Inuyasha: Secret of the Cursed Mask Part #20 - Anime Kururugi Meets a Bishie

Part 20: Anime Kururugi Meets a Bishie

Well, that was weird. Gotta go find our friends though.

You're not my friends.

Just a moment, Sesshomaru, I'm looking for the road now.

I think I see your problem. This is a building. No roads.

I have also just realized there's no ceiling and we're just looking at the black void outside the map.

I think he very much has.

N-no, of course not! Um.

They're gone.

You are? Oh yeah. Girl, come over here. Do you know the way to the Castle Tower?

I do, but...

Then take me there.

Why do I have to take you there?

I don't know what you're doing around here, but you'll get eaten by demons if you stay here by yourself.

Well...I really don't want to go with these people. But it's probably not a good idea to go on my own. And if I don't go, what is everybody else gonna do?

So, are you gonna take us there, or what?

I guess I have to. Okay. I'll take you there, but you have to promise to protect me.

Is that right? Lead the way.

Sesshomaru is in our party now. He level 30, which is basically endgame level. So it's gonna be pretty easy goin's now.

After a while...

Oh hey, you're okay. That's good.

Ah look, she's comin' in to give us a hug.

Whoa hey what the heck Sesshy, I get first hugs.

Well now nobody's getting a hug >

Why? That's terrible...poor thing...

Otoki: Thank you so much.

Huh, Otoki?

Otoki: Thank you so much. Because of you, I was able to escape Naraku's spell. I can sleep soundly now.

Naraku's spell? All those corpses were under his spell?

If you destroy a corpse that is under a spell, you will free its spirit.

Really? So Sesshomaru knew about this too?

Don't waste our time talking. Just take us to the Castle Tower.

Oh yeah! Wait a minute.

What are you doing?

Toki should hold onto this.

Then Toki won't be sad in Heaven.

Okay nitpick time. As usual, I can't be arsed to check what they say in Japanese, and there certainly IS a Japanese word for "heaven" (tengoku) and it might be what's being said, but hoo boy the use of the Capital-H Heaven is yet again an extremely Western idea to be bringing into this game. So lets talk about it since I haven't been educational in a while.

The two prevailing spiritualities in Japan, and especially in the Sengoku period, are gonna be Shinto and Buddhism, which both have different ideas of the afterlife. Shinto's afterlife is a place called Yomi, with its closest common equivalent being the Grecoroman Hades, neither a paradise nor a hell, but just...a place where dead people go. Just where ya go. And then of course, one of the core tenets of Buddhism is the constant cycle of reincarnation until one is enlightened and reaches Nirvana, but I do not think this small girl is going to be enlightened.

Now that being said, there IS maybe a minute chance that Kururugi is Christian. They certainly do exist in Japan, and they were even around in the Sengoku period, but it's unlikely as they're a tremendous minorty, making up no more than 1% of the population.

Sorry, I'm done.

Jaken.

See! What is it, Lord Sesshomaru?

Leave the kid alone.

Hehe!

Moving on.

Hey!

There were demons all over the place. I was really worried.

I'm glad you're safe too.

More and more corpses were gathering. We were getting worried.

But, why did they go after you and not me?

Maybe it's because there were three of us.

Three of you?

I don't think I could have gotten here by myself. Do you all know Sesshomaru?

Do we know him? He's Inuyasha's older brother.

They really don't get along.

So, Inuyasha. This human girl is your friend.

So what?

Let's go, Jaken.

You! Where are you goin'?

Y-Yes, Sesshomaru.

Hey, wait a minute!

Not worth it dude.

Anyway, we better get going. I think Sesshomaru is after Naraku too.

I won't let Sesshomaru get to Naraku first. I'm gonna destroy him!

And we're back.

Oh.

Sesshomaru!

Look at all the corpses! There's so many of them. They're all attacking Sesshomaru.

We should get going while Sesshomaru is busy fighting them.

Too bad for you, Sesshomaru. We're going ahead.

Yeet, as the kids say.

Oh no! First Toki, now this!

It's Yukimura, indeed.

What? Naraku's not here?

This shouldn't be surprising. He knows that we know where he is. You think he's not gonna relocate?

Oh hey whassup.

Careful, they're coming this way.

This demonic aura is strong. He's using Yukimura's corpse to control all the other corpses. Even though they are corpses, Naraku knew that we wouldn't be able to attack them, so he came up with this spell.

Damn, Naraku! Cheating as usual!

So, if we release Yukimura from the spell all the other corpses will be freed?

Yes.

We have to set them free.

Naraku! I'll never forgive you!

I'm sorry Yukimura. I don't even want to fight your corpse, but in order to free your spirit, I have to fight you.