"You underestimate my strength! There was a good reason I became the leader of the Band of Seven," Bankotsu cried as he took a swing at InuYasha, who dodged. Bankotsu turned and punched InuYasha across the face. "I controlled a gang of murders with my own power long before I was resurrected by the Shikon Jewel." Very true. He punched InuYasha again, sending him flying backwards. "Heh! You really are pathetic."
"One of you jewel shards," InuYasha said as he struggled up. "It's embedded in your left arm." My eyes widened. How did he know? "That's a pretty straight forward way to use them. Especially considered how twisted you are."
Bankotsu laughed at little. "So you let me hit you on purpose to check me out. Will you take my shards from me? Or will I pull your head clean off? Who's gonna be first?" He ran at InuYasha, fist raised. InuYasha brought his hand up to strike Bankotsu, but Bankotsu blocked him and turned to punch InuYasha again. Bankotsu was getting in quiet a few hits, but it wasn't gaining him anything. InuYasha is smart for as stupid as he acts.
"What's the matter? I'm going out of my way to punch with this hand to make it easier for you to take my jewel shard," Bankotsu said and raised his left hand. Bankotsu lifted InuYasha by the throat and struck him again. "Pathetic. This is a real disappointment and here I was convinced you'd put up much more of a fight."
Bankotsu lifted the dog demon into the air by the collar of his kimono. "Don't worry, though, InuYasha, I'm not interested in tormenting someone as feeble as you. Weaklings hold no appeal for me. Now die."
Bankotsu lifted his hand to strike InuYasha one last time. There was a burst of blood and Bankotsu's hand stopped. It hadn't made contact. How had Bankotsu hurt InuYasha without making contact?
"Damn you to hell," Bankotsu muttered. That's when I noticed two of InuYasha's long nailed fingers digging into Bankotsu's throat. I gasped and stepped forward to help, but Bankotsu waved me back.
"I'm not like all the other humans and demons you've slaughtered," InuYasha said weakly. "I can take a lot more damage than them." He pulled out three sacred jewel shards.
Bankotsu dropped InuYasha, which InuYasha used as momentum to kick Bankotsu in the stomach.
"I've got five of them," InuYasha said tucking the shards in his kimono. "Once I get the one in your arm, it'll be all over for you, Bankotsu."
I covered my mouth. InuYasha was right. One more good strike and Bankotsu was a goner. Bankotsu wouldn't lose. He couldn't lose.
"Silence, fool," Bankotsu cried. "I will never die! I'll kill you and take back the jewel shards you stole from me."
"Don't count on it. I've got news: getting out of here is only half the problem. Naraku will never let you stay alive if you possess the sacred jewel shards."
"I'm sure he's more interested in killing you," Bankotsu said. I saw his gaze flicker to me. Our conversation from a few days ago came to mind. Bankotsu had been right; Naraku was only using the Band of Seven in hopes of getting rid of InuYasha, Koga, and Sesshomaru- none of which had happened yet. I choked with epiphany: even if Bankotsu won, he lost.
"Over there." InuYasha nodded towards the far tunnel. The red eyes of demons alight in the darkness. Looking around, I saw they were in every crevice imaginable, ready to strike down Bankotsu as soon as he lost. If he lost.
"Those demons are guards, they intend to go after whoever survives."
"Damn that Naraku," Bankotsu said looking at the demons.
"I have no idea what kind of deal you made with Naraku when he revived you." Bankotsu looked back at InuYasha. "Naraku used you and the Band of Seven. You were nothing but a human shield of protection."
Bankotsu laughed. "So what if he did use us?"
"You don't care?" InuYasha asked shocked. I was surprised, too.
"The Band of Seven was originally mercenaries. We were hired by clan lords and they didn't give a damn about us, either. When we became too strong and dangerous for them, they hunted us down and chopped off our heads. I never trust Naraku right from the very start. But now I'm resurrected, I can do as I please. I'll kill anyone that gets in my way. Even if it happens to be Naraku," Bankotsu bragged.
