The Underworld—the resting place of Tōga's tomb.
Luo Shu and his companions had just arrived and were surveying their surroundings.
"Wow, it looks exactly like the real world..."
Chisato Nishikigi shielded her eyes with her hand as she gazed at the distant mountains and sky.
"I always imagined the Underworld would be a terrifying place covered in skeletons."
"There are some differences," Takina Inoue observed cautiously, her expression serious. "The air is completely still. The clouds look more like paintings hung in the sky than actual clouds. And most importantly..."
Luo Shu suddenly interjected, finishing her thought:
"The abnormal depletion rate of our vital energies—essence, energy, and spirit."
Luo Shu glanced around, his gaze sweeping over Chisato Nishikigi, Takina Inoue, and Inuyasha's heads, only to see the blazing flames of essence, energy, and spirit burning fiercely above their heads and shoulders.
"At this rate of consumption, the longer we stay in the Underworld, the closer we get to death. Even if we successfully return to the human world, we'll likely fall seriously ill."
"Without special measures, staying here for more than seven days would mean certain death."
Hearing Luo Shu's words, Chisato Nishikigi immediately grasped the issue:
"So that means the Onmyou Agency personnel in the Underworld have either left or died already. The only one likely remaining would be the Vermilion Bird General?"
"Most probably." Luo Shu wasn't certain how long Shirayuki Hotogi had been in this Underworld, but given her abilities, lasting longer would be expected.
"In short, the sooner we leave, the better, right?" Inuyasha patted his trousers, surveyed the surroundings, then shouted:
"Hey, Myōga, where'd you run off to?"
"Ouch!"
No sooner had he spoken than Inuyasha felt a sharp pain underfoot, hastily lifting his leg and stepping back several paces.
From the flattened shoe print on the ground, the squashed Myōga stood up while shaking off dust, complaining:
"Really, young master Inuyasha, stepping on me while asking where I ran off to. I can't tell if you did it on purpose or by accident."
Having said this, Myōga looked around at the group, then asked in confusion:
"Strange, where are the Shrine Maiden, the Yuki-onna, and that human?"
At this, Luo Shu gave Myōga a sidelong glance and said calmly:
"The Bujin-shū and Nura Clan have no obligation to help the SDS seize the Abyss Artefact."
"Similarly, Kikyo, who hasn't officially joined us yet, has no duty to assist either."
"Oh dear..." Seeing their numbers halved, Myōga's face fell, though he tried to console himself: 'Never mind, never mind, three people should be enough. Surely the enemy has fewer than us.'
Having convinced himself, Myōga promptly jumped onto Inuyasha's shoulder and said:
"Mr Luo Shu, judging by the direction of the Demon Power, the master's grave should be just ahead, over that hill."
Hearing this, Luo Shu immediately strode forward, ascending the hilltop. Looking beyond, he spotted a skeleton clad in Warring States-era armour, towering like a mountain range.
Following behind, Chisato Nishikigi couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow! That's huge!"
Beside her, Takina Inoue frowned and remarked, "This size... even among Great Yokai, it must be rare."
"Of course! The master was renowned among Great Yokai," Myōga said proudly. In his eyes, Tōga was the strongest yokai of the Warring States period. Had he not died unexpectedly, his legend would still be told today.
"Tch."
Inuyasha, who had caught up, clicked his tongue as he gazed at his father's remains. Whether out of envy or jealousy, he shouted, "Hey, Myōga! Where's Tessaiga?"
Hearing this, Myōga promptly replied, "Tessaiga should currently be sealed within the master's remains."
"The priority now is for young master Inuyasha to retrieve Tessaiga."
"While that may be so..." Luo Shu narrowed his eyes, turning his head westward before murmuring, "But it seems we're not the only ones who've entered this place."
At Luo Shu's words, the group followed his gaze and immediately spotted a pitch-black Demon Cloud.
Upon the cloud, a silver-haired nobleman in a white kimono suddenly turned his head, his cold eyes locking onto their presence.
On the same cloud, Jaken panted heavily as he manipulated the Nintōjō with his Demon Power to maintain the cloud's form. Spotting the enormous skeleton in the distance, he finally relaxed, wiping sweat from his brow.
"My lady, we're almost at the master's grave. Do you know where Tessaiga is hidden?"
"How should I know?" Senhime Rin Getsu turned away haughtily, as if sulking.
"Huh?" Jaken was dumbfounded. 'You're the Dog General's wife! If you don't know, who does?'
Just then, Sesshōmaru, standing atop the cloud, turned his head sharply, his piercing gaze fixed on a distant location.
"Lord Sesshōmaru, have you noticed something?"
Jaken turned to look and gasped. "Isn't that that good-for-nothing Inuyasha?"
"Hmm?"
Senhime Rin Getsu raised an eyebrow, finally glancing over. Her first sight was of a half-yokai whose foolishness was evident at a glance. "So this child is Inuyasha? He really does resemble his father..."
Muttering to herself, she ordered without even looking at Jaken, "Little yokai, steer the cloud over there. I want a closer look at Inuyasha..."
Hearing this, Jaken glanced at Sesshōmaru. Seeing no objection, he complied. "Yes, my lady."
Meanwhile, among the hills near the Dog General's remains.
Noriyuki Izuna, leading the way, suddenly heard the fox on his shoulder cry out.
"Kuu! Kuu..."
"What? You sensed powerful Demon Power to the southeast?"
Upon receiving the fox's message, Noriyuki Izuna whipped his head toward the southeast. Apart from a dark cloud, he could discern nothing.
"Damn it, at this distance, I can't see a thing!"
At that moment, Yomi Isayama, who had sharp eyes, suddenly changed her expression: "Trouble, the SDS personnel have entered."
"What?" Noriyuki Izuna was stunned upon hearing this: "The SDS? You mean that Reaper? How did he get in? Isn't this the Underworld?"
Yomi Isayama didn't answer, only saying with a grave expression:
"There seems to be a Great Yokai on that cloud in the sky, moving towards the SDS side. Izuna, let's go."
Hearing her say 'let's go', Noriyuki Izuna's expression immediately changed:
"Retreat? No, no, no, if we retreat now, that witch will definitely kill us."
Yomi Isayama rolled her eyes at this: "Who said anything about retreating?"
She paused before continuing:
"We need to regroup with the Vermilion Bird General quickly. Taking advantage of the situation over there, we'll leave with our spoils from here."
Hearing this, Noriyuki Izuna's eyes lit up:
"So this is what they call 'snatching food from the tiger's mouth'?"
The thought of successfully bringing the Abyss Artefacts back to the Ministry of Environment and being praised by the cute girls there for his heroic feat of stealing treasures right under the nose of the SDS's Black Reaper ignited a fierce fighting spirit in him.
Yomi Isayama leapt onto a large tree first, lowering her voice: "Hurry, let's go!"
"Right, sneak into the village quietly, leave secretly."
Seeing this, Noriyuki Izuna immediately hunched over, looking around warily as if stealing chickens from a village, slyly following Yomi Isayama's lead.