Episode 191

Naraku's Uncertain Wish is the twenty-fourth episode of InuYasha: The Final Act.

Synopsis

 * 1) Inuyasha and friends have survived both of Naraku's traps: the trap of darkness and trap of light. Now, they face him for the final battle.
 * 2) Kagome asks Naraku what his true purpose is.

Summary
On the ground below Naraku, Tōtōsai and Myōga look to the sky at the powerful demon. Tōtōsai says that in order for Inuyasha to defeat Naraku once and for all, he must find a way to use the final form of the Meidō Zangetsuha.

Inside, Inuyasha, Kagome and Miroku make their final stand against their most hated foe. However, they cannot do anything at the moment as Tessaiga's barrier is the only thing keeping them from being killed by Naraku's miasma; Naraku also keeps moving his flesh around to make Kagome lose her balance whenever she tries to fire an arrow.

Further away, Rin awakens on A-Un, happy to see Kohaku and Sesshōmaru. Miasma starts pouring into their path. A repentant Sango gives Rin her protective mask to safe her from the poison. She then rushes off ahead of them. Sesshomaru notes how eager she is to kill Naraku, and how much she regrets what she tried to do to Rin.

Meanwhile Shippō and Jaken are on their own. Naraku's body begins releasing miasma, hoping to kill the excess amount of enemies in his body before they can reach his core. Shippo is worried about the poison, but remembers that he's carrying antidotes from Jinenji. Seeing he only has three of them left, Shippo decides to wait until the miasma has seriously affected him; his friends will likely need the antidote more than him.

Sango finally reaches her comrades, glad to see Miroku is still alive; hoping to break the curse of the Wind Tunnel, she hurls Hiraikotsu, breaking through Naraku's shield and seriously wounding him. But Naraku counters by blasting her with a powerful stream of miasma. Kagome purifies the miasma with an arrow, but Naraku tells her that it's too late; both Sango and Kirara have been thoroughly exposed to his poison. Both fall unconscious to the ground; however, Naraku opens a hole. After they fall in, Miroku jumps in after them. Kagome and Inuyasha attempt following, but Naraku blocks them, saying to let Miroku and Sango have their last moments in privacy.

Separated from the others, Miroku waits with the unconscious Sango, wondering what he can do. Sango wakes up upon hearing the sound of Miroku's Wind Tunnel. Holding her beloved close, Sango begs him to take her with him into his Wind Tunnel; if they can't live together, they'll die together. Despite his unwillingness to do so, Miroku agrees and holds her close, waiting for the end to come for both of them. However, this only gives Naraku what he needed; Kagome's purifying light has been purged from the Shikon Jewel. Naraku laughs wickedly, explaining "the power of darkness feeds on the monk and Sango's sorrow." Naraku's core flesh expands to throughout his personal barrier, turning into a miniature version of his outer body; he then shrinks down into his previous humanoid form, albeit heavily armored except for his head.

Inuyasha curses his foe as he tries to use the Meidō Zangetsuha to no effect as Naraku absorbs the jewel. The attack simply passes through him and his web-like tentacles prevent him from being sucked in. Even as his face cracks from the force of the Meidō's pull, Naraku explains even if he's destroyed, the jewel will still exist. This confuses Kagome, who asks Naraku what he's been trying to do; all this time, he's used the same tactic of separating friends, siblings and lovers from each other; the reason he does this is because he can't stand love and friendship. Naraku could've only known about the ties of love and friendship is because he had bond with someone, being unable to stand seeing others benefiting from their bonds while he didn't. Kagome says Naraku will never be satisfied as the jewel didn't grant his real wish. This shocks Naraku speechless.

