INUYASHA CHAPTER 457 - "AZUSA YAMA NO SIEREI"
"The Spirit of Azusa Mountain"

Volume 46, part 9
written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi

PAGE 2

1
A view of the mountain, with the wind rusting the foliage.

2
Kouga, Sango, Miroku, Shippou, and Kirara are once again shown at the foot of the staircase.

KOUGA
Hey. What the heck happened?

3
Shippou looks over to Kouga.

SHIPPOU
We're back at the bottom of the stairway.

KOUGA
I know that!

4
Closer view of Kouga, who looks frustrated.

KOUGA
Kagome's gone!
She was kidnapped by the youkai, I'm sure of it!

5
Miroku looks up towards the stairway, looking worried.

MIROKU
Don't be hasty, Kouga.
Azusa Yama is a sacred mountain.

PAGE 3

1
Again, a view of the stairway, looking up towards the mausoleum building at the top.

MIROKU (off)
This means it's likely that this mountain,
Allowed Kagome-sama in...

2
A slight scene change, showing a closer view of the rooftop of the mausoleum.

3
Kagome is inside the building, following the figure of Kikyou...

4
Kagome looks towards Kikyou's figure, her heart beating nervously.

KAGOME (thinking)
.oO( Who on earth is this person? )

5
A view of the figure as it had appeared before on the steps, faceless (and perhaps colorless?)

KAGOME (thinking)
I was sure it didn't have a face...

PAGE 4

1
A side view of the Kikyou-like figure.

KAGOME (off - thinking)
So then why did it take on Kikyou's shape...

2
Close view of the Kikyou-like figure as it turns to speak to Kagome.

KIKYOU (FIGURE)
You... are dirtied, aren't you.
Naraku's filthy spider web is entangling you.

3
Kagome's heart skips a beat; she looks shocked at this "accusation."

KAGOME
Huh...?

4
A view of Kagome before, when she was trapped in Naraku's spider web.

KAGOME (thinking)
Naraku's spider web is...?

5
Another view of the figure of Kikyou, her back turned. She appears to be opening a closet.

PAGE 5

1
As she turns, we see she's holding a bow.

2
A close up of Kagome when she sees this.

KAGOME
A bow...

3
The figure of Kikyou holds the bow up and faces Kagome...

KIKYOU (SPIRIT)
Take this.
You came for this, I'm sure.

Kagome looks a bit surprised.

KAGOME
Oh?
I can?

4
A closer view of just Kagome, as she takes the bow in her hands. She looks surprised.

KAGOME
Ah.... um....
Thank you.

5
A closer view of the figure of Kikyou.

KIKYOU (SPIRIT)
Indeed.
Now if you truly think you want to save that woman...

[NOTE - there is emphasis on "that woman"]

PAGE 6

1
Back outside, Kagome is running down the staircase with the bow in her hands...

KIKYOU (SPIRIT)- CONT. (off - voiceover)
...I'd expect for you to take the bow back.

KAGOME
(panting)
Hah...
Hah...
Hah...

2
A close up of Kagome as she runs down the staircase...

KAGOME (thinking)
.oO( It's the same as it was when I came here... )
.oO( No matter how far I've gone, I haven't gone any farther... )

3
As she looks down, mist appears in front of her.

KAGOME
!
(thinking)
Mist!

4
And in the mist, there's a distant figure, a bit hazy... it's Inuyasha.

5
A view of Kagome, overlaid on a panel of Inuyasha, who looks as if he's climbing the staircase now...

KAGOME
Inuyasha!

INUYASHA
Kagome! Where are you!

PAGE 7

1
A view of Kagome, looking a little thoughtful about this...

KAGOME (thinking)
He came to meet me...?

2
But suddenly, Inuyasha dashes off towards the side, into the forest surrounding the stairway.

INUYASHA
Kagome!

3
Kagome follows after him, into the forest.

KAGOME
Wait, Inuyasha!

4
She runs after him, calling after him.

KAGOME
I'm here!
And the bow that will save Kikyou...

5
Then her legs get tangled up in... what looks to be a thick group of spider's webs...

KAGOME
Ah...!

6
A wider view of Kagome shows that she is completely surrounded, and entangled, in the spider's webs...

KAGOME
!

PAGE 8

[scan]

1
Kagome looks about, distressed.

KAGOME (thinking)
Spider webs!?
I can't move...

2
And a view of the forest in front of Kagome. Inuyasha appears in front of her; he's holding Kikyou in his arms.

3
Closer view of Kagome.

KAGOME
Inuyasha...
(thinking)
Kikyou... came, too...

4
A closer view of Inuyasha, as he talks to Kikyou.

INUYASHA
Hang in there, Kikyou.
We'll find Kagome soon!

PAGE 9

1
Kagome looks shocked at hearing this...

KAGOME
(thinking)
What...
(speaking)
Inuyasha!
I'm here, aren't I!?

2
She stops to realize what's going on...

KAGOME
Can't you see me!?
Or hear me!?
Is it... because of this spider web?

3
A close up of Kikyou's face...

KIKYOU
Inuyasha...
That's... enough...

4
Inuyasha looks down at her.

INUYASHA
Kikyou!?

KIKYOU
It's likely Kagome was... swallowed up by this mountain...

