(Here's an added reference for readers who might not know: Inuyasha and Usopp share the same voice actor.)
(This chapter introduces an item, a fragment of the Sacred Jewel of Four Souls: It can enhance a yokai's power or resurrect them. Just a quick reminder. Now, back to the story.)
The Shikon no Tama (四し魂こんの玉たま, "Jewel of Four Souls"), also known as the Sacred Jewel, or Shikon Jewel, was a powerful marble-sized sphere which grants immense power to whoever possesses it. It is considered by Kaede as an unholy jewel which boosts a yōkai's spiritual power.
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"Huh? Kagome, is that human calling for me?"
The man from the woods had now revealed himself.
He was a young man dressed in curious red attire, his flowing silver hair reaching his shoulders, and two adorable dog ears perched atop his head.
Before the young woman beside him—wearing a green-and-white school uniform with a short skirt—could respond, Zoro started shouting again.
He was still paralyzed from the electrocution, and couldn't clearly make out the person's appearance.
He only vaguely discerned the silver hair.
As for the red clothing, Zoro mistook it for Usopp having painted himself blood-red to scare people.
"Dressing up like a blood-soaked Ray won't frighten them! Hurry up and run, Usopp! Go find the real Ray!"
'Usopp' was utterly bewildered.
"Ray? Usopp? What in the world are you talking about, human? I'm Inuyasha!" He turned to the girl.
"Kagome, Shippo, take this human to a safe place. I'll deal with Hiten and Manten."
The girl addressed as Kagome possessed an extremely pure, cute, and energetic beauty.
Shippo, meanwhile, was a small fox yokai in human form, standing less than 40 centimeters tall.
"Inuyasha, be careful. I sense the presence ofc Jewel of Four Souls fragments on their foreheads," Kagome warned while walking toward Zoro.
"So they were revived by the Sacred Jewel fragments? What a convenient delivery." Inuyasha leaped high.
"Take this, Soul-Scattering Iron Claw!"
He immediately engaged Hiten and Manten in battle.
After a few exchanges, Inuyasha was already bleeding.
"Tch, they're tougher than they look." He wiped the blood on his claws. "Blood-Blade Claws!"
Hundreds of massive crimson blades shot toward Hiten and Manten once more.
After several more exchanges, Inuyasha climbed up from the ground, spitting dust.
"...Am I really weaker than that human without using Tessaiga? Damn it!"
Earlier, he, Kagome, and Shippo had witnessed Zoro's battle.
A human, using human weapons, had actually managed to wound Hiten, relying purely on his own strength.
Recalling his own encounters, Inuyasha knew that without Tessaiga, he wouldn't have been able to even injure these lightning-wielding yokai.
"Inuyasha, I think you're actually weaker than this human swordsman," Shippo taunted.
Provoked by the taunt, Inuyasha had chosen to fight without Tessaiga.
And, as expected, he still couldn't significantly injure the two brothers.
Of course, his physical constitution was far superior to Zoro's—several attacks that would have killed Zoro only managed to wound Inuyasha.
'My reaction speed, physical ability, and durability are all better than that human, yet I can't achieve the same results?'
Inuyasha smiled slightly, as a newfound respect for Zoro growing in his mind.
"Kagome, Shippo, move this human further away so I don't accidentally hurt him. I want to talk with him when he wakes up."
With that, Inuyasha drew the sword at his waist.
The moment it was unsheathed, a golden light flashed.
What was originally a normal-sized katana suddenly transformed into a massive Demon Blade.
It was a pity Zoro had already fallen unconscious—had he seen this sword, he would have been ecstatic.
Hiten and Manten wore cautious expressions.
This was the very Tessaiga that had slain them before.
Back then, they were much stronger, yet they were still cut down in a single strike.
The brothers had no intention of dying again so soon after being revived.
They flew into the sky, only fools would confront Tessaiga head-on.
