Inuyasha Manga: 350 Kagura's Life

Oh, I don't worry about THAT! Kagura is young and spry, she's got a LONG life ahead of her, right? She's totally a competent double agent and doesn't ever do anything suspicious, always waiting until the coast is clear before she goes and investigates on her own. Kagura passes information to the other side with discretion and care. She wouldn't ever perform a rash raid on a potential ally to her hated master unless she was reasonably sure that she knew the risks and what crazy powers she might be up against, right?

RIGHT???

When even INUYASHA is wondering what the hell it is you're thinking, maybe you should have spent a little longer on a plan. 

Regardless, Kagura confidently flies over the compound, surrounded by her army of dead youkai. They appear to be generally heading for the building housing the recently revived Goryoumaru, the children, and captive Kagome. Goryoumaru still has her in a soft headlock, commanding her not to move. She looks up at him with terror, stuttering in disbelief. You'd think she'd be used to this sort of thing by now. 

The zombie youkai finally manage to batter the door in (where in the HELL are Miroku and Sango? You guys had one job!), and among them she spots Kagura, which also seems to shock the shit out of her. Kagura doesn't seem to notice HER, though, because she's too busy focusing on the youki crystal pinched in her fingers, reiterating in her head that this should indicate to her whether or not Shnooky is in this temple by the disappearance of the youki inside. She is struck with alarm when this is PRECISELY what happens. 

But she probably should have had a BIT more situational awareness. 

Well that's inconvenient. And looks painful too. 

Kagome cranes her neck around to give Goryoumaru a gape, his arm smoking like the proverbial gun. Kagura teeters on her feather as Inuyasha at last jumps back over the wall surrounding the temple, and Miroku and Sango stare at the collapsing Youkai bodies falling around them, no longer animated. 

Her clothes staying CRAZY flimsy. 

With a pained expression, Kagura throws her head back and glares at the sky, resolving not to die here. Her feather shoots upward and disappears into the distance, apparently for the purposes of finding a better place for her to expire. Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango stare up at the spot where she'd vanished in silence for a moment, then inuyasha looks over to where Goryoumaru is STILL detaining Kagome, a little dazed over their host shooting Kagura with his youkai arm. Presumably too much is going on at the moment for him to question Goryoumaru has an arm around Kagome's neck. 

And he doesn't allow any more time to pass in this compromising position. Goryoumaru lifts his hand and releases Kagome, who calls out to Inuyasha as she runs to him, asking him what happened to Kagura when she reaches him. They both turn to Goryoumaru when he says unequivocally that there's no youkai that could survive being pierced by his light attack. He's surrounded by the children, who fawn over him and his returned power. He tells them flatly that he's glad they're okay too. It's still not very convincing. 

Kagome reflects on his actions in the past couple of minutes and wonders if he was PROTECTING her from Kagura's youkai, but something BOTHERS her about that possibility. 

Yeah, he's still suspicious as FUCK.

Goryoumaru announces that the night has passed and the youkai are gone, which means that his guests don't have any more business at the temple. Standing in the gate onto the grounds, he asks them as politely as his very prickly attitude will allow to please leave. Inuyasha frowns at him wordlessly, but Miroku suggests they take this excuse to withdraw. 

As Inuyasha and company leave the temple behind them, Shippou wonders aloud from Kagome's shoulder if Kagura really did die. Kagome remains quiet on the question, and Sango cites the fact that Kagura got a shot straight through her chest, the implication being there isn't much reason to believe she's alright. Miroku muses on the still lingering question of whether Goryoumaru is associated with Naraku or not. Sango suggests there's no way he would have killed Kagura if so, and Miroku seems to agree. They haven't had much occasion to question how Kagura STANDS within Naraku's organization, to be fair.

Though Miroku DOES mention how Kagura's will to kill them just isn't there, despite how many encounters they've had as enemies. Another bead of sweat on her temple, Kagome says that Goryoumaru shot Kagura without the slightest hesitation. Surprisingly, Inuyasha speaks up about HIS suspicion that this might have been a bit of a deception, causing his friends to look back at him with surprise, Miroku calling his name doubtfully. 

Inuyasha explains that Kagura's life isn't something that means much to Naraku, and he's only letting her live because she's useful. Shippou has switched to Inuyasha's shoulder and is asking him if Naraku is done with Kagura and that's why he's letting her perish. Inuyasha admits he doesn't know, but he is pretty sure that erasing Kagura to clear their doubts on Goryoumaru is ABSOLUTELY something Naraku would do. He's not wrong.

Elsewhere, a hazy shape travels through the sky over some river rapids.

Oh hey, it's the stoner. What could possibly have caught his wandering attention?

Yeah, that'd do it. 

Jaken identifies Kagura with some confusion, Rin craning her neck to get a better look and determining Kagura looks in a strange way. More like a BAD way. Turning to Sesshoumaru, Jaken asks what he thinks, and Sesshoumaru pauses in silent consideration for a moment before he turns and decisively declares they should leave her and go. I would NOT want him as a bystander if I were in any kind of emergency. 

That distinct power of selective hearing that children seem to exercise most often activated, Rin starts wading into the rapids, tying the hem of her yukata up around her thighs, despite Jaken yelling at her. Rin's stated worry is that Kagura will be swept away, and she does her best to tug Kagura to shore by yanking on the woman's ankle. Of course, her best is TOTALLY ineffective, and she ends up slipping and falling into the water with a scream, unable to regain her footing. Sweatdropping, Jaken wades into the rapids next, bidding the idiot Rin to grab hold of his Nintoujou staff, which he holds out for her from what he THINKS is a safe distance. He's wrong. Rin does grip the staff, but he also slips and falls, and now BOTH of them are struggling in the river, screaming, coughing, and spluttering. 

Sesshoumaru looks over shoulder at this scene with a blank stare, fully embodying the abstracted parent that is regretting ever even having the IDEA of going to the park and letting the kids wear themselves out. It's GLORIOUS. 

Honestly? Metal. 

Sesshoumaru sits on a rick some distance away, gazing off into another direction altogether - he's clearly a little peeved by this shit and will have no part in it. More evidence of this is the lump Jaken has on his head. He and Rin are crouched by Kagura's side, still soaked from their adventure in the river. Jaken grumbles that Kagura is definitely a goner now, and little Rin asks if she's dead. Despite this woman being a former kidnapper, Rin does not appear to be HAPPY about her demise. In fact she's pouting about it. 

