The celestial sky has been dulled, not because night has fallen, but because of the huge volcano that is releasing a thick trail of smoke into the sky.
Because of the aforementioned, the sky over this particular area is always painted in gray and extremely dull tones.
"Well, I don't plan to climb all the way up there. Kikyo, will you do me a favor?"
Sitting on a tree branch while looking up at the volcano, Asahiko turns his face to look at the person under the tree.
"Oh, the great demon, now you need my help?"
Speaking cynically but always keeping her usual coldness, just like when she wants to annoy Naraku, Kikyo raises her head upwards and a small smile appears on her face.
"I accept it, I was wrong... But everyone has different ways of dealing with loss."
"Isn't that for the relatives of the deceased?"
Piercing mercilessly through those words from Asahiko, his eyes narrow slightly and he rattles his voice with a hint of hesitation. Obviously, she is daring him to keep lying to her.
"They're two slightly different situations, but it still counts. I've lost a part of my humanity, you know?"
Yeah, accepting that I've lost it has fallen pretty hard on me... I'm even a little more aggressive than normal.
"So now pride translates as humanity, so I guess it doesn't matter. You actually have more than enough of that."
Perhaps due to not expecting the sudden attack, Asahiko swings on the branch and with some strange movements, falls off it towards the ground.
"Cahg, Cahg... Please do something about your mood swings. First you were cynical, then doubtful, and now you just attacked me head on."
Spitting out the pieces of green grass she had swallowed from falling on her head, she quickly lifts her body and then Asahiko points out the inconsistencies of Kikyo's behavior.
Thinking of the words said by Asahiko, the smile on Kikyo's face disappears, though the atmosphere around her becomes softer and she reaches out her hand towards him.
"I'm sorry, are you okay?"
"KYAAAAA!"
Shouting in a rather exaggerated manner, Asahiko's hairs seem to stand on end, then she rolls in an extreme manner to get away from the outstretched hand and runs off towards the volcano.
*Cri* *Cri* *Cri* *Cri*
Standing there static for what seems like hours, though it was only a few moments, Kikyo retracts the hand she had extended and places it in front of her face.
"Because I feel offended... Isn't it good that he is? No, he clearly knows."
Shaking her head softly, Kikyo's black hair moves slightly, but her white ponytail holds it in place.
"It was the surprise of the sudden change to the real thing. We got used to keeping up these performances, so much so that the truth..."
Laughing with slight self-criticism as she seems to remember something from the past, Kikyo fixes a few unruly strands of hair and stands under the shade of the tree.
...Christopher/Asahiko pov....
"You should know that running away won't fix anything, sooner or later they'll have to face it."
Crossing the rocks that make up the structure of the volcano with only my hands, I am pleasantly surprised at the ease with which I can do it.
Well they say fear is a powerful driving force, I never would have thought it would be so easy to climb, plus how good it feels to escape from trouble makes it even better.
"I know, but I have many other problems that are at the top of the list. By the way Saya, since when do you care about these issues?"
Grabbing a rock protruding from the sheer structure of the volcano, she increased the force on my arm and with a bending motion, threw me upwards.
"Doubts in the mind are gateways for Clouded Fang. You may have already noticed, his power has increased even more and he can now take advantage of any flaw."
Yes, before Clouded Fang only tried to take control physically, literally by force and without any other plan.
Now that has changed, his strategies are more creeping, mainly going towards coercion and seeking mental attrition.
"Of course I've noticed, I'm the one dealing with his whispers in the night. But...why? I've stopped using it in normal situations."
"Although its main nourishment is the energy of enemies killed by its blade, Clouded Fang can also absorb negative energy from the surroundings."
Stopping my climbing, I turn my face to the side and watch as Saya floats placidly to the side.
"What the hell, Saya! Seriously, we need to have a serious talk about Clouded Fang capabilities!"
"Umm... It would certainly be a very wise thing to do."
Wiping away the annoyance I feel over this matter, as I watch Saya play with her beard, I start to gather my strength and return to climbing.
...Some time later...
"Totosai, you old thief, where are you!"
"Is it necessary to shout?"
"Of course not, but I want you to know of my imminent arrival. Hehehe, let him tremble!"
Ignoring how Saya started to walk away from me, making me feel like punching him, I started walking through the dry lava forming at the top of the volcano.
My steps were deliberately slow, but also exaggeratedly loud and all to let Totosai know I'm coming.
"Are you perhaps giving it time to escape, in a form of demonic, twisted pleasure... All that."
"Tsk, coward."
Scoffing at Saya who runs away at the first hint that I was going to hit him for saying that, I shake my head at his heightened sense of danger and continue moving forward with slow steps.
