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Chapter 46
Within a blink of an eyes, Konohana has turned into a giant nine tailed white fox which height reaches to the clouds above.
As Inuyasha and Kagome approaches her from below, the Daiyoukai attempts to stomp them with her feet. However Inuyasha's speed is enhanced and fast enough to dodge it easily. After failing to crush them multiple times, Konohana casts blue fire balls toward the two to burn them.
"Die! You pests!"
Taking the chance that Konohana is still focusing on the people on the ground, Sesshomaru sneaks up on her by dashing onto the air and fires several energy waves. But they are instantly negated by an orange-colored barrier.
"Heh! It's useless to hurt me no matter how much you try!"
She smirks and summons multiple shadows of her human form to kill Sesshomaru. Attacking him one after another and then all at once. Even so, his boosted endurance has saved him from the fatal hits and in instant the table is turned. The shadows are gradually eliminated under Sesshomaru's blade one by one.
Finally reaching near the nine tailed fox's front paw, Inuyasha slashes her with Tessaiga's techniques but failed miserably.
"Hey Kagome, can you disable her shield with your arrows?"
Hearing his call, she holds up her bow to aim and shoots.
"We will see!"
They watch the arrow flies toward to the Daiyoukai's energy barrier. Once engages, the arrow bursts into orange lightning and explodes. Causing a wave effect at the barrier surface.
"What an odd reaction. Does that mean it's working?"
Confused, Inuyasha scratches his head.
"Hm..."
Wanting to confirm something, Kagome decides to give it another try. Although before she hold her bow up, they sense Konohana's gaze from above and a second later. A giant white tail appears and whacks them both fly away.
Everything happened too fast for him to react, Inuyasha couldn't guard Kagome in time and watched her landed hard onto one of the trees some meters off in horror.
"Kagome!"
Quickly getting up on his feet, he rushes to where she is. Afraid that the impact just now will damage her badly despite having Kasenada's support. As Kagome is still a human, unlike him or Sesshomaru who owns youkai's recovery power.
However his worries vanish once Kagome standing up from her spot just fine. Only receiving some scratches and bruises.
"A-Are you alright?"
Concerned, Inuyasha asks her and the girl nods in confirm.
"Yeah that hurts a lot but I think I'm okay. Nothing is broken yet."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. We have Kasenada-sama's aid remember? Now let's hurry and get back into the fight!"
Kagome shows him by moving her arms and legs around. Urging him to get going as he nods, picking Kagome up and charge into the battle once again.
Just then they notice Sesshomaru flies pass them up ahead, following him right behind are hundreds of Konohana's shadows. As Inuyasha's about to give his older brother a hand by casting Kaze no Kizu, Sesshomaru has already wiped them off in a split of second with a powerful youki wave.
"Wow!"
Kagome's awed by his newly obtained power.
Still, more shadows appear again and keep coming at him non stop. This time, half of them change their targets and attack Inuyasha. Quickly he let Kagome down and charges forward to confronts them himself.
"Heh! Come at me!"
While too busy killing, the Hanyou doesn't notice that there is another fireball flying straight at his spot from afar and Kagome shouts to alert him.
"Inuyasha, looks out!"
And when the Hanyou finally realizes what is coming at him, it has already arrived and the blue flame instantly engulfs his entire body. Luckily Konohana's power has been reduced by Kasenada's seal and the fire rat coat is able to save him from being burnt alive.
"I had never wished for our fates to end so tragically, Konohana. All I ever wanted, even till now, was for you to be happy. Just like before when Haru was still alive..."
Appearing before Konohana's face, Kasenada tries to persuade her to give up on revenge. However that doesn't seem to work and only enrages Konohana even more.
"Silent! I do not want to hear such word coming from the one that had stolen it away from me!"
..
...
Many of years ago. Long before the birth of Shikon no Tama...
Deep within an old forest.
"Someone...Please save me!"
A young, one tailed Kitsune carrying a small basket full of herb on its back, crying out for help when being chased by a panther. Gradually running out of energy, the little one has no choice but to take a break.
Just then, there's a clump of bushes lying under a giant rock up ahead and it decides to jump in there to hide.
Watching the panther sniffing the ground some feet away from the bushes, the fox quickly bury itself with more dirt and herbs, which it has collected a while ago in front of the panther's sleeping spot, to cover its scent.
Once the beast stands in front of the fox's hiding spot, it holds back breathing and waits patiently. After a seem to be very long moment, the beast finally gives up and leaves. Much to its relief.
"Phew..."
Thinking that the situation is safe, the little fox steps out of its hiding spot and wipe the dirt off its messy short black hair, grey pants and blue shirt. Once done, it put the basket onto the ground to check for the herbs. Worrying that perhaps most of them could have fallen outside due to tripping over small branches here and there out of panic.
Though the nervousness is soon replaced with a big grin after finding that there are still some of the rare herbs left inside.
"Nice!"
