I don't know about that. Any barrier can be broken when pressure is applied to the right places. There are lots of historical examples of people busting through various kinds of obstructions against their advancements - whether physical, mental, or societal, it's been demonstrated time and again that if there's a will, there's a way. In the past, the strongest barriers tend to be the naturalized arguments against the abilities of the targeted groups, since they are cultivated in just about every corner of culture and even within the population itself.
Even THOSE come down eventually, so Inuyasha and company should be able to get through Naraku's measly physical bubble.
Already we can see that a shift in strategy is in order. Even Sango expresses some incredulity, wondering aloud if Inuyasha thinks he's going to succeed here. Kagome recalls herself how Inuyasha couldn't break Hakudoushi's barrier a while back, even with the Red Tessaiga he's using now. Still, Inuyasha seems expectant while the smoke clears from his attack on Naraku here, peering through the haze for an indication on effectiveness.
Ooof, can't deny THAT burn.
Inuyasha curses and tells Naraku to shut his face, throwing another Kaze no Kizu at him. After the attack clears and yet again, his barrier remains whole, Naraku mutters that it's futile. Another bubble starts to emerge from the parent barrier, crackling with energy. From Kagome's shoulder, Myouga freaks out, warning everyone to get away from there, but it's not really necessary. It's not like the people here weren't present for the LAST TIME Naraku performed this new little trick he does. Sango even blurts out herself in a panic that Naraku's about to bounce back Kaze no Kizu. At least you're not in an enclosed space where it can ricochet at you from every angle this time...
Naraku invites Inuyasha to get wrecked by the Kaze no Kizu he himself unleashed, a glow from the charging attack lighting his face from below. But Inuyasha scoffs, standing his ground, though he his sweating pretty profusely. As the Kaze no Kizu is shot back in his direction, he knows there's ONE thing he hasn't tried yet. He swings his sword at the incoming energy and declares the Bakuryuuha.
I hate how placid Naraku is in these situations. He doesn't even allow me the shadow of an illusion that it might work...
But hope springs eternal, and Inuyasha is left with a second to wonder out loud if he got the bastard. Then he notices something coming at him from the fog behind him out of his periphery. It's Housenki's diamond skull rushing at him, narrowly failing in impaling Inuyasha with his little stone antlers, but still giving him some new cuts and scrapes at the side and underarm if the panel's blood-spatter is any indication.
Batting LESS THAN zero, if that's possible. Naraku giggles that it's over for Inuyasha, who groans a curse in response. It's looking pretty bad.
So it's actually a little bit of a relief to transition with a narrow panel back to Sesshoumaru, with the gate guards Gozu and Mezu stepping toward him. If I can count on anyone to make an impossible fight seem effortlessly winnable, it's my boy Sesshoumaru. Show those statues what-for. The Man-Bun Guard, in the spirit of full disclosure no doubt, tells Sesshoumaru that only the dead can pass the gateway, and the Ponytailed one states that those who DO pass will have to be killed by their hands. Sesshoumaru scoffs that this is interesting.
The guards thrust their respective weapons down at him simultaneously, shattering the stone floor beneath him so he has to leap away. He's not put on his back foot for long, though.
Unlike Naraku, they're fully willing to ACT like they're going down, ACTUALLY crashing to the ground as if they've been defeated. Kagura gapes in awe at the guards being felled by the single strike, though she SHOULD be aware that this has happened before? From his place clinging to the tail (heh) of Sesshoumaru's furry shoulder wrap, Jaken stutters that the guards got GOT, saying this is JUST what he expects from the great Sesshoumaru.
But the guards are already starting to push themselves upright and onto their feet, looking perfectly placid about standing after such a savage attack. Jaken, still gripping Sesshoumaru's fur, stutters in his disbelief, while Kagura's face has returned to a frustrated frown as she thinks that even Sesshoumaru can't pass.
Sesshoumaru almost seems annoyed that Tenseiga is calling for his attention - the old inheritance is at it again.
By serendipity, the guards choose this moment to inform Sesshoumaru that they can't be cut by a sword from this world, and scoffing, Sesshoumaru mutters his understanding of the current situation. He shoves Toukijin's point into the ground, with no regard for damage to its blade (what with "pressure" being all he needs to cut, I suppose), and draws Tenseiga instead with the thought that THIS sword should be able to cut the statues.
The guards stop immediately, and the doors to the gate start to open, that Medusa-like light beginning to filter between them. Kagura is stirred to alarm this time, watching Sesshoumaru silhouetted against the light growing at his back as he still holds Tenseiga ready. She shouts at him to look out, that the light will turn him to stone if he's bathed in it.
But that's his secret, Cap.
He's always been stoned.
Oh, I should be ARRESTED for this joke.
The Man Bun Statue tells Sesshoumaru, one who possesses a sword from the next world, that he may pass. Jaken croaks in awe that they're kneeling, because it's apparently NOT something that was bound to happen to Sesshoumaru of all people. The Ponytail Statue states that since the sword Sesshoumaru has can cut those of the next world, they can also be cut by it. Sesshoumaru puts away Tenseiga, calling the statues wise for their unwillingness to struggle in futility. After all, they saw how fast and easy it was for him to get a hit in with a sword that COULDN'T hurt them.
Sesshoumaru turns and walks through the gate, with his weird boots with their strange parallel tread. Seriously, what is up with those shoes? His whole outfit is bizarre, but those shoes have me scratching my head every time.
He needs to get on with it, then. I'm tired of that guy being a menace.
So, what did I think of this chapter overall? I was happy for a split second that Inuyasha got to test out Bakuryuuha directly on Naraku here, but it was almost doubly disappointing when it turned out to be totally ineffective. This is supposed to be Tessaiga's ultimate move, according to the sword smith, and the very first time it's used on Naraku it does squat? That's not just bleak, that's a pretty major flaw in the structure of Tessaiga's power development. The later problem of Tessaiga absorbing more and more strange powers that he couldn't manage after a time can be traced back to THIS moment. THIS is where it all went awry. RT introducing the "power absorbing effect" to Tessaiga to begin with was a bit hokey, but the fact that Tessaiga's native moves end up being too far behind the curve right here was the reason she started overusing that shit, and it's just a shame.
As for Sesshoumaru, the ease with which he got past Gozu and Mezu was very much expected, because he's always the most special boy to ever special, and plays that role in a more exaggerated capacity every time he pops up in the story. I did think it was a little funny that the guards knelt and bowed to Sesshoumaru, and not just because the deferential gesture looks pretty stupid coming from giants who still TOWER over the guy they're bowing to even when they're making themselves as diminutive as possible. It's also because Sesshoumaru just HAS the Tenseiga, as an inheritance that he didn't even value very much at first. I'm much more impressed with TOUTOUSAI now - the guy made a blade that can't put a scratch on living things but can fuck up anyone from the other side, and that's just straight-up metal. Send him the awards.
Although, it's very interesting to note here that we get to see two swords passed down to the brothers in action in the very same chapter. One of them is practically inert, though it is normally extremely destructive, and the mere threat of the other one working is enough to get an enemy to stand down, even if it's normally not for fighting at all. Little bit of an opposite-day situation going on there, which is kind of impressive. You have to hand RT THAT at least.
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