Episode 119 - A Divine and Malicious Saint
The search for the source of the purity barrier is over. Miroku and Sango’s discovery of a hidden temple, shrouded in the mists of Mt. Hakurei lead them directly to the Living Buddha himself -- Hakushin. They are alarmed when the mummy open’s his eyes and confronts them about trespassing in his temple. Miroku replies, and asks him why a holy person such as he would ally himself with someone as evil as Naraku. Hakushin’s answer is shocking: he knows Naraku’s true nature, but doesn’t care. At the foot of the mountain, Kagome waits anxiously for Inuyasha’s return along with Shippo, Kirara, Koga and his pack mates, Ginta and Hakkaku. Both Shippo and Kirara suffer from the effect of the barrier, causing Kagome more worry about Inuyasha. Ginta and Hakkaku compound her distress, tactlessly voicing their own concerns over Inuyasha‘s fate inside the barrier. Seeing how badly their banter bothers Kagome, Koga puts a halt to the conversation with timely head-bops. Shippo tries to relive Kagome’s suffering by reassuring her Inuyasha will be just fine. However, Inuyasha isn’t fine at all ... He has transformed into a human; his fire-rat clothing and Tetsusaiga are powerless; he’s trapped in a dead end cave by Jakotsu, and Jakotsu is hitting on him -- verbally and with his sword, Jakotsuto. Driven to extremes, Inuyasha charges Jakotsu, barely able to dodge fatal blows from the snakelike Jakotsuto. Inuyasha ’s assault leaves him wounded, bleeding and exhausted. His condition delights Jakotsu, who definitely enjoys the torturous fight. While Inuyasha struggles to stay alive inside the mountain, back at it’s summit, Hakushin tell’s his story to Miroku and Sango. Hakushin devoted his life to piety and selflessness, generously giving of himself to help the suffering of others. When he fell seriously ill, his followers fretted about losing him, and his guidance. From his sickbed, Hakushin assuaged their fears, announcing his intention to become a “living Buddha” so that he could protect his people forever. Hakushin was ceremonially entombed underground with only a bell and an air pipe to connect him with the living world. When the bell stopped ringing, he would be dead, ascending into Nirvana where he would protect his followers for eternity. But as his life ebbed inside the tomb, Hakushin realized that at his final moment he didn’t want to die, resenting the circumstances of his death. Hakushin’s remains were installed as a “living Buddha, ” but his tortured soul lingered in the darkness. Naraku found it there, seducing Hakushin’s lost soul by convincing Hakushin his followers were selfish, and that even in death, they forced the responsibility of their welfare upon him. Hakushin accepted Naraku’s offer to ’live’, allowing himself to be used in exchange for freedom from his spiritual responsibility. Deep inside the mountain, freedom is the last thing available to Inuyasha; Jakotsu has him trapped and is closing in for the kill. Renkotsu has also arrived, discretely watching the battle with frustration, angry Inuyasha wasn’t able kill Jakotsu for him. As a last defense, Inuyasha springs a sneak attack on Jakotsu but his attempt fails miserably weakened by blood loss and fatigue. Jakotsu easily gains the upper hand, prepared to finish off his prey. In the temple, Miroku and Sango throw everything in their arsenal against the power of Hakushin and his barrier. Although the barrier and its source are formidable, they succeed, using Miroku’s wind tunnel as the final blow. The barrier starts to dissolve. Everyone in the vicinity of Mt. Hakurei senses the barrier’s destruction. Deep within the mountain, Renkotsu is the first to witness the result of the barrier’s dissipation as a multitude of lesser demons roils up from the bowels of the earth. Freed from their containment, they’re desperate to escape their mountain prison. Dropping his victim, Jakotsu turns his attention to the advancing demons. The rampaging monsters mean the barrier is gone along with it’s purifying properties. It also means Inuyasha get’s a major break -- his demonic power returns! Realizing Miroku and Sango were successful breaking the barrier, Inuyasha prepares to end the battle and destroy Jakotsu. The Shichinin-tai isn’t about to die easily still as passionate about his opponent’s charms as ever. He releases a final attack, binding Inuyasha in a tangle of deadly blades; one flick of Jakotsu’s wrist, and Inuyasha will be cut to ribbons.
