Chapter 415

"The Sage" is the 415th chapter of the InuYasha manga.

Synopsis
Dragon-Scaled Tessaiga absorbs the holy aura of Nikosen's life-stalk, eliminating the problem of the backlash of yōki.

Byakuya tells Inuyasha ands group that strengthening Tessaiga is all part of Naraku's plan. Elsewhere,Kanna, chased by Naraku's yōkai, goes to Mōryōmaru's hideout and says she ran away from Naraku.

Summary
Inuyasha has struck Nikosen's Life-stalk with the Dragon-Scaled Tessaiga, and realizes something is flowing out of the root and into Tessaiga. Nikosen vanishes into dust, dying. Inuyasha holds up Tessaiga in awe, and says aloud he was finally able to use the dragon-scaled technique without any backlash of demonic energy. Inuyasha says something flowed into his Tessaiga but he didn't know what it was. Suddenly Byakuya appears, having been watching, and informs Inuyasha that it was the breath of a sage that flowed into Tessaiga. The power Nikosen held as a sage that once protected him and then became the protection of his life-stalk when he became a demon. That sage had the power to exorcise demons, including the Tessaiga's. Inuyasha angrily demands to know if Naraku sicced Nikosen on them knowing this would happen.

Miroku also asks, coming to the conclusion Naraku purposefully gave Inuyasha an obstacle that would strengthen the Tessaiga, demanding to know what Naraku is scheming. Byakuya says he doesn't know and that maybe Naraku is feeling generous, but Inuyasha scoffs and swings Tessaiga. However, the incarnation escapes on his origami crane, saying he'll inform his progenitor of what happened and suggests that Inuyasha thank Naraku next time he sees him. Miroku again wonders why Naraku would want Inuyasha to be stronger, and Inuyasha comes to the conclusion it must because Naraku wants him to defeat Mōryōmaru for him.

Two monks, a master and apprentice are wandering in the mountains, the apprentice insisting they're lost, worried they will run into evil spirits or demons. The master says they'll just subjugate them if that happens. Suddenly a hoard of demons appear and fly overhead the pair, when they then spot Kanna standing on a clifftop. The demons ram into her and send her flying off the cliff, Saimyōshō nearby but not going after her. Kanna wakes up and looks into her mirror, seeing an image of Mōryōmaru. She wanders into his cave, and he demands to know why she has come. Kanna says "I ran away... from Naraku..."