Their speculation is contradicted by the hole through Kagura starting to knit itself closed, and at speed. Jaken and Rin stare in alarm, haltingly commenting upon the wound healing as it disappears before their eyes, the spider scar mark of Naraku reforming in its place. Kagura groans and her eyes flutter open. She pushes herself up on her forearms, placing a hand over her restored chest as if feeling for the hole. Slowly, she realizes she's NOT dead, and scoffs internally, calling it tough luck for those suckers who tried to do her in. She thinks it ironic that it's the very fact that Naraku holds her heart in his palm that she survived her little escapade. Maybe she should start considering whether that's actually a BAD sign. 

Kagura looks around at a question of whether she's okay, addressing Rin and Jaken casually by her side, and then seeing Sesshoumaru sitting on his rock a ways away. 

He clearly resents saving ANYONE in this situation, lol.

Kagura drawls over her shoulder at Sesshoumaru about the confirmation that he has a merciful side after all. He just kind of ignores her, but Jaken has to act offended on his master's behalf of course, and curses her while criticizing her inability to utter a single word of thanks to the guy who rescued her from the river. Sesshoumaru stands abruptly and bids his little companions to follow, Jaken hopping to obey the order. 

But Kagura demands he wait a minute, incensed that he isn't going to even ask what happened to her. Sesshoumaru says he has no interest in whatever sob story she's going to tell him, though he does pause when she asks if that resolve will hold through her telling him she knows where Naraku's heart is. He looks directly at her for the first time with a glower. 

Cut to the precarious structure built out of the mountainside that is Hakudoushi's hideout. Naraku himself is sitting inside, looking down at his open palm. Hakudoushi is asking him if he hasn't noticed that Kagura is a traitor and why he's even letting her live. Nosey little fuck. 

No doubt she'll find it an empty and uncomfortable task. 

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? Kagura is playing with fire and it's clear she's not taking the precautions she should be. She's no spy; not only did she fail to do any kind of reconnaissance on the temple or even the youkai hanging out around it, but she rushed into attacking it without any plan on how to extricate herself from the situation if it turned out she was in over her head. Given how her recklessness has come to a head in this chapter, it's a little funny that Hakudoushi would even have to ASK if Naraku has noticed Kagura is a traitor. She may as well be wearing a neon sign around her neck saying as much. 

Much as it still kind of bugs me that Sesshoumaru is hanging around the periphery of this story, not really having a solid reason to do so, I have to admit that he and his group are providing a little levity to the situation. That expression on his face when everyone's in danger of drowning and it's obvious that he's going to have to go and rescue them was PRICELESS. Classic "I'm surrounded by idiots" face. Part of the comedy gold that is inherent to Sesshoumaru is that he tries to be so serious, but no one around him will let him truly embody that ideal. 

It's very gratifying to see Inuyasha and company really start to question whether Naraku is manipulating their perception of what's happening around them. Frankly, it's about time that they are more critical of how things SEEM regarding anything surrounding Naraku, because he's been trying to manipulate their views and emotions this entire time. I suppose it helps this particular time that Goryoumaru is not much of an actor, and continues to act weird as all hell. There's ANOTHER character that might as well  have a neon sign around their neck, but considering how credulous Inuyasha's crew has been up until this point (when they're not coming to the right conclusions with zero information, mind you), I suppose I can hand it to them this time. 

YuYu Hakusho Manga: 050 The Final Battle: Two On Two!!

The final battle isn't even in sight for me. It seems like every single weekend there's another one to fight; a new rally to attend, a new protest at which to wave a new sign, a new solidarity coalition meeting. I'm burning out fast, because I wasn't built for this. My free time should be filled with gardening and writing and reading, and sewing little plush toy cats for my niece. Solitary, soft things. THAT'S what I'm most suited for. 

But no, my fascist fuck-ass government got me out here all day every day screaming at them. At least I can say we've got them outnumbered though.

Unlike these poor idiots. 

Kuwabara at last collapses onto his face, and Yusuke gets onto his hands and knees, a look of utter horror on his face through the blood pouring out of his nose. As he gulps and glugs in the midst of the nosebleed, Yusuke's only thought is of how strong Toguro is. Toguro himself rushes forward, declaring how disappointed he is that they didn't turn out to be the fun he had hoped they would. Up in the box, Tarukane laughs manically, saliva flying out of his mouth, while he yells that this is the ticket and the bet is finally in the bag for him. He certain he's won the day, and Yukina expresses distress at his glee, still restrained by guards behind him. Tarukane doesn't notice, yelling at the monitor below his box containing Sakyo that HE should have cut HIS losses. It's not clear if Sakyo's silence in response is a deliberate refusal to rise to the bait or if he just can't hear him. They're separated by that floor and the pane of glass, after all. 

How big was the gulf between the Toguros' power and that of their underlings? Yusuke is really getting his ass kicked!

Tarukane praises Toguro for his brutality, encouraging him to draw it out, to TORTURE the boys, because he wants them to suffer and die for the fun they've had at his expense. I imagine YUKINA would have a better claim to this attitude toward HIM. But she doesn't look angry or like she's thinking on revenge - she just looks away in sympathetic agony as Yusuke is punched yet again by Toguro. 

Her chin is yanked back around by Tarukane's meaty hand, though, and he demands that she continue to watch. He's riding a serious manic sadistic high, telling her that this is how it will go for ANYONE who tries to rescue her, just like THE LAST TIME. He doesn't elaborate but asks if she remembers, and she just looks at him in horror and heartbreak. 

Kuwabara is still lying on the floor, concerned about how things are going black for him. He does seem to notice some non-native thoughts to him, though, and presumes that they're Yukina's. It appears to be a memory of Tarukane holding a talisman out to her with the comment that he hears Ice Maidens burn up at their mere touch. She's restrained by guards, just like in the present, and despite her pleas for him not to, Tarukane proceeds to press the charm onto her arm that one of the guards had exposed. He laughs while she screams, and he demands that she cry, shed tears, make it RAIN crystals for him. 

The next part of the memory seems to shock Kuwabara, a voice promising to get Yukina out of there. 

Empathizing with a female character while not being one of the mains? I can see why his liberation attempt didn't work already.

The memory cuts to the same guy declaring that today is the day, because Tarukane is allegedly out of the country and security is light. Yukina hesitates at first, on the grounds that she's worried about what will happen to him when they find out she's gone, but he urges her not to worry about that. By the very next panel they are surprised and stopped, Tarukane and a line of faceless guards flanking him. Tarukane says he had suspected as much, and orders the would-be savior's fellow security detail to waste him. 

At least it was a quicker demise than those of her current attempted rescuers. 

