Episode 156 - Battle before the Tomb! Sesshomaru vs. Inuyasha
As Inuyasha and the others battle for possession of the remaining Shikon shard, Kagura leads Sessho-maru to the gateway of the boundary world. Ignoring Kagura’s warning and Jaken’s fear, Sessho-maru enters the cave of the portal, pulsations from Tenseiga urging him forward. Inside the boundary world, Kagome anxiously searches for Inuyasha. The hunt is interrupted by Naraku’s arrival. The villain finally reveals himself to the group now that they are vulnerable. Gloating over his belief Inuyasha is dead; Naraku attacks Hosenki trying to steal the Shikon fragment. Back in the cave of the portal, Sessho-maru confronts Gozu and Mezu, the guardians of the passage. Once again, the guardians dare an interloper to pass as Kagura watches from safety, remembering the last disastrous attempt to enter the gateway. But, she believes if anyone can defeat Gozo and Mezu, it’s Sessho-maru. Down in the misted valley, Inuyasha regains consciousness. As he gazes up at his father’s remains, Tetsusaiga starts to vibrate and transform. High above him, Inuyasha witnesses Naraku’s assault on his friends and Hosenki. Hosenki’s resistance is admirable; although polluted by a tainted Shikon shard weakening his body, he battles Naraku persistently, piercing Naraku’s barrier with a razor sharp diamond arm. Naraku scoffs at the Dai yokai’s defense, spouting tentacles to probe and finally grasp the remaining shard protected by Hosenki’s diamond plated body. Naraku thanks Kagome and the team. If they hadn’t damaged Hosenki’s body, he would have not been able to seize the jewel. But just as Naraku has the fragment in his grasp, his greedy tentacles are sliced apart by a blast of power: Kaze no Kizu: Inuyasha rises from the abyss, attacking from the back of one of the skeletal birds. Naraku greets Inuyasha with smug confidence, fueling Inuyasha’s rage. He blasts Naraku with the Red Tetsusaiga, but as the dust settles, Naraku remains untouched. Naraku taunts him and Inuyasha blasts him again, this time using the Bakuryuuha attack. Naraku responds by throwing Hosenki at Inuyasha and impaling him on Hosenki’s jagged body. Back in the cave of the portal, Sessho-maru attacks Gozu and Mezu with Tokajin. When the guardians tell him they cannot be cut with a katana from the living world, Sessho-maru understands Tenseiga’s “message”. Sessho-maru draws Tenseiga and the mere threat causes the gateway to part and the guardians kneel in submission before “he who carries a sword from the next world.” Sessho-maru strolls through the gateway unscathed. Watching him go, Kagura believes she’s found her “champion”: she’s certain Sessho-maru can kill Naraku. Inuyasha and the team battle Naraku, refusing to admit defeat. They deploy everything in their arsenal to keep him away from Hosenki and the last jewel fragment. Sango severs Naraku’s probing tentacle with Hiraikotsu, but the wound releases a blast of miasma. The poison causes Inuyasha to lose his grip on Hosenki and Naraku’s other tentacle slips in to snatch the jewel. Finished with them, Naraku “tosses” Inuyasha and Hosenki into the maw of Inuyasha’s father’s grave. Undaunted, Inuyasha threatens Naraku, but Naraku tell’s him it’s over; he’s leaving and they’re stranded -- doomed to wander the demon graveyard. Suddenly the smug schemer is stunned by a powerful blast. A new player arrives: Sessho-maru. Warily, Naraku greets Sessho-maru, asking if he’s come to help his little brother. Sessho-maru responds with stony silence, ignoring Naraku as he proceeds towards his father’s grave. Inuyasha also wonders why Sessho-maru has come and receives his answer quickly. Seething with anger, Sessho-maru confronts Inuyasha violently punching him in the face. Sessho-maru angrily admonishes Inuyasha for damaging their father grave. Naraku is next to sample Sessho-maru’s wrath. The demon lord’s fury wipes the smirk off Naraku’s face. Back inside the Dog General’s remains, Hosenki has regained his senses and calls to Inuyasha. He wants to know if Inuyasha has any power left to fight.