However the little fox's happy moment doesn't last too long when it hears a soft growl from above and looks up. Horrified to see that the panther from before is lying now on a big tree's branch. Quickly, the fox grabs the basket and makes a run for its life.
But the beast has acted one step ahead by jumping down and claws at the little one's back.
"Ack!"
The Kitsune yelps in pain and collapses onto the ground. It sobs, feeling blood racing down its skin from behind and crawling backward when seeing the beast licks its feet.
"Mama...!"
It whimpers once the beast jumps onto its body and sniffs its neck. Before the panther can take a bite, something long appears flying from a far and strikes it at its head. Hurt and confused, the panther glances around to find the criminal. Roaring in anger when its sharp golden eyes lands on a human who is walking toward to this spot and picking up the object, which is presumed to be the one hitting it earlier, lying on the ground nearby.
Doesn't afraid of the dangerous beast, the straight long black haired man who looks to be in his 20s, in a monk outfit and steps forward to confront it. Seeing that the panther is still not letting the little Kitsune go, he swings his staff at its head once again. Multiple times until the panther finally snaps and changes its target to him.
Too furious to spend time thinking, the beast charges full speed at the man in front of it to attack. However the moment it's claws are about to reach to his body, a blue barrier appears around him and knocks the panther backward.
Confused, it quickly gets up on its feet and charges at him some more times. Only to receives the same result and being sent flying even further away. Figures that it can't harm him, the panther then turns to the little fox lying on the ground nearby and attempts to drag it back home to eat.
Unfortunately for the panther, the monk has already figured out its plan and protects the fox with his magical barrier, much to its irritation.
After a while, the panther gives up and walks away. Once it's out of sight, the man sighs in relief then takes a look at the fox lying below. Noticing that the wound on its back is quite fatal and needs to be treated immediately. Just as the man is about to cast a transportation spell, he hears a feminine shout from afar.
"Haru!"
Standing before him is a white haired, attractive young woman in a simple orange colored Kosode. Pointy ears, red eyes and straps on each cheek. Fair skin, pink lips and seems to be around any ordinary girl's height. But what gains the man's most attention from this woman are her white tails visible from behind, there are nine of them.
A Kyuubi no Kitsune?
It's his first time meeting this powerful Daiyoukai. And judging from her outrage plus an enormous killing aura, the man expects that the woman has misunderstood his action and tries to explain to her.
"Please calm down first and listen to me. This little one was-"
"You filthy monk...! What have you done to him?!"
However, she doesn't listen and charges forward with a Naginata in her hand. And just like the panther's attack from earlier, her weapon is also bounced back by his magical barrier.
Unlike the panther, she doesn't give up easily and continue strikings, adding much more force for every hit.
Sensing that his energy shield won't last long if this keeps going, the monk shouts to knock some senses back into the woman's stubborn head.
"There is no time for us to waste on a pointless fight! The little one needs to be treated or he will die!"
Hearing so, the woman halts attacking. Trying to convince the Daiyoukai to cooperate, he adds.
"If you do care about this Kitsune's life. Then please, ease your anger and come with me."
Inside the shrine at the bottom of a mountain.
The moment seeing their mentor bringing back home a small injured fox and a scary nine tailed one walking by his side. Everyone, mostly monks in training and the newcomers, immediately goes into hiding out of fear. Though some are still brave enough to follow them up to the patient room to watch.
"Kasenada-sama has brought a Daiyoukai home with him! Just what on earth is going on?!"
It's not until getting the help of some elders monks, the man finally be able to shoo them away and gains some peace to treat Haru.
Exactly like what he had told Konohana earlier, if they didn't bring Haru back here to heal him and went on fighting. Haru's wound would have gotten infected and resulted in him losing his life.
"Why are you helping us, What's-your-face?"
Confused by the monk's kindness, she asks while watching him brewing some kind of medicine inside a small bowl for the injured Kitsune at the round table nearby.
"Please call me Kasenada. And why would you think that I should not be?"
Kasenada calmly replies, still not stopping what he's doing.
"You do realize that we are still enemies. right?"
"It doesn't matter whether human and youkai are in the bad side of relationship or not. To me, saving life is more important."
Hearing his ridiculous explanation, Konohana can't help but burst out into laughter.
"Hah! You are indeed a strange man."
In response to the Daiyoukai's comment, the monk simply smiles and gently helps Haru to drink medicine he just makes. Once done, Kasenada explains the little fox's condition to her.
"Although his wound has been already taken care of, Haru still needs to spend more time staying here to recover."
Just as Kasenada's expectation, the Daiyoukai frowns upon hearing his suggestion and he adds.
"You are free to come by to visit him anytime before nightfall. Our main doors will always be opened to welcome guesses."
To have Haru surrounded by a bunch of barbarians?! There is no way I'm going to let that happens!
Just as Konohana's about to open her mouth to protest, she hears Haru's coughing and wheezing. He's struggling in pain.
"Fine! But if Haru doesn't get better then I shall demolish this whole place. You got that?!"
In the end, Konohana has no choice but to gives in and let Haru stays for his treatment.