Making its way through a valley nestled between several plateaus of different sizes, all overflowing with vibrant green and filled with lush, ancient trees, lies the typical village you could find anywhere in feudal Japan at this time.
Among its main characteristics are the vast rice plantations along the borders, thanks to the crystal-clear river that runs from one side to the other through both the village and the nearby plateaus, houses built of wood as the backbone of the settlement, and a tall watchtower that can be seen in the center.
Strangely, the entire urban layout seems to revolve around this last structure, whether it be the rudimentary dirt roads or the villagers' houses. Clearly, this is because the tower serves as an early warning system.
"So this is where you were, you bastard!"
Using the superhuman strength granted to him by having yōkai blood running through his veins, Inuyasha manages to propel his albino head upward with just one hand, taking the opportunity to look at the individual resting peacefully inside the village's watchtower.
That individual is dressed entirely in white, giving him a dreamlike air that is immediately diminished by his horrible sleeping posture. He literally sprawls across the floor like a starfish and even snores.
Fortunately for him, his face, which is a perfect combination of Western and Eastern features, has not suffered the same loss of "aura" as his overall appearance. Instead, viewed from this perspective, he possesses another kind of more natural beauty.
"Uwaa, Inuyasha? You look horrible. What happened to you?"
"I don't know. Why don't you tell me?"
"Sesshōmaru finally realized that I'm so intelligent that I wasn't going to walk to the slaughterhouse, so he came over furiously and fought you, but as the great protagonist you are, you managed to defeat him, and now I'm a free man!"
Clapping after finishing his grand story, one he had made up on the spot and that made Inuyasha turn pale, though not out of fear, Asahiko wakes up completely when a sword flies past his face.
The sword is obviously the powerful Steel Fang, Inuyasha's signature weapon, which is also the "sister" of Sacred Fang and Clouded Fang, giving rise to the three swords of conquest.
"So that was your brilliant plan all along, Asahiko? Using us, no, using me as bait to fight Sesshōmaru?!"
"Ja, ja, ja… How about we try talking this out like two civilized people?"
"Sure, sure, just don't move."
"Jajaja, that's the spirit, my dear b-."
"¡Biting wind!"
Slashing toward the "wind wound" visible in the area of contact between their two energies, Inuyasha mercilessly unleashes Steel Fang's signature ability, the Wind Scar, terrifying the unfortunate Asahiko to death, leaving him with no choice but to escape.
*¡BOOOOM!*
Along with the explosion of wild and untamed energy, large chunks of wood and splinters fly like shrapnel toward the golden figure, causing him to curl into a fetal position for better protection.
"Kagome… Those idiots have broken something again~"
Placing a hand at eyebrow level, just above a pair of brown eyes and beneath his short copper-colored hair, a mischievous smile worthy of a Kitsune spreads across the boy's face.
Hehehe, he was going to completely mess with those two idiots. They'll learn the hard way never to steal from him… Especially when they're sweets brought especially by Kagome!
"Granny Kaede is going to be very angry again, just like when they fought in the crop fields."
Pointing toward the pile of rubble that has taken the place of the watchtower, the two troublemakers have already fled the crime scene. Shippo shakes his head while adding more fuel to the fire of anger consuming his companion.
She, a beautiful young woman with pristine white skin, long black hair that reaches past her waist, and brown eyes, who is strangely dressed in a sailor-style school uniform, remains with her lips pursed as she clenches her fists.
The force applied in that action was so great that even her white skin grows paler due to the lack of blood circulation, while, in the purest shonen anime style, her long black hair begins to float in the air.
"I'm. Going. To. Kill—"
*¡BOOOOM!*
"BOTH OF THEM!!!"
Letting out an angry scream reminiscent of a grieving banshee while her fiery eyes fix on the distance, a literal explosion up ahead has just sent several trees flying. Kagome kicks a nearby rock and marches furiously in that direction alongside Shippo.
"Now they've really made her angry, Your Excellency."
