Sesshōmaru takes the Tessaiga from Inuyasha and uses its true power to kill an army of demons with a single stroke.
Synopsis[]
Inuyasha is too slow.
Inuyasha is shocked to see that Sesshōmaru is still alive after their last encounter at the Tōga's tomb. Never one to waste time, Sesshōmaru flies down from the Ogre he arrived on, landing right in front of Inuyasha. Miroku and Kagome stumble backwards in awe of his speed, running from him. Staring at Inuyasha, Sesshōmaru comments "As ever, brother, your movements are simply too slow." Inuyasha asks his brother why he's come, and he responds by telling him not to ask stupid questions. "I am here for the sword, of course." Inuyasha mumbles that Sesshōmaru doesn't know when he's lost.
Miroku and Kagome hide behind some boulders, watching the fight. Miroku wants to know who Sesshōmaru is, so Kagome explains he's Inuyasha's older brother and that he is full demon. She remembers that last time they met, Sesshōmaru couldn't even touch the Tessaiga. She wonders why he's come back knowing he can't hold it.
Sesshōmaru tells Inuyasha to fight, and so the half-demon wildly swings the Tessaiga to try and cut him down, but Sesshōmaru easily dodges every blow. With a scoff, Sesshōmaru says "Just as I thought. You have yet to master the true power of Tessaiga." Inuyasha runs for his older brother in outrage over the insult, but before he can swing his sword, Sesshōmaru grabs him by the wrist. His poisonous nails start to eat through Inuyasha's skin, and he tells him to let go of the sword before his hand falls off. Inuyasha refuses, putting his other hand on the hilt, securing his blade and forcing Sesshōmaru off with a growl. Growing impatient with his enemy, Sesshōmaru jumps back as if retreating, which confuses Inuyasha, but then the elder brother throws his mokomoko at the half-demon, knocking the Tessaiga out of his hand. Inuyasha rushes to pick up the sword, but once again, Sesshōmaru proves to be faster, arriving at the sword first. Sesshōmaru then picks up the Tessaiga, which astonishes the group because he's not supposed to be able to touch the sword.
Sesshōmaru wields the Tessaiga.
With Tessaiga in hand, Sesshōmaru announces that he will now demonstrate the true power of the legendary sword. He calls upon Jaken, and the imp commands their giant Ogre to crush the mountain. When the beast does this, it makes an army of hundreds of demons flood out in a panic. Sesshōmaru tells Inuyasha to watch and learn from his elders; he swings the sword, and a blast of energy comes rushing out of the blade, killing all the demons in a single stroke. The group, Inuyasha especially, is shocked by this display. Miroku sees that besides the demons, the attack split the mountain in half.
Finished with the demonstration, Sesshōmaru points the Tessaiga at Inuyasha. "Now that you see the true power of this fang, you must accept that you, a half-demon, cannot hope to master it." Growling under his breath, Inuyasha vows not to let Sesshōmaru keep the Tessaiga.
Interestingly, in the anime adaptation of this chapter, Sesshōmaru doesn't use his mokomoko to disarm Inuyasha; he instead uses his whip of light, a weapon he wields exclusively in the anime.
