Update (March 2021): Chapter edited and lengthened!
Chapter 59: Unseal Ryūkotsusei
A few days pass after the violent encounter with the moth demon Gatenmaru and his human bandits, and we find ourselves back at the volcanic grounds of Tōtōsai's dwelling...Inuyasha emerges from the depths of the smoky fog, his mind plagued by the events of his latest demonic transformation...Of course, most of the information he knows now was provided by Coraline and the others, for his more vicious side kept his main consciousness from picking up any necessary details that could form a memory...or a full one, at least.
...I don't remember a thing from when I was transformed...No. That's not entirely true.
There is, one small piece that I can remember on my own.
...A flash of blue light, blue...like Coraline's eyes when she uses her aura powers.
He thinks back to what the redhead informed him regarding the connection between his sword and his very soul.
(Flash)
"...The Tessaiga acts as a shield to yur demon side, Inuyasha...You recall when Goshinki broke the sword's fang, righ'? Well, that acted as th' first trigger for the demon in yur blood to rise. Once i' awakens, it will take control whenev'a you need further protection your own strength can't pr'vide...This is why you mus' be very careful to avoid losin' or relinquishing Tessaiga...otherwise, when your life is in jeopardy, the inner demon will take over."
(Flash)
...Inuyasha stops in front of the entrance to Tōtōsai's lair, and looks down at his clawed hand.
The next time I transform...I may even come after you with these claws, Coraline.
He clenches it tight, adding,
And I...I don't want to fight you again, whether it be your choice or not.
Peering inside the skull entrance, we see the old sword-smith firing and hammering away at a new sword...
"Hey! You there, Tōtōsai?"
"Hm?"
He looks up behind him as Inuyasha walks in.
"We need to talk."
"Ah, yes...I expected you would come."
Coraline's POV
These last few days have been a little, depressing to say the least. I suppose considering how things went down in the confrontation between that fiend Gatenmaru and his men, it's no real surprise that Inuyasha's mood would be quieter and darker than usual...What did surprise me was not finding him this morning after waking up, although he did leave a rather cryptic note in my notebook after taking it out of my rucksack.
'I'll be back once I fix things.'...Wha' does he mean?
Currently, I'm walking down a new road between my brothers while Sango, Miroku and Shippō rode above us on Kilala...I hear the lad ask aloud,
"Where could Inuyasha have gotten to, anyway?"
Sango then calls down to me,
"You're thinkin' maybe we should leave him alone, Coraline?"
I call back,
"Yes!"
Kilala floats down a bit so we could all hear eachother better, and Besa gives the cat demon a smile of appreciation...Miroku then takes a turn speculating over where our missing companion has gone to.
"If you ask me, Inuyasha probably wants to make the Tessaiga lighter in weight. Could it be that he's just off training somewhere?"
Freeman chimes in,
"Well, with how things ended a few days ago, I wouldn't blame him for at least taking some time to gather his thoughts..."
Shippō shakes his head lightly and comments,
"Still, sounds like way too much work for the Inuyasha I know and love..."
I lightly smirk and call jokingly,
"I'd count yur lucky stars he's no' within hearin' range, lad, or I sense a poundin' in your future."
He lets out a small yelp and calls back while waving his hands frantically,
"Don't jinx it, Coraline!"
I laugh a little before Sango says,
"In that case, we should try searching every place that we can think of."
I nod...but then form a sad frown as I think to myself,
I haven't told anyone else ou' of respect of privacy, but...Inuyasha's really become torn up abou' his demon transformations.
...The way his eyes widened when I told 'im about us engagin' in battle...He looked, like he betrayed himself.
I understand 'e probably needs s'me time to collect himself...but I suck a' waiting around on me ass when m' nerves are high...
Inuyasha, wherever yeu are, I hope yu're gettin' the help you need.
No POV
Returning to the volcanic hideaway belonging to Tōtōsai, after the dog demon finishes telling the sword-smith everything that's happened this last while, the older demon doesn't skip a beat in giving the younger a lecture.
"I'm very disappointed in you, Inuyasha. It's hard to believe that you still have trouble wielding the Tessaiga."
"That's why I'm askin' you to make my sword lighter, old man! There must be some way."
Tōtōsai leans back a bit and asks causally,
"Then why don't you figure it out?"
"I'm in a hurry, okay?! (Looks down) And besides, I don't wanna transform anymore..."
