______________________________________________________
Youtou Shinnoken
A Yuyu Hakusho/Rurouni Kenshin fic
By Chester Casta�eda
chester.castaneda@gmail.com
Original concept by SeventhOne
chadjill@ms3.hinet.net
http://www.fanfiction.net/~abdiel
The Battousai will finally awaken... once Yusuke
descends into the abyss of his mazoku self.
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Chapter 9: To protect loved ones (Part 5)
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"W-W-Where the hell are _you_ going, F-F-Fujita?" Kuwabara stuttered
through the coldness of the draconic blood that caked his body.
"Stand still," Genkai admonished as she struggled to thaw out Kuwabara
using what little spiritual energy was left in her person. She herself
shivered in dread, silently cursing her carelessness during her battles
with Seiryu and Byakko.
"To Battousai," Fujita tersely replied to Kuwabara.
"O-Oh, I see." Kuwabara nodded to Fujita, even though he wasn't quite
sure to what exactly he was nodding to. Licking his dry and frostbitten
lips, he prodded, "W-What about B-Battousai...?"
A sinister smile creeped its way into Fujita's mouth as he addressed
Kuwabara's question before the young man could even finish it. "He and I
have unfinished business."
And so the immortal wolf left the ice-covered mountainside to hunt down
his eternal rival.
As Kuwabara observed the retreating form of the Last Wolf of Mibu, he
wondered out loud, "H-Hey, granny... What's a Battousai?" Hearing no
response from the Master of the Spirit Light Waves, the adolescent opted
to change the subject.
"H-Hey! T-The rest of the Saint Beasts are also here, right? M-Maybe if
we can somehow trick psycho-cop to help us, then he can f-finish them
all off!"
"We have more important things to attend to," Genkai reproved gravely as
she gave Keiko Yukimura's prone form a pensive, guilt-ridden look.
***
Genbu grit his teeth in pure agony as he struggled to look up at
Kenshin. He grinned. "So... it would seem that I've pushed your back far
enough against the wall to get a half-decent fight. I've even forced
you to use some of your most powerful techniques!"
Kenshin shook his head at Genbu sadly. "This lowly one is sorry, but
those were hardly my most powerful techniques. Also, I only attacked
Genbu-dono because I didn't want Yusuke-dono to get unnecessarily hurt
on my account. This lowly one deeply apologizes for the mess. This lowly
one has to get going."
"Hey... HEY! DON'T YOU DARE TURN YOUR BACK ON ME! Y-you... didn't even
finish me off, you coward! Take me seriously, dammit! I AM NOT THE
WEAKEST OF THE SHISEJYU!!!" Genbu shouted pathetically, his mask of
bravado slipping as his voice cracked and choked... Unfortunately, his
appeals fell on deaf ears.
Kenshin shut his eyes as he started to walk away from Genbu, feeling
deep remorse for what had happened. <I didn't mean to humiliate you so,
Genbu-dono... but what needs to be done has to be done. This lowly one
does hope that someday you'll find your own path to glory and
greatness... but for now, this fight is over.>
<No... NO! It's all Randou's fault. Him and his harebrained schemes! He
wanted me to fight the samurai so that he could take advantage of
Urameshi's bond with him. If the samurai gets hurt, Urameshi gets hurt
too and vice-versa. Randou said that I could beat Urameshi by beating
the samurai, but he's really just using me! _I_ wanted to fight Urameshi
Yusuke, the one who defeated the great narcissist Suzako, _by myself_!>
Genbu frantically ranted and raved to himself.
<If I had defeated Urameshi earlier, then I could have been the shining
star of the Shisejyu! I would have been the project, the future leader
of our group now that Suzako has joined the ranks of the Juppon Gatana.
Hell, I could have been worthy enough to be one of the Juppon Gatana!
Not Suzako, not Byakko, and especially not that creep Seiryu... but ME!
It should have been me who's the right-hand man of the Chojin! I've been
screwed by everybody! Screwed by Randou, screwed by Suzako, screwed
by...>
Genbu grit his teeth as an image of a whip-wielding, crimson-uniformed
redhead superimposed itself against Kenshin's form.