"Hmph, Inuyasha. Though Tessaiga is sharp, what can a flightless half-yokai like you do against us in the sky? You can only wait to be struck down by our lightning!"
Lightning attacks rained down.
"I've been waiting for this."
A vortex of demonic energy formed as Tessaiga's true power began to manifest.
"Wind Scar!"
A massive golden light instantly enveloped the Hiten and Manten brothers in the sky.
The terrifying attack not only destroyed the mountain peaks behind them but continued extending upward, even dispersing the low-hanging clouds.
As for the lightning brothers, they were utterly annihilated once more, leaving only two Sacred Jewel fragments falling from the sky.
Just as Inuyasha prepared to retrieve the fragments, several poisonous insects flew out, snatched the fragments, and fled.
"What? Thats Naraku's poison insects! So the brothers' revival was indeed Naraku's doing."
....
Two hours later, about ten kilometers away from the mountain range, four figures were slowly advancing.
"Sesshomaru-sama, an Earth Demon said he saw that green-haired man carrying three swords in the mountains ahead," Jaken reported, walking respectfully behind Ray.
Hearing this, Ray stopped in his tracks.
"Rin, stay here and wait for me. Remember not to wander off. Jaken, protect Rin well."
"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama!" x2
Immediately after, Ray floated into the air and flew into the distance.
Just moments before, he had already caught the familiar scent along with the smell of blood.
The bloodline call received no response from Chouchou either.
Ray knew Chouchou wasn't dead, but the inability to communicate meant he was severely injured and unconscious.
Sensing the direction where Chouchou was, Ray quickly flew toward it.
About 10 kilometers away, at a thatched cottage on the edge of a village, Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippo were tending to the injured Zoro, Robin, and the others.
....
...Let's rewind time a bit.
After running for some time, Robin and Usopp discovered they were surrounded by deep mountains, with no living person in sight.
Even with Robin's ability, they couldn't find any trace of Ray.
Since they couldn't find him, they decided to return to help Zoro, even if it meant dying together.
When they returned to the scene, they encountered the trio of Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippo, who had already defeated Hiten and Manten.
A strange thing happened: Inuyasha became confused upon hearing Usopp's voice.
Usopp felt the same way, and neither dared to speak to the other along the way, as if they had both seen a ghost.
Watching this, Robin and Kagome covered their mouths to suppress their laughter.
After about two hours, everyone returned to a village at the foot of the mountains.
Zoro, Robin, Chopper, and Usopp all entered recovery mode.
Chouchou, due to its special constitution, fell into an unconscious state, but its physical recovery was remarkably fast.
At this moment, Inuyasha was glaring sideways at Chouchou, finding the small dog increasingly irritating.
He took out a kitchen knife, ready to chop Chouchou to pieces.
"Inuyasha, what are you doing? It's just a cute little dog!" Kagome intervened, firmly preventing him from harming Chouchou.
"Its demonic energy... it's very similar to Sesshomaru's," Inuyasha growled, his voice low.
"If we don't kill it and it attracts Sesshomaru here, you'll be in danger."
Inuyasha was deeply concerned about Kagome and Shippo.
In his eyes, Sesshomaru remained that bastard yokai who wanted to eliminate him.
Although he had learned the Wind Scar, what if Sesshomaru targeted Kagome? In his mind, killing Chouchou was the safest course of action.
Just then, Inuyasha's nose twitched.
He detected a scent he deeply despised.
Simultaneously, the entire sky outside became overcast with dark clouds, crisscrossed with lightning.
When a great demon appears, heaven and earth change color.
This scene immediately caused reactions among the villagers.
Inuyasha, sensing this familiar presence, instantly felt his hair stand on end.
Grabbing Tessaiga, he rushed out of the village.
Kagome quickly followed, leaving only Shippo to care for the sleeping group.
Outside the village, Inuyasha had already drawn Tessaiga, growling low at the figure who had just landed.
"Sesshomaru! What are you doing here!"