The sword-smith makes a sound of confusion, and though a little reluctant, the half-demon admits his current insecurities.
"I couldn't master the Tessaiga, so I was trapped by that petty demon...I totally lost control of myself...and, one of my own friends put their life on the line, to fight my demon self, just to save me...I don't wanna go through that again. It was terrifying...I...I could've really hurt her."
Tōtōsai stokes his beard with a hum...just as Inuyasha feels a small bite on his neck.
"Ow..."
"(Slurp...) Master Inuyasha, nice to taste you again."
(Slap)
...Myōga is struck by the annoyed silverette's fist, and mutters in a strangle on the float down,
"And here, I was worried, about you..."
"So this is where you've been hidin' out, is it? Thanks alot for keeping me in the dark about the sword, Myōga."
The flea demon pops back up and stutters,
"Huh? Wh-What are you talking about?"
"Don't act innocent! You're the one who told her about the Tessaiga! Coraline told me that it's my sword which keeps my demon nature in check."
"...Hmm, well, that figures. I should've known than to trust her into secrecy..."
"Tuh, yeah well knowing the truth won't help in keeping hold of my sword...And don't you badmouth Coraline; she's, already taken enough stress..."
"Huh? What do you mean, my lord?"
"...Never mind."
Inuyasha picks up his blade again, and subsequently causes Myōga to fall off while stating seriously,
"I have to master the Tessaiga or else...It's the only way."
Tōtōsai notes the expression on the younger male's face.
"Hmm, I see you put a good deal of thought into this. You've, had enough transformations..."
"Yeah."
"...And you also don't want the young lady to sacrifice her own strength, just to fight you long enough to bring you back."
"Uh...!"
Inuyasha looks up at Tōtōsai with surprise at his deduction...before looking down with sadness in his eyes...
"Well...that leaves but one choice."
Myōga makes a sound of rising nerves, before the sword-smith says,
"Inuyasha, you must kill Ryūkotsusei."
"...Ryūkotsusei?"
The flea demon emits an even louder sound of anxiety, and Inuyasha looks down at him before the other asks,
"You didn't say Ryūkotsusei, did you?"
Tōtōsai confirms while explaining to the half-demon,
"He is the demon your father battled, and sealed him into a dormant sleep...Inuyasha, why do you think this new Tessaiga is so heavy? It is because your fang has not yet reached the power of your father's."
...
...
A little time passes, and we see Inuyasha traveling through a misty woodland valley to the location where the demon Ryūkotsusei laid. Thinking back to what the sword-smith said, he asks aloud,
"In other words, if I destroy the demon my father fought, then I'll surpass the old man in strength?"
Myōga replies from atop the subjugation beads,
"Now listen, Master Inuyasha: by 'destroy', all you have to do is pierce the demon's heart, since his powers still lie dormant."
"What? I don't have to fight him?"
"Of course not! It took every ounce of strength from your father to put this demon under seal! He wasn't able to levy a finishing blow!"
Inuyasha dully comments,
"So now I'm the one stuck with slaying him like a coward?"
"If you keep complaining, I will not show you the way!"
"Just who do you think you're talkin' to, Myōga?!"
...As the pair continue to bicker, they fail to notice an Insect of Hell spying on them...Zooming away to another remote location, we see Kanna holding up her special mirror to her master, showing him the vision of the wasp.
"Hmm...Very interesting, Kanna. I've dispatched you, Kagura, Goshinki, Jarōmaru and Kagerōmaru...and not a single one of you was able to put an end to Inuyasha. (Smirk) Hmph, let's give this Ryūkotsusei a try, shall we?"
Inuyasha's POV
Following Myōga's directions, we pass through the woods, over a waterfall, and eventually come to the high mountain ranges...I'm now climbing up one tall peak, and ask the flea in a grunt,
"How much further is it, Myōga?"
"Not much. We'll be able to see it soon, keep moving."
"Grh, I should squash you..."
Despite the threat, I had to stay focused on climbing and avoid falling to my death.
This had better be worth all the labor, otherwise I might have to consider going into the rock-climbing business...if there is one.
I climb up a few more feet, and stop to catch my breath before Myōga says,
"Master Inuyasha, look, over there."
I turn my head left, and let out a noise of amazement when I see a giant dragon demon stuck against the valley wall!...I climb and hop over to get a better look.