Back in the present, Yusuke is thrown against the wall and slides down to sit at the base as Toguro slowly shuffles toward him. Toguro again expresses his disappointment that Yusuke turned out to be so small and fragile. He pauses, though, when he hears a voice behind him expressing some disbelief. It's Kuwabara, who clarifies that he's speaking about Tarukane being HUMAN, grimacing at his own question about whether a man could really DO all this. 

Toguro observes with interest that Kuwabara's aura has refreshed and is even growing. Kuwabara tells him to step aside, because Toguro isn't the monster he's after today, wanting instead the fat ugly pig behind the glass. Tarukane asks Kuwabara if he's talking about HIM, as though that description could be for ANYONE else, but it's a rhetorical question. The rich sadist announces Kuwabara has no chance, but he's welcome to try. Then Tarukane points at the CHILD, ordering Toguro to finish him off like he might command a dog to attack. Arms crossed, Toguro defers to his orders, and apologizes to Kuwabara flatly. Kuwabara yells for him to get out of his way again.

Awww, all he needed was a little radicalization. 

Toguro thrusts out a palm, shoving Kuwabara back with such force that he almost skids into the wall next to Yusuke. He's still on his feet and, judging by his determined growl, FULL of energy. Regardless, Toguro smiles and calls all this wasted effort, because he could parry Kuwabara's slashes all day. Kuwabara growls again, this time in frustration, as Yusuke stutters his name. He bids Yusuke to listen in a hurry, saying that ONE thing might work against this guy. 

Tarukane insists that playtime is over, and urges Toguro to splatter the kids all over the walls, no doubt picturing that scene with his deceased pet earlier. Toguro placidly agrees to comply, holding up his brother's already remorphing body, which is transforming once more into a sword. Back with Yusuke and Kuwabara, the former hisses at the latter that his plan is crazy, because Kuwabara's toast if they do it. Kuwabara snaps that this is FINE by him, because he's not going to lose, at least not in this cage-match way. He pleads with Yusuke before he steps back out from the wall, holding his Aura Sword in a defensive pose as Toguro approaches once more. Some of the elder Toguro's hair is coming out close to the hilt of the sword he's formed, and I don't know why that makes me uniquely uncomfortable, but here we are.

Kuwabara charges with a battle roar, Aura Sword point-first. Toguro calls this a suicide charge and is more than happy to accommodate for it, raising his sword!brother over his head and promising to cleave Kuwabara straight in two with one stroke. 

From the wall, Yusuke points his shining index finger. 

A little extra thrust goes a long way. Don't read any double-entendres into that.

Both he and Kuwabara collapse, allegedly out. ALLEGEDLY. The two lying side by side really highlights how MASSIVE Toguro is - it's really quite comical.

Inside his box, Tarukane is sweating bullets. A smug (is he really any other way?) Sakyo says the game is over, and he's won sixty-six trillion 270 billion,  which he openly plans to collect at the end of the month. I'm guessing they're not at the BEGINNING of the month, because once his esteemed guests all disappear from their monitors and are replaced by static, Tarukane has a looming dread of full-on bankruptcy. He calls for Sakashita to start up the helicopter, because he's leaving with Yukina right now. He's maintained enough delusion that he's already convincing himself that there's no need for him to worry, as long as he still has the means to produce his precious Tears of Ice. But his self-comforting rhetoric is interrupted by someone calling him "fatso" and demanding he turn around. 

It's our boy Hiei, who has already silently knocked out every single guard and other person in the room, including Sakashita. Yukina is looking at the back of his head with wide-eyed nervousness, though his violent attitude is focused entirely on the Tarukane household, angrily repeating what he heard about Tarukane keeping Yukina trapped with talismans. He advances on a freaking out Tarukane, saying that this explains why his Evil Eye ability wasn't able to find her. It was Tarukane's carelessness in bringing her out of her talisman cage that allowed Hiei to actually detect her. 

Nobody beats Hiei's response speed, it seems. He should be a paramedic. 

While Tarukane is rocketed across the room, a trail of blood flowing after him, Hiei says he won't kill the FORMER rich man; Yukina is worth WAY MORE than his life. 

Yukina stutters a thank you to Hiei, but HAS to ask who he is, and at first he's frozen at the frank question. Dude, you didn't prepare for her asking the most OBVIOUS question?? He airily claims to be a friend of the boys in the arena below, who appear to be recovering, Yusuke standing over Kuwabara as he sits up. I guess he wasn't a goner for taking a blast of Yusuke's Reigun after all. Convenient. 

Yukina bustles off with a cry that they NEED her, as good an excuse as any to leave behind the stranger so reticent to actually identify himself. Hiei just kinda hangs out after this encounter, looking thoughtfully at the ceiling. 

In the arena, Yusuke asks Kuwabara if he's still in one piece, but doesn't wait for an answer before he also asks if Kuwabara's aware that he's a certified loony. They're offering certification for that? Gotta get me one of them. Kuwabara smiles through his fatigue, reminding Yusuke that he said he could adjust the strength of his Reigun blasts, and figured he could set it to "stun" rather than "kill". Yusuke turns to march off to the errand he had nearly forgotten: beating the shit out of Tarukane's blubbery ass. As he does, Yukina jogs up to him, beginning to ask if he's alright. He assures her he's fine, but Kuwabara could use some attention. 

Wingman'd.

Yukina apologizes for all the suffering Kuwabara endured because of her. Girl, you literally told him not to and he did it anyway - I don't think you should be blaming yourself for his bullheaded decisions! Kuwabara notes the burn scars on both her wrists where her sleeves have slid back, and morosely bids her not to apologize to a lousy human like him. Her hands recoil and she looks at him with a surprised and questioning stare. 

Kuwabara explains that what one of his kind did to her is unforgivable, though he tries to assure her (or himself perhaps) that they're not ALL like that. While Yusuke reacts with surprise to find that Hiei is in the observation room, having already clobbered the tub of shit that is Tarukane, Kuwabara also says that we humans try even though we might not amount to much a lot of the time. Kuwabara is wearing an agonized expression when he says that if that can count for anything, maybe Yukina won't hate ALL humans, a plea trailing on the end of his statement. There is the implication in there that he wouldn't blame her if she DID, though. 

Yukina responds with a gentle smile.

Why do I feel like she's basically just been designated as a beard?