Turning her beautiful, furrowed face toward the direction from which Kagome's furious scream came, another beautiful young woman with long dark brown hair, dressed in a colorful kimono, lets out a tired sigh through her delicate lips, although her attention is soon drawn to another, much more pressing "situation."
"Ha, yes, they certainly have, Sango. Although I trust that Miss Kagome will take care of everything. She's already done so on the other two occasions."
"Yes… Although could it perhaps be simply because she doesn't want to move, Your Excellency?"
"How can you say that, Sango?! I can assure you that I do—. Ja, ja…"
Stopping his morally righteous words upon noticing that a certain "sneaky" hand had been caught red-handed, Miroku's dark eyes widen instantly, but he quickly lets out a few dry coughs and continues taking advantage of the moment.
Obviously, Sango is going to hit him now that she's caught him in the act, quite literally, so he might as well enjoy the situation while he can. Mm, mm, this softness is something—.
Erasing every depraved thought from Miroku's mind with a single well-placed blow, specifically a slap that leaves a crimson mark on the monk's face, Sango steps away and looks him up and down.
"Do you ever learn, Your Excellency?"
"Haa, Sango, Sango, Sango. There are things for which a man would gladly throw himself off a cliff, and I can tell you that this is undoubtedly mine."
"Oh, really… Let's see if another hit changes your mind!"
…Some time later…
Remaining seated in the traditional seiza position, Inuyasha, Asahiko, and, unexpectedly, Shippo lower their heads while a furious Kagome paces back and forth in front of them like a military instructor.
The fury was palpable in those brown eyes. Surely, she must be thinking of a thousand and one ways to kill all three of them right now, but in the end, all that comes out is an icy voice.
"Are you wondering why you're sitting there, Shippo? What have I told you about using bad words?!"
"But Kagome, I, I…"
"Calling them idiots is bad… Even though they really are!"
Striking the wooden floor with her shoes, very good ones if we remember how much she seems to enjoy kicking things, Kagome fixes her piercing gaze on the two biggest troublemakers gathered here.
The first, Inuyasha, was already as pale as a leaf and even trembling, looking fearfully at the wooden floor the entire time without offering the slightest resistance.
On the other hand, Asahiko was completely calm about the current situation, so much so that a smile hangs from his face and he keeps his hand raised like an exemplary student, making Kagome grit her teeth at how "punchable" his face looks.
"Anything to say, Asahiko?"
"I'm innocent of all charges, Your Honor! I was slee—, ahem, working peacefully in the watchtower when this beast, animal, barbarian, launched a vile and merciless attack against me!"
Exploding like a spring that has finally found its moment to act, the golden-haired young man rises beside Kagome and points accusingly at Inuyasha, whose face changes from pale to red with fury.
"You could never begin to understand the fear I felt when he threatened me with his sword while he started laughing and cursing. It was like—"
"Asahiko…"
"What is it, Inuyasha? I warn you that with Kagome here, I'm not afraid of you."
Immediately hiding behind Kagome when Inuyasha begins grinding his teeth, having endured more than expected, Asahiko takes advantage of the situation and even smiles at the albino from there.
How dare this dog try to ruin his grand family reunion plan? He thought they were friends, even brothers! But now the ungrateful Inuyasha refuses to do him a favor, a very small favor!
"While you were sleeping like a pig, something happened to me that I'm sure you'll like, Asahiko."
"Did you hit your head against a wall or something?… Oh, no!"
"¡Jajaja, JAJAJA, yes!"
Smiling from ear to ear like a complete madman, finally able to get rid of this meddlesome fox who does nothing but sleep and eat, Inuyasha lets out the only thing that can scare away the problem in front of him… Another problem!
Of course, the problem had nothing to do with Sesshōmaru. He hadn't seen that damned idiot again since the battle with Ryūkotsusei. Instead, it was another old acquaintance: those damned scorpions!
Those strange yōkai, the lowest-quality trash imaginable, had been lurking around the village's borders for days. The worst part was that they never ran out. There were always more coming out of nowhere. They're a plague!
