Ryukotsusei I

"Up ahead should be the place where Ryukotsusei is sealed, right?"

Standing atop a relatively high hill, Yae Sakura and Kikyo sat on Higokumaru's back, gazing into the distant mountain range shrouded in layers of mist.

Amid the vast white clouds, a gigantic figure flickered in and out of view.

A terrifying aura radiated outward from that place in every direction. Within ten miles, there was no trace of life; even the earth and mountains were left barren beneath that dreadful demonic energy.

"Be careful. Ryukotsusei was known as Toga's nemesis. It won't be easy to deal with." Kikyo sat behind Yae Sakura, keeping a slight distance from her.

"It's just a crawling bug. Don't be afraid, Big Sis. I, Higokumaru, will bite it to death in one bite."

Higokumaru paid no heed to Kikyo's warning. Instead, she seemed determined to argue with her.

"It is said that Ryukotsusei could destroy an entire country with a single strike." Hearing Higokumaru's confident words, Kikyo added another warning.

"Oh? One of those tiny countries with fewer than ten thousand people?"

"You..." Kikyo was instantly left speechless!

She wanted to refute her, but what Higokumaru said was true.

"Alright, stop arguing. Higokumaru, get closer and take a look."

The true forms of the great demons in Inuyasha were all truly enormous.

They were great demons in every sense of the word. Toga's skeletal corpse after his death was as large as a city.

He was a true "great" demon.

Ryukotsusei before them was no exception. Its body was equally astonishingly huge. It was terrifying even from afar...

"So this is Ryukotsusei..."

"Although I knew it was powerful, seeing it with my own eyes is still shocking..."

In a flash of red, Higokumaru carried Yae Sakura and Kikyo down onto the cliff opposite the valley where Ryukotsusei was sealed. They carefully examined the enormous dragon-like demon whose body was half-buried within the mountain.

Its massive body, black scales, and ferocious dragon head created an overwhelming pressure that defied description.

Not only ordinary lifeforms—even many demons would likely suffer a complete collapse of mind and will before Ryukotsusei's monstrously immense body.

"Ryukotsusei..."

This great demon who had appeared in Inuyasha only to die directly at Inuyasha's hands was actually this powerful in person...

Such a powerful demon had died so miserably at Inuyasha's hands in the anime, becoming nothing more than Inuyasha's experience points. That was far too absurd...

"I'll remove its seal!"

Looking at the enormous broken claw embedded in Ryukotsusei's heart, Yae Sakura recognized it as the seal left by Toga, the father of Inuyasha and Sesshomaru.

Yae Sakura leaped from Higokumaru's back and used Flash Step to appear directly atop the broken giant claw.

Only then did Yae Sakura realize that the cliffs on either side of this valley had not formed naturally. They looked as though someone had violently cleaved them apart.

Sword marks could be seen everywhere below. Looking around, she saw that not only this valley, but even the surrounding cliffs and precipices bore signs of battle.

Only, those traces... were all enormous.

Yae Sakura guessed that they had been left behind during the battle between Toga and Ryukotsusei.

Unfortunately, Toga was already dead. Otherwise... Yae Sakura would have liked to test herself against this peerless powerhouse. But now that he was dead, she could only go find his wife for a match.

Now...

Yae Sakura was preparing to remove Ryukotsusei's seal. As for what Inuyasha would do without this bundle of experience points?

That was not something Yae Sakura needed to consider.

"Crimson Cherry..."

With a wave of her hand, a cluster of "cherry blossoms" fell upon the enormous broken claw.

They were not real cherry blossoms, but a manifestation of Yae Sakura's Crimson Cherry Sword Qi.

The moment the blossoms landed on the giant claw, they all transformed into Crimson Cherry Sword Qi.

The entire enormous broken claw turned directly into powder.

At that moment, a fierce wind filled with sinister energy slowly rose over the valley, while thick dark clouds rapidly blanketed the sky.

Thump! Thump!

Thump! Thump!

Within the valley, the sealing claw's effect had vanished completely. After the claw disappeared, the wound in Ryukotsusei's heart continuously flickered with an eerie red light.

A terrifying pulse spread in all directions with the sound of Ryukotsusei's gradually reviving heartbeat, shaking the surrounding earth and sky.

First came the dragon claw that had nearly turned to stone, then its coiled body, which was nearly level with the valley itself.

Rocks began crumbling from the mountainsides, and the ground at the bottom of the valley started to swell and crack.

Ryukotsusei, who had slept for hundreds of years, slowly began to move.

At the same time, the dark clouds in the sky, together with Ryukotsusei's awakening and immense demonic power, erupted with lightning and thunder...

"Ryukotsusei, you're awake."

Yae Sakura returned to the cliff opposite the valley and looked at the awakened Ryukotsusei. This was completely unlike the useless Ryukotsusei depicted in the anime.

This immense demonic energy was far greater than that of both the Earth Spider and Gashadokuro she had encountered before.

If Ryukotsusei was already this powerful, then what about Toga?

"Were you the one who removed my seal and awakened me from my slumber?" While Yae Sakura studied Ryukotsusei, Ryukotsusei was also studying the three little ones before it.

Two priestesses and a fox demon...

Why would priestesses come to release a great demon like it? How strange...

"That's right! Come fight me, Ryukotsusei!"

Looking at Ryukotsusei before her, Yae Sakura had to admit that if she were still her former self, she would have turned and run long ago.

But now, as Flame Sakitama, she felt only the desire to fight.

"You awakened me just to fight me? A mere half-demon?" Ryukotsusei spoke as though it had heard a joke.

Although its tone was disdainful, Ryukotsusei became serious inside. This half-demon priestess, who did not possess even a trace of demonic energy, somehow made it feel danger.

"Don't interfere. Just watch from the side. Higokumaru, protect Kikyo."

Yae Sakura did not respond to Ryukotsusei's disdain. Instead, she gave instructions to Higokumaru and Kikyo.

Kikyo was very powerful, but she was still far inferior when facing a great demon.

Although her demon-purifying power could threaten great demons, she was ultimately only an ordinary human.

"Got it..."

A helpless expression appeared on Higokumaru's fox face. Honestly... Higokumaru really did not like this Kikyo.

It was bad enough that Kallen had taken Yae Sakura away, but now another Kikyo had appeared. And this Kikyo was even more infuriating than Kallen. She acted as though she had already won, completely ignoring Higokumaru, as if everything Higokumaru did was just the antics of a clown.

Higokumaru was very displeased! But she could not disobey Yae Sakura's words.

"Be careful. I'll be watching over you the whole time." Sitting on Higokumaru's back, Kikyo answered gently.

"Mm..."