Uchiha Lie's eyes suddenly turned scarlet.
Three tomoe emerged and spun.
The slimy tongue shot toward him like a spear—
He lowered his body instantly, the foul wind grazing past his ear.
At the same time, his hand flashed to his waist.
Steel rang.
The samurai sword was drawn.
Wind Release Chakra surged around the blade, wrapping it in sharp, vibrating currents.
With a violent flick of his wrist—
The blade flew.
A streak of white light tore through the air.
"Squelch—"
The sword grazed the Toad Demon's cheek.
Wind Chakra carved deeply into its flesh, cutting to the bone.
Dark red blood burst forth.
The demon staggered back, glaring at the sword now embedded in the wall behind it.
Its lips twitched.
It was about to sneer—
When Uchiha Lie vanished.
"Flying Thunder God Technique."
In the blink of an eye—
He appeared behind the Toad Demon.
His hand reached backward.
Gripped the sword's hilt.
The Wind Release Chakra intensified several times over.
He twisted.
Slashed.
"Splurt—!"
The Toad Demon's grotesque head separated cleanly from its body.
It soared into the air, trailing a fountain of blood.
The body collapsed.
The severed head rolled across the floor, bandages unraveling.
In its pupils—
Confusion.
Resentment.
Disbelief.
Uchiha Lie bent down calmly.
He retrieved a shard of the Shikon Jewel from the demon's corpse.
As soon as the shard left the body—
The demonic aura began to dissipate rapidly.
Moments later—
What remained was an ordinary human corpse.
The Lord.
Possessed no more.
"Damn."
Uchiha Lie slapped his forehead lightly.
"I forgot to extract the life force."
He looked at the corpse in mild annoyance.
"It's your fault for being too weak. You died in one hit."
He was about to bury the body when his gaze shifted.
At the Lord's waist—
A sword.
He drew it.
Cold steel gleamed under dim light.
The craftsmanship was far superior to the wandering samurai blade he had been using.
"A decent trophy."
He tied the new sword at his waist, satisfied.
Then pressed both palms to the ground.
"Earth Release."
The soil churned.
Lifted.
Swallowed the corpse.
The ground smoothed over, leaving no trace.
---
"Now… the girls."
He leapt across rooftops and courtyards, following the chakra signatures he had previously sensed.
He arrived outside a remote chamber.
Pushed the door open.
Dozens of girls lay inside.
These were the recently captured ones.
Still under Genjutsu.
Still asleep.
The demon had not yet touched them.
He left them undisturbed.
Instead, he walked toward another hidden room deeper within the castle.
The door creaked open.
A strange, fishy-sweet odor drifted out.
Inside—
Massive translucent spheres clung to the walls.
They resembled enormous toad eggs.
But inside them—
Were women.
Curled up.
Motionless.
"Tsukumo Toad eggs…"
Uchiha Lie exhaled softly.
Such a weak demon.
And yet—
So many innocent lives trapped.
He remembered the plot.
The demon would wait until the souls inside "matured" before devouring them.
What "maturation" truly meant—
He did not know.
Whether the damage was reversible—
Uncertain.
He would save them first.
"Shadow Clone Technique."
"Bang."
Nine identical Shadow Clones appeared beside him.
"Move."
Blades flashed.
They carefully sliced open the egg sacs.
Sticky liquid spilled.
Girls were pulled free.
Most were pale and weak.
Some regained consciousness quickly.
Others remained unconscious.
Nearly half an hour later—
All were rescued.
The conscious ones were brought to the other room and placed under light Genjutsu again.
When the samurai awakened from their earlier illusion, chaos would follow.
Better the girls slept through it.
He returned to the secret chamber.
Three remained.
Still breathing.
Heartbeats steady.
But—
Eyes empty.
Hollow.
Soulless.
Their bodies were intact.
But their spirits—
Gone.
"It seems their souls were already devoured."
His expression darkened slightly.
He could have forced the demon out of the Lord's body with Fire Release.
He knew that from the plot.
But he chose not to.
Because the Lord was not innocent.
When first possessed—
He was conscious.
Even later, in the original story, a blow to the head briefly restored his clarity.
He knew.
He knew demons existed.
He knew priestesses could exorcise.
Yet he never sought help.
Instead—
He cooperated.
Delivered girls.
Fed them to the demon.
Whether out of greed, fear, or cowardice—
It made no difference.
He deserved death.
Otherwise—
Wouldn't the girls he sent to hell have died unjustly?
"Kamui."
His Mangekyo activated.
Space twisted.
The three soulless girls were sent into the Kamui Dimension.
"When Inuyasha arrives," he murmured, "I'll ask Myōga if they can be saved."
He took one last look at the room of ruptured egg sacs.
Then turned away.
---
Back in the Lord's chamber—
"Slide—"
The door opened.
A pink figure lay on the floor.
A young woman in a pink kimono and red haori.
Delicate features.
Beautiful.
Ruji.
The Lord's newlywed wife.
He remembered her from the story.
"Quite beautiful," he muttered.
"A pity she married poorly."
He adjusted her gently.
Laid her flat.
Covered her with a quilt.
Then he moved to a corner and sat down.
Silence enveloped the castle.
The sky outside darkened gradually.
Night approached.
In the original plot, Inuyasha and the others arrived at night.
He wasn't certain if it would be tonight.
If not—
He would undo the Genjutsu at dawn and leave.
The castle was deathly quiet.
Only distant insect calls drifted in through the window.
Uchiha Lie rested his chin lightly against his hand.
Crimson eyes closed halfway.
Waiting.
For the protagonists to enter the stage.