犬夜叉 Volume 52

Chapter 509: Kagome is trapped by Hitomiko, who chastises Kagome for merely shooting the bow that Kikyou had her get rather than use the bow’s power. Naraku shuts her up and reveals to Kagome that the body of Hitomiko is possessed by a spider. He taunts Kagome by telling her that the only way to save her life and kill Hitomiko is to kill the spider. Complying with Naraku is not what Kagome wants to do and as she thinks over the problem, she wonders if using the bow properly will save Hitomiko.

Chapter 510: Kagome still refuses to shoot Hitomiko, so Naraku forces the former miko to get harsher with Kagome, sending them to a place that is a representation of hell and starts to strangle her. Kagome forces Hitomiko away where her hand comes off and becomes youkai-like. Kagome is being burned by the flames of hell and Kagome is tempted to shoot the spider, but then realizes that the feeling she got from Hitomiko while being strangled was sadness. Kagome clutches the severed hand again, not wanting Hitomiko to spend eternity in hell. It is then that Hitomiko returns to her normal self and reveals that Kagome can shoot through her and hit Naraku.

Chapter 511: Hitomiko convinces Kagome to shoot, which is what Naraku wants. However, the arrow disappears as it approaches Hitomiko and respawns on the other side of her, hitting the face of Naraku (to his surprise) and ending the spell. Hitomiko tells Kagome that she is a mystery in that her spiritual powers have been sealed, likely from the day Kagome was born. With that, Hitomiko dies again as Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha enter the building. After she is buried, Kagome reflects on things and wonders if Kikyou was the one who sealed her powers.

Chapter 512: Kagome returns to the modern time to find her classmates getting ready to take their high school entrance exams in order to get into the high school of their choice. As Kagome attempts to study, she ponders the sealing of her power. Meanwhile, the others inquire of Kaede, who thinks that maybe the Shikon no Tama is the cause of the seal. Inuyasha comes to the modern time to visit Kagome, where instead of her studying, she pours out her thoughts on getting stronger to keep up with Inuyasha and the others, and to try to purify the Shikon no Tama. As such, the two return to the past where she’s not studied at all.

Chapter 513: Sesshoumaru is challenged by a couple of oni now that he’s not using a sword. However, Sesshoumaru soon slays them with his bare hand, which is noted by Byakuya. Returning to Naraku, Byakuya witnesses the “birth” of a new creature from the Shikon no Tama jewel and Naraku. It takes off, which is noted by Kagome as evil and Inuyasha as coming from Naraku. It comes and attacks Sesshoumaru’s group, after Kohaku’s shard. Sesshoumaru attacks it, but the latest detachment simply tells Sesshoumaru that he’s weak.

Chapter 514: Sesshoumaru attacks the Naraku detachment with a killing blow, only to find that the youkai has him trapped. Sesshoumaru breaks free but his sole arm is now damaged. Kohaku tries to help, but finds that when the youkai’s bony protruding limb touches the jewel shard, it starts to become tainted. Sesshoumaru tries to save the boy, getting his hand and arm pierced in the process. Just when it looks over for Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha comes in and rescues him. Kagome knows she needs to purify the shard, but before she can do so, the youkai looks and her, which knocks her out.

Chapter 515: With Kagome out, Sesshoumaru tells Inuyasha’s group to take Kohaku and get out of there as they are in the way. Inuyasha is not going to leave the injured Sesshoumaru alone, which Sesshoumaru finds offensive. Sesshoumaru uses his abilities to heal himself and then transform into his giant dog youkai form. He rips the head off the Naraku youkai but it is still alive and trying to prevent Miroku, Sango, Jaken, and the others from fleeing. The youkai tells Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha that his is only a borrowed body from Naraku (meaning destroying the body doesn’t matter) and that his name is Magatsuhi.

Chapter 516: From a distance on their youkai steeds, Sango and Miroku discuss how Magatsuhi is the dark will of the Shikon no Tama. Magatsuhi has Sesshoumaru and is beginning to crush him, leading Jaken to wonder why Sesshoumaru didn’t just return to humanoid form and escape the trap. Eventually he does and Inuyasha rushes in, Tessaiga becoming black for the Meidou Zangetsuha. Magatsuhi simply scatters his body and prevents Inuyasha from attacking without harming the others. Sesshoumaru saves Kohaku from Magatsuhi’s attempt to get the shard and has the others follow him to try to force Magatsuhi’s body to come together. Once they are in a spot where they can defend themselves, Sesshoumaru is going to take Magatsuhi out as a matter of pride.

Chapter 517: Sesshoumaru pulls out Tenseiga, and attacks an area in the air, which turns out to be Magatsuhi’s real body (a spirit one). Having been damaged and now enraged, Magatsuhi stabs Sesshoumaru repeatedly and envelopes him as if to consume him, calling him weak. Inuyasha attacks, trying to free Sesshoumaru, but to no avail as Magatsuhi mocks him. Magatsuhi captures Inuyasha but a powerful burst of energy comes from where Sesshoumaru is encased, freeing him and revealing that the shoulder of the arm Inuyasha cut off so long ago is the source of the energy.

Chapter 518: Magatsuhi is stunned at what Sesshoumaru has just done and as if on cue, Toutousai arrives. This makes Sesshoumaru realize what is happening and his arm is regenerated, bearing a sword which Toutousai identifies as Bakusaiga — Sesshoumaru’s own sword. Because Magatsuhi is made of youkai pieces, some of which form new youkai, he attempts to reform his body, only to discover that not only can he not do so, but even the uninjured youkai are destroyed as they come in contact with the injured youkai. Sesshoumaru finishes off the body, though the actual Magatsuhi escapes. Toutousai explains that now Sesshoumaru is a true daiyoukai as he has cast off his father’s crutches and stood on his own feet. He lost his arm trying to obtain Tessaiga and grew a new one and his own sword by casting it off. Thus he has surpassed his father.

Thoughts: The Hitomiko story was kinda “meh” because it wasn’t anything we hadn’t seen before. Still, Takahashi-sensei managed to provide a reason for Kagome never being much more than a 2nd-rate miko.

The one-chapter modern time story showed what might be the first real evidence of the passage of time. After all these many years, Kagome is finally getting ready to leave junior high school for high school. I figure that’s part of Takahashi-sensei’s plan to end the series, though she sure is taking her sweet time about it.

Magatsuhi. *sigh* Another proxy villain to fight instead of Naraku. Still, seeing Sesshoumaru actually in a real fight for his life was interesting to me. Having him grow a new arm and obtain his own sword was a nice touch. As a daiyoukai, he’s often looked down on others, but over time he’s shown he’s a good guy in how he protects not one but two humans, to say nothing of Jaken. I’d kinda like to see him accept Inuyasha by the series end.