Chapter 144:The curse 5.

You could tell that it had been a while since the battle had started and Asahiko went after Kagura, that feeling is amplified if we look at the scars all over the battlefield. 

Scorpion corpses abound everywhere, there are some with half of the body eaten away, others that are filled with a strange poisonous purple color and a few that have an arrow stuck in them. 

"This cannot go on, priestess Kikyo, we will cover her and you will take care of Tsubaki."

Keeping the serious face he rarely uses, Miroku explains in a low voice towards Kikyo standing next to him. 

"Your Excellency, you can't be serious!"

Catching Hiraikotsu who just pushed back Ruri and Hari with one hand, Sango is quite against what Miroku is planning.

It's pretty obvious that Sango doesn't think it's a good idea to leave Kagome's life in Kikyo's hands, first that she doesn't know her too well and then that Kagome has already told her a bit of the story between them all. 

"I really understand your doubts, Sango. But I believe in Asahiko, Asahiko believes in Kikyo, so by association I believe in Kikyo too."

"Your Excellency... I understand, I was only putting too much thought into things."

"Heh, finally it seems to enter your mind I'm not so resentful as to let Kagome die to have Inuyasha."

Teasing Sango with her mask of omnipresent pride, Kikyo does not adhere to the plan with words, but the way she positions herself and how she tenses the bow, makes it clear that she is going to participate. 

"Umm, how beautiful is love, so much so that even a maiden's wounded heart can be healed."

"Your Excellency..."

"Perhaps a two against two would be fairest, but there are three of us... Perhaps one of our own should be eliminated?"

Arranging the strands of black hair swaying in front of her eyes, towards behind her ears, Kikyo smiles beautifully, though Miroku can only feel an icy chill. 

"Cof, let 's do it."

"Now I understand why Asahiko gets along so well with you, you both know when it's time to run away."

...Kikyo pov....

Wanting to grimace at how alike the two of them are, I simply settle for giving her a dismissive look and bring my eyes back to the two sisters. 

Clearly they're buying time, but the thing is because they are. Ever since we first met her they've been screaming that they serve Lord Menōmaru, so it's illogical for them to spend time killing Kagome.

A benefit, Naraku must have promised to give them something... Lord Menōmaru... Sword... Asahiko! Finishing connecting the dots, one thing becomes very clear. The main target was never Kagome, she was just a diversion for Naraku and a distraction for the others, the target was always Asahiko's sword. 

"Hiraikotsu!"

"An overused trick!"

Watching as Ruri leaps into the air to hit Sango's boomerang with her spear, I take a step forward and aim the bow at Hari, at the same time releasing a group of arrows in quick succession. 

Normally advancing towards a demon is a bad idea, their senses are superior and so are their bodies, so why am I doing it... Am I worried about what I discovered? No, I'm just using the element of surprise. 

"Protect me, my little ones!"

With her last words a scorpion appears and takes all the arrows for her, but that was what I expected, so I take advantage of her covered field of vision and use the scorpion as a jumping platform. 

"Where do you think..."

"Hiraikotsu!"

Ignoring the cries of fury starting to sound behind, I easily cross the barrier and position my body for a better landing. In between the twists and turns I make across the ground I manage to watch as Miroku uses his black hole, he controls the force to detail, making it so Ruri can't move out of the air or get close to him.

"Well, look who we have..."

Sticking an arrow into the forehead of Naraku's puppet, I turn around and another one appears from the darkness. 

"Why so much aggression, Kikyo?"

"It really isn't the most satisfying thing to see your face, Naraku. Though the above has calmed some of my disgust."

"Then I guess having prepared so many puppets wasn't a bad plan, though I see not enough to calm you down."

Noticing that these puppets are disposable and pose no danger, I just ignore them, as I start walking towards the small temple filled with dark aura. 

"How sad, Naraku, you almost look like a desperate man chasing her from behind like that."

"Kagura... I see you brought what I asked for."

"That 's right!"

Raising his voice against my will, he fixed his eyes on what Kagura removes from the sleeves of her kimono. It was Asahiko's sword, Clouded Fang and the home of the spirit called Saya. 