"IGNORE ME, WILL YOU?! Well, I will soon teach you to fear the name of
GENBU!" The holy beast shouted, waking the swordsman spirit from his
reverie.
Kenshin's eyes went wide as he felt youki well up anew in his Shisejyu
opponent's shattered body. He turned towards his enemy's direction. His
mouth fell open in shock.
Almost immediately, the holy beast's remains blew up into dust and
debris. Afterwards, the explosion collapsed into an implosion that
sucked clumps of dirt and piles of rock together. The bits and pieces of
Genbu's shattered body quickly reformed and reconstituted themselves.
After a moment, the stone golem Shisejyu's body was whole again. Genbu
gave the rurouni his trademark grin.
The recombinant technique was unmistakable. This was Genbu's Tetsuzan
Kou, the maneuver he had used against Yusuke just a while back.
Kenshin drew the Youtou Shinnoken from its sheath once more. "I already
warned you. This lowly one doesn't have time to play with you, Genbu-
dono. This unworthy one still has to find and rescue Keiko-dono and
Botan-dono, I sa�-"
"SHUT UP!" Genbu spat. Satisfied that _that_ worked, the tortoise-like
saint demon continued, "I'm sick and tired of your over-politeness and
unassuming behavior. It disgusts me to the very pits of my soul. For
being such a complete and total wimp, I'm going to punish you tenfold,
samurai! Tetsuzan Kou... DEFENSE UP!"
It wasn't noticeable at first, but soon sparkling pinpoints of light
quickly surrounded the stone golem in a hypnotic and enigmatic waltz.
Slowly but surely, these glittery spots converged towards Genbu's
reformed body.
Kenshin watched in fascination as Genbu's outer shell soon acquired a
gray sheen to it. The rurouni narrowed his eyes... Sure enough, he was
able to make out the glistening metallic particles that surrounded the
large youkai, coating his stony body with...
"Iron, I say!" Kenshin couldn't help but exclaim.
Genbu's broken teeth morphed into a sinister grin as he melded with the
ground and charged at the errant swordsman.
<Ingenious! By melding with the ground, Genbu-dono now has the ability
to move through it at a fairly quick pace despite weighing about twice
as much as before,> Kenshin surmised. Nevertheless, he saw no point in
letting Genbu get the first chance to strike. Calculating his opponent's
trajectory, the rurouni proceeded to jump ten feet directly above the
Shisejyu.
"RYU TSUI SEN!"
***
A thunderous blast of light and energy streaked across the whole expanse
of the dojo, hitting and breaking through columns like they were made
out of gingerbread.
"But of course, this is your most powerful technique... the Rei-Gan."
The blaze of incredible vigor burned through Randou's vision as it
seared through the air. Wreckage, rubble and debris were flung around
like so many breadcrumbs, the wood and concrete of the shrine easily
giving way to the fiery incursion.
"But it's hardly the most powerful technique of all time."
Randou was soon completely absorbed in an orb of blood red energy as he
chanted, "Kyuuketsuki Gakuen... INNER BLOOD TURMOIL!" Then, as the Rei-
Gan made contact with the energy surrounding Randou, it instantly
dissipated.
"Wha...?" Yusuke gasped.
Randou once again cackled as he pointed dramatically at his nemesis.
"That is the true power of the Vampire Discipline. Ancient Vampires
believed that the ki of a bleeding fighter, compared to that of an
unwounded opponent, is weaker and more vulnerable to dispersing. They
have taken advantage of this fact with the creation of this defensive
skill. Your rei-based techniques are useless against these sophisticated
maneuvers of mine."
Yusuke slowly got up from his prone position, gingerly grasping his
continuously bleeding shoulder, not at all acknowledging Randou's
presence.
"Don't you realize..." Randou began, "that you beat me only through dumb
luck? It was a fluke, plain and simple. But you won't be so lucky." He
grinned. As he spoke, the orb of energy began shrinking dramatically. By
the time his opponent had climbed to his feet, the red light was the
size of a basketball, hovering above Randou's hand.
