"Sir, enemies are eliminating our personnel in other areas."
"Ignore it. As long as they don't approach Muzan-sama's location, the deaths outside don't matter."
"But... Sesshomaru has been heading this way the entire time."
"How far is he?"
"At this rate, probably just a short while."
"Tch..."
Intertwined together, Kinka and Ginka listened to the Demon Youkai reports below with some anxiety.
It had been a day since that lord had gone in. By all accounts, he should be nearly finished.
Which meant they absolutely couldn't let him be disturbed.
"Muzan-sama has also stopped feeding today. Call back all the demons still on capture missions outside. We need to consolidate our forces and prepare defenses!"
...
"Really now—he's caused too big a commotion. Everyone's been attracted over."
Byakuya carried Kanna through the air, sensing the flow of energy around them with resignation.
Muzan's large-scale youkai hunting was no small matter.
Recently, it had even alarmed the youkai population, causing them to go into hiding.
Everyone knew there was a group frantically capturing youkai lately. As for what happened after capture...
It didn't take much imagination to know there was no good outcome.
Therefore, Byakuya would have preferred Muzan not be blinded by short-term gains.
Setting aside Koga who was following the Shikon no Tama, both the Great Dog Demon and Kikyo were also heading this way.
Sesshomaru was racing here in a straight line...
Even though many Demon Youkai had dragonkin scales, they couldn't escape being slaughtered.
At this rate, even if Muzan completed his transformation, he'd face a siege.
BUZZ BUZZ!
The deadliest venomous insects flew beside him, and Byakuya received new intelligence.
"Inuyasha's group is also heading this way?"
"Miroku the monk believes the disappearance of youkai has a major cause—possibly Naraku's doing."
"Hey hey, this time it really wasn't Naraku."
Hearing that message, Byakuya really didn't know what to say.
"Naraku sure has it rough—anytime something big happens, people assume it's him."
Truly, having done evil so often meant taking the blame by default.
"Still, Naraku won't care. Right?"
Mentioning this, Byakuya turned to glance at Kanna holding her cracked mirror.
"..."
But Kanna didn't respond—she simply stared blankly at the horizon.
"Fine. Once the two of us have no more value, we'll probably become like that too."
"Compared to us, Kagura was really lucky."
Raising his hands and tucking them into his sleeves, Byakuya knew this "sister" had no emotions and could only talk to himself.
"Kagura..."
"Freedom..."
Hearing Kagura's name, Byakuya faintly caught a whisper.
"Hm?"
Glancing over in surprise and finding no reaction, Byakuya didn't press further.
...
SLAM!
CRACK!!
"Damn it! These bastards."
Inuyasha punched the approaching Demon Youkai one by one, his mood thoroughly soured.
"Hyaa!!"
"Ha!"
"Yah!"
Kagome, Miroku, and Sango employed their human advantages to eliminate the enemies.
"As soon as the sun sets, these strange youkai come out."
Miroku looked at the corpses turning to ash before his eyes and spoke.
"Tessaiga's youkai power is returning."
Shippo watched the golden energy returning from those corpses and cheered.
"It's really bad for youkai—even Inuyasha's Tessaiga power gets absorbed."
Recalling Inuyasha confidently unleashing [Wind Scar] earlier, only for it to be devoured entirely by the Demon Youkai...
Even without using [Wind Scar], close combat meant any contact with dragonkin scales would drain his youkai power.
The result was Inuyasha could only fight hand-to-hand.
By contrast, Kagome, Miroku, and Sango had it easier.
Sacred arrows, talismans, and the Hiraikotsu contained nothing for the Demon Youkai to absorb, so striking outside their heavily armored areas often dealt significant damage.
"To cause such strange phenomena—who could it be but Naraku?"
"Yeah."
"We have to stop him. Who knows what kind of terrible goal he's plotting."
"Villagers say the youkai often come from that direction—we just follow this path."
"By the way, where's Rikuo at a time like this?"
"I can sense him heading our way."
Answering Inuyasha's question, Kagome spoke last.
