Inuyasha vs. Kenshin Himura

Inuyasha VS Kenshin Himura
Season	6
Overall Episode	70
Season Episode	5
Air date	September 16th, 2021
Written by	Shadow7615 Nkstjoa
Episode guide
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“

InuYasha VS Rurouni Kenshin! The Half-Yōkai against the Hitokiri Battōsai. These masters of the sword go head to head in a battle of ages past. Who will come out on top?!

„

Inuyasha vs. Kenshin Himura is the 70th episode of DEATH BATTLE! by Shadow7615 in collaboration with Nkstjoa, featuring Inuyasha from the series of the same name and Kenshin Himura from the Rurouni Kenshin series in a battle between swordsman protagonists from historical Japan.

• Shadow7615
• Nkstjoa
• Venom Gia, the Spider
• SoMaShadow
• BakaLord
• Sharaku Jr.

1/6

Interlude

Wiz: Japan, perhaps one of the world's most beautiful countries, is also one of the most influential countries in pop culture.

Boomstick: Yeah, they've cranked out so many characters over the years, you almost forget that they also made characters set within their historic past. And today's combatants embody what adventure stories are like in historic Japan.

Wiz: Inuyasha, the Human-Yōkai Hybrid.

Boomstick: And Kenshin Himura, the wandering swordsman, He's Wiz and I'm Boomstick!

Wiz: And it's our job to analyze their weapons, armor, and skills to find out who would win... a Death Battle.

Inuyasha

Wiz: The Warring States period of Japan. It was a time of turmoil, but none was dreaded more than the demons that roamed. Villagers, Samurai, Feudal Lords, none were safe. However, not all of these demons were ruthless and unforgiving.

Boomstick: One of them was a pretty chill guy named Tōga, aka the Great Dog General. He was so cool and badass he wielded some pretty epic swords that could slay a hundred enemies with a single stroke. With a weapon like that, you're going places. That landed him a comfortable seat as the Lord of the Western Provinces.

Wiz: But unexpectedly, Tōga developed a fondness for humans, something that seemed unusual to the others of his kind. Especially considering he had already conceived a demonic heir, his son, Sesshōmaru. Eventually, he fell in love with a human noblewoman, Izayoi, and the two conceived a Human-Demon hybrid: Inuyasha.

Boomstick: So, a Human-Demon Hybrid who wears red and carries an awesome sword? Sounds familiar. Anyway, Inuyasha's old man bit the bullet and Mamma Izayoi had to raise Inuyasha by herself. If it wasn't bad enough, Inuyasha grew up facing constant discrimination by both humans and demons. Man, it's bad enough to get picked on by one side, Inuyasha had to deal with both of 'em! Prejudice is dumb!

Popup: While the two are often compared due to their similar characters and backstories, InuYasha predates Devil May Cry. The original InuYasha manga was released in 1996, and Devil May Cry was released in 2001.

Wiz: But as time went on, Inuyasha would find the right person, Kikyō. While he originally sought to steal a powerful Shikon Jewel from her, their constant encounters eventually caused the two to fall in love with each other. But unfortunately, their romance was cut short by a half-demon named Naraku, who tricked Inuyasha and Kikyō into believing the other had betrayed them. And things had just started to look good for Inuyasha too.

Boomstick: Long story short, Inuyasha got sealed away for 50 years and Kikyō bit the bullet too. Goddamn... Though things weren't bad for too long, because Kikyō's modern-day reincarnation, Kagome Higurashi, fell into a well and got sent back in time to the Warring States period, allowing her to break the spell that held Inuyasha.

Wiz: Things didn't get off to a great start for those two, but their journey was just beginning as Kagome accidentally fragmented the Shikon Jewel across Japan. And so the two of them set off on a long journey to rebuild the Shikon Jewel. Fortunately for Kagome, Inuyasha is not a simple half-demon. Thanks to Tōga, Inuyasha got a good inheritance.

Boomstick: No kidding, he's got all the superhuman abilities you know and love. Strength, Speed, Agility, Reflexes, Stamina, Durability. Thanks to the immense demon power flowing through his veins, Inuyasha can unleash that awesome power in a bunch of ways. The first of which is his claws. Like the epically named, but not literal Iron Reaver Soul Stealer. By channelling his demon power into his claws, he could easily decimate weaker demons.

Popup: Prior to obtaining his father's sword Tessaiga, Iron Reaver Soul Stealer was Inuyasha's attack of choice. Following his acquisition of the weapon, Inuyasha rarely used his claws for attacks.

Wiz: Inuyasha also has the ability to draw upon his blood to perform the Blades of Blood technique. But it wasn’t long until he encountered his older half-brother Sesshōmaru, who led them to the site of their father’s remains, as well as his signature weapon, Tessaiga. With a little help from Kagome, Inuyasha took Tessaiga, wielding his father’s fabled weapon as his own. While it looks like some rusty old katana at first glance, there is so much more to it than you'd think.

Boomstick: At first I thought it was just some really old sword, but nope! It's actually pretty damn cool! Thanks to his demonic blood, Inuyasha can unleash the awesome blade's power and turn it into a five-foot-long carved blade. Since, surprise surprise, Tessaiga is actually the fang of his father. Man, I'd love if my dad left something like that for me.

Wiz: Ahem, over the course of his journey, Inuyasha has learned several Tessaiga techniques, including Wind Scar, Blacklash Wave and Adamant Barrage. The immense power of Tessaiga is so great that Inuyasha also carries the sheath of Tessaiga. But it isn't just a conventional sheath, it can deflect energy attacks and even has the ability to recall the Tessaiga when needed. But that's not all that Inuyasha inherited from his father.

Boomstick: You see his red clothes? That's his Robe of the Fire-Rat, made from the hair of the Fire-Rat. But it ain't some soft robe, it has a bunch of useful abilities. It can regenerate itself, and it's fireproof. It's also somehow stronger than typical armor. Man, we need stuff like this around the office, and especially your lab.

