Inuyasha Was Sesshomaru's Beloved Kin, His Own Flesh and Blood!

"Honestly, what on earth was Inuyasha so angry about?"

After the incident with Yura of the Hair ended, Hojo Akitoshi unexpectedly refrained from asking too many questions about the Shikon Jewel.

Even the Hojo Army stationed outside Kaede's Village began preparing to return home.

This delighted Kaede in particular, and thanks to the harmonious atmosphere everyone shared...

Kagome said goodbye to Inuyasha and Kaede, then returned to the modern world through the Bone-Eater's Well as they watched.

Unlike in the original timeline, however, she did not wait for Inuyasha to chase her into the modern world this time.

She spent the daylight hours at her home in future Tokyo. Who knew what she told her family there?

When the moon rose again, Kagome returned on her own, carrying a large pack filled with modern supplies.

Except...

Inuyasha had spent the entire day anxiously waiting for Kagome to return, barely resisting the urge to jump down the Bone-Eater's Well several times.

Yet when he actually saw her return, he did not look pleased at all.

He even seemed a little furious, walking ahead alone in a sulk.

That was what prompted Kagome to quietly ask Kaede about it.

Kaede glanced at Kagome when she heard her question, too emotionally exhausted to speak.

After all, anyone who had spent an entire day waiting beside the Bone-Eater's Well out in the wilderness...

Who had been so worried that he could barely eat, only for the person he was waiting for to return and immediately ask...

"Did Lord Akitoshi come by today?"

"Have they left yet?"

Would have been unhappy to hear something like that, wouldn't they?

But...

Sighing helplessly, Kaede looked at Kagome's face, which was full of confusion and a hint of excitement.

She had to admit that, given the way Hojo Akitoshi conducted himself, he was indeed difficult to forget in this era.

Had she been fifty years younger, it would have been perfectly natural for her to keep talking about him too.

The trouble was...

Watching Inuyasha sulking as he walked ahead, Kaede felt that on their future journey to find the Shikon Jewel...

This dog was indispensable too. Now, because of Hojo Akitoshi, Kagome and Inuyasha's relationship had become somewhat strained.

That hardly boded well for their great undertaking to save the world!

After all, Inuyasha could serve as a shikigami to help Kagome, but Hojo Akitoshi and the entire Hojo Army could not.

Hojo Akitoshi did not have the Beads of Subjugation around his neck, did he?

Yet just as the two humans and one demon in the forest were each occupied with their own thoughts...

Inuyasha, who was walking at the front, suddenly slapped his cheek hard.

The sound alone made Kagome and Kaede wince.

"Inuyasha, what's wrong? Whatever you did wrong, you don't have to slap yourself!"

Kagome stepped forward, but her words stirred another burst of inexplicable anger in Inuyasha.

"Oh, this silly girl."

Shaking her head, Kaede hurried after her.

She did not believe someone with Inuyasha's personality would slap himself out of sheer boredom.

Something must have happened. She just did not know whether it was good or bad!

"You!"

Kagome's words had irritated him, but before Inuyasha could snap back...

Something with four arms, wearing clothes and sporting a little mustache, hopped up from the ground where the three stood.

"It's been fifty years, Lord Inuyasha! Forgive me for going so long without paying my respects!"

"Ah, your blood and your late father's really are the finest! Nothing in the world tastes better!"

"What? A talking flea?"

"And 'Lord Inuyasha'?"

Looking toward the voice, Kagome noticed the flea on the ground, whose name was Myōga.

Hearing himself addressed as "Lord," Inuyasha first furrowed his brow, then raised it.

He seemed to be telling Kagome...

See? I'm someone important too, you know.

Before any of them could recover, Inuyasha and the others heard the flea continue.

"My lord, we must flee for our lives!"

"Lord Sesshomaru is searching for your father's tomb. He seems to think you know where it is, so he'll be coming to kill you very soon!"

"What?"

Inuyasha had barely had a moment to feel smug before hearing that his older brother was coming, and his expression instantly darkened.

Under Kagome and Kaede's gazes, the dog found himself both embarrassed and angry.

