Chapter 34: What Sesshomaru Truly Desires

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Sesshōmaru charged forward with great speed; after all, in his mind, none of the enemies on the battlefield posed any real threat to him. This was not arrogance born of a strong person’s pride, but confidence rooted in his own power. On paper, Sesshōmaru’s assessment was correct. The battle had reached such a point that even Inuyasha was recklessly pushing himself to the brink of exhaustion; no matter what cards the Hōjō army still held. Even if there were human monks hidden within the camp, could they really deliver a fatal blow to bring him down with a single strike? Unless it was some terrifying attack that would kill him outright, once the final trump card was revealed, the entire Hōjō army would be nothing more than fish on a chopping board, utterly at his mercy.

Therefore, it was completely unexpected for Sesshōmaru, his pupils narrowing to pinpoints, to find that an incoming arrow imbued with demon-destroying power was indeed heading straight for him. Why such a powerful spiritual attack, designed specifically to counter demons, was being wielded by humans here was beyond his consideration.

There was still a chance!

In the fleeting moment, Sesshōmaru managed to discern that the arrow was jointly fired by Hōjō Akito and Kagome. The demon-destroying power was indeed formidable, and the timing of the shot was perfect. The arrow’s speed was impressive as well. But! He could block it!

A heavy expression flashed across his eyes. Facing the arrow aimed directly at his face, Sesshōmaru, rare for him, felt adrenaline surge through his body; every cell in his body screamed as his mind sharpened. In an instant, he summoned all his demonic power, staking the reputation of his father, Lord Inu, and his own pride as Sesshōmaru. Without dodging or evading, he met the demon-destroying arrow head-on, using his vast reserves of demonic energy to collide and dissipate it.

Before the eyes of everyone present, the spiritual energy flickering with a pure white light, born from Kagome and Kikyo, symbolized all the beauty in the world. Opposing it was Sesshōmaru’s pride and majesty, his demonic power. The two forces clashed fiercely, endlessly colliding and dissolving into each other. Both sides sought desperately to overwhelm and utterly crush the other.

The energy released tore the ground at the collision’s center, sending deep cracks spreading like chasms. The light was so dazzling that no one dared to look directly, closing their eyes as if to avoid the arrival of a deity.

“Is it over?”

Slowly, as the light and tremors faded, no one dared to open their eyes immediately. The entire Hōjō army longed to see Sesshōmaru vanish but feared that upon opening their eyes, the nightmare would still stand before them.

But what must be faced cannot always be escaped, even if avoidance is shameful yet useful.

The first to be brave emerged—Hōjō Akito was the first among them to open his eyes.

“This... this is truly... beautiful!”

Unable to contain himself, Hōjō Akito exclaimed, full of awe for this exquisite spectacle, his emotions rich and captivating.

“What on earth?”

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Those who heard his words could no longer resist curiosity and finally opened their eyes. This was the battlefield, facing the fearsome great demon Sesshōmaru. Even if that arrow had truly killed him, the scene would hardly be described as beautiful.

“Hiss.”

A collective intake of breath sounded as they saw what Hōjō Akito beheld. The cold and noble young lord’s face was beaded with sweat, reflecting the faint moonlight like stars. It was breathtakingly beautiful. His slightly tilted head presented a profile that invited boundless imagination; an arrow still clutched between Sesshōmaru’s lips. His figure, his face, and the shock of beauty he inspired were as enchanting as a gunslinger holding a bullet in his mouth.

“What a pity.”

With no trace of disappointment, Hōjō Akito turned his head slightly and whispered to Kagome, “Do you still have any strength?”

“N-no... none left.”

Snapping out of her admiration for the beauty, Kagome’s face instantly drained of color. She understood that when their means were exhausted, an inevitable one-sided slaughter would follow.

Before them stood Sesshōmaru, Inuyasha’s elder brother—a thoroughbred great demon with the typical mindset of his kind.

“Well done.”

While Hōjō Akito and Kagome spoke quietly, Sesshōmaru spat out the arrow still in his mouth. Fixing his gaze on the arrow rolling on the ground, he stepped on it.

Just moments ago, Sesshōmaru had nearly suffered a grave defeat. If the demon-destroying power on that arrow had been stronger and steadier, or if it had been honed over decades, his fate would have been sealed.

His eyes fell upon Kagome; Sesshōmaru regarded the second noteworthy human present. Though he kept silent, he understood perfectly well: the demon-destroying arrow’s targeted suppression of his demonic aura had put him in grave danger.

Though he managed to block it, his entire condition was severely affected, his strength greatly diminished.

“Any more cards to play, Hōjō Akito?”

Clenching his fist and sensing how much his strength had been reduced, Sesshōmaru’s expression remained unshaken as he asked. He was confident that even in his weakened state, he could still deliver death to every human before him.

“Probably none.”

Meeting Sesshōmaru’s cold gaze, Hōjō Akito drew his sword and candidly admitted that they had exhausted their trump cards.

“The one before you is Sesshōmaru, a great demon who roams freely across the demon world.”

“His father once commanded all demons in the western provinces—Lord Inu.”

“Both in lineage and personal strength, he is an opponent of the highest caliber.”

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“This battle may very well be our last. I wish to ask all of you—”

“Are you afraid?”

After posing the question, Hōjō Akito raised his sword toward the moon and loudly asked the soldiers behind him.

Afraid?

Faced with their lord’s question, the warriors of the Hōjō army exchanged uneasy glances. To say they were not afraid would be impossible; who would not fear death? But seeing their lord Hōjō Akito standing at the forefront, their fear choked them into silence.

Especially when they saw the once-looked-down-upon mountain girl named Kagome step forward first to stand by Hōjō Akito’s side.

Then, Lord Akechi Mitsuhide and other high-ranking officers silently rose and joined them beside Hōjō Akito.

Recalling their lord’s usual benevolence and the just world he envisioned—the world of righteousness!

“Lord, please withdraw for now!”

It was unclear who spoke first, but one by one, soldiers stepped forward, placing themselves between Hōjō Akito and the enemy.

“Yes, the world may survive without me, but it cannot survive without Lord Hōjō Akito.”

“The era of righteousness has yet to arrive; how can Lord Hōjō Akito fall here?”

“We will hold the line here; please, Lord, avenge us in the future.”

These earnest warriors, speaking all at once, urged Hōjō Akito to retreat temporarily. Their gazes fixed firmly on Sesshōmaru, who stood unmoving ahead, ready to lay down their lives to buy time for their lord’s escape.

They were willing to fight tooth and nail, even sacrifice their very lives.

“I have no habit of using my subordinates’ lives to escape.”

Smiling under Kagome’s admiring gaze, Hōjō Akito pushed aside those who stood before him. Sesshōmaru was certainly invincible, but knowing this fact, Hōjō Akito was prepared.

Having gained a wave of goodwill from standing resolute, he turned his gaze toward Inuyasha, the other human of note.

Although killing him and his comrades would bring Sesshōmaru joy, compared to his father’s tomb, their lives were insignificant.

Sesshōmaru knew well the difference between what was important and what was not.

Having already been drained by Kagome’s demon-destroying power, and soon to be further weakened by Lord Inu’s partiality, how strong could Sesshōmaru truly be after such repeated assaults?

Amid these adverse circumstances, Hōjō Akito was nonetheless calculating silently how likely it was to spare Sesshōmaru’s life.

And so, the battle continued.