Popup: The Robe of the Fire-Rat has even regenerated from complete disintegration during a battle with Naraku, although it did take a few days to reform. The only major weakness of the robes is its demonic nature, as purification barriers can depower the robe's abilities, turning it into simple clothing.

Wiz: You might be onto something. That being said, Inuyasha has certainly made quite the name for himself over the years, becoming one of the strongest demons in the series, and a beloved fan-favourite all over the world. Even without his weapons, Inuyasha is pretty strong. He can toss building size trees and boulders without any trouble. Even in modern-day Japan, Inuyasha's strength allowed him to tear through thick metal structures. But the height of his power lay with Tessaiga.

Boomstick: Yep. Tessiaga can easily destroy a small mountain, which Sesshōmaru conveniently demonstrated. In fact, Sesshōmaru played a big role in Inuyasha's life, helping him reach his strongest levels, and even one of his strongest techniques, Meidō Zangetsuha, which Inuyasha eventually mastered, allowing him to use Meidō Blades, a bunch of crescent projectiles that are essentially portals that can cut through opponents and pick up the remains.

Wiz: Certainly a powerful ability. Though Sesshōmaru has always been distinguishable from Inuyasha since he is a pure yōkai. But Inuyasha can take on a dangerous yōkai form should he feel his life is in mortal danger. It gives him greater power at the expense of his humanity, which can put him in serious danger. But Inuyasha has ways around this. Tessaiga keeps his demonic transformation at bay, while Kagome can essentially purify Inuyasha out of his yōkai form.

Boomstick: Yeah, Kagome is by his side for a reason. But while she won't be able to help him today, Inuyasha is still a force to be reckoned with. He's dodged lightning several times and has kept up with Sesshōmaru during their fights. Since he's dodged cloud to ground lightning, it's pretty likely he's capable of Hypersonic speeds. Inuyasha also has quite a pain tolerance. He's been impaled in areas like the throat and stomach and lived. His accelerated healing is another of his dad's wonderful inheritance gifts. And this one came in quite handy.

Popup: Inuyasha can also keep up with modern Japanese trains that operate at 100+ km/hr speeds. While Inuyasha does not have the power of flight, he does have the ability to glide over long distances by manipulating his yōki.

Wiz: Inuyasha can also withstand considerable blunt force. During a battle against the massive daiyōkai Hosenki, Inuyasha was punched from above and survived. His regeneration also came in handy when Tessaiga was broken, Inuyasha repaired it by using his own fang since his father used his fang to forge the weapon. Not long after, he grew his fang back. However, its implied Inuyasha's regeneration cannot recover from dismemberment. So while Inuyasha can emerge from a big scrape, a deadly blow can do him in or leave him without an arm.

Boomstick: Oh yeah, Inuyasha isn't without weaknesses. The night of a new moon will transform him into a human, losing all of his demonic powers. Inuyasha can also be affected by sensory overload, such as how the strong smell of black ink left him unconscious. Spiritual Powers, like the ones used by Kikyō and Kagome, are effective against demons, even half-demons like Inuyasha.

Wiz: Though despite his vulnerabilities, Inuyasha has grown quite a lot, while he may have once been a lonely hybrid wanting to become a full demon and leave his human life behind, he ultimately found a surrogate family with his companions, and finally found the thing he sorely missed throughout his life, a sense of belonging.

Boomstick: He finally got hitched to Kagome, and they had a kid name Moroha. Plus he seems to have patched things up with his big bro. You know, that's pretty nice. Hang on a sec, I need to get a tissue.

Inuyasha: Should something terrible be caused again by the Shikon Jewel, whatever it may be, I shall cut it down with my own hands.

Kenshin Himura

Boomstick: Let me tell you the tale of a man ashamed of his past, striving to do nothing more than helping the good people around him. This is the story of Kenshin Himura, a man once known as the Hitokiri Battōsai, which made Kenshin infamous as an assassin and quite literally meant he was a manslayer.

Wiz: You sound rather enthusiastic, which I honestly wasn't expecting from you. I've known you for over 10 years now and I don't think I’ve ever seen you show interest in a series like this. It's got no guns, the alcohol is just sake, and although there's action, it’s more about substance.

Boomstick: Wiz. I'm not stupid, I know the good stuff. Besides, Kenshin is one of my favourite manga characters ever! He's right up there with Guts! Though Kenshin's life didn't start great either. Born as Shinta, he lost his family before he was nine years old. Afterwards, he got sold into slavery, and if that wasn't bad enough, the only people who cared about him got murdered by bandits.

Wiz: It wasn't all bad for Shinta however, the bandits had been killed by a swordsman named Seijūrō Hiko XIII, who took Shinta under his wing once he learned just how kind and noble the young boy was. He gave Shinta the name "Kenshin" and began teaching him what would become Kenshin's signature style, Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, or Flying Heavenly Sword Style. Despite his life being put on the right track, Kenshin sought to use his talents to solve the issues plaguing Japan.

Popup: Kenshin left his training under Seijūrō to participate in the Bakumatsu, a real-life event that took place during the final years of the Tokugawa shogunate, and the Edo period as a whole.

Boomstick: Although he meant well, all those years spent serving a "noble cause" turned him into nothing more than a damn good murderer, earning him the title of Hitokiri Battōsai. While that would be just fine by me, Kenshin didn't like that all he was good at was just killing people senselessly. Even when he tried to slow things down, he ended up accidentally killing his wife, which pushed him to never again kill, like a samurai Batman.

Wiz: Honoring the promise of his departed wife, Kenshin turned in the mantle of Hitokiri Battōsai and replaced his existing sword with the Sakabatō, a unique katana with a reversed blade. With such a weapon, Kenshin's skill as a Samurai would remain just as effective, except now his lethality with the blade was greatly reduced. As the best weapon for his newfound life as a wandering swordsman, Kenshin essentially became a ronin, a samurai with no master.

Boomstick: But not for too long. Kenshin eventually came back to Seijūrō, who after some convincing, allowed him to finish his training in Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū. And boy, those techniques are the stuff of badassery. In true samurai fashion, this style is all about using single swings and attacks to defeat both singular and multiple foes, and using his incredible speed to render his opponents unable to counterattack.