"I shouldn't be surprised that you've survived my attacks so far... If
it was that easy, then my revenge would have been worthless," Randou
noted. "However, you won't last for long... With this combination of my
blood's life energy and your rei, have a taste of your own medicine!
Kyuuketsuki Gakuen, BLOOD FIRE WAVE!" As he said the last three words,
the ball of energy burst into a thousand beams of destructive power, all
aimed at Yusuke. The attack lasted a few seconds, and when the smoke
that formed had cleared, Randou could make out the embers of a few fires
that singed the young boy's uniform.
"Now you know some of my other skills, as does your friend Kuwabara.
You'll be luckier than him however... as I will now show you all one
hundred... no, a hundred and one of my tricks!" Randou boasted,
correcting himself at the last minute as he remembered his recently
acquisitioned 'talent', the Jigen Tou.
Yusuke bared his teeth, seething openly at Randou... but no words
escaped his mouth as he fumed in pain and anger.
"Before, I could only use one or two of my techniques at a time. But
now, because of the power I siphoned from the Chojin, I can finally make
use of all my techniques!" Randou spectacularly avowed. He afterwards
addressed, "You seem uncharacteristically silent, Urameshi. You should
be shooting your mouth off by this time. What's the matter? Cat got your
tongue?"
At last, Yusuke spoke. "So you think you're all that?" He opened a
tightly balled-up fist, revealing a small portion of the blood-red
energy that originated from Randou's assault. "The special attack Yomi
used in the Makai Tournament knocked the wind out of me. Your attack
just ruined my uniform! Don't you get it? You're a pathetic loser! The
only reason you're still alive is because I have a fucking shoulder
wound and you don't! So stop bullshitting and give me all that you've
got already!"
Randou sputtered a bit before replying, "Damn you, Urameshi! I'll show
you...!"
Soon the demon realized that he was talking to thin air.
Half of a second later, a powerful right hook brimming with a unique
combination of ki and blood energy smashed through Randou's face with
the impact of a many-megaton explosion.
***
In perfect form, Kenshin executed what could have been the Hiten
Mitsurugi Ryu's most powerful leaping attack. Time stood still for both
the swordsman spirit and the Shisejyu beast as the Ryu Tsui Sen hit
Genbu cleanly on the head.
After what seemed to be an eternity, time flowed again as seconds ticked
by; the frozen moment was instantly thawed for all to see. Seconds
insistently passed as it woke up the unwilling, making apparent the
cruel reality of the situation.
Genbu grinned his Cheshire grin as the Demon's Sword clanged pitifully
against his iron-coated cranium. "I bet you weren't expecting this!"
<The iron coating on Genbu-dono's body is too thick, I say!> Kenshin
mentally exclaimed, barely avoiding the swat of his opponent's gigantic
hand by a hairbreadth of an inch. <I reckon that I better find a way
to get through Genbu-dono's iron armor.>
Kenshin flipped over the youkai, landing several feet away from him.
He afterwards reversed his momentum and swung the Demon's Sword
towards the ground.
"DOU RYU SEN!"
The resulting strike from the Youtou Shinnoken unleashed a raging
landslide that completely swallowed the Stony Saint Beast. The thick
clouds of dust that emanated from the crushing waves of earth slowly
cleared, revealing something that left Kenshin dumbfounded.
"Heh. That tickled."
Unfortunately, notwithstanding Kenshin's efforts, the Dragon Earth Flash
didn't even faze Genbu.
Laughing mockingly, Genbu remarked, "What's wrong, samurai? Is that all
you've got?" With that said, the tortoise-like golem quickly melded with
the ground and disappeared.
<I can still avoid Genbu-dono's attacks and counterattacks from up close
because of the sluggishness of his heavy body, but considering the
circumstances, he still has the upper hand. He can still get me. I can't
give him that chance, for Yusuke-dono's sake,> Kenshin thought as he
used his heightened senses to feel out the whereabouts of his current
adversary.
