Episode 123 - Regenerate Naraku Beyond Darkness
“Inuyasha!” -- Kagome’s desperate cries reach the lifeless young half-demon, rousing him back to consciousness. Though upset with Kagome for following him to the mountain, Inuyasha is happy she’s there and very anxious to escape the constricting coils after learning Koga’s fate. As Kagome and Inuyasha struggle to free him from the fleshy bonds, a sinister laugh echoes through the cavern: Naraku! Rushing to their friends’ aid, Sango and Miroku sense an incredibly strong demon when, out of the shadows, Naraku’s face materializes. Kagome and Sango attack the apparition, but it ends badly when Sango’s Hiraikotsu cuts through Naraku’s tentacles unleashing a rain of acid. As everyone dodges the stinging spray, more of Naraku’s limbs slither into action entrapping Kagome and Shippo as well as Sango and Miroku. Naraku tells his captives that they’re caught inside his body, the interior of Mt. Hakurei. Scornfully, Naraku tells everyone how foolish their feelings are, using Bankotsu’s betrayed bond with the Shichinin-tai as an example. Naraku’s tentacle plucks the Shikon shards free from Bankotsu’s remains and what’s left of Bankotsu tumbles away: bone, dust and tattered cloth. Naraku also harvests the jewel shards from the Banryuu. Lastly, the foul appendage rips through Inuyasha’s jacket, snatching the shards he won from Bankotsu during their battle. The precious bits of gem are back in the possession of the enemy. Outside on the slopes of Hakureizan, both Kikyo and Sessho-maru arrive, lured by Naraku’s renewed presence. Kikyo spots Kagura escaping on her flying feather and notices that Kagura carries something -- something dangerous. Kikyo fires an arrow to stop the fleeing demon. Kagura dodges the assault and a new voice from inside a bundle she holds instructs her to keep going - it’s not up to her to kill Kikyo: that’s Naraku’s privilege. Inside the mountain, Kanna and Kohaku follow Kagura’s example and escape. The only ones left inside Hakureizan with Naraku are Inuyasha, Kagome, and their companions. The team watches in horror as Naraku gathers the jewel fragments into a brilliant ball of energy. Sparks radiate out from the heart of the reunited shards, exploding into a burst of creation as the new body of Naraku begins to materialize, bit by appalling bit. The new body is a monstrous travesty of the human form. Naraku now has an exoskeleton protecting his vulnerable body parts, tentacles, bony spikes on his arms, shoulders and chest, and a final ghastly new feature -- a huge red eye in the center of his chest. He also has his barrier. From the barrier’s security, Naraku taunts the captive Inuyasha, but Inuyasha won’t give into Naraku’s egotistical posturing, getting so angry that he claws himself free from the treacherous tentacles. Naraku seems amused Inuyasha would dare challenge his new form, but Inuyasha is agitated and won’t back down. Retrieving Tetsusaiga from the gooey cave walls, Inuyasha attacks Naraku with Kaze no Kizu. Unfortunately, Naraku repels the attack, directing it’s lethal energy into the flow of his own youki. The Kaze no Kizu careens wildly around the cavern, ricocheting off walls and threatening everyone EXCEPT Naraku, who is safe inside his barrier. While the Kaze no Kizu circulates violently keeping Inuyasha and the others at a distance, Naraku smugly floats away. As Naraku ascends, Kagome spots two Shikon fragments inside the barrier ’bubble” -- Koga! Kagome tells Inuyasha they have to stop the circulating Kaze no Kizu and rescue Koga before he’s absorbed into Naraku. The determined duo pursues Naraku at top speed. As they close in on the arrogant monster, Kagome takes aim and shoots an intensely strong purifying arrow at Naraku, shattering the violent swirling and piercing the barrier. Koga’s body spills out, plunging into the darkness and Inuyasha and Kagome dive into the chasm to his rescue. Affronted by the insolence of their attack, Naraku decides to destroy his young opponents by bringing down the mountain on all of them. Mt. Hakurei breaks apart while Naraku soars toward freedom and some unfinished business with Kikyo.
