Chapter Thirty-Seven: What Kind of Monster Is My Father?

Ignoring the bickering between Inuyasha and Kagome—who seemed to be losing sight of the bigger picture—Hojo Akitoki kept his gaze fixed intently on Sesshomaru, who had begun to take action.

Perhaps having finally steeled his resolve, Sesshomaru, who had inherited almost nothing of substance from his late father, reached out toward the Tessaiga.

"Crackle, snap."

Fine sparks of electricity flickered to life. At first, the movement and the jumping arcs were subtle, but as Sesshomaru’s hand drew closer to the sword’s hilt, both the sound and the intensity of the electric arcs grew visibly more violent.

It soon escalated to the point where the very heart of the Great Dog Demon’s domain echoed with explosive roars, the entire cavern filled with blinding, white-hot lightning.

Seeing this, Inuyasha and Kagome, still caught up in their squabble, froze. Neither of them had expected a scene that could only be described as a natural disaster.

"Are you sure this is the inheritance your father left you?" Kagome asked instinctively; given the current spectacle, it was hard for her to imagine otherwise. If Sesshomaru, who was currently struggling against the Tessaiga, were replaced by Inuyasha, what would become of him? Wouldn't Inuyasha have been roasted into an electric dog the moment he started?

"What are you saying, you stupid woman!" Inuyasha’s already stiff face grew even more rigid. To be honest, with the level of lightning currently on display... stubbornness aside, he still valued his own life. Besides, he couldn't help but wonder if his long-absent father had truly intended to leave him a treasure, or if he was simply trying to find a convoluted way to make Inuyasha join him in the afterlife.

"Is the barrier on the Tessaiga resisting me?"

In truth, the moment Sesshomaru had reached out to grasp the blade, he had confirmed one thing: the Tessaiga, the demonic sword his father had used to dominate the world, had been protected by a special barrier. He just didn't know if this barrier was meant to test those who arrived here to see if they were worthy of drawing the blade, or if it was designed specifically for Inuyasha.

Regardless of the motive, having been weakened by Kagome’s Sacred Arrow, Sesshomaru’s pride compelled him to try. If this was a test of worthiness to possess the demon blade, Sesshomaru was confident that none were more deserving than he. And if it were truly reserved for Inuyasha, he wanted to use his own strength to pull it out anyway, to prove that he had surpassed his father—even if it only meant breaking through his father’s barrier. To Sesshomaru, that alone held immense significance.

Unfortunately, while Sesshomaru’s intentions were noble and his efforts were substantial, it was not enough.

"Tch."

In the end, his hand could not truly grasp the hilt, though it had been mere inches away. With a blank expression, Sesshomaru withdrew his hand under the intrigued gazes of the two half-demons.

He understood that if he pushed any further, the outcome would be dire, causing irreparable damage to his already injured body.

"What's wrong? I guess you can't do it either, Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha, having forgotten the pain as soon as the wound healed, began to gloat. Having previously feared that Sesshomaru might actually draw the sword, his current expression was impossibly smug.

At this, Sesshomaru finally glanced at Inuyasha, who had been ignored until now. In Hojo Akitoki’s eyes, the look in Sesshomaru’s gaze was indescribably complex—a mix of confusion, resentment, and perhaps a flicker of jealousy.

That made sense. Hojo Akitoki turned his gaze back to the Tessaiga still embedded in the pedestal. Regarding the arrangements the Great Dog Demon had made for Sesshomaru, Akitoki personally felt they were a bit excessive.

The late Great Dog Demon had possessed three legendary swords, corresponding to Heaven, Earth, and Humanity: the Sword of Heaven, Tenseiga; the Sword of Earth, So'unga; and the Sword of Humanity, the Tessaiga, which was the most prominent in the world. Setting aside the fleeting appearance of the So'unga, what was the Tenseiga left to Sesshomaru? It was said to have been separated from the Tessaiga and was ultimately just a spare part intended to make the Tessaiga more perfect.

