"Lord Sesshomaru!"
"Ohhh, he's back! We're safe now."
Compared to Rin's exclamation, Jaken's large eyes immediately welled with tears of relief.
"The situation favors us now..."
Miroku surveyed the scene. As long as Kirinmaru was defeated, the Great Dog Demon's side would naturally collapse.
'Sesshomaru, now I finally understand why Naraku was so unwilling to face you.'
Kagura's gaze fixed on him, eyes shimmering.
That flawless youki and unstoppable presence--
This was the true nature of the great youkai, Sesshomaru!
"Hmph. Sesshomaru, do you really think you can defeat me?"
Even in this state, Kirinmaru showed no intention of backing down.
A few consecutive fights meant nothing--the real losses were merely an arm and some youki.
Trivial to him.
"Why state something so obvious?"
Yet Sesshomaru's sudden surge of youki and words stunned Kirinmaru.
WHOOOOSH!
Howling winds whipped everything around, disturbed by this overwhelming youki.
"That youki..."
"Sesshomaru, you--!"
Disbelief filled his expression. Kirinmaru's eyes widened.
This was a completely different Sesshomaru from the one atop the mountain.
"Kirinmaru, I'll say this once..."
"Drop the Dragon Ball and leave!"
Those imperious words instantly enraged Kirinmaru.
"Quite the claim, Sesshomaru!"
Their positions from the mountaintop had reversed--the earlier "insult" was now being returned to him.
"[Bakusai Souha]!!"
Holding nothing back, Kirinmaru drew his blade and unleashed his ultimate technique toward the sky.
Purple light points shot upward like a rain of arrows.
"Hmph."
Watching, Sesshomaru merely snorted, then raised Bakusaiga and swung.
He didn't use Bakusaiga's innate "destruction" effect--just pure youki condensed into a slash.
A verdant sword wave surged forth--
RUMBLE!!
CRACK CRACK CRACK!!
"What?!"
The purple points were completely crushed by the green pressure. The surging youki displayed a stark difference in power.
UGAAAH!!
Blocking with his single-handed blade, youki erupting, Kirinmaru tried to halt the massive sword wave.
"I--I can't stop it!"
"How can I--"
Feeling his youki being shredded, Kirinmaru couldn't believe it.
Sesshomaru's youki surpassed his?
That meant Sesshomaru had now exceeded even the living Great Dog Demon.
Which also meant he, Kirinmaru, had been surpassed!
What in the world had happened to Sesshomaru in just two days?
Something so absurd...
"How?!"
They watched as the green sword pressure pushed Kirinmaru back, carving a deep fissure into the earth like a scar.
"Sesshomaru won?"
Staring at this scene, sensing Kirinmaru's rapidly weakening aura and youki, Kagome was dumbfounded.
Against that great youkai Kirinmaru, Sesshomaru had won with a single strike?
"It seems Kirinmaru was worn down by Rikuo and the others..."
"No--even without those battles, Kirinmaru couldn't have beaten Lord Sesshomaru as he is now."
"The only difference would be taking a bit more time..."
"Elder Myouga!"
The tiny flea contradicted Sango's assessment and elaborated.
"Bakusaiga was nurtured by Lord Sesshomaru's own youki."
"Year after year, until its birth--no one else could know just how much power it had cultivated."
"The moment of its awakening is Lord Sesshomaru's true form."
This was precisely why the Great Dog Demon hadn't left Tessaiga or Soun'ga to Sesshomaru.
A son who could effortlessly surpass his father simply by mastering his own nurtured demon blade--what was there to worry about?
"In this world, very few youkai can withstand a full-force strike from Lord Sesshomaru."
That wasn't mere flattery--it was a fact Myouga firmly believed.
Battles between youkai were also clashes of youki.
And Sesshomaru, with his overwhelming, flawless youki, stood at the absolute peak.
Combined with Bakusaiga's special effect--he was utterly without weakness!
CLANG!
"Kirinmaru has been defeated?"
Feeling the Command Spell's binding weaken dramatically, the Great Dog Demon stopped his movements with relief.
"Sesshomaru... tch."
"Amazing!"
