Uchiha Retsu watched Kikyo teasing Jaken and suppressed a laugh, keeping a straight face as he stood to the side, afraid he might ruin her act if he slipped.
"Alright, little yokai. You really are loyal to Sesshomaru," Kikyo said with a gentle smile, clearly amused by Jaken's desperate prostration. "Don't worry, I'll help him."
As her voice fell, she drew another arrow from behind her back and pulled the bowstring to its limit.
The arrowhead locked onto Sesshomaru, who was surrounded by writhing tentacles.
With a release of her fingers—
The arrow traced a graceful arc through the night, streaking straight toward him.
At that moment, Sesshomaru had just cut apart the tentacles in front of him.
Expressionless, he glanced at the growing pile of demon remains beneath his feet.
He understood clearly—
This was Naraku's trap.
Once he was completely buried, he would be devoured.
But the poison in his body flared relentlessly. Every swing of his blade drained him, leaving him unable to clear the accumulating remains.
Just as more tentacles surged in from all directions—
He suddenly paused.
A sacred arrow, radiating pure purifying energy, tore through the air—
Shattering the surrounding tentacles instantly before embedding itself precisely into the ground at his feet.
White spiritual energy burst outward.
The demon remains beneath him were instantly reduced to dust.
"…That priestess?"
Sesshomaru was briefly stunned.
Seizing the moment, he planted Tokijin into the ground and leaned on it, catching his breath while trying to suppress the poison with his demonic power.
As new tentacles began closing in again, he raised his sword—
Then stopped.
His gaze fell upon the sacred arrow lodged in the ground.
After a brief hesitation—
He reached out and grasped it.
With a sharp motion, he pulled it free.
The next instant—
BOOM!
The arrow exploded in his hand.
White spiritual energy surged into his body, sweeping through him.
His already weakened demonic energy was instantly purged—
Leaving his exhausted body momentarily drained.
"Clang!"
Tokijin stabbed into the ground, supporting his weight.
But instead of anger—
A faint smile appeared in Sesshomaru's eyes.
Because along with his demonic power—
The poison that had plagued him was also completely purified.
He lifted his head, locking onto Naraku with a killing intent that seemed to freeze the air.
Freed from the poison—
Fresh demonic power surged through him at an astonishing speed.
For a perfect full demon like him, restoring power was effortless.
That brief weakness—
Was already gone.
Facing the incoming tentacles—
Sesshomaru no longer defended.
He charged forward.
With a single swing—
A sharp blue blade of energy cut through the night, reducing everything in its path to ash.
"His power… increased?!" Naraku's pupils shrank as he stared upward at Kikyo, his expression turning ugly.
"That woman—Kikyo!"
He saw it clearly—
Sesshomaru's reversal began the moment he grabbed that arrow.
Her spiritual power had purified the poison.
"Wretch… where are you looking?"
A cold voice sounded beside him.
Naraku snapped back to reality—
Sesshomaru was already in front of him.
Tokijin descended with deadly intent toward his head!
"Damn it!"
Naraku reacted instantly.
His body writhed—
And a massive ox-headed demon burst out from within him, blocking the attack.
Slash!
The blade cleaved the demon apart—
But its body exploded, releasing a flood of dark-purple miasma mixed with inky poison—
The very Gyuuki toxin that had nearly brought Sesshomaru down.
"Disgusting."
Sesshomaru's eyes flashed with disdain as he retreated, avoiding the poisonous cloud.
"Sesshomaru… you cannot kill me!"
Naraku's figure reappeared within the miasma, a vicious grin on his face.
"NARAKU!!"
A furious roar suddenly echoed—
Causing Naraku's heart to tighten.
He turned—
And saw Inuyasha rushing in from afar, Tessaiga raised high.
"Wind Scar!"
A golden slash shot forward like a meteor.
"Hmph. Useless!"
Naraku instantly erected a barrier.
But at the moment it formed—
Tessaiga turned crimson.
The red Tessaiga, empowered by Blood Coral, could break barriers!
BOOM!
The golden slash slammed into the barrier—
And shattered it instantly.
"What?! My barrier—!"
Before Naraku could react—
The Wind Scar struck his body directly.
"AAARGH—!"
At the last moment, Naraku used his lower body to block the attack.
Though his lower half was completely obliterated—
His upper body barely survived, crashing heavily to the ground.
"Inuyasha, don't come closer! The miasma is poisonous!" Sesshomaru warned.
"What?!"
Inuyasha halted immediately, gripping Tessaiga as he watched the demon remains begin writhing again, rapidly reconstructing Naraku's body.
"Inuyasha… how did you pass through my barrier?" Naraku demanded, staring at him.
He glanced toward Kagura and Kanna—
Only to see them locked in fierce combat with a massive wooden dragon, completely unable to intervene.
"Barrier?" Inuyasha blinked.
"There was an opening leading straight into the castle. I thought you left it for me."
"…Damn it. That woman—Kikyo!"
Naraku immediately understood.
The opening had been left behind by Kikyo and Retsu.
"Still distracted in battle?"
With the miasma clearing, Sesshomaru charged again, blue blade flashing.
"Naraku, die!"
Inuyasha followed up, swinging Tessaiga once more.
"Wind Scar!"
Golden and blue slashes intertwined—
Crashing into Naraku simultaneously.
"NO—! I won't die here!"
Naraku roared.
His lower body suddenly exploded, releasing a massive surge of miasma that swallowed him completely.
"Did… we get him?" Inuyasha muttered.
At that moment—
A tornado of miasma shot into the sky.
Naraku's voice echoed from within.
"Sesshomaru… I'll be leaving first. If you don't hurry, that little girl with you might truly die."
Only his upper body remained—
Wrapped in dense demonic energy as he fled into the distance.
"Naraku… I will kill you!"
Sesshomaru gripped Tokijin tightly, his killing intent blazing as he watched Naraku escape.
"Did you forget about me, Naraku?"
Retsu's voice suddenly rang out.
Inuyasha looked up sharply.
"Susanoo!"
A deep shout echoed.
On the highest rooftop—
A pale blue skeletal frame rapidly formed, muscles and armor layering over it—
Becoming a towering armored giant.
The Susanoo raised its left hand—
A massive bow appeared.
"Kikyo, lend me your spiritual power."
Inside the Susanoo, Retsu held her hand with a smile.
"…Alright."
Kikyo was briefly stunned, then clasped his hand firmly.
Pure spiritual energy flowed into him without restraint.
Feeling the power surge through him, Retsu's lips curved into a grin.
"This technique…"
"Kikyo's Susanoo Arrow."
The moment his words fell—
The Susanoo drew the bowstring.
An arrow formed—
A fusion of chakra and sacred spiritual power.
Glowing white—
Radiating overwhelming purifying force—
It locked onto Naraku, who was fleeing through the sky.
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