Update (September 2020): Chapter edited and lengthened!
Chapter 30: Malignant Seduction & Generational Voids
"Wh-What is it?! Is something on fire?!"
"Nah, they're just slayin' demons."
Another new day and another new village; so is the growing normalcy for our group of six in their journey for answers regarding a certain object and another entity after it, each one sharing a dark reputation. Today, Sango would lead her new friends in a exorcising ritual to rid this area of a demonic spirit that's been causing the people trouble...
"Gah, it stinks!"
"What's all the smoke for?"
Ignoring the villagers and focusing on the task at hand, the brunette calls in a slight muffle from behind her mask,
"Got everything? Lure it this way!"
Moving to the back and underneath the inn the demon had been cornered to, we see Coraline using a fan to redirect the smoke towards the front, she wearing a plain cloth mask from her era. Her main outfit for the day consists of a pair of straight-cut black jeans, a faded red tank top, her camo-print jacket and her hikers. She also has her hair tied back in a ponytail so it didn't get tangled in the mask straps.
"Dia, why mus' incense burn so strong...?"
(...Sheen) Seems the demon hidin' in there's no' having fun eith'a.
She removes her facial protection briefly to call to the demon slayer,
"I don' think th' beast will be stayin' quiet for long! Get ready!"
Meanwhile, due to his sensitive sense of smell (and the fact that he's half-demon), poor Inuyasha is forced to crouch down and cover his face from the smoke. One of the villagers asks,
"Is this one of the demons being destroyed by the smoke?"
Shippō replies simply while hovering a hand over his own nostrils,
"Inuyasha just has a very sensitive nose..."
Miroku glances at his fellows for a moment longer...before noticing someone in the crowd staring at him.
"Hm?"
He turns to see a pretty young lady dressed with a cloak draped over her person.
Mm~. What a beauty...
Smiling, he begins to follow her, much to the fox demon's confusion.
"Hey, Miroku! Where you goin'?"
He's forced to look away when Sango suddenly calls out,
"It's coming; get back!"
Charging out of the smoky haze with an almighty screech, is a large black-skinned demon with many red eyes and razor-sharp teeth!
(...Whack)
Using Hiraikotsu as a club, the brunette pounds the demon dead, forcing out the evil energy and reverting the creature back to it's original form, namely, a rat...Pulling off her mask, Sango calls to the other girl with a satisfied smile,
"Everything's okay now, Coraline!"
...
...
Our group is soon sitting inside their own room graciously given to them by the owner of the inn for getting rid of his 'pest problem'. Coraline - her hair free of its elastic constraint - is currently busying herself with rubbing the disoriented half-demon's back.
"You hangin' in okay, Inuyasha?"
"B...B'r'ly..."
She smiles in mild concern at the murmured reply, before noticing that their group is one short.
"Wait a sec...Where's Miroku?"
Shippō replies while eating some sweet dumplings,
"He went after some strange woman."
"Oh?"
A frown of suspicion curls onto the other redhead's lips, and Sango - redressed in her day wear - asks in some disbelief,
"He did? While we were slaying demons?"
"She was really beautiful. He probably gave her the line about having to have his first-born child."
"Wh-What?! Have his child?!"
Coraline says to the flabbergasted brunette,
"Oh, that's right: I guess you haven' heard 'im pop that question yet, have yae? Hauh, let me explain..."
Miroku's POV
As the sun began to set over the horizon, I follow the maiden to the outskirts of the village, and she explains to me who she really is while keeping her back to me...
"I see. So you are a princess from a very prominent clan, then?"
"I was...My clan had been decimated by war, and I am the sole survivor of my house. So in order to restore my family, I wish to bear the son of a strong lord."
"So you sought me out..."
I put a hand under my chin and add with a confident smirk,
"You have great taste."
The princess then rushes to me, and embraces me while placing her head on my chest.
"...Will you do me the honour?"
All is silent in the area for a moment...before the arms of a giant insect come springing out of her back!
"...Hauh, I suppose I should've known that this was all too good to be true..."
I shove the 'princess' away from me, before clubbing her hard on the forehead with my staff.
