Inuyasha: A Different Kind of Dog General

"Ms. Cuizi, you are too kind."

Kagura lowered her eyelashes humbly, her voice respectful and clear.

As she lowered her head slightly, the pair of emerald pearl earrings trembled and swayed, reflecting a few rays of sunlight.

“Freedom is the instinct of all living things.”

She raised her eyes, her gaze passed over the swirling sea of ​​clouds, and fell on a certain place that seemed to be fixed in the endless bound void.

"Naraku is using our hearts to imprison us... Such despicable behavior is deeply hated by us from the bottom of our hearts and souls!"

Ling Yue, who was sitting in the middle of the cloud, had her eyes flickering a few times imperceptibly, and couldn't help but have deeper thoughts.

She didn't say anything, but just glanced at Douya and spoke through Skynet's thoughts.

"Your three Holy Sword clones, please don't develop those filthy and rebellious thoughts like Naraku's clone."

From the perspective of the creator, Kagura and others were created as tools. Although Naraku's way of dealing with them is disgusting, there is no problem in the final analysis.

Because he wants tools.

Rather than a living, flesh-and-blood person with emotions and desires.

However, if you look at Naraku from an outsider's perspective and with a different identity, you will have different views and interpretations.

After all, humans are creatures with strange emotions. Except for a very small number of selfless saints who are dedicated to their work, the rest are hypocritical.

There are people whose values ​​are determined by their five senses, and there are even more people who will be punished by heaven and earth if they don’t care about themselves.

Human diversity is so complex that even Naraku would feel ashamed if he saw it.

Because Naraku targeted Seshomaru, Lingyue's impression of him was undoubtedly very bad.

But for Kagura, her impression needs to be divided into two perspectives - one is that of the queen of the royal court as a ruler.

The other is Seshomaru's mother.

She was born with power, but this was her first time meeting her mother. She had some feelings for Kagura, but not much - it was because Touga didn't simply choose young Seshomaru when he gave her the choice.

Ling Yue had never seen Dou Ya make a joke before.

A deep and pleasant laugh came from the Douya Skynet, with great certainty.

"of course not."

He responded in his mind, "My 'Divine Weapon Incarnation Technique' has undergone many repairs and has been completely transformed."

"It is an extension of the original body, like a limb. It is not comparable to those forcibly merged clones. It has absolutely no risk of developing its own will."

He then glanced at Kagura who had finished her story, and analyzed the root cause for Ling Yue in his mind.

"And Naraku's clone, to put it bluntly, is nothing more than using himself as a cauldron, combined with the Four Souls Jade, to smelt countless mixed demon souls and inferior bloodlines."

"Then expel and solidify those indigestible filth and remnants of the monster's will!"

"Therefore, Kagura and others who separated from him are extremely similar to Naraku himself, except that they do not have human blood. They are independent monsters."

"I see." Ling Yue received the assurance, and the doubts in her heart completely dissipated.

She focused again on the cup of milk tea in her hand, which exuded a refreshing milky and tea aroma.

Seeing that his wife was enjoying her meal peacefully, Toga's gaze gently turned to Kagura who was still kneeling respectfully.

He had just listened carefully and naturally caught the concern deep in her words.

"When I was listening to your story just now, you kept mentioning your sister's name, 'Shenwu'. Are you trying to rescue her as well?"

Upon hearing this, Kagura's back instantly straightened!

Without hesitation, she bent down deeply, her forehead almost touching the cold and soft clouds, her posture was extremely respectful.

There was a slight tremor in the voice, but every word was clear and firm.

"Your Excellency is as clear as day. I dare not lie to you. Shen Wu is my dearest elder sister, and she is also trapped in the hands of Naraku!"

She raised her eyes, her calmness before a powerful being intertwined with deep pleading, "I sincerely hope that you will help me and save my sister from this suffering! At least..."

She looked pleading.

"When you attack Naraku, I beg you to show mercy and spare my sister's heart!"

Dou Ya remained silent upon hearing this and said nothing.

His gaze seemed to penetrate the woman in front of him, and he saw the pair of sister souls entangled with each other in the darkness, yet in extreme opposition.

One screams "I want freedom", the other is completely "desireless".

Kagura is like a wildfire burning on the ice field, and Kanna is the frozen land itself.

The flame used up all its heat and light, trying to melt the eternal ice to prove its existence, but it only reflected its increasingly lonely and burning figure on the cold mirror in vain.

Until the flames burn out and the glory fades to pale embers, deep in the endless silence of the ice, perhaps a tiny crack will finally quietly open up -

That is the evidence that fire has burned, existed, and struggled.

Kagura hated Kanna's emptiness because it made her see the vanity of her own struggle.

