The first rays of morning sunlight pierced through the haze hanging over central Tokyo, illuminating the peak of the luxurious Divine Palace that towered hundreds of floors above the city.
The magnificent structure, formed from a fusion of Senju Wood Release and futuristic technology, overlooked the sprawling capital below.
Inside the palace, in the enormous main hall—
After the extraordinary events of the previous night, Higurashi Kagome had spent the night in one of the palace's side chambers, still trying to comprehend everything that had happened.
Now, dressed in her green sailor-style school uniform, Kagome cautiously walked along a crystal corridor toward the main hall.
She intended to thank the mysterious man who had rescued her from the Bone Eaters Well.
However, the moment she entered the hall, she froze.
A beautiful woman dressed in a modified moon-white kimono stood in the center of the room, holding a jade bowl.
Kagome's eyes met hers.
Kikyo's eyes widened.
At the same instant, both women felt an intense disturbance deep within their Souls.
"Ah!"
Kagome cried out and collapsed to her knees.
The jade bowl slipped from Kikyo's hands and shattered against the floor.
Kikyo also staggered and fell to one knee, her face pale.
Past life and present life.
According to the Laws of Reincarnation governing this world, Kikyo and Kagome were originally connected through the same Soul across two different eras.
Now that the two of them had appeared together in the same place, the Laws of this world immediately reacted.
A violent resonance erupted between them.
"It hurts..."
Kagome curled up on the floor, tears filling her eyes.
She could feel something inside her Soul being violently pulled toward Kikyo.
Kikyo experienced the same phenomenon.
Her Soul Origin seemed to be responding to the presence of Kagome's Soul, as though the two were being forcibly drawn back together.
At the same time, the Shikon Jewel within Kagome began glowing intensely.
The jewel's power seemed to be reacting to the Soul resonance.
The Laws of Reincarnation were attempting to correct what they considered an impossible contradiction.
Then—
"Presumptuous."
A calm voice echoed through the hall.
Uchiha Tobirama, who had been sitting upon his throne, calmly placed his teacup aside.
His gaze fell upon the two women.
He had no intention of allowing the Laws of this world to determine their fate.
"A mere Law of a lower world dares interfere with my domain?"
Tobirama slowly stood.
"My women will exist as independent individuals."
He raised his right hand.
"What nonsense is this about past lives and reincarnation?"
His fingers spread.
"Break."
"Yin Release: Reshape!"
Buzz!
A deep black-purple light erupted from his fingertips.
The power split into two streams and entered Kikyo and Kagome's foreheads.
Under Tobirama's precise control of Yin Release, the fragments connecting Kagome to Kikyo's past life were carefully separated from Kagome's Soul.
At the same time, pure Yin Release Chakra gathered within Kagome's Sea of Consciousness.
Tobirama's power began reconstructing her Soul.
"Create a completely new Soul Origin."
Under his control, a new Soul Origin emerged.
It belonged entirely to Higurashi Kagome.
No remnants of Kikyo's past-life Soul remained within it.
The invisible chain connecting the two women suddenly trembled.
Then—
Crack!
The Laws of Reincarnation that had bound them together shattered completely.
The pressure inside the hall disappeared.
Kikyo and Kagome both breathed a sigh of relief.
They slowly raised their heads and looked at each other.
It had worked.
The mysterious connection that had previously made them feel as though they were destined to consume or replace one another was gone.
Although they still possessed nearly identical appearances, their Soul auras were now completely independent.
Kikyo remained the priestess of the Sengoku Period, carrying her own memories and experiences.
Kagome was now entirely herself—a modern girl with her own independent Soul and identity.
Neither was dependent upon the other's existence.
"Clack."
A small sound broke the silence.
The complete Shikon Jewel that had been residing within Kagome could no longer remain connected to her newly reconstructed Soul.
It fell onto the soft carpet.
The jewel emitted a faint pink glow.
Tobirama casually raised his hand.
The Shikon Jewel immediately flew into his palm.
"The one from the past has already been dealt with."
He examined the jewel briefly.
"This one from the modern era arrived at a convenient time."
Without hesitation, Tobirama consumed the jewel.
"Gulp."
A familiar System notification immediately sounded within his mind.
[Ding! Complete modern-era Shikon Jewel detected!]
[Beginning perfect devouring without side effects... Devouring complete!]
[Congratulations, Host! The Laws of time from the ancient and modern eras have achieved a complete closed loop within your body! Your mastery of space-time has undergone another advancement!]
The enormous power contained within the jewel flowed through Tobirama's body before settling into his vast reserves of power.
With the disturbance resolved, Tobirama looked toward the two women.
Kikyo remained composed, though a trace of relief could be seen in her expression.
Kagome was still trying to process everything that had happened.
The two women looked almost identical, yet their personalities and experiences were completely different.
One was the experienced priestess of the Sengoku Period.
The other was a modern girl who had only recently discovered the existence of demons and supernatural powers.
Tobirama looked at them for a moment before speaking.
"Now that your Souls are completely independent, you no longer need to worry about the Laws of Reincarnation."
Kagome and Kikyo exchanged glances.
For the first time, there was no invisible force trying to pull them together.
They were simply two separate people.
Tobirama turned toward the enormous windows overlooking Tokyo.
"From now on, your destinies belong to you."
The two priestesses quietly nodded.
Outside, the morning sunlight illuminated the enormous Divine Palace.
Five hundred years of separation had been overturned.
The ancient and modern eras had finally met—and rather than one Soul replacing the other, both Kikyo and Kagome had been granted independent existences.
——————Author——————
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