(Whack)
"GHH!"
The 'princess' then tries to attack me with one of its giant insect arms, and I jump back, noticing their eyes shifting to become black and hollowed...The skin breaks away and out sprang,
"A giant mantis! So you disguised yourself as a woman!"
"I devoured the innards of the real princess!"
It then swings its arm at me again, and I jump away twice before leaping through the air over the insect.
"You picked the wrong person as your next victim!"
As I land on the ground, I remove the prayer beads from around my right hand.
"Wind Tunnel!"
(Whooooooosssssssshhhhhhh...)
As the giant mantis is pulled back by the vortex, I notice too late the consequence of drawing it in, namely, its bladed arms...
"UH!"
(...CUT)
With the damage done, I contain my power, and mutter angrily to myself,
"Damn...My Wind Tunnel's injured..."
So much for a harmless victory.
I'd soon return to the inn where the others would be waiting for me, having already taken care of that demon which was terrorizing the patriots and the owner. I was going to tell them about my unfortunate encounter as we ate dinner...but the intense stares the girls were giving made me bite my tongue.
Yeesh, what's wrong with those two? I mean, Coraline's look isn't so bad, but Sango...
I ask my fellow man in a hushed tone,
"Tell me, Inuyasha, is it my imagination, or are the girls staring at me quite coldly?"
"I dunno, maybe it's from all the womanizing?"
"Mm?"
"What do you expect, Miroku? They think you're a philandering creep!"
A philandering-!...Okay, what in the world have they been talking about in the short time I've been gone?
"Uh, I've been misunderstood. You may not believe what I'm going to tell you, but-"
The girls interrupt respectively in similar tones,
"You're likely righ' abou' that."
"Spare us the lies."
"Gh, you could at least hear me out."
...
...
Hauh, that didn't go as well as I hoped. At least Coraline was kind enough to listen to my story, but...even so, she still looked skeptical.
I'm now laying on my side in a futon bed, with Inuyasha sleeping beside me and Shippō curled up nearby, while the girls and Kilala were in another room. I look at my right hand, and bend the muscles, only to feel another twitch of pain.
"Agh. Damn, it still hurts..."
I move to lay on my back as I say to myself,
"That conniving giant mantis made my Wind Tunnel spread."
Which only makes my own personal situation the more dire...
Just like, father's.
(Flash)
I remember, when I was so young, and my Father's Wind Tunnel had reached its limit...
"Father! Father!"
Mushin was rushing behind me, trying to call me back as I ran for the courtyard.
"No! Don't go towards him Miroku!"
"No! Father, Father!"
He succeeded in grabbing me by my torso.
"Ah! Let me go, Mushin!"
"You'll be pulled into your Father's Wind Tunnel too if you go!"
Next thing we knew, the dreaded power erupts, creating a monstrous vortex that swallowed everything in its area...including the only parent I had known...
"FATHER! NOOO!"
(Flash)
...I lost my Father before my very eyes, helpless to stop what would happen...
And unless I do something now...I too will be lost to the abyss.
Coraline's POV
When we all awoke the next morning, we'd discover Miroku has once again disappeared.
We did search around the inn, but were informed by the innkeeper what happened...
"He went out before dawn? You sure?"
"Yes. The monk said that he was going on a long journey, and had asked me to wish you well."
Inuyasha says irritably to himself,
"That stupid Miroku. Always running off and doing things on his own..."
But I have different thoughts:
Hm...I'm not so sure it's tha' simple. Miroku must have'a legitimate reason for leavin' again...
Perhaps his story from las' night isn' so farfetched after all...
Miroku's POV
I met up with Hachi in the early morning before the sun rose, and we're now flying back to somewhere I had hoped to avoid visiting for a while longer...
"My father was drawn into his own Wind Tunnel, and he disappeared without a trace...I'm afraid that I may end up dying that way as well."
My friend hums with sympathy, before exclaiming,
"Miroku! We found the spot! I-I can see it from here!"
I snap my attention to the front, and see our destination in the distance...We land in the clearing, and I walk to the edge of the crater with Hachi coming to stand beside me.