But she needs the eternal silence of God even more, because only in this mirror can her noisy life be confirmed to exist.

"Kagura, in this vast world, has there ever been a gift of mercy that was readily available?"

Dou Ya's gaze was as deep as an ancient well as he cast it at the Wind Envoy who bowed his head and begged. His voice was calm but carried with it the eternal and unchangeable cold truth, each word piercing into people's hearts.

"This point... must be deeply engraved in your mind. You understand it better than anyone else."

It is true that he is interested in Kanna, the girl who is as pure as the reflection in a mirror-like lake, yet as cold as frost, snow and glass, but he does not want to make a promise to Kagura easily.

The favors promised easily are like rootless duckweed. They can only be obtained after giving one's all or paying a heavy price.

Its taste will be engraved into the bone marrow and become a brand that will never fade.

Kagura's shoulders trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly, and her head drooped even lower, as if she wanted to bury her entire body in the soft clouds and fall into deathly silence.

Douya's words mercilessly pierced the last glimmer of hope in her heart.

Her original intention was to find the right time to get Kanna's heart when Toga attacked Naraku, but when Toga made the matter clear, she had to tell the truth.

It is extremely foolish to conceal or lie in front of such a strong person.

At this moment, King Douya asked for payment.

remuneration……

Kagura looked at herself blankly.

I have nothing and my hands are empty.

Apart from these wings whistling in the wind, apart from this body that struggled until it was riddled with wounds but ultimately did not wither...

Her only, most precious, last thing—

It is freedom.

The freedom that she cherished as her life and had fought hard to obtain with blood, tears, betrayal and escape!

But at this moment, for Shenwu——

For that empty, heartless sister...will I once again give up the hard-earned feather of freedom?

Is the price... too heavy?

Anyway, even if Naraku arranged for her to die, she wouldn't refuse, right?

If Shenwu angers King Douya by then, he will lose his freedom, wouldn't it be a waste of time?

Just, just...

Kagura immersed her mind deeply into this sea of ​​​​heart, trying her best to find the answer.

However, deep within that icy soul, besides the silent mist and biting cold...

There is nothing in the void, only the lonely echo.

Abi, aware of the solemn atmosphere around him, held the sleeping Seshomaru in his arms, and like a frightened deer, he looked back and forth restlessly at his father with a solemn expression, and at Kagura, who was kneeling in the clouds with a respectful and almost frozen posture.

Those big, lively eyes were filled with confusion and a hint of timidity.

She moved her little feet carefully and quietly hid herself and her brother's soft little body in her arms into Cui Zi's warmest and most peaceful arms.

Although Ling Yue's mother is a very nice person, she sometimes likes to play tricks on people.

Tsuriko gently embraced the small body and young Seshomaru, and gently combed Abi's soft hair with her fingertips.

The sound was like a spring breeze blowing through newly opened leaves, soft and pleasant, yet not obscured, and it was clearly heard by Kagura beside her.

"Don't worry, your father... is just using his own way to enlighten others."

Abi raised his little face, tilted his head, and his watery eyes showed even more innocence.

A faint smile of reminiscence appeared on Cui Zi's lips, and her eyes seemed to have traveled through a long time and returned to her original appearance.

"At that time, I had only one thought in my heart: I wished to be like the breeze among the clouds, floating freely across the vast earth."

"With my own strength, I will slay the demons and monsters, destroy the evil spirits, and protect the common people of this land from the suffering wrought by the demons."

Her voice is still soft, but it contains a kind of clarity that comes from having experienced many vicissitudes of life.

"But later, your father... used the greater vision within his heart to gently restrain this unruly wind."

Cui Zi looked at the overlapping clouds in the distance with gentle acceptance.

"That vision of 'harmony between heaven and earth, harmony between humans and demons' has gradually become my dream. Now, our royal court is marching towards this goal."

She returned her gaze to Abi's ignorant little face, and seemed to be speaking to everyone on the cloud.

"Even someone like me, with that cloud nest where I can return safely, my heart is at peace. Having a place to return to and a path to follow is true freedom."

Finally, Tsuiko raised her clear eyes and looked calmly at Kagura who was still kneeling. Her words were plain, but every word was like pearls falling to the ground.

"Freedom and belonging are never mutually exclusive... If one's heart is free from fear and attachment, then one will be like water flowing into the ocean or wind returning to the sky, a state of coexistence and brilliance."

Listening to Cuizi's flowery maxims, Abi's little head felt dizzy - he understood, but it seemed that he didn't fully understand?

Confused, she stretched out her little hand and scratched the top of her head.

This scratch made Abhi regret it deeply.

The young Seshomaru, who was originally held unsteadily in his arms, immediately flew out like a light feather doll.