And the last part of this Arc!
Chapter XVIII. Confrontation
From the field where the children had been going about their day to day occupations, the moment when the barrier around mount Hakurei fell was clearly felt by all – as the oppressive purity was suddenly replaced by a malevolent aura much worse, that was even felt by the nearby villagers.
Just like Tsukiko would realize moments later, it was clear to the assassin's mind that if such corruption was to spill, they, and all the nearby villages, wouldn't hold a candle to it.
And while he had a few fighters with him, the two adult wolf-tribe members, dozen of wolf beasts and lone nekomata would never be enough to protect the village against the swarm, to say nothing of the feeling of the youki itself - there was a reason why Nikko was a youkai exclusive zone after all, and it wasn't simply communitarism.
Worry marring his brow, he gestured for Shinobu to start helping the children pack, and going himself to help, soon making them move to the village.
Meanwhile, he didn't stop paying attention to the vocal chat, where all were brainstorming for a solution.
The simpler, and ideal solution would have been to erect a purification barrier to replace the suppressing one that had been hiding the youkai until then – but Houkushin had been one of the very few holy servant able to do something of that scale and power alone.
Then came the solution of protecting each village individually, which would take less power – but given how constrained by time they were, it really wasn't doable fast enough.
There was also the option of using divine powers, there were two gods at hand – but Tsukiko was the only one to have ever used her powers on such a scale, and right now Death's touch wasn't what was needed. But Ryoichi didn't have the advantage of being blessed by Magic – if he was the one to act on this scale, it would take its toll, that much was clear.
Of course, that didn't mean he wouldn't do it.
Still – he had three holy servants not to far, and a goddess – he wouldn't be alone in his task.
With that said, he smiled at Shinobu, and left the bewildered cat in charge.
[Ryoichi entered Mount Hakurei: +500WP]
Time hadn't stopped while the holy servants were brainstorming – and as Tsukiko's group was roaming the upper levels of Mount Hakurei, they soon encountered another opponent – one they would have to fight this time...
"Mou!Why is it that I can never fight InuYasha?" Jakotsu loudly complained, eyeing Sango and Tsukiko with distaste – mingled with a healthy bit of well hidden fear in the ookami's case "Eh, I guess I can still have fun with the priest!"
"You won't." Shippou contradicted, stepping forward, Sango following suit "We'll take care of him alpha, Miroku, you take care of the country!"
The wolf hime and the human priest were both rather proud of their young pack-mate as he once more rose to the challenge, Sango's Hiraikotsu already flying toward Jakotsu the only confirmation needed from the tajiya. With a nod, they turned back, heading once more toward the temple they had left moments earlier, knowing that they would soon be met with Kagome, Kanna and Ryoichi.
Jakotsu had tried protesting the two's departure – or rather Miroku's one, he didn't give a damn about the female – but Shippou's Fox Fire had been in his way.
And while the mercenary had been tempted to forge on anyway, that fire not yet as bad as the elder kitsune's had been the day before, he couldn't, as the tajiya's weapon was coming toward him. He sent his snake sword in the way of the large boomerang, then soon realized that the unusual weapon had left behind a mark before leaving "Fuck! Poison!" he realized, not having faced the woman long enough until then to have noticed it.
Just like Ryoichi, Shippou favored short-ranged blades that weren't well suited against the adaptable snake blade – but contrarily to the red kitsune, Shippou may have started his growth spur, he was still small, and his agility was second only to his alpha and beta in their pack. As such, the young fox was weaving between the heated attack as if he was dancing, steadily coming nearer and nearer to the mercenary, while the man was prevented from getting away by Sango and her Hiraikotsu, always in the way of his dodging.
"You're not too bad for a child!" the mercenary was soon praising – and from his wild smile, the kit realized with a startle that the undead really was enjoying their dangerous fight "And you'd have been such a looker in a few years!" the man added with a pout, while he rushed toward the kit, his sword retracting to a more traditional length swiftly enough that Shippou couldn't dodge in time
Sango eyed the wounded kit with worry – but even if he couldn't hide a wince at large gash biting in his shoulder, that a few centimeters to the side would have ended his life, Shippou merely put a hand on the wound, a sizzling sound permeating the air as his fire cauterized the wound.
It would scar – but like this he wouldn't bleed out, seeing as no holy servant was nearby, and that right now they had better to do than heal him, the kitsune mused.
"Aw! I was enjoying that blood, spoilsport!" Jakotsu protested
"Well I enjoy my life much more!" Shippou bit back
The next moments were harder – the fox had shifted his weapon to his off-hand, and while he was proficient with it, he wasn't as good as with his main hand, while Jakotsu had stopped trying to get away from him and instead was fighting at close range too, the mercenary frighteningly skilled with his blade even at this distance, and even able to keep Sango away quite easily...
It was evident after all – the woman was just a bother to him, as such he was vicious in his attack against her, while he was playing around with the kitsune, enjoying their fight too much to end it swiftly, both realized.
Still, it was that lackadaisical attitude that meant that Shippou still had a chance, something both member's of Shadow's pack realized.
In the next minutes, they both worked together to make the man forget about the tajiya's presence – the young woman attacking less and less after feigning that one of the attacks had hurt her far more than it really had, while Shippou's fledgling Mist Flames, while not yet as efficient as Kanna's, were making the girl's presence seem less important.
This was something they had to do carefully, as someone as in tune with his surroundings on the battlefield as Jakotsu wasn't easily fooled – but bit by bit, the kit focused all the mercenary's attention on him, taking a few bad blows in the process.
Until finally, the undead was looming, confident in his superiority – and having completely forgotten about Sango, who chose that moment to strike.
Hiraikotsu cut the man in two, poison eating at him, and Shippou, who'd nimbly ducked under the boomerang, jumped to his throat, claws digging in and coming out bloody – but with the shard that had maintained the man alive.
[Second goal update (6/7): +100XP]
[Person of interest killed (Jakotsu): +500WP]
¤.¤.¤
Kanna was near Kagura when the cave shuddered around them, as the reiki barrier surrounding the mount fell.
But more than the reiki's disappearance, what really shocked the group that was in the lower levels of the mountain was the shudder that was suddenly followed by a steady beat around them, echoing in all of the cave...
"A heartbeat." InuYasha was the first to identify the sound, a niggling instinct telling him this had to be bad
The hanyou was right they all realized – and all knew that a heart beat powerful enough to echo through the whole cave couldn't be good.
"It's coming from down there." Kouga pointed out
"I guess we know where we're going now?" InuYasha concluded, turning toward Kanna "Nearly done here?"