"Where did this giant hole come from, anyway?"
"Hmph. This? (Grim smile) This, is my father's grave."
Hachi bows in respect, and I make my way to the old temple...
"Mushin! Are you there?...It's Miroku!"
I move inside, only to find the old fool asleep with his head on top of a clay jug...I make a noise of disgust and mutter,
"Drunk again as usual," before kicking away the jug.
"Mm!...muh..."
"Wake up, you stinking drunkard."
Mushin rises to a sitting position, holding the side of his head - likely from a migraine accompanying his hangover - before focusing on me.
"Miroku, it's you. I'm surprised you're still alive."
I sigh in exasperation before kneeling down to his level.
"You're not going to live very long if you keep drinking the way you do..."
"Muh, did you come here to lecture me?"
"No. A giant mantis nicked the sides of my Wind Tunnel...I was wondering if you could repair it."
Mushin moves his eyes to my right hand to examine it.
"Hm...hm...Too late. You're going to die tonight."
I stiffen up with shock...before forming a deadpan when the old fool waves his hand and says,
"Relax. I was just kidding around, (hic)."
(...BONK)
I leave a good bump on his head, before saying to him irritably,
"Look, you wanna get sucked in?"
"Now now, calm down."
He then grabs the clay jar from earlier and says more seriously,
"I'll stitch you up. But I'm warning you: you must keep the Wind Tunnel covered up, and not expose it or try to use it until it is completely healed."
"And what happens if I do?"
"The Wind Tunnel will spread from the nick, and will eventually consume you entirely. I will no longer be able to help you then, young man. (Rises up) Now then, I shall start gathering the medicinal herbs. Go and purify yourself; god knows you need it..."
No POV
Miroku is now seen sitting under the nearby waterfall performing a purification ceremony on himself, with Hachi sitting by...
"So that drunken old Mushin is the high monk who raised you?"
"That's right. He taught me everything I know, the good, and the bad."
"He's a little rough around the edges, that's for sure, but he seems kindhearted."
Miroku smiles a bit at Hachi's description:
"I guess so..."
The old monk himself was watching from afar in the walkway of the temple, his thoughts on the situation a little more sober.
I'm surprised that Miroku is so worried over a little nick like that.
But considering the tragedy in his life, I can't blame him for being upset...
Meanwhile, back at the inn, Coraline is seen sitting on the window rim of the room she and Sango were in, with Shippo and Kilala playing inside. The future-born redhead is currently in thought over her missing friend.
"Miroku...I wonder wha' got into 'im yesterday that he'd take off without so much as a 'see ya later'?"
Now I'm really worried if his story was true...
Shippō offers up an answer, a blunt one at that.
"Well maybe it's because you both shot him dirty looks."
The girls form looks of embarrassment as Inuyasha comes in scoffing,
"Keh, don't try and tell me that we hurt his feelings? He's not exactly sensitive..."
"Um, well, Master Inuyasha..."
(Hop)
The half-demon turns and sees a familiar face on his shoulder once again.
"Well, well, Myōga. You're back."
"Yes, I returned late last night. And when I came in, I noticed that the monk was acting, strangely."
"Huh? What're you talkin' about?"
"He kept staring at his right hand, the one with the Wind Tunnel, and he seemed very deep in thought. He didn't say what was bothering him."
Coraline forms a confused expression:
His Wind Tunnel?...Oh no...then 'e really did have it damaged!
...Is he okay?
She turns her head back up to the silverette with a serious but curious look.
"Inuyasha, I think we should go an' find Miroku."
Myōga asks,
"But why? You don't think something has happened to him, do you?"
"...Actually, I do. I'm just crossin' my fingers it's nothing life-threa'ning, yet."
Inuyasha looks at the girl confusingly for a second, before switching to a more or less passive expression.
"And how do you expect us to find him?"
"Rr, that, I'm not sure..."
"Just leave 'im. Finding the Shikon-no-Tama shards is more important right now."
Coraline nearly makes a sound of protest, but nods reluctantly.
