Episode 121

Summary
The slopes of Mt. Hakurei are a squirming blanket of miasma and hostile youkai as the barrier of purity dissolves. The voracious swarm doesn’t care what, or who, is in their destructive path turning the mountain into a killing field for everyone searching for Naraku. Sesshōmaru and Jaken slash and burn a path through the onslaught. Kikyo’s arrows destroy multiple evil targets. Kagome, Koga and crew, hammer their way through the melee after Koga picks up both Naraku’s and Inuyasha‘s scents coming from the mountain.

Only Naraku and his spawn remain, hidden inside the sacred mountain and under the protection of their champion Bankotsu. Inuyasha must cross swords with the last and strongest Shichinintai to achieve his goal: finding and destroying Naraku. Inuyasha attacks Bankotsu with the Kaze no Kizu. Enflamed by vengeance for the deaths of his comrades and powered by seven Shikon jewel shards, Bankotsu retaliates with an explosive assault of his own. Inuyasha knows Bankotsu has a huge advantage, but he’s determined to win at all costs. He charges Bankotsu and they clash in flurry of super-charged steel and personal taunts. During the verbal exchange, Bankotsu aims some low blows at Inuyasha’s self-esteem. Rather than allow his heckling to effect the fight, Inuyasha lets Bankotsu talk. It seems that Bankotsu and Naraku are well acquainted and like to ‘chat’ about the subjects of their wrath. Bankotsu also tells Inuyasha why Naraku revived the Shichinintai. When Inuyasha informs Bankotsu Naraku is only manipulating him, Bankotsu blasts Inuyasha angrily, sending him flying in a torrent of flame and rocks. Emerging from the rubble Bankotsu sees a daunting sight: Inuyasha has survived the Banryuu’s latest battering.

He‘s as feisty as ever and eager to finish the Shichinintai captain for good! While Inuyasha wages mortal combat with Bankotsu, Miroku and Sango investigate the strong youkai presence that lures them inexorably down a new path inside the heart of the sacred mountain. They follow a shaft that leads them into a large cavern containing a deep, dark pit. Peering over the edge into the black void, the pair sees a chilling spectacle—the pale face of Naraku staring back at them! As the eerie face retreats from view, Sango and Miroku are bombarded by a new attack from Kagura. Attempting to wrestle answers about Naraku from the demon, Miroku tells Kagura he’s figured out the Naraku/Hakushin/Mt. Hakurei connection. When Inuyasha broke Naraku’s barrier with the “Red Tetsusaiga”, Naraku was forced to hide, healing his wounds and reforming his barrier. Miroku presses Kagura for information, but her response is another barrage of wind blades that shatter the cliff where Sango and Miroku stand. The pair is plunged into the foreboding abyss.

Kagome, Koga, and company close in on the summit of Mt. Hakurei. Drawing near, Kagome picks up two traces of the Shikon jewel. Aware of the danger this presents, Kagome prays fervently for the safety of her companions. Kagome’s prayers better be powerful: Inuyasha’s battle with Bankotsu isn’t going well. Bankotsu pummels Inuyasha with blast after blast, tossing him around the cave walls like a rag doll. Inuyasha endures the pounding, but he knows he can’t take much more and still have strength to defeat Bankotsu. Bankotsu moves in for the kill, but Inuyasha surprises him by hurling the Tetsusaiga at him. The confusion caused by the flying katana gives Inuyasha the edge to attack barehanded with his Sankon Tetsusou. Inuyasha’s claws hit pay dirt and two of the seven jewel shards fly out of Bankotsu’s arm. Encouraged, Inuyasha goes at Bankotsu with hand-to-hand combat. Claws and fists fly in a match of even strength. Bankotsu doesn’t like to lose, and isn’t about to surrender—but Inuyasha is determined to crush Bankotsu and finally reach Naraku!

Goofs

 * During Bankotsu's flashback to ten years ago, Naraku is voiced by the Kagewaki actor, rather than the original Naraku voice actor. Naraku was also wearing his concealing baboon-skin cloak at that time, but Bankotsu was able to recognize him when he was resurrected.