Inuyasha Vol 43 (Ch 426-428) *SPOILERS*

Thanks again to Ear-Tweak for the scans.

Chapter 426

Inuyasha and company are on their way to see the youkai acquaintance of Toutousai named Yourei-Taisei. Apparently, he can train Inuyasha to use the Dragon-Scaled Tessaiga. Inuyasha is determined to do this training no matter what.

They arrive at a village which is filled with humans. Toutousai’s cow-youkai steed leads them under the bridge leading to the village where a small section is is blocked off with bamboo shades. From behind the shades, they hear someone calling for help. Going past the shade, they discover a whole other world under the bridge. They find Yourei-Taisei, who is mostly just skin covered in clothing. Inuyasha is not not sure this youkai can actually train him.

Yourei-Taisei tells Inuyasha that he cannot train him, which irritates him. Kagome says, “Osuwari!” to Inuyasha to force him down, where she then inquires about what happened. Yourei-Taisei states that he was attacked by some youkai during the night, and said youkai pulled out his insides and consumed them. Because he has no insides, he appears the way he does. Should Inuyasha be able to return them to Yourei-Taisei, training can begin.

Inuyasha and Yourei-Taisei trade a couple of insults before noticing that a massive amount of youki has penetrated Yourei-Taisei’s domain from the human village. Inuyasha emerges from the bamboo shade to see a village full of youkai. He starts to attack, but upon hearing a warning from Yourei-Taisei, Kagome osuwari’s him again. It appears that some youkai magic from Yourei-Taisei’s innards has caused the villagers to turn into youkai and thus the real youkai is hiding among them. Inuyasha plans to use Tessaiga to do some damage, but Yourei-Taisei places a seal on the sword, stating Inuyasha doesn’t have any consideration for others when he slices them. Inuyasha has to find the real youkai by sunrise or else the seal will remain on Tessaiga.

Chapter 427

In the village, Inuyasha stops what appears to be villagers turned youkai. Despite their protests, Inuyasha detects that they are in fact real youkai via scent, but cannot unleash Tessaiga. So he uses his own natural strength instead and easily defeats them. Because they weren’t the youkai who attacked Yourei-Taisei, the sword didn’t unsheathe. Further, the seals on the sword increased because Inuyasha attacked those not involved. This annoys Inuyasha.

Meanwhile, two apparent youkai report to a large, snake-like youkai they call Okugata-sama. She senses the danger, so the human villagers (looking like youkai) and real youkai attack. Inuyasha decides to flee with Kagome in tow, but fighting back has caused the hilt of Tessaiga to be covered in chains. They arrive at a mansion with a human boy who’s not been transformed and his sick mother. However, it is Okugata and Inuyasha senses something’s not right about her.

She calls to the boy Gennosuke and wonders if others are there. She knocks down the sliding walls with her bulk, causing Gennosuke fear. Inuyasha challenges her, noting that she got ill the previous night when Yourei-Taisei was attacked. Yourei-Taisei didn’t see his attacker, but he senses the youki of his guts within her. She transforms into a full snake form and attacks. Inuyasha cannot unsheathe his sword because of all his attacks on youkai that were not involved. Miroku and Sango rush to help, but are throw from combat, apparently by Yourei-Taisei.

Yourei-Taisei encourages Inuyasha to remove the chains, but as he does, he is burned as he’d been by the youki when Tessaiga obtained its Dragon-Scale form. Inuyasha wonders if the sword doesn’t want to be unsheathed.

Chapter 428

Okugata taunts Inuyasha’s inability to pull his sword, and Inuyasha feels that Tessaiga is warning him not to force it out. So, Inuyasha decided to go back to the basics, and unleashes his Senkoun Tessou attack. However, Okugata is able to heal the damage right away. Yourei-Taisei tells Inuyasha to look for the youketsu., which Inuyasha doesn’t understand. Okugata launches a wind attack which blows Shippou-chan out of the window as well as Yourei-Taisei. Inuyasha continues to battle, wondering what youketsu is.

The battle does not go well for Inuyasha, so Kagome decides to aid him by firing a Hama-ya arrow. She is stopped by giant insectoid arms which belong to Gennosuke, who tells her not to interfere. Inuyasha is trapped in the coils of Okugata and the youkai poison is everywhere hindering him. It is then that he notices whirlpools of youki all around and senses Tessaiga reacting. Inuyasha wonders if this is youketsu and attempts to grab inside one. He fails and is taunted by Okugata. Within her coils, Inuyasha allows himself to go limp and when Okugata comes in, he attacks her. However, he has found the one whirlpool that is different, and reaching in, pulls out an incense burner. Both Okugata and Gennosuke disappear, but the youki doesn’t.

Thoughts/Review:

Well, its clear that this whole battle will be Inuyasha’s training to use Tessaiga’s new abilities. Funny how the one time the gang decides to jump in and help with the fight, they are removed via other means.

Well that ends volume 43. As I said, Takahashi-sensei is doing more of the same, only with different players and settings. I’m sure we’ll get more of this in the future, but I’m going to press on.