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? The incident with a previous aspiring savior gives a little more dimension to Yukina's dedication to emotional control and adamant insistence that Kuwabara shouldn't try to rescue her. In addition, of course, to the primary purpose of giving Kuwabara the additional context he needs to get angry enough for an energy surge, Yukina's behavior up until this point is a bit clearer. Not that it was unclear before, but it does provide us with an explanation with how she ALSO was able to lock down and show strength in her captivity to the point where she had trained herself not to react with physically injured. The utter disaster of that first rescue attempt produced the double-whammy of taking away any hope she might have had at being saved eventually, and actively discouraging a possible savior. It was better for her to continue to suffer in silence for eternity than to have one more person die trying to get her out of there. 

This ties in well to her impulse to go and tend to Kuwabara/Yusuke once she had been freed by Hiei. While it can be chalked up to a feminine nurturing instinct (gag), more crucially she feels RESPONSIBLE for their injuries because they wouldn't have been there in the first place if she weren't in the situation. It doesn't matter that the fact she was imprisoned there wasn't her fault either, Yukina can't help but feel like any injury incurred in service to freeing her is directly tied to her. This is a common way that women and girls are socialized into making themselves a scapegoat for the sins of the people taking advantage of them, as opposed to how men and boys are socialized to make themselves scapegoats for not stopping or preventing the violence of those monsters they're forced to identify with.

Which, interestingly, is exemplified in Kuwabara here. He feels responsible for Yukina suffering too, but in a way that highlights his perceived similarity to the perpetrator. Because he and Tarukane share a humanity that can be VERY ugly in its manifestations, he feels like he needs to apologize for it, afraid that she might view him as the same by association. It's strange how this highlights the similarity between these two feelings by two different people on different sides of this situation, creating an understanding between them based on their shared guilt around the suffering of the other. Some might label that as a trauma-bond and it might not be the BEST thing, being based on gendered training that is meant to preserve the power of the absolute WORST of humankind and their systems, but it's kind of fascinating how YT managed to capture that so, so well. 

As I had been assured, there is an explanation for why Hiei was not the one to rescue Yukina, the talismans blocking that cool eye of his. No doubt it was yet ANOTHER reason why they practically needed to paper the whole room with them. I am still somewhat miffed that it took Koenma five whole years to get around to sending someone around to save her, but hopefully he makes it up to her in some way. 

Give her ALL the ice cream. 

Inuyasha Manga: 349 Corpse Swarm

Gross. I mean, sure, frightening too. There is something naturally horrifying by having to face a murderous enemy that you can't kill because, well, it's already dead. Everything from zombies to puppet corpses are supposed to be scary for being totally immune to those vulnerabilities that living humans have, an active and engaged brain as well as a pulse. But I suppose I find myself more disgusted by this concept than scared, which might have something to do with the first thing that comes to mind being a hurricane made entirely of dead bodies. Viscera and loose flesh flying around... Creepy, but ultimately just a giant cloud of miasma and disease. Not that getting sick isn't a fear behind that too, but if I can be safely behind glass during this like good ol' Roderick Usher, I think a lot of the fear is mitigated. 

Or behind a screen; a much preferable distance to the up-close and personal seat our heroes at this accursed temple have. 

I'd be surprised if they didn't recognize this move.

The youkai corpses lunge toward the group and Inuyasha lets off a Kaze no Kizu in response, which shreds their bodies even further, as expected. But once the dust clears from the Inuyasha's defensive move, the youkai corpses launch a fresh attack. Shippou shouts from a gaping Kagome's shoulder that it's no good, persistent as their aggressors are, and Inuyasha curses over how there seems to be no point in further cutting up dead bodies. Unless they're shredded down small enough to be effectively useless, of course, but I don't know if that would be particularly gratifying for either him OR the reader. 

It's not long before the saimyoushou arrive to threaten Miroku's Kazaana with their venom, and Sango calls for him to stop using it in a panic. This would be boring under any other circumstances, but what their presence says on one side of this conflict or the other MAKES certain interpretations, so Kagome and Inuyasha both conclude that the one manipulating the youkai corpses has to be Kagura with her Corpse Dance move. 

Kagura indeed hovers some distance above and away on her feather, flapping her fan to continue controlling her dead puppets, scoffing in her amusement. Pieces of youkai slap against the paper screen doors on the temple, but don't appear to be strong enough to get through.

He's not looking fit for a fight. 

Cut back to Kagura, who's determined to find out if Shnooky is here right now. Never mind that the saimyoushou appear to be helping her, which would put a doubt or two in MY mind. She pulls out the crystalized youki that she pilfered, noting that it's not clearing up at the moment. Knowing that the fuyouheki was likely given to the baby for his protection, the next logical conclusion would be that the youki would disappear from the crystal once she had found the stone AND Shnooky. She's real lucky her premise is correct. 

Again, we cut back to Goryoumaru, who is trying to prop himself up on his remaining wrist, thinking that this situation is bad. Yeah, no shit. 

At least he has the pots if he really needs to defend himself. Might be able to fire them from the floor. 

Outside, Sango's Hiraikotsu tears through some youkai corpses, but when the boomerang returns to her, she complains that there's no end to them even when their bodies are smashed apart. Miroku agrees, saying they have to attack the source in order to find some relief in this siege. Inuyasha curses, then leaps off onto the wall enclosing the temple compound. Miroku calls after him, and he shouts that he's going outside the temple, as he wonders just what is going on here. He's questioning whether Goryoumaru is part of Naraku's crew if Kagura is attacking. It's really convenient if that's the case...

Kagome is alarmed by the group of Goryoumaru's little child soldiers running behind her as she reaches for an arrow. She yells at them that they should stay inside, but they assure her that it's fine as long as they can get to their little pot weapons. Miroku says they shouldn't let the corpses get near the children, as if this were a novel idea. Sango says she KNOWS, although the chaos ensures that the additional task might be easier said than done.

Or not. The kids pretty much immediately get to Goryoumaru's room and burst inside calling out to him, to his mild alarm. They grab their pots and fire them at the youkai corpses in the air, yelling at them to take that. They break apart, and the kids THINK they got them...

This is what happens when you just bust in on a battle with no idea what's going on, kiddoes.

An arrow passes through the youkai remains, purifying some of them, and Kagome runs up to the boys to inform them that their pots aren't actually any good in this particular battle. She catches sight of the collapsed Goryoumaru in the room, with kids surrounding him and calling his name. Kagome rushes into the room, asking what happened, and the answer given her by the children is that he never can move after he puts the "light" into those pots. 

Sango swings by the door on Kirara, warning Kagome not to let the kids come out, to which she replies with stuttering agreement, shutting the door on the messy battle outside. She glances over her shoulder at the sweating incapacitated Goryoumaru on the floor, noting how pale he is, and concluding that he REALLY can't move. 

