Episode 158

A Stampede of Countless Demon Rats is the one hundred fifty-eighth episode of the InuYasha anime.

Summary
Naraku and Hakudoshi are talking while Hakudoshi heals within his barrier. They discuss that Kikyo must still be alive, for no one else could imbue an arrow with enough power to penetrate their barrier. Naraku considers way to destroy Kikyo.

Kagura is sure that the infant must contain the heart of Naraku and Hakudoshi. As Kohaku considers how he might kill Naraku, Kagura asks Kohaku him about the infant. Kohaku wonders if the infant is Naraku's weakness. He concludes that he must continue to obey Naraku until he can slay him.

Kagome, Shippo, Miroku and Sango wait while Inuyasha seeks Kikyo where he'd last seen her. Inuyasha returns without having found Kikyo.

Kagura brings Hakudoshi new clothes as Naraku sends Kohaku and Hakudoshi off to cause trouble so that Kikyo is drawn out. Hakudoshi confronts a rat demon, and Kohaku slays it. At Hakudoshi's orders, Kohaku takes a box from the demon's body. Hakudoshi places the box, and opens it, releasing demons on a small village.

Inuyasha, Miroku, Kagome, Sango and Shippo are traveling along a path when they encounter an old man and a boy on horseback calling for help as they flee a swarm of rat demons. Inuyasha leaps forward to battle them, but Sango warns him that the more of the demons he kills, the more will appear. She says they need a potion to defeat the demons. Miroku uses his Wind Tunnel to defeat the swarm.

Inuyasha and companions follow the scent of the rat demons. Hakudoshi gloats over the numbers of demons that are being released, and how soon they will consume all the humans.

Kikyo sends one of her helpers to the Western Mountains for something she needs.

Miroku and Sango seek the source of the rats while Kagome, Shippo and Inuyasha wait behind a shield. While waiting, they spy some Saimyosho and wonder if the demon rats are being controlled by Naraku somehow. Miroku realizes that Naraku is trying to draw out Kikyo by using these rat demons.

Kikyo's helper returns with a branch of Ogutama. Kikyo plants the branch and it grows into a huge tree. Suddenly all the rat demons start swarming in a new direction. Miroku says someone must have cast a myosei, and they realize Kikyo cast the spell. Inuyasha, Shippo and Kagome head toward Kikyo while Sango and Miroku head toward the source of the rats.

Hakudoshi orders Kohaku to guard the shrine while he heads towards Kikyo.

Kagome and Inuyasha come to the tree Kikyo planted, which the rats are climbing. Meanwhile Sango and Miroku arrive with Kirara at the source to find Kohaku and the shrine.