Chapter 414

"Life Force" is the 414th chapter of the InuYasha manga.

Synopsis
Nikosen attacks Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippō and almost devours Inuyasha, until the sun rises and Inuyasha becomes a half-demon again. The Dragon-Scaled Tessaiga starts to absorb Nikosen's Life-stalk.

Summary
Nikosen has located Inuyasha, Kagome and Shippō's hiding spot. Kagome grabs onto Inuyasha in fear, and notices he's burning up with a fever, probably caused by Nikosen's poison sap. Kagome raises her bow and shoots a Sacred Arrow at Nikosen, splitting his head in half, but Kagome tells everyone to run away before he grows a new head again. Nikosen's body chases after them and Kagome frustratedly thinks to herself "How can he move without a head?!" Kagome starts to draw another arrow but realizes she only has one left. Inuyasha tells her it's pointless to keep shooting his head, he'll just grow new ones, and Kagome agrees, thinking she has to find his Life stalk Nikosen spoke of. She shoots and hits it.

Nikosen laughs, unaffected by the sacred arrow. He explains again that he was once a hermit, and his life stalk is shielded by the holy energy he once held. "You think a mere twig shot by a little girl can hurt me?" Kagome laments her arrows are useless, and Nikosen tells them they should just resign themselves to being mulch. Inuyasha quickly grabs Kagome and Shippō, pushing past Nikosen's roots, his hands getting burned by poison sap. Inuyasha is grabbed by Nikosen's roots, and he tells Shippō to save Kagome. The fox transforms and helps her escape, but as Nikosen is about to attack her too, she's saved by Sango and her Hiraikotsu. Nikosen says he sees reinforcements have arrived but it's too late, Inuyasha will be devoured.

Inuyasha breaks free of the roots, his Hanyō powers returning; it's dawn. He tells Nikosen he's lost now, but the demon scoffs and says Inuyasha is still only a half-demon. Inuyasha draws the Dragon-Scaled Tessaiga and attacks Nikosen's life-stalk.