Cut to Inuyasha outside the temple walls, demanding to the sky that Kagura come out, because he KNOWS she's nearby. A voice from above asks what his connection is with this temple, and he seems surprised, despite his prior shouts. 

Maybe he's just surprised that she didn't bother hiding.

Inuyasha asks why she's attacking the temple, and if it means Goryoumaru is Naraku's enemy. Kagura supposes the unfamiliar name belongs to the guy from earlier, then begins to conclude that she HASN'T caught up with Shnooky like she had at first thought. With the belief that there's no point in talking further, she swings her fan at him in a wide arc, yelling at him to stand aside. He leaps up out of the way of a massive wind blade, and while he's distracted with that, Kagura flies for the wall to go over it. 

In frustration, Inuyasha yells at her to come back, but she only responds with a taunt that he's an idiot who came to confront her too easily, so now her task is much simpler. While Inuyasha gapes in disbelief, she holds up her youki crystal, determined to search the whole temple. I thought she was under the impression she hadn't come across the infant after all? I guess she's just thorough. 

Inside the temple, Kagome kneels next to Goryoumaru, reaching for him and asking if he's alright. An oily atmosphere suddenly occurs to her. 

Well THAT'S new. 

Goryoumaru has opened his eyes, but it's hard to read his expression, until he goes wide-eyed when his youkai graft pulses in a way that seems to rattle him. The children surrounding him call his name again in alarm, but he actually sits up, marveling at how the power in it is returning rapidly to him. Shippou (news to me that he's here too, lol) nervously clings to Kagome's shoulder as she asserts that the arm is reacting to the Shikon shard beneath her collar. 

She and the children turn to look at the door when a racket sounds on the other side. Sango, Miroku, and Kirara all pause in their battle efforts to stare in horror at the wall around the temple, a fresh wave of corpses streaming over it, Kagura floating above it and yelling yet again for the opposition to stand aside. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she's not really interested in hurting anyone, even as a byproduct of her main objective.

Inside the room again, the kids are in a confused horror themselves, asking broken questions about what's happening. Kagome moves for the door, telling the children to stand aside, no doubt on her way to assist in the renewed fight. But a hand on her around her neck and shoulder yanks her backward. 

I don't like THIS one bit. 

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? The good work at muddying the waters for the parties involved, keeping it unclear whether Moryoumaru and his little operation are working for or against Naraku's interests, is continued in this installment. One thing that I really appreciate is that neither Inuyasha nor Kagura seem to be taking things at face value. They've both experienced Naraku's manipulations and are aware that things may or may NOT be exactly how they seem, so they're holding onto their suspicions of Moryoumaru until they have absolute confirmation. What that looks like for Kagura is pretty straightforward - how the crystalized youki reacts as she goes through the temple will tell her if she's on the right track. For Inuyasha, it's a bit murkier. I don't know if there is anything that will ever dissolve his distrust for Moryoumaru, because he's just not a very trustworthy guy, even if he's NOT working for Naraku.

I've criticized in the past all the changes of POV and abrupt cuts to different characters, but here I think it works. The whiplash it causes goes well with all the confusion the characters experience, and the chaos of this confrontation. There are a lot of different moving pieces here, which means that the presentation was never going to be tidy, so I'm glad to see that RT has leaned in a bit to the messiness. May as well portray just how weird and confusing all this is for everyone. 

Sadly, Kagome seems to be in the position of hostage again. Girl just has the WORST luck with that shit. 

YuYu Hakusho Manga: 049 The Last Gamble!!

Bullshit. There's ALWAYS another gamble. ALWAYS another avenue for risking everything for the big payout. This is why gambling can be so incredibly addictive, because even though the chances of a win are slim, sometimes BECAUSE the chances are so slim, the anticipation of pulling victory out of the jaws of defeat is so enticing as to keep a gambler putting everything they have into yet another gamble. The economy is currently in the thrall of all kinds of creepy gambling markets that create the exact kinds of bets on EVERYTHING that Tarukane has constructed here among his "friends". Already, people have lost damn near everything and still manage to put up another bet. Whether by borrowing, stealing, or financing, they find a way to support the habit. 

The bright side is that this is the very mechanism that keeps us going in shitty circumstances where there seems to be almost no hope left. We push forward and try to pull ourselves out of the quagmire all the harder when we have nothing left to lose. Yusuke wouldn't even be here in this position if not for this grand gambling spirit of his, so it's not ALL bleak. 

It's just redirecting that impulse into places that matter that's the tricky part...

This isn't just a title page with a little preview of what's to come, oh no. The boys are LITERALLY finished fighting Gokumonki in the FIRST PANEL. Short and trivial as the battles with the other two ogres were, we at least got a cursory introduction to them. I suppose it might have gotten into some dicey legal territory if we got to see any of Gokumonki's personality, if he's supposed to be a spoof from another popular series...

He falls back, semi-conscious, and the boys each prop a foot on his chest as they announce they've defeated all three ogres, and Tarukane's time is up. Gokumonki makes the exact complaint that I highlight above, that he didn't get to introduce himself. Probably for the best, my guy. 

Tarukane responds to the boys' declaration within his isolated monitor room with a strangled noise, then a frustrated growl, and at last an outburst cursing his intruders. He has to admit silently to himself that he had NO IDEA they would be this powerful. The Bezos-type rubs it in by saying with some amusement that the Ogre Triad was taken down in no time flat. At first, the winner of this and the last bet remains demure and silent. At first.

With another stream of cigarette smoke issuing from between Sakyo's lips, he reminds Tarukane that this is a seventy billion loss for him in all, and suggests he cuts his losses right here. It's not bad advice, because Tarukane is clearly NOT good at this. The Bezos-type calls for Sakyo to hold on, because while he's been cleaning Tarukane's clock here, the rest of them have been losing too. Or, at least, they've been missing out on the wins anyway. The Reagan-type says that they want in on Sakyo's action this time, and asks Tarukane if he's down for one more round. 

Tarukane sweats. A LOT. Then he hesitantly says he's saved the best for last. He announces that the final match-up is the Toguro brothers vs the intruders, the tall Toguro beside him, again having removed his coat to reveal his moderate muscles at this point. He hasn't pumped them up a fraction of the way yet. Tarukane sweats some more as he tells Sakyo to make his selection, but he seems to have regained some confidence. Internally, he DARES Sakyo to bet the farm on the intruders this time, because Tarukane expects to recoup all his losses with this one. He's got all the trust in those Toguros. 

