"So, is there anyone who isn't feeling in top physical condition? This will start immediately." the judge of the third exam asked. This earned many complaints from the crowd.
At that moment, a girl barged through the door. She was covered in wounds and wore a tattered kimono she was using a giant boomerang to support her weight. Nobody in the room knew her but two people, or more precisely one half person and one demon.
"Speaking of not being in physical condition." someone said.
"I apologize, miss. You missed the time limit, but just barely. You and your team have failed." the Hokage said, ready to see the woman either protest or be reduced to a pool of tears. Instead, somebody else spoke.
"She's not a ninja, idiot!" Inuyasha yelled and smoothly hopped to her side. "Sango! What happened?"
At this, she clung to his robes and started crying. "Inuyasha!! Miroku! He... Naraku... village! Not any time! Death!" she screamed, hysterical.
"Sango! Calm down! Now, start over."
"Me and Miroku were training at that monk's house, and- and Naraku came. We tried to fight him, but he's too strong! He took Miroku, and he said that he would wait for you at the village. He also said that every day he would kill ten villagers, and if you didn't within a week, he'd enlarge Miroku's kazaana so that it would suck him up." She had calmed down best she could, but her sobs still racked her body.
"So, Inuyasha will you become a chuunin, or save your friend?" this was the hokage.
"Do you really even have to ask?" came the reply. The hokage nodded his head sadly. The selfish Inuyasha wouldn't sacrifice being a chuunin for a friend.
"Don't worry Sango. I'll get there before Naraku can even blink an eye." he said to his comrade, then raised his voice, and said to the Hokage, "Make sure she gets a doctor."and ran out of the room.
"So... he doeshave a heart." Sasuke muttered smugly, earning him an outburst from Sango.
"Of course he does! Why else, why would he befriend me or Miroku or any of our group? Why would he give you people the time of day? After what humans have done to him, it's amazing he didn't curse the human race forever!"
"What did the humans do to him?" Sarutobi inquired.
"That's personal information. Ask him." she answered, realizing she'd said too much.
"Hmm. Anyway, let's get you to the hospital, you look awful."
– With Inuyasha –
Inuyasha pumped his legs harder and harder. Faster and faster. Naraku you creep! How dare you hurt my friends!
He only wished he could get there in time. Without Kirara, it could have taken Sango any number of days trying to find him. He looked ahead of him. How big was this infernal forest?
"So, Inuyasha. Thatwas where you were hiding." a voice said from the bushes, malice dripping from every word. The boy seemed to have recognized it, because he responded angrily,
"Naraku!"
"So you recognize me I'm touched." The figure wearing the baboon pelt chuckled evilly.
"Where's Miroku? What are you plotting?!"Inuyasha cried out,. He had known his foe long enough to know that he was always plotting something in every movement, in every second of his corrupted life.
"I merely wanted to see your knew living quarters. Oh, and I have some terrific news for you." as he said the final sentence, he pulled out something from his robes.
It was pieces of a clay pot. To an on looker, it would seem like something petty, something to mock the tyrant for, but to Inuyasha it was the greatest cause of grief.
"Is that-?" Inuyasha was afraid to ask, afraid for the answer to come and shatter his heart. But it came anyway, apathetic to his feelings.
"Kikyo. Yes. Or at least what was left of her. I would have liked to have given you her head, bloody and deformed, but she instead shattered like the clay pot she was."
Inuyasha choked on his tears. How could she be dead?! After all they went through! They were supposed to die together. Together... Forever. It wasn't true.
"It isn't true! Naraku you-"
"Now, now Inuyasha. No course language. I have to answer your questions first. Miroku is dead. Why else would the pathetic little taijiya be so hysterical? Speaking of her, She's going to die too. My vapors are killing her as we speak. And, your little girlfriend, she will die as soon as she comes back from that well-world. My minions are guarding it. It seems like you've lost everything you held dear."
"Y-you're lying." Inuyasha said, crumpling to the ground. "you're lying!!"
"I'm not. You can smell lies. I'm not."
Inuyasha could feel his eyes turning red. His fury went beyond that, though. His mouth elongated, and a wind sprung up from nowhere. He turned into a ball of light, which flew upwards, high above the trees. Then it expanded, and grew in brilliance so much that Naraku shielded his eyes. When the light went away, he looked, and saw a huge dog. It was bigger than Sesshomaru's form, but smaller than the Kyuubi's. It was mostly white, but it had brownish-red paws and ears. Three tails, each about as long as two football fields lashed behind it.
"This power..." Naraku was certainly not expecting this much of a reaction to his lies. A loud voice thet could cause an earthquake boomed in his head.
YOU DARE DESTROY ALL THAT I HOLD DEAR?! I WILL KILL YOU, YOU PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A DEMON!!!!!
The ninja looked at the creature in awe, fear and confusion. What was it? Where had it come from? Older ninja, who had known the kyuubi trembled in fear. It was the Kyuubi starting all over again.
"Assemble all the ninja. It appears we will have to fight this monster." Sarutobi said with a temor in his voice.
Suddenly, though, a powerful voice sounded in his head. It was not the malicious and earth-shaking voice Naraku heard though. It was calmer and more comforting.
Do not fight me, hokage. I will not bring harm to your village. I merely wish to avenge my comrades in killing a demon. Kakashi may come after I have reverted to my humanoid form.
"Who are you?" The hokage muttered under his breath.
A friend. Nothing more.
The voice silenced then, and Inuyasha, or the beast that was Inuyasha, turned his attention back to Naraku.
YOU HAVE TORMENTED ME ENOUGH, NARAKU! PREPARETO DIE!
As Naraku's heart, which for once was in his body, was torn in the claws of the monster, his only thought was, What is Inuyasha? How could a hanyou be this? It was a question that would never be answered to him, for he was dead.