Chapter 560 “The Realm of Spirit and Time” (精神と時の国土 "Seishin to Toki No Kokudo") It Has Been Four Years Since the Shikon No Tama and Naraku Were Destroyed
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Chapter 560 “The Realm of Spirit and Time” (精神と時の国土 "Seishin to toki no kokudo") It has been four years since the shikon no tama and Naraku were destroyed. InuYasha and Kagome had married, and Miroku and Sango had three kids, two of which are twin daughters age three and one baby boy. InuYasha and Miroku started a Youkai Exorcist business while Kagome took the responsibility to upkeep the shrine and Sango enjoyed a quieter life with her children. Nothing major had happened since their fight with Naraku, and InuYasha had dropped his anxiety with regards to starting his own family. He was in the forest with Shippo and Kagome relaxing near the river after having killed the ne no kubi monster. Shippo was skipping rocks across a pool in the river, while Kagome laid her head onto InuYasha’s lap looking out at the scenery. InuYasha caressed the side of her head with tender loving care and attentiveness. The thought had been burning in his mind for the whole day and his mouth felt dry. He licked his lips before he looked around her head. "Kagome?" InuYasha called tapping her shoulder. She turned to him and smiled warmly. "What is it, InuYasha?" she asked. He gulped before he leaned in closer. "Did you really want to try to uhh..." he muttered while he looked up to see if Shippo was prying. She looked at him amused and gently bumped her head into the side of his chin. "Try what?" she asked as she sat up looking into his eyes deeply. He stuttered, "y-y-you know…the t-thing you were talking about with Sango." He felt weird talking about this and his awkward cautious attitude about the subject made her giggle with delight knowing full well what he was going to say. "InuYasha" she said before she leaned and gently planted a kiss on his cheek. “Do you want one?” she asked looking at him affectionately and gripped his hand. His face went completely red, and he averted her gaze nodding slowly. She immediately wrapped her arms around embracing him tightly as a reward for a correct answer. “I love you so much” she said. A couple weeks later the Bone Eater’s Well started to call out to Kagome. When she looked into the well, she could feel a draft rise up. She bit her lip and jumped inside hoping her hunch was correct or else she would have to explain why she was stuck in the bottom of the well. When she hit the bottom, to her relief and surprise, the portal had reopened. She saw that the well was boarded up, but she pressed up against the boards and felt them give way. “A door?” she muttered. As she wondered out, Sota came running into the shrine with a bat before he dropped it. “Sis? Is that really you?” he asked. “Sota!? How did you know that I was here?” She asked before she raised an eyebrow. “What were you going to do with that bat?” “Mom had Gramps, put an alarm on that hatch just in case someone went in or out of the well. She believed you would come back someday” He mentioned before he picked his bat up and slung it over his shoulder imitating InuYasha. “Well, there’s been some weird characters around here lately. They were asking strange questions and trying to get into the well. I wasn’t gunna let them do anything to that well, so I carry this bat to scare them off” he muttered. “Why would they want anything to do with the well?” she asked. “Beats me! Gramps said something about them wanting to know the history of the well, like if anything came out of it. He said he did not tell them about InuYasha, but they just kept coming back” He muttered. “That’s strange…We’ve never had that kind of attention before” she muttered. Their mother came inside the shrine and smiled happily. “Oh, welcome back! How’s InuYasha doing?” she asked. “He’s doing well” She said before she took in a deep breath. “Mama? Can you drive me to the store? I’m two weeks late” she said nervously. “You’re late?” Her mother muttered in confusion before she figured out the euphemism. She grew excited and nodded. “Oh, of course, just give me fifteen minutes to get ready. I have a load of laundry to put in the dyer” she said cheerfully. She turned back and hummed to herself. “You’re late? What do you mean you’re late?” Sota asked. Kagome turned back to the well and smiled. “Girl problems…I’ll be back!” she said before she