"Now it's my turn!" Genbu exclaimed as he suddenly appeared just ten
feet away from Kenshin.
<I have to finish this fight now. I can't risk getting in the way of
Yusuke-dono's fight with the other demon by hurting myself... or rather,
by hurting the both of us. This bond we share with this accursed sword
has left us both compromised.>
Waking up from his deep contemplation, Kenshin turned and charged
straight towards Genbu's serpentine tail.
"I've got you now!" Genbu roared as he swung his deadly appendage
towards Kenshin in a nigh-inescapable spiral. "Say good-bye to life,
samurai!"
During the split-second where iron-coated stone should have impacted
messily with ethereal flesh, Kenshin pivoted on his right foot and
turned. His resulting pirouette helped him avoid the weaving motions of
Genbu's metallic tail. Then, using the centrifugal force of his sudden
body rotation to balance himself, the former Ishinshishi delivered a
retributive blow at the back of Genbu's thick barrel neck.
"RYU KAN SEN!"
Kenshin executed the Dragon Sword Swathe flawlessly; in the same manner
he executed it against Hajime Saito, even. Alas, all that was for
naught. He did not achieve the same level of success against the fourth
Saint Beast as he did with the Third Captain of the Shinsengumi.
"Good job!" was Genbu's mocking riposte as he shrugged off the revolving
sword strike like it was nothing. He thusly turned and reared back his
twin boulders-for-fists as he prepared to squash Kenshin like an
oversized gnat.
But the Ryu Kan Sen was only the first part of Kenshin's assault; the
real reason he used the move was to get close enough to execute his
follow-up attack.
Despite the metallic skin exterior and hard granite interior of Genbu's
body, the balls and sockets of his joints were still left bare and
unprotected. This was because joints in general were basically just gaps
that permitted free movement; exploitable openings that were susceptible
to attack.
<If I were to hit Genbu-dono's joints all at the same time with the Ryu
Sou Sen's multi-hit strikes, then his top-heavy body will collapse into
itself,> Kenshin thought as he quickly sized-up the distance needed to
implement his counter-offensive.
"RYU SOU--!"
At that very moment, Kenshin's world promptly exploded.
***
Randou's vision blurred as he tasted the rusty tang of his own blood.
The spray of crimson from below his chin was in stark contrast to the
pasty complexion of his veined chest, making it look as if he was
wearing a tattered red bib of some sort. Upon rubbery legs did the demon
fall.
Under normal conditions, Yusuke's powerful strike would have literally
beheaded Randou save for two facts... First, the demon was an alumnus of
the Dark Arts of Kyuuketsuki Gakuen, which left him immune to every sort
of ki-attack so long as his blood pressure remained stronger than his
opponent's. Second, the Iron Body technique kept him away from bodily
harm's reach. Purely physical attacks meant nothing to him. There was no
way Yusuke could get through the iron gauntlet of his dual extreme
defenses.
So why was his jaw dislocated by a punch that by all intents and
purposes shouldn't have hurt him at all?
<Why? How?> Randou mentally wailed to the mocking and niggling fates as
he swung his balled-up fists at the unseen hands of circumstance. The
reason for his defeat couldn't have been the miniscule amount of blood
ki in Yusuke Urameshi's hand, could it? Randou had an opportunity to
ponder on that thought further as he slowly regressed to
unconsciousness.
Blood had always been a key factor in the propagation of life. Blood was
one of the factors that influenced ki-flow, dampening or strengthening
it at will. Blood ki was an altogether different power from spirit ki,
sword ki, or demon ki. To put it simply, neither of Randou's defensive
countermeasures could have blocked the amplified power of Yusuke's
blood-ki punch.
<Vampire blood, for all its mutated glory, magnifies and absorbs ki-
energy a bit _too_ well. All energy, ki or otherwise, has a propensity
to flow freely into vampire bodies unfiltered, which explains why
vampires possess nigh-limitless strength and heightened abilities. On
the other hand, it also explains why they have such intolerance to
ultraviolet light. Left unchecked, too much sunlight... pure energy, in
a sense... would quickly burn a vampire inside out,> Randou contemplated
at length as he continued to struggle against the inviting darkness.
