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Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: 118. The Arrival!

"Was it you who dealt with that two-headed monster? Pretty impressive! You're a Servant too, right?"

Moroha stood on the mountain's rock face, calling out to Akame riding her feather.

"Hey, I'm here to deal with the trouble here, not to fight you. You saw it too—the malevolent energy here is astounding. Something fearsome is probably about to emerge."

Seeing Akame's guarded gaze, Moroha waved her hands to show her intent.

Come to think of it, this was her third encounter with other Servants besides Muzan and the Great Dog Demon.

"..."

Seeing the opponent had no hostile intent, Akame glanced down at Kagura's situation. Finding that help had arrived and there was no danger, she simply piloted the feather toward the mountain's interior.

"Tch, so cold. At least say something."

Watching Akame leave without a word, Moroha grumbled with displeasure.

"Hm? Dad's aura... he's here too!"

As if noticing something, her eyes suddenly brightened as she looked in a certain direction.

There, a figure carrying someone was leaping upward.

...

"Sorry I'm late."

"Rikuo!"

The battling group suddenly heard a familiar voice. Turning, they saw Rikuo running toward them.

"I never imagined this would happen while I was away."

Already in youkai form, Rikuo held his broken blade and looked up at the dense swarm of Demon Youkai, speaking gravely.

He'd just fought with Koga and the Shikon no Tama. Racing back without pause, he was told Kagome and the others had already left.

Fortunately, through his master-servant bond with Kagome, he could track her trail.

"You go up too. I can sense the malevolent energy growing stronger. That's no ordinary thing! Kagome might need your help."

Unease spread as the ominous premonition circled his heart. Miroku advised him.

"Then be careful. I can sense other Servants constantly approaching."

The one releasing malevolent energy on this mountain was undoubtedly a Servant.

Their actions had alarmed most people, so even just observing would draw Servants here.

...

CRACKLE!!

"Oh my! Sneak attacks aren't very nice."

Byakuya felt the electric current, maneuvering his paper crane off course to dodge. He and Kanna looked down.

He'd just switched observation posts with his eyeball, only to get ambushed—was his luck really that bad?

"Hmph, you're one of Naraku's incarnations! Who is the Shikon no Tama fighting?!"

Koga and Cu Chulainn stood below, looking up and demanding answers.

"You don't recognize this important person? How uninformed."

Hands tucked into sleeves, Byakuya looked at Koga with surprise.

He was supposed to be one of the war's Masters—was his information network really that closed off?

"What did you say?"

Being spoken to like that, Koga couldn't hold back.

"An important person?"

"Indeed, that swordsman has incredible fighting spirit."

"He's Saber, isn't he?"

Cu Chulainn shifted his gaze to the distant Great Dog Demon as he commented.

Among Servants witnessed in this war, probably the strongest.

Just from the leaking magical power alone, it was clear this was no ordinary being.

And from watching Berserker continuously take beatings, Saber's power was evident.

He and Rider had struggled to gain any advantage against Berserker together.

Saber alone could suppress it—truly remarkable.

"Well well..."

"You must have heard of the Great Dog Demon's name, being a youkai yourself."

"What?"

Hearing this, Koga froze. Of course he knew that name.

That was the youkai lord who once ruled the Western Lands.

To say he didn't recognize him would be an exaggeration.

'That stupid dog's father appeared as a Servant? Who's the Master?'

Frowning, Koga was worried about something else.

If this Master shared their goals, that might be fine.

But if it was an obsessive type, after the Shikon no Tama was dealt with, they'd be next in trouble.

Seeing Byakuya had no intention of explaining, Koga could only try to spot any hidden Masters nearby.

"Sounds impressive... I want to fight him."

"Idiot, is now the time to think about that?"

Compared to Cu Chulainn's simple mindset, Koga was very concerned.

Not far away, an increasingly powerful malevolent aura was emanating, while here was the battle between the Great Dog Demon and the Shikon no Tama.

'Kagome and that stupid dog are over there—it should be fine.'

Deciding to observe this side, Koga chose not to leave.

"Really, after losing the Dragon Ball, you should just bow out. That way you might keep your life. Besides, you can't see much from here anyway."

