Episode 169

Kagura's Wind is the second episode of InuYasha: The Final Act.

Synopsis

 * 1) All but 3 shards are now in enemy hands. Hakudōshi is now dead, and the Infant is on the loose, increasing Mōryōmaru's strength.
 * 2) Though Kohaku is now free, he still holds a great deal of pain in his heart for the horrible acts he has committed.
 * 3) Kikyō and Kōga each use a method to make themselves stronger to fight Naraku. However, only Kikyō knows the only true way to destroy Naraku for good.
 * 4) Elsewhere, Kagura has now committed her final act of betrayal against Naraku and waits for him to end her life; Kagura dies, thus finally becoming the free wind.

Summary
Kagura continues flying away on feather, fleeing Naraku even though he could still kill her remotely by destroying her heart; however, this may be because in this way, she has freedom. Kagura remembers Inuyasha's promise to her, but knows better than try hoping for him to fulfill it. She says she'll fly as far away as she can.

In the Village of the Demon Hunters, Sango brings Kohaku to the grave of the villagers. However, she notices that Kohaku wasn't ready to come back and see the village yet. Myōga leads Inuyasha, Miroku, Shippō, and Kagome to  Midoriko's Cave, where he's detected an anomaly. Kagome thinks about what she knows about Midoriko. Midoriko was a powerful priestess who lived long ago. During a battle with a demon created for several others, she fought for an entire week, However, she began weakening and risked being eaten. As a stalemate, she expelled her own soul with the demon, killing both and crystallizing their remains. Their souls emerged in the form of the Shikon jewel. Approaching Midoriko's remains, they see what appears to be a chrysalis within the hole in her chest. Miroku tries to approach for a closer look, but is stopped by a barrier. Inuyasha notes they should keep an eye on the cave; he detects a scent.

Elsewhere, to become stronger for avenging his comrades, Kōga seeks Goraishi - Lightning Claws - the strongest weapon of the wolf demon tribe. Ginta and Hakkaku advise him against what's going to basically be "graverobbing", but he doesn't listen to them; with the Goraishi, he can beat the hell out of Naraku and Mōryōmaru. As they run into the burial grounds, Ginta and Hakkaku become scared by all the skeletons of their ancestors lining the sides of the cavern.

Back in the Demon Slayer Village, Miroku, Kagome, Myōga and Shippō discuss Inuyasha's eagerness to guard the cave alone; Miroku noticed the barrier was not evil, but pure instead. Kagome begins to suspect Kikyō may up to something. Within the statue, the chrysalis opens and a soul collector hatches. Inuyasha follows it, realizing it was Kikyō's scent he detected earlier. Elsewhere, Kikyō is purifying herself under a waterfall and thinking back to when she was wounded at Mount Hakurei. Inuyasha arrives, and asks why she wants Midoriko's soul. Kikyō reveals that Kagome was unable to completely purify the miasma that Naraku used against her; the wound is reopening. Kikyō explains that Midoriko shares a similar death to her own, having been killed by a demon; she absorbs Midoriko's soul, but the strain of the absorption causes her to collapse. Inuyasha rushes to her, and sees the wound on her shoulder heal.

A glow surrounds the stone body of Midoriko; her beautiful face suddenly ages. Kagome suddenly looks up as Kohaku's jewel shard begins to glow; at the same time, Kōga feels his jewel shards react, feeling that his legs have become heavier. Kohaku rushes out of the hut, following some soul collectors, as the others hurry to follow him. They are blocked by a barrier and cannot follow Kohaku. Kikyō, apparently healed, gathers her bow and arrow; she asks Inuyasha about his fights with Naraku. Inuyasha explains that ever since Naraku rebuilt himself as Mount Hakurei, no matter how many times he's been torn apart, his body keeps regenerating. Kikyo explains this as Naraku having no true flesh since he is nothing more than a conglomeration of demons that latched onto Onigumo's vile soul. Thus Naraku cannot be killed by simplistic means as a sword.