"So..."

Inside the Hojo Army's camp, where preparations for departure were underway...

Hojo Akitoshi sat at the head of the venue where yesterday's feast had been held, looking at the two humans and two demons before him.

"You're saying that Inuyasha, the second son of the late Great Dog General, a Great Demon of the Western Lands, is now being targeted by the eldest son, Sesshomaru."

"And his goal is to find their father's tomb?"

"Now that's some hilariously devoted filial piety."

Hojo Akitoshi adopted an expression caught between laughter and tears, pretending not to know what he already understood.

"I told you we shouldn't come to him! It's only Sesshomaru! You think I'm scared of him?"

After hearing that, Inuyasha, who had never wanted to come in the first place, immediately felt humiliated.

Faced with Hojo Akitoshi's teasing words, he angrily tried to get up and leave.

It's just Sesshomaru, isn't it?

At worst, he'll beat me to death, or I'll get beaten to death by him!

What's the big deal?

"Sit!"

Seeing Inuyasha refuse to appreciate their help, how could Kagome let this dog face the Sesshomaru that Myōga had described all by himself?

On their way here, Myōga had done everything he could to emphasize Sesshomaru's power in an attempt to persuade Inuyasha.

Nobody knew whether Inuyasha had taken any of it in, but the two women had listened very carefully!

How could they possibly let Inuyasha throw himself against an enemy he could not hope to beat?

"Yes, exactly, Lord Inuyasha!"

Myōga froze briefly, chiefly because he was astonished that a single word from a human girl had pinned Inuyasha to the ground, leaving him unable to move.

Once he recovered, Myōga, the loyal servant the Great Dog General had left to his second son...

Still wanted to fulfill his duty.

If Inuyasha refused to leave no matter what anyone said!

Myōga continued trying to persuade Inuyasha, but in truth, ever since entering the Hojo Army's camp...

Judging everything along the way with the discerning eye he had honed in Zhuge Wuhou's household at Tōdai...

The Hojo Army barely qualified as cannon fodder to take the fall for Lord Inuyasha and buy him time to escape!

"You lot!"

Pinned firmly by the power of the command, Inuyasha felt his head was about to burst.

Looking around at everyone present, Inuyasha stubbornly refused to back down.

With a formidable enemy approaching, Hojo Akitoshi, who might have understood Sesshomaru better than anyone else there...

Had no leisure to keep enjoying the spectacle.

A little teasing to ease the tension was fine, but continuing to relax would mean treating his subordinates' lives as worthless.

Beckoning Akechi Mitsuhide, who stood in attendance nearby, Hojo Akitoshi ordered him to take some men and wheel out the Kunikuzushi cannon.

Naturally, he did not forget the gun-bearing Matchlock Ashigaru either.

In a direct confrontation with Sesshomaru, the Huihui Cannon would not be particularly useful.

Sesshomaru was an all-round powerhouse, with high attack, speed, and defense.

If they hoped to use white phosphorus incendiary bombs against him as they had against Yura of the Hair...

Sesshomaru would probably charge into the Hojo Army's formation before the flames even touched him.

Stroking his saber, Sirius, Hojo Akitoshi cast a malicious gaze toward Inuyasha, who was still arguing with Kagome and the others.

Sesshomaru was currently searching for the Great Dog General's grave. In other words, Inuyasha was still quite useful to him at this point.

Then could he use Inuyasha to set a trap and make Sesshomaru willingly walk into a sea of white phosphorus fire?

For no apparent reason, a sudden chill swept through Inuyasha. Following his instinctive warning, he looked toward Hojo Akitoshi seated at the head.

For that fleeting instant, Inuyasha seemed to see a phantom devil flash behind Hojo Akitoshi.

"Hey! Hojo Akitoshi, you're plotting something nasty against me, aren't you?"

Unable to keep anything to himself, Inuyasha immediately shouted.

Before Hojo Akitoshi could speak, Kagome cut in, warning Inuyasha not to make baseless accusations.

The room descended into another round of noisy bickering, until a thunderous rumble shook the earth outside the camp.