Before the altar sealing Tessaiga.
Using the unique concealment technique of his fox to erase his presence, Noriyuki Izuna had quietly made his way here while everyone else was distracted by battle.
Silently stepping onto the sealed altar, he reached out towards the barrier surrounding Tessaiga.
A translucent hand touched the faint green barrier, then passed through as if it were nothing but air.
Tessaiga's barrier possessed immense defensive power—but only against yokai. Against humans, it was completely ineffective.
Having learned this from Sesshōmaru and the others, Noriyuki finally relaxed when he confirmed the barrier truly didn't affect him.
Moving cautiously, he first inserted his hand, then his shoulder, followed by his head and upper body. Once his entire form had slipped inside the barrier, he glanced back towards Luo Shu's direction.
At that moment, Luo Shu was still exchanging probing strikes with Sesshōmaru, Takina was locked in rapid exchanges with Senhime Rin Getsu, and Chisato and Shirayuki were engaged in a chase.
Even Yomi Isayama was clashing blades and claws with Inuyasha.
Assured that no one was paying attention to him, Noriyuki finally exhaled in relief and grew bolder. Emboldened by his concealed state, he swaggered up to Tessaiga and grasped its hilt.
'See that? In the end, it's Lord Noriyuki Izuna who claims victory!'
Thinking such thoughts, he gently drew Tessaiga—just as a woman's shout suddenly rang out.
"Chisato, the sword!"
What?
The moment he pulled the blade free, Noriyuki whirled around—only to see a colossal metal Gundam charging towards him, its iron fist wreathed in a torrent of black gravitational force.
Behind Black Iron, Chisato Nishikigi also spotted Noriyuki Izuna. At the same moment, she manipulated Silver, raising the silver sword to strike.
In that instant, Noriyuki Izuna panicked completely, his gaze involuntarily darting towards Yomi Isayama, who was engaged in combat nearby.
At this moment, Yomi Isayama—who had been keeping an eye on the Tessaiga's direction—noticed Noriyuki Izuna's predicament.
Their eyes met briefly.
"Yomi, save me!!"
"Damn it!" Yomi Isayama's face paled in alarm, her stance revealing a glaring opening.
Seizing the opportunity during her momentary distraction, Inuyasha lunged forward with a swipe of his claws:
"Take this—Sankon Tessō!"
The next moment, to Noriyuki Izuna's heart-wrenching horror, Yomi Isayama—closest to him—was sent flying by Inuyasha's attack, her blade raised defensively.
Noriyuki Izuna had no time to process why Yomi Isayama, an Elite Rank fighter, could be knocked back by Inuyasha, who was at best Excellent Rank. He could only turn his head in despair, watching as hell descended upon him.
Then, the silver sword struck first, slashing across Noriyuki Izuna's abdomen. Almost instantly, the severed space tore his right flank, intestines, and kidney into the chaotic void.
Following the silver sword's strike, Black Iron's gravity-infused iron fist landed squarely on Noriyuki Izuna's body, sending him spiralling away amidst the distorted gravitational torrent.
Simultaneously, Yomi Isayama—now airborne—formed hand seals, summoning several paper talismans mid-air that collided precisely with Noriyuki Izuna.
The impact ravaged his internal organs while propelling him in another direction.
Just as Noriyuki Izuna's mangled body was redirected, Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue inwardly gasped: 'This is bad!'
The trajectory of his flight was now heading straight towards Sesshōmaru, locked in his demonic clash.
"Hm?"
Sesshōmaru, his eyes blood-red, suddenly felt something strike his cheek. Turning his head, he saw Noriyuki Izuna's broken form.
"Tessaiga?"
Spotting the Tessaiga in Noriyuki Izuna's grip, Sesshōmaru instantly regained his composure, reverting to human form in an instant. He seized the sword's scabbard and barked:
"Hand it over!"
Badly wounded and disoriented, Noriyuki Izuna instinctively loosened his grip.
But Luo Shu, already urging Senhime Rin Getsu forward, couldn't wait. Sesshōmaru yanked the blade forcefully, tearing a chunk of flesh from Noriyuki Izuna's hand before kicking him towards Luo Shu.
Faced with the incoming human projectile, Luo Shu frowned. Yet, noting Noriyuki Izuna's grievous injuries, he refrained from attacking and instead grabbed his collar, dispersing the momentum to halt him.
By then, Sesshōmaru had already drawn the Tessaiga. Under some faint will, the blade transformed into a massive Fang Blade.
"Father?" Sesshōmaru froze, his expression stunned.
At that moment, Luo Shu absorbed all the misfortune clinging to Noriyuki Izuna and turned his gaze to Sesshōmaru.
Calamity Bestowal!
Still reeling from the shock of Tōga's will aiding him, Sesshōmaru suddenly felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. Every organ inside him seemed crushed, his bones as if struck by an impossibly heavy blow—ribs cracking one after another.
In an instant, Sesshōmaru suffered a heavy blow. Even with a yokai's physique, he was momentarily immobilised.
In contrast, Noriyuki Izuna felt all his pain fading away. His shattered bones mended, his missing waist restored, and his severely damaged internal organs returned to normal.
In the blink of an eye, Noriyuki Izuna went from being critically injured on the verge of death to completely healed. The sheer magnitude of this change left even him momentarily stunned.
Looking at Luo Shu, who was gripping his collar, Noriyuki Izuna instinctively asked:
"Eh? My injuries are healed?"
"Hmm?" Luo Shu turned his head, eyeing Noriyuki Izuna with confusion.
Seeing Luo Shu's reaction, Noriyuki Izuna patted himself down and couldn't help but say, "Um... I still feel some pain. Could you take another look?"
Luo Shu, who had been intently watching Sesshōmaru, seemed to belatedly realise something and remarked:
"Ah, I almost forgot about you, the enemy."
"Still in pain? Then you can stay in pain."
"What?" Noriyuki Izuna was dumbfounded.
The next moment, Luo Shu's eyes flashed, and the familiar agony returned.
Casually tossing Noriyuki Izuna—now with broken ribs, half his waist missing, and critically injured—onto the ground, Luo Shu turned his gaze to the equally wounded Sesshōmaru, narrowing his eyes.
Just then, a woman's voice rang out suddenly.
"My, my, looks like the winner has been decided!"
At these words, Luo Shu raised an eyebrow, while Sesshōmaru's pupils contracted sharply.
Both their gazes locked onto the silver-haired girl floating in the air.
Noticing their stares, Kuesu Jingūji's lips curled slightly upwards.