Episode 104

The Stealthy Poison Master: Mukotsu! is the one hundred fourth episode of the InuYasha anime.

Synopsis

 * 1) The man watching their battle, Mukotsu releases gaseous poison and puts Jakotsu and Inuyasha's battle on hold; it is revealed that he is another member of the Shichinintai, and is a master of poison.
 * 2) Inuyasha leaves his friends to track down Jakotsu, and Mukotsu attacks them with more of his deadly poisons; Mukotsu takes a paralyzed Kagome with him.
 * 3) Kagome manages to move her body, and attempts to take the Shikon no Tama shard out of Mukotsu's neck, but to no avail; he tries to kill her because of this, but before he can, Sesshōmaru arrives and kills Mukotsu, saving Kagome.
 * 4) Jakotsu meets with another member of the Shichinintai, Renkotsu, and they speak of their lack of knowledge about Naraku; they speculate that Inuyasha's friends should die from Mukotsu's poison by nightfall, and Renkotsu notes that their other "brother", Ginkotsu, is on his way to Inuyasha.

Summary
Jakotsu gets away when Mukotsu releases a poison that burns Inuyasha. Inuyasha decides to pursue him in hopes of finding Naraku, leaving Miroku to look after Kagome, Sango and Shippō. Meanwhile, Jakotsu meets up with Mukotsu who reveals that the others are working on their own plans. One of Naraku's insects comes up to them and informs them that Inuyasha is coming after Jakotsu alone and Mukotsu asks about Kagome, obviously taking an interest in her. Jakotsu says he just wants Inuyasha and will keep him busy until Mukotsu can get the sacred jewel shards from Kagome. Mukotsu again asks about Kagome, to which Jakotsu tells him she was "all his" and to "enjoy" as he walks away. Mukotsu then says, "I will." He then goes on to make more poisonous gasses.

Meanwhile, Renkotsu arrives at a monk's temple and slaughters all the monks. During this time, Kagome and Shippō are looking for water when they come upon a well with a woman lying next to it, dead. They then see the poisonous gas and find more village people scattered about the ground also dead. Mukotsu then arrives producing more gasses which are used to paralyze the human body, but not harm the mind or demons. He assures her he will not kill her referring to her as "my pretty". Shippō attempts to intervene and help, but is sprayed by a gas that chokes him and is kicked aside. As Mukotsu reaches for Kagome, Sango and Miroku come to her aid and realize he was the one behind the gas. Shippō then flees the scene to find Inuyasha. Miroku and Sango then demand to know who resurrected Mukotsu, realizing he is one of the Band of Seven, but are refused answers before being drenched in gas and left unconscious. Mukotsu then kidnaps Kagome.

Shippō desperately searches for Inuyasha, who meanwhile stumbles upon Jakotsu and enters into an intense battle with him. During this time, Kagome is taken to Mukotsu's hut where he reveals his plans to marry her being captivated by her "rare beauty," this leaving Kagome horrifically stunned. Inuyasha, while this is going on, is struggling to win against Jakotsu with his rare sword. But Shippō soon comes upon the scene and tells him of Kagome's kidnapping causing Inuyasha to quickly flee after her as Shippō uses his fox magic to keep Jakotsu where he's at. Mukotsu then continues with his marriage ceremony to Kagome, who realizes she must get a hold of the jewel shard in his neck. Sango and Miroku then come to rescue her, but Mukotsu is quick to use yet another gas that, this time, enters the body through the skin and eyes rendering everyone useless. As Mukotsu thinks he is victorious, Kagome stabs him in the throat. However, Mukotsu is unharmed and slaps her and furiously asks if "his face repels her too" and calls her "not fit to be his bride" and begins to strangle her. Sesshōmaru, though, arrives on the scene and strikes him with his claws, obviously unaffected by the gas.

Sesshōmaru then demands to know where Inuyasha was and Mukotsu asks who he is. When Sesshōmaru replies, "I was just about to ask you that" Mukotsu voices his shock that he'd kill someone whom he does not know. He then begins to attack him using all his best gasses specifically designed to kill demons, but Sesshōmaru easily overpowers and kills him. Inuyasha then quickly arrives and, once seeing Kagome, Sango and Miroku's bodies, demands to know what Sesshōmaru did, but Kagome insists Sesshōmaru saved them. But Sesshōmaru states that he did not save them, but that Mukotsu couldn't answer his questions "so he got rid of him". He then tells him that he caught Kohaku's scent, indicating Naraku must be close by and asks Inuyasha where Naraku is. Inuyasha says they haven't been able to locate him and that they now have the Band of Seven coming after them; meaning Naraku must be near, though. Sesshōmaru then leaves. Shippō and Inuyasha then tend to Kagome, Miroku and Sango. Inuyasha holds Kagome, who tells him that the antidote was in her bag before falling unconscious. Inuyasha then angrily says to himself that he should have stayed with her.

Meanwhile, Rin and Jaken are waiting for Sesshōmaru. Rin, in the distance, sees Kohaku pass by. She then worries for his safety if Sesshōmaru were to find him. Renkotsu and Jakotsu, during this time, are at the Monk's temple where Renkotsu killed all the monks earlier on. They discuss about Inuyasha and Sesshōmaru and about Naraku, who told the leader of the group that if they killed Inuyasha and his friends the jewel shards would be theirs. They then talk about the group - Kagome, Sango and Miroku - being exposed to the poisonous gas, to which they say it will kill them by nightfall.