"...So that's Ryūkotsusei."
"Correct, and look where your father's claw has pierced him, rendering his powers dormant, right above his heart."
I see where the giant claw was, and narrow my eyes, seeing something that didn't look like it belonged...It then moved, revealed to be that conniving demon Naraku! He glances down at me with a dark laugh, and I exclaim his name while he just laughs louder, giving me the feeling that this trial for achieving strength over my fang was going to be alot harder than intended to be.
Coraline's POV
As we kept wandering down these roads to try and find Inuyasha, we eventually come across a familiar demon sword-smith riding atop his three-eyed bull companion...
Is tha', Tōtōsai...?
"Hai, Tōtōsai! Hold up!"
He stops Mōmo and turns to see us rushing to his proximity...
"What are you youngsters doing here?"
I approach him while answering,
"We've been lookin' for Inuyasha. Have you spoken with him recen'ly, and if so, do yeu know where he could be naow?"
"Inuyasha? Hmm, let me see...Inuyasha, you say?"
"Auy. He's been havin' trouble with Tessaiga, so i' seems plausible he'd come to you for advice."
"Let me see...what to do..."
...He definitely knows somethin'.
I frown and grab Tōtōsai's sleeve:
"You do know, don't you? Please, tell me where he's gone."
I end up tugging a bit too hard, and the old sword-smith almost falls off of Mōmō until my brothers steady him on both sides.
"Whah!"
"Whoa!"
"We gotcha, sir!"
I softly apologize for my actions, and Tōtōsai finally answers me question.
"Inuyasha has gone to the Valley of Ryūkotsusei."
"...the Valley of Ryūkotsusei?"
We're soon sitting by a campfire as Tōtōsai tells us what he told Inuyasha with regards to making the Tessaiga easier to wield...As the smith grills some fish with his fire-breath, Miroku asks,
"But, Master Tōtōsai, if there was such an easy way to master the Tessaiga, why didn't you just tell him earlier?"
He eats the fish and answers,
"That would've been too easy; won't learn if I hand him all the answers, now will he, hm?"
Besa replies,
"With all due respect, sir, that's not an easy bit of information to take in..."
I nod and add grimly,
"Besides, Inuyasha has suffered enough...I have suspicions he's become rath'r, disgusted with his demon side now."
Shippō looks up at me from Freeman's lap in concern, as does my brother.
The latter puts a hand on my shoulder as I continue:
"He looked so traumatized by wha' he had done...That's likely why he wen' t' see you."
Sango and Miroku agree:
"That's true..."
"Even though they were bandits, the fact remains that they were still human beings that he had killed."
I hear Besa bitterly scoff and comment in with a distant glare,
"Some 'humans' they were. I noticed that a good deal of them were enjoying reeking havoc in the village and harassing the women. As far as I'm concerned, they were just as evil as that demon leader of theirs."
We all glance at him in surprise for his rather harsh comment, and Freeman mutters his name in worry over his mood...
"Hah, I'm sorry. I just can't stand seeing brutality and harassment like that. It makes me sick and my heart turn black just thinking about it."
Miroku places a friendly hand on his shoulder and gently replies,
"I can understand that. Just be careful that you don't let negative thoughts like that cloud your view on mankind in general."
"I know...but with all that's been happening...it's hard not to have grim thoughts about the world..."
I quietly sigh depressingly and think to myself,
This whole adventure's taken a rather dramatic drop...
If bad experiences like this keep surfacin'...I'd almost consider bringin' whiskey or potcheen to help take the edge off.
Heha, really? You'd actually consider underage drinking, Little Doll? Not a healthy habit~.
I nearly jump out of my seat when that strange voice echoes into my head.
Ach!...Bill? Is tha' you?
Yep. Here and in person...Well, as in person as I can be in the mindscape.
Mindscape?...But, we're not-
I cut myself off when I notice a change in background, namely, everyone frozen and having no colour other than monochrome gray, along with the area...
"Hauh, here we go again..."
"Aw~, I was hopin' for a little more enthusiasm than that!...But I totally understand considering where your mood's at..."
The dream demon's eye emerges from one of Mōmō's, before he fully manifests into his top-hat triangle form...Still, I wasn't in the mood to speak with him.
"Bill, this isn' a good time. Can yeu please come back later?"
