"NARAKU!!"
A hysterical roar echoed across the sky. Muzan's eyes bulged with fury.
Having no intention of responding, Naraku simply wore a faint smile.
From the moment Muzan had acted on his own, Naraku had already placed him on the same level as his "incarnations."
Abandonment, exploitation, bait--all things Muzan could be used for.
Though after observation, finding he did have redeeming qualities, he'd conspired with the Shikon no Tama.
That power to transform creatures and cause mutations was quite rare.
If properly controlled, it might create remarkable youkai.
Even Naraku found this ability interesting.
Upon learning of Muzan's "rebirth" plan, he and the Shikon no Tama chose to observe.
Unfortunately, Muzan seemed somewhat self-unaware. While both Naraku and the Shikon no Tama had been defeated and gone into hiding, he'd made big moves on his own, putting himself in the spotlight.
Frequent youkai hunting had drawn massive attention.
Causing other masters and teams to converge on Muzan's location.
Bluntly speaking, Naraku had never seen someone stir up so much trouble.
Though Naraku needed Muzan to draw some "fire" to buy time after their setbacks, he hadn't expected such flagrant actions, forcing the plan to change.
Had he kept a low profile and taken his time, Muzan could have stalled for at least half a month more. By then, as a complete form against Inuyasha's group, the outcome might have been different.
That incomplete form was already remarkably powerful--lacking only resistance to spiritual power, nearly perfect otherwise.
Yet whether from anxiety or excessive wariness of Naraku, he'd frantically recruited minions and enhanced himself, completely ignoring other masters.
Being besieged was inevitable...
Though the "youth stage" Muzan still had strength to face a siege, he couldn't account for variables.
The hatching cocoon was sliced open by Moroha.
His confident emergence was nearly shattered when Sesshomaru, wielding Tessaiga, force-fed him enough youkai power to collapse his body.
The combined attack of Kikyo and Kagome was a pairing even Naraku would retreat from.
With all these factors together, Muzan's defeat was natural.
Had that final explosive shockwave not been released, the two Sacred Arrows inside him would have sent him to hell.
But for Naraku and the Shikon no Tama, Inuyasha's group had helped immensely.
They'd weakened the current Muzan, leaving him without a trace of youkai power.
Making the Shikon no Tama's consumption effortless.
"AAAAAH!!"
"How could I--"
In an instant, his body was pulled into another form. Kagome could even see the now-complete Shikon no Tama.
"NO!!"
Yet that wasn't the key point. What terrified Kagome was the soul's anguished cry.
"The soul... was devoured by the Shikon no Tama?"
She witnessed that Servant's soul merging into the jewel.
"What did you say?"
Hearing this, Inuyasha was shocked, looking ahead. Even Rikuo couldn't believe it.
"Did you Servants think physical death meant you'd be safe? I definitely won't let such otherworldly things escape."
"Though different in nature, I can gain many interesting things from you."
"I look forward to devouring all of you."
The Shikon no Tama opened its mouth and turned its gaze to Rikuo, Moroha, and the unconscious Akame with a cold voice.
"Something like this is possible?"
Rikuo furrowed his brow, never expecting such a terrible consequence.
Physical death was one thing, but having your soul devoured too was excessive.
Even Rikuo felt this price was too high.
"How disgusting!"
Moroha held her sword, feeling chilled.
"Well, I'd like to finish you all off now. But unfortunately..."
"That's not possible."
Naraku maintained his calm demeanor, but his gaze drifted elsewhere.
The approaching figure entered everyone's view, prompting cries from Inuyasha and Moroha.
"Dad!"
"Grandpa!!"
Their words left even Kagome stunned--she hadn't heard about this.
Looking up at that appearance, she immediately understood.
This was also a summoned Servant...
"Now you're finished!"
Moroha relaxed somewhat. After the fierce battle, everyone was in poor condition. Facing an attack from Naraku and the Shikon no Tama would be troublesome.
But with Grandpa here, those two weren't worth mentioning.
"Hehe, look at their joyful expressions."
"Thinking the Great Dog Demon has come to save them."
"I wonder how delicious their joy will taste when it turns to despair."
The Shikon no Tama seemed to think of something "good," speaking mockingly.
"Well, that's how living things are."
"Arbitrarily deciding surface perceptions while the interior remains base."
"Not knowing it's all just delusion."
Naraku remained unmoved, his head floating.
"So this is why you stalled me?"
The Great Dog Demon glanced at his variously wounded "family," looking at the Shikon no Tama below.
"Oh my, your enemy now isn't me--it's Inuyasha and the others..."
"I still need to properly absorb that guy from earlier."
"No time for you..."
Those completely illogical words came from the Shikon no Tama's mouth, only to meet the Great Dog Demon's close-range slash.
"Too bad..."
"Won't get to witness the slaughter between you and your sons."
Being cut apart, the Shikon no Tama didn't care, instead vanishing into thin air along with Naraku.
'They entered another dimension? Inside the Shikon no Tama?'
That escape method was very familiar to the Great Dog Demon. He looked at the now trace-less air and furrowed his brow.
"Grandpa! You came just in time!"
"Those guys were so arrogant, but fled the moment they saw you!"
"Hehe!!"
Moroha ran over, looking delighted.
She didn't care at all about Naraku and the Shikon no Tama's "crazy talk" from earlier.
But Kagome instinctively felt uneasy. The Shikon no Tama and Naraku wouldn't say such things without reason.
Looking at the motionless Sesshomaru and approaching Inuyasha, she felt something was wrong.
'Beware... Nara... ku...'
Kikyo's words still echoed in her mind. Kagome felt an inexplicable dread.
So much so that she even ignored her own leg wound...
Just then...
An unfamiliar figure appeared in the air, expression utterly cold.
Merciless words echoed from above, drawing everyone's shock and attention.
"By my Command Spell--"
"Saber, kill all Masters and Servants present..."
"Kill them!"