InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The 2 Great Swords ❯ Clash ( Chapter 41 )

“Shouldn't we help him? He's fighting Kouga all by himself!” Kagome yelled ahead of her at Miroku and Sango. They had left Inuyasha to fight Kouga and were now running through the corridors.

 

“I understand your feelings Kagome, however, as painful as it is to admit we would be of no help to him. This is a battle beyond us.” Miroku answered solemnly. “For now, we have to get you out of here.”

 

A loud sound like a thunderclap sounded throughout the structure shaking the very foundations of the fortress. Miroku was right, Kagome thought grudgingly, this was too much for any of them to handle.

 

“This place is going to come down at this rate!” Sango yelled. “We have to hurry!”

 

Kagome stopped suddenly. “Wait!” Kagome stopped and turned a corner. “There's something I have to do.” Her footsteps faded off into the distance.

 

“Kagome!” Miroku called but there was no answer. “Sango go after her! I'll find Shippo!” Sango nodded and dashed after Kagome. Another boom echoed throughout the halls as tiny fragments of the ceiling began to fall down.

 

“Kagome! Where are you going?” Sango asked as she caught up. “We have to get out of here!”

 

“I can't leave yet! Yuka's still here!” Kagome answered. Sango was about to ask who Yuka was when a few demons appeared to block their way.

 

“Damn, we wanted to avoid this…” Sango cursed silently. She ran ahead of Kagome and drew her sword, her boomerang being too big for the enclosed space. As the demons came within range, she leapt through them tearing them apart expertly. “Come on then, we have to hurry!”

 

 

The banquet hall shook with the colossal battle of Muramasa and Masamune. `Damn, this whole place is going to come down. This kind of power is crazy!' Inuyasha thought eyes darting at the various pieces of the ceiling that fell around him.

 

“You don't have time to look around!” Kouga roared and charged again bringing his blade down at Inuyasha's head.

 

Using his newly acquired speed, Inuyasha dodged swiftly to the left and countered at Kouga's unprotected side. Kouga leapt away narrowly missing the point of Masamune before charging again.

 

`He's just charging blindly! He's used to his opponents not being able to injure him!' The sword's spirit echoed in Inuyasha's mind. `It can't be too hard to take him down!' Inuyasha leapt up out of the way of the ferocious attack.

 

`Shut up! This isn't easy! Do you want to try?!' Inuyasha snapped angrily back. He looked back at Kouga to see him with his sword behind him gathering his energy to the evil blade. `Oh shit!'

 

With a roar Kouga released his energy directly at Inuyasha. `Damn, I can't dodge in mid-air!' He thought desperately as he held his blade in front of him to muster a defense. The energy hit hard but failed to strike him, instead being held against Masamune.

 

However, the momentum of the attack wasn't stopped, propelling Inuyasha through the stone roof and out into fresh air. The attack finally dissipated and he fell to the ground panting slightly. He was on the top of the structure with thin air whipping around him.

 

“Shit, that hurt…” He groaned inspecting his back for pieces of rock. `Hey, can't you do something like that?' He asked.

 

The sword was silent for a second. `I'll answer that some other time.' It answered.

 

`Like hell you will!' Inuyasha said back angrily but before he could continue Kouga leapt up through the hole and charged straight at him.

 

“I'll kill you!” He roared, eyes alight with madness.

 

`Concentrate! Don't strike blindly! Hit him where he's open!' Masamune barked. Inuyasha braced himself with his sword at his side. Kouga saw the movement and lifted his sword above his head ready to strike.

 

“Take this!” He roared and leapt forward dodging to the left of Kouga's attack and running his blade keenly through Kouga's side, snapping several ribs.

 

Kouga roared in pain and quickly leapt away holding his wound, trailing blood behind him. He brought his hand to his face with an odd look of mixed fear and anger. “What? I'm bleeding?” He whispered. “Why isn't it closing?”

 

“Keh! I told you already, stupid wolf. This isn't like all your other fights.” Inuyasha said with a triumphant smirk. “This is Masamune,” He said holding his sword in front of him chuckling inwardly. `Ha! Finally got the stupid bastard.'

 

Kouga seemed to finally realize the danger he was in. `What?!' He thought shaking slightly. `How can that mutt…?' For a second his mental defenses faltered. It was all the sword in his hand needed as it attacked his mind.

 

He fell to the ground holding his head in pain. “No… Not now… STOP!” He let out an earth shattering roar and fell face first to the ground as the sword wrested control. “Fool. As if he could keep me at bay forever.” A new voice spoke as Kouga's body slowly rose to its feet.

