronce strong enough to withstand the relentless attacks of countless demonsbegan to crack. Within moments, it shattered into countless glowing fragments that dissipated into the air.
Lynn gave her a friendly smile. "Aren't you going to invite me in? The door's already open, after all."
Kikyo stiffened.
A barrier that had withstood so much undone with just a casual tap?
The power needed to annihilate a horde of demons in an instant
She shouldn't be surprised.
A real Devil?
She kept her thoughts to herself but maintained her composure.
"Thank you for your assistance," she said, lowering her head slightly in gratitude, though her face remained unreadable.
"And now"
Her eyes gleamed with caution. "May I ask what brings you here?"
Though he had saved the village, it would be careless to trust him blindly. The existence of the Shikon Jewel was too great a temptation. And given that he called himself a Devil
Kikyo felt guilty for suspecting her savior.
But she had no choice.
Meanwhile, Lynn studied her with amusement.
It really was Kikyo.
Had something gone wrong with the time-space coordinates of the Bone-Eater's Well?
The Kikyo standing before him was alive and wellyoung, even.
Well, no matter. This was a crossover world, where anything was possible.
He flashed what he thought was a friendly smile, then raised his hand. "Are you worried about this?"
Kikyo's breath hitched as her eyes landed on the object he was holdinga glowing purple jewel, pulsating with an ominous light.
The Shikon Jewel.
When?
Her heart clenched as she instinctively gripped her bow tighter.
This man
He was terrifyingly strong.
She had placed the Shikon Jewel in the shrine, ensuring its safety.
And yet
It was now in his hands.
She hadn't even noticed when he took it.
Whether he had stolen it with unimaginable speed or used some unknown technique, it made no difference.
Lynn, the self-proclaimed Devil, was someone she absolutely could not afford to provoke.
Still smiling, he tilted his head. "So, will you invite me in now?"
Kikyo exhaled, stepping aside and bowing slightly. "Please, come in."
Seeing this, Lynn chuckled and put away the Shikon Jewel.
Kikyo pursed her lips but said nothing.
The jewel it wasn't corrupted?
As she mulled over this, a sudden voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Wait for me!"
A girl came running up, breathless from exertion.
Kikyo blinked in surprise. "And who might this be?"
Lynn glanced at Kagome before answering casually, "Hmm my trainee shrine priestess?"
Kikyo lowered her gaze, repeating his words softly.
"A shrine priestess under a Devil?"
Kikyo wasn't sure how to feel about that.
Kaede's Village.
Inside a simple straw hut, Kikyo, Lynn, and Kagome sat on the floor.
A young girl nervously brought them cups of hot tea.
"Here, guest tea."
Her hands trembled slightly as she served them, revealing her lingering fear.
Kagome forced a smile, still struggling to make sense of the situation.
Just what the hell was going on here?!
Did she somehow travel back in time to the past?!
Kikyo remained composed, her expression calm. "Apologies for the lack of proper hospitality."
Her gaze, however, was locked onto the Shikon Jewel in Lynn's handthe same jewel he was casually tossing in the air.
Her heart clenched with tension.
As Lynn threw the jewel upward, Kikyo's breath hitched, her chin instinctively tilting up as her eyes followed its arc.
Afraid that something might go wrong.
Seeing her reaction, Lynn chuckled lightly.
Kikyo froze for a moment, then quickly restrained herself, shifting back into her usual cold and composed demeanor.
"Lord Lynn, the Shikon Jewel is an extremely dangerous existence."
She straightened her expression and began explaining the jewel's dangers.
Kagome, sitting upright beside her, listened intently, nodding along with increasing seriousness.
However, before Kikyo could continue, Lynn cut her off. "So? Have you given my proposal any thought?"
Kikyo blinked in confusion.
Lynn said with a smile. "So, what do you think? Want to become my shrine priestess?"
"Eh?! Shrine... shrine priestess?!"
Before Kikyo could respond, Kagome let out a shocked cry.
She didn't hear Lynn calling her 'the Devil's trainee shrine priestess.
She only knew that a shrine priestess was someone who served the gods.
But what Lynn was suggesting...
Did he mean for Kikyo to serve him instead?
H-He had such a weird fetish.
Kagome's mind raced, and before she could stop it, an embarrassing image formed in her head.
Her face instantly turned bright red.
Then, as if remembering something, Lynn's voice turned slow and deliberate. "That includes you too."
"...Huh?"
Kagome stiffened, slowly turning her head to look at Lynn, disbelief written all over her face.
"M-Me? A shrine priestess?"
Lynn nodded, smirking slightly. "Don't forget about your debt."
Kagome's mouth twitched. "You never said the payment was becoming your shrine priestess..."
"You're free to choose not to pay, of course."
For a brief moment, Kagome's eyes lit up.
But before she could speak, Lynn's voice turned dark. "I just can't guarantee what might happen if you don't."
A chill ran down Kagome's spine.
Without hesitation, she dropped into a dogeza position, forehead pressed to the floor. "I'm sorry! I'll do my best to be a good shrine priestess!"
She had already witnessed Lynn's terrifying strength.
Defying him? Absolutely not.
Besides, becoming Lynn's shrine priestess might not be a bad thing.
After all, she had already seen real monsters with her own eyes.
The thought of being protected by someone as powerful as Lynn...
Honestly, it wasn't the worst deal.
At least Lynn's overwhelming strength gave her a sense of security.
Meanwhile
Lynn, pleased with Kagome's quick compliance, turned his gaze toward Kikyo.
Kikyo pressed her lips together, then softly murmured, "I'm sorry."
Even though Lynn had saved Kaede's Village, converting to serve a Devil was simply too much to accept.
Lynn's voice grew soft, almost whispering. "Kikyo, you wouldn't want Kaede Village to be destroyed, would you?"
A chill crawled up Kikyo's spine.
What... did he mean by that?
Her heart pounded.
If this terrifyingly strong man truly wanted to destroy Kaede Village
She wouldn't be able to stop him.
Suddenly
Clink.
The crisp sound of the Shikon Jewel hitting the table filled the air.
Kikyo's eye twitched as she saw Lynn casually toss the jewel onto the wooden surface.
"If you don't deal with this problem..."
"Kaede Village is doomed, sooner or later."
Kikyo was startled by his words but also let out a breath of relief.
So that's what he meant...
Her gaze hardened. "I will take the Shikon Jewel and leave the Village."
"Oh? And then?"
"...Then?"
Kikyo hesitated, not understanding his question.
"Even if you leave with the Shikon Jewel, it will still attract demons wherever you go."
Lynn tapped his chin in mock thought. "Maybe I should start calling you the Wandering Calamity Shrine priestess?"
Wandering... Calamity... Shrine priestess?
Kikyo's heart clenched.
Did that mean that no matter where she went, disaster would follow?
If she carried the Shikon Jewel with her, that scenario seemed inevitable.
Lynn's voice dropped lower. "Can you truly protect it forever?"
"As a human, don't you have limits?"
"Are there not things you simply cannot do?"
Kikyo fell silent.
She thought back to today's crisis in Kaede Village.
She could have escaped with the Shikon Jewel on her own.
But if Lynn hadn't stepped in
The villagers... they would have all been slaughtered.
Now that she thought about it The people of Kaede Village calling Lynn 'a god'...
Didn't seem so far-fetched anymore.
After all, when she prayed for divine intervention
The gods had, as always, remained silent.
The one who answered her prayers Was a Devil.
Perhaps... Lynn was right.
The gods of this land were already dead.