He looks at me for a moment, before floating down by my left and lifting a thick strand of my hair between his fingertips while gazing at my form.
"Wow, you really are depressed. What's the matter, Little Doll; is Red Sword all you can think of right now?"
I let out a breath, too tired to pick an argument with Bill. Ever since he and I constructed our deal, he's been popping into my head every once and a while to annoy the heck out of me, either making his voice boom through my skull or by teasing me with my thoughts and secrets he's uncovered in my brain...including my crush on Inuyasha. That's become a favourite topic of his...The whole experience is actually worse when I'm sleeping, because as a dream demon, he's able to take control of my dreams and twist them into something more horrifying than what my own imagination can come up with...Thankfully, he's only done it twice so far, but those nightmares scare me so bad, I wake up with a look of pure terror on my face...
"Psh, you still griping over those jump scares I've made? They can't be that scary!"
"(Mild glare) Perhaps no' to a demon like you, but I was ready to scream bloody murder. Y' need to keep in mind I'm only human."
"Yeah yeah yeah, whatever...but we're getting off topic. Red Sword...he's been havin' trouble controlling his demon ego, right?"
I almost asked how he knew, but then I remember he can see into my memories, so I just shut my mouth and nod...
"I've seen examples in the past of half-demons losing control of their demon sides. Not a pretty ending, I'll tell ya that much."
"...Do they die?"
"Either that or some stronger demon kills 'em. Had this buddy of mine back in the Nightmare Realm who was a half-demon. Lost control one day and went on a gnarly rampage. It was hilarious to watch the destruction at first...until they started killing more than they should've. I tried to stop them, but then Kryptos blasted them to smithereens before I had the chance! The idiot!"
I watch Bill suddenly glow red before slamming his fist against a tree, smashing it to pieces!...The flying debris stops in mid-air, and snaps his fingers and puts the tree back to normal.
I'll never figure ou' how 'e does that...
"...Bill?"
"I'm fine...That memory's just one of my sore spots, and one of the reasons why Kryptos and I don't talk much anymore."
He then whirls back to me and floats over so there's just a few feet between us, a strange emotion burning in the back of his eye.
"Anyway, seeing and listening to the highlights of what you've witnessed with Red Sword's problem...I'm prepared to offer an extension to our deal!"
"Wh-What?...Wha' do you mean, extension?"
"Simple: if you can gather a second Seven Light Crystal on top of the first one we already agreed to, then I'll provide a sort'a, protection to Red Sword's soul."
"Protection?"
Bill waves his hand a bit...and a translucent orb fades into view, almost like what I see when I see into the aura of a human soul...
"This is what a human's soul usually looks like; same for the central part of a half-demon...Now this..."
He waves his other hand above the orb, and I watch a red energy spark around like something was attacking it.
"This is close to what you're seeing with your Aura Reader abilities every time Red Sword's demon ego comes out to say hey. The darkness in his soul becomes controlled by the demon, and starts attacking the light, eventually to the point when the light says 'see ya' and hightails outta there. After that, you got a big cloud of somethin' that's just barely hanging onto life. All animal, all killer."
"(Gulp) And...is tha' what could happen to Inuyasha, if h's transformations become too frequent?"
"Bingo! So until he's able to overcome his different sides and wield that blade of his like it's only make of wood, he's gonna have a hell of a time spiritually...But there is a way to give him a further fighting chance!"
Bill then snaps the fingers in his free hand, and I watch as a bright yellow shield symbol fades into view over the orb, forcing the red energy sparks to back off.
"With some extra juice provided by just one crystal, I can project a shield around the central core of his soul, protecting his human essence from being bullied by the demon! Or at least to the point that it won't be consumed; worse case scenario, his consciousness will just take a back seat view to the action."
I was in awe over the possibility:
"...You can really do tha'?"
"Of course I can! I'm a dream demon; the possibilities are endless for a being like me!...So~, whadda ya say, Little Doll; wanna extend the deal?"
I put a hand under my chin in thought, even though Bill's gonna more than likely read them.
Hm, ye' another attractive offer...
Should I do it? I mean, it's not tha' I doubt Inuyasha will become strong enough t' wield Tessaiga properly again...
I'm just, scared of wha' might happen if he's disarmed long enough for h's body to take too much trauma and force his demon self t' come out.
...The beas' I've been seein' is no' at'all what Inuyasha had in mind for becomin' a full-fledged demon.