Kanna gave a last look at her sister, shadows gathering around her before lashing at the other spirit from all directions – they were after all in a cave, a place with shadows aplenty, an easy playground for her...
Without a second glance at the older looking woman, she nodded "I'm ready, beta-nii."
InuYasha and Kagome eyed their youngest speculatively, wondering what they hadn't seen – but now wasn't the time ask. The human miko swiftly mounted on Padfoot, and the four were soon jumping right in the middle of the swarm, falling down and under, using the walls to slow their fall from time to time while sending the youkai around them packing with large waves of youki and reiki.
It soon became evident, that the deeper they went, the strongest the enemies were becoming, as such Kouga eventually halted their fall, knowing they'd need to be more serious about their fights soon enough.
That was when Tsukiko's message arrived, informing them of something vital they had missed as they were already so deep in the youkai swarm they hadn't realized how potent a threat it was for the outside.
"Will the two of you be alright?" Kagome fretted as decision was made to split up
"Keh, the brat and Sango won't waste their time finding us." InuYasha pointed out "Go do what you can, and we'll do what we can."
The miko nodded at the reassurance, realizing her beta was right, and Kanna jumped beside her on Padfoot, shadows swirling around the Grimm as his paws hit the ground.
Now that they'd stopped going the short way, the wolf and inu hanyou were once more traveling in tunnels going around the large cave, aiming downward – and soon, both could feel the familiar scent of bones and burial ground, Bankotsu announcing his presence moments later by swiftly swinging his halberd at both of them "Ah! Let's see how your weird flames compare to my Banryuu now!"
The beta hadn't needed the taunt to realize the weapon had changed once more "Keh, you're playing around with more shards, eh."
Indeed – the mark left by his flames earlier had disappeared, and the weapon was bristling with power. But not only that, the undead himself seemed different, he realized after a few more exchanges.
"Not only your weapon but you too. What a wimp, needing so much of the blasted things to fight!" he taunted
"Bah, power was made to be used!"
As for Kouga – he understood now, how evident it was that this was but a borrowed strength , because no matter how more powerful the undead had become, his fighting abilities and experience hadn't changed.
Against the hanyou alone, his raw strength would perhaps had made him a problem, but right now, they were two against him, both youkai having decades of experience on him – InuYasha even more-so than him, even if he would never admit it to Tsukiko's annoying beta.
The mercenary had been surprised when InuYasha had stashed his blade, instead coming at him with claws only – but the hanyou knew what he was doing, her realized moments later, as the beta's claws were soon ripping of the flesh, and snatching a shard from his left arm, the wound not healing as swiftly as other wounds had done since he'd been awakened from the grave – the result, he could guess, from those annoying, and most of all unknown red flames.
Kouga was taking the shard in his second arm a moment later, Goraishi leaving deep gouging wounds behind, even if those were closing contrarily to the gash caused by the hanyou, and bit by bit, the two canine cornered the mercenary, proving once more the flawless and natural teamwork that had caused them to be paired together.
They didn't bother taking the shard's in the man's leg, Kouga instead managing to push him right in the path of a Storm Flame enhanced Kaze no Kizu that cut the man in two.
They were faced with the deranging vision of the half body still alive and trying to put itself together once more, but Kouga was already taking care of the two shards in the lower body half, while InuYasha was taking out the last shard from his throat, and those in his weapon.
[Life Quest Complete! The Seven Undead...
Reward: +100XP, +1 Stone Enhancement to be chosen, Shichini-tai added to Boss List]
[Person of interest killed (Bankotsu): +500WP]
"You know," Kouga commented as they took the time to rest a bit to let their wounds close up "They may have been murderous bastard, it still was rather cruel of Naraku to call them back from the dead only to use them, not caring a bit as they died a second time one after the other."
"It was cruel, but they still caused a lot of unnecessary deaths in those days they were back. Don't waste your time pitying them, those bastards are better dead."
"That they are." a new and welcome voice agreed – Shippou and Sango had caught up with them
Kouga checked briefly that all were good to go, and they were once more heading down.
[Kouga entered Mount Hakurei (underground): +500WP]
[Shippou entered Mount Hakurei (underground): +500WP]
[InuYasha entered Mount Hakurei (underground): +500WP]
[Sango entered Mount Hakurei (underground): +500WP]
The notification weren't necessary for the four to realize they had changed area – as around them, the walls texture had changed, and was looking much more organic, while the temperature had rose drastically.
"Oh kami!" Sango was the first to realize, revulsion on her face "I think we're inside a youkai!"
The two youkai spread their senses at the affirmation, soon realizing that not only she was right, but the flesh walls were rapidly expanding, taking over even the higher levels they'd come from – and that this of course, explained the steady heartbeat echoing throughout the whole mountain.
"Let's not waste time." Kouga decided, extending a hand toward the tajiya, who understood and jumped on his back, the group rushing toward the nearby end of the tunnel
"We're... out of it, I think..." Shippou mused, as they observed the nightmarish vision around them, as the floor was covered in a multitude of youkai part of all kind
"I think we've found the rejects of Naraku's latest bout of rearranging." InuYasha concluded as they waded through the body parts
"Not only that..." Kouga, who was the further forward added, disgust clear in his voice "I think he also tried to birth something else..."
Wondering what could make the sturdy wolf daiyoukai so ill at ease, they made their way to him, before Shippou swiftly turned back, trying not to retch at the horrific vision...
At the center of the cave, a pile of small bodies was discarded, hundreds of misshaped, yet clearly human remnants – of baby remnants.
"What the fuck is this?" InuYasha whispered, the rudeness in his tone not hiding just how disturbed he too was by the chilly scenery
"I don't know, but whatever Naraku's purpose here he must be done, because he's not here anymore."
"Too bad none of the holy servants is there," mused Shippou "Maybe they could have felt something more."
"Let's send a message to alpha, then get the hell out of here." InuYasha suggested "If she feels she need to see this, she'll be able to come thanks to Padfoot shadows as long as one of us is with her." he reminded the kit
They swiftly did just that – and were soon back in the lower levels of Mount Hakurei, all the tunnels now looking like soft flesh, and acid dripping from the walls – but while they were rushing through the dangerous corridor, they couldn't help but be glad to be out of the creepy cave.
¤.¤.¤
[Ryoichi entered Mount Hakurei (temple): +500WP]
[Kagome entered Mount Hakurei (temple): +500WP]
[Kanna entered Mount Hakurei (temple): +500WP]
In terms of ritual, what they were doing was rather simple, as they clearly didn't have time to do anything too elaborated.