Wiz: Kenshin was incredibly adept at Battou-Jutsu, or the Quick Draw Technique, which is directly influenced by the real-life Iaijutsu art. So in addition to his existing techniques within Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū, he has a slew of techniques when using Battou-Jutsu. Though Kenshin does have his favourites. Beginning with Ryūtsuisen, a technique that uses the momentum gained from jumping to enhance Kenshin's strike.

Popup: As the series and Kenshin himself are greatly influenced by Gensai Kawakami, Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū is loosely based on Gensai's real-life Shiranui-ryū style.

Boomstick: Ryūkansen is the perfect spin attack for fighting groups of opponents. Ryūshōsen is essentially an anti-air move where he strikes the jaw of his opponents. It's the opposite of his favourite technique. But he can combine the two to perform Ryūtsui ● Shōsen, so he can slice his cake and eat it too! Ryūsōsen is one of Kenshin's fastest attacks and his go-to option when he needs to get through sturdy opponents.

Wiz: When Kenshin's opponents are out of range, he can use Doryūsen to attack the ground and use it as a projectile of sorts. Kuzuryūsen is Seijūrō's signature move, a dash attack that targets all nine vital points of the body, easily one of his deadliest moves. Though while these moves are quite powerful, Kenshin is distinguished for his use of Battou-Jutsu techniques.

Boomstick: Sōryūsen is a Battou-Jutsu technique where Kenshin uses both the blade and the sheath as weapons, and the sheath can dish out enough damage to shatter wood and crush bones. Hiryūsen turns Kenshin into a Beyblade where he spins around and launches his sword from his sheath for a neat surprise. Ryūmeisen is the opposite of a quick draw, Kenshin sheaths the blade so hard that it creates a sonic boom, which Kenshin used to great effect taking advantage of one of his opponent's sensitive nervous systems. Then there's his most legendary attack, Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki!

Wiz: This technique surpasses all other Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū techniques, and although it poses danger for both Kenshin and his opponents, Kenshin has successfully mastered it and can utilize it to the fullest. Though it may appear as a simple quick draw slash, Kenshin performs an extra step, which increases his power and speed. It's so powerful that it creates a localized air vacuum that catches the opponent if they evade the first strike.

Popup: Although Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū has anime-exclusive techniques such as Karyūsen and Rairyūsen, these techniques will be included as they do not contradict anything from Kenshin's established capabilities in the manga.

Boomstick: Allowing Kenshin to move in like a badass and land the second, stronger attack. Outside of his epic sword moves, Kenshin can harness his Ki. But not like the Dragon Ball kind of Ki, more like the real-life stuff. He can use it to sense the emotions, intent and fighting spirit of his opponent. Letting him anticipate his opponent's actions simply by figuring out what vibe their Ki gives off.

Wiz: Kenshin's use of Ki proved instrumental during his showdown with his Hitokiri Battōsai successor, Makoto Shishio. It amplified his abilities in combat, surpassing the strength he possessed when he was the Hitokiri Battōsai. Overall, Kenshin is one of the strongest swordsmen in the world, having defeated plenty of worthy foes, including Makoto, Enishi, and successfully bested Seijūrō, but chose not to become the fourteenth successor.

Boomstick: It'd certainly make Kenshin comparable to his rival Hajime Saito, who survived a massive explosion on Mount Hakodate, by observing the diameter of the explosion, it would have yielded just over 70 tons of TNT. Goddamn! And considering Kenshin's had nearly 20 years of experience as a swordsman, in which he's battled a variety of opponents, he's up there.

Wiz: Kenshin has also dodged machine-gun fire. And he kept up with Sōjirō Seta, who could move faster than Kenshin could only barely keep up. Putting him into the Supersonic range when it comes to speeds and reactions. Making him more than capable of speed blitzing gunmen before they can even open fire. This comes in handy since Kenshin has no defensive protection to save him if he does get injured. During his fight with Enishi, although he did land his technique, he received a cut across his arm.

Popup: In the manga, it is stated that even with a Sakabatō, the Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki is capable of killing its victims.

Boomstick: Aside from some basic defence techniques, Kenshin lacks good hand-to-hand combat. Should he be disarmed, Kenshin has no other choice but to rely on defensive measures to ensure he stays in the fight. Though he has shown on occasion he can take a hit if it means he will be able to land one of his attacks. Gotta say he's got the guts to put his life on the line.

Wiz: It should also be mentioned that Kenshin relies on intuition when it comes to his use of Ki. While he can sense his opponent’s intentions and emotions, this tactic does not come with a guarantee. Pragmatic opponents and those who employ unconventional tactics can get around Kenshin's ability. Not to mention, if someone can hide their emotions from Kenshin, he can easily be misled.

Boomstick: The biggest problem Kenshin faces is that his body is not well-built enough to handle the full might of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū. Using it so much over the course of his life caused Kenshin's body to deteroirate long before his body would naturally decline. But when all was said and done, Kenshin was able to finally live that peaceful life he always wanted and managed to find a girl who helped him feel like he was a better person. Sure he may have had to put up with a lot of her torment, but it worked out in the end, and he had a kid!

Wiz: Several years later, Kenshin would become a mentor to his son, Kenji Himura, and ensured that the days of the Hitokiri Battōsai were well and truly over. The future to come would be safeguarded by the man who swore to never take another life, vowing to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

Kenshin: You can die anytime, but living takes true courage.

DEATH BATTLE!

Wiz: Alright, the combatants are set, and we've run the data through all possibilities.

Boomstick: It's time for a DEATH BATTLE!

---

The land of the rising sun. From the outset of sunrise, the warm, golden rays of sunlight rose over the hills, ushering in a morning like no other. As the day began, the inviting colours of the forest soon painted a beautiful picture that transcended what anyone could describe. With the sun in the skies above, the cherry blossom trees radiated a pink glow. Soon the day had begun for most people and everyone went about their business. Hidden within the forest area was a small, but seemingly abandoned village. Though it looked perfectly inhabitable.

