Nine days later.
The night air was crisp, the sky clear.
Less than three hours remained until Ray and the Straw Hat Pirates' departure.
Thanks to Luffy's enthusiastic shouting, Kaede's Village was currently bustling with activity.
This was a lavish feast unlike anything Inuyasha and the others had ever experienced.
The tables groaned under the weight of exotic delicacies: dragon yokai steaks, firebird wings glazed in honey, demon bear paws roasted to perfection.
There were even dozens of barrels of "Immortal Wine," purchased from a certain yokai hermit.
Naturally, Ray was the one who "bought" them—at a 90% discount, on credit, with the signature at the bottom of the bill reading three large characters: INUYASHA.
The entire village gathered around the clearing, dancing around roaring bonfires, eating yokai meat that had been meticulously purified of demonic energy.
The atmosphere reached unprecedented heights.
The little ones—Jaken, Rin, Shippo, Kirara, and Chopper—were all dressed up in colorful festival outfits, running around like a miniature tornado of joy.
Even Elder Myoga, the flea yokai, was there, perched on someone's shoulder, probably looking for a safe place to hide when the bill arrived.
Everyone seemed to have let down their defenses, completely freeing themselves.
They were using the happiest atmosphere possible to welcome the imminent farewell.
...
Ray sat on a stone step about twenty meters from the center of the bonfire feast.
Even though hundreds of people were participating, this spot felt quiet, an island of calm in the sea of celebration.
Taking a sip of wine, Ray glanced at little Rin playing tag with Nami.
The corner of his lips lifted slightly—perhaps half a centimeter.
"Hey, Ray... are you really leaving?"
Inuyasha, slightly tipsy from the divine wine, carried a jar and sat down beside Ray.
"By human age standards, you're not yet an adult. You shouldn't drink this much," Ray chided lightly.
He had completely overcome Sesshomaru's body's rejection of Inuyasha.
Now, he truly sounded like an older brother lecturing his younger sibling.
This feeling was subtle for Ray.
He had once been just an orphan.
After arriving in the One Piece world, he met passionate companions like Luffy who became his family.
But coming to the Inuyasha world, through Sesshomaru's memories, he experienced what it felt like to have blood family.
Though initially, this brotherly relationship was utterly melodramatic, it was a brand new experience for Ray, going from zero to one.
Over these past nine days, Ray spent most of his time around Kaede's Village.
Besides letting Rin experience human society, he also had intermittent conversations with Inuyasha.
The closer they got to today, the more they talked.
Until now, the two brothers seemed to have no more barriers between them, though Inuyasha still hadn't called him "brother."
Kagome, on the other hand, always called Ray "Big Brother" so smoothly and naturally.
At first, both Inuyasha and Ray resisted it, but eventually, they accepted it.
After observing her for several days, Nami and Robin finally understood how Kagome managed to train Inuyasha so obediently.
When dealing with a tsundere dog, you have to be direct—the more direct the better.
Just shower him with kindness.
Inuyasha paid no attention to Ray's advice.
"How much I drink is none of your business. I'm happy, I'll drink however I want."
"Mm. That's your freedom."
"Uh... Ray..."
Inuyasha suddenly got stuck.
The two brothers just sat on the steps, silently drinking their wine, the crackle of the fire filling the silence.
Suddenly, Inuyasha snatched Ray's wine cup.
He poured wine from his own jar into the empty bowl, his hand trembling slightly.
Blushing furiously, he stammered, "I... I toast to you!"
Ray didn't get angry.
He picked up the wine bowl Inuyasha handed him with his right hand and snorted softly.
"As you wish."
Ignoring Inuyasha's awkward posture, Ray drank the wine in one smooth motion.
"Tch. What kind of person are you? And here I was trying to be nice," Inuyasha grumbled, looking away.
Ray glanced at the sulking half-demon and responded lightly.
"Thanks."
Hearing this, Inuyasha's dog face flushed an even deeper shade of red.
"How old are you, still blushing? How embarrassing."
"Who's blushing?! I... I just drank too much!"
Ray suddenly stood up, his silver hair dancing in the night wind.
He slowly walked into the distance, away from the noise.
"Bring Kagome over. I have something to tell you both. At the Sacred Tree."
...
Half an hour later.
Kagome, Ray, and Inuyasha sat together beneath the massive roots of the Sacred Tree of Ages.
"Big Brother Ray, did you have something special to tell me and Inuyasha by bringing us here?" Kagome asked gently.
Ray sighed, his voice quiet. "Some instructions."
"Instructions? Once you really leave... can you never come back?" Kagome asked the question Inuyasha was too afraid to voice.
Ray thought for a moment before responding. "Most likely, I won't be coming back. Sesshomaru will still be that Sesshomaru you know."
Hearing this, Kagome looked disappointed, while Inuyasha fell into a sullen silence, staring at his claws.
Seeing Inuyasha's expression, Ray looked up at the moon through the branches.
"Perhaps... I might occasionally return."
"Really?!"
Inuyasha nearly jumped up in excitement.
Then, realizing how he was acting, he immediately turned his head away, refusing to look at Ray, ears twitching nervously.
Ray understood.
Over these past nine days, he had explained everything to them—his existence within Sesshomaru's consciousness, their symbiotic relationship.
At first, they were confused about whether Ray was a second personality or a separate entity.
Since they couldn't figure it out, Kagome addressed Ray as "Big Brother," not "Brother."
Naturally, Inuyasha never uttered those two words either.
But now, seeing Inuyasha's expression shift from disappointment to joy, Ray clearly felt that this child truly saw him as an older brother.
It was the same body, the same memories, with a similar personality but warmer.
Any half-demon would find it confusing.
Inuyasha's childhood had been tragic—living as a half-demon in a survival-of-the-fittest world, completely alone.
During the new moon, he would lose his power and live in constant fear.
Deep in his heart, he had always yearned for a father or brother to protect him.
This desire was imprinted in his subconscious.
His interactions with Ray had released that longing from the dark fog.
This was trauma healing.
That Inuyasha could show his vulnerable side before Ray and Kagome indicated he had become more open, healthier, and more mature.
"If fate wills it, we'll definitely meet again," Ray said softly. "Besides... Sesshomaru has changed too. He actually cares about you a lot."
Hearing this, Inuyasha looked incredulous.
"How could that be? He wanted to kill me not long ago."
Ray sensed that although Inuyasha denied it outwardly, deep in his golden eyes lingered a trace of sorrowful hope.
He wanted it to be true.
"Let's not talk about that for now. Before I leave, I have a letter for you."
Ray pulled a sealed envelope from his kimono. "Everything I want to say is written inside."
Asking Ray to say those sentimental words outright was too difficult; a letter was the best approach.
Moreover, this letter contained a special mechanism.
Inuyasha slowly reached out his hand.
Then, he snatched the letter and immediately tried to tear it open.
"Don't open it! Do you want to die? I haven't left yet!" Ray barked.
"Hmph! What's it to you! I'm opening it anyway!"
Fortunately, Kagome was there.
"Inuyasha, SIT!"
THUD.
Inuyasha slammed face-first into the roots of the Sacred Tree.
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Merry Christmas Everyone!