Ryo and Tsukiko's experience as alchemist had forced them to learn to have a fast and steady hand, something that they had taken care to cultivate again in this life, and it was once more proving just as useful in rituals as it had been in alchemy.
The two godly beings were in the center of two interconnected circles, one orientated by a few pictograms toward purification while the other was dedicated to regeneration, Miroku and Kanna by Tsukiko's side while Kagome was by Ryoichi's.
They couldn't purify the whole area – for one thing the power needed, even with Tsukiko's abilities a a miko, would be dangerous for their bodies, and for another, a purification on that scale wouldn't distinguish between friend and foe, simply eradicating all youkai in the area.
But they could still eradicate the weaker youkai, that were the main body of the swarm, thus cutting the quantity of youki, all the while boosting all the life around to encourage them to resist the degradation by multiplying temporarily their regeneration – humans would heal faster, and the damaging youki would be purified from them, the plant life would grow fast enough that the withered ones would be swiftly replaced, and animals would be protected too...
Sure enough, the strongest youkai wouldn't be slain – but they also probably wouldn't want to stay in a purified zone any longer after having been imprisoned within the mount, as such all they could do was hope the villagers managed to defend themselves long enough for the swarm to be gone – something that they should manage thanks to the regeneration that would make them much harder to kill as long as they were in the area.
Getting a feel of their holy power was much easier in the holy temple, something that greatly helped Ryoichi as he'd only made use of them once before, and soon both his and Tsukiko's aura were freed, swirling around them in powerful waves of emerald green and sunny yellow, mingling together before propagating to the three holy servants who were at the three points of the triangle engraved on the ground, anchoring the ward right in the center of the temple, then blossoming around them, growing until it had encased the whole mount, then the neighboring villages.
In that moment, the holy servants had a taste of how godly powers felt.
While the wards were settling, they could feel all the souls held within, each villager, all the children assembled by the red kitsune, their pack-mates and friends; but also the hostile youkai around them and even Naraku's irredeemably evil soul thanks to Tsukiko's Soul Art that was the power she'd used to set the purification.
From Ryoichi's Life Art, they gained in that brief moment a new comprehension of the cycle of life around them, and an understanding of the nature around them only elemental spirits generally had, feeling all plant life wither and grow, and even the peoples wounds be inflicted and healed away...
[Hallows skill reached rank 60!]
[Magic Art affinity reached 20/25]
[Nature Art affinity reached 15/25]
[Pacifier skill reached rank 15!]
[Holy system updated!
Higurashi Kagome (miko, LV155) has been added to Light's holy servants]
[Hidden challenge LV300 complete! Birth of a Sanctuary...
in combining your powers you created wards powerful enough to endure through time
Hidden challenge reward:+4000XP for all holy beings,
Tsukiko and Ryoichi unlocks "Creator of the Sanctuary" soul-bound title (+50% to all regeneration rates while in the Sanctuary's boundaries),
Kanna and Kagome unlocks "High Priestess of the Sanctuary" soul-bound title (+30% to all regeneration rates while in the Sanctuary's boundaries),
Miroku gains "High Priest of the Sanctuary"soul-bound title (+30% to all regeneration rates while in the Sanctuary's boundaries),
+1 minor characteristic tome unlocked for all holy beings
+1 permanent Recall Point to Sanctuary unlocked for all holy beings]
[Level up! You are now level 192!
+5SP, +2CP, +1PP]
[Level up! Ryoichi is now level 201!
+4SP, +2CP, +1PP]
[Level up! Kagome is now level 155!
+8SP, +2CP, +1PP]
[Level up! Kanna is now level 151!
+8SP, +2CP, +1PP]
[Level up! Miroku is now level 154!
+8SP, +2CP, +1PP]
[Ryoichi is now Five-Tailed!
Five-Tail Perks
-Might of the Dragon: when needed ryu can be powerful warriors able to use the force of nature against their opponents, you will gain the characteristic of one of their hanyou (+2 Strength and +1 Agility every half decade) and unlock the mastery of one nature element (unlocked by becoming a dragon's treasure, locks Mind of the Dragon)
-Mind of the Dragon: ryu are reputed for their peaceful ways, trying to reason before resort to fight, you will gain the characteristic of one of their hanyou (+2Wisdom and +1Luck every half decade) and unlock the mastery of your inner element (unlocked by becoming a dragon's treasure, locks Might of the Dragon)
- All is One (available only if three Mystical skills /=25): you understand the flow of natural energies around you so well that you can even learn to use them (inherited from past life)
- Sun Child: unlocks Light Manipulation as a fast growing skill (inherited from father)
available: 1]
[Kagome, Kanna and Miroku are now Four-Tailed!
Four-Tail Perks
- Soul Whisperer: as a holy servant dedicated to Shadow, your Soul Sense is so finely attuned that you can even catch the thoughts of the dead (available to Miroku and Kanna)
- Blood Singer: blood is blood, and as long as you use that medium your can weave any ward, rituals or other written base-abilities without being limited to reiki-based aptitudes : magic, youki or any other energy will be yours to use in that form (available to Miroku and Kanna)
- Shadow Walker: unlocks Shadow-Blending and Shadow Travel (available to Kanna)
- Nature's Child: you gain the attributes of a spirit (unlocked by becoming Lights holy servant or gaining Nature affinity) (available to Miroku and Kagome)
- Sun Healer: you can heal wounds mots couldn't, able to influence to their very HP regeneration rate far beyond what normal holy servant can (unlocked by becoming Light's holy servant)(available to Kagome)
- Light Bringer: all your reiki, defensive and fighting abilities are enhanced by your Light affinity (unlocked by becoming Light's holy servant)(available to Kagome)
- Pack Symbiosis: even your soul can learn from your pack mates, and just like your alpha you hold a large soul and reiki, with this perk you will you further follow her example by becoming a Youkai Miko/Houshi (youkai specy to be chosen) (available to Miroku and Kagome)
note that the yearly powers from your inheritances and miko abilities will become decennial as a youkai
available: 1]
[You have entered Yin-Yang Sanctuary
while inside this area, all people meeting the correct criteria benefit from +25% to all regeneration rate.
The criteria is: all alignment but Evil]
[New grimoire entry: Alignment
All people can be qualified by a combination of two alignment, and that alignment is found in the Character Window.
The first alignment is Good, Neutral and Evil and judge the intent of a person.
The second alignment is Order, Neutral and Chaos, and is characteristic of their life philosophy.]