"Really? Naraku didn't do himself any favors picking you to revive," InuYasha commented.
"Enough! What's your story? How did you awaken from your seal?" Bankotsu asked rudely. InuYasha backed down a little.
"None of your business," InuYasha growled.
"It's all about breed, InuYasha," Bankotsu said. "We're all the same. That dried up old mummy, Hakushine, the dead priestess, even you. You live only because of your sensational hunger for life. Don't make us out to be the only villains here." Bankotsu waved a hand at me on the us.
"You're the ones who killed countless people, not us," InuYasha said.
"Yeah, and we've killed our share of demons too." Bankotsu leapt and grabbed the Banryu that was sticking out of the ground next to me. InuYasha ran to grab the Tetsigia before Bankotsu got in a swing.
They raced at each other and both InuYasha and I were surprised when Bankotsu ran straight passed the white haired demon and at the other demons coming down the tunnel. I knew what he was doing. If he killed the last demons he needed to reach one thousand, he'd be unstoppable. Bankotsu sliced them apart and counted as he went.
I knew he didn't want help, but I couldn't stop myself; I did not plan on letting Bankotsu died, if he did, at least my concious would be clear. I jumped out of my spot and jumped on InuYasha's back. Before he could throw me off, I pulled out a jewel shard from his shirt. I lept off, avoiding his back swing, and shoved it into my neck.
The power I felt was nothing I'd felt before. It was like a continual adrenalin rush. I could hear the blood pounding in my ears. I clenched my fist and laughed. If this was one shard, what must Bankotsu have felt with 5? This was incredible. No wonder demons went crazy for these.
As Bankotsu sliced the thousandth one, his sword began to pulse and glow an eerie red. "I don't need the rest of you!" He swung and the red light struck the demons behind InuYasha- who had blocked it with his sword. I lept up and landed behind InuYasha before I was destroyed with everything else. Bankotsu put a protective arm around me and the wind whipped back at us.
All was quiet.
"If you decide to get out of here, I won't get in your way," InuYasha finally said. I silently prayed Bankotsu would agree.
"I'm not going anywhere until I kill you and avenge my brothers," Bankotsu said. I swore under my breath.
"Heh! Just because your blade transformed a little?" InuYasha scoffed.
"Actually, I wanted to chop your head off to complete the transformation. But, then again, it might not have been enough with you being a half-demon."
"What's that supposed to mean?" InuYasha asked.
"You're about to find out!" Bankotsu cried swinging the Banryu.
Bankotsu swung at InuYasha repeatedly and began saying how Naraku had told him about the jewel shard. InuYasha tried using the Wind Scar, but Banryu eliminated it.
"You wield a demon sword too, but can it defeat my Banryu?" Bankotsu asked.
"You were resurrected by Jewel shards all right, but you're still human," InuYasha said as he dodged another attack. "That sword is surrounded by a demonic aura, get rid of it for you own good."
"Go to hell half breed!" Bankotsu yelled more at InuYasha, but the clanging of the two demon swords blocked out the words. Finally, Bankotsu raised the Banryu above his head and began spinning it. "It's over," he said.
The Banryu began forming a red ball of energy and grew steadily larger. The red ball sent out tendrils of red fire that snaked across the cave walls.
"With this power, I will lose to no one!" Bankotsu said. The red ball of energy flew forward directly at InuYasha. Despite the promise that Bankotsu would win, I was suddenly afraid. I saw the look of realization on InuYasha's face, but it wasn't excepting death, he realized something. I noticed it too late.
"Bankotsu! No!" I tried.
He brought up the tetsigia and screamed. "Back lash wave!" A silver tornado formed at redirected Bankotsu's red energy ball back at Bankotsu. I screamed along with Bankotsu and dodged behind a boulder. Bankotsu threw up the Banryu in order to protect himself, but it snapped in two and dissolved. I heard him scream in terror and pain as his own power engulfed him.
"Bankotsu!"