CHAPTER SIX

Inuyasha finally recovered. As the early afternoon began, he finished and slumped against a tree, halting in his running. He panted and sweat, trying to regain his breath. He began to feel warm again and his body was coming back to life. His thoughts were coming back and he could think clearly again. He was still cut and his one side hurt harder than ever, as if one of the ribs was piercing his lung. But other than that he was alright now. He was more relaxed though sweating, and his body was coming back to him.

No sooner had he recovered than the dog demon angrily punched the tree he leaned on, snapping it from its trunk and sending it crashing down to the forest floor, creating noise and clamor and sending animals flying everywhere. He recognized fully what he was doing now. Before, his primal instincts had kicked in where his memory and bearings had fled, telling his body that in the case of fight or flight, fight was not working. And so he had fled, subconsciously almost fleeing to a place where he could recover. But now that he was in control, he was enraged. He had run. Run! He had run from a fight for the first time he could remember. Like a miserable coward, like a helpless fool, he had run from that fight. It would have been better to die. It would have been better to be drained. Now he was a wimp. He had run…

Inuyasha gnashed his bloody teeth and fumed. He had to live with the fact he was a coward now, or at least would be seen as such. He had run frightened from a fight like that stinking Myoga. He had chickened out in the end and fled for safety. It enraged him to no end. He wanted to rip that Sanhou limb from limb. He wanted desperately to be a full demon to devour him…see if he could regenerate from that. He couldn't let go the fact he had run from a stinking human…not even a real demon! Not even a half demon! It wasn't Sesshomaru or Naraku…it was a damn human he met not ten minutes before! He had run from that! He had been made a fool before that! It frustrated him horrendously…

"How does it feel to be on the receiving end, Hanyou?"

Inuyasha snapped his head up. When he did, there he was. Sanhou, or at least one of his copies, had been sitting in a tree the whole time. He looked perfectly calm and collected, and gazed down on Inuyasha like he was an inferior. The Hanyou grit his teeth and flashed his claws.

"You bastard…"

"How was it like to feel fear, Hanyou?" Sanhou mocked. "How did you like being chased mercilessly by a hunter? How did you like to feel helpless before a human for a change?"

If Inuyasha was a calmer individual, he might have reminded Sanhou that sensations such as that were nothing new to him. He had felt it ever since the day he was born from all save his mother and father. But now, the only thing he could think of was rage. "I'm going to rip you into so many pieces you'll be too scared to come back to fight any more." He hissed.

Sanhou merely smiled at the idea. "Well, that's highly unlikely, seeing as you didn't come near to that earlier. By the way, did you honestly think you could escape from me? I'm everywhere in this forest. I'm only going to continue to spread as I increase my number. I've been watching you for hours. There's nowhere you can hide from me. Not you, not your so-called friends, especially not Kagome. And yes, Inuyasha…I already have your shards."

The dog demon's eyes bulged at that. "What!" He exclaimed. He instantly grew twice as mad. "Where are they!"

The miko snorted at this, again feeling justified it seemed. "I knew it." Sanhou spat back. "You care more for the shards than her. I'll make sure to tell her that. Anyway, if you want either of them back, then wait for me to come to you and tell you where you can try again to get them. But don't try and find me first…unless you would like to once again be rendered a helpless, half-dead mongrel before me. Until then, I'll enjoy myself by watching you flail about in the forest desperately thinking of a way to beat me."

Inuyasha gnashed his teeth. "Now who's the coward? Going to run away from me?"

Sanhou laughed darkly in response to that. That evil look went into his eyes again.

"Run? I'm not going to move from this spot. I intend to enjoy you as I watch you grow to realize the inevitability and futility of beating me, watch as you lose all hope, watch as you realize all is useless, before you realize you're totally helpless before a human. Then I'll kill you. But no, I'm not going to move an inch. Want to kill me? Try it. And see how soon it is before another hundred of me are beating you into a bloody mess."

That only fueled more of Inuyasha's rage. "Damn you!" He cursed, before crouching and then leaping up right after Sanhou, claws outstretched.

"Have it your way." Sanhou calmly answered with a smile, continuing to do so as Inuyasha ripped off his face.