Sakyo pauses yet again. Then proposes a bet of sixty-six trillion two hundred billion. Once Tarukane recovers from a speechless gape, he asks haltingly for Sakyo to repeat himself. Sakyo complies, confirming that indeed he said he's putting SIXTY-SIX TRILLION TWO HUNDRED BILLION on the intruders. 

You REALLY should have cut your losses, dude. 

If Sakyo's number sounds weirdly specific, that's because it is. Tarukane exclaims that it's the entire budget for the Japanese government, and refuses to believe Sakyo is serious at first. But Sakyo assures his host he's QUITE serious, claiming that the extreme number will make this contest particularly interesting. I don't know why it's so interesting to put an amount of money that runs a whole country for a year (I presume) on these kiddoes, but maybe it's just because I'm not a rich asshole.

Tarukane's virtual guests say there's no backing down for him now, because he started this little game and the BBC (lol) rules dictate that he FINISH it. The gamblers are content to just sit back and watch in the meantime, one of them sighing in satisfaction, because there's nothing more pleasing to him than the misfortunes of others. 

Tarukane is swimming in sweat, and huffing like he's just run twenty miles. He thinks Sakyo is insane, but then wonders if he knows something about the Tears of Ice Tarukane is peddling. Immediately the idea is dismissed, because Tarukane is SURE he's kept their source an airtight secret. And at last, all this panicked cloud of chaotic thought terminates in the fundamental idea that makes the gambler tick: that if he wins this all that money would be his. It would be his ultimate gamble. WILL be, because he's already locked in anyway, and he really has no choice when he levels a shaking finger at the monitors and says the game is on, declaring the contest begun. The hubris is potent with this one. 

The tall Toguro mutters that he's FINALLY allowed to get his fight on, having been standing there listening to this deliberation the WHOLE TIME. I can't really blame him; watching his boss hang himself is probably not all that interesting to a guy who's already foreseen his sticky end. 

Tarukane commands his butler Sakashita to bring Yukina here, and make sure the BBC (*giggle*) doesn't find out. Uhhhh, aren't they going to see her? I know the monitors haven't been one-way this whole time, because they've seen the map AND the boys showing off on the security cameras. I'm destined to remain confused, because Tarukane breezes right past this and instructs Sakashita to ward Yukina sufficiently so she can't escape. 

Meanwhile, the boys are running once again along the corridor, and Kuwabara says he doesn't detect any demons around. He suggests they find his ice maiden and beat the shit out of Tarukane, but then pauses in alarm. 

Kuwabara realizes he can try to make psychic contact with her, but he seems to realize for the first time that he doesn't know her name. Kid has been going so fast, he forgot the basics. Yusuke tells him her name is Yukina, and when Kuwabara asks indignantly how he knows that, he says he watched the video until the end. DUH.

Kuwabara calls into the ether for Yukina, asking her to say something if she's getting his message. She indeed responds, telepathic communication I suppose is probably a talent of all demon/spirit creatures, asking who he is. He introduces himself as a "Demon-Trouncer", and says he's here to rescue her. I guess he doesn't expect her to count herself among the demons he trounces. Yukina sends him right over on his head when she refuses his help and tells him to go away. Yusuke looks at him in question, but doesn't interrupt. 

Yukina has identified Kuwabara correctly as human, and insists that he has NO chance to beat the Brokers of Darkness. He grins as he thinks at her that she shouldn't sweat it, because they've already beaten those guys and their next step is to free her. Yukina responds that this is impossible, because the Brokers, whom she knows as the Toguro brothers, are right there in front of her, leading her and a few other escorts to where Tarukane wants her. Kuwabara considers them no threat at all, because he can't catch a whiff of a powerful aura there at all. She does NOT look convinced, but leaves enough of a pause in her argument for Kuwabara to say that since she's outside those oppressive wards that he knows where she is, and she's getting rescued, ready or not. He's already charging forward again, on his way. 

Kuwabara leads Yusuke along the trail of Yukina's aura he can sense, which goes down into the basement. On their way through, Yusuke makes a disgusted note on the guts splattered all over the giant glass cage they pass, but Kuwabara says he doesn't give a shit what that's about, and presses on. They didn't notice all the LIVING abominations lining the walls? 

They eventually come to a pair of double doors, on their way to closing, and Kuwabara demands they rush through before they click shut. 

Tarukane had an entire arena built in his basement this WHOLE TIME??

Neither of the boys look particularly surprised by the trap sprung on them, Yusuke supposing blandly that the guy in the room with them is the last of those Brokers, while Kuwabara is incensed by the bastards on the monitors watching all this. Behind the window, Tarukane roots for Toguro tensely, admitting he's counting on him. Yukina stands behind him, flanked by guards holding her by her arms. I guess Kuwabara can see her, because he grins and telepathically communicates to her that it's only a matter of time. Again, she is silent in response, no doubt not daring to let herself hope. 

Toguro almost PLAYFULLY welcomes them to the arena, expressing hopes they'll go easy on him. It's a DRY joke. Kuwabara reiterates with a scoff that this doof has ZERO demonic aura, so he expects this battle to be cake. Yusuke, on the other hand, gapes silently at the tall Toguro for a moment before he disagrees. He's got a hunch that this guy is bad news, but when Kuwabara asks for more particulars about WHY he feels this way, Yusuke can only argue that it's a creepy feeling telling him to watch out.

No doubt he's about to find out the reasons he's got that feeling. The shoulder Toguro whips off his encompassing cloak, and his figure is much the same as ANYONE who does so in this comic: muscular and shirtless. He climbs up and and jumps off of his taller brother's extended arm, then stretches his own arms back and over his head like he's preparing for a grueling workout, though he continues to crouch.  His flesh begins to twist and writhe, reforming into a long point at what were once arms and three shorter ones where his knees and feel used to be. This transformation comes with a lot of bone crunches and crackles that clearly disturb the boys, who grimace at the little guy's scrunching up to such an extreme degree. 

... I'm sorry man, that looks dumb as hell. 

As for the tall/younger Toguro, he bulks up again in a hurry, his muscles expanding to a good five times their original size. Both boys are in more awe than horror, which makes sense. Toguro says that he provides the muscle to this operation, and lots of it, forgetting to mention that he also seems to have all the vocal cords between them. He calls he and his brother a single unit, and by the way he carries his older sibling around all the time, I've never doubted it. 

There is a wave of energy that crashes out from Toguro, and Kuwabara at last perceives the incredible aura there, Yusuke comparing it to being hit by a hurricane. 

This promises to be a little trickier than Kuwabara anticipated. 

