It had been two weeks since the last attack. Akari has been training with Madame Kaede this whole time. Everything seemed to be normal. That's the problem.
"Why do you look so distracted?" Inuyasha asked, turning to face her.
Akari came out of her thoughts and replied to him.
"Did you find something?" Inuyasha realized that he had ignored her question, but at this point, he had grown accustomed to it. She didn't talk more than necessary. Sometimes she stayed silent, only training. And why was she training with a sword, too? Kikyou never used one.
"Yeah, I heard something about a landowner who is recruiting women in his castle. Maybe it could be a fragment."
Akari thought for a second. She remembered this part. It was a weak demon that Inuyasha and the original protagonist defeated, but it was after Inuyasha acquired his father's sword. Why so soon? Was it her fault?
"Okay, do you want to go?" Inuyasha nodded.
"Yes, I'm weary of staying here this whole time."
"Okay, so let's go."
Both were running toward the castle. It wasn't far. But she was still exhausted.
"You are so weak; we just ran for a few hours." Akari clenched her teeth.
"I'm only a human, Inuyasha, of course, I don't have your ridiculous tolerance." Inuyasha clicked his tongue. At that moment, someone approached them and said.
"Can I talk with you? I'm Nobunaga." Akari didn't expect they could meet him now.
Akari nodded, and he talked about her lady, who was the landowner's wife. Inuyasha had been looking at Akari, and when they were about to enter the castle, he asked.
"Do you know about him, too?" Akari saw him, startled; she didn't anticipate that question. She had underestimated him.
"What if I do? What if I don't?" Inuyasha chuckled and didn't answer.
"Do you have a plan?" Akari nodded.
"Yes, but I need your help."
"Yeah, I guess you do. What should I do?"
"Watch me and don't let me die."
"Easy"
**
Akari walked into the hall and saw him. The demon.
"Why are you in my house?" Akari tightened the bowstring and shot.
This demon was her practice opponent. Akari reduced her spiritual energy at the tip of the arrow. Her training today was designed to help her moderate her spiritual energy in a real fight. She needed to use a better way. First, she wanted to intimidate the demon.
Akari managed to drive the demon out of the landowner's body with her arrows. Then, when he was escaping, Akari used her sword and destroyed it.
Behind her, Inuyasha clapped.
"It was good for a novice." Akari ignored his mockery.
Suddenly, Inuyasha asked. "Why don't you use your arrows to purify him? Why do you choose a sword?"
"Because I need to try something."
"You are so mysterious."
Akari didn't refute him. He was right.
"Inuyasha, I'm leaving for three days."
"Again?"
"Yeah, but don't worry if I'm right, I will bring you a gift." Inuyasha laughed.
"A gift from you?It makes me shiver." Akari laughed with him.
"Yeah, I think so."
***
Akari had something to try so she returned to her age, and she went to school. In order to avoid losing her place at school, a few years ago. She has been pretending to be a sickly girl. So it wasn't strange that she couldn't be at school for long periods of time. Of course, she has been participating in clubs like fencing, archery, survival techniques, etc, in secret. Even her family didn't know anything about it.
At school, Akari heard rumors of different attacks in the city. The cadavers were horribly damaged. Then, when she left the school, she headed to the park where the murder had happened. When she arrived, she could confirm that it was a demon.
That night, Akari changed her clothes to a camouflage uniform and left her house with fragments of the jewel. She got away from the city and arrived at an abandoned and empty zone.
"Come out, monster." Akari apparently said this to the darkness, but at that moment, a human-shaped mask emerged.
"Give it to me..." Akari drew her sword and said.
"Do you want these? Come and get them." The human-shaped mask ran towards her and tried to bite her head.
Akari dodged it and tried to imbue the sword with her spiritual power, attacking the mask. Only its body was destroyed. It was too weak; she couldn't maintain it even for a few seconds. So Akari let the human-shaped mask bite her shoulder. Meanwhile, she cut her own palm with the sword and tried to imbue the sword with spiritual power again. This time with more power, she shoved the mask and cut it in half where the fragment was.
When the mask disappeared, Akari sighed and fell to the ground. It hurts; her entire body hurts. Akari bandaged herself and took the fragment. She ended up in this condition just fighting with that weak demon. She didn't imagine others as more powerful.
But even though her entire body ached, her eyes were sparkling, she had a goal now. It wasn't only for pride; she didn't ask for help from Inuyasha. She has been thinking of a solution for herself. Although she has followed the story until now, It didn't mean she surrendered.
She remembered very well the destiny of 'Kagome.' She could not continue blindly. So while she was wondering what to do. She thought about something. No, she thought, in someone. A person who has been called the most powerful priestess in the whole story. Midoriko, the jewel maker. If she could have as much power as her, she would have an opportunity not only to survive. Even to remain in her age. She was here to replace and imitate 'Kagome'; so why could she not replace and imitate Midoriko?
Akari smiled in the darkness, blood still dripping from her wounds. Let them think she was weak. By the time they realized their mistake, she would already be untouchable. Playing her assigned role? Akari Yoshiri had never been good at that. It was win or die.