In this tucked-away haven, things couldn't be more peaceful. There wasn't a soul for miles, and nature itself thrived. Although it was quite remote, it did attract the occasional passerby. And today's visitor was a man who looked fairly young for an adult. He wore a simple men's kimono, appearing soft burgundy in colour. His hair was quite abundant, having a ponytail at the back, with the colour of an autumn leaf.

Though perhaps the most defining trait of his appearance was an unusual scar across his left cheek, a cross shape. Despite the distinctive scar, the man was quite serene in how he carried himself. He walked through the forest, occasionally looking up to admire the cherry blossoms. The sunlight seemed to make them more vibrant and calming, though, on occasion, the sunlight would beam through the gaps between the trees.

The man carried a katana by his side, resting within its sheath. From the looks of it, he was but a wandering swordsman. This man was none other than Kenshin Himura, who seemed to be following no set path, but wherever the world decided to take him. As he walked through the cherry blossom forest, he began to wonder where the nearest village or town could be, since he knew he would need to find a place to rest before the end of the day

As he continued his search, he soon emerged from the forest and saw a village hidden behind this massive forest. The sight of it brought Kenshin some joy since he could finally make plans for resting. As he approached the main entrance of the village, he noticed that things were a bit quiet, concluding that it was a little unusual for there to be static silence in a village, people would be thriving at this time. The thought crossed his mind that perhaps the remnants of the old shogunate had found their way here to remain off the radar

Exploring the village for a time, Kenshin noticed that the homes were empty, there was no sign of life within any of the buildings or homes. He had begun to fear the worst, but as he continued his investigation, he soon concluded that it wasn't unlikely some kind of attack transpired, he would have been able to sense blood or at least some kind of remnant from conflict. The thought finally rested on his mind that perhaps the village was abandoned for the benefit of its citizens.

The thought weighed on his mind, but he knew it was best not to dwell on it for too long. During his departure from the village, he became more aware of how immaculate it appeared. Which certainly gave him more food for thought. Now outside of the village, Kenshin could see a path that would take him back to the roads that he knew. So he charted a path in his mind and began to follow it, one that would soon bring him back home.

As he walked, he caught, out of the corner of his eyes, a striking colour that stood out quite a fair bit compared to the green fields and forests and pink cherry blossoms. He saw something red resting against a tree. Seeing it as an opportunity to gain further insight into the situation, Kenshin made his way to the tree to ascertain what this was all about. As he got closer, it looked like a person was resting on the tree.

Rushing toward that person, Kenshin soon discovered that it was a man, who looked no older than him. Dressed in a red robe of sorts, Kenshin noticed the man looked to be sleeping quite peacefully. What caught Kenshin's attention was the man's hair, it was long silver-white hair, almost like an animal. But what perplexed Kenshin most of all was what appeared to be the ears of an animal on the sleeping man's head.

Unsure if they were real ears or not, Kenshin quietly kneeled and rubbed them with his fingers. To his surprise, the ears felt completely natural. Unfortunately, he didn't have long to revel in what he had learned, as the man suddenly showed signs of waking up, and Kenshin backed up immediately. As the man awoke, he noticed Kenshin standing just a few feet from him. "Hey, what're you doing?" the man asked.

Not entirely sure what to say considering the nature of their encounter, Kenshin fell silent, unable to make a sensible reason for his actions besides sheer curiosity. This only further angered the man, or rather, the Half-Demon, Inuyasha. Climbing to his feet, Inuyasha looked quite irritated and Kenshin's Ki quickly ascertained Inuyasha's emotions and believed his intentions to be hostile. To ensure he could defend himself, Kenshin reached for and brandished his Sakabato from its sheath. But still, Kenshin did not utter a word.

Seeing that the swordsman had not backed down, Inuyasha was annoyed further. "So, that's how we're gonna settle this?" he uttered as he too reached for his weapon, which had been resting on the tree beside him. Brandishing the sword from its sheath, it appeared a bit rusty and damaged along the blade specifically. Kenshin's silence continued as he observed Inuyasha's sword. But the condition of his weapon was of no concern to Inuyasha. "You won't like what's coming your way." Inuyasha remarked as he firmly held his weapon at the ready.

FIGHT!

(Cue Heads or Tails (Staff Roll) - Devil May Cry 2)

Charging into the battle, Inuyasha raced toward Kenshin. Alerted to his incoming foe, Kenshin entered a defensive stance and guarded himself. Inuyasha's sprint quickly became a leaping attack. The sword came down ready to slice but was met by Kenshin's sakabato. Another moment of inspecting the sword revealed to Kenshin that he didn't need to make an offensive move, as the sword would likely shatter with enough pressure. Seeing his attack halted, Inuyasha pulled back and once again attempted an attack, this time swinging vertically from the bottom up.

Once again, Kenshin guarded Inuyasha's swing. Though Inuyasha tried to maintain the clash of swords this time. The two repeatedly applied pressure on the other, trying to overcome the other's strength. Kenshin's defence was valiant, whilst Inuyasha's offence was unlike anything Kenshin had ever seen before. Ultimately, Inuyasha triumphed and broke Kenshin's defence, which sent the wandering swordsman into a heightened sense of reaction.

With his opening afforded to him, Inuyasha attempted to impale Kenshin here and now. However, the barbaric nature of his attack was something Kenshin caught onto the mere moments he had before the attack would reach him. Refraining from launching a defensive move, Kenshin sidestepped the attack, causing Inuyasha to overextend and lose control. Kenshin used that moment to draw his sakabato once again and make a strike on Inuyasha's leg.

Although the strike did not reach Inuyasha's body, the Robe of the Fire-Rat simply took the hit instead. Although it was not a precise cut as Kenshin's sakabato did not cut with the sharp side of the blade. Regardless, Inuyasha noticed the attack and reacted quickly. But instead of immediately going for impalement, Inuyasha went for a horizontal swing to force some distance between himself and Kenshin. It proved successful as Kenshin backed up to avoid being struck.

