Yui nodded distractedly. She already knew what a Split Body could do, but the thought of someone in this world looking exactly like her, even possessing her memories, left her feeling uneasy.
Fortunately, she trusted herself enough to believe that her Split Body would not reveal her secrets.
The dawn pierced the darkness in the distance. Yui collected herself and said to Shobue, "Shobue, it's getting late. I need to go back. If I stay much longer, I might not be able to return."
She looked at the Split Body lying inside the room. "As for the other me, let her stay in Shikkotsu Forest for now. I'll come get her if I need her."
"Mm... all right." Shobue glanced sidelong at the Split Body, then turned to Yui and gave a slight nod.
Yui hesitated no longer. Sensing that the Evil God's mark on her neck had vanished, she relaxed a little, then formed hand seals and released the Summoning Technique.
Her surroundings shifted. As the white smoke dispersed, she returned to her residence in the Land of Whirlpools.
The sky was just beginning to brighten. Nai Hyuga was still asleep on the tatami, and Yui glanced back at the clock.
"Five o'clock..." she murmured, pushing open the door and leaving her residence. She stopped in the deserted street and extended her senses. Two familiar presences appeared in her perception at once.
She darted toward them.
Some time later, Yui stopped on a treetop and looked down at the two men sprawled on the grass, sleeping soundly. Lowering her voice, she called, "Wake up. I have something for you to do."
Her voice seemed to leave everything around them undisturbed. Even the sleeping birds in their nests remained motionless. Lao Ren and Jiaoya, however, shuddered in their sleep and