He has'e point. It's probably best t' press on...Still...
Where 'ave you gone, Miroku? Will you come back safely?
Returning to the temple, we find Mushin inside a small storehouse gathering the necessary materials needed to help repair Miroku's Wind Tunnel...He then notices the weather had changed dramatically from when he first entered.
"Mm? It's the middle of the afternoon, why is it so dark outside?"
(...Glow)
Suddenly, a small demonic entity comes out of the shadows, their eyes glowing red.
"(Turn) Hm? Mmh! Uhhh, who are you?!"
The demon does not answer, instead, releasing a cloud of strange mist from inside a clay bottle it was carrying, which surrounds Mushin!
"Ghhhh!"
...As this went on, Hachi was asleep outside, while Miroku - having completed his purification ceremony - lays restfully on a futon inside the temple...Mushin then comes to his side, seemingly unharmed.
"Did you drink your medicine?"
"Mmh? Yes, but I'm starting to feel very groggy..."
"Sleep..."
The old monk places his hand over the younger male's closed eyes, adding,
"It'll be over with soon..."
"Glad to hear it...'cause I don't feel like dying just yet...Mmhhh..."
With that, Miroku is asleep...
(Whissshhhhh...)
We then see that the odd fog from earlier had entered into Mushin's body, placing him under a strange trance.
Heheheh, I'll ease your pain soon enough...
And just when things couldn't get more dire, Mushin pulls out a cleaver!
...
By this time, Inuyasha and the others had since left the village to move along in their quest...But they would come to a stop, when they hear a strange droning sound.
"What was that noise?"
Coraline narrows her eyes in suspicion.
"I dunno, Sango, but I'm getting a sinking feelin' there's trouble nearby. Inuyasha?"
He growls, confirming that something was wrong.
(Click...SLASH)
Using Tessaiga, he cuts down a tree, and its crash causes a familiar-looking insect to fly out...
"It's one of Naraku's drones!"
Sango makes her move:
"Hiraikotsu!"
(Za-za-za-za-za-za-za...tok)
The giant boomerang successfully dolls out some damage to the insect's wings, causing its flight pattern to become unstable...The brunette readies to throw her weapon again.
"This time, it's dead!"
"Wait!"
She looks at Inuyasha with surprise, and he says,
"If he's using his insects to spy on us, then something must be happening with Miroku!"
He puts his sword away, and says to the others,
"Let's follow it!"
"Right!"
And everyone begins running after the insect, determined to figure out what Naraku is up to this time, and if Miroku was in dire peril...
Speaking of the young monk, he's about to receive a rude awakening.
(Swing, CUT)
"Gh!"
Luckily, he wakes up just in time, and just barely dodges the incoming cleaver! As he looks up from his hand and knees (holding his newly injured shoulder), Mushin says,
"Oh, are you still awake?"
Miroku doesn't miss the wisp of mist coming from the older monk's mouth, and knew something was seriously wrong.
"You're, not Mushin! Who are you?!"
Speaking through their human vessel, the demon introduces itself.
"I, am a demon worm charmer, but I came across Naraku, and he promised me a Shikon-no-Tama shard if I killed you."
"N-Naraku? Uh, ugh..."
Miroku falls down to the floor on his behind, his muscles weakened by the concoction he was fed.
"Heheheh, you can't move much anymore. The medicine has numbed your entire body."
"Ngh!"
"Go now in, peace!"
Miroku uses all the strength he could muster to hop backwards from the cleaver, crashing though the wall and landing on top a startled Hachi.
"Miroku!"
"Gh, quick, my staff!"
The tanuki hands it to him, and the young monk uses it to block the cleaver! Realizing his friend isn't strong enough in his current state to fend off the possessed Mushin, Hachi quickly uses his powers to lend a hand.
"Ah, Ka-boom!"
(Poof)
As the smoke and leaves clear, the demon in the human vessel sees that Miroku and Hachi had escaped...
"You won't get away!"
Down below the temple, the tanuki is running as fast as he can while carrying the weakened and injured human on his back.
"H-Hurry! Let's get out of here!"
"I-I can't go any faster!"