Ironically enough, the same blood ki that protected Randou from the Rei-
Gan earlier was what ultimately led to his downfall. The blood ki from
Randou's own blood was the very thing that focused Yusuke's reiki to the
point that it bypassed his supposedly impenetrable shield. By
underestimating his opponent yet again, Randou was compromised once
more.
<But that's impossible! Inconceivable! I had everything figured out.
This shouldn't have happened. Not to me, at least. I've sacrificed too
much to get to this point... too much. Everyday I've dreamed about this
moment, the moment when Urameshi Yusuke would die by my hands. Whether
awake or asleep, vengeance was the only thing in my mind. To me, our
first fight just happened yesterday. Time meant nothing to me as I
whiled away the endless hours of solitary confinement by training doubly
hard so that one day I can finally use the upper-echelon techniques that
I've stolen from countless fighters against you, Urameshi Yusuke! This
is a simple goal. Can't I have this simple goal? Or is that also too
much for me to attain?>
Darkness beckoned, but Randou didn't answer. He straightened his
dislodged jaw, relishing the heartrending pain that kept unwanted
slumber at bay. <I won't be defeated by that little son of a human bitch
who's undeserving of both his great power and demonic lineage. I have
infinitely more talent than he'll ever hope to have. If I had inherited
the Spirit Light Gem and the Rei-Kou-Hadou-Ken School, then I would have
reached A-Class, or even S-Class. I would have become the next ruler of
the Demon World... Raizen, Mukuro and Yomi be damned. That bitch Genkai
was stupid to make Urameshi her student. _I_ would have made her school
famous in all of the three worlds. To think, all that potential and luck
wasted on a loser like Urameshi. He's trash. He threw away his
opportunity to rule over the whole of Makai, of all things! I'll show
him. I'll show him here and now who is the better choice. I'll show him
that I'm the only one who really deserves the kind of life he has.>
Randou's eyes snapped open, ending his battle against oblivion. <This
fight hasn't even begun. It can't end this way. It won't. I won't let
it.>
Chanting a secret sutra to himself, Randou summoned a unique skill that
he reserved for last resorts. "BLOOD WIND!"
A crimson tornado that reached all the way up to the ceiling of the dojo
emerged from, surreally enough, Randou's bloody jaw. Yusuke was taken
completely by surprise as the red cyclone swallowed him up and whirled
him around in a raging spiral of death.
Dozens of rocks and hundreds of sharp small shards whirled around in
frenzy as whole blocks of the floor were smashed by the spiraling
vortex. Yusuke helplessly watched in horror as the intense pressure of
the barrage threatened to break every bone in his body.
In a little while, the only things the hanyou could see amidst the chaos
surrounding him were multicolored blurs. These were abruptly replaced by
a flash of lightning that sent currents of mind-numbing pain all over
his body. There was another flash of unforgiving pain. The teen's half-
human body buckled under the enormous pressure of his foe's prodigious
assault. He was tossed around helplessly in the chasm like a soggy piece
of cloth inside a gigantic washing machine.
Randou smirked as he reveled at the destructive power of the Blood Wind.
<By this time, the Blood Wind should have finished siphoning all of
Urameshi's goddamned reiki. Just like before, he'll be helpless against
me without his precious spiritual power.> The demon afterwards scowled
as his legs buckled underneath him.
Just as Yusuke's reiki was reduced to dangerously low levels, Randou's
physical strength had also been jeopardized. It was the perfect
stalemate.
The Blood Wind was a desperation move created specifically to help a
heavily-wounded fighter in battle by the use of his own blood. Utilizing
his blood plasma as heat energy and his natural state of shock as cold
energy, a powerful tornado could be formed. This tempest, in turn, had
the ability to reduce an opponent's ki to zero.
As Randou mentioned early on, the ki of a wounded opponent was far more
likely to disperse than that of an unwounded foe's. It didn't matter if
the injured fighter was able to miraculously summon large amounts of ki
by sheer force of will; the spiritual energy wouldn't hold for long
against students of the Vampire Discipline.