The swordsmen took a moment to recognize the other's skill in a swordfight. But soon resumed the battle, with Inuyasha once again taking charge. Though Kenshin predicted that Inuyasha would once again use an offensive attack with no forethought and evaded the strike. Having sidestepped it as he did before, he instead decided to make use of one of his techniques, Ryūkansen. Although Kenshin decided he would use the technique, he quickly decided it would be best to refrain from the most lethal output of the technique.

With Inuyasha stuck in the charge, he had committed himself to, Kenshin's sidestep was quickly followed up as he spun himself in a full circle. Gripping his sword, Kenshin's spin added greater momentum and force to his attack. As he completed his spin, he aimed the sakabato at Inuyasha's waist. Ryūkansen's sheer force successfully dealt a powerful blow against Inuyasha, cutting through the Robe of the Fire-Rat, though not drawing blood due to being hit with the blunt end of the sakabato.

The force accumulated by the attack knocked Inuyasha off his feet and a dozen meters to the right. It was already quite a substantial blow, but now he's had to meet the ground as if he were told to sit down, a feeling he did not enjoy much at all. To bring things under control and regain his composure, Inuyasha dug his claws into the ground as his momentum left long marks firmly carved into the ground. Finally, Inuyasha came to a stop and looked up at Kenshin.

Though instead of a look of accomplishment or success, Kenshin's face was quite solemn, as though he had no interest in the conflict whatsoever. "Let's end this meaningless fight. I don't want to lift this sword against you any further" Kenshin remarked. Rising to his feet, Inuyasha noticed his sword on the ground near him. Though Kenshin carefully observed the actions he may take, instead of rushing as he had done prior, Inuyasha approached his weapon and picked it up.

Grasping his weapon with two hands, Inuyasha held it firmly as the sword's hilt began to release firey energy. Kenshin raised his arm, shielding his eyes from the bright phenomenon in front of him. Inuyasha's simple katana was enveloped within the energy. A few seconds later, the sword emerged. But it suddenly appeared much larger, thicker and completely immaculate in its appearance. Inuyasha's sword, Tessaiga, had awakened, taking on its Fang form.

Witnessing the incredible transformation first hand, the sudden change in his opponent's weapon left Kenshin utterly speechless, well, aside from the only reaction he could muster. "Oro?". As the energy surrounding Tessaiga dissipated, Inuyasha's face took on a more confident look. Kenshin soon snapped back to his senses and put aside his solemn outlook, knowing that it would not dissuade Inuyasha from fighting. Readying his sakabato, Kenshin and Inuyasha carefully looked to see who would move first.

Anticipating that Inuyasha would make yet another brazen move against him, Kenshin instead decided to initiate things this time around. Knowing that it would be incredibly unlikely for him to land one strike against Inuyasha while using that massive weapon, Kenshin quickly thought of a way to more effectively create an opening that wasn't simply through a sword fight. Raising his sword into the air, Kenshin almost seemed to point it skyward. Though Inuyasha was more interested in seeing what would happen.

The light of the sun reflected on the blade itself, and it seemed to glimmer a powerful light. Then, with a powerful one arm swing, Kenshin struck the ground, performing Doryūsen. Earthen debris was launched in Kenshin's forward direction towards Inuyasha. The attack coming his way alerted Inuyasha who quickly jumped into the and avoided the debris entirely. Kenshin was astonished to see Inuyasha evade so swiftly despite carrying such a massive sword.

"Take this! Wind Scar!" Inuyasha loudly declared as he swung Tessaiga forward whilst he was in the air. A massive wave of energy launched from the fabled weapon and headed Kenshin's way. Seeing that he was in considerable danger, Kenshin was quick to react and narrowly managed to avoid the energy wave. The two took a moment to catch their breath. Kenshin coming to terms with what he just saw and Inuyasha making a safe landing on the ground.

The considerable power Inuyasha had just displayed put Kenshin into a state of thought, and whether or not his foe learned some of the Three Secret Swords techniques that once belonged to his serial killer successor. Although that thought sat with him for a while, he didn't have time to stand there and think idly. Inuyasha once again came in charging. Kenshin readied his defences. This time Inuyasha jumped into the air and used his momentum as he descended to add more weight to his attack.

As Tessaiga came soaring down, Kenshin raised his sakabato defensively, guarding against the swing. The two entered a momentary impasse before Inuyasha backed off and once again attempted to attack, though Kenshin took charge this time around and readied another of his techniques for Inuyasha. Since Kenshin noticed the similarities between Inuyasha's attack and his Ryūtsuisen technique, he quickly concluded he was not dealing with a normal swordsman, and that his stronger techniques were reasonable options going forward.

"Accept defeat with grace" Kenshin coldly remarked, almost invoking the energy of the Hitokiri Battosai. Despite the massive hit he had taken, Inuyasha fought back against the pain. His accelerated healing for both his body and the Robe of the Fire-Rat kicked in, mending the wounds that he had received. "He's strong...!" Inuyasha begrudgingly admitted to himself as he finally rose to his feet. With his wound gone, Inuyasha readied himself to resume the fight. But the simple fact he had already taken some strong hits only raised further questions in his head. "When did humans become this powerful?" Inuyasha thought.

This was unlike anything he had ever seen in a human before. And nothing about his weaponry suggested holy composition like the spiritual powers of his closest allies. Though now Inuyasha was beginning to realize that although he was hit, and his robes were being cut, he had not yet drawn blood. If anything, it felt like he was being beaten over and over with a stick of pure iron. It almost compelled Inuyasha to inquire into the nature of the weapon, but he didn't want to focus on it, he still had the battle to deal with.

Within moments of him getting back on his feet, the Robe of the Fire-Rat activated its healing and completely mended itself from Kenshin's cutting blows. Rushing back into the fight, Inuyasha jumped into the air and swung Tessaiga, though this time, the sheer size of the fang's blade generated massive winds, causing the cherry blossoms in the trees to shake more noticeably than the natural wind.

