Under the final minutes of the dying orange sunset, which stretches across the entire sky like a fading flame, several people can be seen scattered across the surface of the green plain.
One of those groups is made up of both Kagome and Inuyasha. They are near the river that crosses the entire plain and are whispering in low voices, clearly afraid of something.
On the other hand, near a recently lit campfire, a group of four can be seen—actually five if we also count Kirara—though what matters is that all of them are recognizable.
Around it are Miroku, who seems very interested in the topic, Asahiko, who had the brilliant idea of bringing it up, Shippo playing with Kirara without paying much attention, and Sango wearing a disgusted expression.
"So then tell me, do you think Sesshōmaru would introduce me to his mother?"
Throwing a dry twig taken from the nearby forest into the campfire, Asahiko places his hands beneath his nose, Gendo Ikari style but without the gloves, and seriously stares at Miroku with his blue eyes.
Despite how prepared the monk was, Asahiko had been acting strangely lately. They had been here for two days waiting for Tetsaiga to be repaired, and Miroku never thought he would have such... intense tastes.
Mind you, as a wise Buddhist monk who also walks the path of love, he does not judge anyone, but Asahiko had gone completely overboard. The mother? But not just any mother—Sesshōmaru's mother? Dear God, what tastes!
"Your tastes are... intense, Asahiko."
"Huh, what are you trying to say with that, Miro—"
"You don't have to deny it! Mothers are difficult, but not impossible. I can assure you I've already had experience in that area."
Redirecting the hand he had used to stop Asahiko's words toward his chin, Miroku nods several times while remembering something and smiles foolishly.
"I think you're misunderstanding something very important."
"Relax, I understand you perfectly. So well that even my grandfather had a saying specifically for this: 'If you're going to learn with someone, let it be with older ladies.' Wise words from that old man."
"So those are wise words... Your Excellency?"
Whispering in a low voice but with a coldness that makes everyone present tremble, even the campfire flames seem to lower in temperature and Shippo hides behind Kirara, while the demon slayer fixes her brown eyes on Miroku.
She was already fed up! How was it possible for the conversation to become so distorted in only a few moments? Earlier they had been talking about perfectly normal things, like which poison was best for killing yokai en masse or about cleaning and polishing a sword!
Those are productive conversations, not discussions about seducing someone's mother, who is probably married, and who also happens to be the mother of their friend's brother... And why the hell does Miroku know how to seduce mothers?!
"S-S-Sango, this is a joke between us. He's not crazy enough to be interested in Sesshōmaru's mother, right Asahiko?"
"Of course I am, Miroku. Otherwise how am I supposed to—"
"Oh, I think Kikyo will be more than—"
"Otherwise how am I supposed to steal from her?"
"..." x4
Everyone looks at Asahiko, who finally manages to finish his sentence. The first thing that comes to mind is that he was so "dense" that he had not understood the previous conversation, but then they noticed his mischievous smile and sigh upon realizing the truth.
He had been leading them by the nose the entire time! It was no wonder his damn species was a fox; he had been playing with them from the very beginning, and they did not realize it until the end—a realization they only reached because Asahiko laughed at them!
"Don't look at me like that, it's not my fault. It's just instincts acting up, like when Inuyasha suddenly drops to all fours and scratches fleas out of his hair."
"But you're a full demon!"
"Exactly, I'm the demon, so obviously I know what I'm talking about and you're the ones who are wrong! Oh, look who has returned to us."
Looking away from those who had been talking with him for a while, Asahiko forcibly changes the subject when he sees Kagome arriving together with Inuyasha.
The schoolgirl was approaching them radiant and with a huge smile on her face, both things that always stayed with her despite adversity.
On the other hand, Inuyasha looked like a condemned man. His dog ears had drooped over his white hair, and every step he took was followed by a silent groan or complaint.
"We need to talk."
"What's the baby going to be called?"
"Cough—why did you jump to that extreme?! Besides, I like girls. No, that doesn't matter!"
"If it wasn't that, then why are you being so serious? Inuyasha basically looks ready to die at any moment."
Pointing a finger at the dog boy whose mind seemed to be somewhere else, probably because of whatever they were about to say, Asahiko dispels the tension in the atmosphere with his jokes.
