Chapter Thirty-Five: Six Strikes Per Second Is Merely the Limit of the Flesh

The Hojo army stood as one, a monolith of resolve, ready to meet their end in the afterlife. Though every man knew he was marked for death, each was determined to carve a piece of Sesshomaru’s flesh before falling. They swore a silent oath: they would not die before their lord, Hojo Akitoki. As long as a single one of them remained breathing, they would not let a single hair on Lord Akitoki’s head be harmed.

Watching these humans who so willingly embraced death, Sesshomaru was reminded of a legion of men he had encountered on his journey here. When he had crushed those soldiers like ants, they had lacked the unwavering spirit of these men. Unbidden, his thoughts turned to the subordinates who had once followed him into the life-and-death struggle against the Panther Demon tribe. Their figures seemed to overlap with the men standing before him now.

"They will die."

Unexpectedly sentimental, Sesshomaru lowered his gaze, his voice cutting through the quiet night as he questioned Hojo Akitoki. "As their lord, leading them onto this path to certain death... do you not feel you have failed your duty?"

"Failed my duty?"

Akitoki chuckled softly, having already intuited Sesshomaru's current state of mind. When the demon had gripped Inuyasha’s throat earlier, a flicker of sorrow had clung to him. Now, he asked this...

Akitoki made a show of trying to push through the crowd to stand at the forefront, but under Sesshomaru’s inscrutable gaze, he found himself repeatedly blocked by the protective wall of his own samurai. Resigned, and finding his men’s devotion strangely endearing, Akitoki called out from within the throng.

"I do not believe it is a failure of duty, whether facing the strong or the weak. I do not hoard the glory of victory alone, and I bear the bitterness of defeat entirely on my own shoulders. They are my subordinates, but they are also the source of my strength. It is precisely because of their support that the Hojo army can gallop beneath these blue skies, marching toward the peak of the world. As their lord, all I must do is use every ounce of my ability to bring them home. That is all."

"Oh."

Sesshomaru’s eyes narrowed. He had not expected such a response. Usually, one would expect grand, soul-stirring words, yet this reply was so plain, so direct...

His gaze shifted to the Hojo samurai who had heard this. To his astonishment, he felt their aura beginning to swell with a frantic intensity. Why? They had followed their lord into a hopeless battle, yet they harbored not a shred of resentment?

"Hey, what would a demon like you understand!"

Perhaps noticing the bewilderment in Sesshomaru’s eyes, a low-ranking soldier in the front row suddenly shouted out.

"Lord Hojo Akitoki’s 'Era of Benevolence' isn't just empty talk! My lord eats meat, and he makes sure we, his subordinates, eat meat too! Do you know what it feels like to eat meat?" The soldier’s voice dripped with mockery, his face glowing with pride.

"That's right, that's right!" With the ice broken, more soldiers began to shout.

"I received such a thick envelope last time! I thought it was my salary for the next ten months, but it was just a bonus the lord gave us for winning! I was stunned. It was because of those rewards that I could get married and have children!"

"And what about that? The lord has always been the first to shoulder the responsibility."

"Right, didn't the East have an old saying? 'If there is sin in the world, it is my sin; if there is sin in me, it is not the world's.' To meet such a lord in this era... it’s enough. Giving my life for him is worth it!"

More and more soldiers spoke up, each recounting Akitoki’s acts of benevolence. With every deed brought to light, the men felt a surging power within them. Striking six times in a second might be a physical limit, but it was certainly not the limit of their spirit. Staring at the motionless Sesshomaru, the men, who had previously feared death, now seemed almost impatient for the conflict to begin.

"Is that so."

Sesshomaru lifted his head, his gaze sweeping over each soldier's face, searching for any sign of insincerity. Yet, no matter how he probed, even releasing his own killing intent to intimidate them, not a single pair of eyes wavered. It was further proof of Akitoki’s character.

"Do they truly feel this way?"

Another whisper of unknown meaning from Sesshomaru, and his combat intent—that of a cold, noble prince—rapidly dissolved. He tilted his head back to look at the crescent moon, his vision seemingly transcending time and space, returning once more to that bloody battlefield against the Panther Demons.

When had he begun to pursue the power left behind by his late father? Ah, yes. It had been after that very battle.

With that thought, Sesshomaru turned, exposing his undefended back.

"He's leaving?"

They had been shouting and prepared to die, but seeing the terrifying demon actually show signs of departing, the Hojo soldiers collectively breathed a sigh of relief. After all, it was better to live if one could.

"Sesshomaru?"

Watching his retreating back, Akitoki was momentarily stunned. Was he not going to use his remaining trump cards? Was the demon just going to walk away like that? What of the tomb of the Dog General hidden in Inuyasha’s eye? Did Sesshomaru not want it anymore?

If he truly didn't want it, that was fine. Naturally, Akitoki was not one to seek out suffering, and he would certainly not do anything unnecessary now. It was best if this night concluded with an ending that, while not perfect, was acceptable to all.

But just as the Hojo army began to relax, Sesshomaru, who had seemed to be leaving, flashed back to Inuyasha’s side. Once again, he seized the half-demon by the throat and lifted him into the air.

"I noticed it before. A place that can be seen but not entered, a place where a true tomb keeper could never go. So, that is what it meant." It was rare for Sesshomaru to speak at such length.

"What?"

"We've been deceived!"

The sudden turn of events left the Hojo army in a panic, their tension returning instantly. Akitoki had not anticipated this development, but it was not unwelcome. A strange light flashed in his eyes as he made a move to rescue Inuyasha, though he was, quite conveniently, held back by the soldiers surrounding him, slowing his approach just enough.

In those few seconds of delay, Sesshomaru finished his task. With a surge of demonic power, he extracted a dark, black pearl from Inuyasha’s eye. Then, with a casual wave of his hand, he released a blast of energy that knocked back many of the charging Hojo soldiers.

Without sparing another glance, Sesshomaru broke the seal on the Black Pearl, opening the path directly to his late father’s tomb.

"Leave. The rest has nothing to do with you. I will not take Inuyasha’s life tonight."

This was likely the greatest gesture of goodwill Sesshomaru could offer. Before stepping into the swirling vortex suspended in the air, he spoke to Akitoki, who had reached the vicinity, and then vanished inside without looking back.

"Damn it, that wretched creature." Holding his eye, Inuyasha muttered to Akitoki as he arrived. "The rest is my business. You lot, get out of here."

Like his brother, the heavily wounded Inuyasha leaped into the vortex.

"They really are brothers, aren't they?" Standing before the swirling gate, Akitoki felt both annoyed and amused. He glanced to the side at the young girl who had also just arrived. "Kagome, are you going?"