Sitting atop a large smooth stone that clashes with the surroundings, basically the river is surrounded by green grass and not rocks, a young man with golden hair adjusts his straw hat with one hand.
Along with that typical "fisherman's hat," the young man also chews on a piece of straw with his teeth and uses a simple fishing rod with his other hand.
"Inhale, exhale… inhale, exhale"
Pronouncing those words as if he were some kind of wise shaman, meaning in an extremely slow and calm manner, Asahiko lets out a soft "Ammm" at the end of the sentence.
This last thing is not amusing at all to the young man with canine ears at his right side, hidden by the rock, but the monk on the left side does follow it to the letter.
"Why are we do-"
"Silence Inuyasha! The great sage has spoken, so shut up and follow his orders"
"Miroku… second-rate monk"
Grinding his teeth to control himself and not jump off the rock just to hit the idiot monk who is playing along with Asahiko, the half-dog young man focuses on the fish, though he soon discovers they swim nearby without ever biting the bait.
Apparently the fish were smarter than expected, so much so that they easily avoided the bait and kept calmly swimming downstream, causing Inuyasha's expression to twitch slightly.
"Inuyasha, you have to learn patience, not everything comes easily or quickly in this long and complicated life"
"I'm going to use my damn hands already!"
"Haa… Animals" x2
"Fuck both of you!"
Rolling up the sleeves of his outfit to the elbows, Inuyasha does the same with the lower part and steps directly into the river, scaring the fish that quickly turn around to escape.
But bad luck for them, because their predator is not just any average impatient person, but a powerful Hanyo who wants their flesh for breakfast!.
"Come on, I got it already!"
"Oh, great, but you shouldn't look away so quickly"
"In fact, here comes its scaly revenge"
"What? What are you tal-. Ugh?"
Doubting reality itself for a few seconds, moments during which he touches his now-red cheek, Inuyasha finally reacts and looks with his amber eyes at the fish swimming away.
Yes, the fish had slipped out of his hands due to his carelessness and slapped him with its tail, the same fish now calmly leaving downstream with its family.
"Relax Inu-"
"Claws of Fire!"
*Boom* *Boom* *Boom*
"Claws of Fire!"
Bombarding the entire riverbed without a trace of mercy in an attempt to kill the bold fish, Inuyasha jumps into the air and brings his hand toward Steel Fang hilt.
It was a moment worthy of being engraved into anyone's memory, the bright afternoon sun falling upon his long white hair swaying in the wind, his piercing amber gaze… And… And his sword broke in half.
"Biting Wind…?"
"Ha… Hahaha, did you see his expression? Hahaha, it was epic!"
"Asahikooo!"
"Wow, don't just throw it like that idiot dog!"
Barely dodging the remains of Steel Fang that Inuyasha throws at him, the hilt section and a small part of the blade, Asahiko tries to calm his laughter by placing a hand over his mouth.
That only makes Inuyasha even angrier, though when he tries to jump toward him for another fight, cold sweat quickly runs down his back upon seeing Kagome's shadow.
Clearly she was angry, something very easy to notice when her long black hair metaphorically floats in the air and a fierce aura completely surrounds her.
"Inuyasha… Sit!"
¡Ugh!"
"It's good to return to normality"
"I suppose so, Miroku. I suppose so…"
…Some time later…
Resting around a dying campfire that had already fulfilled its purpose, which can be easily deduced by remembering the previous situation, everyone fixes their gaze on the same thing.
And what is so important to attract the attention of everyone present? Obviously they are looking at Steel Fang, well actually to be more exact their eyes are focused on the two pieces of the sword.
"What are you going to do now, Inuyasha?"
"Bah, I don't need a stupid sword, Miroku. My claws are more than enough to handle everything!"
"Nice words, but let's speak seriously for once. Without that sword they'll wipe the floor with you, whether it's Naraku or Sesshōmaru, whoever comes for your head first"
Throwing the stick that once held a fish, which manages to hit Inuyasha on the forehead and leaves a small red mark, Asahiko tells the idiot dog the truth directly.
You have to admit it, more or less ninety percent of Inuyasha's power comes from Steel Fang, without it in his possession? He surpasses average demons, but nowhere near Asahiko or Sesshōmaru.
"Maybe you should listen to him, Inuyasha"
"You too, Kagome? I already said I don't need that sword to-"
"Shut up, stupid dog! If everyone says you need it then you do, since when do you think you're the smartest one in the group?"
"Shippo…"
Growling like a cornered beast in its final moments of life, Inuyasha fixes his amber eyes on Shippo and prepares to leap toward him. Though that never happens, since a single look from Kagome stops everything.
"Bah, fine, but it's not like-"
"Fate has spoken"
"What fate, it's a damn lightning bolt coming toward us!"
Scattering to the sides while dark clouds suddenly cover the sky, the same clouds that release the lightning frightening them so much, they barely manage to hear a Mooo before the brightness covers their vision.
When all the brightness generated by the lightning finally disappears from their field of vision, all they can see is a three-eyed ox, four burning hooves, and without the very recognizable Totosai on its back.
"Is… Is that Totosai's cow?"
"Ugh, it's an ox, can't you see the horns?"
"So a bull?"
"My God, the things one has to hear in this life"
Shaking his head in a way that makes his golden hair dance from side to side to give more intensity to his words, Asahiko lets out a sigh and approaches Totosai's ox together with everyone else.
There really was nobody on top of the ox, zero trace of whoever used it to get here… Though soon the mystery resolves itself due to an act of greed.
"Myoga… What do you think you're doing, insolent flea?"
"N, no, I couldn't resist it, Master Inuyasha. But the important thing is that now I understand. Ugh?"
Being mercilessly crushed by Inuyasha's hand like the flea he is, Myoga falls to the ground without showing signs of life, but before anyone could worry he suddenly comes back to life.
"Master Inuyasha, Master Inuyasha, where is the mighty Steel Fang!"
"Eh… Well…"
"Wh- where is it?"
"Stop being annoying, Myoga! Look, it's over there"
Pointing with his finger toward the remains of Steel Fang, Inuyasha acts as if he does not care while Myoga's face turns white, as if something terrible had happened.
"This is worse than expected… The sword has broken. You must go see Totosai, Master Inuyasha! He is the only one who can restore Steel Fang's glory once more"
"Why would I do that? I already said I don't need that stupid sw-"
"Inuyasha!" x4
"Fine, I'll go already damn it!"
Furious beyond belief because of the situation, Inuyasha snorts and heavily walks toward the ox, climbing onto its back instantly without hesitation.
Surprisingly both for him and for the others, Asahiko follows behind and climbs onto the ox's back as well, becoming the second passenger of the future journey.
"What do you think you're doing!"
"God, don't yell when I'm right next to you. Besides, can't you see or did you go blind? I'm going with you, Inuyasha"
"Yes, but why are you doing it!"
"Obviously so your stupid head doesn't end up in Naraku's or Sesshōmaru's hands if they find you on the road, besides it could also be useful to know where Totosai lives"
Using both sweet and harsh reasoning to justify traveling together with him, Asahiko signals Kagome with his eyes and she immediately returns it.
Everything before seems to have been a plan devised between the two of them, one in which Inuyasha is simply an NPC incapable of resisting.
"Whatever!"
"That's the spirit, Inuyasha. Why should a man worry about anything, when in reality nobody has control over anything in this world?"
"Haa… This is going to be a long trip"
*¡Moooo!*