As Tōko stared into those eerie Mangekyo eyes, her heart tightened violently.
In the next second—
The grip on her wrist loosened.
She instinctively tried to step back—
But a searing pain suddenly erupted in her eyes.
It felt as if flames were burning inside her skull.
"Ah—!"
The Kagura bell slipped from her fingers and fell to the ground with a crisp chime. She clutched her eyes with both hands, collapsing to her knees as agony coursed through her.
"Don't worry," Uchiha Lie's calm voice reached her ears. "It's only temporary. It will pass."
His tone was almost casual.
"Consider it a meeting gift. I hope you never need to use it."
Tōko couldn't even respond. She bit down hard, trembling as the pain slowly faded.
When she finally forced herself to stand—
He was gone.
Only the Kagura bell remained, swaying gently in the wind.
If not for the lingering sting in her eyes—
She might have believed it was a dream.
---
Far away along the forest path, Uchiha Lie walked steadily.
"I hope you survive," he murmured.
He knew Tōko's future.
Ambushed by Naraku.
Killed.
Resurrected as a puppet.
So he had left her a surprise.
Using the Mangekyo Sharingan's Transcription Seal, he had embedded two Ocular Jutsu into her eyes.
If Naraku targeted her as in the original plot—
He would be in for something unpleasant.
Satisfied, Uchiha Lie continued toward the direction where the Shikon Jewel had shattered.
---
At noon, faint human voices echoed through the forest.
He looked up.
At the outskirts of a nearby Village, a crowd had gathered.
At first glance, it resembled a Lord's army conducting conscription.
He had seen such scenes many times already. Short-sighted feudal Lords gathering men like livestock.
Some had even attempted to conscript him.
Those men had died quickly.
But this scene—
Was different.
A group of armored samurai surrounded more than a dozen young girls.
Their hands were tied with rope.
Their faces were pale with terror.
The samurai escorted them out of the Village.
"Interesting."
In a normal world, this might simply be a degenerate Lord collecting concubines.
But in this world?
Where demons thrived?
This smelled of something supernatural.
"Poof."
He transformed.
White smoke cleared.
In his place stood a ragged Wandering Samurai, clothes worn and sword at his side.
He swaggered toward the Village entrance.
A few villagers lingered behind, grief etched into their faces.
"Hey!"
He pointed his blade toward a trembling villager.
"What are those people taking those girls for?"
The man fell to his knees instantly.
"My Lord! Those are the castle's samurai… Lately they've been capturing young girls from the territory."
The surrounding villagers knelt as well, terrified.
Samurai in this era were privileged.
Commoners were disposable.
"Capturing them for what?" Uchiha Lie pressed, inching the blade closer.
"I—I don't know…"
Tears filled the man's eyes.
"None of the girls taken to the castle have ever returned."
An elderly villager added in a whisper:
"I heard… the Lord may be possessed by a demon…"
Uchiha Lie sheathed his sword.
That confirmed it.
This was no simple lecherous noble.
It was demon activity.
"They're taken to the castle?"
The villagers nodded frantically.
Without another word, Uchiha Lie turned and followed the samurai's trail.
---
Soon, a mountain castle came into view.
Its walls loomed between cliffs like a crouching beast.
The girls were escorted through the gates.
Under the cover of forest shadow, Uchiha Lie slipped in silently.
He extended his senses.
Yes.
There it was.
Murky Demonic Power emanating from deep within.
But—
Weak.
Far too weak.
"This must be…"
Memory clicked into place.
The Toad Demon who possessed a foolish Lord in the original story.
If so—
Inuyasha's group might appear soon.
He considered waiting.
Then shook his head slightly.
"I'll deal with it first."
Hand seals flashed.
"Genjutsu: Temple of Nirvana Technique."
A flurry of phantom white feathers descended across the castle grounds.
One by one—
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Samurai collapsed.
Guards slumped over.
Servants fell asleep mid-task.
Within moments, the entire castle had descended into unnatural silence.
He had deliberately excluded the demon from the Genjutsu.
Ordinary humans were easy prey for illusion.
Demons less so.
He walked calmly toward the Lord's chambers.
As expected—
The door burst open.
A figure rushed out.
The "Lord" wore extravagant robes.
But his face and limbs were wrapped in thick bandages.
Underneath—
Deformed features bulged unnaturally.
A swollen head.
Limbs too thick.
The disguise was laughable.
Uchiha Lie felt mildly speechless.
Did it truly believe bandages made it human?
"Who are you," the Toad Demon hissed, "to trespass in my castle?"
Its voice was raspy and venomous.
Uchiha Lie smiled faintly.
"You're about to die. Why ask so many questions?"
Rage twisted the demon's face.
"You dare—!"
With a wet, revolting sound—
Its tongue shot forward.
Slimy.
Long.
Fast as a spear.
It pierced toward Uchiha Lie's chest.
---
But the Sharingan had already seen it.
The world slowed.
The trajectory mapped.
Uchiha Lie stepped aside effortlessly.
The tongue slammed into the wall behind him, cracking stone.
He flickered forward.
A flash of steel.
The katana drew and cut in one seamless motion.
The demon's tongue fell to the floor, severed cleanly.
"AAARGH—!"
The Toad Demon shrieked, clutching its mouth as blackish blood splattered.
It tried to retreat—
Too late.
Chakra surged.
He vanished.
Reappeared above it.
His foot descended.
"Heavenly Foot of Pain."
Boom.
The demon's head smashed into the wooden floor, splintering beams.
The castle trembled.
Before it could recover—
Uchiha Lie formed a final seal.
"Sealing: One's Own Life Resurrection Seal."
The scroll unfurled.
Pale green life force streamed from the demon's body.
Stronger than the trash demons outside.
Satisfying.
The Toad Demon's struggles weakened.
Then stopped.
Its body shriveled into a husk.
Then crumbled.
Ash scattered across the tatami.
Uchiha Lie rolled the scroll closed.
"Another step."
He glanced toward the courtyard.
The girls still slept peacefully under Genjutsu.
With a flick of his fingers—
The illusion dissolved.
They would awaken shortly, believing perhaps that a miracle had occurred.
He turned toward the castle entrance.
"If this is truly the Toad Demon's arc…"
Then the Protagonist Group should arrive soon.
He sheathed his sword calmly.
The wind carried faint sounds from the forest.
Footsteps.
Light.
Fast.
Not human.
Uchiha Lie's lips curved faintly.
"Right on time."