This leaves the stage perfectly prepared for Kagome, although in reality it seems to be Inuyasha who has something to confess, but at the end of the day those two are inseparable, like a finger and a fingernail.
"...You know Inuyasha is a half-demon, Asahiko?"
"Yes, I think Kikyo told me at some point."
"Then that makes this easier to—"
"I BECOME HUMAN DURING THE NEW MOON!"
"Agh, cough, you almost killed me!"
Taking several breaths to calm himself after Inuyasha's sudden shout, one so loud that it even scares the birds in the forest, Asahiko finally manages to process what he heard.
Inuyasha becomes human during the new moon? Are you kidding? Is he actually some kind of reverse werewolf or what is going on here? Yes... This had to be a bad joke.
"You want me to accept that during certain days of the month you're completely human, that you somehow stay alive, and all of that while Naraku the stalker is running around together with your beloved psychopath brother?"
"WHY DO YOU DOUBT IT?!"
"I don't know, maybe because it's the perfect time to ambush you, steal your sword, or kill you? It's a very obvious weakness, and also extremely exploitable, no offense."
"BUT IT'S TRUE!"
"...Damn, we're screwed."
...Elsewhere...
Walking among the ancient trees that stretch toward the dark sky, whether because night had completely fallen or because the branches blocked out the heavens, a little green imp continued advancing.
The truth was that this last part was a real challenge for him, mainly because of his short legs struggling to overcome the roots spread across the ground, the yokai watching him from the darkness as if he were a snack, and his minimal physical endurance.
"Damn Kaijinbo, why do you have to live in such a wild place?"
Complaining about the blacksmith to calm his instinctive fear at being watched by so many yokai—after all, imps are at the bottom of the food chain—Jaken pushes aside some branches with his staff.
Thanks to that, an ancient stone structure finally comes into view right in the middle of the forest. Clearly a forge, if one focuses on the large chimney stretching into the sky and the traces of residual heat spreading from it.
But strangely, despite its purpose as a forge, no sound comes from inside the structure, creating a chilling silence that Jaken must overcome in order to approach.
"I've come for the sword, Kaijinbo! I hope it's already finished. Master Sesshōmaru does not like to wait."
Entering confidently after borrowing his master's name, since no sane individual would mess with Sesshōmaru or his subordinates, Jaken is greeted by an empty room.
The room was an absolute disaster. Broken ceramic vases, torn cloth, sword-making materials scattered everywhere—everything here appeared destroyed. Of course, it was also possible that it had always been this messy, considering it was the home of a yokai.
"Master Sesshōmaru is going to be angry. Master Sesshōmaru... is going to be very angry! First Totosai runs away to avoid making him a sword, and now Kaijinbo runs away with his sword... No, no, I have to find him."
Shaking his head frantically, drenched in cold sweat at the possible consequences if Kaijinbo had stolen the sword, Jaken gathers his courage and walks toward the forge area located behind the room.
The mess there was even worse, but a male figure could also be seen, muscular from working at the forge and wearing a necklace of skulls around his neck. Judging by Jaken's expression, this man was obviously Kaijinbo, the blacksmith hired by Sesshōmaru.
"Kai... Kaijinbo?"
"Yes, do you want his blood? Hehehe, of course, of course I can do it."
Muttering toward the sword in his hands, which releases a dangerous bloodlust into the surroundings, Kaijinbo suddenly turns toward Jaken and slashes him from side to side.
The little imp's blood splatters against the nearby walls, his eyes lose focus, and his body quickly falls backward, making it abundantly clear that life had abandoned him.
Fortunately for him, and perhaps because he was a loyal subordinate, after an unknown amount of time the light of life returns to his dead eyes.
"M-Master Sesshōmaru!"
"Where is my sword, Jaken?"
Sheathing Sacred Fang after fulfilling its purpose of bringing Jaken back from death, Sesshōmaru looks around and speaks coldly.
"K-Kaijinbo stole it! The sword seems to be controlling him! He was talking to it and even caressing it!"
"A sword with consciousness? Interesting. It seems it was not a waste to give him those materials. Let us retrieve my sword."
"Understood, Master Sesshōmaru!"