Imagine a man who embraces darkness and evil so fully that eventually he becomes a demon. How would you treat such a man if you found him bound and broken, perhaps nearly dead? Would you run past his body, terrified? Would you laugh, knowing he got what he deserved? Or would you save this man's life, only to have your own life left in ruins?

Onigumo was never a good person, even before he became Naraku. He was involved with a gang of bandits which was led by a man by the name of Rasetsu no Kansuke. Onigumo convinced the leader to go after the Shikon no Tama, promising that it would grant all his wishes, by killing Kikyou with an arrow, because with her gone, getting the jewel would be easy. Of course he failed to mention Kikyou's half demon companion, who not only caught the arrow that was meant to kill Kikyou, but managed to blind the guy in one eye. He might have done more, if Kikyou had not called him back.

The leader, bruised and bleeding, went back to his camp, but found the men had left. Onigumo had intended on him dying in the fight, not merely losing an eye. He took over the gang (claiming the leader was dead) and brought them to a brothel. The leader got his men out of the building and burned the place down, with Onigumo inside. Shockingly, the evil man survived, though he was badly burned and injured, so the gang through him off of a cliff.

It was in this state that Kikyou found him. He could not move and his body was so burned that she had to wrap him in bandages from head to foot. She took him to a cave and did her best to treat his wounds. Even Kikyou's young sister Kaede helped treat him, although she knew he was a bad person. Her compassionate older sister insisted on helping a man who had faced great misfortune. Onigumo became infatuated with this woman who was so unlike himself-pure, kind, and generous.

He still desired the Shikon no Tama, but he wanted the priestess guarding it as well. He called demons to his body and they consumed him, creating a giant monster called Naraku. He was stronger than Onigumo could ever have hoped to be, and he was determined to have the sacred jewel, but he wanted it as tainted as possible. He chose to attack Kikyou in the form of the man she loved, and stole the Shikon no Tama from her. In turn he attacked Inuyasha with arrows, making him believe that the only person he had ever trusted, betrayed him. Naraku returned the Shikon no Tama to its place in the temple, where Inuyasha came to steal it-his act of revenge on that lying woman. Kikyou, seeing Inuyasha with the jewel and the damage he caused the village, shot one last arrow at him before collapsing in pain. Naraku believed that after killing her loved one, she would use the Shikon no Tama to bring herself back, but the jewel would be tainted. Instead, she decided she wanted to join Inuyasha in death and requested that the Shikon no Tama be cremated with her body.

Fifty years later, a young girl-Kikyou's reincarnation-is pulled through back through time along with the Shikon no Tama. She brakes the seal which Kikyou had placed on Inuyasha and shatters the jewel into many fragments. The reappearance of the sacred jewel lead to the resurrection of Kikyou, who would be able to sense when a jewel fragment was present and powerful enough to collect and protect the pieces until it could be made whole. Kikyou had no interest in the jewel, but rather wanted revenge on Inuyasha, who she still believed murdered her. When their stories did not match, Inuyasha and the girl from the future, Kagome, learn of Naraku and Onigumo and his connection to the events fifty years ago. Kikyou also learns of Naraku and his wicked plan, and she swears to kill him.

Kikyou's was repulsed when she learned of his passion for her. She had showed him more compassion than he ever deserved and in return, he shattered the life for which she had so desperately longed. As long as Onigumo's heart still resides in Naraku, he will not be able to kill her. She decides to give him the sacred jewel (which she steals from Kagome), with the intention of using it to purify him when it is complete. She believes that doing so will destroy both Naraku and the jewel forever. Does she have the strength to kill the man she once saved by herself, or will Naraku kill the woman Onigumo so passionately desired?

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