Crossing the plain almost instantly thanks to his supernatural abilities, Asahiko crashes directly into Sesshōmaru, causing a red and blue flash to spread throughout the surroundings.
Those colors, red and blue, come from their respective swords, whether it is the red color clearly associated with Clouded Fang, or the blue originating from Tokijin.
"What has given you the confidence to challenge me?"
Twisting his wrist slightly and in an almost imperceptible manner, Sesshōmaru guides the blade of his sword into a slightly diagonal position, thus managing to redirect Clouded Fang toward the ground.
With that out of the way, and barely affected by the cloud of dust and rock created by Clouded Fang's collision with the ground, he places his entire center of mass on the tip of his left foot before performing a 360° spin.
Obviously, the spin was not merely for appearance, but rather by doing so he gathers great kinetic force into his other leg, with which he launches a swift kick toward Asahiko's ribs.
"Agh... Are you sure you're a swordsman?"
"I learned it from you, that thing about being unexpected."
"Oh, so apparently I'm a bad influence."
Letting out a laugh that instantly forces him to spit a trail of blood from his mouth, Asahiko tightly grips the arm that is keeping Sesshōmaru's leg under control, and then mercilessly cuts with Clouded Fang.
This slash was aimed directly at the knee section, the most important joint of the leg, which no matter how little damage it received would translate into a fatal problem.
But of course Sesshōmaru has a response appropriate to the situation, he always does, the damned bastard, and that response is using the pelt hanging from his back as an extra limb, striking Asahiko's unprotected flank.
"Did you drop your sword?"
"It's not like I'll need it for what's next... Do it, Souga!"
[Hahaha, I'm going to enjoy this!]
Shouting from within the gem embedded in Clouded Fang's hilt, quite charged with energy thanks to the negative emotions of a certain individual, Souga activates one of his most characteristic techniques.
Which is none other than "The Gate to Hell," a technique he once used to try to kidnap Asahiko when they first met, and which according to his plan is now being used as a sort of suicidal technique, leading into the next scene.
Great doors of cold bloodstained metal covered with inscriptions of different yōkai open above both individuals. The first thing to emerge from within is a dense dark mist that confuses Asahiko, although soon the multiple pale hands he had been waiting for emerge and lunge toward Sesshōmaru.
"This atmosphere... The Underworld? Do you intend to drag both of us in there?"
"No, not both of us. You're going down there alone, Sesshōmaru!"
Releasing the leg he had been holding until a few seconds ago, Asahiko quickly strikes the white pelt that had attacked him from behind and cautiously retreats to continue watching the spectacle from afar.
Under his triumphant gaze, the pale hands go from being only a few to dozens in an instant, surrounding every inch of Sesshōmaru's exposed skin and dragging him toward the cold metallic doors, finally changing the latter's expression.
"Do you think this can stop me? Then you'll have to change your mind... Because it won't!"
Raising his voice from inside the "coffin" made of pale hands, the strange ghostly limbs had already completely surrounded him, and the only visible eye of Sesshōmaru undergoes a terrifying transformation.
His previously white sclera gradually fills with an intense red color, while his normally golden pupil changes into a threatening deep green.
"...So you're actually the main protagonist?"
Swallowing nervously due to the pressure generated simply by remaining under that gaze, Asahiko tries to joke to calm himself, but it soon proves useless... Even he can feel his legs trembling.
What he could feel running through every fiber of his body was not fear, but something more primitive, something so instinctive that it was simply impossible to explain from a human perspective.
"Now you will understand the difference between the two of us, Asahiko!"
At some point his tone of voice changes into a deep growl, and the surroundings around Sesshōmaru begin to tremble solely because of his presence. The situation is so strange that even the ghostly hands seem frightened.
And that is despite them literally being entirely spiritual beings, or so Asahiko thinks, who by the way has already recovered Clouded Fang and is barely able to remain standing.
But just when everything seemed lost, the pale hands were beginning to retreat, Sesshōmaru was returning to freedom, and Asahiko was considering using the Jewel Shards, a very familiar voice breaking the status quo.
"Move aside, Asahiko... Biting wind!"
Descending like an airborne soldier, but from Asahiko's point of view like a white-haired angel, Inuyasha swings Steel Fang while dawn serves as his backdrop.
Apparently, at some unknown point the king of stars managed to break free from the darkness, casting its omnipresent light upon this side of the globe and bringing about Inuyasha's complete "recovery" to his Hanyō state.
