"[Bakusaiga]!!"
BOOM!
Shattered flesh kept reassembling. Sesshomaru had lost count of how many times he'd sliced the Shikon no Tama to pieces.
Yet every time, it restored itself fully.
That first annihilation seemed like a fluke.
"Heheh, Sesshomaru, no matter how many times you cut me, it's useless."
Though its body had been destroyed multiple times, the Shikon no Tama didn't care in the slightest.
Bakusaiga was powerful, but once you died to it once, you knew--there would never be a second chance.
Only an unexpected, overwhelming attack could cause its death.
Sesshomaru no longer had that opening.
'Master, use a Command Spell to summon me or Moroha.'
Cleaving the demon creature before him in two, Rikuo mentally called out to Kagome.
He'd sensed for a while now that Kagome was in danger and was trying to get her to use a Command Spell to summon him there.
'Okay.'
A response came. Rikuo and Moroha waited for the summoning.
CLANG!
But time passed with no sign of movement. Both felt something was wrong.
'It didn't work? Why? I definitely used a Command Spell!'
Kagome's tense, panicked tone made Rikuo and Moroha realize something was amiss.
"The Command Spell... failed?"
Rikuo's brow furrowed with a bad feeling. He turned and ran toward where Kagome had been blown.
But then, one after another, demon creatures emerged from the ground, blocking his path.
"Out of my way!!"
"[Maryuuha]!!!"
Mixing in spiritual power, Moroha cleared a path for him.
In that gap, Rikuo flickered forward, bypassing the obstacles in an instant.
"Trying to help?"
"It's useless. None of you can get out."
Turning to glance at Rikuo's actions, the Shikon no Tama sneered.
But that smirk hadn't lasted half a second before Sesshomaru's Bakusaiga split it in two.
"How annoying, Sesshomaru..."
...
"It's useless. Your Servants can't reach this side."
"After all, here and there are two different worlds."
Byakuya watched Kagome retreat, knowing exactly what she'd just done.
"What do you mean?"
An uneasy feeling rose from within. Kagome pressed him.
"Literally what I said..."
Snap!
Without pausing, Byakuya snapped his fingers.
"!"
Suddenly, a swarm of tiny paper cranes materialized around Kagome.
BANG BANG BANG BANG!!!
She instantly raised a barrier. The cranes exploded.
'Master, the situation is bad. We're cut off from where you are.'
At the same time, she heard Rikuo's response.
'Come to think of it, I haven't been able to sense your youki since earlier.'
'This should be close to where you all are.'
Only then did Kagome realize: aside from the Shikon no Tama's massive miasma swirling around, she couldn't sense the youki of Sesshomaru, Rikuo, Moroha, or the others at all.
As if they'd "evaporated."
'It's probably similar to my Reality Marble, but...'
Unable to determine the exact situation, neither side could provide support.
'In that case, you and Moroha focus on the Shikon no Tama.'
'But--'
'Mom! That's too dangerous for you!'
'It's okay. I'll figure something out here. And Inuyasha's outside too.'
Facing her Servants' concern, Kagome calmed them down.
She wasn't completely helpless. Against Byakuya alone, she had options.
'Understood. But be careful!'
'Mom, we'll find a way to defeat the Shikon no Tama ASAP!'
'Mm.'
Knowing their worry, Kagome focused as the explosions around her subsided.
"He's gone?!"
About to lower her barrier, she discovered Byakuya's figure had vanished.
"He used the explosions as a distraction to hide?"
The earlier barrage had been nothing but a smokescreen.
With Fuyouheki, Byakuya in this environment was undetectable.
One ambush scratch and she was finished.
She couldn't lower the barrier yet.
He was surely waiting for her to show an opening.
'Exactly. Maintaining a barrier also consumes spiritual power. As long as I don't show myself, you won't dare drop it.'
'The drain from your two Servants counts against you too... sooner or later, you'll be exhausted.'
'The Shikon no Tama's calculations are flawless.'