"Yes, Asahiko, do you remember that scorpion problem I told you about when we met at Totosai's house? Well, it's back, and—"
"Noooo! Ahem, ahem, I… I have, I see, important things to do, Inuyasha. I think it's best if I take my leave. As you know, I have a very important meeting with Sesshōmaru in Tottori. I can't just leave him waiting."
Getting a white handkerchief from God knows where, Asahiko wipes away sweat that is more metaphorical than real and nods several times, acting as though he were validating his own words.
Yeah, he wasn't going to get involved in this protagonist's problem too. Ryūkotsusei had already taught him that hanging around Inuyasha was dangerous for anyone. He'd better try his luck with Sesshōmaru… After all, he had gone looking for the elusive Totosai to defeat those cats.
"Asahiko, you—"
"I understand, Kagome! I know my departure hurts you, but I can't sleep peacefully knowing that Sesshōmaru might attack you because you're near me. This hurts me, but now it's time for me to leave."
"What a liar. Every day, I found him sleeping like a pig beside the river."
"Watch your language, Shippo!"
"I'm sorry…"
Lowering his head full of copper-colored hair while puffing out his cheeks, he had only told the truth! Shippo is slowly beginning to understand how Inuyasha feels.
Asahiko is a cunning, deceitful, and hypocritical fox! Words he'd read in the dictionary Kagome brought, just like those sweets they stole from him earlier.
"Tsk, tsk, children these days know nothing about manners. By the way, did you bring me that map you promised me, Kagome?"
"Eh, a map? Oh, right, the map! Give me a minute and I'll bring it to you."
Running over to the enormous yellow backpack lying beside the narrow room, all of them had been inside Kaede's house, which they used as their main base, Kagome immediately returns with a plastic tube in her hand.
Then, once again standing in front of Asahiko, she turns the tube upside down and lets a small map of modern Japan slide out from inside. It has several markings made with a dark marker.
"We're in the province currently called Musashi, which is here, and Tottori is… is… Here!"
"Yeah, we're going to kill scorpions, Inuyasha."
"Noooo!"
"What do you mean, no? You didn't want me to help you, so now I want to. Besides, look at this map! I have to cross almost half the world just to get to Tottori!"
Showing Inuyasha the surface of the map, more specifically the black line that runs from central Japan almost to its westernmost edge, Asahiko immediately gives up.
Damn it, how the hell did those cats end up on the other side of the world? Are we crazy or what is wrong with us? Is this some kind of psychological warfare or what?
"You can fly, so just fly there! It won't take you any time at all!"
"Fine, fine, I understand when I'm not welcome. Sniff, sniff."
"Stop being so dramatic! You were looking for those cats from the beginning. I'm not forcing you to do anything!"
"Ah, right. Well, I guess I'll be leaving now, although… Since you've told me something so important, why don't I do the same?"
Laughing rather mischievously as he turns around, Asahiko first opens the door and then turns toward Inuyasha, smiling from ear to ear when he notices he has his attention.
You know something, Inuyasha? All this time, I've had a shikigami belonging to Kikyo on me, one that can point out her location at all times… Do you want it?
"OF COU—!"
"Inuyasha?"
"¡NOOO!"
Dropping to the floor when his momentum is abruptly cut short, he had been about to leap toward Asahiko, but Kagome spoke from the side at just the right moment. Inuyasha grits his teeth and lets out a scream of pure defeat while stretching his hand forward.
How could this happen to him? How had he never noticed? Maybe when Kagome wasn't around, in the darkness of the night… Why does he only find out now?!
"Jajaja… JAJAJA , that'll teach you who's boss, you idiot dog!"
"A. SA. HI. KO!"
"Goodbye, Kagome. Say hello to Miroku and Sango for me~"
Escaping at full speed like a man being chased by death itself, Asahiko doesn't even get far from the village before quickly transforming into a golden bird and speeding away from the previous crime scene.