Byakuya watched Koga show no intention of leaving and muttered quietly.

...

"[Meido Zangetsuha]!!"

BOOM!!

He'd lost count of how many times he'd swung his blade, but after the first strike, each subsequent blow was increasingly ineffective.

'The Meido's consumption speed can't keep up with its regeneration?'

Watching the Shikon no Tama's body cycling between disappearing and restoring, the Great Dog Demon furrowed his brow.

Though he didn't know why, apparently Tenseiga's [Meido Zangetsuha] no longer posed a threat.

"Every swing is a killing blow..."

"If you and Kirinmaru got serious, you could truly end this war in a single night."

The Shikon no Tama had transformed, now becoming a massive eyeball with eight tentacles.

After being killed by [Meido Zangetsuha] and reviving, it had constructed a body capable of countering the Great Dog Demon.

Kirinmaru had killed it twice, Inuyasha's daughter once, Koga's Servant once... and just now again...

Five times.

'Even with this body, it's still this difficult. How annoying.'

Though resurrected again, the Shikon no Tama knew this body still risked being killed again.

CLANG

True to form, the Great Dog Demon sheathed Tenseiga and drew Tessaiga.

'Tessaiga?'

'That's now a useless sword that poses no threat to me.'

Not concerned about Tessaiga being drawn, the Shikon no Tama was happy to stall for time.

Thanks to Inuyasha using Tessaiga for so long, it had grown tired of watching that demon blade's attack patterns and techniques.

So responding was quite simple.

[Wind Scar]? [Bakuryuuha]?

Neither could kill it anymore.

Unless the Great Dog Demon's Tessaiga had techniques it hadn't seen from Inuyasha.

The only thing to watch out for now was So'unga.

That was the weapon that could truly end its current life.

'Not the slightest fear?'

'So it thinks Tessaiga is no threat...'

Expression unchanged, the Great Dog Demon could sense the opponent's dismissive attitude.

Compared to attacking with Tenseiga, the Shikon no Tama had shown emotional fluctuations then.

But now facing Tessaiga, it was completely unmoved.

"There must be some secret it can't reveal..."

Speculating, the Great Dog Demon then swung Tessaiga at the massive creature ahead.

"[Wind Scar]!!"

The enormous golden wind pressure swept forward, seeming ready to completely engulf the Shikon no Tama.

"What a terrifying [Wind Scar]..."

"Compared to this, Inuyasha's is like the difference between a stream and an ocean."

Watching that brilliant display fill the sky, Byakuya couldn't help but marvel.

He'd seen [Wind Scar] before, but at this scale—even Naraku probably hadn't witnessed this.

"Even a great youkai taking that hit head-on probably couldn't handle it."

"Now I understand why Naraku had me come here."

Muttering, Byakuya scratched his head, feeling he'd been assigned a troublesome task.

He found it strange—he'd been monitoring Muzan just fine, yet Naraku insisted on switching him with the eyeball.

Turns out he was supposed to look for opportunities to "learn techniques."

What a terrible boss—didn't he know how risky this was?

He might lose his life here...

The Great Dog Demon was nice to others, but that didn't mean he'd be nice to them.

Look at how Shinigami-oni was slain instantly—the Great Dog Demon didn't even bother discussing old times.

"It really hurts..."

"But it won't kill me."

The body shattered by [Wind Scar] was already regenerating at high speed.

So all the Shikon no Tama could experience was pain.

'Even reshaping this body's defenses to this degree still can't stop his [Wind Scar]. His youkai power really is something.'

Each time it changed form, the Shikon no Tama could adjust its body's attributes.

Like allocating stat points—what factors this revived body should possess.

Resistance to spiritual power, robust physical quality, speed and strength specialization—all were achievable.

Changing the body's shape was just the basics; the important thing was internal attributes.

"Just taking hits isn't my style."

"Let me show you something nice..."

The massive eyeball swayed. Then, in everyone's view, it swung one of its tentacle-arms.

SWISH!

"!"

"The Shikon no Tama fired [Wind Scar]?"

Though weaker than the Great Dog Demon's, that crimson wind pressure was unmistakably [Wind Scar].