It's not that I have a sadistic streak inside me, but I've noticed that there's someone else here... Umm... Yeah, it smells like a sad dog.
With such thoughts in mind, as well as being moderately sure who it might be, I finally enter Totosai's den.
"So you're tired of undergoing such transformations, Inuyasha."
"Yes..."
Obviously the sad dog smell was Inuyasha's, something quite expected since the other person with the same smell is Sesshōmaru and he doesn't seem like the type to show feelings.
Knowing that, I erased the noises I made and slowly approached so I could spy what they're talking about.
"I see... Then we'll use it that way. Listen to me, well Inuyasha, you must destroy the Dragon Spirit."
"The dragon spirit?"
"Destroy... Destroy the Dragon Spirit?"
I don't know what's going on, but how did we go from problems about transformation to fighting a dragon?
Basically the strongest beings in almost any story, game or... Well, damn in anything fantasy. Even the Myoga flea speaking last has doubts.
By the way, that dragon from quite some time ago doesn't count. It was an amalgamation of multiple shadows joined together in a dragon form and not a real one.
"You see Inuyasha, that's the name of a legendary monster that was lulled to sleep by your father's powers."
Okay, this has already gained a few jumps in the danger level. Inu no Taisho, the strongest according to Saya... Well, that doesn't count, Saya's a bootlicker, but he still seems like a strong guy.
"Inuyasha, do you know why Steel Fang is so heavy? The answer is simple, your fang that was used to make the sword, doesn't have the same strength as your legendary father's."
"So if I do defeat the monster, I will prove that I am just as strong as my father. Sounds like a theory..."
*Boooom*
Without letting him continue down that path of thoughts, he entered with an explosion into the cave area where they are in. Why with an explosion? They don't have a door and I love the dramatics.
"Cagh, Cagh... What's going on!"
Ignoring Totosai crawling on the ground, much exaggerated truth be told, those flames weren't even hot and the sound was an auditory illusion.
Moving past that, besides that resting my foot on his back... He already wanted to escape, so he looked towards Inuyasha. He was bad, there almost seemed to be a cloud of sadness around him.
"Is it that perhaps Kagome has given you enough against the ground, that you already think this is a good idea?"
"This is the best way. Ai, Ai, Ai... Don't step on me, I haven't done anything at all."
Giving him a look of displeasure at how quickly he covered himself, he stopped stepping on Totosai with my foot, but I kept him on the ground with one of my tails.
"Be quiet, you and I are going to talk later."
"I don't know what I've. Ahh, don't step on me, don't step on me."
With that minor matter settled, I fix my attention on Inuyasha, who has been standing still and stable. I was actually expecting him to start screaming or something, the last time we saw each other wasn't the best.
"Inuyasha, Inuyasha...did you hear right? You're literally wanting to go fight the one who fought your father. Yes, weakened by the seal, by the fight before the seal and by the injuries suffered, but"
"I know! But, but... I don't want to lose control again... I put them in danger, I don't want to feel that again!"
I see... He prefers to face the problem head on instead of running away. Unexpected, really unexpected... Hahaha looks like he had considered everyone to be a coward, just like me and my addiction to avoidance.
Well, well... I can't leave my good friend in the hands of luck... Hahaha is this the prelude to facing my problems? Nahh.
"Congratulations, you have touched a fiber of my heart, I'm going to help you... But first. Totosai, my friend... Where's my sword!"
Burying Clouded Fang just to the side of his skull, I gave him a beautiful smile and asked him about the important thing.
"Wh, well, you see, it's just that..."
"Speak up, old man, though maybe you want me to slip my hand?"
"St, stop, stop, just stop... Toto's got it."
I stirred my memories for a few moments, but I don't know any Toto. Well, how am I going to know anyone here?
"Toto?"
"The cow."
Passing Totosai harder, I give a slow glance at the surroundings and speak just like Kikyo.
"The ox."
"It's an ox, it's an ox... Don't stab me."
What an over the top person, it was only going to be a small cut, nothing too serious or dangerous.
"Tsk, I'm going to get it."
"I don't recommend it, it's a dangerous sword. Much more so for an intelligent being."
Lifting his body from the ground he was forced to kiss, Totosai begins to speak seriously, something quite rare and to be reckoned with.
"Person with a sword that can open a gate to hell, resurrect the dead and absorb souls... I don't think there's anything more dangerous in sword form."
"The danger is relative. That sword has managed to overcome the boundary between the false and the real, whoever wants to use it must have no desires and..."
I'm not too interested in the explanation, so while the old man was talking, I took the opportunity to quietly leave from there and also dragged Inuyasha with me.