Episode 156

Kagura shows Sesshomaru and Jaken the pathway to the borderlands in the Realm of Fire.

As Kagome searches for InuYasha, Hosenki is now pleased at the coming of the dark jewel shards with Naraku. Naraku comes to Hosenki to claim the last shard. Kagome tries to break Naraku's barrier with an arrow, but is unable to dispel the shield.

Kagura takes Sesshomaru and Jaken to the gateway, but refuses to enter the chamber with the guardians. When Jaken tells the guardians they wish to pass, the statues step forward and Sesshomaru draws his sword (not his Tenseiga).

InuYasha wakes near the base of his father's remains. Hosenki thrusts an adamant arm through Naraku's barrier and body, but Naraku seems unharmed and begins trying to remove the shard from Hosenki. Naraku laughingly tells Kagome that the hatred from the fight helped taint the jewel shard Hosenki has even further, and that the combined attacks of Kagome and InuYasha are the only reason Naraku can reach the shard within Hosenki.

InuYasha arrives on the heels of his Wind Scar, interrupting Naraku's attempt to absorb the final jewel shard. Using his Red Tetsusaiga, InuYasha tries again to break Naraku's barrier, without effect. InuYasha attacks Naraku with his Wind Scar and his Backlash Wave, unsuccessfully. Hosenki attacks InuYasha and knocks him aside.

Sesshomaru knocks down both guardians with one blow. The guardians rise, stating that they cannot be slain by a sword of this world. Tenseiga begins pulsing, and Sesshomaru positively lights up, and draws Tenseiga to destroy these guardians. As soon as he draws the blade, the gate opens and the guardians kneel, saying that he who wields the sword of the netherworld may pass. Sheathing his weapons, Sesshomaru enters the gateway.

Naraku mocks InuYasha while retrieving the final shard of the Shikon Jewel. Naraku tosses away Hosenki and InuYasha, and turns his mocking to Kagome, Miroku and Sango, claiming they are all stuck in the netherworld. As he finishes his gloating, Sesshomaru appears and heads directly to InuYasha and punches him. (?!) Sesshomaru then confronts Naraku.

With the darkened shard gone from Hosenki, he is once again sane. Hosenki asks InuYasha if he still has the strength to fight.