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"What good is this cursed hand if I can't protect the woman I love?"
His words were soft yet resolute, a declaration that hung in the air, surprising Sango and leaving her momentarily speechless in the middle of their deadly battle.
The gang had been fighting tirelessly against Takemaru's army of the dead, but exhaustion was beginning to take its toll. The weight of the relentless assault was wearing them down, and their energy was fading rapidly.
Upon seeing his allies grow more and more exhausted, Miroku's eyes blazed with a mixture of determination and desperation. He watched as his warrior of a fiancée even struggled against her opponent, falling to the ground and nearly getting killed. Luckily, Inuyasha was able to intervene just in time, but the sight had frightened Miroku enough to want to put an end to the madness once and for all.
He knew what he had to do, even if it cost him his already shortened life. With a determined expression, he stepped forward, his cursed hand at the ready. He ordered Inuyasha to go on ahead to rescue Kagome while he took care of the rest.
Sango's heart clenched as she realized his intention. She ran back to stop him but before she can convince him otherwise, he turned to face her, his gaze unwavering.
"You've all reached your limits. Besides..." he smiled at her softly, staring deeply into her eyes. "What good is this cursed hand if I can't protect the woman I love?"
"Hoshisama..."
She stood there in shock. Speechless. It was the first time Miroku had told her he loved her.
"Miroku! Sango! They're right behind you!" Shippo shouted.
The approaching army pressed closer, leaving her with no choice but to retreat to safety. She cast one last worried glance at Miroku before sprinting back towards their allies, her heart heavy with concern for him.
Miroku took a deep breath, channeling his energy into his cursed hand. The swirling vortex of his Wind Tunnel materialized before him, its ominous power ready to devour the approaching horde of the dead. With a determined expression, he unleashed the full force of his Wind Tunnel, the vacuum drawing in the relentless enemies, swallowing them whole into its depths.
Sango stood there, her heart pounding in her chest as she watched the man she loved. His words echoed in her mind, a declaration of love she wasn't prepared to hear, especially in the middle of battle. But now, as Miroku faced the impending danger, she was filled with a deep sense of worry. She had to say it back, to tell him how she truly felt, but the urgency of the ongoing war had stolen that chance. What if she never gets the opportunity to say those words back to him, to let him know that her heart belonged to him and only him? The thought gnawed at her, a sharp ache amidst the chaos of the battlefield.
"Hoshisama."
The ground trembled beneath Miroku's feet as the force of his attack caused shockwaves, driving the enemy back. The once-deafening cries of battle were replaced with eerie silence as the dead were eradicated by his sacrificial act.
But as the last echoes of the battle faded, his strength waned. The poison that the army of the dead carried had seeped into his body, its effects taking hold with brutal swiftness. Miroku staggered, his vision blurring as he fought to remain upright. His body trembled with the effort, and darkness threatened to consume him.
With one final effort, he managed to take a few faltering steps backwards before collapsing, his body wracked with pain and badly weakened. Sango rushed forward, managing to catch him right before his body would have thudded against the rough terrain.
"Hang on." she cried, her voice trembling as she held him closer. "Please don't die on me."
There's so much I need to tell you.