Chapter 20

Tsukumo no Gama is the 20th chapter of the InuYasha manga.

Summary

 * Nobunaga is reunited with princess Tsuyu. The Tsukumo no Gama makes his appearance, and Kagome senses he has a shard of the Shikon jewel.
 * The Tsukumo no Gama's true form is revealed: a Toad.
 * The Tsukumo no Gama kidnaps Tsuyu after badly injuring Nobunaga. Inuyasha vows to hunt down the toad demon and get the sacred jewel shard.

Synopsis

 * The three heroes are inside the Tsukumo no Gama's castle, looking for the princess. Nobunaga is running through the halls, calling out for Princess Tsuyu. Kagome wonders if that's a good idea, since they're in enemy territory, but Inuyasha says all the guards are under the sleeping spell, so they have nothing to worry about. Besides, what better way to lure out the demon than to stir up a ruckus?
 * Nobunaga believes he's found Tsuyu and he rushes over to her side, but when he sees her face, it's an old woman. He thinks some kind of curse has been placed on her, but then Kagome sees a young woman and asks Nobunaga if she's the princess, so he rushes over to the younger girl and recognizes her to be Tsuyu. (Nobunaga was acting like an idiot again.) Myōga wakes up the slumbering princess by sucking some of her blood, and when she sees Nobunaga, she recognizes him and he's flattered, since he was only a mere servant to royalty. Tsuyu says Nobunaga is a dear childhood friend, and she would always laugh when he fell into the pond or slip in horse manure. Kagome realizes Amari is in love with Tsuyu. The princess says that after she married the lord and came to live at his castle, he started to act strangely after he collapsed near the garden pond, and now it's as if he's taken on an entirely different personality. Nobunaga explains that Tsuyu's father sent him on a mission to rescue her from the lord, because of all the rumors saying the lord had been possessed by a demon.Inuyasha tells the couple to flee, because the demon is approaching. It's the possessed lord, and he fires his tongue at Inuyasha. The half demon uses his claws to tear off some bandages which were masking the demon's face, and his true form is revealed: a Toad. When Tsuyu sees this, she faints. Kagome also sees a shard of the sacred jewel inside the toad. Myōga says the toad is a demon known as a "Tsukumo no Gama", a brutally strong toad-demon. Inuyasha is about to attack the demon, but the Tsukumo no Gama spews toxic vapors at the group, going after Tsuyu. Nobunaga draws his sword and tries to protect her, but the toad uses his tongue and slaps the weapon away, then impaling the young samurai with his long amphibious tongue.
 * The Tsukumo no Gama runs off with an unconscious Tsuyu. When Nobunaga tries to follow him, blood drips from the spot where he was injured and he falls down in pain. Kagome stops him, since he'll die if he tries to fight in his current condition, but Nobunaga says he doesn't care if he dies, as long as they save the princess. Kagome then asks him if he's in love with Tsuyu, and he asks her "H-how...How did you know?" Kagome sarcastically asks him back: "Was it supposed to be a secret?" After being caught off guard by the toxic vapors, Inuyasha vows to kill the demon for embarrassing him and making him look weak.
 * The Tsukumo no Gama tells Tsuyu he loves her, but then cackles and says "Feed me... feed me your soul..."

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Amari Nobunaga
 * Hiyoshimaru
 * Inuyasha
 * Kagome
 * Myōga
 * Tsuyu
 * Tsukumo no Gama