V1 Chapter 20: The Shikon no Tama

Higokumaru gazed at Yae Sakura, who had partially undressed, revealing her back. The Stigmata markings from the Tsar Set didn't detract from her beautiful back; instead, they added a unique allure.

Higokumaru moved behind Yae Sakura and placed her hands above her back...

Soon, the Ekaterina (Top) and Ekaterina (Bottom) Stigmata were removed.

The Stigmata transformed into crystal cards, each bearing a portrait of Ekaterina, the Tsarina of E-Country. Hence the name "Tsar Set."

As for the Ekaterina (Middle) Stigmata, there was no need to remove it. It directly enhanced damage output, which was exactly what Yae Sakura needed.

Immediately afterward, Higokumaru helped Yae Sakura equip the Schrödinger (Top) and Aponia (Bottom) Stigmata, imprinting them onto her back.

The Stigmata pattern on Yae Sakura's back transformed.

Schrödinger, the so-called "grass cat"—Schrödinger's Cat...

Higokumaru gazed at the pattern on Yae Sakura's back and nodded in satisfaction.

"Big Sister, you're all set!"

"Thank you!"

Feeling the unfamiliar power coursing through her, Yae Sakura redressed.

Schrödinger's true strength lay in its explosive potential!

One Shunmetsu! and they would all fall!

Even a god—I could slaughter one before your eyes.

Schrödinger is invincible...

"Let's go to sleep."

"Mmm."

The next day, Yae Sakura returned to the village after her sword practice. She had to admit, her explosive power had increased dramatically.

However, without the comprehensive speed and defense buffs of the Tsar Set, one could argue that her current abilities still fell short of its full potential.

But... in this Inuyasha World, even lacking Stigmata made little difference.

The strongest beings here were merely great yokai, which was more than sufficient for her needs.

Moreover, Yae Sakura was certain that no one in this world could withstand a single Shunmetsu! strike from her.

"Sakura, you're finally back! Go pack your things; we're leaving soon."

As Yae Sakura approached Kikyō's house, Kikyō, who had already finished packing, greeted her with these words.

"Leaving? Where are we going?" Sakura asked, surprised.

"I'll explain on the way."

"Oh, right! Just a minute—wait for me!"

Without hesitation, Sakura dashed back to her room, hastily gathered a few essentials, and glanced at Higokumaru, who was still sound asleep.

She grabbed Higokumaru by the tail and bolted out of the house.

"Okay, I'm ready. Let's go!" Sakura placed Higokumaru on her shoulder, holding her bundle in hand.

"Mm."

"Kikyō-chan, do you have a quest for me? And... why aren't you bringing Kaede along?"

Yae Sakura glanced around, but Kaede was nowhere to be seen.

"This time it's a bit far, so I'm leaving her behind," Kikyō replied, her gaze drifting to Higokumaru, who was now completely transformed into a little fox, curled up comfortably on Yae Sakura's shoulder.

"Sakura, do you know about the Shikon no Tama?"

"Huh? The Shikon no Tama?" Yae Sakura blinked in surprise. Why was Kikyō suddenly mentioning it? Could it finally have emerged?

"It seems you do..." Kikyō observed, her gaze thoughtful.

"Well, I know the legend," Yae Sakura replied. "It's said that hundreds of years ago, there was a powerful miko named Tsukasa, highly skilled in spiritual arts, who possessed the ability to purify souls and exorcise demons.

To defeat her, countless yokai—including oni, dragons, and other monstrous creatures—merged their powers to form a single great yokai.

In a prolonged battle against this great yokai, Tsukasa eventually exhausted her strength. Unable to prevail, she used her last remaining power to seize the yokai's soul, absorb it into her own, and release it from her body. As a result, both Tsukasa and the yokai perished, leaving behind only a crystallized fragment of their souls—the Shikon no Tama."

This is the origin of the Shikon no Tama.

"Exactly!" Kikyō added. "Legend says the Shikon no Tama can amplify a yokai's power and even grant any wish. Countless humans and yokai covet it."

"Kikyō, why are you suddenly bringing this up?" Yae Sakura asked hesitantly, looking at her.

"The Shikon no Tama, which had been lost for ages, has resurfaced. It was unexpectedly obtained by the chieftain of an Onmyoji village.

However, the Onmyoji believed they lacked the strength to safeguard it. To prevent it from falling into the hands of evil yokai, they decided to entrust it to me for protection.

Our mission this time is to retrieve... the Shikon no Tama."

[Special Quest Triggered: Protect the Shikon no Tama]

[Mission Objective: Before leaving this world, prevent the Shikon no Tama from falling into the hands of yokai.]

[Mission Rewards: 100 Crystals, 100 (Purple) Biological Experience Chips, 100,000 Gold, 100 Skill Points.]

[Accept Quest?]

"Huh... huh?!"

Experience Chips, gold, and Skill Points too? I thought everything had to be exchanged for Crystals.

But protecting the Shikon no Tama... even without a mission, Yae Sakura would do it. The Shikon no Tama itself was the bait. With it, countless yokai would flock to their doom.

"What's wrong?" Kikyō asked, noticing Yae Sakura's unusual behavior.

"Nothing. I was just thinking... if we're protecting the Shikon no Tama, we'll be facing even more yokai in the future."

"Protecting the Shikon no Tama is my responsibility. If you..."

"There's no 'if'," Yae Sakura interrupted, shaking her head earnestly. "Rather... this is exactly what I want. The yokai will come to us themselves."

"And... thank you, Kikyō."

"Hmm? What's with the sudden gratitude?" Kikyō blinked, surprised and a little flustered.

"Thank you for trusting me, Kikyō-chan," Yae Sakura said earnestly, her gaze fixed on Kikyō. "I'm also a half-demon, and you told me something as important as the Shikon no Tama so directly... I truly appreciate it." Though Yae Sakura had no interest in the Shikon no Tama itself—its supposed power to grant wishes was nothing more than a deceptive trap.

"Well..." Kikyō stammered, feeling a mix of embarrassment and guilt. The truth was, she had harbored some reservations about Yae Sakura. After all, living as a half-demon was an exhausting existence.

Legend had it that the Shikon no Tama possessed the power to grant any wish. Kikyō wasn't entirely certain whether Yae Sakura might use it to transform completely into a yokai or revert to being fully human.

"Don't worry! I'll protect the Shikon no Tama with you, Kikyō-chan."

"Thank you!"