Of Curses And Demons

Chapter 20

When Kagome went to meditate, she didn't focus on the continuous use of both her powers. Instead, she focused on the source of her juryoku. Of the two powers she possessed, she knew more of her reiryoku, having until this point tried to mold her juryoku to act as her reiryoku.

So, as she closed her eyes and pushed past the barricade of her consciousness, she followed the flow of juryoku to her side. It was like a black hole, the edges raw and wild, like it had forced its way there. Its tendrils of power flayed about with no order or purpose, seeking beyond itself and herself, as if it were a foreign entity within herself.

And then she felt it, the draining and rising of both her powers.

When her juryoku pulsed, it pulled from her reiryoku. When she used her reiryoku, it was consumed by the black hole that was her juryoku. This was the complete opposite of her reiryoku, which had always felt like a bottomless well. Her body being the bucket, she could only handle so much. Her juryoku seemed to be consuming power and feeding off of her reiryoku.

There was a reason they couldn't be used at the same time; her juryoku was literally sucking up her reiryoku.

She paused, snapping back to reality.

The reason she had such visceral reactions to Sukuna and his fingers is because her juryoku was trying to absorb his power.

The epiphany hit her like a brick wall. Her powers were becoming more complicated and their complexities were beginning to overwhelm her. Hopefully, she would be able to gain some control in time for her rank evaluation.

~o.O~O.o~

The serenity of her surroundings enveloped Kagome like a comforting embrace. A gentle murmur of moving water accompanied the leaves rustled gently in the breeze, their soft whisper a soothing lullaby to her thoughts.

For the last couple of days, Kagome had been delving deeper into her meditations, diligently honing her powers, pushing the boundaries of her juryoku, allowing it to flow freely and shape itself. Instinct guided her, leading her toward a revelation—a technique that, if mastered, could turn the tide in any battle. Yet, she knew she lacked the physical strength to fully wield it.

Suddenly, a familiar pulse of youki disrupted her tranquility, jolting her senses back to awareness. Kagome slowly opened her eyes with a focused breath, turning to see the small group.

The group was made up of six: four youkai and two humans. Of the youkai, Kagome knew three: Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, and Shippo, with the last following them like a dark shadow. The humans were Priestess Mei and Lady Hikari, the current leader of the human faction of the Senshin Council, whom she had only met once when Inuyasha insisted that she at least register with the council regardless of her disinterest in the supernatural.

It had been months since she had last seen the brothers. Their relationship was strained because she couldn't move on. She couldn't accept how easy it was for them; five hundred years had passed, but she was still there, dealing with the haunting memories of those battles and the friends they had lost.

Kagome was thankful they never pushed for more than she could give, allowing her to approach them when she was ready. Thanks to their protection, she could attend Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu High School without worrying about the organization taking advantage of her.

Kagome's lips curved upwards, the first genuine smile she had gifted the brothers in over five centuries. "Hello," she greeted warmly.

Inuyasha returned her smile, feeling the tension drain from his shoulders. "It's good to see you, Kagome," he replied, his features more refined with age, now resembling his brother's appearance in his thirties or forties. Despite the passing years, Inuyasha retained his youthful silver locks and adorable puppy ears. Sesshomaru, in contrast, exuded an air of refined composure, his beauty still as mesmerizing as it was five hundred years ago.