Chapter 378

Orochi Nest is the 378th chapter of the InuYasha manga.

Summary

 * Inuyasha reports to everyone what happened with Kikyō and that Kohaku has left.
 * Sango worries about Kohaku leaving.
 * Kōga and his friends run into a member of the Orochi tribe who is badly injured.
 * The survivor of the Orochi is killed from within from a piece of Mōryōmaru's flesh that he had bitten off.
 * Kōga follows the piece of flesh in search of Mōryōmaru.
 * Kagome isn't happy about Kikyō and Inuyasha meeting but does not start an argument.

Synopsis

 * Kohaku has left in order to sacrifice himself and his shard so that Kikiyō can kill Naraku. Sango holds a piece of his hair that Kohaku has cut off and given to Inuyasha as a memento for his sister. She wonders where he has gone and Inuyasha tells Sango he is sorry that he couldn't stop him because of a strange barrier.
 * Kagome states that the barrier wasn't Kikiyō's and comes to the conclusion that it must have been from Midoriko the priestess of long ago who's fight with demons created the Shikon no Tama. This causes Inuyasha to remember that Kikyo had said that she and Midoriko had similar souls.
 * Ginta and Hakkaku are running behind screaming for Kōga to wait up as usual. Kōga of course can't wait because he is following the scent of Mōryōmaru. They come upon a collapsed member of the Orochi clan. He is covered in blood and gravely injured. Kōga asks what happened and the Orochi tells him that a yōkai came and ate his friends one by one. The injured Orochi tells Kōga that he bit off the demon's flesh and injected his poison into him and fled. Suddenly the Orochi gasps and is killed from within by a mound of twisting flesh.
 * The mound of flesh absorbs the Orochi and flees. Kōga notes the smell is that of Mōryōmaru's and chases after it with a reluctant Ginta and Hakkaku close behind.
 * Inuyasha is carrying Kagome and Shippō, while Miroku and Sango are close behind on Kirara. Kagome remarks that Inuyasha still can't find Kōga and he replies with, "Well I can't smell anything annoying." Kagome quietly thinks to herself that because Kikyō wants the jewel shard whole she will likely along with wanting Kohaku's shard, try to get Kōga's two shards imbedded in his legs.
 * Shippō remarks that it is strange that Kagome isn't angry because she is normally angry after Inuyasha has a meeting with Kikyō. Inuyasha argues she has no reason to be mad he wasn't being sneaky and told her. Kagome however is upset but has decided not to do anything about it because now isn't the time.
 * Miroku while riding with Sango asks if she is alright. She tells him she is, however, she tearfully thinks of Kohaku knowing that for the Shikon no Tama to become whole it would mean Kohaku's death and she wonders if he is waiting for this time to happen.
 * While chasing the pile of flesh Kōga notes on how horrible it smells. He looks in shock as the chunk of flesh is absorbed by a giant arm surrounded by a pit of dead yōkai.