SPLAT!!
Watching the Shikon no Tama's darkened expression, Sesshomaru didn't know what that idiot brother Inuyasha had done--but it clearly infuriated the enemy beyond measure.
Otherwise, the Shikon no Tama wouldn't have radiated such murderous intent.
"I'll make him regret this!"
The voice was ice-cold. The Shikon no Tama erupted with massive youki, forcing Sesshomaru back.
All the demon creatures on the ground flashed red in their eyes.
"Be careful!"
"Something's wrong with them!"
Huddling together, everyone noticed a drastic change in the creatures.
Some sprouted wings. Others had arms morphing into blades. Some gained extra limbs like spiders.
"Tch!"
"Their bodies are tough."
Sweeping away several pouncing creatures with his spear, Cu Chulainn also noticed how sturdy they were.
Without magically reinforced attacks, it seemed impossible to harm them.
"Ugh, every single one is this strong. That thing must be--"
"That's Caster's former ability, now put to use by it."
"And it's using it far more effectively than Caster ever did."
"Be careful--barriers are useless against these creatures too."
Considerable youki, each equipped with "Dragon Scale Armor," youki-absorbing dragon scales, barrier-piercing abilities...
Hard to imagine what kind of demon army the Shikon no Tama could create given enough time.
It would be a catastrophe no current youkai or human could withstand.
......
"Ohhhh!!"
"What happened to you?"
Kagome watched Byakuya suddenly appear from nearby and gasped.
Compared to before, his eyes now glowed with crimson ferocity. Those red orbs fixed on her--terrifying.
'His youki suddenly surged... what's going on--'
HAAAH!!
She saw him swing the blade in his hand. A pitch-black slash of sword pressure slammed into her barrier.
CRACK!
"The barrier--!"
A single blow shattered the barrier she'd maintained like glass.
"AHHHHH..."
'He's lost his mind!'
Hearing that meaningless growl, Kagome knew something was controlling him.
She couldn't let him launch another attack like that, or she'd be in grave danger.
Nocking an arrow aimed at his sword-arm shoulder, she loosed it.
SWISH!
SIZZLE!!
But to her shock, the sacred arrow was deflected and neutralized by his youki mere centimeters from his shoulder.
"Kill you--kill you!"
Raising the blade, Byakuya roared, his blurring figure closing in too fast for her to react.
'This is bad!'
'He's too fast--'
A world apart from before. Kagome watched the blade swinging toward her chest.
'I'm going to be cut!'
BAM!!
But at that instant, a figure descended from above and grabbed Byakuya's wrist at even greater speed, pinning it behind his head and slamming him face-first into the ground.
"You're... Kirinmaru?!"
Looking at the battered figure, Kagome was stunned.
She never imagined Kirinmaru would be the one to save her.
"Great Dog--when it comes to speed on the road, I'm still confident I can beat you."
Kirinmaru glanced at Kagome, then raised his head to speak.
"Heh."
At his words, Kagome looked up and spotted the Great Dog Demon's figure.
Her suspended heart finally relaxed.
If he'd come to save her, Kirinmaru clearly no longer intended to fight them.
"Are you alright?"
"Mm..."
Descending from the sky, the Great Dog Demon looked at Kagome and asked, receiving her relieved response.
"KAGOMEEE!!"
Just then, all three heard Inuyasha's distant shout.
"Seems like even without my help, if you'd held on a bit longer, the Great Dog Demon's son would've come to save you."
Pinning Byakuya with one hand to prevent him from struggling, Kirinmaru showed a faintly amused expression.
"Kirinmaru, his name is Inuyasha."
"I know--it's just that compared to Sesshomaru, he's a bit lacking. I never bothered to remember his name."
"Not everyone can compare to Sesshomaru..."
"Hmph. True. I envy you--having such an outstanding eldest son."
Watching the two great youkai chat casually, Kagome had no idea what to say.
TAP!
Alongside Kagura and Kanna, Inuyasha ran over from the distance.
"Huh?!"
"Old man and... Kirinmaru!"
Arriving and seeing Kagome safe, Inuyasha froze--but Kirinmaru's presence put him on edge.