But the reverse was also true. If a Kyuuketsuki Gakuen disciple was
injured in battle, then his ki would also be compromised. That was why
the Blood Wind technique was created... to help users of the vampire
martial arts during these critical situations.
The Blood Wind had one setback though. The use of this technique was so
perilous that it could actually kill whosoever wielded it. Its tendency
of consuming large amounts of its user's blood could put its user's life
at risk.
That was the reason why Randou shrunk himself a while back after his
fight with Kuwabara; he could recuperate from losing so much blood
faster in a smaller body. The Blood Wind was the double-edged sword that
almost killed him, not the Jigen Tou.
<Damn it,> Randou and Yusuke unwittingly chorused.
***
And so, as Yusuke was sucked into the vortex that was the Blood Wind,
Kenshin's whole world exploded; the wayward half-demon's current
plight... and pain... was now his to bear as their emphatic bond with
each other activated.
Seizing the window of opportunity before him, Genbu proceeded to smash
the hapless former vagabond in between his stony fists. He subsequently
whipped him around with his ball-and-chain-like tail like there was no
tomorrow.
The Golem Saint Beast cackled as he dribbled Kenshin's body in the air
like a volleyball, never letting the corporeal swordsman spirit hit the
ground.
"Y-Yusuke-d-dono..." Kenshin barely blurted out while being roughly
manhandled by his Shisejyu opponent. "I'm s-sorry..."
***
As the luckless Yusuke was flung around by the miniature typhoon, he
remembered his shared dilemma with Kenshin. The swordsman ghost's
efforts to not get hurt for his sake had somewhat become fruitless
amidst his own failure to protect himself. They were now both trapped in
an endless cycle of mind-numbing agony.
<I can't let that wimpy samurai get hurt just because I myself have
gotten careless. Hell, I can feel his regret all over me. Dammit, it
ain't your fault, Kenshin... it's mine.>
Yusuke was somehow able to get a glimpse of the weakened Randou in the
face of the dizzying rotations of the red twister. The demon seemed
exhausted by his efforts as he just crouched there and trembled; he was
practically a sitting duck, even. <Let me make it up to you, Kenshin.>
Using the momentum he had gained by whirling inside the miniature
typhoon for so long, Yusuke impetuously hurled himself out of the eye of
the storm.
If it was Kurama who was planning the dangerous move, he would have
calculated his trajectory, velocity, momentum, and aim with unerring
precision. If it was Hiei, then he would have used the power of his
mystical third eye and instinctive speed to accomplish the seemingly
impossible. If it was Kuwabara, then boundless amounts of luck and a
sense of foolhardy courage was called for.
But this was Yusuke Urameshi, the incarnate of spontaneity and chaos. He
did not have a third eye, unerring precision, or boundless amounts of
luck on his side. All he had was his devil-may-care recklessness. Most
of the time, this was enough. He could only hope that this was one of
those times... but as previously mentioned, he simply didn't care.
Using only his determination and willpower to control the direction of
his unceremonious flight, he went straight towards his intended quarry;
his sitting duck.
"RANDOU!"
***
Kenshin's eyes widened as his body twisted and flew in concurrence to
Yusuke's. The sudden shift in movement inadvertently helped him avoid
further flogging from Genbu.
<What is Yusuke-dono planning?> Kenshin wondered as his body spun around
in a spiraling fashion. <This is absolutely insane! Insane, I say!>
Genbu growled in frustration. "GRAAAGH! Stay still, samurai! Stay still
and take your beating like the piece of human shit that you are!"
***
Impulsive as Yusuke was, he charged up all his remaining reiki into his
two balled-up fists without the slightest inkling or hesitation. Even
though he wasn't sure if his brash assault would succeed, even though
the Blood Wind had sapped him of nearly all his spiritual power, he
still did what he did _just_ because he was himself. Consequences be
damned, he was who he was and that was all there was to it.
