"So Rikuo really can transform into a yokai during the day, after all."
"It seems the 'special conditions' he mentioned refer to moments when demonic energy is particularly dense."
"Miroku, you can actually tell just by looking?"
"I am a monk, after all. It's practically part of the job description."
Koga and Cu Chulainn lingered, taking a momentary reprieve as the group gathered on the grass, sharing a meal and quiet conversation.
"Sorry about that, Master. I went ahead and accepted that duel without checking with you first."
"Don't sweat it. If anything, I'm the one who was being a bit much, making you hold back all this time."
Koga's attitude toward those with true strength was never poor, especially since Cu Chulainn had helped save his clansmen. He had no reason to complain. Unlike those eccentric "mages," Koga believed in following one's instincts. Since Cu Chulainn lived for the thrill of the hunt, he wouldn't dream of standing in his way--even if his opponent was Kagome's Servant.
This had nothing to do with the Dragon Balls. For Koga, that prize was little more than a bored fantasy. Under normal circumstances, this war should have been a cutthroat struggle for survival. Unfortunately, the current Masters were "too friendly" for their own good, making it difficult for the Servants to clash in earnest.
But a winner had to be decided eventually. No matter how much they delayed, the confrontation was inevitable.
So, Rikuo and Cu Chulainn had reached a simple understanding. They would settle it now, while things were quiet. Whoever won would take the lead, and the loser would simply step aside. A fair and square duel--no regrets, no hard feelings. It was exactly the kind of direct approach Cu Chulainn appreciated.
"Still, to invite me after seeing my Noble Phantasm... he's clearly not as simple as he looks."
The thought of the upcoming battle made Cu Chulainn's blood boil with anticipation. He had a feeling--a gut instinct honed on countless battlefields--that fighting Rikuo would be one hell of a ride.
"My Lord, Naraku has vanished. We can't find a trace of him anywhere."
"It's as if his very presence has been erased from the world."
Muzan listened to the reports of his subordinates, his pale skin seemingly sinking into the deep shadows of the room.
'He was so active just a moment ago, only to vanish into air.'
The stronghold where Naraku had been hiding was now an empty shell. Muzan couldn't quite wrap his head around the man's strategy. Something significant must have happened while he was preoccupied with creating his "Demon-Yokai."
"Forget about him for now," Muzan commanded, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the Demon kneeling before him. "Just focus on bringing me more yokai. With enough subjects, I'm bound to find one or two exceptions that suit my needs."
With a casual flick of his wrist, Muzan reached out and grabbed a nearby Demon-Yokai, his hand sinking into its flesh as he began to consume it.
CRUNCH!
In mere moments, the Demon's body dissolved, its entire being fueling the growth of Muzan's own flesh and blood.
"So this is the power of a yokai."
"Hmph... though these common ones are still far too weak. If I could get my hands on some truly powerful yokai, the results would be far more spectacular."
As he felt his strength and constitution swell, Muzan's mood shifted into one of dark exhilaration. He realized he had been thinking about this all wrong. Why waste time transforming "weak" humans into Demons? He could simply drive his powerful "Demon-Yokai" to hunt actual yokai, then transform and devour them instead.
It was far more efficient than dealing with those frail humans. Yokai already possessed a natural power that translated into even greater strength once they were turned. There was no longer any need to keep his eyes on humanity. More importantly, devouring these transformed creatures yielded immense benefits.
Muzan felt stronger now than he ever had before. Having tasted this potential, he wasn't about to let the opportunity slip away. He needed more--he needed to harvest every yokai he could find. Whether they served as his minions or as his nourishment, he would not stop until he reached the pinnacle.
"Just you wait... Naraku."
"One day, I will stand above you! No one--absolutely no one--will look down on Kibutsuji Muzan!"
The memory of his humiliating "plea for mercy" still burned in his gut. It was one of the most disgraceful moments of his long life. He didn't know what Naraku was planning, but he would use this time to build his own power. He had been driven into a corner and forced to run like a rat; returning to Naraku's side in such a state was a stain on his honor.
That experience had taught him a harsh lesson. Only by growing stronger could he hope to survive this struggle. Without overwhelming power, one had no voice.
In this war, the weak were destined to be discarded!
"The more I embrace this nature, the more I realize that the limits of a 'Demon' are too narrow..."
"As a species, we are still too fragile compared to true yokai..."
"I'm done being a Demon!!"
"I will become a Yokai!!"
Muzan's face twisted into an expression of feral madness as he felt his body being reconstructed from the inside out. He hadn't just found a way to conquer the sun; he had found a path to a far greater future. He looked out the window, a dark smirk playing on his lips.
"It won't be long now..."
"Grandpa, what are you doing?"
Moroha tugged at Toga's trouser leg, looking up at him with curious eyes.
"Just observing the surroundings. I felt the faint traces of battle from quite a distance away. It's possible some Servants have already begun to clash."
"Really? I didn't feel a thing."
Compared to the battle-hardened Great Dog Demon, Moroha was still far too green.
"But Grandpa, I don't think anyone could ever be a match for you," she added with a cheeky grin, remembering the devastating power of the Wind Scar she had seen before.
"Perhaps."
Toga didn't let his guard down. He was still contemplating the opponent who had caused Kirinmaru to disappear. He had been distracted by the sudden meeting with his "daughter-in-law" and "granddaughter," but now that he had time to think, the complexity of the situation weighed on him.
"By the way, isn't it weird how few yokai are around here?" Moroha asked, hopping onto a tree branch to survey the area. "Back when I was traveling with Mom, we'd run into yokai every few miles. Did you scare them all off, Grandpa?"
Even without releasing his demonic aura, Toga's mere presence was enough to send most seasoned yokai in the Western Lands running for their lives. After all, he was the Great Dog Demon.
"No, I suspect the reason isn't that simple."
Crossing a clear stream, Toga caught a strange scent on the wind. Some unusual creature had lingered here recently.
'(It smells like a yokai, but there's a twisted, eerie undertone mixed in...)'
'(This 'thing'--neither human nor yokai--passed through here some time ago.)'
'(I hope this lead points the way to Kirinmaru's disappearance...)'
"Huff..."
"Let's get one thing straight. If I end up killing you, don't hold a grudge, alright?"
"Go right ahead. Give it everything you've got."
"Heh! You've got quite the backbone."
Cu Chulainn stood opposite Rikuo, his crimson spear held steady as he faced the boy who was now wielding a reconstructed blade shimmering with demonic energy.
"Unfortunately, that little lady over there is probably going to cry her eyes out."
"Just because you have that Noble Phantasm doesn't mean you've already won," Rikuo countered calmly.
"Ha! Then show me where that confidence comes from!!"
Cu Chulainn's aura exploded outward.
"Wait?! Is he starting with that right out of the gate?"
From a safe distance, Miroku and the others watched the tension reach a breaking point.
"He mentioned that using it barely drains him," Koga noted, his expression grim. "It looks like he wants to end this in a single breath."
"That's bad! If his heart gets pierced, Rikuo will die, won't he?!" Shippo shrieked. Rikuo wasn't a full yokai; a strike to the heart could very well be fatal.
"Relax. Take a look at him. Does that look like the face of a man about to die?"
Inuyasha's words drew their attention back to the clearing. Rikuo was smiling, his blade resting casually on his shoulder as he watched Cu Chulainn with an air of complete composure. His relaxed attitude was almost startling.
Cu Chulainn let out a sharp laugh and lunged forward, his movements a blur of lethal precision.
"Heh! Here it comes!!"
`[Gae Bolg]!!` (Piercing Bolt of Lethal Thorny Death!!)