Chapter Twenty-Eight: Inuyasha Is Sesshomaru’s Dearest Friend and Beloved Brother

“Good grief, what on earth is Inuyasha so angry about?”

After the incident with the Reverse Hair Tetsuro concluded, the unexpected Hojo Akitoki didn’t pry much into the Shikon Jewel.

Even the Hojo troops originally stationed outside Maple Village began preparations to return to their base.

This brought great joy to Granny Kaede, who attributed it to the harmonious atmosphere among everyone.

Kagome greeted Inuyasha and Granny Kaede, and with both as witnesses, she returned to the modern world once again through the Bone-Eater’s Well.

However, unlike the original timeline, this time Inuyasha did not chase after her to the modern world.

She stayed in their Tokyo home for a full day; no one knew what she had told her family there.

When the next full moon rose, Kagome came back alone, carrying a large pack filled with modern supplies.

But…

Inuyasha, who had anxiously awaited her return the entire day, several times almost leapt down the Bone-Eater’s Well to check, saw Kagome come back but didn’t show a good expression.

In fact, she seemed a bit annoyed, walking ahead gloomily by herself.

Thus, Kagome quietly asked Granny Kaede about it.

Glancing at Kagome, Granny Kaede was already too weary to speak.

After all, anyone would be tired from waiting all day beside the Bone-Eater’s Well in this desolate wilderness.

Worried they hadn’t even eaten properly, the first thing the waiting person asked upon return was:

“Did Lord Akitoki come by today? Have they left?”

Who wouldn’t be upset hearing that?

Yet…

With a helpless sigh, Granny Kaede looked at Kagome’s face, half puzzled, half excited.

She had to admit that Hojo Akitoki’s behavior was indeed unforgettable in this era.

Had she been fifty years younger, she too would have talked about him constantly.

But…

Staring at Inuyasha sulking ahead, Granny Kaede thought that on the road to reclaiming the Shikon Jewel, this dog was indispensable.

Now, because of Hojo Akitoki, the relationship between Kagome and Inuyasha was somewhat strained.

This was most unfavorable for the great cause of saving the world!

After all, Inuyasha could serve as a familiar to aid Kagome, but Hojo Akitoki and the entire Hojo army could not.

Besides, Hojo Akitoki didn’t have the Word-Beads of Power around his neck, did he?

Just as the two humans and one demon in the forest each harbored their own thoughts, Inuyasha, who walked in front, suddenly slapped his own cheek hard.

The sound alone made Kagome and Granny Kaede wince as if their teeth ached.

“Inuyasha, what’s wrong? Even if it’s your fault, you don’t need to hit yourself!”

Taking a step forward, Kagome’s words only fanned Inuyasha’s flames of anger.

“That silly girl…”

Shaking his head, Granny Kaede hurried to catch up.

She couldn’t believe Inuyasha’s personality would lead him to such self-punishment.

Something must have happened, though whether good or bad was unknown.

“You!”

Inuyasha, slightly riled by Kagome’s words but before he could retort, a creature with four arms, wearing clothes and sporting two little mustaches, suddenly jumped up from the ground.

“Fifty years no see, long time no greetings, young master Inuyasha!”

“Ah, the blood of the late master and young master is still the most delicious in the world!”

“What? A flea is talking?”

“And it’s addressing Inuyasha too?”

Hearing the voice, Kagome noticed the flea named Meika on the ground.

At being called “young master,” Inuyasha first furrowed his brows, then raised one, seemingly telling Kagome:

“See? Even I have status, you know.”

Before anyone could recover, the flea continued:

“Young master, let’s run for our lives!”

“Lord Sesshomaru is searching for the master’s tomb. He seems to think you know, so he will soon come to kill you!”

“What?”

Before he could relish any moment of triumph, Inuyasha’s face instantly darkened upon hearing that his elder brother was approaching.

Under Kagome and Granny Kaede’s watchful eyes, the second son grew awkward and furious.

“So…”

Meanwhile, in the Hojo army’s camp preparing to withdraw, at the banquet hall where the previous night’s feast had been held, Hojo Akitoki sat at the head of the table, watching the two humans and one demon before him.

“You mean Inuyasha, as the second son of the late Western Great Demon Lord Inu General, is now being targeted by his elder brother Sesshomaru.”

“His goal is to find their father’s tomb?”

“What a tremendous family affair.”

With a half-amused, half-exasperated expression, Hojo Akitoki feigned ignorance while fully understanding.

“I told you not to look for him. It’s just Sesshomaru—I’m not afraid of him!”

Having heard this, Inuyasha, who hadn’t wanted to come in the first place, lost face completely.

Faced with Hojo Akitoki’s teasing tone, he angrily tried to get up and leave.

It’s just Sesshomaru, after all.

At worst, he kills me, or I kill him!

What a big deal!

“Sit down!”

Seeing Inuyasha’s stubbornness, how could Kagome let this dog face Sesshomaru—mentioned by the flea—alone?

On the way here, the flea Meika had done its best to exaggerate Sesshomaru’s power to persuade Inuyasha.

Whether Inuyasha listened was unknown, but the others took it seriously!

So how could they let Inuyasha throw himself at a stone like an egg?

“Yes, yes, young master Inuyasha!”

Slightly stunned, mainly because Inuyasha was so effectively subdued by a human girl’s words that he could not move.

Coming to his senses, Meika the flea, loyal servant left by the Inu General to his second son, still tried to fulfill his duty.

If Inuyasha refused to leave at all!

While urging Inuyasha, Meika also assessed the Hojo camp with the sharp eyes it had honed in the household of Zhuge Wuhou in the East University.

As cannon fodder backing young master Inuyasha and as a buffer to buy time for escape, the Hojo army was barely up to the task!

“You!”

Pressed tightly by the power of the Word-Beads, Inuyasha felt overwhelmed.

Looking around at the scene, he stubbornly refused to bow his head.

Among them, perhaps the one who knew Sesshomaru best and faced the greatest threat was Hojo Akitoki.

He had no leisure to watch the show any longer.

A little teasing was fine for easing the mood, but relaxing further would mean treating the lives of his men as nothing.

Waving, he summoned Akechi Mitsuhide standing nearby and ordered him to bring out the cannon and firearms soldiers.

Facing Sesshomaru head-on, the cannon wouldn’t be very effective.

Sesshomaru was a hexagonal warrior: high attack, high speed, and high defense.

Hoping to use white phosphorus incendiary bombs like in the Reverse Hair Tetsuro incident to deal with him was futile.

Before the flames could reach Sesshomaru, he would already have charged into the Hojo formation.

Rubbing the hilt of his sword, Sirius, Hojo Akitoki cast a sinister glance at Inuyasha, who was still quarrelling with Kagome and the others.

Sesshomaru was currently searching for the Inu General’s tomb; in other words, Inuyasha was still useful to him.

Could they use Inuyasha as bait to lure Sesshomaru into a trap, letting him walk willingly into a sea of white phosphorus fire?

Suddenly, Inuyasha was overcome by an inexplicable chill.

Following an instinctive warning, he looked toward Hojo Akitoki seated at the head of the table.

For a fleeting moment, Inuyasha seemed to see a demonic shadow flicker behind Akitoki.

“Hey! Hojo Akitoki, are you scheming against me?”

Unable to contain his suspicions, Inuyasha immediately shouted.

Before Akitoki could respond, Kagome interjected, warning Inuyasha not to speak recklessly.

The scene erupted into chaos until a thunderous roar shook the ground outside the camp.