Hey everybody…feh; okay, I know you're all about to kill me, but have enough discretion to hear me out and then decide if you still want to kill me (if you can…::super-saiyan-esque aura leaps up::)

            It's been a little over two months since I've updated (okay, fine, almost two and a half months), and the first couple weeks I intended to update but never got the time (planning Japan trip, lots of homework, lots of tests, lots of work). The next month I just died because I needed some time away from all the stress and to just lie low for a while; seeing as how I still had work, I couldn't do that all the way. I love writing, and although I'm highly appreciative of all the support I've received to continue this story, it is still somewhat like work for me because I have to set deadlines for myself or nothing ever gets done, and I just wanted a break.

            The second month I was away from writing was because I, finally, went on my trip to Japan. It was a lot of fun, but seeing as how you're all probably pissed at me I won't go into details at the moment (if you want to hear about it, let me know and I'll put it up; but for right now I'm assuming most of you just want to read the story, lol). I got back on Monday, and since then I've been trying to adjust to California time again (Japan's 16 hours ahead of American time). Today's the first day I've felt any semblance of normal again, so I decided to pick up writing again…enjoy! (PS: I know the beginning part of this is different than the last chapter, but I decided to try to rewrite it and make it better).


Another quick note: Yarou is a very bad insult in Japanese; to give you an idea: If I said "Teme! Kono yarou!" to someone they'd probably try to hit me.

Nigenasai is "Run away!"

            I don't own Inuyasha, but I do own seventeen issues of his manga that I purchased while in Japan ^_^.

Chapter 35

            And, suddenly, the crushing weight wasn't heavy enough anymore—a growl that raised the hackles on Kagome's neck rumbled its way loose from Inuyasha's throat and chest even as a blinding flash of white power shone through the shell that encased them.

            The monster staggered back, black eyes shot to hell by the blindingly white light, and was immediately rewarded by fierce stabbing pain inside what could only be called its chest: compliments of Inuyasha's Tetsuaiga.

            "Don't you ever tell me what I can't do, yarou."

            It didn't have a response, unless you count gaping dumbly at a six-foot-long sword that had just been thrust into its body a response, and paid for its lack of reaction as the sword was torn out of the cavity, bidding its temporary sheathe goodbye with a blast of youki that tore out its back and leveled a good portion of the forest behind it.

            He leapt nimbly from the thing's ruined torso, flipping backwards and screaming an unworldly battle cry as he flew at maximum speed towards the latest in a seemingly endless onslaught of pointless battles that served him no purpose; only hindered he and Kagome from tracking down that bastard that he ached with all his being to kill…yet this newest monstrosity was the closest he could come to killing Naraku at the moment, so why not unleash a little of that pain and rage he'd bottled up for so long?

            Bam!

            A tentacle of youki snaked out of the ground in front of the charging hanyou and tripped him, grabbing his leg and using his own momentum against him as it broke the nearest tree in half with his body, then slammed him not at all gently against the ground.

            Flecks of blood littered Inuyasha's face as he coughed, and peals of laughter choked their way from the creation's mouth as it beat Inuyasha against the ground again, and again, and again; the thuds ever the more satisfying as more and more blood flew from Inuyasha's nose, mouth, and ears, streaking his silver hair crimson as he struggled to aim a sword blow at the wrist that bound him, but failed as he was dealt another shattering blow by the unforgiving earth.

            He swung the sword in an un-aimed arc, attempting beyond hope to sever the grip that held him; the sword sunk deep, but not deep enough to do any damage, and the sword was almost ripped from his grasp as he was yanked into the air again. Tearing the sword loose from the sucking flesh, his desperation delivered to him an idea: if it couldn't move its hand from the ground…

            Seizing the opportunity, Inuyasha twisted in his forced descent, stabbing the Tetsuaiga straight down to the ground as he did. His idea worked: the hand, pinned to the ground by the giant fang, granted Inuyasha his freedom as he slashed the hand loose from the creature and reclaimed his sword, trying to plan his strategy against a monster that seemed impossible to kill. He needed the few precious seconds to set up the Bakuryuuha, but this damned thing wouldn't even grant him time to breathe…he could run away, that could grant him the time: but it might think he was doing just that, running away, and turn its attention back towards Kagome…he could unleash a Kaze no Kizu, but that wouldn't give him nearly enough time…and then he hit on it.

            "KAGOME! RUN!" He bellowed, parrying one of the grasping claws to the side and slashing the other one off its hand as he leapt under its arms, dealing it another insignificant wound as he glanced quickly back to give her a pointed glare before leaping towards the monster and ensuring Kagome could get the brief moment she needed to make a break for it.

            "What do you mean 'Run away'!?! I'm NOT leaving you!" She cried, notching another arrow and delivering it straight to the rapidly regenerating flesh of the monster's wrist. "I've told you that and it doesn't do any good, what makes you think I'm going to do it!?"