"Relax. I have no intention of fighting you anymore."
"This time, you could say I'm here to help."
Seeing Inuyasha's wary stance, Kirinmaru spoke plainly.
"..."
Other matters aside, given Kirinmaru's track record, he wasn't the type to scheme.
Watching the Great Dog Demon nod, Inuyasha finally lowered his guard.
"Mm--those two and this one are siblings?"
Kirinmaru's gaze shifted to Kagura and Kanna.
The scent of all three was nearly identical, with only slight differences.
"Byakuya..."
"Control."
Hearing Kanna's brief words, Kagura understood Byakuya's situation.
Inuyasha's earlier actions must have enraged the Shikon no Tama, prompting it to go for the kill.
But these two great youkai had intervened.
No matter how boosted, Byakuya couldn't possibly match two legendary youkai.
"Inuyasha, use that method you just used to cut Byakuya."
"But unlike Kanna, his heart is inside his body--his own youki will drain away from Nenekirimaru's effect too."
Kagura's suggestion prompted Inuyasha to explain.
"In this state, he can't remove his own heart, and if we forcibly dig it out, the Shikon no Tama definitely won't let it happen."
"Losing all his youki is still better than losing his life."
Kagura's words convinced Inuyasha this was the best approach.
Losing youki was devastating for a youkai, but at least he'd survive.
"Then here I go!"
"Hold him down, Kirinmaru!"
Demon markings reappeared as Inuyasha channeled "Fear."
"What a curious power..."
Though not the first time seeing it, Kirinmaru and the Great Dog Demon still gave high praise.
This was a major "invention" in the history of youkai existence.
Approaching, Inuyasha used Tessaiga to slice from Byakuya's shoulder down to his heart.
Reaching the heart's location, he activated "Fear" to scatter the Shikon no Tama's youki vortex.
'Tessaiga gained a new power?'
Watching the youki continuously drain away, the Great Dog Demon was surprised.
The pitch-black youki kept dissipating from Byakuya's body until his flickering red eyes returned to normal.
"Huh... did I fail?"
Coming to his senses, Byakuya looked down at Kagome and the Great Dog Demon before him, immediately grasping the situation.
"How can you accept this so quickly?"
"What else can I do? Huh--my youki?!"
Hearing Kagura approach and speak, Byakuya was released from Kirinmaru's hold and noticed the problem, exclaiming in alarm.
"To save you, Inuyasha drained it all."
"Nenekirimaru, right? I see--so Tessaiga cut the Mirror Demon's copy of it?"
"Call me 'big sister'!"
"..."
Just standing up and seeing his shoulder twisted halfway, Byakuya caught on quickly--but his mode of address displeased Kagura, who corrected him.
"Yes, yes, yes--Big Sister."
As the youngest sibling in this family, he had no standing to complain.
"Heh..."
Looking at Kagura, Kanna, and Byakuya, Kagome suddenly felt it was quite beautiful. With all three freed from control, they'd likely live peaceful lives instead of causing trouble.
"Alright, you three should leave. We need to go find the Shikon no Tama..."
About to sheathe Tessaiga, Inuyasha was cut off by Byakuya.
"Wait, Inuyasha."
"Before you go--cut this."
"Not sure if it'll help, but it should be useful."
"Consider it payback."
Picking up his blade and holding it horizontally before his chest, Byakuya spoke.
"!"
"Murasame..."
"Though it's my reconstruction from extracted residue, if you cut it, Tessaiga should gain the same effect..."
Realizing what Byakuya's blade truly was, everyone froze.
"Heh! Then I won't hold back!"
Snapping out of it, Inuyasha had no intention of being polite. He raised Tessaiga and sliced through the "Murasame" in Byakuya's hand.
CRACK!
The blade snapped in two, then dissolved into black motes that flowed into Tessaiga.
"Now it's a one-hit-kill Tessaiga!"
Watching the surging youki, Kagome exclaimed in delight.
This was an enormous upgrade. While Tessaiga's lethality was already widespread, it had never possessed such "precise" killing power.
"No... it seems I can only use it once per day..."
"Since it wasn't the real thing I cut..."
"But that should be enough."
"True."