"You're back! Did you find Naraku?"
Inuyasha and the others had been waiting anxiously at the edge of Mount Hakurei's misty boundary, scanning the path leading down the mountain.
When Kikyo and Kagetsu suddenly reappeared beside the kunai he had planted earlier,Kagetsu still carrying the Banryū,they immediately rushed forward.
"We found him," Kikyo said with a small nod. "Although we didn't see Naraku directly, we encountered his incarnation, Kanna. Kagetsu also confirmed,Naraku and a large number of demons are hiding inside Mount Hakurei."
"Inside the mountain?" Miroku repeated, startled, glancing up at the towering, fog-covered peak. "Then… does that mean Saint Hakushin's spiritual power is truly protecting him?"
"That's right," Kikyo confirmed calmly. "We also saw Saint Hakushin's mummified body. His soul has already been awakened by Naraku and now resides within it. The barrier itself was created by him."
"…Is that monk insane?" Inuyasha snapped, clenching his teeth. "He knows Naraku is a demon, doesn't he?! Why protect him? If it weren't for this damn barrier, I'd cut that monk down myself!"
"Kikyo… what do we do now?" Kagome asked, frowning. "If the barrier is still active… can't you do anything about him?"
"…We didn't act," Kikyo replied.
That single sentence stunned everyone.
Four pairs of eyes turned toward her in confusion.
Kikyo didn't elaborate. Instead, she turned her gaze to Kagetsu.
"Kagetsu… what are you planning?"
Understanding dawned on the others. If they hadn't acted, it must have been his decision.
Kagetsu casually stored the Banryū into the Kamui dimension and looked up at Mount Hakurei, his gaze seeming to pierce straight through its exterior.
"Kikyo," he said, "I told you earlier,there's a large number of demons hiding inside, right?"
"…Wait," Kikyo's eyes widened slightly. "You want to use the barrier… to purify them?"
"Exactly." Kagetsu gave a small thumbs-up.
"These demons were gathered by Naraku. If we had killed Saint Hakushin just now, the barrier would've disappeared,and all those demons would've escaped. Then we'd have to hunt them down one by one."
He smirked faintly.
"But as long as the barrier remains… the moment they're exposed, they'll be purified."
Sango nodded, understanding,but then frowned.
"But how do we force them out?"
Kagetsu chuckled.
"Simple. If they're hiding inside the mountain… then we just remove the mountain."
"…Remove… the mountain?"
Everyone instinctively looked up at the towering peak and swallowed.
"You're joking… right?"
"Not at all," Kagetsu said calmly. "The inside has already been hollowed out. Splitting it open might take a bit of effort,but it's nothing difficult."
He turned to them.
"Move back. You don't want to be caught in the collapse."
"…Got it! Kagome, let's go!"
Inuyasha didn't hesitate. He hoisted Kagome and Shippō onto his back and leapt away.
"Be careful!" Miroku called before retreating with Sango.
Kikyo was about to follow,
But Kagetsu suddenly wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her back into his arms.
She blinked up at him.
"No need to go," he said with a faint smile. "We'll do this together."
Kagetsu raised his gaze toward Mount Hakurei.
His eyes shifted,
The scarlet Mangekyō Sharingan flared to life.
"Susanoo."
Pale blue chakra erupted around him.
It surged outward, forming a skeletal structure,then flesh, armor, and flowing plates rapidly took shape.
The figure grew.
And grew.
In an instant,
A colossal warrior nearly two hundred meters tall stood between heaven and earth.
The Complete Body Susanoo had descended.
"What… what is that?!"
Inuyasha and the others, now at a safe distance, stared in shock, mouths slightly open.
It was like a mountain had come to life.
"…It's like a god," Sango whispered, covering her mouth.
Inuyasha gripped Tessaiga tightly, his teeth clenched as he felt the overwhelming pressure.
His desire to grow stronger burned even hotter.
High above,
Kikyo stood beside Kagetsu within the crystal-like space at the Susanoo's forehead.
Looking at the immense form around them, even she couldn't maintain her usual composure.
"…Kagetsu… this is also your Susanoo?"
"The third power of the Mangekyō Sharingan," Kagetsu said quietly, a trace of exhilaration flickering in his eyes.
"Complete Body Susanoo."
After merging the powers of Indra and Ashura, his ocular abilities had reached a new level.
This,
Was true mastery.
The so-called power of the gods.
"But we're not done yet."
Kagetsu narrowed his eyes.
Chakra surged again.
Behind the Susanoo, energy erupted violently,
And a pair of massive wings unfolded.
With a thunderous beat,
The giant took flight, carrying them straight toward Mount Hakurei.
"It's flying!!" Kagome exclaimed from below.
The Susanoo rose to a great height, then stopped,hovering silently in the air.
Kikyo looked ahead at the mountain.
She understood.
Kagetsu raised his hand.
The Susanoo mirrored the motion, lifting a massive chakra-forged blade.
Then,
It swung.
BOOM,!
A devastating shockwave blasted outward, scattering the surrounding mist.
A brilliant arc of light,like a crescent moon,cut cleanly across the waist of Mount Hakurei.
For a moment,
Silence.
Then,
BOOM!!!
The mountain trembled violently.
A deafening roar shook the earth.
Kagome and the others could only stare.
Across the massive body of Mount Hakurei,
A perfect, glowing cut line appeared.
Then,
It burst apart.
Molten rock and shattered debris erupted outward like a storm.
The upper half of the mountain began to slide,
Then collapse,
As the world shook beneath it.