Chapter 326

The Way Home is the 326th chapter of the InuYasha manga.

Synopsis

 * Naraku uses Hakudōshi's barrier to return to the world of the living.
 * Inuyasha and friends take the sacred jewel shard and leave the borderland, following the path that Sesshōmaru took.
 * Naraku orders Hakudōshi to lure Kikyō out of hiding by whatever means necessary.

Summary

 * Kagura is flying back to the temple. She thinks to herself how nice it would be if Naraku got killed at the borderland between the worlds, but that's probably hoping for too much. When she arrives at the temple, she sees Hakudōshi resting inside a barrier, and she asks Kohaku what's up with the kid; Kohaku doesn't answer her. Hakudōshi opens his eyes and asks Kagura where she's been, in suspicion of her. She says she was taking a breather, it's exhausting having to follow Hakudōshi around every minute of the day. The child answers her with an annoyed grunt. Suddenly, a glowing ball of light starts to form inside the barrier and Hakudōshi gets hit with a sacred arrow, piercing a hole through his chest. Naraku appears, his body floating around in hundreds of pieces. Naraku grimaces, "This arrow... Kagome may have fired it, but its spiritual power belongs to Kikyō! Hakudōshi's barrier was what connected me to this world, but if that arrow had been fired at me a moment sooner I might not have been able to return. Heh... It seems my luck hasn't run out yet..."
 * 326.jpghile back in the borderland, Inuyasha tells Hōsenki that they're going to take the jewel shard, and the demon says it's alright. He was unable to protect the shard, even when he brought it to this land of the dead; he couldn't end the battle over the Shikon jewel. Inuyasha says the battle will never end, not until the jewel can disappear from the world forever. He also says he doesn't know how to make it disappear, but he can at least destroy the people like Naraku who covet it. Hōsenki admires that instead of trying to hide the shard, Inuyasha will stand and fight those who seek it. Myōga tells the group to hurry after Sesshōmaru, because once he closes the gateway he came through they won't be able to get back to the land of the living. The flea shouts for him to wait up, and Inuyasha tells him to shut up because it's embarrassing him. Sango is depressed, lingering on Inuyasha's words and thinking about Kohaku's life which is tied to the jewel. Sesshōmaru dwells on the fact that even after Naraku's body was completely destroyed, he didn't die. "Where is his heart?"
 * Hakudōshi is having trouble healing after Kagome's arrow hit him. He tells Naraku that a similar arrow broke his barrier once before, someone they called the 'Holy Woman', who they later found out was Kikyō. Hakudōshi angrily asks Naraku why he hasn't killed her yet. Naraku thinks to himself that he can no longer sense Kikyō's spiritual presence; she must have decided to hide herself completely, which suggests that she hasn't yet fully recovered from their encounter at Mt. Hakurei. Naraku vows to lure Kikyō out of hiding and finish her once and for all.
 * Kagura and Kohaku are outside, each of them plotting in their heads about a way to kill Naraku. Kagura asks the boy where he was supposed to take the infant after the castle was destroyed, but he says he doesn't know. He then responds by asking Kagura what she would do if she knew. Kagura sighs and tells him that sooner or later Naraku will take out the jewel shard in his back and he'll die, so the only way to save himself is to kill Naraku. Kohaku knows that Kagura wants to betray Naraku, and he wants to help her, but he decides not to tell her anything, because he doesn't want anyone to learn that his memories have returned. Until he sees the infant again, he'll just keep on obeying Naraku's orders.
 * Later, Hakudōshi has fully healed from the arrow Kagome fired. Naraku orders Hakudōshi to lure Kikyō out into the open, using whatever method he wants. He also tells him to take Kohaku along with him.