"Wait..."
"Look—up in the sky!"
Shippo pointed upward, and everyone looked.
Massive numbers of scale-covered youkai were flying in unison toward a certain direction.
"Something must have happened—let's follow!"
...
SQUELCH!
"You've killed quite a lot."
Kagura watched Akame, who had slain countless Demon Youkai.
Though fewer had actively attacked recently, they still encountered some along the way.
"..."
Wiping the blade clean and sheathing it, Akame showed no dissatisfaction.
These aberrations could be slain without burden, and brought considerable benefits.
"Mm, that should be the place."
Jaken raised his head and could see a clearly modified peak through the gaps in the mountains.
"Malevolent energy everywhere—what awful taste."
Having a similar aesthetic sense as Naraku, Kagura opened her fan and commented.
"Let's go."
"Yes!"
As Sesshomaru set off, massive hordes of Demon Youkai emerged from the surrounding mountain crevices.
"So many?"
Rin looked at the scene in astonishment. The view was densely packed with the creatures they'd just seen.
"He really has caught a lot during this time..."
Furrowing her brow, even Kagura hadn't expected such a massive army.
'If all these youkai have dragonkin scales...'
Just Demon Youkai would be fine, but if they all had the ability to absorb youkai power, Kagura saw big trouble ahead.
With this many, even Sesshomaru and Akame would take considerable time cutting their way through.
"Jaken, take Rin and stay back."
"Yes!"
As if relieved, Jaken immediately led Ah-Un and turned to leave.
"Clear the path."
"..."
"Same as always, aren't you."
Brief words, but they conveyed Sesshomaru's intent.
Akame and Kagura positioned themselves on either side, ready to fight.
"ROOAR!!"
The howling Demon Youkai horde began to close in.
"[Dance of the Dragon and Snake]!!"
SQUELCH...
Wind blades and sword slashes rang out continuously as Sesshomaru slipped through the gaps and flew toward the center.
"You think we'll let you pass?!"
A unified voice rang out as fire and lightning attacked from both sides.
BOOM!
CRACKLE!
CRACK!
But a single strike of Sesshomaru's youkai whip knocked everything aside.
The interceptors were the demon-transformed Kinka and Ginka.
Their bodies remained intertwined, but their skin now bore black spots, and the characters for "Upper Moon" were visible in their eyes.
"Is that Kinka and Ginka? They've been turned into those monsters too?"
Kagura recognized them despite their appearance.
"You go kill those two. Their species is quite 'nutritious'—highly regarded even among youkai."
Enlarging a feather to carry Akame and tossing three smaller ones over, Kagura spoke.
She could barely manage the Demon Youkai nearby. From her observation, not all possessed dragonkin scales.
"Please hold on. I'll be back soon."
Riding the feather, Akame said just that before flying up.
"Tch, I thought she was a girl who couldn't express herself—turns out she's just taciturn."
Feeling her concern, Kagura couldn't help but mock herself.
Being looked after like this... wasn't bad at all.
Especially compared to being with Naraku—the experience was far better.
Switching jobs really was a good decision...
"Don't think you're getting past!"
Seeing some Demon Youkai trying to pursue, Kagura observed their bodies and swung her fan.
SNAP!
A violent tornado shredded their flesh, blocking their pursuit.
"Damn it!! Mere youkai—if we had more time, we'd never let you run rampant!"
Toshu watched from the peak as the Demon Youkai were cut down like weeds, fury rising within him.
The dragonkin scales on the Demon Youkai were his responsibility.
When he'd become a demon, his Blood Demon Art was "Forge and Grant"—able to incorporate possessed materials into equipment or flesh.
Dragonkin scales were among the materials he currently possessed.
Unfortunately, most of his time had gone toward Muzan's transformation—only half the Demon Youkai had received the scale power.
That was why he was angry. With enough time, he definitely wouldn't have let these people off so easily.
Even those great youkai would struggle to break through a swarm of scale-bearing Demon Youkai.
Watching Sesshomaru slip past the two and press inward, Akame had also intercepted Kinka and Ginka.
