"...Naraku is becoming more and more disgusting."
Uchiha Kasage stared at the figure before him, his brows tightly furrowed, his voice filled with open disdain.
Naraku's upper body still resembled that of a human, but everything below was a grotesque mass—an unnatural fusion of yokai remains.
Countless twisted limbs and writhing tentacles tangled together, forming a chaotic, massive body even larger than the one Kasage had destroyed earlier. It looked as though a human torso had been crudely grafted onto a mountain of corpses, radiating a suffocating, unnatural presence.
Kikyo's expression hardened as she observed the horrifying scene.
"It seems he intends to wait until Sesshomaru's poisoning worsens," she said quietly, her voice tinged with disgust, "and then drag him into the center of that mass… to devour him completely."
"Sesshomaru."
Ignoring Naraku entirely, Sesshomaru lifted his gaze toward Kagura in the sky. His voice was cold—emotionless, yet heavy with restrained tension.
"Where is Rin?"
Before Kagura could respond, Naraku spoke first, his tone dripping with mockery.
"Relax. The little girl you're looking for isn't here," he said smoothly. "After all, a human wouldn't survive long in a place filled with miasma like this."
His gaze shifted toward Kikyo and Kasage, a sinister smile curling across his lips.
"As long as you help me kill that priestess… and the man beside her, I will return Rin to you unharmed."
"Hmph."
Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, filled with pure contempt.
"I may wish to kill that human called Uchiha Kasage," he said coldly, "but do you truly believe I would follow your orders… for the sake of a human child?"
The instant his words fell, he moved.
Tokijin flashed.
A concentrated blade of yokai energy tore through the air, slashing straight toward Naraku.
"Hmph. You're already poisoned by the ox yokai's venom," Naraku sneered, swinging a massive tentacle to block the attack effortlessly. "How much strength do you think you still have?"
He turned sharply.
"Kagura. Kanna. Stop Kikyo and Uchiha Kasage."
"…Yes."
Kagura's eyes flickered with hesitation—just for a moment. Then she gritted her teeth, raising her folding fan.
Sharp wind blades screamed through the air, slicing toward Kasage and Kikyo.
Kasage didn't even bother to move.
A skeletal arm of Susanoo manifested instantly, swatting the incoming blades aside as if they were nothing.
"Don't waste your effort," he said calmly.
At the same time, his hands formed seals at lightning speed.
"Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!"
*Crack—CRACK—!*
The ground shattered violently.
A massive wooden dragon burst forth, roaring as it surged into the sky. Its jaws opened wide, lunging straight for Kagura's feather.
"Does he really intend to kill me?!" Kagura's heart skipped in alarm. She quickly maneuvered the feather, barely dodging the attack.
The dragon's jaws snapped shut with terrifying force, sending a powerful gust of wind spiraling outward. Kagura struggled to stabilize herself as the air churned violently around her.
Now coiled around a nearby tower, the wooden dragon lifted its massive head, its gaze locked firmly onto her.
Kagura clicked her tongue, frustration flashing across her face.
With Kagura and Kanna occupied, Kasage turned to Kikyo.
"Let's move. We'll deal with Naraku."
"…Right."
Kikyo drew another Demon-Slaying Arrow, pulling the bowstring back with steady precision. Pure spiritual power gathered, flowing into the arrow until it shone with a radiant glow.
*Whoosh—!*
The arrow shot forward like a streak of light, tearing through the night sky toward Naraku.
Naraku's expression shifted slightly.
He raised countless tentacles to intercept—
But they were useless.
The moment they touched the arrow's purifying power, they disintegrated instantly, dissolving into smoke.
The arrow continued forward—
Just before it struck—
A sharp blade of energy cut across its path.
*BOOM—!*
Tokijin's strike collided with the Demon-Slaying Arrow. Spiritual power and yokai energy clashed violently, erupting in a massive explosion.
The shockwave blasted everything outward—ruins, miasma, even Naraku's writhing limbs.
Though weakened, the arrow pierced through the explosion—
—and struck Naraku's right arm.
It exploded on impact.
Fragments scattered as his arm was blown apart.
Kikyo's eyes narrowed slightly as she turned toward Sesshomaru.
The strike that had intercepted her arrow… had come from him.
"...Naraku is my prey."
Sesshomaru's voice was cold and absolute.
Without another word, he leapt forward, Tokijin raised high as he charged straight into the mass of writhing limbs.
Yet something was off.
Each movement was heavier than before. Each swing of his blade slower, more strained.
The poison was taking hold.
Kikyo exhaled softly, lowering her bow slightly.
"I take that back," she said with quiet exasperation. "His personality is just like Inuyasha's… stubborn and reckless."
She shook her head faintly.
"He's already weakened by poison, yet he insists on fighting alone."
Kasage smiled faintly.
"That's the pride of a great yokai," he said. "He was threatened using someone important to him, and on top of that, he was outplayed by Naraku. With his nature… he won't accept anything less than killing Naraku with his own hands."
"You human priestess who understands nothing!"
Jaken suddenly shouted, waving his staff indignantly.
"Lord Sesshomaru can defeat trash like Naraku even while poisoned!"
"Oh? Is that so?"
Kikyo glanced at him calmly—then, without warning, grabbed him.
Before Jaken could react, he found himself lifted off the ground.
Kikyo stepped toward the edge of the roof and held him out over the drop.
"Then why don't you go help him?" she asked mildly.
Jaken looked down.
The height… the swirling miasma below…
His entire body began to shake uncontrollably.
"I—I'm sorry!" he wailed, flailing his limbs wildly. "Beautiful and kind Priestess-sama! Someone as merciful as you wouldn't let me fall, right?!"
"Hmph… little yokai."
A faint, teasing smile appeared on Kikyo's lips.
She tossed him back onto the roof.
"Look," she said, pointing toward the battlefield. "Your Lord Sesshomaru is about to be captured."
Jaken's heart nearly stopped.
He turned sharply—
And froze.
Sesshomaru was surrounded.
Layer upon layer of tentacles coiled around him, closing in relentlessly. He fought back with everything he had, cutting them down again and again—
But his movements were slowing.
His strikes weakening.
It was only a matter of time.
"Sesshomaru!" Naraku's voice rang out, filled with twisted excitement. "The more you use your power, the deeper the poison spreads!"
A savage grin stretched across his face.
"Your perfect yokai power… will soon belong to me. Stop resisting—and become part of me!"
Sesshomaru said nothing.
He simply gritted his teeth and continued swinging Tokijin, cutting down every tentacle that approached.
Even as his strength faded—
There was no hesitation. No retreat.
"Lord Sesshomaru!!"
Jaken panicked, running in circles. Without thinking, he rushed toward the edge of the roof—
Then stopped.
His legs trembled violently as he looked down.
He wanted to jump.
He *needed* to jump.
But fear rooted him in place.
"Little yokai… do you want to save Sesshomaru?"
Kikyo's voice came quietly.
Jaken turned abruptly, hope flashing in his eyes.
He had seen her power.
If anyone here could save Sesshomaru—it was her.
"Please!" he cried, bowing desperately. "Priestess-sama, can you help Lord Sesshomaru?!"
Kikyo tilted her head slightly, a faint, mischievous smile returning.
"But earlier," she said softly, "you called me a priestess who understands nothing."
"That made me a little unhappy."
She paused.
"So… what should I do?"
Jaken froze—
Then immediately dropped to the ground in a perfect dogeza, pressing his forehead against the floor.
"Beautiful and kind Priestess-sama!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "I beg you—please save Lord Sesshomaru!"