Kagome points out Naraku was hesitating to absorb the jewel as he knows it turns whatever absorbs it into a monster, body and soul. Naraku thinks about this, realizing that Kagome is right about his hesitation. Angered, Naraku tells Kagome that she cannot purify his soul with her petty words; he fires miasma-coated spears of diamond at her. However, Inuyasha sucks them into a Meidō, standing between her and Naraku. Inuyasha tells Naraku that though they have different origins, but are both half-demons; inside both are a human heart and a demon heart. Inuyasha chose to follow his human heart, while Naraku chose his demon heart, sowing misery and suffering wherever he went. Deciding that he won't let his friends by harmed anymore by a "miserable bastard," Inuyasha launches another Meidō. However, this time the Path to the Underworld turns into multiple blades of energy that cut Naraku apart and suck what they cut into the afterlife. Reduced to just a torso and head, Naraku is horrified; the Shikon Jewel should have given him unlimited power. However, he has been wounded and is still in danger of being killed.

Outside Naraku, Tōtōsai senses Meido Zangetsuha's transformation and notes the technique is truly Inuyasha's now; "Meidō has taken the form of a blade that cuts," which is Tessaiga's true nature. Back inside, Naraku reminds Inuyasha that they are still in his body, drawing pieces of his excess flesh together to regenerate his core body. Knowing he can toy with Naraku until he's ready to kill him, Inuyasha says he's more than happy to keep cutting Naraku up all day. As another barrage of Meidō blades cuts his body, Naraku curses Inuyasha as his outer body begins shaking in response.

As Sesshōmaru gets closer, he notices the flood of miasma and realizes that Naraku is getting desperate; he decides to perform late rites. With one cut he unleashes his Bakusaiga and deals the final blow against Naraku, and endless wave of cuts that will not stop until Naraku is gone. Byakuya notices the destruction taking place as his face cracks in response, deciding its time to fulfill his role. At the same time, Miroku notices the Wind Tunnel has become quieter, meaning Naraku is dying. He runs off with Sango to keep her from breathing in anymore miasma; however, his footing gives way and he falls into an abyss. Jaken notices Naraku is falling apart and runs for his life until Sesshōmaru appears from behind a wall of flesh; he steps on his face, knocking him onto A-Un. Kokaku and Rin question what he has been doing the whole time, Dazed, Jaken tells them "many things".

Inuyasha unleashes more Meidō blades. Naraku is seriously injured yet again, before commenting that his soul is something that neither the Bakusaiga or Tessaiga can cut. Kagome declares the job of purifying his soul belongs to her; Naraku laughs to himself, thinking it will come down to a battle of souls. Byakuya appears and cuts Kagome with his sword. Naraku laughs as the Shikon jewel pulses the moment she's cut. Inuyasha quickly hits Byakuya with a Meidō, with Byakuya calmly explaining he would've died along with Naraku. As the Meidō swallows him, Byakuya says he has no regrets as he has fulfilled his role. Kagome seems fine however, unaffected by Byakuya's attack; this leaves Inuyasha confused as the technique used on her was the Meidō Zangetsuha.

Meanwhile, the weakened Miroku, Sango and Kirara literally fall on top of Shippō; he collects their items as well and turns into his balloon form to hold them as they fly to Naraku's core. Miroku administers miasma antidote from Jinenji that Shippō brought with him to Sango and Kirara while taking some himself. Sango awakens, being told to rest until the antidote works; Miroku explains the Wind Tunnel has become quiet, meaning Naraku is nearing death.

Elsewhere, Inuyasha leaps into the air with Kagome as there is no steady footing anymore. Kagome tries firing an arrow, but Naraku sends chunks of miasma flying to impede their path. However, Sango arrives with Miroku on Kirara at that moment and destroys them with the Hiraikotsu. Shippō turns into a balloon to catch Inuyasha and Kagome; Inuyasha is angry he came, but Shippō demands a "thank you" for saving them. As Sango continues breaking apart the miasma, Miroku uses the Wind Tunnel to help suck up the poison. Inuyasha immediately yells at Miroku, who calmly explains the curse is fading. Sesshōmaru arrives with Kohaku, Rin and Jaken, something that comes as a surprise to Inuyasha. Jaken says Bakusaiga's destruction is continuing to spread, declaring he knew Sesshōmaru would be the one to kill Naraku. Reduced to just a head and upper body, Naraku laughs sourly, saying that all their friends are there now. Inuyasha says Naraku is right; not a single one of them is missing.