In no hurry to reveal himself, Byakuya hid behind a tree, waiting.
......
"Damn it!!"
Though he didn't want to take the Shikon no Tama's words seriously, Inuyasha was still worried about Kagome.
If Rikuo and Moroha could still move, fine--but if they truly couldn't reach her, he had to figure something out himself.
He couldn't delay any longer!
Otherwise, Kagome would be in danger.
His gaze shifted to Kanna behind the Mirror Demon. Inuyasha searched for a solution.
Kill Kanna directly?
Absolutely not an option!
Even if it actually broke the barrier, doing so was exactly what the Shikon no Tama wanted to see.
It was deliberately goading him--pushing him to his limits.
Making him kill Kanna to save Kagome, thereby corrupting his heart.
The Shikon no Tama, fed by negative emotions, would only grow stronger.
He wouldn't fall for it!
"Tch!"
Kagura looked at Kanna's apathetic expression, growing anxious herself.
Kanna was always like that--as if nothing could catch her attention.
Eyes fixed only on controlling the Mirror Demon against Inuyasha.
She had to stop this, or tragedy would unfold.
But force wouldn't work either...
'Kagura, are you close with Kanna?'
'I suppose. After all, our relationship is... she's my--'
Recalling earlier conversations with Kagome and the others, an idea struck her.
"Stop this!"
"We don't have to listen to Naraku or the Shikon no Tama--we can live freely!"
"Without anyone's chains, without anyone's interference--live as we please!"
"Sister!"
Those words reached Kanna's ears, and for the first time, she changed.
Stiffly turning to look at Kagura, she seemed to react to the word "sister."
Her small frame contrasted with Kagura's. Her lips moved, eventually forming four syllables:
"De... stroy... core."
Though faint, Kagura heard it clearly--the emotionless words carried her own intent.
"!"
At that moment, Inuyasha felt the Mirror Demon's force weaken.
Not understanding what had happened, he glanced at Kagura and Kanna.
"Sis... ter... Ka... gu... ra..."
"Free... live..."
The broken voice reached both of them, revealing her "feelings."
'What pitiful creatures.'
'At this point, still trying to resist. Sadly, it's useless.'
'In the end, you're just pieces of Naraku's flesh.'
The Shikon no Tama's loathsome voice rang out again. Inuyasha's expression darkened.
'Shut up!'
'You have no right to judge them!'
Flipping the Mirror Demon to the ground, Inuyasha snarled.
A fraud who'd caused countless tragedies had no business mocking those struggling to survive!
'Heheh, but she's telling you to destroy the core.'
'That's right--just swing Tessaiga at her heart, and everything can turn around.'
'Delay any longer, and Kagome will exhaust her spiritual power and be killed.'
Ignoring Inuyasha's words and attitude, the Shikon no Tama eagerly awaited the spectacle.
Whether Inuyasha killed Kanna to save Kagome or the Mirror Demon cut down Inuyasha--either was a "joy."
No matter his choice, darkness would bloom in his heart.
There was no more nourishing "food" for it.
'Look--she's completely defenseless now, even restraining the Mirror Demon.'
'No one would blame you for killing her to save Kagome.'
The whispering continued, like a devil's murmur.
"!"
At that moment, Kagura saw what appeared in Kanna's palm--an "ice block."
Kanna's heart!
The pure white heart was now entwined and corroded by pitch-black youki, as if embedded within.
Seeing this, Kagura understood: even with Naraku dead, the Shikon no Tama still held the "reins."
It wouldn't let Kanna and Byakuya die meaninglessly.
It would wring every last drop of value from them until they were useless.
If she hadn't been saved earlier, she'd be trapped in the same situation today.
"Strike..."
The word came. Kanna's expression remained "void," yet unlike before, there was a faint tremor in her voice.
She wanted Inuyasha to kill her! That was why she'd exposed her heart.
"..."
Inuyasha sensed her faint emotion.