Kagome didn't like her current standing. She had traveled through the countryside plenty of times, either on Inuyasha's back or pedaling along on her bicycle. But this was nowhere close to either of them. Instead, she was now being pulled along on what appeared to be either a hand cart or rickshaw, only wrought especially to be a cage with iron bars for her. Now she sat in it, imprisoned and locked in by one of the many Sanhous. And there were many of them now. She was surrounded by a crowd of no less than sixty of them. Each of them had that same smile on his face as they walked onward, pulling Kagome down the road without fear. It was early afternoon now, and she was still stuck there without anywhere to go.

"Though we have the Shikkon shards," One addressed, that was nearby. There were two Sanhous pulling the cart, but this one seemed to be the one being the voice for the others. "We cannot get their power directly. They must be implanted in our original body, the one from which the rest of us issued."

"But that's too much power." Kagome protested. "It will kill you." She didn't know why she bothered telling him this. She pretty much wanted him to die.

"Maybe for another human." Sanhou confidently answered. "But not us. We have Saphsaiga."

Kagome was silent for a moment after that. She remained that way, thinking for a little while, before turning and speaking up to Sanhou. "Are you planning to absorb me too?"

Sanhou looked as if he was struck. The others did too. That seemed like a surprising blow to him. He stiffened, looking as if he was appalled at the idea. "Of course not!" He immediately shot back, almost a bit too loudly. Then, a strange thing came over him. He seemed to be of two minds as he spoke, and that evil look went into his eye again. For a second, he calmed down again to his old self. "True, Kaede did increase our power…" But at that, horror seemed to come over him, and the darkness was swallowed up in an instant. He turned and glared at Kagome. "But it was an accident! It wasn't supposed to happen!" He paused a moment, and seemed to bluster for a second. He looked around at the ground, and appeared bewildered. "None of that was… I wasn't even going to kill your friends…not if I could avoid it. Yes, I took Kirara…she was another Youkai. But I never wanted to hurt humans. Not ever. That was never part of the plan. This whole thing is for humans…" His voice turned insistent, as if he was pleading with her to understand.

Kagome frowned at this. "What's with you? Why do you hate them so much? What did Shippo, Kirara, or Inuyasha ever do to you?"

Sanhou's anger intensified at that, erasing his nicer disposition. "They were born." He darkly answered.

"What's wrong with you?" Kagome pressed. "Are you working for Naraku or something?"

That only made Sanhou angrier. He balled his hand into a fist, and all the surrounding Sanhous bristled as well. "Naraku…will beg me for mercy before I'm finished with him…" He hissed to himself.

"You're not making any sense!" Kagome retorted.

Sanhou turned and glared at her for a moment. However, Kagome didn't back down. She stared back just as hard. He glared back at her, waiting for her to change. But in the end, he inhaled stiffly and let out a slow sigh. His head bowed a little and then he began to speak in a quiet, tired, explaining voice.

"One year ago…Naraku came upon me while I was playing with my brother and sister out by the stream of my house. He didn't just kill my two siblings…he ate them. Then, once he was done, he took possession of my body. He waited until nightfall, then he sent me back in to town to cut each and every one's throat until only my family remained. He waited for them to wake up, waited for them to beg for me to snap out of it and gain control of myself. Then he spoke through me to not only spit in their faces and call them every abomination known to man, but to kill them happily."

Kagome's anger abated a bit at this, and she stared at Sanhou. She quelled her inner anger and listened a bit more intently.

"Oh, there's more, Hanyou-lover." He hissed, noticing her change and growing angry again. "You see, Naraku has a delight in causing individuals misery. So he had me kill each person who came by the town, as he didn't have anything better to do with the last of my miko tribe. Each time he had me act like a helpless, abandoned boy lying at the side of the road, until some poor soul came across me. Then he had me kill them in the worst way. I probably would have kept on doing that had not you and your friends made him retreat briefly for a while and pretend to be dead. Yes…even then, he was mocking you, I hope you realize. I'm sure nothing gave him more pleasure than to reveal himself to still be in your lives when he showed himself. But I was freed for a moment as well, and using Saphsaiga I was able to purge Naraku from my body and save myself." He paused again here, as his anger faded…and a deep sadness came over him instead.

