"ORAAAA!!"
Moroha roared as the youkai power phantom swung its massive blade down at Muzan.
BOOM!!
His hands transformed into shields and raised upward as Muzan met it head-on.
CRASH!
The two collided. The powerful inertia drove his body down, the shattered ground causing his feet to sink into the earth.
"What a powerful strike! But this youkai power--is mine!"
Unable to fully block it, the massive phantom blade cleaved down along his neck, finally stopping at his stomach.
The dragon scales' power activated as Muzan began frantically absorbing the youkai power.
SWISH!
WHOOSH!
But the flanking figures from both sides made Muzan irritated.
"How tediously persistent. Just like those Demon Slayers."
"Knowing full well you can't kill me, yet single-mindedly pursuing me."
"Humans in any world can never change that senseless obstinacy."
Having no intention of engaging them, Muzan maintained his torn posture, letting both blades strike the split wound.
CLANG...
Immobile. The blades were lodged inside without causing a single scratch.
That hardness was probably the most troublesome defense Rikuo and Akame had ever encountered.
'Even the inside of his body is this tough?'
Slashing into the split gap still couldn't damage him. Though Rikuo's remaining magical power was low, he hadn't expected it to be this difficult.
Akame pushed her blade with all her strength, but to no effect.
If she could just create the smallest wound, she could use Murasame's power to kill him.
Yet that "one small step" remained forever out of reach.
"Tch!"
"Keep it up, Moroha."
Seeing her youkai power being drained, Moroha was about to pull back, but Kikyo's words made her continue.
Though she didn't know what her mothers were planning, she'd trust them.
"Hm?"
Watching the two priestesses drawing their bows together, Muzan took notice.
Spiritual power was something he, as a youkai, lacked resistance to--thus couldn't fully negate its damage.
But the current situation wasn't suitable for raising a barrier either.
This massive youkai power before him--if he fully absorbed it, he'd ascend another level.
Such an opportunity--how could he let it pass?
Hard shells extended from his split chest, Muzan trying to use them to reduce the arrows' power.
"HA!!"
But Inuyasha charging bare-handed to grab and pry them apart caught Muzan off guard.
'Hmph, just a minor wound--no big deal.'
Those two arrows might hurt him, but compared to what he stood to gain, it was insignificant.
Let it happen...
As long as he wasn't struck by Assassin's or Rider's special demon blades, everything was safe.
These people were ultimately wasting effort. Once he finished absorbing this youkai power, he could finish them instantly.
'Please succeed...'
Kagome steadied her aim, looking forward, waiting for the spinning object falling from the sky.
"Hm?"
Just then, Muzan heard the faint sound of something moving.
Something... was falling from above.
His gaze shifted. Only then did Muzan notice an old blade slowly descending.
'That's...'
Questions arose. He looked at bare-handed Inuyasha, momentarily unsure of the intent.
"Looking around won't help you."
Still using ice and snow to draw Muzan's attention, Rikuo spoke.
"Hmph, that bit of ice your meager power produces is less than a fly."
Glancing at the ice spreading from his body's cut surface, Muzan remained unmoved.
CRACKLE!
But the grating sound made him feel something was wrong.
Looking up, he saw Sesshomaru had somehow leaped to low altitude and caught the falling blade.
The old blade instantly transformed into a massive cleaver.
Tessaiga...
"This guy!"
Seeing Inuyasha had tossed his sword to Sesshomaru, Muzan froze.
Sesshomaru endured the burning pain in his palm and slashed down from Muzan's other shoulder.
CRACK!!
Unlike Rikuo and Akame whose blades had bounced off, Sesshomaru forcefully carved a finger-length gash.
"What--?"
Astonished that Sesshomaru could breach his defense, Muzan cried out.
But he quickly calmed. Just one Tessaiga strike--no big deal.
A trivial wound that would heal instantly.
Yet before his expression could change, he witnessed Sesshomaru's startling action.
"[Azure Dragon Wave]!!"
Not using Tessaiga's [Wind Scar] or [Kongousouha], Sesshomaru instead condensed his youkai power into his own technique.
A blue dragon emerged from the blade and rushed into Muzan's wound.
"Ugh!"
"Have you lost your mind?"
Unable to hold back, Muzan spoke with near-ecstatic delight.
His body was crafted by Toshu from countless youkai.
His youkai absorption wasn't limited to one area--like armor covering his entire body, every part could absorb.
So Sesshomaru's action was merely letting him absorb more youkai power for free.
Thinking it was just a mistake or test, the following actions left him bewildered.
'This guy sees me absorbing youkai power yet shows no sign of stopping--actually increasing the output...'
Looking up at Sesshomaru, he found the opponent still wearing that impassive expression.
Far from stopping, Sesshomaru seemed afraid he'd "go hungry," never ceasing the youkai power infusion.
"Hey! Sesshomaru!"
Inuyasha saw scorch marks forming on the hand holding Tessaiga and called out.
Tessaiga wasn't meant for youkai to wield. Even Sesshomaru holding it would suffer backlash.
So even temporary use was definitely not sustainable long-term.
"..."
Having no intention of responding, Sesshomaru naturally didn't care about his hand's injuries, maintaining his elevated position and continuing.
"Hahaha..."
Such a joyous moment almost made Muzan want to burst into song.
Crack...
"!?"
But the next moment, youkai energy leaking from a rupture in his back made him panic.
"I see!"
"Then eat your fill, bastard!!"
Moroha still hadn't withdrawn her youkai phantom. Seeing this, she understood her "uncle's" intent--restraint turned to outpouring.
"UGHHH!!"
Feeling the youkai energy within him hemorrhaging wildly, his body about to collapse, Muzan's expression transformed in horror.
"Such incredible youkai power..."
Retreating alongside Akame, Rikuo watched Sesshomaru and Moroha with amazement.
That overwhelming amount of youkai energy was unmistakably a great youkai's hallmark. He'd only felt this from his grandfather.
Trying to salvage the situation, Muzan attempted to escape this predicament, but Sesshomaru's intensified actions and words plunged him into an abyss.
"Your tiny vessel..."
"How could it possibly contain our clan's youkai power!!"
CRACK!