With Yusuke's uniform jacket already slashed by the close call, both he and Kuwabara are in active recoil from the attack, the latter in awe at how fast Toguro is. Kuwabara kneels and grunts as he produces his Aura Sword, just in time to intercept another lighting attack with the elder Toguro brother's sword body that was BARELY perceivable as a blur the moment before it came down. Trembling under the enormous pressure between the crossed blades, Kuwabara groans. 

Toguro scoffs, then swings his free fists at a completely arrested Kuwabara. 

Kuwabara coughs and heaves, his very bones cracking, barely managing to stand in a half-crouch. According to Toguro, Kuwabara had leapt back at the last second to avoid what would have been a FATAL impact, and Toguro warrants that the kid is smarter than the poor beast was, at least. Feels like a low bar to clear. 

Toguro is alarmed by movement in his periphery, and turns to find Yusuke pointing his Reigun finger at him, claiming it's his turn as the tip of it shines. Yusuke lets off a great shot, hitting Toguro point blank. Letting out a short laugh, Yusuke talks about the close-range aura bullet like it was a gift for Toguro, and assumes it was successful, what with how it got him square in his face. 

But soon it's clear that Toguro is still standing, even as his neck, head, and right arm are obscured by the smoke from the Reigun's shot. When it clears, Yusuke let's out an exclamation about how the sword Toguro had been holding was now wrapped around his forearm in a cuff-like shield. 

Apparently he's also just completely invulnerable to the Reigun where his younger brother isn't. 

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? Absolutely hilarious that Gokumonki got ONE line complaining about how little he got to share about himself, peak comedy. The Ogre Triad's progressive failure to live up to any level of interest with every member defeated speaks to how impatient both creator and audience are impatient to get to the confrontation between the Toguros and the boys. By the end there, it's clear that YT was questioning why he even bothered to insert this spacer between his protagonists and their REAL opponents, because they were just breezing past the spacer anyway. Best to get on with it, for sure. 

I found it a little confusing that Sakyo's bet amount was said to be the Japanese Government's budget in this version; I seem to recall that it was Tarukane's entire fortune in the anime, which makes a little more sense as far as why it would mean so much to HIM specifically. If he's threatened with utter destitution for his failure at this little game, that gives way more personal weight to his taking the bet. Not that I don't believe he does have as much money as the Japanese Government for a year, since lots of rich people meet and exceed the GDPs of many a country these days. Besides, Tarukane seems to suspect that Sakyo has some knowledge of his secret source of income, which IMPLIES the number he gave was highly personalized. It just wasn't said, which was a little strange. 

Very little about the beginning of the fight at the end was shocking. Since we've seen a bit of the elder Toguro's powers before, it follows that he would be able to transform his whole body at will. He reminds me a little of the flexibility and dexterity of an octopus, which is pretty cool. Although, the weird fleshy sword he turned into did not look even a little intimidating, as I said above. It's probably helpful for inspiring one's opponent to underestimate one, though, so there's an advantage there. 

The ONLY think that surprised me was the existence of an arena. Did Tarukane have it built to host fights between his little genetic splice creatures or something? Awfully convenient for this specific situation.

Inuyasha Manga: 348 Grotesque Arm

You think that's why Goryoumaru sits in the dark all the time? Because people describe his arm as "grotesque"? It would certainly bother me, and I don't think it's the nicest thing for our heroes to be so hung up on the appearance of a limb. Maybe instead of getting in a twist over whether or not someone's a youkai, or if he's got a funky arm, they should be focusing on the other VERY suspicious things floating around the temple. Like the silently screaming monks between the spikey crystals. The child-army this guy has accrued. The similarity of his name to another they've heard very recently. 

I'm just saying, the arm? Not the most problematic thing about him by a MILE.

Meh. Inuyasha can take out these guys in no time. 

The horde of youkai charge at the group below out of the sky, and Goryoumaru's arm flowers open at several points, producing the same kind of bubbling light that the kids' pots did. Inuyasha's gang stares,  Kagome gasping and Miroku giving voice to the observation that this is identical to what they've seen so far. It shoots forward to meet the attacking youkai, shredding them all, except Kagura hanging out in the back of the line, making a confused noise. 

I have SOME idea of what he is...

Did I say that Goryoumaru's light-emitting laser arm shredded ALL the youkai? My bad, there are still quite a few left, so many in fact that Kagome claims that their numbers haven't decreased AT ALL, hugging a cowering Shippou to her tightly. Miroku asserts that there are too many of them, and Inuyasha curses that it looks like he'll have to be the one to take care of them, holding out Tessaiga, with a tendril of wind wrapping around the blade. The children stare in awe of him as he lets loose a Kaze no Kizu and disintegrates the horde. Kagura recognizes the move from her perch, again, just out of range. 

It's a puzzle, for sure. 

Goryoumaru's child soldiers gape in wonder at the youkai bits raining down from the sky, and someone also observes that the remainder of the horde is retreating. Goryoumaru himself takes a long silent look at Inuyasha in the wake of his swing of Tessaiga, then calls him a bastard, asking why he's killing youkai if he's a youkai himself. With the exact same "logic" he's been using aimed right back at him, Inuyasha complains that that's HIS line.

Before this exchange of suspicions can escalate, Miroku steps forward, asking for a confirmation that Goryoumaru is indeed who they're talking to and whether he's a youkai himself, as might be deduced from the arm. The child soldiers rush to surround their leader and shout at the strangers in his defense that he's a HUMAN and a great gyouja, thank you very much. Goryoumaru explains that while his arm is a youkai's, but it moves to HIS will, as they saw. He further elaborates that the youkai it belonged to tried to possess and eat him, but he used his Buddhist powers to twist and enslave it. Seems... fundamentally counter to the peaceful nature of Buddhism, but what the fuck do I know? Goryoumaru says that his real arm was eaten by the youkai, but he's satisfied with how well the new arm does at exterminating disgusting youkai. I feel SO BAD for Shippou and Kirara right now, having to listen to this. 

Poor kid. 

Inuyasha lectures Goryoumaru on handing the pots to a bunch of children so they could go around killing youkai at random, which is an entirely fair criticism even if Inuyasha isn't TOTALLY innocent of killing random youkai himself. He also accuses Goryoumaru of suggesting to those same kids that they should kill Gakusanjin. Goryoumaru repeats the name of the victim in question, as though he hasn't heard the name before. Miroku tells him that Gakusanjin was a youkai mountain that did not wish to fight, but continue sleeping as a mountain. He adds that Gakusanjin was only awake in the first place because his sleep was disturbed by a hanyou burglar, and he had been trying to pursue the thief. Miroku saves the name Naraku for last, looking rather critically at Goryoumaru, no doubt for a sign of recognition. 