            'Chi f*cking kusho…' He growled as he unleashed a backhanded Kaze no Kizu at the creature. 'Why does she have to be so damn stubborn?'. The creature slammed into a tree, regaining its footing in less than a second: but that was all he needed. Kagome received a surprise as her vision was suddenly filled with Inuyasha and she was unceremoniously lifted up, slung over his shoulder, and found herself moving through the forest at Inuyasha's maximum speed. The creature recovered enough to roar out a cry of rage and bloodlust before it took off after them, Inuyasha's words as loud to her as the crash of bushes behind her as he explained.

            "I'm going to try a Bakuryuuha, but I need a few seconds to pull it off. You could've made it easy on me, but oh no, I had to carry you and run away, so listen! When I touch down, run away from the monster as quickly as possible; I'm going to 'draw his fire', or whatever that phrase is, and give you time to run. DON'T ARGUE!" He yelled, seeing Kagome's mouth opening to protest. "Now is NOT the time, Kagome! Now get ready: three, two, one..."

            He leapt as far as his legs would take him, landing a good two hundred feet from where he had started, releasing the girl in his arms as they landed.

            "NIGENASAI!"

            Against her will, Kagome hit the ground running, heart yelling that there was no way Inuyasha could win and that she needed his help, logic firing back that she'd only get in the way; Inuyasha, meanwhile, was lost in the adrenaline surging in his limbs as he launched back at the monster, no more than fifty feet back: a distance it could close in less than a second.

            'Damnit, just like Goshinki…' Inuyasha growled in his mind, leaping forward as he remembered the oni that had ravaged a village, taunted the children whose parents he'd slaughtered, broken his Tetsuaiga, and made him transform into that monstrosity that threatened to consume his sanity. 'All the more reason to take this bastard out…'

            Tetsuaiga swung down in a blistering slash, winds swirling in typhoon force as it spat out its attack in the energy that now roiled forth in blasts of energy, causing the monster to leap to the side and allow Inuyasha to blow by at an incredible speed, slashing the creature's arm as it tried to stop the rocketing hanyou.

            "Nyaaaaaa! Missed me!" Inuyasha taunted, doing a graceful twist in the air and landing perfectly on his feet, trying to summon the Bakuryuuha as quickly as possible…but not enough time. The thing rushed him, shattering the energy Inuyasha had managed to gather as it forced him to leap away. Annoyed beyond measure, Inuyasha began a little game of catch-the-hanyou, leaping as fast as possible through the forest—away from Kagome—in the hopes he'd be able to get far enough in front to form the Bakuryuuha.

            "Coward…come and fight me instead of running away!" The monster called, trying to appeal to Inuyasha's pride as the elusive hanyou managed to gain distance: but Inuyasha wasn't stupid. To fight sword-to-claw would be pointless…he needed more time.

            "Kurae!" He screamed, a well-placed Kaze no Kizu shattering several dozen tree trunks and forcing his opponent to dodge around them, buying him at least a second as he rushed through the treetops at top speed, trying to judge if he'd managed to accrue enough distance…

            He flew down from the treetops, skidding to a halt as he concentrated with all his might on the sword he held in front of him, feeling the winds rush around the blade as the sword reached out and felt for the monster's youki, that weak area where the Bakuryuuha could form and turn it against its owner, adding its own might to the monsters…and, at long last, found it.

            "OMAE!" The creature roared, rushing at Inuyasha at its top speed, foam flying from its mouth as it reached towards the meditative hanyou…so close…less than ten feet…five feet…

            "KUTABARE!!!!!!" Inuyasha roared, satisfaction flooding through him as he swung the sword down, unleashing the Bakuryuuha on the creature that had annoyed him for so long; the things own energy rose off of itself in a wave, mixing with the huge cyclones of energy that now began punching through its skin, its flesh, its bone and commenced ripping it apart…flesh tore and bones shattered, blood mixed with the cyclones to turn them an eerie red, until finally the monster perished in a final scream of, "Master, you promised…me…I…would…" and exploded in a final burst of viscera and flesh.

            Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief and sheathed the Tetsuaiga none too gently; plopping down, not exhausted but certainly tired, next to a large pile of the defeated creature's shreds. It was over—he'd finally managed to kill that damn thing. And, with any luck, there might be some clue that would lead them to Naraku…

::switch scenes::

            Deep in the mountains, resting in a cave of his own creation, Naraku (disguised as Sesshoumaru) held out his borrowed hand, watching as a huge, wasp-like insect landed softly upon it.

            Youkai hearing proved itself useful once again as the poison insect buzzed and clicked its mandibles, reporting to Naraku all that he had witnessed: the Bakuryuuha, the monster's effectiveness, and its final defeat at the hands of Inuyasha.

            "Fuu…," Naraku breathed, shooing the insect away as he lapsed into thought once again: 'It took him that long to figure out that he couldn't kill it and the only way was to use the Bakuryuuha? I hope that miko girl isn't as stupid as he is, otherwise they'll never find that trail that stupid creation planted…'

            Well, an update two months in the making, but hey, guess what: at least it's long! Sorry if I pissed you guys off, but I needed some personal time…which kind of led into the absence when I went to Japan, lol. Well, as always, please read and review, and thanks!