[NOTE: "Swallowed up" in this case is probably figurative, like "fell victim to." Although... you know, in the Inuyasha world,
sometimes mountains really can swallow people up... :P]

5
Close view of Kikyou.

KIKYOU
This mountain tests the hearts of people...

6
View of Kagome as she hears this...

KIKYOU (off)
The mausoleum's bow is given over to test whomever is worthy...

PAGE 10

1
Inuyasha looks down at her, worried.

INUYASHA
You're saying it's impossible for Kagome...?

2
Kagome, again, hears all of this conversation...

KIKYOU (off)
Kagome is being corrupted by Naraku's spider web...
And even if that weren't the case...

3
View of Kikyou...

KIKYOU
Kagome takes me as...
A rival who leads you away, I'm sure... Inuyasha...

[NOTE: I think another way of saying, "I think Kagome has a grudge againse me..."]

4
Inuyasha looks a bit downcast... Kikyou's eyes are closed now (although her expression is hard to determine..)

INUYASHA
You mean you don't think...
Kagome really wants to help you...?
That's just...

5
Kagome tries to call out to him again.

KAGOME
You're wrong, Inuyasha!
I couldn't possibly...

[NOTE: I'm implying a little bit in Kagome's line here, which is really just "watashi wa sonna koto" ---
It's a bit like disbelief, or a denial...]

PAGE 11

1
Kikyou's eyes come open, and she looks a bit to the side, to stare over at Kagome.

2
Kagome sees this, and is visibly shocked.

KAGOME
!

3
Dark frame...

KAGOME (thinking)
Kikyou is able to see me!
But although she can see me, she purposely ----

PAGE 12

[scan]

1
Suddenly, the ground crumbles away from beneath Kagome...

KAGOME
!

2
Cloudy frame - scene change

3
A view of Azusa Mountain, from the point of view of someone running towards it.

INUYASHA (off)
Kikyou, that's Azusa Mountain, isn't it!?

4
A view of Inuyasha running, with Kikyou in his arms.

INUYASHA
Hang on!
Just a little more and we'll be there...

PAGE 13

1
A view of the bow on Kikyou's back. It appears to be cracking...

2
And suddenly it cracks and shatters, with a bit of energy(?)

INUYASHA
!?

3
Both Inuyasha and Kikyou look at the broken bow...

INUYASHA
The bow shattered...

4
Kikyou looks very strained.

KIKYOU
Something might have happened...
To Kagome at the mountain...

5
Inuyasha looks none too pleased to think of this.

INUYASHA
Wha...

6
Dark frame...

KIKYOU (voice over)
The spirit of Azusa Mountain tests the hearts of people...
And to do that...

PAGE 14

1
View of Kikyou, still looking strained..

KIKYOU (thinking)
It shows illusions and bewilders your heart...
Kagome... has fallen into the spirit's trap, hasn't she...

2
Cloudy frame - scene change

3
And now we see Kagome, hanging over the edge of a cliff. She's desparately clinging with one hand to vines
that are growing from the edge of the cliff to keep from falling. In the other hand, she still has Azusa Mountain's bow...

4
The bow strains against her arm...

KAGOME (thinking)
The bow... is heavy...!?

PAGE 15

1
And a closer view of Kagome as she struggles. She's visibly straining...

KAGOME (thinking)
I can't... move my arm...

2
A voice.

VOICE
The bow... give it to me...

3
As Kagome looks up, she sees Kikyou kneeled above her, looking over the precipiece at her...

KAGOME
Kikyou...

PAGE 16

1
Kagome calls up to her, desparate.

KAGOME
Go call for Inuyasha!
You two were together, right!?

2
A closer view of Kikyou, as she looks down towards Kagome...

KIKYOU
This cliff is within a barrier made by the spirit of Azusa Mountain...
A hanyou like Inuyasha can't enter...

3
Kikyou reaches out...

KIKYOU
Quickly, the bow...

4
Kagome looks distressed...

KAGOME
I can't!
It's too heavy for me to lift my arm!

5
Kikyou looks down at her, darkly.

KIKYOU
As I thought, you...
are hoping for me to die...

6
Kagome looks up, shocked (maybe upset at this?)

KAGOME
Wha...

PAGE 17

[scan]

1
Kagome really looks upset now...

KAGOME
And what about you...
Don't you even want to help me!?

2
Another voice speaks to them...

VOICE
Drop the bow...

3
A wide view shows that another figure, the strange figure that had taken on Kikyou's appearance from before,
is with them, floating beside the cliff...

KAGOME
!

PAGE 18

1
Kikyou looks over at the spirit.

KIKYOU
The spirit of Azusa Mountain...?

2
The spirit of the mountain speaks to Kikyou.

KIKYOU (SPIRIT)
Miko... You, too, are hoping for that girl's death.
She's the woman who stole your beloved man from you, after all.

3
Kagome hears this, and looks a bit taken aback (or perhaps a little unsure of how to react).

4
The spirit continues speaking, darkly...

KIKYOU (SPIRIT)
If you give the bow to her,
and choose that path, that miko will abandon you, leaving her and the man alive.

5
A view of Kagome, as she considers what to do...

KIKYOU (SPIRIT) (off)
So then ---- drop the bow.

Written by Rumiko Takahashi

Inuyasha © 2006 Shogakukan, originally published in Shonen Sunday
Original translation posted: May 19, 2006
Last modified: May 19, 2006

English translation by Kuro
This translation may not be used for profit