Again, Goryoumaru repeats the new name, but shows no overt signs he has heard it before. Miroku comes to the point that he would like to know the reasons the innocent Gakusanjin was killed, so Goryoumaru turns to the three kids who did the deed for their defense. How... how did he know it was them specifically? There's a ton of little brats running around. How did he AUTOMATICALLY know which ones killed Gakusanjin? 

The three mutter that they have no way of knowing which youkai are good or bad. As if they haven't been speaking this entire time like they're convinced ALL youkai are bad. Kagome mulls over this denial of responsibility and the implication that it's unrelated to Naraku, and that Gakusanjin's murder was just a coincidence. She seems unconvinced. As she should be.

They haven't quite given up, I guess. 

The children wail about the returned youkai, but Goryoumaru tells them not to panic, saying it's likely the youkai will just sit and watch from a distance. How does he figure? He doesn't say, but he does tell Inuyasha that he and his group would likely be attacked on every side and ripped apart if they leave the temple now. Goryoumaru turns on his heel to take his leave, saying he'll allow them to stay on the temple grounds until the next morning. How magnanimous. And possibly convenient for him. 

Inuyasha yells at Goryoumaru's back that they're not finished talking, but Miroku suggests to him that they should just accept the offer. No point in further antagonizing a host who has graciously overlooked the fact that they basically just INVADED his home. Kagome says that she thought Moryoumaru would force them to leave, and Shippou ponders aloud if he's actually a good guy. "Good" is a relative term. Sango stands in the back of the group, silent.

When they're all sitting together on a set of stairs, in council over whether Goryoumaru's story is true or not, Miroku reminds them that he deliberately brought up Gakusanjin's and Naraku's names, but couldn't read their host's expression in response. Inuyasha scoffs that of COURSE he couldn't, asserting that Goryoumaru couldn't put on an act if he didn't have a good poker face. 

Their attention is drawn off-panel by someone addressing them. It's a couple of the kids, looking sullen, who tell them all to come with them and eat, because Moryoumaru said that they should have some food. Inuyasha and Kagome stare for a moment in mild surprise. 

While the kids stuff their faces, Inuyasha is the one to ask what about Goryoumaru, who isn't there to take his meal with them. One of the children explains that he's off putting the light into their goryou-pots, which comes from his own body, the youkai arm he bears, and it's pretty exhausting to do. He's shown surrounded with the little pots with the arm's "petals" open and the shining inside exposed in this exercise, though I doubt any of the kids have been allowed to see it. 

Kagome asks the children why THEY'RE here doing all this, and where their parents are. Take a wild guess, girl. The kids state matter-of-factly that they don't have parents, one of them saying their mom and dad were eaten by a youkai. Kagome asks if EVERYONE here has a story like this, and another of the kids snaps in a temper that they would have died in a gutter if Goryoumaru hadn't picked them up. It's the stated reason why they help Goryoumaru, to pay him back, in addition to exterminating the horrible youkai.

Sango turns to address Miroku, who says he doesn't think the children are lying, but his sentence trails, like there's still a few missing pieces. Inuyasha is, much like Kagome was earlier, questioning if this REALLY doesn't have anything to do with Naraku. 

They're showing an UNNATURAL amount of restraint here...

Kagura is out there among them, thinking that there's definitely something fishy about this temple. Ha, just wait until you learn about the guy who lives here. She observes that there's an incredible evil aura coming from the temple itself, which makes me wonder if MIROKU clocked that. She also notices something else around the temple, the groups of creepy monk carvings with their agonized expressions. Kagura recalls hesitantly that these are called "rakanzou", though they don't look much like lucky charms to her. I guess there's something in the meaning of the word that suggests that, but there's no explanation. 

It's also clear to Kagura that the youkai aren't trying to enter the temple, despite there being no barrier around it. All of these strange elements give her the impression that this is an opportunity to look for clues to the whereabouts of Shnooky, one that she shouldn't pass up. Kagura is less likely to question the connection between Gakusanjin's murder and Naraku without a contrary narrative in her head, I see. She pops open her fan and holds it out from her body, before swiping it through the air in front of her, promising to make an army of all the youkai outside the grounds. Her wind blades slash through them.

Inside the temple, Inuyasha's crew and the children all look around in alarm, Goryoumaru doing the same in his seclusion. The kids stutter about the youkai they presume are outside, asking each other what they'll do, since they still don't have their goryou pots to defend themselves. Inuyasha jumps to his feet, hand ready to draw Tessaiga at his side, and tells them all to stand back. He and the rest of the group run outside to defend the temple. 

It hasn't been SO long since you've seen this trick that you shouldn't be able to identify it.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? RT has done a pretty good job of constructing a suspicious situation while keeping the level of plausible deniability high. Goryoumaru seems to have a believable answer to every question Inuyasha and company asks, or at least someone else to BLAME for their complaints, but they can never quite set the weird vibes aside. Mostly this is because every response from Goryoumaru brings up MORE suspicions; his almost TOO rigid poker face, the fact that he seemed to know immediately which team of children killed Gakusanjin, his correct "assumption" that the youkai wouldn't attack them and just hang out to watch them. All extremely odd things that deserved further examination, but it's entirely possible that they flew just under the radar for our protagonists, grazing close enough to it that they can't quite articulate why they're causing uneasiness. 

I'm a little disappointed that Sango doesn't have MORE to say on this arrangement Goryoumaru has with these orphaned children. She touched on the fact that these kids appeared to be mostly untrained in the previous chapter, but hearing from them the specific reason they're here in this chapter didn't cause her to revisit and amplify her initial criticism. She and Kohaku grew up within a village that made their specialty out of this skilled profession, and she knows better than anyone what the risks there are even in a purely professional context. The fact that an adult seems to have groomed a whole brood of children without families to go around killing youkai not out of service to surrounding communities, but the sense that they OWE him and general vengeance is a whole GARDEN of red flags. These kids are liable to be hurt and killed in pursuit of this man's ends, even if everything ELSE about him is on the up-and-up. It's really disturbing. 

Also, that comment from Kagura about the evil aura coming DIRECTLY from the temple has me questioning why Miroku didn't have anything to say about this. He's the main energy-sensor in the group, so there's no doubt he picked up on it, but he's being pretty tight-lipped. There probably wasn't a lot of ROOM for the group to discuss Sango's and Miroku's individual concerns in this one, so I'm not too worried about it, but I hope I see them talking at least a little more about these things in the next couple of chapters. They would seem to be the most OVERT of the issues regarding the temple and its inmates.