Episode 61

Kikyo and the Dark Priestess is the sixty-first episode of the InuYasha anime.

Synopsis

 * 1) Kagome, still under Tsubaki's curse, tries to resist as much as she can, telling Inuyasha to run away.
 * 2) Kikyō manages to break through Tsubaki's barrier and confronts her old rival; Kikyō tells Tsubaki that she can do what she likes with Kagome, but if she harms Inuyasha she will personally see to Tsubaki's demise.
 * 3) Kikyō's interference gives Kagome momentary respite, and she asks that Inuyasha take her to the Shikon no Tama shard that she senses, though the curse has still not been completely broken and the tainted Shikon no Tama shards still remain in Kagome's body.
 * 4) Inuyasha arrives at Tsubaki's location with Kagome, and Miroku and Sango soon arrive as well; Tsubaki emerges from the hut and tells Inuyasha not to draw his sword or else she will kill Kagome.
 * 5) Inuyasha struggles to battle against one of Tsubaki's demons without the use of Tessaiga.

Summary
Tsubaki continues with her curse on Kagome. Naraku has her put a curse on Kagome to force her to kill Inuyasha in the same fashion that Kikyō had 50 years earlier. Should Inuyasha stay with Kagome, he will die by her arrow; should he run, Tsubaki will kill Kagome instantly.

Some distance away, Miroku and Sango try to figure out how to get through Tsubaki's barrier only to find it too strong for them to break. Down on the ground, Kikyō arrives, having come to investigate the evil aura she detected. She notices Inuyasha's friends in the air and enters the barrier effortlessly, her interest now definitely piqued.

Back in Kaede's hut, Kagome is forced to fire an arrow at Inuyasha, only barely missing him. As she nocks another arrow, she struggles to fight Tsubaki's control and continues to beg for him to run and save himself. However, Inuyasha refuses, then makes a charge for her. She lets the arrow fly.

Back in her own shrine, Tsubaki compliments Naraku on just how twisted and evil he is to force Kikyō's reincarnation to kill the man she loves. His Kugutsu is suddenly obliterated and Tsubaki turns to face her old rival, Kikyō.

Distracted by Kikyō, Tsubaki's spell weakens and Kagome regains control of her body. It is seen that her arrow missed Inuyasha and only grazed his arm. Kagome, weakened by her possession, collapses and Inuyasha catches her. She tells him she senses the Shikon Jewel nearby and asks Inuyasha to take her there. As they step outside, Kaede and Shippō attempt to convince Kagome that she is too sick to go anywhere and that the curse still hasn't lifted, but Inuyasha promises he will protect her and he and Kagome set out to find the Dark Priestess. Shippō is worried that Kagome is in too much pain, but Kaede says that Kagome is a strong willed girl and will be fine. Silently, she hopes that Inuyasha will find a way to break Tsubaki's curse and save her. As they travel, Kagome apologizes for almost killing him, but Inuyasha demands she not worry about it since she was being controlled.

At the shrine, Kikyō and Tsubaki size each other up after fifty years. Kikyō mocks Tsubaki for selling her soul to her demon for youth and beauty. Tsubaki, in turn, chastises Kikyō for judging her when Kikyō herself is dead and consuming human souls just to stay animated. Kikyō tells Tsubaki she might as well just give it up; she's no match for Kagome. Tsubaki laughs it off, saying if Kagome could have been cursed like that at all, then she was nothing much.

Inuyasha and Kagome arrive outside Tsubaki's barrier and Kagome brings it down with her sacred arrow as Miroku and Sango watch in amazement.

The energy from the collapsing barrier draws Tsubaki's attention to the door and she looks outside to see Inuyasha arrive with Kagome in tow. Tsubaki curses Kagome for letting her arrow miss Inuyasha. Arrows suddenly fly up from behind, one parting strands of Tsubaki's hair and the other pinning her sleeve to the doorway. Tsubaki turns to mock Kikyō for the latter's sudden loss of self-control and asks if what she made Kagome do struck a nerve. Kikyō angrily stomps up to her from behind, snatches her up by her hair and icily threatens to kill her if she hurts Inuyasha. Outraged and indignant at Kikyō's attempt to intimidate her, Tsubaki jerks free and tries to hit the miko with an arrow she pulls from the doorway. Kikyō jumps nimbly away and as she fades away into nothing, she warns Tsubaki that she will follow through if anything happens to Inuyasha. Tsubaki collects herself and prepares to confront the group.

Outside, Miroku and Sango arrive, glad to see Kagome is better, but still worried for her. Kagome announces that the Shikon shards are in the shrine. The shrine doors then open and Tsubaki steps out, her snake shikigami draped comfortably around her shoulders. Inuyasha deduces she is Tsubaki. Tsubaki, in turn, deduces he is Inuyasha, "Kikyō's lover".

Having earlier seen her enter Tsubaki's barrier, Miroku and Sango demand to know where Kikyō is. Tsubaki laughs and says that Kikyō came to beg for Inuyasha's life. Inuyasha steps forward and says he can tell just by the way Tsubaki made Kagome try to kill him that Naraku is behind everything. She casually admits it. When Inuyasha charges her and takes hold of Tessaiga, she tells him if he draws his sword she will kill Kagome instantly. Cowed, he backs down, much to her amusement. Inwardly, she reflects on how Kikyō told her she was no match for her reincarnation, but after considering how pathetic a priestess Kagome is, she attributes her weakening hold on Kagome to Kikyō's distractions rather than the girl's own power.

After reassuring herself that she is the best miko ever, Tsubaki unleashes an enormous wolf/fox demon from her eye to slay Inuyasha, who — for the life of Kagome — would sooner be slaughtered than ever draw his sword.