InuYasha- Chapter 372- Unending Suffering

Naraku held out the pulsating heart, its liveliness beating in his palm.

"If this heart is returned to your body, Kagura," Naraku explained, "you will no longer be tied to anybody. You will be free."

The heart disappeared from his hand. Kagura gasped as something beat steadily inside her chest. She touched it lightly, loving the feeling of her own pulse.

My heart…has returned!

Her eyes widened.

No.

Naraku thrust three enormous tentacles into her chest, fully piercing her body. Blood splattered out from her body, staining the weapon that impaled her.

"Don't worry," Naraku sneered. "I avoided your precious heart."

Kagura groaned in pain and anger.

"Na…Naraku you bastard!" Her face displayed pure rage and fury. She swung her fan, releasing a giant sweep of air. Naraku's barrier easily deflected it, and he laughed at her efforts. He pulled his tentacles out from her body, causing her to clutch her wounds in pain.

That bastard….He fucking injected some miasma in…

She turned to fly away.

"Go, to wherever you want."

Do your best to entertain me. During short time until your life runs out….Naturally, all you will feel…is despair and agony. Kagura, that is…the freedom you wished for.

Meanwhile, in the mountains, Kohaku stood in front of his sister, protecting her. Moryoumaru stood over him, watching his prey. He laughed maniacally.

"Kohaku…. Thank you for coming."

Kohaku inspected him thoroughly. So this is Moryoumaru…inside of him is Naraku's heart…the baby. He looked down at the unconscious Sango. Anyway, I have to get him away from Ane-ue. He began to swing his scythe around in circles, readying it for battle. He chucked the chained end at him, wrapping it around one of his adornments of flesh.

Moryoumaru laughed. "You intend to oppose me, eh? And with such a pathetic weapon…" He yanked the chain back, causing Kohaku to hold on tight to the other end of his scythe. He ran towards him, jumping up. He bounded over his shoulder, landing behind him. Moryoumaru turned to face him.

"My Shikon fragment…If you want it, just try and take it!" Kohaku shouted bravely.

"How strange Kohaku," Moryoumaru observed, "You were like a puppet of Naraku's….But now it's like you're moving to your own will."

Kohaku readied his scythe again, just as Sango opened her eyes. Kohaku jumped out of the way of Moryoumaru, trying to dodge his attacks as she had had to do.

"You're not getting away!" Moryoumaru shouted, perusing him harder.

Sango tried to re-collect what had happened to her. I was….That's right. I was attacked by Moryoumaru….She looked to the side to see Kohaku engaged in battle. Kohaku?!

Kohaku tried hard to fend off the never-ending spears of flesh, cutting them with his scythe. Moryoumaru grabbed onto his ankle, knocking him to the ground. Sango stared on in horror as Moryoumaru pulled Kohaku up to his face. The baby's hands surfaced, clinging onto Kohaku's leg, peering into his soul.

"I see. Kohaku you…your memory has returned, huh."

The baby's grip tightened.

"I can see it. Inside your heart. So you intended to throw the rest of your life away from the start. Drenched in the sin of killing your own father and friends. Dying to atone for your sins…That's a good attitude."

Sango ran towards then, desperate to save her brother. "Kohaku!" she called. "Kohaku!"

Ane-ue….

"Die for your sister's sake too, Kohaku." Moryoumaru continued, "That her little brother killed her own father….That is something a girl cannot forget. So as long as you are alive, the suffering of you siblings will not end."

"Kohaku!" Sango screamed, closing in on them. She held the unconscious Kirara in her arms.

Ane-ue!

"Ke…Keep away!" Kohaku shouted.

Sango stopped. "Eh?!" Kohaku…

"I won't simply die!" Kohaku stated, slicing at Moryoumaru's arm. He swiftly chucked his scythe at Moryoumaru's head, severing it completely from the body. I did it…Kohaku thought.

The head laughed, "You satisfied now?"

Moryoumaru snuck a tentacle up his back, shoving it deep into Kohaku's neck. Kohaku looked back at it, clearly shocked by the surprise attack.

If the shard is taken, Kohaku will die! Sango screeched, "Kohaku!"

InuYasha jumped up from the side, slicing the tentacle from Moryoumaru. Kohaku fell backwards as Sango stared on. InuYasha…she thought while gasping.

InuYasha stared down at the boy on the floor.

Did I make it in time?!