[Barrier erected (regeneration): +1000WP]
[Barrier erected (purification): +1000WP]
"I can't believe I'm the only one who didn't get a tail..." Tsukiko commented with an amused smile in the part-stunned part-weary silence that followed the slew of information
She looked around her – all of them were exhausted, but given the message she'd just had from her beta and the feeling the large Shikon fragment that must have been Naraku's was giving off, this sadly wasn't the time yet to rest. Still, she mused – while she still had work to do, she could let them rest, as they should be safe in the temple...
As if reading her mind, her pack-mates and fiance were slowly getting up "You're not going anywhere without us, bambina."
"You know me too well." she pouted at the affirmation
"Ah but he's right alpha. Whatever is coming next, we're facing it together." Miroku commented with a strained smile
With that all had managed to stand up, and were now mentally prepping themselves by pushing both weariness and pain to the side for a while longer – and Tsukiko was opening a portal to her beta, black flames answering to her call.
¤.¤.¤
"You look like shit." InuYasha commented in greeting "But whatever you've done, it worked." he added referring to the notifications they'd gained too, updating them on the holy servants work
"And you've finished off the Shichinin." she answered back with a smile
"We have." he nodded "But now we're stuck in a damn youkai's innards, and with no idea about Naraku's whereabouts."
"I can feel his Shikon fragment, so I can guide us." Kagome informed "But..." a frown "Whatever he's done inside this place, the feeling of evil and power the jewel has done is now far worse than it was."
"Worse or not, it's a chance we've got to take."
"I'll meet you there." Tsukiko announced to the group that seemed ready to head out
"You're going to see that right?" Kanna was the one to realize
Tsukiko nodded.
While linked to her powers, all, just like her, had felt the massive lump of powerful feeling emanating from deep inside the mountain – the place, more than likely, that InuYasha had messaged them about while they were doing the ritual, as such, none of them were surprised to hear she was going to see it.
With that, Kouga was heading out with the rest of her pack, Kagome guiding them toward Naraku, while she turned in the opposite direction, Ryoichi and Padfoot by her side – down and under, until they arrived to the cave InuYasha had described, and the pile of discarded bodies...
[Tsukiko entered Mount Hakurei (underground): +500WP]
[Ryoichi entered Mount Hakurei (underground): +500WP]
The feeling of an incomplete soul and a patchwork of feeling rushed at her, nearly overwhelming her senses in its power.
"Oh Naraku, you fool." she laughed coldly – and in that moment, her eyes glowing green, she was Shadow rather Tsukiko, Death's sister facing the arrogance of a mortal with all the due contempt
No complicated ritual was needed for this, Death's powers washing the area, all the discarded pieces of youkai easily purified, while the grotesque pile seemed to condense in a small, glinting black pearl.
A shikigami was animated, and Wrath appeared "Here, would you hold on this for me?"
The Holy Servant eyed the jewel with an intrigued and amused smirk "Half of a soul, little Shadow?"
"Mortals are foolish, and it's their own fault if I take advantage of it." she answered, with a smile darkly amused, that would have reminded any present of her link to Death – but there was only Light and Padfoot, neither needing the reminder, nor afraid at seeing the goddess' part of darkness make an appearance
"I see." the former homunculus nodded, echoing her smile by one just as bloodthirsty "I shall hold on to this then. Have fun!"
Business done, Tsukiko called her black flame to her, opening a portal to InuYasha once more, and the trio left, leaving behind them an empty cave with a small, pure lake of crystalline water in it's middle.
[Person of interest neutralized (Naraku's Shinzou): +500WP]
The trio reappeared in the middle of a confrontation – as her pack and Kouga had finally found Naraku, and even Kagura was nearby.
Powers still high strung from her latest divine act, it was easy enough for her to read through the wind sprite's feelings, understanding that Kanna must have found a way to make the information about the Life Binding Ritual and Holy Servant Reawakening to her sister, her hopeful and conflicting feelings echoing loud enough that even Miroku and Kanna could feel them...
Of course, Tsukiko understood what Kagura's problem was – as a wind spirit, her need for freedom was strong, and in her mind, freeing herself from Naraku only by tying herself to someone else didn't seem like freedom at all.
Which was why she had to chose someone she trusted not to use her – something naturally difficult, even more-so in her situation, where all those trying to help her were her apparent enemies, people she didn't know enough about to have a definite opinion.
In Tsukiko's opinion, there was no real hesitation to be had – there was but one solution Kagura would choose.
¤.¤.¤
While the demoness was still mulling, she turned her attention back toward the main attraction...
The evil hanyou had been found by the group mere moment before Tsukiko's return, body materializing from the lumps of chair agglutinated around from the living mountain itself – and this time Naraku wasn't hiding a half-formed monstrosity behind his white pelt... the hanyou had finally finished combining his body in a form echoing that of a daiyoukai, a powerful protective barrier around him and all could see that Chaos Game was now marking him as a Level Max.
However he'd done it, his time hidden within Mount Hakurei had been far from useless, and now he was freely taunting them "How pitiful that you all managed to come so far, finally catching up to me... But far too late!"
"Bah! Cut the crap! You got a makeover, what's the big deal!" InuYasha still taunted back
"Shall we test it then?" Naraku answered back, youki flaring around him
It was as if a signal had been sent, the mountain shuddering and starting to crumble around all of them while the youkai finally broke free of the ruins, rushing toward the nearby countryside - and the Sanctuary's barriers flared in answer, countless of them purified before they could even leave Mount Hakurei, the swarm considerably reduced under Naraku's furious eyes.
[Person of interest neutralized (Youkai swarm 60%): 60%*1000WP]
Still, despite the barriers doing their job, they were still nearing point blank against Naraku, and the man had the most corrosive youki of all, and his miasma was now pervading the area.
In the pandemonium ensuing Mount Hakurei's collapsing, all had managed to dodge between the smithereens, and when the dust settled, they were now facing the hanyou at the edge of the crater that had replaced the mountain, and that was already starting to be overgrown by vegetation despite the miasma, thanks to the Sanctuary's effect – and at the bottom of the crater, a familiar temple could be seen...
"I'm surprised you managed to survived, but no matter." his smile grew darker "After all, with this body I've achieved my goal."
The next attack wasn't as wide – but clearly aimed at Kagome. The miko barely managed to dodge, so fast the blade of youki had been, and still gained a bleeding line on her cheek.
"I see." Miroku commented "You may have grown more powerful, but your aim was to be get rid of your human heart, wasn't it?"
And unlike Musou, all realized, this time the hanyou seemed to have been successful.
In retaliation for the attack, InuYasha had jumped in the fight, not wasting time with Kaze no Kizu but directly jumping to Bakuryuuha, using the man's youki against him.