"What the HELL do you think you're doing, you crazy bastard?!" Randou
cried out as he struggled to flee from his approaching doom and its two
blazing fists. Unfortunately, his legs didn't heed his futile attempts
to escape. He snarled at his numb limbs in aggravation.
By Yusuke's sheer force of will, the situation had changed. The earlier
stalemate was about to become a checkmate in his favor.
"No," was Randou's guttural growl of adamant denial. "I won't let you."
***
<So I'm moving in coordination with Yusuke-dono. Fascinating, I say. The
bond we share with the Youtou Shinnoken is indeed wondrous,> Kenshin
reflected in awe. <But Yusuke-dono's movements are too erratic. At this
rate, the success of his attack will literally be a gamble.>
After a few more seconds of quiet contemplation, Kenshin noticed
something vaguely familiar about the pattern of his aerial flight. His
eyes widened in realization. Their synchronized spiraling movements were
coincidentally similar to one of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu's many
techniques. <Let this lowly one be of service to you, Yusuke-dono. I now
know of a way to improve your chances of success!>
Altering his trajectory ever so slightly while quickly increasing the
speed and velocity of his bodily rotation, Kenshin executed unto Genbu
one of the many variants of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu's Dragon Sword
Swathe.
"Ryu Kan Sen TSUMUJI!"
***
In harmonization with the Winter Gale version of Kenshin's Ryu Kan Sen,
the accuracy and momentum of Yusuke's flying attack also increased. Soon
enough, the twin blows of his reiki-powered fists hit home.
"Let me send you back to hell, you son of a bitch! Double Barrel
SHOTGUN!" he screamed his throat raw, blasting Randou into oblivion.
***
Genbu was sent flying to the crystal clear fields of infinite blue one
follow through of the sword later. After his heavenly ascent came his
hellish descent as he went crashing back to earth. The Ryu Kan Sen
Tsumuji had done its job.
Or so Kenshin thought.
"Impressive," was Genbu's sarcastic droll as he leisurely got up to his
metal-encrusted feet, none the worse for wear. "This time you've given
me quite the crick on the neck." The Stone Golem smirked and rolled his
neck. There was an audible popping sound. "Ah. All fixed."
Kenshin stood his ground, refusing to be intimidated. The shooting pain
on his charred and bloody shoulder, as well as the fresher cuts and
bruises from when Genbu brutally juggled him in midair, were acting up
again. He also felt strangely exhausted for some reason. But he
nonetheless refused to give up. He still had several tricks up his
sleeve, after all.
<It's unfortunate that I'm forced to use some of my more advanced
techniques on such a low-level demon, but desperate times call for
desperate measures, I believe.>
Kenshin's eyes narrowed as, once again, Genbu melded with the ground. He
gingerly clutched his aching shoulder. <This fight has dragged on for
far too long.>
"All your little tricks mean nothing to me and my Tetsuzan Kou Defense
Up!" Genbu spat as he sandwiched Kenshin with his gargantuan body and
his snaking tail. "Let's end this now, samurai!"
"My thoughts exactly," was Kenshin's simple response as he calmly
sheathed the Demon's Sword back to its scabbard.
***
Yusuke couldn't believe his eyes. Randou had somehow survived the
devastating power of his Double Barrel Shotgun. Just how the demon
accomplished such a feat, he could only guess; he did take note that the
strands of silk that currently enveloped the youkai's chest like a
protective vest might have something to do with it.
<Dammit, I really must have grown weaker than before. At the start of
the fight, I broke through those silken threads with no problem. But
now... SHIT!> Yusuke cussed in exasperation.
"You're so annoyingly tenacious, Urameshi Yusuke," Randou surmised. He
sneered and harrumphed as he dusted himself off. "But so am I," he
venomously hissed.
Despite his bravado, Randou inwardly cringed at Yusuke's sharp,
unblinking glare on him. It was a glare of definite challenge that
pierced through the demon's bluster.
'Is that all you got?' Yusuke seemed to say through his fiery eyes.
'Are you happy with this?'