Kikyo explains to Inuyasha (with Kohaku listening in) that the only way to defeat Naraku is to purify the Shikon Jewel as he is absorbing it into his body - which will obliterate the soul of Onigumo. Surrounded by light and her soul collectors, Kikyo flies away into the sky. She tells Inuyasha that they cannot hesitate to do what is needed. Once she leaves, Inuyasha thinks about how this will kill Kohaku; Kkohaky emerges from the shadows, surprising Inuyasha as he did't detect his scent. Kohaku races after Kikyō. When Inuyasha tries to follow them, he is blocked by a barrier; Kohaku explains that he is not going to die, but to kill Naraku.

Elsewhere, a turtle-like demon named Meiōjū sleeps below a lake. Pieces of Mōryōmaru's flesh land on him, awakening Meioju, who asks who dares disturb his sleep. He surfaces, with Moryomaru noting that it's rumored among demons that it's shell is the hardest in existence. Moryomaru quickly grabs Meioju in his tentacles, swallowing the demon into its flesh. The Infant, who resides in the Haku puppet, smirks and says Meioju's shell will make his armor invincible. Thus the Infant will be protected from any potential threat.

At the wolf demon burial grounds, Kōga and his lackeys arrive at the center of the site, seeing a giant mirror; inside of which is the Goraishi. A three-headed wolf demon appears from the ground, telling them to leave. They explain they want to borrow the Goraishi, but the guardian refuses to let them do so; they have to defeat it in order to claim the Goraishi. Kōga begins fighting it without any further provoking, easily severing in half with his legs. It sees he's using Shikon Jewel shards, telling him that it's cheating. However, Kōga defends himself, explaining they're a part of his body now, and sarcastically asks if he was supposed to take them out to make the fight "fair".

Kōga continues fighting, but notices that his legs are freezing up every so often. Ginta and Hakkaku try running away to keep themselves safe, but the guardian breathes fire at them. Kōga, who has just reached the mirror the Goraishi are in, decides against obtaining the weapon, and runs back to save his comrades. The guardian taunts him, saying that he wasted his only chance to obtain the Goraishi; they're no longer in the mirror. Kōga proudly tells the guardian that no weapon is worth the lives of his men, and the whole point of him even trying to get the weapon was to avenge his slaughtered comrades. He rushes forward to attack, seeing golden energy cloaking his right hand; when it fades, it reveals the Goraishi on his right hand. With one swipe of his new claws, Kōga reduces the guardian to nothing.

The Goraishi vanish, making Kōga worry. However, he immediately realizes that the Goraishi has gone into his body; it is now one with him. The spirits of the wolf demon tribe's ancestors congratulate Kōga, for he made the right decision in choosing his comrades over power. They explain that from this day forward, he will have the protection of their souls. Ginta and Hakkaku are delighted to hear this. However, the spirits continue on, saying that like themselves, there is spirit, which is controlling the shards in Kōga's legs; they can protect him from this other will that freezes his legs, but only once. Kōga thinks to himself that he will remember this well.

Kagura continues flying away, but is shocked to find Naraku floating ahead of her. Naraku informs her that Hakudōshi is dead, something that sickens Kagura as she knows he allowed Hakudōshi to be sucked into the Wind Tunnel. Holding out her heart, Naraku tells Kagura that if he returns her heart, there will be nothing tying her to him or anyone else any longer; he returns her heart, much to her surprise. However, no sooner has Kagura feels her heart beating in her chest, Naraku pierces her with his tendrils - "Don't worry. I was careful to avoid hitting your precious heart." Kagura futilely attacks Naraku's barrier and he removes his tendrils. She flees, knowing he injected miasma in her. Naraku laughs that Kagura has now gotten the freedom that she desired and may go where ever she chooses for the limited amount of time she has left. Kagura slowly falls toward the ground.