"But then I was truly alone. I remembered all that I had done. Yes…every last bit of it. I tried looking for help from the surrounding towns, but they saw me…still wearing the flimsy rags Naraku had given me stained with human blood. They drove me off." Sanhou hesitated a moment, and bowed his head down to the ground. "I grew hungry…and sick…and I felt so alone… I had no family…no friends…and the crushing feeling of guilt. I knew it was my fault…my hand that had taken all this from me. I never had felt so worthless and unloved… So forsaken and hopeless… I felt worse than you can possibly imagine, Kagome…"

The girl said nothing in reply to this, but Sanhou's words were slow and dark now, and his face grew full of pain. Even the surrounding ones bowed their own heads and quivered. They all changed. They lost their power and might…and seemed to regress into their true ages. For a moment, it was possible to forget the monster that Sanhou had turned himself in to. He looked like just another innocent youth for a little while…sad, confused…and lonely. They seemed about to cry over what had happened. But then, his anger returned, and that innocence vanished.

"But Saphsaiga showed me a way…and made me realize the truth. Naraku's not the problem. They all are, every last demon. My sufferings were one in a long line of sufferings. I've journeyed far and slain many demons…and taken on their memories…" He turned and burned his gaze into Kagome's. It was so wild and so fierce, she nearly shot back from that. "They'd drive you mad, Kagome. The things they've done to people… You've only seen the tip of the iceberg in your own travels. There are far worse out there…far more twisted and evil…and for me, to feel the…" He swallowed hard here, quivering in fear at his own knowledge. "…the joy…that those monsters felt as they did these things…it almost wants to make me kill myself again. My only contentment is that they are now suffering in a hell as well, getting the first punishment for their evil. That…and that their power will now be my own, and used to dispel more of their kind.

"With these shards, Kagome…I shall find Naraku and make him account for his crimes. I believe I am the only one who can finish him now. I am now even more unstoppable than he…and once I have his memories there is nowhere in the world he can hide from me, for I will know where he went. I can at last do away with him, Kagome. Then everything will be over. Your ancestor will rest in peace. Miroku's curse will be lifted. Sango's tribe will be avenged."

Kagome hesitated a moment at all this. Strange…he had changed again. Now, it looked as if he was trying to reassure her…trying to make it look as if he was on her side. He seemed almost human again…almost like a normal person. She took it in for a few seconds…but then spoke up again. A new thought had come to mind. If he knew so much about this…perhaps she knew something else that could help them.

"Do you know…a Kohaku?"

Sanhou seemed to feel another wave of sadness come over him. His drive faded. He turned and looked away from her. His face became downcast.

"…Yes."

"Then can-"

"I know what you're asking me." He cut off. "The same thing Sango would ask me. No…I can't help him. Before, Naraku kept himself isolated in one spot. But now the moment Kohaku shows himself before Sango again, Naraku knows that she'd sooner cut off the arm where he resided than let her brother be his puppet a moment longer. There's no way to save him. He's too deeply engrained in her brother now. He's not her brother anymore. He's just another poor soul that needs to be put out of his misery. Perhaps Naraku's death shall free him. If so…then he won't remain bound for much longer."

Kagome held a moment again. But then, she remembered the first thing he said, and she frowned slightly. "…I doubt Sango will ask you for anything after what you've done."

Sanhou sighed at that. For a moment…his evil nature seemed to vanish all together. He became more peaceful and innocent…almost like a real miko. "I…I lost my temper." He apologized. His voice was sincere as he said that…and he actually seemed troubled about what he had done. This was odd, Kagome noticed. Before he didn't seem to care what people thought. But the longer she talked to him…the more human he was becoming. The more like an average person he turned into.

"That happens… My mind…it grows fuzzy and I find it hard to focus in battle…so many of me running around at once perhaps…" He shook his head, looking genuinely troubled by this. "I nearly feel as if I'm drunk or in a stupor… It's like something else is controlling my body sometimes…" He hesitated for a bit at that. But then he turned to Kagome and offered her, of all things, a pleasant smile, not sinister at all. His voice struggled to sound friendly. "But my mind clears a bit when I talk to you."

Kagome showed him no love in response. "Kirara never hurt anyone. She's obedient."

Sanhou frowned. His more cynical mood returned at this. "Would her offspring have been? And she could easily be controlled."

"Shippo…he's just a kid."

"A kid who tried to steal and cheat from you, nearly killing you."

"And what of Inuyasha?"

Sanhou rolled his eyes. This seemed to be tiring him, as if he wanted to explain himself but knew it was useless. "Kagome…use your common sense, in all honesty." He replied. By now, he sounded like someone more experienced trying to help Kagome out with a problem, not a captor of a prisoner. He turned his head down and looked at her. "Think about him. Has he ever shown any love for you? Any friendship? Or has all he ever cared about were those shards? Isn't that the only thing he ever asked of you? Or did he even ask? Did he not rather demand it of you?"

