Chapter 3

A New Foe is the 3rd chapter of the InuYasha manga.

Synopsis

 * Inuyasha tries to Kill Kagome in order to claim the Shikon no Tama.
 * Kagome manages to subdue Inuyasha with the Beads of Subjugation.
 * Kagome is kidnapped by bandits, and the leader demands she hand over the jewel.

Summary

 * Inuyasha threatens Kagome once again, demanding she hand over the sacred jewel if she wants to live. Kaede tells Kagome not to give up the jewel. Inuyasha becomes even more angered as he remarks Kagome smells like the woman who killed him. Inuyasha starts to swipe at Kagome with his claws, and she confoundedly says "You're really trying to hurt me, aren't you?!" A villager remarks that they would have been better off with the centipede instead of Inuyasha. Kaede sighs, pulling out a strand of beads. Running away, Kagome trips and drops the jewel. Inuyasha laughs, about to deliver the final blow, when suddenly the beads appear around his neck. Kaede shouts at Kagome to "utter a subduing spell". Kagome is confused, but after a moment, yells "SIT!!", slamming Inuyasha into the ground. Inuyasha grasps the beads incredulously. Kaede remarks to the half-demon that he has no power to remove the beads. Inuyasha calls her a crone and lunges to attack her. Kagome intervenes and "SITS!" him once again.
 * Some time passes. Back at the village, Kaede tends to Kagome's wounds. Inuyasha sits by lazily, now totally incapacitated by the Beads of Subjugation. Kaede laments that the Jewel has returned. It's only a matter of time before all sorts of evil beings that desire it will be flocking to them to get it. Kagome asks "You mean like... monsters?" Kaede responds, "Not only monsters, but also Men, which are sometimes worse." Kaede explains how the jewel can make any ambition a reality. Kagome then curiously asks Inuyasha why he wants the jewel, after all, he's already terribly strong. Kaede responds that Inuyasha is only a half-demon, much to Inuyasha's annoyance. Inuyasha gets angry, asking how Kaede can act so familiar with him when they've never met. The priestess explains she is the younger sister of Kikyō. She also tells Inuyasha how Kikyō died 50 years ago, which Inuyasha says is "good news." Kaede then says Kikyō may be gone, but her reincarnation is standing before them, referring to Kagome. Her physical likeness, her mystical abilities, the fact that the jewel was inside her body, what other explaination could there be?
 * Later, Kagome is walking through the village, disturbed when some villagers, believing she is Kikyō, start to pray to her. Meanwhile, Inuyasha sulks in a tree at his helplessness. Kagome appears at the bottom of the tree with food, offering for him to come down so they can share it. Inuyasha is very suspicious and calls her a witch. Kagome again clarifies that she is Kagome, not Kikyō. Inuyasha still acts very cold to her, and asks if he can be a little friendlier. He replies he will show no mercy to get the Shikon Jewel. Kagome mutters under her breath all she has to do is say "sit" and mercy won't matter. He hears this and gets pounded into the ground by the Beads of Subjugation.
 * Kagome worries about her Mother, Brother and Grandpa and wonders how they're doing. As she tries to sleep, a crow demon attempts to kill her. Inuyasha, watching carefully outside, kills the demon. Inuyasha thinks to himself that this is only the first of many who will come to claim the jewel.
 * The next morning, Kagome is wandering in the forest, looking for the well she came through, thinking if she can find it again maybe she can go back home to the modern era. Suddenly a man appears behind her and covers her mouth. She finds herself in a hut, surrounded by bandits. The bandit leader, an ogreish man, sips sake and demands she give him the jewel. Meanwhile, Inuyasha chases after Kagome, thinking only of the jewel's wellbeing.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Inuyasha
 * Kagome Higurashi
 * Kaede
 * Rikichi
 * Shibugarasu
 * Bandit leader