Inuyasha knew who had done it. He was a bit disgruntled, but Moroha was genuinely impressed.
She and the others had never witnessed Sesshomaru at such overwhelming strength.
"Inuyasha, Moroha--let me be brief."
"Do you understand the Shikon no Tama's weakness?"
Sheathing Tessaiga and Soun'ga, the Great Dog Demon addressed them.
"Weakness?"
"Hmm... I remember that scrawny wolf saying only surprise attacks seem to slow its regeneration."
Compared to the bewildered Moroha, Inuyasha carefully recalled what Koga had mentioned.
"Ambush? More precisely, it's attacks it cannot recognize or anticipate that deal real damage."
"And the Shikon no Tama will transform under certain conditions."
"Certain conditions?"
"Only a fatal blow triggers the transformation--presumably some kind of special Servant ability."
"After transforming, it becomes stronger. It can also replicate an opponent's youki and reproduce their techniques, so use Bakuryuuha carefully."
Hearing the Great Dog Demon's description, Inuyasha and Moroha grasped the gist.
"Then how do we kill it for good?"
Asking the crux of the matter, Inuyasha hoped his father had an answer.
"As of now, there's no direct method."
"The Great Dog Demon and I can no longer threaten it--that's why it ignores us while undergoing its transformation."
Recalling the battle with the Shikon no Tama, the Great Dog Demon had also learned of Kirinmaru's experience.
Kirinmaru admitted the Shikon no Tama had transformed twice on its own; he himself had forced it twice more with different attacks.
And Moroha had apparently cut it once... meaning the Shikon no Tama had already transformed five times.
"However, from that earlier fight, your 'Fear' technique might have a special effect."
"Fear..."
"But remember this--if you attack the Shikon no Tama, do it with one decisive, overwhelming strike. Minor wounds mean nothing to it."
Hearing the warning, Inuyasha paused briefly before understanding.
Just like fighting Naraku--leaving even a fragment meant failing to kill him.
"I'll handle Kirinmaru from here. I'll make him give up."
Watching the Great Dog Demon leave, Inuyasha led Moroha back to join the others.
......
Crack...
Kirinmaru's armor had completely shattered. Bare-chested and covered in wounds, he lay flat on the ground.
"How pathetic, Kirinmaru."
A loathsome voice reached him. His eyes shifted upward.
A bat-like eyeball creature flew nearby, picking up the dropped Dragon Ball.
"Shikon no Tama..."
"Hehehe, what a pleasant surprise. I'll help myself, then."
Controlling the transporting youkai, the Shikon no Tama spoke in a mocking tone.
"Beyond expectations--but at least you tested Sesshomaru's strength for me..."
"Still, with raw power alone, he can't kill me either. Heheh."
Carrying that confidence, the flying eyeball's voice dripped with derision.
"Hmph--he may not be able to, but others might."
"Oh? You mean Assassin and Rider?"
"True, I admit Assassin has a chance--if she can wound my future form."
"Rider is even less worth mentioning. He doesn't have the power you, Sesshomaru, or the Great Dog Demon possess."
The dismissive tone showed the Shikon no Tama cared nothing for those two Servants.
And why should it?
Once reborn, it would possess the era's strongest body and youki.
Assassin's blade couldn't even cut through "Kiryuu Armor" before--how could it harm a body now entirely forged from Kiryuu Armor? Even standing still, it would be untouchable.
Rider's [Matoi] held an element of the unknown, but its lethality was too limited. Unless he possessed power rivaling Kirinmaru, the Great Dog Demon, or Sesshomaru, the Shikon no Tama had nothing to worry about.
Put bluntly: those capable of killing it lacked the means, and those with the means lacked the power of a great youkai.
Not to mention the Shikon no Tama still had two chances at resurrection.
Even if pushed to that point, it would only lead to an even more despairing outcome.
The ultimate Noble Phantasm unlockable after eight deaths--[Oni-Ou Hanshin].
The Shikon no Tama couldn't imagine how it could possibly lose with such a peak configuration.
Or rather--from the moment it and Naraku completed their plan, no one could stop them.
Weakness?
So what if enemies knew it? Whether they could exploit it was another matter entirely.
"Is that what you think?"
