The Prophecy.
It was a riddle the Shikon Jewel had told Kirinmaru back when the Great Dog Demon was still among the living.
You will be slain by one who is neither human nor youkai.
At the time, Kirinmaru had laughed it off. In the demon world of that era, "neither human nor youkai" was a fancy way of saying "half-demon."
A half-demon? Killing him?
The Ruler of the East, a king whose power rivaled the legendary Toga? The idea was so absurd it hadn't навіть earned a second thought. And the fact that he was still breathing, centuries later, was the ultimate proof that the prophecy was nothing more than a ghost story.
But having it thrown in his face by a sneering gem was starting to get under his skin.
Kirinmaru burst through the spatial rift and back into the physical world, his face hardening as he looked across the desolate plain. The dark, oily clouds of the Jewel's core still lingered on the horizon, a stubborn stain on the world.
How was he supposed to kill a god that didn't stay dead?
For two days, he and Toga had unleashed every legendary technique in their arsenal, and all they had to show for it was a more resilient enemy. The Jewel had hidden its core--the actual Dragon Balls--somewhere deep within its own shifting mass.
'I'm at a stalemate,' Kirinmaru thought, his irritation growing.
The Jewel was adapting too fast. In another half-day, it would "be born"--stabilizing its new, evolved form. And at that point, it would be twice as dangerous as it was now.
Perhaps you should let those children from the outside have a turn. They are far more likely to find a way than you Kings are.
The Jewel's mocking suggestion echoed in his mind.
He hadn't personally tested those "Otherworldly" Servants yet. He had no idea what kind of esoteric powers they carried. But he knew that Toga and himself represented the peak of "traditional" power. If that wasn't working, then logic dictated that the solution lay in the non-traditional.
The those Servants.
Kirinmaru decided then. He would find them.
CLANG!
WHOOSH!
Rikuo watched from the sidelines, his eyes tracking the silver and blue blur in the center of the clearing.
Akame twisted her body mid-air, her dark hair a silken whip as she narrowly avoided the tail-end of a crimson spear.
"HAA!"
"DRIVE!"
Akame's feet touched the ground, and she immediately lunged forward, her blade a lethal shadow aimed at the man's throat.
CLINK.
Cu Chulainn deflected the strike with a casual flick of his wrist.
"And... that's time!"
Before Akame could reset her stance, the tip of the [Gae Bolg] was already resting against the bridge of her nose.
Clap-clap-clap!
"Impressive as always, Cu Chulainn-san," Rikuo said, walking over as the sparring session concluded.
"Heh. Credit where it's due, the [Assassin] has some real guts in a head-on fight," Cu said, spinning his spear and resting it across his shoulders.
"Too bad for you that you're up against me."
Akame sheathed her blade, her expression neutral but her breathing slightly hurried. She didn't argue. Her speed was her primary weapon, but this man's reactions were on another level. Even her [Aura of Concealment] only worked for a few seconds before his battle-hardened senses adjusted.
"It was just a spar," Cu added, noting her silence. "In a real fight, with that [Muramasa] and your hidden tricks? It would be a nightmare."
"One scratch and it's game over. I'm not in any hurry to test my luck against that."
Cu wasn't just being polite. He knew the terrifying nature of the girl's curse. Most Servants could survive a minor wound, but against Akame, "minor" didn't exist. She was a glass cannon designed to end a war in a single heartbeat.
'I'm just glad this war doesn't have a bunch of dark alleys and quiet corners,' Cu thought with a grin. 'Otherwise, the [Assassin] would be harvesting us like wheat.'
"Rikuo, you want a round?" Cu asked, turning his gaze toward the half-demon.
"I'll pass. I'd rather save my energy for the actual enemy. Sparring with you tends to eat up a lot of mana," Rikuo replied. He was technically without a weapon at the moment, his [Nenekirimaru] having been taken by Sesshomaru for repairs.
"Pity. It's hard to find a good challenge with my own sword gone," Cu laughed.
"Archer's still training, I assume? This war sure brought out all the loners, didn't it?"
Cu looked around the camp. He still wanted a proper rematch with Emiya. That was the kind of clash that belonged in a Holy Grail War. Dealing with Naraku's oily shadow and the Jewel's immortality was just... exhausting.
"Wait!!"
A sudden shift in the wind made everyone freeze.
Inuyasha and Koga were the first to move, their noses twitching as they sprinted to the front of the camp, staring up into the sky.
WHOOSH.
Two clouds of dust erupted as Kirinmaru and Toga landed simultaneously.
"So... you were hiding one after all."
Kirinmaru looked down at the group, his gaze eventually settling on the young girl, Rin, who was hiding behind the two-headed demon horse, A-Un.
If he hadn't double-backed to check the scents, he might have missed it entirely. He had thought the Jewel already had four stars, but the truth was simpler: one had been right under his nose.
"Sesshomaru isn't here?"
Kirinmaru noted the absence of the eldest son with a flicker of interest. If Sesshomaru were present, this group might at least put up a decent fight.
But he wasn't here.
This time, Kirinmaru had no intention of negotiating. He needed to test these Servants, and he needed that star.
"By my Command Seal... Saber, I order you! Seize the Dragon Ball from that girl!!"
The glow of two [Command Seals] flared on Kirinmaru's hand, the magic pulsing with a desperate, forceful intent.
"!"
The familiar, jagged shackles of the command closed around Toga's heart. His hand moved of its own accord, drawing [So'unga] as he stepped forward, his aura flaring with a lethal, purple light.
"HAA!!"
CLANG-GA!!
Inuyasha didn't hesitate. He intercepted the strike with [Tessaiga], the impact sending a shockwave through the camp.
"Burdensome dog... you had better hold your ground!"
"Five Elements Strike!!"
Koga circled around, a blur of lightning and steel as he lashed out at Toga's flank. The Great Dog Demon moved with fluid grace, parrying both Inuyasha and Koga simultaneously.
'妖狼族 (Youkai Wolf Tribe)...'
Toga looked at the two young warriors. He felt a flicker of nostalgia seeing them fight as one. As long as he fought against the Seal's timing--dragging his feet just enough--Inuyasha and Koga could buy their companions the time they needed.
"So... you three are my dance partners?"
Kirinmaru looked at the three figures blocking his path: Akame, Rikuo, and Cu Chulainn.
Cu Chulainn took a measured step forward, his spear held low, his eyes burning with the first genuine enthusiasm he had shown in days.
"Hold on, you two. Let me have the first dance," Cu said, his voice a low, dangerous rumble.
"It's not every day you get to trade blows with a King."
"Let me be a little selfish today."
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]