Kagome didn't answer that. She thought a bit about Inuyasha's mannerisms…but she said nothing. She knew that this meant nothing. Inuyasha was just that way. But then…she couldn't help but think of yesterday…

"He doesn't care anything for you, Kagome. When he completes the jewel, he'll become a full-blooded demon that will kill you and people just like you."

Kagome frowned. That was too far. She glared at him and insisted. "No he won't!"

"You're deluding yourself." Sanhou answered simply, but also a bit cross at this. "You've seen him as a full Youkai. He loves nothing like that. All he wants to do is sate his voracious appetite for destruction. That's his true nature. That's what governs him."

Kagome wouldn't hear any of it…not even as Sanhou brought up her old fears…not even as she began to wonder if he said the truth. She had been worrying about that…worrying about what he would become. And after yesterday…she had begun to fear that he wasn't any different…that he was already too cold and uncaring to change… However, she shook this out of her head immediately. She couldn't think of it. "No." She stated. "Tetsusaiga…that only works to defend humans. He wanted to defend me…"

"He wants to defend the shards!" Sanhou cut off. "And to get the shards, he needs to defend you!"

Kagome froze at that. She had never considered that before. That was a chilling thought, though. Sanhou was right… Inuyasha had no doubt tried to defend her before. He had called her back when she wanted to give up. He had saved her even. But then again…he needed her. He needed her to get the shards. Without her, he would never find any of them. And always after helping her…he went right back to cursing her, insulting her, finding fault in everything she did… He had nearly killed them all in the past as a full demon…and still he wanted to be it. If he was their real friend…wouldn't a danger to them mean something? Wouldn't he care about what he would do to them?

But he did have the chance to become a full demon…only a month ago…

…But then he would have been under control of the Moon Princess…and he never fully rejected the idea…he only said he'd stay a Hanyou "a little while longer"…

…He said…that one day…between worlds…

…No, he didn't say "I love you".

He said "I need you".

He struck me just the other day, like I was nothing more than another enemy.

He made me bleed…

Need me…

"I…I won't believe it."

Sanhou sighed, rolled his eyes again, and looked away. He seemed to give up. "You'll find out sooner or later, Kagome. But it may cost you your life. He's too demented to do anything now. Kikyo realized that, even if she never knew that she was tricked." He paused for a moment after saying that, then looked back to Kagome. "He doesn't even see you for who you are, Kagome. He sees her in you."

Kagome perked her head up to that, fading away from her new doubts about Inuyasha for a moment. For a moment…she felt a flame of jealousy and shock within her. She had to struggle not to yell back at the miko. However…she controlled herself soon enough. And as she did, she realized what he had said. "…How do you know that?"

Sanhou tapped the side of Saphsaiga. "I freed the world from her, too."

Kagome's face went livid. "How could you…!"

Sanhou turned to her and snapped. He was annoyed now, and he lashed out at her. "Wake up, you stupid girl! Don't you get it! She's not Kikyo anymore! She's just another wraith! And I know her thoughts, Kagome. All she ever thought about…all that fed her…all that kept that shell of a person going was the thought of your death. Both you and Inuyasha. She would have killed you eventually, Kagome. Or worse. If she could get a Shikkon Shard, get her hands on your soul…she'd make a new life for herself by taking your body. She hated you more than you could possibly conceive. That anger would have led her to do anything in the end, hurt countless people. She already knew you were from the future, Kagome. What if she decided to take out her grudge on your family?"

Kagome quieted down at that. She couldn't answer anyway. Everything she said only led to responses that filled her with more anger and confusion. Talking with Sanhou was tiring. She said no more in reply. Sanhou sighed, seeming upset that he had gotten angry. His look turned a bit remorseful. He didn't seem to like seeing Kagome sad either. He turned away again to the road and sighed.

"…You're young. You're naïve. I know. I was too. So was Kikyo." Sanhou continued. "It must run in our race. But you get older…wiser."

Kagome didn't answer. She said nothing for a few moments of silence, letting the wagon gently roll on. But then, she did say something.

"…I'm sorry for what happened to you, Sanhou."

The miko perked his head up to that, and looked back to Kagome. His face turned to surprise…and a bit hopeful…as he looked at her. Her head was bowed to the ground, still considering all that he was talking about. However, in the end, she shook her head. Her voice stayed slow and calm. "But I can't condone what you're doing."