"Watch out for this woman's blade!"
"I know!!"
Blocked here, Kinka and Ginka could only find a way to kill her first.
"..."
Having her ability discovered was expected—she'd used it so often that the enemy would have to be blind not to notice.
Standing in the air only on Kagura's feather, Akame observed the two with their scale coverage.
'Even the tail has the same shell...'
'Can't give them time to react.'
Shell and scales were undoubtedly Moryomaru's configuration.
But compared to Moryomaru's oppressive presence, these two were clearly inferior.
Yet what concerned Akame was that unlike Moryomaru's deathly still body, these two had much more vitality.
"Take this!"
Fire and lightning merged, attacking in a wide area.
"!"
Barely maneuvering the feather beneath her to dodge, Akame felt the terrifying power.
"Hmph, dodged that?"
"But the moment you slip up, this fire and lightning will destroy you inside and out!"
'Three...'
Ignoring their taunts, she counted the feathers Kagura had given her. She needed to be careful how she used them.
Aerial combat was different from ground fighting...
Once she misjudged dodging timing or footing, she'd become a sitting target.
Especially against their combination attacks—her body couldn't withstand them.
Though she didn't take their words seriously, that joint technique couldn't be underestimated.
"Oh? Rather than running, she's approaching us?!"
"Foolish!"
Seeing Akame riding her feather straight toward them, the two sneered dismissively.
"Die!!"
...
"I see—so you're the mastermind. Shikon no Tama..."
On the other side, the Great Dog Demon looked at the figure blocking his path and spoke.
"Hmph, too many useless ones—I had to face you myself."
Glancing at Kikyo and the others still advancing toward Muzan's location, the Shikon no Tama didn't bother intercepting them.
It had already pinned down the Great Dog Demon here—that was sufficient.
If Muzan really was unlucky enough to die, that was just his incompetence.
"Kirinmaru's disappearance was also your doing?"
Drawing Tenseiga, the Great Dog Demon had no intention of underestimating the youkai before him.
Having survived a direct [Wind Scar] before was proof enough of its strength.
"Heh, actually I don't know what that guy is doing either..."
Hearing the Great Dog Demon mention Kirinmaru, the Shikon no Tama also remembered something strange.
After trapping Kirinmaru inside, it had never paid attention again.
Yet there was no sign of him breaking out...
Even the Shikon no Tama itself was puzzled.
After today's work, if Kirinmaru still hadn't emerged, it might have to check what he was doing.
Surely he wasn't comfortable enough to not want to leave?
"[Meido Zangetsuha]!!"
Mid-thought, the Meido was already incoming. Unable to take this hit directly, the Shikon no Tama dodged.
This was a technique that could send opponents to the netherworld.
If it dared take it head-on, it would definitely lose a life.
Though it had lives to spare, the Shikon no Tama was no spendthrift.
Coming here was to stall—ideally without losing any lives.
Preserving its trump cards meant greater odds of final victory.
"Ha!"
Then it saw the Great Dog Demon swing his blade and fire continuous [Meido] in an utterly unreasonable barrage.
"..."
Dodge?
Looking at the full-moon Meido surrounding it without a single gap...
The Shikon no Tama was frank—forget dodging, there wasn't even a crack to slip through.
Like small moons, seven or eight Meido stood in the air, swallowing everything around them.
"Ah, the Shikon no Tama was also taken out in an instant. What now, Naraku?"
An eyeball floated in the distance witnessing this scene. Through his eye, Byakuya was astonished.
Every time he saw the Great Dog Demon, the power terrified him.
Even something like the Shikon no Tama couldn't last a few breaths against him...
'Don't worry about it. Just maintain the barrier and wait for Muzan to emerge.'
'I and the Shikon no Tama are quite looking forward to his transformation.'
'After paying such a price, we didn't raise a piece of trash.'
Naraku's response echoed in his mind, letting Byakuya somewhat understand his master's intentions.
What the Shikon no Tama and Naraku wanted to do...
Nine times out of ten, it was that...