Kohaku and Kagura deduce that they must kill The Infant in order to destroy Naraku. Naraku decides to send Hakudoshi and Kohaku to bring Kikyo out of hiding. Hakudoshi orders Kohaku to unleash a plague of rat demons from a shrine box throughout many villages, hoping to draw out Kikyo. InuYasha and his companions realize that Naraku is after Kikyo. Meanwhile, Kikyo performs a myosei ritual to grow a special branch into a magical tree that pierces the clouds, attracting the rat demons to climb it. Kohaku debates closing the shrine box to save lives, though that would show Naraku he is regaining his memories. Sango confronts him.