Sanhou glared at her for a moment, but said nothing. He seemed to regret this…regret that Kagome still didn't see his point of view. That appeared to sadden him a little. But then, he turned back around and faced the head of the group again. He inhaled deeply, and pushed it away, becoming bold again. "No matter." He simply answered. "I'm used to it now. Perhaps it is fate that I can make so many of myself…I have no other friends. No one loved what Naraku made me, and no one loves me for what I made myself." He paused for a moment after that. However…Sanhou seemed lonely again. He appeared to turn somewhat into that person he had been when talking of his past. He seemed to grow small, mild, and unloved again. Strange…for a person who surrounded himself with so many, he seemed still incredibly lonely…even willing to die of loneliness. He wanted desperately for someone to understand him. Finally, his look softened, and he turned back to Kagome.

"…Can you at least believe me when I say what I was…and respect that?" He asked, nearly pleading.

Kagome didn't answer that right away. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction. But he appeared so small now…so innocent…so lonely. He had turned into a pitiable small creature again. Kagome's own large heart couldn't deny him that, undeserving as he was. In the end, she looked up and looked to him, and managed a nod. "I guess so…yes."

"…Well, that's a start…" Sanhou answered slowly after a pause, with a tiny shrug, and said no more the rest of the trip.

None of the Sanhous smiled again until they arrived.

Kagome found herself in an unusual situation next.

Apparently, Sanhou had found another town with people in it to take him in. But the people looked anything but willing to do so. They were nervously trying to go about their work as he approached, looking filled with fear and terror the whole time. When they arrived, they gaped and backed away from the massive crowd of Sanhous that walked through the mud rows. The town itself was built along a mountainside, with most of the town in a valley but also a great deal extending up a sharp mountain incline, with ramp roads leading up to each new house. Kagome hadn't seen the battlefield of Inuyasha before, but this town bore a resemblance. There were braziers here and banners hanging in the middle of the street, and most of the main road was wide and open. It had to be used for heavy transport and travel. It was easily able to accommodate the new waves of Sanhous that walked through it.

Children were grabbed and hurried away from the Sanhous. Others stared at them in terror. More shut their windows and doors. Dogs barked at them, before neighbors came out and did whatever they could to shut them up. All over, people were gasping and mouthing words of terror, saying things like "there's even more of them now". The air was a still one of fear as the odd group continued to make their way through. Kagome looked around at the whole site.

"They're all scared of you…" She remarked.

Sanhou frowned. "I've not touched so much as one of them…though I've wanted to more than once." This last part showed an air of the old maliciousness in his person. "But I need a place to stay. I've been banished in the woods too long, sleeping in rain, mud…and I've been cold and hungry too many nights. I'm not stealing anyone's house. I'm just making use of one of the covered caves up ahead." Here, he gestured forward toward their destination. Kagome looked through her bars, and far ahead, up a little ways on the mountainside, was indeed one covered cave, sealed off by a piece of hanging cloth. It had strange symbols on paper dangling from the front of it. Perhaps it was a warning. Or perhaps they were spells put on by the townspeople, but ones that didn't work. That one had to be the destination, because two more were guarding it, and waiting for the incoming group.

"…How many of you are there?" Kagome asked.

"Up until yesterday, the going was pretty slow." Sanhou answered. "Before I got a Shikkon shard to power me, it took me an entire week to hunt down and kill one demon. It took three days after that before two of us managed to take down a much harder one and become three. Another three days after that I became four. Then the four of us spent a week trying to kill an especially lethal one for a shard. We nearly died right there. But we won in the end, and after becoming five we took the shard, and experienced a doubling in strength for each of us. We spread out after that, looking for others independently. Slowly we got stronger. Currently, there are one hundred and sixty-five of us, but the available pool is two hundred and nineteen…" The miko hesitated at that, but then cracked a smile beaming with the old wickedness. "Excuse me…two hundred and twenty-one. Twins." This last word was cold and mocking, and chilled Kagome's blood all over again. Luckily, it faded quickly, and he continued normally again.

"Of course, as we gain more shards and increase our number, it becomes easier to spread out, find, and dispatch harder Youkai. We're experiencing exponential growth at the moment. Best of all, we're taking in more information constantly. We already believe we have Naraku pinned down to one location, but we're quickly discovering any and all of his planned hiding places too."