Miroku looks behind them, and sees,
"Oh no, look! The demons are gathering!"
Hachi slows to a stop, and turns around to see several dozen demon spirits beginning to cluster around the temple! He begins to panic, but Miroku tells him weakly,
"Save yourself. If you stay with me, you'll only die."
The monk then slips to the ground, and Hachi rushes to him in concern.
"Master Miroku!"
"Gh, just go. I can keep them at bay myself until the medicine wears off, Hachi!"
"B-B-But-"
"Just, go!"
"Okay!"
And the tanuki flees, while Miroku smiles grimly, mentally preparing himself for what was to come next...
Hachi's POV
I managed to get out of the area, and switch to my gourd form to fly away while thinking about Miroku's current state.
Miroku talks big, but, there's no way he'll be able to battle all of those demons alone!
Inuyasha must be close by...
(Buzzzzz...)
I then hear a large droning noise coming from behind me, and I turn my eyes to look, only to see a large drone of insects, and boy do they look nasty!
"Aaaaaahhhhhhh!"
Oh come on, why me?!
Inuyasha's POV
We follow the insect further into the forest, stopping behind some trees to rest a sec while keeping ourselves hidden so it couldn't detect us. I turn to Coraline and say,
"That insect is our only lead, so don't lose it, okay?"
"Got it."
Shippō then points to the sky and cries out,
"Aaauh, look; more poisonous bugs!"
"What?!"
I turn to look up, and see that there was a massive drone of those damn insects, except they were, chasing something...
"Waaaaaaaaahhhh, help meeeeee!"
Hang on. I recognize that form...Is that, Hachi?
The insects chase the thing down to the forest canopy, and it transforms back into the familiar tanuki.
"Aaaah!"
"That's Hachi!"
I make quick work of the pesky insects:
"Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!"
(Slash, slash, slash)
Unfortunately, I didn't get all of them, but I scared the bulk of them off, the drone splitting into three groups before dispersing...
What the heck is goin' on?!
Miroku's POV
Hauh, to think that I'm going to die because I like to flirt with women. It's just my luck...
I managed to move myself to my father's grave site, and created a barrier to ward off the demons that would soon approach me...But, I know that it won't last long.
So...this is it...
Coraline's POV
"So Miroku is 'n danger. I knew it!"
After Inuyasha scared off Naraku's poisonous wasps, Hachi had us climb aboard his gourd form to fly back to where Miroku was, confirming my growing worries.
"Yes, and he doesn't have the use of his Wind Tunnel."
Inuyasha asks,
"What's wrong with it?"
"His hand was injured in battle. The sides of it got nicked when he tried to suck in a giant mantis. He went to the high monk Mushin to get it fixed, and Mushin said that if he used his Wind Tunnel before it healed, it would spread and kill him!"
...Oh Miroku. Why didn' you jus' explain that to us soon'a?
"There's Mushin's Temple!"
...Unfortunately, we'd be met with some heavy resistance, they being a huge swarm of demon spirits heading straight for us!...But since there's no other way to go, Inuyasha decides on an easy course of action, drawing out his sword at ready.
"Go straight through them, Hachi!"
We all cry out as we slam into the swarm, a force that would be countered by the mighty Tessaiga, and Sango's Hirakotsu after a moment...
"I ain't gonna waste my time! (Slash) Rah! Get outta the way!"
I hold onto Shippō with my right as my left hand pulls out my combat knife from the sheath, and I stab the head of one demonic entity that dared to get close to us.
"H-gh!"
Dammi'. An army like this has t' be Naraku's doing...
Hang in there, Miroku. We're comin'!
No POV
While his friends may be on the way, Miroku's barrier was beginning to wear off, before completely fading altogether...Another group of demons - including some monstrous mantises just to add insult to injury - were coming closer, surrounding the outside vicinity of the crater. With fatigue and sweat dripping down his face, the monk says to himself heavily,
"I, will accept my death, with grace...I will face my foe unflinchingly and with honour. (...Grim smile) I won't fight when it's futile like Inuyasha would."
At that, the demons begin their charge...