Any satisfaction he'd have felt at hitting his target was replaced by rage and frustration as he realized that the other hanyou hadn't even bothered dodging – once more, the bastard was taunting him with a new ability while using him as a testing dummy!
And while Tessaiga's trusted ougi did indeed make it past the barrier, tearing Naraku's body to pieces – they could all see that his body was swiftly reforming despite the clearly deadly attack...
"Kukuku, let me return your attack at you." the hanyou laughed
Around the reforming body, the barrier was up once more, and sure enough, the violent attack unleashed by Tessaiga the moment before was sent their way, making all dodge in a hurry.
"What a pretty puppet you've made yourself into." Tsukiko commented as she lightly touched the ground a few meters ahead of the others, not realizing that Shadow was still leaking a bit, eyes glowing green as she observed the foolish mortal who'd thought to outdo Death by unweaving his soul "Too bad it's now empty..."
The technique, while just as stupid, was at least more elegant than Voldemort's own careless butchering of his own soul, she mused...
"Puppet!" the reforming man laughed at the mocking term "I've become invincible!" he corrected
"Oh, I know what you've done." the goddess confirmed with a feral smile, KageShin sliding out of her sheath
"Well,"Shippou commented "Scary Tsuki-chan made an appearance."
"Naraku's messed with his soul." InuYasha pointed out, remembering the earlier War update "That was stupid of him."
"You don't seem too annoyed that she's not holding back for once?" Kouga noted, as he'd already realized that the alpha tended to let those having a grudge against the hanyou attack first
"There's no helping it is there?" Miroku was the one to answer, leaning on his shakujou stay upright "Because he's finally provoked directly our alpha."
With a step so fast it was nearly invisible, she was suddenly near the hanyou that had been floating a few meters higher, and hadn't expected the ookami to suddenly invade his personal space, the dusky katana slashing through the barrier as if it wasn't there to bit directly through him – and even though he'd managed to put up an armored arm to deflect the weapon, he could feel the blade sapping at his strength
"How naughty, trying to steal my powers! Well, I guess I've overstayed my welcome!"
Tsukiko didn't bother correcting the hanyou, that had wrongly assumed her blade was absorbing his youki – when what it really was doing was stealing some of the numerous youkai souls coalescing together to make him.
"Run, little puppet, run." she commented lightly as the barrier around Naraku swirled, and he disappeared, Kagura rushing toward Kanna a second before fleeing too
"What! Since when can the bastard teleport!" Kouga protested loudly at the escapee
"And more importantly... Why don't you seem more angry?" InuYasha wondered
Tsukiko laughed once more "Right now, Naraku is irrelevant, and he's done the damage himself!"
"You called him an empty puppet..." Kagome asked rather than state
"Because that's exactly what he is right now." a smile "So desperate was he to get rid of Onigumo's feelings, and in an idiotic quest of power, he decided to separate his soul in its basic components, getting rid of the feelings, stowing the spirit away somewhere, and leaving his body with but his mind."
"He got rid of both nigi-mitama and saki-mitama, and removed nigi-mitama and ara-mitama." Miroku realized with widening eyes "It's just like you said, right now his body is no better than a simple detachment, and it's why he can't die! His heart and soul are else where!"
"In other words, we'll have to get rid of it before killing him?" Sango realized "That's why you weren't angry that he ran."
"No matter how much we damage him, as long as we don't find his heart, he'll only regenerate." Tsukiko nodded before turning toward her youngest pack-mate "So, what did your sister told you?"
The shadow sprite smiled brightly "She'll do it." she gestured at a familiar feather in her hands "We're to call her with this when we're ready."
The pack smile at the happiness of the young girl, and they turned toward the direction of the village where they'd left the rest of their traveling companions, more than ready to drop to the ground and rest for a week straight.
¤.¤.¤
[Villagers saved (80%): 80%*1000WP]
[Goal failed! Naraku completed his new body...
Goal update: find Naraku's Heart]
[Life Challenge LV200 Complete! Naraku's playing ground...
total WP: 25 900
Reward: +200XP, +1 alternate Life Perk to be chosen
Bonus reward: 12*1000XP, +4 Enhancement Stone to be chosen, +2 beginner Tail skill book, +1 Tail perk to be chosen]
[Level up! You are now level 204!
+12SP, +4CP, +1PP]
[Level up! Kagome is now level 174!
+19SP, +6CP, +1PP]
[Level up! InuYasha is now level 186!
+14SP, +4CP, +1PP]
[Level up! Shippou is now level 168!
+22SP, +8CP, +2PP]
[Level up! Miroku is now level 174!
+20SP, +8CP, +2PP]
[Level up! Sango is now level 165!
+23SP, +8CP, +2PP]
[Level up! Kanna is now level 172!
+21SP, +8CP, +2PP]
[Level up! Ryoichi is now level 212!
+11SP, +CP, +1PP]
[Level up! Kouga is now level 164!
+14SP, +6CP, +1PP]
[Level up! Shinobu is now level 149!
+51SP, +20CP, +5PP]
[Level up! Ginta is now level 145!
+67SP, +26CP, +6PP]
[Level up! Hakkaku is now level 144!
+70SP, +28CP, +7PP]
[Tsukiko is now Five-Tailed!
Five-Tail Perks
- All is One (available only if three Mystical skills /=25): you understand the flow of natural energies around you so well that you can even learn to use them (inherited from past life)
- Magical Core (available only if Sky or Mist Flame /= 25): you unlock the attribute of a Witch/Wizard (inherited from past life)
- Moon Child: when in dire situation, the Moon will protect you, unlocks a powerful shield boosted by your Light Affinity (unlocked by being accept as a full-fledged member of the House of Moon family)
- Pack Symbiosis: you learn from your pack mate, Metamorph is now just as versatile as Shape-shifting but the skill is dropped down by half its points
- Sanctuary Child: you carry part of the Sanctuary blessing even outside of it, enhancing all your regeneration rates by your YinYang affinity(unlocked by being there during the Sanctuary creation, or for all children born inside it)
Available: 2]
[Shippou and Sango are now Four-tailed!
Four-Tail Perks
- Pack Symbiosis: Magic core (available only if Sky or Mist Flame /= 25): you unlock the attribute of a Witch/Wizard (available for Shippou)
- Colors of a Soul : unlocks a secondary Flame
- Marauder: you have a unique ability with illusions, unlocks True Illusions as a fast learning skill (inherited as a Kitsune)
- Sanctuary Child: you carry part of the Sanctuary blessing even outside of it, enhancing all your regeneration rates by your YinYang affinity (unlocked by being there during the Sanctuary creation, or for all children born inside it)
- Pack Symbiosis: your soul has grown as larger, and your body as started to take on the characteristic of a hanyou, it's now up to you to complete the change (unlocked at Four Tail with Youkai Touch already unlocked) (available to Sango)
Available: 2]
[Shinobu, Ginta and Hakkaku are now Three-Tailed!