The parade reached the mountain, and then began to climb up it. As they marched up the ramp, Kagome passed by more houses. More frightened villagers fled at the sight of them and dove for cover. None of them said a word to any of the Sanhous. However, they were soon clear of that too, and along more abandoned houses. Naturally, the villagers had abandoned them around the new arrivals. They began to approach the entrance after a little while longer, and rapidly began to close on it once they reached up the second flight of mountain trail. Soon the two guards were right ahead, looking at them and waiting for them.

Kagome ventured another question. "Haven't any of the villagers attacked you?"

"They tried." Sanhou answered. "But they ran off when my wound grew into another person. Here we are."

The train, plus Kagome, came to a halt right in front of the covered cave. Once they were there, the Sanhou from earlier that had taken the vial of Shikkon shards immediately stepped forward. The others stood silently and waited. Kagome turned and looked as well, waiting for signs of something. The Sanhou approached the flap of the cave, and then waited for a few moments.

After a second, however, Kagome gaped and pressed herself back against her cave in stunned fear. A deformed, hulk-like hand suddenly came out of the covered cave. It was easily the size of one of the Sanhous' heads. The fingernails were yellow and flaked into claws, and the fingers were hard and knotted with muscle, if such a thing was possible. It opened its hand to accept the shards, and one of the Sanhous readily placed them within it. The hand immediately withdrew back into the cave.

"What…was that thing…?" Kagome piped.

"The original Sanhou." The one nearest to her answered.

Kagome's eyes expanded. She couldn't believe it. It looked like a Youkai's hand at best. "Did Naraku…do that to-"

"No, but thanks for the concern." Sanhou answered. "We don't know why, perhaps because of the shards, but only the original one of us has been changing in personal appearance, looking less and less like how Sanhou originally looked."

Kagome didn't understand, and she soon had another thing to think about. However, as she did, she saw the other Sanhous around her take in deep breaths. They braced themselves, seeming to wait for some sort of incoming rush. The Sanhou before Kagome inhaled deeply as well, and focused himself.

"Here's the bad part…injecting the shards. All of us feel it."

A few moments went by, but then something happened. All of the Sanhous burst into a sweat. They grit their teeth, and began to grunt. Soon, the grunting turned into a cry…and something more happened. The wind seemed to pick up a bit around them. The sky, which had turned clear before, suddenly seemed to grow a bit dark. Kagome looked to the sky, and sure enough…clouds seemed to come in from no where, and race past the sun. The Sanhous continued to buckle and strain, and as they did they continued to sweat…and nearly drool on themselves with focusing. Their skin stretched and their muscles bulged. The wind grew more violent, and Kagome seemed to feel heat beginning to come from the Sanhous. Sure enough, ripples of heat began to gather over them a moment later. It was followed by red light that seemed like faint flame, dancing around them, whipping with the wind. A thunder crack seemed to be heard, and as it did the Sanhous reached an apex. As one…not only there but for every Sanhou in the world, the boys snapped their heads back and yelled into the sky. They radiated pain and agony coursing through their being, making them far stronger than ever but also causing them more misery than ever before. Kagome was shocked. She backed up against her cage, staring at them. It looked like they were going to explode…

But then, it ceased. The muscles toned down. The wind died out. The thunder stopped, although clouds were still in the sky now. The Sanhous relaxed and bowed their heads. They opened their eyes, but they did not move. Their eyes stared blankly forward, as if they had seen something overwhelming and were still shocked and surprised by it. Their mouths hung open and they continued to dribble a bit. They all looked nearly out of their minds, as if they had totally lost them as they stood there.

At last, the one nearest Kagome did something.

He began to laugh.

The laugh had no merriment or mirth in it. It was dark…cold…cruel. It was a horrible, cheerless sound, one heard only from the worst of the Youkai that Kagome ran in to. His empty eyes filled with glee…horrible and wicked glee, teaming with evil and thoughts of violence and new radiant power. All goodness that had been there was gone. Only the evil remained now, and now it issued forth from Sanhou's mouth like a flood.

But that wasn't the worst. They all began to join in…every last one of them. They all started to laugh darkly and coldly, turning their heads to the sky, looking jovial and almost drunken with their new strength. They began to laugh harder and louder, all of them sounding their joy to the sky, all of them filled with their new teeming power. And within that laugh…it sounded as if it was indeed no longer about Youkai, but was now about Sanhou. Sanhou…and how much power he could get and how much power now belonged to him.

Kagome shuddered with terror.

Sanhou…had grown infinitely worse.