Some of the cherry blossoms fell from the trees and glided through the skies, a couple of them even passing by Inuyasha and Kenshin in the midst of their battle. Kenshin had evaded to the side, looking to avoid Tessaiga's gargantuan blade potentially breaking sakabato into pieces. Kenshin used his opportunity to attempt another strike on Inuyasha, but Tessaiga shielded against Kenshin's attack. Inuyasha looked on with determination, "You're something else." Inuyasha remarked, seeing Kenshin as potentially the greatest human swordsman he had ever seen in his life. It put him in mind of his past encounters with other talented swordsmen, including his brother.

(Cue Kingdom Valley -Wind- The Castle -Lakeside-Water- - Sonic the Hedgehog)

Tapping into his Ki, Kenshin took a moment to gather his senses and attempt to understand Inuyasha's emotions and intent. It didn't take long before things became clear. The results worried Kenshin more than anything else. Above all, he did not want to take another life, but it was nevertheless a great concern that Kenshin may be fighting a moral battle he cannot win."He's on the wrong path. I should intervene, warn him so he does not lose himself. But his intentions... they are still hostile. I don't think he'll listen." Kenshin thought to himself.

As their blades remained locked against one another, Kenshin's initial hesitancy to fight was beginning to recede, and although he did not plan on killing his foe, he was not above considering more permanent damage to ensure the fight ended in his victory. Initiating with those thoughts, Kenshin backed off from the sword clash and carried out his plan. Returning to one of the techniques he's used already, Kenshin raised his right arm and swung at the ground, performing Doryūsen.

The earthly projectiles launched, and the attack rushed across the ground towards Inuyasha, who instinctively responded by jumping into the air to avoid getting hit. Having kept his eyes on Inuyasha the entire time, Kenshin swiftly approached and firmly grasped his sword. Taking a deep breath, Kenshin approached the airborne Inuyasha, who was preparing an attack of his own. But with his more advantageous speed, Kenshin performed his Ryūsōsen technique.

Before he could successfully pull off his own attack, Inuyasha was bombarded by a flurry of strikes, hitting him on multiple points on his body, though no cuts or wounds were inflicted. But the rain of blows that Inuyasha received robbed him of his attack and sent him falling to the ground. Tessaiga briefly slipped from Inuyasha's hand. And instinctively, Inuyasha became more alert than he had been prior.

He looked to his right and gazed upon Tessaiga just a few inches from his hand. He reached forward and after a few brief moments of contact with his weapon, Inuyasha finally grasped it. Though Kenshin saw this happening and moved to stop Inuyasha from resuming the fight. But Inuyasha took a massive one-handed swing of Tessaiga at Kenshin, who promptly stopped himself, and noticed that the swing was with just one hand. Something that would be impossible for a man to perform with just a single hand.

That moment was all Inuyasha needed to get back onto his feet. Ryūsōsen was certainly a lot quicker than Inuyasha had expected, but the speed of the attacks didn't make up for the fact they weren't harming him. And if they did, his healing would guarantee the damage would not persist for long. "More sturdy and endurant than I expected" Kenshin thought to himself. Most of his opponents would fall after just one use of Ryūsōsen, but that was not the case this time.

Despite Inuyasha being perceived as the wall standing tall, Kenshin still believed there was a way around Inuyasha's stalwart defence. But he had little time to act on his thoughts as Inuyasha came charging toward him, almost as if Ryūsōsen didn't affect him at all. Inuyasha went for an overhead swing with Tessaiga, though Kenshin evaded yet again. Using the window of opportunity to get in another attack. Knowing that some of this techniques would be ineffective at the moment, Kenshin attempted a strike at Inuyasha's chest.

Succeeding, Inuyasha took the brunt of the hit and momentarily staggered after already having to deal with his attack missing. He glanced down at his chest to see that although the sword cut through his robes, once again they did not draw blood from his body, his accelerated healing having nothing to heal. And moments later, the robes mended themselves, rending the attack meaningless. With his opponent landing attacks that left little impact on him, Inuyasha decided to put the pressure back onto him.

Holding Tessaiga ready, Inuyasha kept it in place as it began to shine brightly, like a diamond. "Adamant Barrage!" Inuyasha shouted as he swung Tessaiga in Kenshin's direction. Once swung, large amounts of diamond shrapnel launched towards Kenshin, who immediately went on the defensive. Knowing he was unlikely to avoid getting hit, he instead sought to minimize the potential damage and quickly performed Doryūsen once again, causing the earthly debris to erupt from the ground, whilst also headed in Inuyasha's direction.

The two swordsmen had the brief moment to escape the colliding attacks. The sharpnel only narrowly missed Kenshin, but the ground that had erupted robbed the shrapnel of their speed, rendering them fairly harmless. Inuyasha and Kenshin were quick to resume battle, but this time it was Kenshin making a swift approach towards his foe. Though instead of attempting a quick draw technique, Kenshin's sakabato was already out of its sheath and ready to strike.

Seizing yet another chance for an attack, Inuyasha approached his foe in kind. With the two closing in on each other, it seemed as though neither of them was going to back down. Inuyasha anticipated an incoming attack and readied Tessaiga to shield him. But Kenshin didn't raise his weapon. Having expected himself to defend, Inuyasha haphazardly turned his defence into offence and attempted to cut down Kenshin in a single swing.

However, Kenshin anticipated an attack and evaded. As Kenshin passed by however, he returned his sakabato into his sheath. After a few moments Kenshin came to a stop and waited there, standing idly as though the fight had ended. Inuyasha noticed his foe had come to a complete stop, and was about to swing when a sudden painful sensation brought him to his knees.

"What the heck was that?!" Inuyasha shouted, realizing his ears had gone numb from the use of Kenshin's Ryūmeisen technique. Kenshin turned to Inuyasha, seeing that his foe had finally become vulnerable. "This is the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū Ryūmeisen. I only had to pass by you, and the friction from my sword and its scarab was enough to generate a supersonic sound that would leave your ears in agony for a short time" Kenshin explained the process of his technique.

