While Kagome and Sango cleared out the yokai in the air, the battle between Kagura and Koga below was already nearing its conclusion.
Without the support of the Shikon Jewel shards, Koga's speed was no longer a match for Kagura's. From start to finish, he had been completely suppressed.
The prolonged fight caused his previously bandaged wounds to reopen. Blood soaked through the cloth, staining it dark. Exhaustion weighed heavily on him—both his physical strength and yokai energy were nearly depleted. His movements slowed, his reactions dulled, and even dodging became increasingly difficult.
"You're so persistent… it's irritating."
Kagura looked down at him—covered in blood, yet still charging forward like something that refused to die. A flicker of impatience crossed her eyes.
Her fan snapped open.
With a sudden surge of yokai power, she swung it sharply—
*SHHHK!*
Countless pale wind blades burst forth, slicing through the air and completely sealing off every possible path of escape.
"Kagura!"
At that critical moment, Kagome's voice rang out from above.
A sacred arrow, blazing with brilliant spiritual light, shot forward like a falling star. It tore straight through the storm of wind blades—
The moment they touched the arrow, the blades shattered into nothingness, purified instantly.
But the arrow didn't slow.
It cut through the lingering miasma and yokai energy, heading straight for Kagura.
Kagura's expression changed sharply.
The power within that arrow—
—it was dangerous.
At the last second, nearby yokai rushed forward to shield her. Though they were instantly reduced to ash, they bought her a single moment.
Kagura twisted her body aside.
Even so—
*Slash!*
The arrow grazed her right arm.
Her sleeve tore apart instantly, and a burning pain spread across her skin.
"…Tch!"
In that split second of pain, the Shikon Jewel shard slipped from her grasp.
"It's mine!"
Koga's eyes flashed.
Ignoring his injuries entirely, he lunged forward, reaching for the falling shard.
"Dance of the Dragon and the Serpent!"
Kagura's voice turned cold with anger. Despite the pain, she swung her fan again.
Several violent tornadoes roared into existence, crashing straight into Koga.
"AAAGH—!"
Already at his limit, Koga couldn't dodge.
The tornado swallowed him whole, wind blades tearing into his body as his scream echoed across the battlefield.
"Koga!"
Kagome immediately raised her bow, preparing another arrow to save him—
"I won't let you interfere this time, little girl!"
Kagura reacted instantly.
Her fan moved again and again—
*SHHHK! SHHHK!*
A barrage of wind blades surged toward Kagome and Sango in the sky.
"Kirara—move!" Sango shouted, throwing her Hiraikotsu to shatter several incoming blades.
Kirara twisted midair, skillfully dodging the rest—but Kagome lost her opening.
Below, Koga continued to suffer within the storm.
Every attempt to get closer was cut off. Kagura's attacks, combined with the surrounding yokai, formed an impenetrable wall.
Kagome and Sango could only grit their teeth, searching desperately for a chance.
"Wait—no! Inuyasha!"
Just as Kagome prepared to force an opening, her eyes caught a figure rushing toward the battlefield in the distance.
"Inuyasha?!"
He was still in human form.
Her heart clenched.
"Inuyasha…" Sango whispered, equally shocked.
At that moment—
A faint ray of morning light broke across the horizon.
The darkness began to fade.
"…Dawn…" Kagome murmured, her voice tight with worry.
"The new moon is ending… he's about to change back…"
Her eyes remained fixed on Inuyasha.
"But… before that happens… if someone sees him like this…"
Below, the tornado finally began to weaken.
Koga collapsed onto the ground, barely conscious, his body covered in wounds.
Kagura looked up at the brightening sky.
"…So the night is ending."
Her gaze returned to Koga, cold and indifferent.
"You're persistent, I'll give you that."
She raised her fan high.
"I've wasted enough time on you… I'll put an end to it."
With a sharp motion, she brought it down.
A massive tornado formed instantly above—countless wind blades spiraling within it—
—and crashed down toward Koga.
"KOGA!"
Kagome released her arrow without hesitation.
But—
"Too late."
Kagura sneered.
A single wind blade shot out, striking Kagome's arrow mid-flight.
The sacred arrow shattered.
The tornado continued its descent.
*BOOOOM—!*
The impact shook the ground. Wind blades tore through earth and stone as dust and debris exploded into the air, obscuring everything.
"Koga!"
"Koga!"
Kagome and Sango shouted in unison, their hearts tightening.
Slowly…
The storm subsided.
The dust began to clear.
Kagura watched closely.
"…Is he dead?"
But the next moment—
Her eyes widened.
Koga was gone.
In his place stood a figure in a red robe.
Inuyasha.
But—
Kagura froze.
Black hair.
No dog ears.
A completely human form.
For a brief instant, she stood stunned.
Then—
*BOOM!*
A surge of yokai power erupted from him.
His black hair shifted back to silver. His dog ears reappeared. His eyes sharpened instantly.
The transformation happened in the blink of an eye—
—but Kagura had already seen it.
Clearly.
"…So I wasn't mistaken."
"Inuyasha," she murmured inwardly.
Inuyasha cracked his knuckles, a confident grin forming.
"Kagura… picking on a weak, injured wolf like that—what's the point?"
He raised Tessaiga, the blade aimed directly at her.
"From now on… I'll be your opponent!"
Above, Sango frowned.
"…Did she see him?"
"…Yes," Kagome answered quietly, her gaze fixed on Inuyasha's back.
"I think she did…"
They had seen it clearly from above.
And Kagura… had been even closer.
Kagura's mind raced.
Naraku's strange behavior last night.
Kikyo's words—
*A half-yokai loses their power at certain times.*
And last night—
*was the new moon.*
Her eyes narrowed.
"Inuyasha… on the night of the new moon… you lose your yokai power and become human, don't you?"
"So what?" Inuyasha replied without hesitation, his grip tightening on Tessaiga.
"As long as I've got my power back, I'll still beat you."
His gaze sharpened.
"But before that—answer me something."
"Why were you looking for Kikyo?"
Kagura paused… then smiled faintly, a hint of provocation in her eyes.
"Oh? Didn't she tell you?"
She tilted her head slightly.
"If you want the answer… go ask her yourself."
Before Inuyasha could move—
She tossed a feather into the air.
A gust of wind surged upward, catching her effortlessly.
In a single motion, she stepped onto it.
And then—
She was gone.
"Damn it! Don't run!"
Inuyasha roared, frustration boiling over.
After waiting all night to regain his power—
he hadn't even landed a single blow.
High above, Kagura glanced back one last time.
At Inuyasha.
At Kagome—kneeling beside Koga, checking his wounds.
"…Could it be…"
A thought formed in her mind.
*Are these two the ones who could kill Naraku?*
She remembered the power of Kagome's arrow.
If even Naraku were struck directly—
He might not survive.
"Kikyo's reincarnation…"
She recalled Naraku's tone when speaking of Kagome—
That faint trace of unease.
Kagura raised her hand, letting the wind flow freely between her fingers.
Her eyes gleamed faintly.
"…I hope you can do it."
"I hope you can give me… true freedom."
And with that, she vanished into the morning sky.