jumped back into the well. She was very happy to see her mother’s excitement about the news. She hoped to confirm her suspicion once and for all and announce it to her husband. Miroku and InuYasha stood in the middle of the road looking towards the north his face cast a stern trouble look, which her mood shifted from jubilation to dread. “What's wrong Miroku?” she asked. “Have you sensed anything strange lately? There has been some very strange occurrences happening these past months, I've been sensing youki. A strong youki very far away, it's been growing since the past few days. I thought it would wane, but I'm curious if what you think about it” he asked. Kagome closed her eyes and faced the North, which she grew puzzled. "No, there's something there...how can you tell it's strong I can barely feel it" She asked. "I can barely feel it, but it takes up a tremendous area. I can't even find an exact origin, it's almost as if it's leaking everywhere up north" He answered. InuYasha looked at her irritated. “Where the hell were you!? I thought you had gotten kidnapped or something!” he shouted. “The well has opened again” she answered. “What? The well has opened?” he asked. She nodded slowly and closed her eyes. “Do you think we should check this youki out later?" she asked. InuYasha growled lowly picturing what foe he would meet. "Come on! We have to get to the bottom of this before it becomes a Naraku sized problem!" he shouted. "Hold on InuYasha, we first have to get ready. Let's gather our supplies and figure out where's the best place to start" he said before he looked towards Kagome. “If you were going to go back to your time, do you think you can bring back your advanced medicine and foodstuffs?” he asked. “Sure” Kagome nodded before she glanced back at InuYasha curiously. “Are you coming too?” “Eh, I’ll visit later. I’m going to see if I can find out what the hell is going on here” He said before Miroku closed his eyes deeply sensing that Kagome wanted for her husband to go with her. “I’ll only need him for a few hours. Don’t you worry” he said as he waved her off. Later that day InuYasha and Miroku climbed on top of Kirara and flew off to Hachiemon’s homestead where he was sleeping comfortably on a mossy log. The two jumped off and approached him, which he did not wake up or pretended to stay asleep until Miroku kicked him in the leg. “I know you aren’t sleeping!” he shouted. “Ouch! Oh hey Master Miroku! What brings you over here?” The tanuki asked nervously. “Do you know anything about all these natural disasters occurring recently…anything about this vast youki I’m sensing?” Miroku asked. “Hmmm…I do recall this happening 50 years ago, but the memory is kind of hazy on the account that I was struck in the head by a large tree” he said. “You’re talking about that time when the Panther tribe invaded?” Royakan shouted. InuYasha and Miroku looked glanced back at him oddly. He had his hand pressed up against a tree as if he had been listening in on the conversation. “I’m sorry to intrude” he apologized. “No, no, this was before that” Hachiemon answered. “Ah yes, the big war, that was when that no good traitor disappeared, and the Kari no joo came into power. These disasters are happening more often and the youki feels a lot stronger. That means that the boundaries between all realms are at its weakest. Crazy stuff happens around this time. Don’t be surprised if someone tries to resurrect your father, kid! I’ve heard rumors someone was going to try to do it” Royakan told InuYasha. “Good luck! The Shikon no tama is gone for good!” InuYasha remarked. “You’re naïve to think that the Shikon no tama is the only thing with the power to resurrect the dead. Lord Sesshomaru’s mother holds the power of the Meido Stone, and she could resurrect him if she wanted” Royakan said before he scratched his head. “Come to think of it, Lord Sesshomaru hasn’t been too happy. I would have thought that he would be excited to see his old man again” he muttered. “Keh, maybe it’s because it ain’t my old man who’s getting resurrected! Ya ever think about that fur ball!?” InuYasha remarked. “Let’s go InuYasha; I don’t think someone is getting resurrected. It should have happened already” Miroku muttered as he walked off. “I’m sorry master, I wish I knew what was happening” Hachiemon shouted. Later that day, they made it back to the village, and InuYasha took to his home to meditate on the information given.