With his ears in considerable pain, Inuyasha completely zoned out from the fight that was happening right in front of him. This is what Kenshin had waited for. And with a well-placed swing, Kenshin disarmed Inuyasha of Tessaiga and performed Ryūsōsen once again. This time, he was more successful and left Inuyasha on the ground, having broken through Inuyasha's sturdy defences. As he snapped back to the present, although the sensation in his ears had started subsiding, Inuyasha found himself in considerable danger.

Realizing Tessaiga was out of reach, this feeling was amplified even greater. Kenshin's cold look on his face only further drove Inuyasha into a sense of mortal danger. If Kenshin was able to make a lethal strike now, it would most certainly spell the end of his life. His arms began to shake irrationally, as though he was paralyzed with fear. But it did not make him afraid, his body simply began to react instinctively, against Inuyasha's will.

As he approached, Kenshin noticed something was going on and knew that if he didn't end it immediately, things could get worse. Kenshin was not going to risk that, his Ki alerted him and detected that Inuyasha's feelings had become completely overwritten, and they were completely inhuman. Hoping that a swift end might be the least painful, Kenshin performed a quick draw slash, aimed right at Inuyasha's neck.

Without warning, Inuyasha grabbed the blade with his bare hand. Finally, for the first time since their battle began, Inuyasha drew blood, the sharp side of the sakabato piercing Inuyasha's skin and tainting the blade with blood. Kenshin looked at Inuyasha and was horrified to see what had become of him. His sclera turned crimson red, and his eyes became more akin to vertical slits, losing any and all semblance of human eyes.

Purple marks appeared on each side of his face, and his fangs were brought to bare. Inuyasha had succumbed to his Yōkai form. Holding the sakabato with his single hand, Inuyasha climbed to his feet, all the while Kenshin struggled to free his blade from Inuyasha's grasp. While the wandering swordsman struggled, Inuyasha almost seemed to smile. He felt his power rising, and it was an incredible feeling. Finally, Inuyasha batted away the sakabato, forcing Kenshin to go and retrieve it.

Gazing upon his hand, Inuyasha ran his finger tips through the small pool of blood that had gathered on his palm. His claws were also more prominent now than they had been prior. He soon saw his bloodstained hands and decided to put them to good use. Turning his attention Kenshin, Inuyasha rushed toward him. "Blades of Blood!" Inuyasha maliciously shouted. Kenshin was suddenly taken aback by Inuyasha's much greater speeds, and without adequate time to react, received a bloody scratch across his left arm. Seeing no other options, Kenshin finally picked up his sakabato and held it ready.

(Cue Burning Sword - J-Stars Victory VS)

With his foe's strength and speed amplified to higher levels than before, Kenshin accepted that ending this battle peacefully was unlikely. While he swore he would never again take a life, he nevertheless felt that it was a danger to others if Inuyasha remained unhinged as he is right now. He'd be doing the village a favour and ensuring that innocent people would not become victims. Inuyasha continued his frenzied flurry on Kenshin. Though the wandering swordsman maintained his defence with techniques that would simply slow down his foe's assault.

A swift Ryūsōsen struck Inuyasha once again, though he was able to recover without injury. Kenshin continued to realize his predicament, the techniques that did not outright kill his foes, they simply were not succeeding as much as they did prior. But now things looked bleak. Though instead of panicking, Kenshin remained calm and continued defending against Inuyasha's attacks. The fact Inuyasha was fighting without a sword only made Kenshin's worries grow.

Seeing little options left, Kenshin acted on what he knew would be able to succeed in this circumstances. Launching Doryūsen once again, he controlled the battle, making Inuyasha leap into the air and toward him. Anticipating that Inuyasha would attempt to overwhelm him from above. Kenshin drew his sword into his sheath and took a deep breath. "Sōryūsen" Kenshin uttered as he performed his quick draw, striking at Inuyasha's hand.

Though Inuyasha guarded against that attack, suddenly Inuyasha was struck by the sheath itself. Striking him on the neck, this attack certainly left Inuyasha with a bit of a bruise. Hitting the ground on his back, Inuyasha got back up but noticed Kenshin retrieving his sheath. Rushing toward him, Kenshin had no choice but to attack promptly, and the two exchanged close quarters attacks. Kenshin received three bloodied cuts into his chest whilst he bashed the sword's sheath on Inuyasha's head. Gazing at his kimono, Kenshin simply ripped the torn materials from his torso, though it loosely rested on his waist. The blood continued to spill, but Kenshin was not gone yet.

"Stop doing that!" Inuyasha shouted with frustration. And with that, Kenshin discovered a way to overcome Inuyasha's Yōkai form. Though it wasn't without great risk. Motivated by his instinctual irritation, Inuyasha charged toward Kenshin, who had simply entered a prepared stance. Just before Inuyasha attacked, Kenshin took a step forward and drew his sakabato, swinging horizontally toward the Yōkai. Inuyasha briefly backed up to ensure he would attack Kenshin once his guard was exposed. But all of a sudden, he felt an immense force pulling him towards Kenshin.

"What the-?!" Inuyasha uttered in confusion. Unable to escape the air vacuum of their immediate proximity, Inuyasha was helpless and at the mercy of the air vacuum. With his moment to strike at hand, Kenshin shouted louder than he ever had prior as he channeled the momentum of his missed swing to perform a such, much stronger strike. "Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū! Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki!" Kenshin valiantly announced as he struck Inuyasha with his mightest strike of all.

Kenshin's vertical strike launched Inuyasha into the air, piercing both his robes and his skin, despite the sakabato's blunt end. Inuyasha's blood splattered from his torso, he even coughed blood along the way. Kenshin did not move, he maintained the final pose of his ultimate technique, sword aimed skyward, his face to the ground. Though his body shook faintly, his body not designed to handle the full extent of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū.

