Ice and Snow, Mind and Heart

Chapter 50: Adamant Barrage

"Are the lives of your comrades more important than strengthening your sword?"

Inuyasha growled at Hosenki's taunts, but he stood firmly beside Yuki, even as the demon demanded: "Is that because you are a mere half-demon?"

Yuki snarled, while Inuyasha finally snapped back: "I am what I am. And I'll do things the way I want to."

"Inuyasha." Hosenki mocked. "Even if you obtained my demonic powers, would you be able to control them?"

"Shut up!" Inuyasha spat, glaring at Hosenki. "Maybe I don't want them after all! You can keep your 'great demonic powers', which hurt my sister and clearly aren't helping my friends! I'll pass!"

Hosenki stared at him and then Yuki as she noted half-jokingly: "Wow, I think you looked cool for the first time there, Yasha."

"Shut up, and just fight with me." Inuyasha replied, scowling at her before he looked at the miasma.

"As if I'd let you take all the glory on your own." Yuki joked, but her face was serious as she faced the miasma with Inuyasha.

"You ready?" He asked, and she nodded.

"Yeah."

And, at the same time, the pair raised their swords. Wind wrapped around the Tetsusaiga while Kiba and Tsume shone with an icy blue light, and together, Inuyasha and Yuki released their attacks.

"Winter Blaze!" "Wind Scar!"

The two attacks swirled, combining as their masters commanded, and the icicle-filled wind scar flew out towards Naraku just as a bright, white light suddenly appeared before Inuyasha and Yuki.

"Huh?" The two half-demons looked down at their swords in surprise, eyes widening. "What...?"

Sesshomaru had backed away when he felt the wind change, leaving Naraku wide open to the attack, not that Naraku really cared. The demon even smirked at the attack that had blown away his miasma, certain that nothing could reach him inside his barrier regardless...

"What?!" Naraku hissed as he was sliced in multiple places by the adamant spikes that flew right through his barrier. 'Impossible! Hosenki's spears of adamant?!'

Jaken gasped, staring in awe as he cried: "Naraku's barrier has been shattered!"

Yuki and Inuyasha barely heard the imp, both staring at their swords in shock. Tetsusaiga and Kiba had changed, glinting and sparkling in the light thanks to the many adamant shards that now covered the blades.

"How..." Yuki murmured, while Inuyasha said numbly: "The Tetsusaiga..."

"It transformed." Miroku finished, in similar surprise, and they all turned to look at Hosenki as the demon explained: "Things would have ended differently if you had been motivated by greed, desiring only to strengthen your sword."

Yuki stared at the demon incredulously as he continued: "That shower of adamant splinters... would have taken your life, Inuyasha."

"Huh?" Inuyasha blinked, looking down at himself in surprise as the many shards of adamant that had imbedded themselves on his body when he'd attacked Hosenki now fell away harmlessly.

Hosenki looked at Yuki next as he noted: "But not you, child."

Yuki blinked, while Hosenki continued: "You interfered to save your friend, a brother by nature if not blood. You were an unexpected variable, not least of all because of the fang that sword of yours is bound by."

"Huh?" Yuki blinked, glancing down at Kiba.

Inuyasha also looked over in surprise, before looking back at Hosenki sharply as the demon murmured: "That fang... is of one who is a direct descendant to the great Inu no Taisho. You are well protected, child, and I am certain you will use my adamant wisely in the future to protect those you too care about."