(SLASH)
"...Mm?"
"Miroku?!"
Said monk looks up...and sees the half-demon in red!
"So, this is where you've been hiding, and you got yourself in trouble again."
Inuyasha!...You came!
"You can at least thank me for saving your sorry butt!"
Shippō suddenly comes hopping over the half-demon's head, shouting the other young man's name just as Coraline comes to their proximity.
"Good swing, Inuyasha. Thank you for savin' 'im. (Looks down) Are you alright, Miroku?"
Shippō jumps against the monk's Miroku's torso.
"Miroku, why'd you leave us without saying anything?"
The other redhead is just as disappointed:
"Yeah, you left us worried for yur life."
Sango then arrives aboard her twin-tail companion.
"Have you been injured, Miroku?"
He's touched by all of their concern:
All of them, came looking for me...
Coraline then turns to the silverette with a raised eyebrow.
"Inuyasha?...Are you gonna say something or keep yer words to yourself?"
The half-demon snaps out of his daze and replies offhandedly,
"Feh, I'm not into speeches...Besides, you already said what I was going to say..."
"Who goes there?"
"Hm?"
The arriving party turns around to see Mushin standing a couple feet away from them.
"I will punish anyone who dares to disturb the peace of my temple!"
"Are you the monk called Mushin? Very interesting: you're brave for taking me on. Fight me if you can."
Miroku calls out in a strain as he's held up by Coraline,
"Ngh, Inuyasha, please, I beg you, don't kill him..."
"Heheheh, that's a very good boy, Miroku. I raised you well, didn't I?"
"Kuh, who really cares if you raised him? Your drinkin' days are over, you old drunk!"
...But just as Inuyasha began charging against the elder monk, the latter suddenly throws a giant set of prayer beads from his shoulders which wrap around Tessaiga!
(Bzzzzt)
"Ghh!...The Tessaiga has been transformed back...!"
...The beads then glow brightly, before snaking their way down the demon sword to wrap around their wielder's body!
"Gah!"
Inuyasha is forced to drop his weapon thanks to the constricting energies, just as another wave of demonic spirits began charging at him from behind Mushin!
Luckily, he manages to bring out one of his clawed hands.
"Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!"
(Slash)
But even though he takes down the enemies, the possessed Mushin is not fazed.
"...My my, aren't we lively?"
His emits a dull yellow light from his raised fingertips, putting more pressure into the power of the giant prayer beads.
(Bzzzzt)
"Aaaaagh! Gh!"
As he falls to his knees, Inuyasha grits his teeth and curses,
"Damn it, what's going on?"
"I have you bound with my sutra magic, so I am surprised you can still move. But you won't last long, I promise you."
With some difficulty, the half-demon rises to a stand just as more demon spirits begin arriving behind Mushin...That's when Coraline sees the mist seeping from the old monk's mouth, and uses her Aura Sight to see what's going on.
"Uh!...There's someth'n surrounding Mushin's aura, manipulating him! What is it!"
Myōga hops onto her shoulder and replies,
"Demon worms!"
"Demon worms?...So'a demonic presence is controlling him from inside?"
"Yes. The monk has been possessed by a demon worm charmer!"
Miroku asks the flea demon,
"Can he be saved?"
"There must be a charmer close-by who's manipulating him...We need to steal his worm bottle away, and place it near the monk. Then the demon will leave the monk's body."
Watching Inuyasha cut down more demons with his claws, Coraline then says,
"Okay, come on, Myōga. Let's go find that charmer."
"W-Why do you need me?!"
"'Cause you know wha' i' looks like, duh!"
Shippō decides to follow the other redhead to help, and as they move away from the crater, Sango and Kilala stop in front of them.
"Coraline? What's going on? There seems to be no end to the demons!"
"I know, and Inuyasha's pinned down by gian' prayer beads...bu' we may've figured ou' the source."
Myōga hops onto the brunette's shoulder, exclaiming with relief,
"Sango! I'm so relived you're here!"
"Myōga's here?"
Coraline is anything but amused by the flea demon's expression of trust.