Dropping to the ground with blood painting his torso, Inuyasha was desperate to survive. His healing was beginning to activate, but this wound was much greater, and would need some time before it would recover. He almost thought Kenshin would finish him. But he gazed over to see Kenshin holding his position, seeing his body shake faintly. His blood running down his arms. Inuyasha looked to his other side and noticed the sheath of Tessaiga. Reacing for it, Inuyasha mustered what strength he could muster.

"Tessaiga, come to me!" he commanded. Tessaiga suddenly lifted off the ground and headed toward Inuyasha, who grabbed it with his free hand. Immediately, Tessaiga reacted to Inuyasha's Yōkai form, and absorbed the demonic energy, reverting Inuyasha back to his Hanyō form. In due time, the robes patched themselves up, though his massive torso scar still needed a bit longer before it completely healed.

Nevertheless, Inuyasha stood upright. Although he readied himself to continue the battle, he noticed Kenshin was struggling to continue. He considered ending his life as an act of mercy, but unfortunately the damage had been done. Hurrying over to his weakened foe, Inuyasha grabbed hold of Kenshin and laid him on his back, allowing his tense body to rest properly. "I'm sorry. I promise I can fix this, you're going to be okay."

While Inuyasha frantically looked for a solution, Kenshin faintly grabbed his wrist. "What is your name?". Honoring that request, he responded. "Inuyasha". Content, Kenshin continued. "Inuyasha. I knew you weren't yourself, I don't blame you. I... was once like you, knowing nothing but the kill. But whatever you do, you must never let your evils win. You'll hurt the people you care about." Kenshin pleaded. "But, you're not evil. You have to live through this!" Inuyasha's desperation peaked.

"Damn it, don't die on me!" Inuyasha demanded. "It's alright... my hands are filthy from all I've done. I cannot change that..." Kenshin's voice claimed faintly. "No.... No... No... Noo!!!" Inuyasha, overwhelmed with anguish watched Kenshin's life fade from his eyes. Unable to accept what had happened, Inuyasha sunk his head to the ground. consumed by agony.

K.O.!

Conclusion

(Cue My Will - Dream)

Boomstick: Oh... that's... that's rough...

Wiz: Yeah... but at the very least, there were advantages on both sides. For one thing, Kenshin had a lot more combat experience, having spent almost 20 years as a swordsman before he became a wandering protector of the innocent. So considering this fight was mostly a swordfight, Kenshin was a lot more in his element compared to Inuyasha.

Boomstick: Yeah, and it's no contest when it comes to training and mentality. Kenshin is a seasoned swordsman having fought many other swordsmen in his time. So Tessaiga wouldn't have thrown him off guard, they had big Zanbatos back in the day, so a massive thick sword wasn't something Kenshin hadn't seen before. It also helped that Inuyasha is a lot more hot-headed and impatient than Kenshin.

Popup: Both Inuyasha and Kenshin could access their more ruthless selves if they were pushed to the brink. However, as Inuyasha's transformation into a Yōkai can be triggered against his will, and in the fact of Kenshin's greater swordsmanship and discipline, it is significantly more likely for Inuyasha to become a Yōkai than it is for Kenshin to revert back to his Battosai mentality.

Wiz: Kenshin's various techniques helped control the battle. Attacking from a distance with Doryūsen, wearing down Inuyasha's defences with Ryūsōsen and especially unexpected techniques like Ryūmeisen gave him a fighting chance. But in the end, Inuyasha simply had every other advantage. While the explosion on Mount Hakodate was impressive, it didn't destroy the mountain, while Tessaiga can destroy a mountain with a single strike. Not to mention Inuyasha's battles with pure demons like Sesshōmaru, who boast considerable power.

Boomstick: The speed difference was also clear cut. Inuyasha dodging lightning on multiple occasions outclasses Kenshin dodging gunfire, not even Sōjirō's speeds could match Inuyasha's lightning dodging. But even when Kenshin did land strikes against Inuyasha, he had layers of protection and healing, making it difficult for Kenshin to wear down Inuyasha.

Wiz: Since his use of the Sakabatō intentionally reduces his lethality in a fight, it's incredibly difficult for Kenshin's attacks to leave any lasting damage on Inuyasha, who could not only heal his wounds, but even the robes could mend the damage it received. On top of that, Inuyasha has survived some pretty severe injuries, such as being stabbed, impaled, even a hole punched through his guts.

Popup: Inuyasha has also survived his own attacks being reflected back at him, including techniques like Wind Scar and Adamant Barrage.

Boomstick: And really, Inuyasha only needed to land enough blows and Kenshin simply wouldn't be able to keep going. Especially since Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū causes Kenshin's body to deteriorate over time, and he doesn't have the physique to use these techniques without it coming back to bite him in the ass.

Wiz: Kenshin is, without question, one of the greatest swordsmen in manga. And his story is incredibly compelling. But while his experience, training and versatility were incredibly valuable, Inuyasha's demonic heritage gave him the strength, speed, durability and equipment needed to pull off a victory against the wandering swordsman.

Boomstick: Looks like the Rurouni just RuroRAN out of time.

Wiz: The winner is Inuyasha.

Original Track

An Original Track for this fight would be titled "Medieval Feud".

The title is a reference to both combatants stories taking place in historical Japan, InuYasha specifically takes place during the Sengoku period (1467-1615), which falls under the era of Feudal Japan. It may also be a play on words of 'Feud', a long-running argument or fight.

Trivia

• The connections between Inuyasha and Kenshin Himura are that they are sword-wielding titular protagonists of 90s adventure-romance shonen manga set in historic Japan. Both possessed a darker and more ruthless side of themselves (Inuyasha's Yōkai form and Kenshin's past as the Hitokiri Battōsai) and use unique swords (Tessaiga and Sakabatō). Their former lovers (Kikyō and Tomoe Yukishiro) died tragically, both directly playing a role in their deaths. Eventually, they become significantly tied to the main heroine of the story (Kagome Higurashi and Kaoru Kamiya) who constantly torments them, but ultimately love and marry them by the end of the series. Their single offspring (Moroha and Kenji Himura) grow up with a resemblance to their father.

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