Three-Tail Perks
- Blood Claw: weaponless attack inflict Bleeding, unlocks Physical Resistance as a fast learning Fighting Skill
- Sibling-pack Symbiosis: you learn from your sibling-pack, unlocks Elemental Manipulation as a fast learning skill (with an element to be chosen)
- Sanctuary Child: you carry part of the Sanctuary blessing even outside of it, enhancing all your regeneration rates by your YinYang affinity (unlocked by being there during the Sanctuary creation, or for all children born inside it)
Available: 2]
[Alternate Life Perks
- House of Moon Inheritance: +2Strenght, +1Wisdom every decade
- House of Leaf Inheritance: +2Agility, +1Luck every decade
- House of Fang Inheritance: +2Agility, +1Charisma every decade
- House of Long Inheritance:+2Luck, +1Charisma
- Spirit Court Inheritance: +2Intelligence, +1Agility
- Higurashi Inheritance: +2Wisdom, +1Intelligence every decade
- Tajiya Inheritance:+2Strenght, +1Endurance every decade
Available: 1]
The group trudged slowly toward the village, which evidently had suffered during the the youkai swarm passage, but was still standing, thanks not only to the new Sanctuary's effect but also to Shinobu, Ginta and Hakkaku's protection, the youkai and hanyou not having hesitated one moment to fight to save the humans, even the older orphans doing whatever they could to defend the place...
As it stood, while the other villages around the former Mount Hakurei had survived too, this one was probably the one who came out the best out of the trial.
¤.¤.¤
The holy servants were ready to drop down – and looked it, Shippou was still badly hurt, and while not as badly hurt, InuYasha, Kouga and Sango had fought for hours on end too. As such when then finally arrived to the village, Shinobu, Ginta and Hakkaku were soon taking charge, gently pushing them through the same hut that had been lent to Shadow's and Tsume's pack barely two days before.
InuYasha and Kouga were on their feet the next day, helped by both their youkai blood and the Sanctuary's regeneration bonus, Sango following by midday, then Shippou by the evening.
Kanna woke up the second morning, followed a few hours later by Miroku and Kagome.
By the third day, to the general worry, neither Tsukiko nor Ryoichi were showing any sign of waking up.
"I knew divine powers weren't made for the mortal realms..." Kagome was explaining with a sigh, not even realizing that there were villagers nearby in her worry "But I hadn't realized that using their powers would put such a strain on their bodies!"
"Well, even thought we've seen alpha use her powers several times, it never was on such a scale." Miroku pointed out logically "Without their intervention, the whole area around Mount Hakurei would have been a dead zone..."
"And instead, it's became a living paradise!" Kanna completed, pointing at the village around them – indeed, the regeneration boost weaved in the Sanctuary meant that now that it wasn't attacked by youki, the place was lush with vegetation even though they were well into November
"Instead of guilt-tripping for nothing, you should realize that you've helped them." InuYasha was the one to point out, not used to have to be the voice of reason in the pack "Without your help they would be even worse off! As it is, you're saying that they're not waking up simply because they're healing, right?"
"Right." nodded Kagome, that had rushed to Tsukiko's and Ryoichi's bedside as soon as she woke up
"Then they'll wake up in time." the beta nodded decisively, as if it closed the matter – and in a way it did, they could do nothing but wait
Now that most of the packs were awake, they all went over what had happened with each while they were separated, Shinobu, Ginta and Hakkaku relating their own part in the village's protection, and how clearly everyone had felt the moment the Sanctuary's wards had been erected.
The three were still reeling from the quest's reward – they had indeed fought, but it was nothing compared to what had been going on inside the mountain in their mind, and as the lowest level, their own leveling was by far the most impressive.
Still – gaining levels didn't suddenly made them experts, and so the pack members awake were soon helping them get used to their abilities and new gained powers while waiting for their leaders to wake up.
Around them, the villagers were going back to their normal life too, if slightly changed by the new situation they found themselves in as inhabitants of the Sanctuary – as even without Chaos Interface, they could all realize that something had changed for the better in the area.
Messengers were soon traveling between the villages, and without the packs realizing it, word was going around that it was two daiyoukai that had taken the powers of a god to help miko and houshi alike save them from the youkai swarm.
Where the Haven had been a timid first step in the right direction – the Sanctuary was becoming the major second step, as the villagers would soon realize that the lingering protection didn't exclude all youkai, nor necessarily include all humans... And if the wards were accepting the youkai, the humans didn't see the need to shun them, meaning that the zone would soon become well known as a place for youkai and humans to interact freely, while the temple in the center of the crater was soon visited by all.
¤.¤.¤
If Sesshoumaru had been a lesser youkai, his frustration would have been apparent – after the rude awakening to the value of life that Hell had put him through, the shiro inu had continued to patrol his territories, Jaken and Rin in tow, and if he was still training to perfect the now gibbous Meidou his sword produced, he wasn't quite as intense about it as he'd been before.
But apparently, that must not be quite clear to the youkai around, as the slender silhouette of a faceless boy was taunting him with knowledge about his sword's imperfection.
Not letting his irritation at the useless blabber appear, he followed the envoy toward a mountainous zone – Jaken not once stopping to whisper about traps and danger.
He mused about strangling the irritating youkai – of course this was a trap, which was precisely why he was going! After all if someone was daring enough to taunt a Cardinal Lord like this, it had to be either the annoyance Naraku, or another similar impudent that had to be put in his proper place.
Avoiding the impromptu attack coming at him in greeting was but a second thought – as was the replying Meidou Zangetsuha aimed just bellow the feet of his new opponent.
"So if you've come this far, Sesshoumaru, I suppose you want to know the secret of the Tenseiga."
A Tengu, Sesshoumaru realized as the silver haired man finally steeped out of the cliff's shadow – but not any Tengu, this was a bird from hell, which explained the rather uncharacteristic silver hair
"What would you know about it?"
"Well, it's not the first time I've fought against it. Even if the last time I saw it, had a different shape..."
"I doubt you're telling this from the goodness of your heart."
"Of course not," the youkai laughed before sending a next attack against him
The young Lord's eyes narrowed, as he dodged out of the way of the far smaller, but perfectly round Meidou Zangetsuha coming his way.