"(Glare) What, am I unreliable for keepin' my friends safe or something? Not cool, Myōga."
"Guh, n-nothing personal..."
Shippō refocuses attention by pointing to the roof of the temple.
"Coraline, look up!"
She does, and spots a demon with a toad-like face and pale skin wearing a blue robe and carrying a clay bottle. Myōga recognizes it immediately:
"That's the demon worm charmer, I'm sure of it!"
That's all the girl from another time needed to hear, and she brings out her bow and arrow.
"Alright...now!"
(Twok)
Unfortunately, the shot was a bit too far to the left, allowing the demon to attempt retreating...
"Damn, missed!"
"I'll get 'em!"
Sango begins chasing after the demon with Coraline and Shippō following close behind...Meanwhile, Inuyasha claws his way through another crowd of demons, and begins to exhibit signs of fatigue from the constant attacks.
"Hah, hah, hah..."
Damn it! These sutra beads are draining my strength. I'm starting to feel weak!
He glances up to see that there's no end in sight to the sea of enemies coming to crash from above...
"Soon, you won't have any power left to fight with at all, so you better decide on your fate. Do you want to be devoured alive, or do you want me to be more benevolent and chop your head off first? I'm a demon who loves to eat flesh dead or kicking, so my appetite will be sated either way."
Inuyasha cracks his knuckles and replies to the demon-possessed Mushin,
"Don't go counting your hopes yet, you stinkin' monk!"
Leaping forward, he grabs the older human by their neck and readies to kill them.
"Prepare to die!"
"Think about it before you kill me: I am the only one who can repair Miroku's Wind Tunnel! If his hand is left as it is, all of you, including Miroku, will be sucked into it by this time tomorrow!"
...Mushin is released, the ugly truth leaving the half-demon vulnerable to getting shocked by the prayer beads again.
"Gaaaaah! (Kneel) Ghhh!"
"Either way, you must resign yourself to the fact that everyone in this temple is going to die soon."
On that note, another swarm of demons larger than the previous ones manifests...But then, back down in the crater grave site, Miroku raises his right hand, and begins to stretch the beads away, much to Hachi's shock.
"Master! The poison wore off, you can move!...Hah! Not the Wind Tunnel!"
"(...Grim smile) Hachi, prepare yourself. Both of us will probably get sucked in this time...but it's better than getting torn limb from limb by a pack of demons."
"Uh-h!...Hm, (nod) I agree, Master. I'm with you."
The young monk stands up, and unleashes his cursed weapon.
"Readyyy?! WIND TUNNNEEELLL!"
(Whooooooooossssssssshhhhhhhh...)
With the named vortex no longer being contained, it had the freedom to suck in anything that wasn't nailed down, the primary targets being the demonic spirits...
"Hachi! Brace me!"
"Yes!"
Hearing the struggling voices of the tanuki and young monk, Inuyasha turns around to see the Wind Tunnel in all its terrible glory.
"Miroku?!"
The possessed Mushin is just as flabbergasted.
"The fool...He'll suck in everything around him, including the Shikon-no-Tama shards!"
Now that the worm charmer puppet has lost focus, Inuyasha felt the sutra beads lose some of their strength.
His spell's weakening!
He wastes no time breaking free, then knocks Mushin down with his fist.
"Give it a rest!"
Meanwhile, the Wind Tunnel was starting to take a serious toll on Miroku, and he felt the nicks open up more...
"Gyh, I can't hold my ground! Gyah!"
He and Hachi slip backwards on the grass, and the young monk felt the Wind Tunnel preparing to go full black hole!
Uh-hh!
...But then, a familiar clawed hand grabs hold of his wrist, and forces the beads back on.
"Gh! U-Uh...Inu-yasha?"
The half-demon glares him with scorn, not pleased by the monk's lackluster performance in staying alive.
"Damn it! If you try to use that Wind Tunnel again, I'll tear your stupid arm off!"
As the surviving members of the large demon horde continue charging, Inuyasha walks up to grab Tessaiga.