...I don't...I don' want him to lose himself.
I look up at Bill and nod firmly:
"Yes...I'd like to extend our deal. Two Seven Light Crystals, in exchange for splittin' me soul from Kikyō's half, and add protection to Inuyasha's."
"Excellent! Shall we shake? Hehaha, just kidding; we don't need to do that again! The lip service counts as an add-on."
I then grimace as my left wrist acts up a bit...
"Alright, time for me to head out again before your friends get suspicious of your spacing out. Oh, and by the way, you'll soon be close to where the first crystal lies hidden."
"I will?"
"Yep! I could be more specific, but where's the fun in that? Hehaha, anyway, off I go...and remember: reality is an illusion, the universe is a hologram, buy gold, BYYYE!"
(Flash, whoosh)
"(...Blink) Mm?"
I glance around and see that everything around me is back to normal...
"Huh...That's why I told him what he needed to do."
I snap my attention in front of me at Tōtōsai's statement as he adds,
"If he felt nothing after killing those humans, he'd have no right to wield the Tessaiga."
I nod, and think to myself while glancing down at my barely noticeable covenant mark as it completely fades from view,
All the more motivation for me t' do wha'ever possible to make sure my friend is safe...and friends of friends...
Inuyasha, this one's for you...and for you as well, Kikyō.
No POV
Returning to the mountainous valley where the dormant Ryūkotsusei lays, Inuyasha glares hard at the baboon-cloaked demon situated atop the giant canine claw...
"Naraku! What are you doing here?!"
The fiend makes no reply, instead bending down to lay a palm on the bone...before using his miasma to melt and corrode the giant claw away! Once he got a good deal of the task going, Naraku jumps into the air before shifting from view...Myōga cringes with worry,
"That claw seals his powers!"
...Come less than ten seconds later, the entire claw evaporates...and the area which it pierced glows a foreboding red!
(Ba-bump...ba-bump...ba-bump...)
One of the dragon demon's clawed hands twitches, and the sky darkens over with lightning-filled clouds before both sets of eyes - one for the dragon head, the other a humanoid face on the dragon's forehead - blink awake!...From atop the cliff-side, Naraku laughs and says to the awakening demon,
"Ryūkotsusei: over yonder stands the son of the demon who hurled you into dormancy! Do with him as you please."
The body begins to shake...before the dragon demon finally emerges from the rocky cliff-side, taking down a small portion with him! Inuyasha holds an arm to his face to shield himself from the dust and power, before looking up at the unsealed monster...
"This is terrible! We must flee, Master Inuyasha!"
"What? You must be out of your mind! This way is much better than slaying a defenseless demon like I was some kind of pathetic coward!"
Inuyasha unsheathes his blade:
"If I'm gonna make the Tessaiga lighter, then I wanna face him head-to-head! I'm gonna take you out!"
Once he was fully in tune with the conscious world, Ryūkotsusei replies to the determined half-dog demon,
"Little Man. You think that you can destroy me? Hehahuhuhuh, how very entertaining. This shall be amusing."
Inuyasha doesn't take too kindly to the insult:
"Amusing?!"
The dragon demon then opens its jaws and lunges down to try and bite the silverette, who jumps away in a dodge before landing on the other's back. He then begins charging at the demon's head, much to Myōga's dismal protest.
"It's hopeless!"
Rather than counter, however, the silverette leaps off the larger's back and runs on the side of one mountain cliff. Ryūkotsusei comments,
"Such an eyesore," and opens his jaw again to charge a lightning attack.
(...Pow, BOOM)
Inuyasha barely dodges in time, leaving the ground he was previously standing on as a free target...He doesn't seem worried, though; on the contrary, he's actually chuckling a bit from a new excitement in his blood...But then Ryūkotsusei laughs, and the silverette looks to his right, watching as Naraku gets hit by the orb of pure hot electricity instead!
...Of course, that was obviously another demon puppet, and we briefly cut to the castle of the true fiend as the doll on his end erupts in a blue flame...Based on his smile, however, Naraku is hardly insulted by the dragon demon's action.
"Ah. That demon is remarkable."
It should be easy for him to overcome Inuyasha. I shall enjoy this performance...
Getting back to the area of action, Ryūkotsusei is a bit disappointed to learn that it was only a decoy version of Naraku.