What happened to him, did Kagura defeat him, did he fall into a trap, is he dead? Squashing all the doubts that suddenly appear, I stare at his next moves. 

"Don't look at me like that, you must know that it's impossible for me to beat him. Besides he was the one who came out on top, I only borrowed his sword and in return I gave him two good gifts."

"Too much talk, Kagura. Pass me that sword, I'll give it to the sisters."

"Sure, as you wish."

I could recognize that tone anywhere, of course I could, it was literally the same one I used at the moment.

My thoughts proved to be very true, as when Naraku grabbed the sword and tried to unsheathe its blade, a quantity of negative energy corrupts his puppet and explodes it into a thousand splintered pieces. 

"Beautiful... A pity it's just a puppet, don't you think so?"

"Certainly, but look, here comes another new one."

Slightly pleased by this circus they've staged in front of my eyes, I watch as another Naraku puppet grabs the sword and puts it back in the scabbard. 

"We're leaving, Kagura."

"Umm, I really don't want to be here when he comes."

"Goodbye, Kikyo, you can do what you want with Tsubaki, she already served her purpose in this place."

Hearing Naraku's deep laughter being forced into my eardrums, a powerful gust of wind shakes the surroundings and lifts them both into a giant plume.

Obviously I'm not able to follow them, besides Asahiko is in perfect condition... Although maybe a little angry, enough to make that woman wish she wasn't here. 

Putting the thoughts running around in my head in order, she finally put aside that unnecessary worry and now did advance towards the small temple.

"Kikyo, it must always be you, Kikyo! Because you always have to interfere with my destiny, first the master's attention, then the pearl and now even my plans!"

Dodging the white snake that jumps towards my face as I open the sliding door of the temple, I fix my eyes on the person writhing on the floor. 

"Did you really think I came specifically for you, Tsubaki? Even with the help of that demon you merged with, you're nothing to be reckoned with!"

Turning my eyes away from that "Person" who is obviously a fake, I start to scan the surroundings for any clues of the real Tsubaki.

"Hahaha, you were always like that.... Kikyo. So what, you came to prevent the same thing from happening that happened 50 years ago? That your beloved Inuyasha will be killed by an arrow just like the one you once shot."

Naraku's plans are still as disgusting and tasteless as ever, though it's nothing surprising.

"Little do I care about that anymore, you can do whatever you want. Truth be told I could only sense something strange and followed him here, but what a waste of time, in the end it was just you."

"Kikyo... Okay, but for our old friendship I'll keep the curse on that young girl active."

Ignoring her attitude that looks like a crude attempt to be haughty, she stopped wasting her time and shot an arrow in that shikigami's forehead. 

Yes, all along it was a shikigami with senses synchronized with Tsubaki. Even knowing that from a glance, I left her so long alive because I needed to keep the shikigami as best as possible, so they could track her. 

*Crack*

Along with the breaking sound generated by the barrier being destroyed, my ears can hear the hurried footsteps of several people and as I stepped out I could see who they were. 

"You, Kikyo!"

"Kikyo, she who..."

"Careful, Kagome, you're still in bad shape."

"Priestess Kikyo, she who ran away?"

Ignoring Inuyasha and Kagome who had just arrived, she turned her face to look at Miroku who spoke last, before taking the perfectly preserved shikigami and tossing it to him.

"There you go, you should know what to do by now."

"Then we won't bother her anymore, priestess Kikyo. On your way, Sango, she's still nearby."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

Snorting at the look of appreciation from the girl named Sango, I give Inuyasha and Kagome a passing glance before I start to leave. 

I've helped too much already, Kagome didn't magically recover, but I've interfered with the curse through Tsubaki's shikigami, giving her a brief respite. 

"Kikyo, you made us…"

"Don't overthink it, Inuyasha. I just noticed a bug and stepped on it, there's nothing else."

Snorting at his gaze conveying certain emotions, but his arms holding Kagome, I turn away again and begin to go my own way.