 

“Kouga?” Inuyasha asked slowly. “What the hell happened to you?” Kouga had changed. His skin was dyed a deep purple, his eyes blood red and he wore a sadistic smirk on his face.

 

“That fool is no longer with us, brat. I am Muramasa.” He said. “Didn't that piece of scrap metal tell you? You can't defeat the vessel without going through the master!” He laughed and swung his hand, blowing a pulse of evil knocking Inuyasha from his feet.

 

He rebounded quickly. `What the hell is going on?!' He demanded.

 

`Muramasa has taken over, it is now a different fight altogether.' Masamune answered. `Prepare yourself, that thing in front of you is several times stronger than Kouga. Here he comes!'

 

 

“Yuka! Yuka!” Kagome cried frantically as she raced into her room. “Where are you!?”

 

“I'm here!” Yuka emerged from behind the door, a vase clutched defensively in her hands. She was just as frantic as Kagome. “What's going on?” She looked at bloodstained Sango in fear, “Who's she?”

 

“Come on we have to get out of here!” Kagome said and pulled her from the room. As soon as they got back up to a run, Kagome began to explain. “Inuyasha's here! He's fighting Kouga. It's their fight that's causing the tremors.”

 

“Inuyasha?” Yuka asked. “Is he strong?”

 

Kagome nodded. “He's strong. Don't worry, he'll defeat Kouga.” She said with sturdy faith.

 

“This way!” Sango called and took them down a different path. “We should be almost there.”

 

“Where are we going?” Kagome asked thinking about it for the first time.

 

“I don't know. I'm just following Shippo's signs.” She replied pointing at several colourful painted arrows ahead of them leading them through the halls. In all the commotion, Kagome hadn't seen them.

 

They rounded a corner “Kagome!” A small voice called as a small ball of fur collided with Kagome's chest, making her stumble slightly. “I'm so glad you're ok!”

 

She smiled and stroked his furry head. “I'm fine, Shippo.” Yuka watched the exchange in bafflement wondering just what Kagome had been doing all this time.

 

“Kagome, I trust you have no further business in these halls.” Miroku was here too. “Shall we be going?”

 

“Yes, but… how?” She asked. She might not know much about the structure they were in, but she knew they were nowhere near the bottom.

 

Miroku grinned. “Come with me.” He walked through an opening onto a rock balcony several hundred feet above the ground. “The exits are airtight; however, the guards won't expect this. We're going that way.” He said pointing down.

 

Kagome nearly collapsed where she stood. “What?! How do you suppose we should get down!?” She screeched at Miroku angrily.

 

Miroku didn't even wince. “Shippo, if you please.” He said smugly. Shippo leapt onto his shoulder and puffed up his chest.

 

“We jump!” Silence.

 

“WHAT!?” Kagome demanded shrilly. “What do you mean `jump'?!”

 

Miroku winced. “You're feeling better already. That's good.”

 

“Don't worry Kagome, I've been preparing some fox magic!” He said proudly as he procured some rope from his behind Miroku. “This is super-stretchy fox rope. It can stretch really far without breaking.”

 

Sango put her hand on Kagome's shoulder sympathetically. “I'm sorry Kagome… It was the best we could come up with on short notice.”

 

Kagome was about to retort when suddenly she fell to the her knees. She felt like she was suffocating as dread filled her every perception. “No way… what is this… evil energy? Muramasa?”

 

Miroku felt it too and his grin faded. “This is insane. What kind of power is this?!” It was the first time any of them had seen Miroku react to anything quite like this.

 

“Inuyasha!” Kagome yelled in fear up to the sky.

 

 

Inuyasha slowly stood up and held his sword in front of him. His enemy chuckled evilly. “Do you think you can stop me?” He asked and vanished.

 

“Where did he go?” Inuyasha looked around frantically.

 

“You don't even know how to use that blade, you should learn you're place!” He was suddenly struck hard in the side and sent sprawling to the ground.

 

`Is he invisible?' He thought as he rolled to his feet. `I didn't even sense the strike.'

 

`No. This is pure speed.' Masamune spoke to him. `I'm afraid the only thing to do now is retreat. You can't beat him in your current state.'

 

“Retreat!?” He yelled in anger. “What the hell for?!” He smirked. “This is just getting interesting.

 

Disembodied laughter rung through the air.. “You should've listened to your blade!” He was struck again and thrown across the roof of the structure to skid along the rocky surface.

 

`Damn it… how can he move that fast with Kouga's body?' He thought angrily. `Wait… Kouga's body?' He smirked as a plan came to him. “Muramasa! This won't work.” He drew his sword and held it in front of him. “Prepare yourself, I'm taking you down!”