Lying on the ground, lips curling upward, Kirinmaru murmured.
"Hm?"
The eyeball creature turned to look at him, apparently sensing the hidden sarcasm.
"Then... Shikon no Tama..."
"Let me give you a prophecy as well."
Though his voice was weak, there was no hesitation.
In his mind flashed the Great Dog Demon, Sesshomaru, and the faces of each Servant.
Kirinmaru spoke those words--
"You will be ended by an existence neither human nor youkai!"
...
"Hmph. Nonsense."
In the pocket dimension, the Shikon no Tama heard this and laughed in anger.
It dismissed it as Kirinmaru's stubborn bluster.
Nothing more than petty resentment over something from centuries ago.
"Now I have six..."
Looking at the Dragon Balls floating around it, the Shikon no Tama set aside thoughts of Kirinmaru and reveled in its joy.
Soon it would escape the fate of being a "jewel" and become the perfect ultimate lifeform!
Once the transformation completed and the final Dragon Ball was obtained, everything would be decided.
It was only a matter of time--no obstacles whatsoever!
A glorious new future awaited!
......
"What a monster."
"That single strike rivaled my unleashed Noble Phantasm."
Cu Chulainn rubbed his chin, ignoring the blood on his forehead, his tone admiring.
"If you want to become this so-called Lord of Youkai, looks like you've got a long road ahead, Rider."
"Heh... yeah."
At that, Rikuo withdrew his gaze from Sesshomaru and looked down at Nenekirimaru in his hand.
He didn't deny the difficulty Cu Chulainn pointed out. Judging by the youkai of this era--even without [Fear], they were no weaker than those from his world.
Gurgle...
A faint sound. Both turned to look at Akame.
"!"
Akame simply met their stares, not the slightest hint of embarrassment.
"Well, that's that."
"Let's go find our Masters!"
Casually slinging an arm around Rikuo's shoulders, the three set off together.
"A splendid strike, Lord Sesshomaru! I, Jaken, am in awe!"
Seeing Sesshomaru land, Jaken rushed over to flatter him.
But he received no response. Sesshomaru merely glanced at Rin, confirmed she was unharmed, and was satisfied.
"Ignored, huh."
"Gah! Shut up!"
Shippo elbowed Jaken and snickered. Jaken snapped back, and the two little youkai began chasing each other around.
"Is it really okay to leave Kirinmaru alone?"
Kagura watched everyone seemingly unconcerned about the aftermath.
"Don't worry--in that state, Pops alone is enough."
"He said he'd make Kirinmaru give up."
Inuyasha spoke up first, showing no concern.
Even if Kirinmaru used a Command Spell to control their father again, they weren't afraid.
"Inuyasha!"
Just then, Kagome's shout drew everyone's attention.
"What is it, Kagome? Why so panicked?"
"Kikyo, she--"
"!"
Before Kagome could finish, Inuyasha noticed Kikyo's presence growing ever fainter beneath that tree.
He broke into a sprint; Moroha rushed after him, equally frantic.
The others stood still, watching...
They had just overcome Kirinmaru, yet now another tragedy seemed to unfold.
"Kikyo!"
"No need to shout so loud..."
The commotion brought a soft reply from Kikyo.
"Mom!"
Moroha gently held Kikyo, her expression pained.
"Moroha, if only I could have watched you grow up..."
Reaching out to touch her cheek, wiping away the tears streaming from her eyes, Kikyo whispered.
She then turned to gaze at Inuyasha, as if to engrave his face into memory.
Then, one by one, she looked past him to the people behind.
"Meeting you..."
"...isn't something I regret."
Through all they'd experienced, looking back, there was nothing that felt like "hatred" anymore.
From Inuyasha and Moroha--
She had already found redemption. The hollow within this body, once driven by "resentment," had been filled with "love."
"In the very end... being with you was truly wonderful..."
Nothing left to cling to. The only regret--
She couldn't walk this path alongside him and her any longer.
Being chosen by the ritual was probably because of some "longing" deep in her heart back then.
Wearing a smile she hadn't shown in ages, her eyes reflected Inuyasha and Moroha's worried faces one last time.
"Kikyo!!"