Killing Kanna like this would be exactly what the Shikon no Tama wanted.
Though she'd obstructed and hurt him before, Inuyasha wasn't one to hold grudges. So--
He would save Kanna!
'Hm? You want to dispel the youki clinging to her? Hehehe, you can't.'
'The youki has completely fused with her heart. Even Tessaiga's dragon-scale power won't work.'
'Even if your father came, he couldn't save her!'
Confident words continued; twisted laughter echoed.
'Inuyasha, in my era, youkai all used the power of "Fear," and during confrontations, they'd also perform "Fear-Breaking."'
'"Fear-Breaking" is exactly as it sounds--in your terms, scattering an opponent's youki vortex.'
'So there are actually many ways to use "Fear"...'
Ignoring the Shikon no Tama's ramblings, Inuyasha recalled his exchanges with Rikuo.
Under normal circumstances, he absolutely couldn't escape the Shikon no Tama's deadlock.
But...!
He was no longer alone like fifty years ago!
THRUM THRUM!
Crimson demon markings began winding around the blade, setting Tessaiga resonating.
'!'
Witnessing Inuyasha activate "Fear," the Shikon no Tama froze.
It knew that was a power Rider had demonstrated--a brand-new method of wielding youki.
But what was Inuyasha using it for now?
From earlier observations, aside from enhancing Tessaiga and himself, it didn't seem to have other uses.
"Inuyasha, you--?!"
Even Kagura stared in astonishment, unsure of his intent.
"Kanna, I'm going to strike your heart precisely."
"Hold it steady!"
Pointing Tessaiga at Kanna, Inuyasha declared.
"Wait--"
"..."
Unlike Kagura's bewilderment, Kanna gave a slight nod--seemingly in approval.
'Hmph. After all that talk, you still plan to kill her.'
"But before that--"
"Hand over that blade!"
Ignoring the Shikon no Tama's raving, Inuyasha focused, then swung Tessaiga down at the blade in the fallen Mirror Demon's hand.
CRACK!
Tessaiga's massive blade struck the flat of Nenekirimaru, snapping it in two.
"!"
"?"
'!?'
The unexpected move drew everyone's attention.
THRUM THRUM!
An extraordinary resonance pulsed from Tessaiga's blade. Inuyasha felt its transformation.
'He stole the power of the demon blade the Mirror Demon replicated?'
The Shikon no Tama watched with a growing sense of dread.
Tessaiga inherently absorbed power from slain enemies...
Cutting down the copied Nenekirimaru meant--
Tessaiga now possessed Nenekirimaru's effect: causing youki to bleed from wounded youkai.
'This should be enough, Tessaiga.'
Leaping, he shot straight toward Kanna.
"Fear" alone wasn't enough.
He needed a more precise power to break this deadlock.
So Tessaiga reminded Inuyasha--
Seize Nenekirimaru!
HAAAAAAH!!!
'What I'm striking isn't simply Kanna's heart!'
'It's--'
Tessaiga, wrapped in crimson demon markings, descended toward her heart without hesitation.
CRACK!!
Releasing her grip, letting the "heart" hover in the air, Kanna silently watched as her heart--slashed open, cracks spreading.
Violent black vapor erupted from within, then dispersed into the sky.
Using "Fear" to target the youki attached to her heart, then exploiting Nenekirimaru's youki-draining property to completely purge it.
This would fully liberate Kanna.
The pure, immaculate heart now hovered and glimmered--not a single impurity remained. It looked so beautiful and smooth.
"Now she's just like Kagura."
"Both are saved!"
"You can't control them anymore, Shikon no Tama!"
Sheathing Tessaiga, Inuyasha looked at Kanna before him, then raised his head and roared.
Feeling the binding on Kanna completely vanish--what an insult to it. That fury born from within sent the Shikon no Tama reeling.
"BA--BASTARD!!"
"A mere hanyo... a mere hanyo!!"
"INUYASHAAAAA!!!!"