Setting that explanation aside, the energy released by the "Wind Scar" shatters the already unstable "Gate to Hell," continuing on its path toward Sesshōmaru without further complications.
"Inuyasha...? Damn nuisance!"
Taking advantage of the moment Souga's technique disappears, brought down by the "Wind Scar," Sesshōmaru explodes outward in a burst of pure power and escapes far away.
A very wise decision, since Inuyasha's technique sweeps away everything before it, driving its fangs dozens of meters into the earth before the dog boy finally touches the ground.
"Hahaha, Asa— Why are you hitting me?!"
"One second more, Inuyasha. Just one damned second more and Sesshōmaru would have been wearing a beautiful fox hat on his head. Couldn't you have arrived earlier?"
Seriously wanting to throw himself at Inuyasha and stab him several times, since this entire damned problem is actually his fault, Asahiko restrains himself when he sees the others landing nearby.
There stood the group usually seen with Inuyasha, but one could also notice the presence of Totosai and his ox, explaining how Inuyasha once again has Steel Fang.
"Please don't be angry with him, Asahiko. We've been circling the area for the past several minutes, but it's dawn..."
"That happened?"
"It certainly did, Asahiko. Miss Sango and I even shouted at you, but you always ignored us. Though looking at it now... I think that was actually the right decision."
Pointing his staff toward Sesshōmaru, who had already risen back to his feet, Miroku, like everyone nearby, feels a primal fear upon seeing his cold red-and-green eyes.
"Heh, come here if you dare, Sesshōmaru."
"Don't provoke him any more than he already is, you stupid dog!"
"Shut up already, Shippo. My hand is itching because I want to try out my new sword!"
Laughing wildly despite clearly having trouble lifting it from the ground—God knows why—Inuyasha appears completely confident in his victory.
And it was not without reason, since Asahiko certainly got the worst of it, but Sesshōmaru did not come out of their battle unscathed either. The greatest proof of this was the cut on his shoulder.
"...It has been an acceptable battle, Asahiko. Clean your neck and remember this, Clouded Fang will inevitably be mine, whether by good means or bad."
Slowly turning around, Sesshōmaru walks away with firm steps to demonstrate his control over the situation, which he accomplishes, since everyone remains alert until he disappears.
"He just... Left?"
"He certainly did, Shippo. I never thought Inuyasha's brother would be so 'reasonable' about this."
"Perhaps he was more injured than it appeared at first glance, Your Excellency. After all, Asahiko does not seem to be a weak demon who can be easily bullied."
Gesturing with her eyes toward the surroundings now illuminated by the light of dawn, Sango manages to make everyone accept her words with irrefutable evidence. Literally, the former plain has completely disappeared in a single night.
"Well said, Sango! That abusive Sesshōmaru finally hit a stone today. What do you say, Asahi— Kyaa, he's dead!"
"Don't be so dramatic, girl. He merely fainted from his injuries. He'll be fine in a few days."
"That makes it even worse! Come on, we need to take him to Kaede's village. I have some medical supplies there that I brought with me."
Hitting Totosai, who had responded to her when she saw Asahiko's collapsed body, genuinely thinking he had died, Kagome urges everyone to leave.
And the truth was that they had little else to do here. Sesshōmaru had already left and Inuyasha had regained his sword, so everyone accepted the proposal before quickly departing.
...Elsewhere...
Inside a large opulent room that is strangely devoid of "human things," whether wardrobes, beds, or lamps, the imposing shadow of a beast rests peacefully.
Suddenly and against all expectations, that creature shrouded in shadows opens one of its eyes. They are easily the size of an average human, while its sclera is a deep red and its pupil is green.
"...The Meidō Stone is reacting?"
Letting out a strangely gentle voice that is soon contradicted by the great fangs adorning its mouth, the dark figure moves one of its enormous paws toward its open eye.
Upon that paw rests a small object, almost minuscule compared to where it is located, but due to the malevolent atmosphere and the dark mist surrounding it, it is impossible to overlook.
"Another false alarm...? No, there have already been two in a short period of time. Perhaps I should... Maybe I'll do it later."
Losing all interest from one moment to the next, or perhaps never having any real interest in the matter to begin with, the enormous bestial eye closes within the darkness of the room.
If this happened again, it could always send some of its subordinates, perhaps even its beloved son. There is nothing the latter cannot resolve.