Episode 158

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

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

Kagura is sure that the infant must contain the heart of Naraku and Hakudōshi. As Kohaku considers how he might kill Naraku, Kagura asks 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, Shippō, Miroku and Sango wait while Inuyasha seeks Kikyō where he'd last seen her. Inuyasha returns without having found Kikyō.

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

Inuyasha, Miroku, Kagome, Sango and Shippō 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 his companions follow the scent of the rat demons. Hakudōshi gloats over the numbers of demons that are being released, and how soon they will consume all the humans.

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

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

Kikyō's helper returns with a branch of Ogutama. Kikyō 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 mayose, and they realize Kikyō cast the spell. Inuyasha, Shippō and Kagome head toward Kikyō while Sango and Miroku head toward the source of the rats.

Hakudōshi orders Kohaku to guard the shrine while he heads towards Kikyō.

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

Quotes

 * Shippō: "Miroku and Sango are so late." Inuyasha: "Geez(!) Why do I hafta wait in the barrier, too?" Shippō: "When you get mad, you tend to go crazy and swing your sword around. That'll only make the rats increase." Inuyasha: "Are you trying to say I'm an idiot?" Shippō: "Ooh. For an idiot, you picked up on that pretty quick."
 * Shippō: "Say, Kagome, if Kikyō's up ahead, do you think Naraku will appear, too?" Inuyasha: "Are you afraid of Naraku, Shippō? If you are, then you should have gone with Miroku and Sango." Shippō: "No way! When you and Kikyō meet—and that funny little feeling comes over you...who's gonna be there to console Kagome?!"