Sesshōmaru makes a pact with Naraku: Sesshōmaru says he will kill Inuyasha for Naraku, and in return, Naraku gives Sesshōmaru a functioning left arm that has a Sacred Jewel shard inside it.
Sesshōmaru comes to see Inuyasha to try and take the Tessaiga.
Synopsis[]
Sesshōmaru's first replacement arm.
A squad of bandits are moving through a valley, and one of them says they should hurry up and find shelter, because night is approaching, and that's when all the demons come outside. The men are startled when they see a lone figure on the horizon, at first mistaking it for a demon, but then seeing it's just a human, since it has armor on and is wearing white robes. The bandits decide to kill the stranger and strip his weapons. Before they even realize it, their opponent turns around with satanic eyes and a grisly monster-esque arm: It is Sesshōmaru. He quickly slays all the bandits, tearing off their heads. Jaken commends Sesshōmaru for his ability to use a new replacement arm (since Inuyasha cut off Sesshōmaru's arm in Chapter 18.) Sesshōmaru calls Jaken a fool and rips the arm off, discarding it and saying it's already starting to rot. He begrudgingly admits that even if Jaken found him another replacement arm, that arm would also become useless after a short period.
Naraku.
Then, a mysterious figure in a baboon pelt appears to Sesshōmaru from the shadows. "In need of a bit of assistance?" Sesshōmaru asks the demon who he is, and he simply replies "Someone who, like you, despises Inuyasha." He then offers Sesshōmaru a new replacement arm. Jaken immediately protests because the offering is a human arm, which would prove even more disposable than the last demon's arm. The demon in the baboon pelt explains that this human arm has a shard of the sacred jewel embedded in it, making it everlasting. More importantly, because it is a human arm, it will allow Sesshōmaru to wield the Tessaiga, Inuyasha's precious sword. Normally a demon would be unable to wield the sword, but with a mortal arm, Sesshōmaru can take hold of it. Sesshōmaru smiles and asks the mysterious figure if he intends to use him to exact his revenge on Inuyasha, and the stranger proudly admits it, which Jaken is offended by, but Sesshōmaru finds intriguing. Sesshōmaru accepts the arm, asking to the know the name of the one he makes a pact with. The stranger bows and says "Of course. I am called Naraku."
In a village, Kagome & Shippō celebrate the fact that they can sleep in a bed indoors instead of camping in the wild. Miroku has just performed an "exorcism" on the headman's house, then he returns to the quarters with the rest of the group. Inuyasha then asks a question of the monk: "How is it that whenever it's time to find a place to sleep... there always happens to be an ominous cloud hovering over the finest house in the area?" Miroku then admits that he scams people, and Inuyasha finds the monk's behavior deplorable. Before the two men can get any deeper into an argument, Kagome says she senses a sacred jewel shard approaching at an incredible speed. The group rushes outside to find the source and collect the shard, and they see a massive ogre. On the giant ogre's shoulder; Sesshōmaru.
In the manga, Sesshōmaru violently eviscerates the bandits, cutting off their heads with a stroke of his hand, creating a bloody scene. In the anime however, this action is changed to not be as violent. Instead, he slashes at them with his poisonous claws, which simply melts all the bandits.
This chapter marks the first appearance of Naraku, who later becomes the main antagonist of the entire series.
Sesshōmaru's first appearance and defeat in chapter 18 and his second appearance in chapter 59 is the longest gap in appearances this character has in the entirety of the manga.