Sesshōmaru is leading his companions through a valley when Jaken notices that the demonic aura from the crystal he carries is weakening - indicating the nearby presence of the Fuyōheki, and by extension, Naraku's heart. Rin points out a nearby cave, and Sesshōmaru knocks down the cliff to open the cave. (Overdoing things seems to run in the family...) Mōryōmaru appears in a new armored form, thanks to Meiōjū's shell. He guesses his attacker is Inuyasha's older brother, angering Sesshōmaru. Mōryōmaru says it's rude to raise a sword against him without so much as a proper greeting, but Sesshōmaru says Mōryōmaru will regret mentioning Inuyasha in front of him. They begin to do battle, with Tōkijin sending energy blasts at Mōryōmaru, who sends it all back with Raimeiho (Thunderclap Cannon) Sesshōmaru attacks again, and cracks appear on Tōkijin. Mōryōmaru gets a hold of Sesshōmaru. Elsewhere, Kagura lands and struggles to pull herself up; she believes a day is all she needs to heal from Naraku's attack, and walks off, determined to live; she wonders where to go now that she's free. However, right as Kagura staggers into a nearby field of flowers, her wound reopens, forcing her to kneel down. As her blood stains the flowers around her, Kagura wonders why her body is failing her. Looking up at the sky with blurring vision, Kagura realizes that she lacks the energy needed to heal herself again. Kagura begins pondering to herself if this was the freedom she sought for so long.

A breeze carries Kagura's scent to Sesshōmaru, who is shocked by this. Mōryōmaru only says "so that useless woman died" after betraying Naraku and him, all for the sake of obtaining freedom. He then laughs that Kagura is now dying vain after trying so hard to become free.In a fury, Sesshōmaru unleashes the Azure Dragon Wave, succeeding in cracking Mōryōmaru's armor, but also breaks the sword. Horrified his armor can be damaged, Mōryōmaru retreats. Sesshōmaru tosses aside his broken blade and seeks out the dying Kagura. Rin inquires about Tōkijin, but Sesshōmaru says he no longer has any attachment to it; it wasn't able to break Mōryōmaru's armor.

At the same time, Inuyasha has also caught Kagura's scent; the entire group rushes off to find her. Miroku and Shippō wonder if Naraku realizes that she betrayed them, and has fatally wounded her; Inuyasha is also angered that they didn't force her to stay with them for her own safety. Kagome hopes they can reach Kagura in time.

Elsewhere, Kagura still sits in the flower field, noting that it's quiet; a cloud of miasma is coming out of her from the back, implying that her body is disintegrating. She notices someone is with her. She looks up to see Sesshōmaru; he explains he followed the scent of blood and miasma. Kagura laughs, asking if he thought she was Naraku and is disappointed that she isn't him. However, Sesshōmaru says he knew it was her. Hearing this, Kagura becomes shocked; he knew she wasn't Naraku, and he still came out of concern for her. This makes Kagura happy.

Sesshōmaru takes hold of Tenseiga, ready to save her life. However, when a second cloud of miasma escapes from Kagura, he realizes even Tenseiga cannot save her. He asks Kagura if she's leaving, which she says is true as she's had enough. Kagura looks up at Sesshōmaru with a smile, content to have seen him one last time. She falls back, dissolving into the miasma as her feather ornament comes undone from her hair.

Inuyasha's group arrive just as Kagura completely disintegrates into the wind, leaving nothing behind (except her fan, as seen in episode 10). Sesshōmaru begins walking away now that he doesn't have a reason to linger any longer, but is stopped by Inuyasha. Inuyasha asks Sesshōmaru if Kagura suffered in her final moments. Sesshōmaru looks up to sky, prompting everyone to do the same as they catch sight of the feather; he simply says "She was smiling." Sesshōmaru walks away, as Inuyasha's group continues looking at the feather, sadly watching it be blown around in the breeze.

As the feather heads upwards into the sunlight, Kagura's voice is then heard saying: "I am the wind, the free wind."