"A mere demon puppet. Hardly a warm-up..."
Inuyasha gazes over at the cliff top the demon puppet previously stood.
So he was going after Naraku from the start...
"Little Man, I hope you'll provide me with more amusement than than he could."
"Heh, (smirk) more than happy to oblige you."
...
...
"This looks like a new development..."
We jump back to the rest of our titular group joined by Tōtōsai and Mōmō, all of whom were currently gazing up at a storm cloud brewing over the mountainous section of the upcoming valley...Miroku exclaims,
"It's a demon aura!"
Kilala growls as her fur stands on end from the energy, while Shippō stutters,
"A-A-Ah, maybe something bad has happened..."
Coraline looks over at the old sword-smith and asks,
"Tōtōsai...is this a sign Inuyasha's in trouble?"
"Oooh, that fool; he has awakened Ryūkotsusei."
Sango comments,
"I've never felt such an ominous aura," and the monk adds,
"Then that means the demon Inuyasha's gone to fight must be that formidable."
Coraline grits her teeth at the thought...before deciding that she wasn't going to wait around like a sitting duck.
She breaks out into a run for the valley, forcing her brothers to chase after her.
"Dh! Wait up, Cor!"
"Slow down!"
Sango tries to call them back, running after all three:
"Coraline! Guys!"
Miroku then says,
"I think we should all go and help him," before dashing off himself. Shippō calls,
"Hey, wait for me," while Tōtōsai watches their retreating forms and mutters,
"Oh dear...What a miserable day..."
Nevertheless, he too begins his trek in the direction of the storm clouds...
Back in the higher valley, Ryūkotsusei lets out a roar before inviting Inuyasha into battle.
"Come at me, Little Man. Don't deny me some entertainment."
"Keh, I'm the one who's gonna be entertained."
The half-dog demon looks over the underbelly of the dragon demon, spotting the mark created by his father's claw.
The scar left by my father's claw!...If I can pierce him there, then Tessaiga will become lighter!
Inuyasha makes his move, leaping forward with his sword raised.
"Hraaaaaaahhhh, (swwing) yaaah!"
He smiles, thinking that the blade made contact...However...
"Huh?"
(Pow)
"Gaah!"
The katana is suddenly repelled, forcing Inuyasha backwards face-up onto the rocky ground below!...As he grimaces from the impact and checks to make sure nothing was broken, he thinks to himself,
The Tessaiga couldn't cut through his thick skin...
"See? It's useless no matter how hard you try. My body is mightier than iron!"
Ryūkotsusei then charges up another lightning orb attack.
(...Pow)
The sphere of electricity flies, and Inuyasha hops to his feet before jumping away in time.
(BOOM)
Unfortunately, he wasn't able to escape all impact this time, and would be thrown back by the power before somersaulting mid-air and landing on top a small mountain peak...He sucks in some much-needed oxygen, and Myōga cries out with a stutter,
"M-M-Master Inuyasha, we don't stand a chance!"
"Save it! This battle is just getting started."
"I already told you: it took everything in your father's power to render him dormant! More importantly, the wound inflicted upon your father was ultimately what killed him!"
That definitely got Inuyasha's attention, and as he looks back up at Ryūkotsusei as the latter comments,
"So, he perished, did he, and you are that wretch's son? Don't tell me you came to avenge him with that ridiculous little sword..."
The silverette scoffs and replies bluntly,
"Unfortunately, I don't even remember what my old man looked like! As if I would care about avenging his death!"
Myōga hops onto Inuyasha's nose to face him with an appalled expression.
"What?! How dare you say that! You've been saved countless times by the sword that your very father passed down to you!"
"Stop interfering!"
"Traitorous son...!"
The flea demon hops away from the half-dog with tears in his eyes.
"I shall have nothing, to do with you."
...But Inuyasha knew that Myōga's true motive for leaving was cowardice.
"Yeah, I know you're just running away!"
He then focuses back on Ryūkotsusei, only to get hit by an incoming tail!
(Slam)
"Guh!"
He hits the wall before falling to the rocky valley ground...
"Rgh, damn..."
My fang was the one used to repair the broken one of the Tessaiga, and the reason it's so heavy, is because I'm not as strong as my father was...
(Grip) I know. I must somehow destroy Ryūkotsusei, and surpass my father in power!