While it was said that he wanted Sesshomaru to discover his own blade, was the Great Dog Demon really so confident that his eldest son would live long enough to see that day? The demon world of Japan was not a peaceful place, and a genius who failed to grow up was no genius at all.

"Hey, why did you stop talking?"

While Akitoki indulged in rare silent criticism of the Great Dog Demon, Inuyasha, feeling emboldened and still being restrained by Kagome, continued to court disaster. Watching Sesshomaru, who stood silently staring at his own palm, Inuyasha looked as if he wanted nothing more than to jump in front of him and mock him to his heart's content.

"Inuyasha, that’s enough. Go up and give it a try." Sensing that Sesshomaru’s emotional volatility was rising and that he was nearing the point of lashing out at them, Akitoki quickly intervened to stop Inuyasha’s provocation, his attention fixed on Sesshomaru’s movements.

"Hmm?" Sesshomaru’s ears twitched. He remained outwardly motionless, but his silence was an unspoken permission.

"Huh?" Inuyasha might ignore Kagome’s interference, but he could not ignore Hojo Akitoki, whose favor he held in high regard. Watching Sesshomaru move aside as if to yield the spot to him, then looking at Akitoki’s encouraging nod, Inuyasha scratched his head and suddenly approached the pedestal with newfound confidence.

In his mind, if Sesshomaru couldn't pull it out, and with Akitoki’s guidance—especially given Akitoki’s image as someone who never made a miscalculation—then despite the terrifying lightning from before, surely he would be able to draw the sword smoothly. Plus, he could rub it in Sesshomaru’s face in front of everyone.

Filled with this confidence, Inuyasha stood before the blade and loosened up his body as a warm-up. He cast a sidelong glance at Sesshomaru, took a deep breath, and, as if hoping to catch the Tessaiga off guard, thrust his hand forward with lightning speed, intending to grab the hilt and pull it out in one motion. It seemed that despite his outward confidence, Inuyasha was still anxious inside.

"Hmm?" Watching his lackluster brother, a flicker of something strange passed through Sesshomaru’s eyes. In his heart, he didn't even know if he truly wanted Inuyasha to draw the Tessaiga.

Fortunately, Sesshomaru didn't have to dwell on it for long. A flash of lightning struck, and Inuyasha fared even worse than he had. He couldn't even persist for a moment; under the power of the lightning, he was repelled by the Tessaiga’s barrier.

"Oh?" A very soft chuckle escaped him. Had Hojo Akitoki not been watching Sesshomaru so closely, he surely would have missed the subtle curve forming at the corner of his mouth.

This guy was actually laughing with schadenfreude?

Feeling as though he had re-evaluated Sesshomaru, Akitoki was quickly interrupted by Inuyasha’s disgruntled shouting.

"Hey!"

He had thought he could properly slap Sesshomaru in the face, but instead, hadn't he just offered his own face up to be slapped? After all, his performance was even worse than the other’s!

An enraged Inuyasha jumped off the platform. When he arrived at Akitoki’s side, his hostile glare and the way he was gnashing his teeth made his dissatisfaction clear. He had trusted Akitoki so much, after all.

"Don't be angry. Something must be wrong there; let me think." As he pacified the stubborn Inuyasha, Akitoki’s eyes drifted toward the quiet Sesshomaru. In the original timeline, they would have already been locked in a fierce battle by now, but for the moment, Sesshomaru seemed to be waiting for Akitoki’s explanation as well.

Focused under three pairs of eyes, Akitoki walked toward the platform, pacing as he went.

"Be careful!" Kagome called out in concern.

"What kind of demon was your father?" Akitoki asked, waving a hand at Kagome behind him and smiling at Sesshomaru, looking entirely unconcerned that the demon might attack him.

As the saying goes, one often makes friends through conflict. While Sesshomaru was dangerous at this point in time and not as gentle as he would be after meeting the human girl, Rin, Akitoki knew that looking past the surface revealed the truth: he was, at his core, a decent fellow.

"My father?" Sesshomaru seemed to slip into his memories. What kind of demon was his father?