Chapter 348

The Deformed Arm is the 348th chapter of the InuYasha manga.

Summary

 * Goryōmaru's deformed arm has unleashed to attack and killed demons except Kagura who survived as The Group and Gyōja watch.

Synopsis

 * As the demons are attacking, Goryōmaru reveals what his deformed arm can do: just like the Goryō urns, his deformed arm can fire killing-light, light that is also full of demons. Goryōmaru slays the demons, reducing them to clusters of flesh. Kagura who is watching from afar, is stunned by how quickly all the demons were slain, wondering "Who is that guy?"
 * Although Goryōmaru killed quite a few, the sky is still full of demons; there's no end to them. Inuyasha draws his Tessaiga and uses the windscar to slay the remaining beasts. Kagura is also shocked to learn that Inuyasha is down there with the mysterious stranger. She decides to retreat for now, flying off in her feather.
 * After seeing Inuyasha slay the demons with ease, Goryōmaru asks the hanyō why he kills demons when he himself is a demon. Inuyasha responds "Huh? That's what I'm asking you!" Miroku confused asks Goryōmaru if he is a demon or not. He responds that while his deformed arm did belong to a demon at one point, it is now completely under his control. He claims that when a demon tried to possess him, he used his priestly powers to bind it to himself, so now it serves him. He says that the arm works well for exterminating demons. Inuyasha then asks Goryōmaru if he ordered the acolytes to murder Gakusanjin. Miroku explains that he was a demon mountain who was not violent or dangerous, and that all he desired was to go back sleep by getting the nulling stone that was stolen by Naraku. Goryōmaru asks the acolytes if they did indeed kill the demon mountain, and they admit it, but still feel as though it was justified since Gakusanjin was a demon. Kagome feels uneasy. "Then it wasn't Naraku at all? It was just an awful coincidence..."
 * More demons appear outside the walls of the temple. Goryōmaru says they are only keeping watch, and will surely tear them apart if they try to leave. He tells the group that they are allowed to stay on the grounds for the night. He then walks away back to his quarters, even though Inuyasha is protesting that they aren't done talking yet. Kagome is surprised, because she figured he would have asked them to leave. Shippō wonders if he is actually a decent man. Miroku doesn't know, saying that when he mentioned Naraku and Gakusanjin, Goryōmaru's expression was impossible to read.
 * The acolytes bring the group some food to eat. Inuyasha asks one of them where Goryōmaru is, and they explain that he's filling the Goryō urns with light. They come out of his body through the deformed arm and into the urns for the acolytes to use, but it makes him very tired. Kagome asks another child why they are here, and where their parents are. The children explain that they're all orphans whose parents were eaten by demons. "If lord Goryōmaru hadn't found us, we'd be dead too." The children say this is why they help him, so they can punish the same demons who killed their parents. Inuyasha, just like Kagome, is hesitant to say this place is completed unconnected with Naraku.