He raises himself on his feet, and readies Tessaiga as the dragon demon begins approaching him...
"(Leap) Raaaaaaahhhhhhhh!"
...
...
Just a few miles outside the main valley, we see Kilala in her full form flying with Sango, Miroku and Freeman atop her back, while Mōmō carries Tōtōsai, Coraline, Besa and Shippō. The monk and sword-smith each comment,
"What an ominous aura..."
"This isn't a good sign..."
Coraline asks,
"How could the demon Ryūkotsusei have been wok'n up?"
Freeman chimes,
"Yeah, I seriously doubt Inuyasha did it. He can be impulsive, sure, but he's not that stupid."
"As if I'd know...I must say that it poses quite the problem, though."
Besa asks Tōtōsai,
"What sort of problem?"
"If Ryūkotsusei is up once more, the Plains of Musashi will be raised to a field of ashes."
"Rgh, sorry I asked..."
Sango then asks the old sword-smith,
"How can we possibly hope to stop him, then?"
"There is only one way to stop the reawakened Ryūkotsusei: he must use the Bakuryūha, or Backlash Wave."
Coraline asks with a curious tone,
"Backlash Wave? What's that?"
"It's the ultimate technique of Tessaiga."
Miroku asks,
"You mean it's stronger than the Wind Scar?"
"The Wind Scar is a mere trick for novices."
The Brownlees exclaim,
"It is?!"
"You're kidding!"
Their sister says to Tōtōsai with a worried expression,
"Inuyasha can barely hold up Tessaiga a' present, never min' use th' Wind Scar! How is 'e suppose t' master a new technique?"
"I suppose you're right..."
...Suddenly, a tiny form comes dashing past Sango and onto Miroku's robes, who slaps it, only to discover,
"Myōga! Have you run out on Inuyasha yet again?...Gh, Coraline!"
"Auy; we need t' double our speed!"
The redhead faces back up front as the twin-tail and bull go a little faster, trying not to have a panic attack.
Please, hang on, Inuyasha...
Meanwhile, in the valley, the silverette found himself running against the side of a cliff as dodges the lightning orb attacks of Ryūkotsusei...Once the latest blitz was through, we look through the settling dust to find the half-dog demon lying atop rubble.
"Uh...Urgh..."
"Pitiful. This is more tedious than I expected. Destroying you does nothing to relieve the anger I feel towards your father."
Inuyasha merely grunts and rises to his feet again, hoisting Tessaiga over his shoulder before charging again.
"Raaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!"
But when he leaps into the air, he's then slammed by the giant dragon demon's clawed hand!
"Do you not understand that you cannot slay me with such an inferior sword?!"
"Gaaah-uh!"
Inuyasha is quickly pinned to the valley wall, and after a moment of crushing pressure, he's released to plummet to the ground below. On the way down, he loses grip on his sword:
"Hh!"
Tessaiga!
(Flash)
"The Tessaiga acts as a shield to yur demon side, Inuyasha...This is why you mus' be very careful to avoid losin' or relinquishing Tessaiga...otherwise, when your life is in jeopardy, the inner demon will take over."
(Flash)
...The dog fang katana lands blade-first in the ground, while Inuyasha slams a hard landing a couple feet away, his body pelted by some fallen rocks...Even so, he knew he couldn't waste time griping over possible injuries.
"Rgh...rrrh, (reach) Tessaiga..."
But it was then Ryūkotsusei opens his mouth to unleash his lightning orb attack again.
(Pow...BOOM)
And upon the next explosion of power, the rest of our heroes and heroines arrive in the skies above the valley...
"I see them! Over there!"
Freeman exclaims after Sango,
"Jesus Christ, that dragon's ginormous!"
Coraline was more pressed with searching for any signs of Inuyasha...Jumping back down below, we spot the dog demon lying face-down on the ground, not moving...
"How pathetic. I crushed him already. (Frown) Hm?"
(...Ba-bump...)
"...What is, happening?"
"Inuyasha!"
Ryūkotsusei turns his eyes behind him to the far right to see the new spectators. They widen their eyes when they see the half-dog demon's current condition, and Shippō exclaims,
"Oh no! Inuyasha isn't holding Tessaiga!"
The silverette's body begins pulsating more as Coraline shouts for him...
His eyes dart open, red with a white-glowing pupil, and he whispers the girl's name in return.
C...Cor-aline.