"You see, back in the days I met your father..." a smirk "Back then he left me for dead, taking half of my face and stealing my own attack. And such attack doesn't need two users!"
The affirmation made Sesshoumaru hid a frown – the Meidou Znagetsuha coming from a bird from hell wasn't too surprising, but his affirmation was strange. Tenseiga couldn't steal an enemy's attack – Tessaiga on the other hand...
While this wasn't an ability InuYasha relied on, preferring to rely on his own strength, the sword had that ability.
"Ah, I see you understand..." the hell bird was taunting "Fearing the power of my attack, your father discarded it, thus making your Tenseiga!"
This is where he was supposed to grow angry, he realized at the man's growing frustration at his lack of reaction – but the daiyoukai was content to just let him rant.
Oh, true enough it was annoying to realize the Great Dog had setup yet another test for him from beyond the grave - but it didn't really matter, because he'd already grown beyond what his father expected for him, the inu having no way of knowing the impact his young time-traveling daughter, and annoying brother would each have on him in their own way...
So the Inu no Taishou had set him up to perfect an attack only to loose it to Tessaiga? No matter, he'd already learned that his own claws were good enough to kill, while his sword's innate ability, the one he knew he wouldn't lost, as Tsukiko had recognized it easily enough, was the one he couldn't replicate by his own mean.
Finally fed up of the blabbering of his opponent, and having seen enough, the Lord of West finally unleashed his own Meidou Zangetsuha, for the second time in the fight...
"Impossible!" the youkai – who'd introduced himself as Shinshiki somewhere during his monologue – protested "Tenseiga is but a reject of Tessaiga, it could never perfect this attack!"
Sesshoumaru watched the man fall into hell impassively.
While indeed, Tenseiga's limitations had prevented him until now to complete that attack, the other youkai had freely used his own perfected version of it in front of him multiple times, he wasn't the more dangerous warrior among the four Cardinal Lords despite his young age for nothing – learning from your enemy was as evident as breathing for him...
Still, if InuYasha was supposed to take Tenseiga's cutting edge from him, he should check on the brat – he wouldn't give him the attack for free after all.
With that, he turned his back on the battlefield, and the dead youkai, following his nose and family pack link toward his daughter and her beta.
¤.¤.¤
When the massive discharge of power came a few hours later, Sesshoumaru frowned with worry – in that moment, he'd felt his daughter's life force drop suddenly, as prone to do when gravely injured or exhausted far beyond anything reasonable.
"Jaken, take Ah-Hun to the Nikko Zone and wait for me by Totosai's place." he instructed, before turning toward Rin "Come."
The girl obeyed without a question, and she smiled in bright wonder as the daiyoukai slipped into his true from before dropping to the ground in a massive cloud of dirt and nudging her on his neck – easily understanding what he wanted, Rin gripped at the nearby fur, so thick she was neatly cocooned in it, and the inu was rushing toward the north with one powerful jump.
Sesshoumaru slowed only a day and a half later, to feed Rin, and examine the outer limit of the new Sanctuary.
Now that he was nearer, he could feel that there were no hostile presence around – nor allowed by the barrier – and that his daughter had entered a healing trance. As such, young miko in tow, he completely bypassed the human village to go directly to the crater, and the temple still in it's midst.
Despite the power of the Sanctuary wards, mere days had gone by, and as such he could still feel the remnants of Naraku's prolonged stay in the area, and guess that whatever had happened must have been once more linked to the damn hanyou.
He let Rin spent the night in the temple, and by the morning of the third day, he was calmly walking in the human village where he could feel not only his daughter's pack, but also the wolves sibling-pack and what could only be her fiance and his own traveling companions if his nose was to be believed – a fiancée that appeared to be in an even worse state...
"So, otouto, would you mind telling this Sesshoumaru what happened to put his musume in such a state?" he asked sedately to the beta, not even acknowledging the agitation his presence had caused to the villagers
"Feh, figured you'd be dropping by." InuYasha grumbled, before waving him toward the hut where both canine were still sleeping "Come, I'll tell you what happened."
With that the hanyou was soon going through their last few days adventures, eventually arriving to the ritual the two intended had done to save the region.
Sesshoumaru didn't comment, instead sending Rin to play with Shippou and Kanna, that were mingling with the numerous orphans that were traveling with the red kitsune, while he settled to wait for his daughter's awakening.
InuYasha eyed him a moment, before going back to taking care of his pack, and the fox's one, the hanyou never seeing the glint of approval in his brother's eyes as he took over the duties of his alpha while she was recovering.
A week had gone by, by the time Tsukiko started to stir, followed a few hours later by Ryoichi...
While the two were still weak, they were good enough to travel, they both assured their friends. And if most looked dubious at the proclamation, they knew that too much time couldn't be wasted – because the Sanctuary may have become a peaceful zone, rumors of violence committed by the youkai released by Naraku were already making their way to them.
And while they were to ready to chase the hanyou once more – or rather his heart – there also was Ryoichi's troupe to think about.
"We'll escort you back to Edo, and make a stop by the Nikko area." Tsukiko announced, not letting the dark red-haired kitsune protest "You're in no more state than I am to give a good fight to any powerful youkai." she reminded him
The kitsune reluctantly agreed, while Kouga announced that since he didn't have any easy way to track the bastard or his heart, he'd go back to patrol the East while keeping an ear open for anything that could lead to him.
As such, nine days after the battle at Mount Hakurei, and three days after the new moon, Shadow's pack was on the road again, going with the well wishes of the villagers, and traveling with both Ryoichi's band of misfits and Sesshoumaru and his ward.
While they were a big enough group that most passing bandits and random youkai thought twice before attacking them, it was clear that the whole country was ripe with strife and as such, InuYasha was regularly heading out with Kagome, Miroku and Sango to help people around – and if the hanyou was grumbling about it, they all knew it was more habit than anything else, as even the cold Lord of the West was caught disposing of corrupted youkai attacking human settlement, or dropping the left-over of his hunt for any nearby orphans – and they never lacked those.
In the week it took them to travel to the Nikko youkai zone, Ryoichi's group of misfits had grown, gaining half a dozen more children.
Even Sesshoumaru, that hadn't known about the man's mission, was coming to realize that it was no wonder their race was in difficulty in the future – because in this era, where daiyoukai were far less common than normal youkai, their orphans were found aplenty in the country – and a child alone, daiyoukai or not, rarely reached his second growing spur.