"I don't care if you die or not...but you're not going to do it while I'm around, you got that?...I won't be accused of abandoning you. I don't want no guilt trips!...You're not gonna lay that responsibility on me!"
He brings his dog fang sword down in one large swing.
"RAAAAHHHH!"
(SLASH)
But unlike previous attacks with the demon blade, this particular one is much more powerful, the lightning-like energy traveling in a manner similar to a claw swipe, destroying all of the demons instantly!...Everyone is left in awe as the final explosion ripples through the air.
"...Oh my god..."
"He...He blew up the demons?!"
"...They've been destroyed!"
Snapping out of his own two-second daze, Inuyasha stares down at the glowing Tessaiga, also amazed by the release of power.
"Huh? What, happened?"
Noticing a familiar set of glyphs in the golden sheen, Coraline realizes,
Tessaiga has fully accepted Inuyasha as d'eir wielder...
Now both swordsm'n and weapon, can begin their journey to fight in sync.
Well aware that they had no chance of living for much longer, the demon responsible for this trouble tries to make a break for it...
"Oh no you don't!"
(Za-za-za-za-za-za-za-SLICE)
But the demon worm charmer would meet their end not by Tessaiga, but Sango's Hiraikotsu cutting them in half, leaving Shippō to run and catch the clay jug. Giving it to Coraline, she takes it over to Mushin and uses it to call back the demon spirit possessing the monk...Corking it closed once the entity had completely left their host, the redheaded girl sighs in relief,
"Mushin should be alright now..."
Time Skip
With the atmosphere calmed in Mushin's temple once again, the old monk would proceed with repairing Miroku's cursed hand, leaving the young monk's friends waiting outside with worried hearts beating into the new morning...
"He's taking so long..."
Coraline says to Shippō,
"Well, stitching like tha' takes a careful hand and time. Rushing any delicate job can be more consequent'l than jus' leavin' it alone."
...A few minutes later, Mushin comes out of the room where Miroku lays.
"Hauh, that fool. He should be more careful..."
Coraline stands up and asks,
"I take it th' repair was successful, Mushin?"
"Yes, barely. He's currently asleep. (Turn) You there, Inuyasha...come with me."
The half-demon gets up and walks with the old monk over near the waterfall lookout...
"Well, drunkard, I hope you did a good job stitching up the Wind Tunnel."
"Hah, I did the best that I could to repair it...but the Wind Tunnel has definitely spread."
Inuyasha's eyes widen:
"Does that mean that his life has been shortened? How much longer does he have to live?"
"I don't know. Miroku's Wind Tunnel is a generational curse placed onto him by the demon Naraku...If Naraku is destroyed, then the curse will be lifted, and Miroku's life will be spared...The sooner you get him, the better. It's Miroku's only hope."
A firm nod is made by the silverette, understanding the higher stakes...
Meanwhile, the other young souls were inside the temple looking over the sleeping young man.
"He sure puts on a strong front, doesn't he? How does he always manage to stay so lighthearted?"
Coraline smiles sadly and replies to Sango,
"Likely for the same reason we all try t' look on the brigh' side during the worst of times...To keep ourselves from goin' insane from paranoia."
I know I do...
Suddenly, Miroku's eyes flutter open, much to the relief of those in the room with him.
"You're awake."
"Hi, Miroku!"
"Things are gonna be okay now. Mushin managed t' stabilize your Wind Tunnel."
He raises his right hand to his face to see for himself...but then flinches, sending a wave of concern to the rest.
"Huh? What's wrong, Miroku?"
...Bu~t that concern would quickly fade after Sango stiffens up with a blush on her face, catching Coraline's attention.
"Uh?...Gh! Oh dear lord..."
Simply put, Miroku's left hand had snuck its way onto the brunette's posterior, caressing it softly...
(BONK)
Sango clonks a bucket against the side of the young monk's head, her face occupying a miffed expression while the rest opted for exasperation.
"Master Miroku..."
"Well you certainly made a speedy recovery..."
Inuyasha and Mushin observe from the doorway, commenting respectively,
"Looks like he's still got alot of life left in him..."
"(Nod) Miroku's bloodline is to be feared..."