"They all have Shikon Jewel shards!" Kagome's eyes widened as she called out in alarm.
"Hey! Who gave you those shards?" Inuyasha drew Tessaiga in a single motion, the blade pointing directly at the Band of Seven. His golden eyes burned with intensity.
"Ah~ even when he's angry, he's still cute!" Jakotsu completely ignored the question, staring at Inuyasha with sparkling eyes.
"Jakotsu… behave yourself," Bankotsu said with a faint sigh, though none of them showed any intention of answering.
"Damn it! Don't ignore me!" Inuyasha growled, tightening his grip on Tessaiga.
At that moment, Kasage leaned slightly toward Kikyo, his voice low.
"I'll handle this."
His tone was calm, but firm.
"It's rare to face this many opponents at once. Stay back… just watch."
For a brief moment, his gaze softened.
"…You won't need to step in."
Kikyo looked at him quietly.
"…Don't underestimate them," she said softly, though she did not stop him.
Her fingers tightened around her bow.
"I'll be ready."
Kasage gave a faint nod and stepped forward.
"Naraku sent you, didn't he?" he asked calmly, his masked gaze fixed on them.
Bankotsu raised an eyebrow.
"…And who are you supposed to be?"
Inuyasha frowned.
"When did you put on a mask?"
Kasage ignored him.
Instead, he tilted his head slightly toward Jakotsu.
"That one seems fond of you," he said flatly. "He's yours."
"…Tch."
"Hiding your face?" Bankotsu's eyes sharpened, killing intent rising. "You've got guts. Let's see if you can back it up."
Kasage didn't respond.
Behind the mask, his Sharingan spun slowly.
"As for the rest of you…"
Before his words even finished, he vanished.
A blur.
An afterimage.
Kasage shot forward like a flash of lightning.
Inuyasha clicked his tongue but followed immediately, Tessaiga ready.
"Inuyasha! Kasage!" Kagome called out anxiously.
"Don't worry," Kikyo said quietly.
Her eyes never left the battlefield.
"If he chose to move… he already understands the risk."
There was calm certainty in her voice, but her grip on the bow remained firm.
"Let's start with you!" Jakotsu moved first.
His Jakotsuto snapped outward, transforming into a flexible chain blade that tore through the air toward Kasage.
But Kasage didn't even slow down.
The Sharingan tracked everything.
Every angle.
Every shift.
He stepped lightly, and the blade missed by a hair.
Thud.
His palm struck the chain mid-motion, knocking it aside effortlessly.
Without breaking stride, he continued forward.
"…He deflected it?!" Jakotsu's eyes widened.
"This one's strong," Bankotsu said, his tone sharpening with interest.
"Mukotsu!"
"Hehehe…"
Mukotsu stepped forward, pulling out bamboo tubes.
A thick, black poisonous mist burst outward, instantly swallowing the battlefield.
"Die in the dark…" Mukotsu laughed.
Inuyasha immediately covered his nose.
"Tch—!"
Even for a hanyō, the stench was overwhelming.
"Careful! It's highly toxic!" Sango warned from above.
From within the mist, Kasage's voice echoed calmly.
"Wind Release: Wind Cutter Technique."
A violent gust erupted.
The mist twisted, then exploded outward.
Blades of wind tore through everything, carrying poison, dust, and debris straight toward the Band of Seven.
"Brace yourselves!" Bankotsu shouted.
Kyokotsu roared and leapt forward, his massive body shielding the others.
The storm hit.
Slash—slash—slash—
Countless wind blades carved into his body.
Blood sprayed violently.
In seconds, he was covered in deep wounds.
"…The first one."
A cold voice whispered beside him.
Kyokotsu froze.
Before he could react, a sharp pain pierced his forehead.
His vision spun.
From above, he saw his own body collapsing.
Headless.
Kasage stood briefly atop the falling corpse, blade already sheathed.
A Shikon shard spun through the air and landed neatly in his hand.
"…So fast…" Kyokotsu's voice faded.
His body turned to dry bones.
"Kyokotsu!"
Bankotsu's eyes widened, then hardened instantly.
"Die!"
He lunged forward, Banryū crashing down with terrifying force.
The air split, and Kasage's body was cut cleanly in half.
"Kasage!" Kagome cried out.
But Kikyo didn't move.
Her expression remained steady.
"…No," she murmured softly.
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes.
"…That's not right."
Poof.
The body burst into smoke.
A split log fell to the ground.
"…A substitution?" Kagome whispered.
"As expected," Kikyo said quietly.
Her eyes sharpened slightly.
"…Tch. Fake," Inuyasha muttered.
"Jakotsu! Behind you!" Suikotsu shouted.
Too late.
Kasage appeared behind Jakotsu like a shadow.
Suikotsu rushed in, claws slashing forward.
Jakotsu twisted, swinging his blade blindly, but Kasage was already gone.
THUD.
A brutal kick slammed into Jakotsu's abdomen.
"Gah—!"
His body folded, then launched through the air like a projectile.
"Inuyasha," Kasage's voice came calmly,
"He's yours."
"…Hmph."
Inuyasha didn't hesitate.
Tessaiga swung.
A sharp arc of power tore through the air, straight toward Jakotsu.