But even more astonishing—every time the Shikon no Tama swung a tentacle, it released a formidable [Wind Scar].

"Come on..."

CRASH!

With eight tentacles swinging together, it was simply a disaster.

"This is really too much."

Byakuya watched the ground get nearly pulverized and couldn't help but exclaim.

Though he didn't know how the Shikon no Tama did it, such offensive power was truly terrifying.

[Wind Scar] already had legends of "one swing killing a hundred youkai." Being able to fire multiple at once with significant youkai power behind each was even more horrifying.

"What's wrong? Aren't you going to counter with [Bakuryuuha]?"

Taunting, the Shikon no Tama watched the unmoved Great Dog Demon.

"I see—you can learn techniques?"

"No wonder you didn't absorb the [Wind Scar's] youkai power but could still fire it."

"If I counter with [Bakuryuuha], you'll probably be able to use that too, won't you?"

Realizing something, the Great Dog Demon sheathed Tessaiga.

"Tch, you figured it out fast."

Being exposed like that, the Shikon no Tama actually missed that foolish boy Inuyasha.

If it were Inuyasha, he'd have definitely fired [Bakuryuuha] without thinking.

The Great Dog Demon's battle sense was outstanding. After reaching this stage, it truly could learn opponent techniques and moves.

Excluding special techniques like [Meido Zangetsuha] that needed more study, [Wind Scar] and [Bakuryuuha] could be replicated after taking them just once.

It had hoped to trick out [Bakuryuuha], but the Great Dog Demon saw through it easily.

"Mm."

But when the Great Dog Demon drew So'unga, the Shikon no Tama's mood darkened.

That was also a very special demon blade...

"Is this wise? Swinging that blade might only make me stronger."

Speaking with a cold laugh, the Shikon no Tama seemed almost eager.

"Perhaps."

Holding the blade across his chest, the Great Dog Demon neither confirmed nor denied.

He needed to conduct a test—to see if the Shikon no Tama was what he suspected.

Malevolent dragons rose from the blade...

'He's serious!'

Sensing the surging youkai power, the Shikon no Tama knew he wasn't joking.

The Great Dog Demon truly intended to cut it down with So'unga!

Being a great youkai, he wouldn't be intimidated by its bluff.

"[Hell Dragon Wave]!!"

...

"So, Inuyasha, this girl is my daughter?"

Walking through the mountain's interior structure, Kagome pointed at the lively Moroha beside her and asked.

When they'd first met, Inuyasha's hasty covering of the girl's mouth had raised suspicions.

Despite Inuyasha's stammering explanation, Kagome had nearly lost consciousness processing it.

"Hehe, I'm Moroha! Mo-ro-ha!"

Before Inuyasha could speak, Kagome heard the girl's response.

That joyful expression and happy face... it really made her feelings complicated.

She clearly knew who she'd had this child with—that Fire Rat robe and dopey personality could only be Inuyasha's.

But the problem was...

A fifteen-year-old suddenly meeting her ten-something-year-old daughter...

Kagome didn't know what attitude to take.

"You knew what you signed up for..."

"That's exactly why it's hard to calm down. Suddenly having a daughter when I'm only fifteen!!"

Arguing loudly, the three seemed to forget why they'd come here.

"It can't be helped—who knew Kikyo would summon her from the future..."

"So... Kikyo has been taking care of this child?"

Hearing that from Inuyasha, Kagome froze.

For her, seeing Moroha might just mean some mental and emotional confusion.

But for the already-deceased Kikyo... wouldn't that be quite a shock?

If Kagome were in that position, she couldn't guarantee how devastated she'd be.

It went beyond anger or disappointment...

"It's fine—the other mom is great too! Very attentive, always teaching me things. Though I can't keep up sometimes, I really like her."

Hearing Moroha's carefree words, Kagome caught the underlying details.

'Kikyo... could you...'

"Hm?"

But before Kagome could think further, Inuyasha raised his head with a surprised sound.

Looking ahead with Moroha, she saw Sesshomaru and Rin's Servant standing before a massive egg cocoon.

A motionless figure stood beside the cocoon with their back to them.

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