Jaken and Ah-Hun were waiting for their Lord as instructed, and Sesshoumaru headed sedately toward Totosai, eyeing with amusement Ryoichi drag Shinobu toward the old youkai – and a moment later, the cat losing a pair of fangs without having expected it. Somehow he wasn't too surprised the kitsune hadn't warned his little beta-to-be – mischievousness was in all foxes blood after all, and given whom his father was, it was only to be expected that he'd have it in spades.
¤.¤.¤
While waiting for Shinobu's weapon to be done, and since nothing but very little training was available to both divinities, Tsukiko finally asked about her pack's choices in their new Tails Perks, Alternate Life ones, and normal ones...
"We were waiting for you." Kagome candidly answered for the pack "We always chose our Tails Perk together!"
While she wanted to scold them, as they'd lost two weeks of training with potential new skills – the alpha really couldn't, as all the pack around her was getting comfortable for the usual long discussion that ensued when decision upon which Tail Perk to chose – beside, it's not as if they had slacked during that time...
As such, the afternoon was spent talking back and forth about the Tail Perks available to each.
Ryoichi, no matter how reluctant he was about it, realized that the perks unlocked by becoming a dragon's treasure were too good to pass up – no matter how annoyed he still was at the man. As such, just like InuYasha, he settled on Might of the Dragon, followed by Child of the Sanctuary, proclaiming that with how weak the damn thing had left him, he was determined to take any advantage out of it.
Tsukiko was rather surprised that every one seemed to agree in a way with him – as all intended to take the perk, even InuYasha who only had one Tail to choose.
While she wasn't particularly against it, as a bonus in regeneration rates was always something useful, she found it rather amusing how they were all agreeing that gaining something good from Naraku's efforts at spreading evil was too good an opportunity to pass.
As such, following the trend, she did take the Child of the Sanctuary Perk as her bonus Tail Perk, then finally gave in to the impulse to take the Pack Symbiosis evolving her Metamorph skill into the Shape-Shifter, making one very happy Shippou – and after musing about the Alternate Life Perk far more than the others, given that it'd follow her to the next life, eventually settled on the House of Long Inheritance, reasoning that while far from useless, those were usually the two characteristics she spent the less Characteristic Points on. With that perk, even without using CP on them the two characteristics wouldn't lag too badly behind...
Kagome choosing Sun Healer with her second available perk had surprised no one, nor Shippou settling on Marauder in order to learn youjutsu, that were the basis of a kitsune's most powerful illusions.
Miroku, while he was surprised to note that he too had now the option to become a youkai holy servant, had easily enough settled on Soul Whisperer, stating that he had more than enough offensive abilities for a priest, and that all was left was for him to hone them – and as such he had no problem taking a perk more in tune with his primary vocation.
Kanna opted for the Shadow Walker perk Miroku already had unlocked a few weeks earlier, reasoning that it would compliment her own nature as a shadow sprite well, and finally Sango stunned them all when she announced her choice...
"I'm becoming a hanyou."
"You... what? How?" Kagome was the first to find her voice – even if not as loquacious as usually
"Because I chose Youkai Touch the last time, and being Four Tail apparently means our soul has grown past the human one..." the tajiya started to explain "Which is probably why Miroku now can become a Yokai Houshi." she added more for herself than their benefit, even if most nodded in understanding "I unlocked a new Pack Symbiosis perk. I can't become a Youkai, at least not yet, probably because I'm not a holy servant..." which was rather paradoxical when you though about it but seemed about right, given as they naturally had larger soul than normal humans, since they more often than not were old souls "So I'm becoming a hanyou."
"You realize that this isn't something that can be undone right?" InuYasha couldn't help but check
"I do." she nodded "I realize that life isn't easy for hanyou, hated by both humans and youkai alike, and even if we know things we'll change eventually, that change isn't there just yet." she looked in his eyes "I may not have your ears, I still hear what villagers say about you before they learn to know you, and I realize some of them never change their attitude..."
She was now staring at her hands or rather – the calluses, and the lightning playing around her palms "But when going over the options available to me I realized that I'm a fighter not because I like to fight like you or alpha, nor because I have to like Miroku, Kanna and Kagome." she smiled "I fight because I want to protect my pack, my family, my village, the people we meet on the road... I've already faced people's scorn multiple time, woman have no business fighting after all." she reminded them wryly of the current philosophy among humans
This time her gaze turned toward Miroku "And I realized that right now I'm the only normal human among us. I don't mind being human, but if I don't change myself... I'll be the first to leave. And I'm selfish. I don't want to grow old before all of you, I want to continue to live by your side."
She may have been talking about all the pack – they all realized that she was also talking about Miroku himself first.
Tsukiko, who was the only one not surprised at the choice, given that the young woman had used the ambient noise to ask her about it earlier, smiled as all realized what exactly Sango was saying – how boldly she was proclaiming to Tsukiko herself that she better wait for them in the future once their current adventure over, but also to the rest of them that the end of Naraku better not be the end of their pack.
The tajiya was giving up her humanity for the pack, and that was a gift they wouldn't be given often in their life.
One by one, all started to smile encouragingly too – and finally, Chaos' powers gathered around the tajiya, enfolding her in a wave of powers, and soon, youki was born...
Kagome was the first to react, loudly squealing "So cute!", the squealing miko launching herself at the new hanyou, enthusiastically petting the small twitching ears
"Quieter Kagome, please!" Sango moaned, not expecting the impressive hearing that came with her new appearance
The now sole human girl of the pack whispered her apologies, and the rest of the time they spent waiting for Totosai to finish Shinobu's weapon, they spent helping the new hanyou get used to her new body and senses.
It hadn't taken much thinking for Sango once settled on the path of the hanyou to choose the youkai race best suited to her – as such, the tajiya was now an ookami hanyou, their bonuses in Strength and Agility ideal for her fighting style.
And finally, Totosai had appeared, one the third day like always.
Given that neko were more individualistic than canine, they didn't have an agreed upon rite to enter adulthood – so the hanyou was rather surprised when as soon as he'd gently put away the pair of straight tanto in the back sheathe the old blacksmith had given him, Ryoichi's youki had swirled, and the kitsune was carefully giving him the canine pack-mark.
"Well, you're an adult now." the neko's eyes widened at the new notification on Chaos Interface, but didn't hesitate in accepting, glad now that InuYasha had taken the time to walk him through canine customs
[Light Pack LV1created!
- pack bonus: +1 to all Regeneration Rates
- insignia bonus: +1 Fire damage to all attack (cost 50YP or 50RP)
- alpha bonus:+3 Agility, +50% teaching bonus
- beta bonus: +1 Endurance, +25% teaching bonus
-XP to LV2:50/1250]