Truth be told, Randou was far too weak to execute the Iron Body
Technique and the Inner Blood Turmoil properly at that point. So he
decided to make use of a third defensive technique; the demonic silken
threads he used just recently. These durable threads, which had the
tensile strength of one-hundred and twenty pounds per square millimeter
of cross section, were apparently up to the task of protecting him from
an encumbered Yusuke.
Therefore, what could have been a checkmate in Yusuke's favor reverted
to the stalemate of before. Though the Master of a Hundred and One
Tactics had lost a lot of blood and was seemingly paralyzed from the
waist down, the impudent teenager was still completely ki-less at that
point. No one had the advantage.
Needless to say, Randou was not happy with the situation.
As a demon, Randou wasn't supposed to know what the terms 'stalemate'
or 'checkmate' meant, but the Human World Game of Chess just happened to
be the Chojin's favorite pastime. As the Chojin's special assistant, the
youkai had learned quite a lot... and one of the things that the Chojin
emphasized to him during their many talks was to never settle for
anything less than a 'checkmate' against an opponent.
"No. There will be no stalemate," Randou declared in between exhausted
breaths, a swollen jaw, and immovable legs. "I will win against you
absolutely. I will not settle for anything less. I will prove to you
that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, you're my bitch."
"Strong words... but it seems to me that I'm not the only one who's in a
pickle right now. All I really need is one good punch and you're
history," Yusuke countered. "I'm nobody's bitch... but you're mine."
Randou snorted as he returned Yusuke's glowering gaze. "Really now?
Well, you've already had your fun. It's now time for _me_ to play." Just
as he said the words, large amounts of choleric energy began to surround
him. "All that energy you've just lost has to go somewhere... ne,
Urameshi Yusuke?"
"Then I simply won't let you use any of it!" Yusuke said before
disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Randou merely rolled his eyes in disdain. "No matter how fast you are,
it doesn't matter if you come charging at me like a bull. It makes
reading your next attack painfully easy. You should learn your place,
human. SPIRIT GUILLOTINES!"
<What now?> Yusuke thought as he his charge skidded to a halt and
circled around the demon. Another thought occurred to him. Though his
knowledge of the English language was laughable at best, he at least
knew about the difference between a plural and a singular noun. <Hey,
did he say Spirit _Guillotines_? As in more than _one_ guillotine? What
the hell's a guillotine, anyway?>
Numerous beams of light energy appeared in front of Randou, this time of
a light-green hue. The energy seemed to hover in midair, about two feet
from the youkai, and had settled into flat horizontal shapes, much like
pieces of paper laying on a desk.
The flat energy beams ripped in front of Yusuke, charging forward like
furious waves from a tsunami. The sleek-haired teen barely had time to
react and avoid the powerful torrent.
After traveling about twenty feet, they disappeared instantly and
reappeared next to Randou, surrounding him like neutrons on an atom.
<Oh. So those are guillotines. Okay then... That means I better stay the
hell away from them!> Yusuke assessed as he weaved through the smashed
columns and tiles while eyeing his deadly nemesis warily.
Every second that followed, the sheets of light attacked... and Yusuke
couldn't even catch sight of their strikes. The damage he got started
off as little nicks and scratches; after a short time, these grew into
deeper cuts and lesions.
Yusuke clutched his leg and his shoulder to keep more of his blood from
spilling out. He was beginning to experience the early symptoms of shock
as his arm went limp while his leg numbed. He was afraid that the
muscles and tendons of his appendages might already be permanently
damaged, all because of a fight with one youkai that just refused to
die.
Smirking to himself in self-assurance, Randou opened his mouth and
spewed out more of his special silken threads, weaving them onto himself
like a protective cocoon of sorts. <I can now rest here while Urameshi
is distracted by my Spirit Guillotines. If everything goes to plan,
then I'll have my revenge. I'll have my checkmate.>
***
Kenshin tried to ignore the numerous cuts and lesions that started to
mysteriously appear all over his body as he struggled to get a clean
shot at Genbu and his gravelly tail.
"SOU RYU SEN!"
The Twin Headed Dragon Flash assured no exploitable openings because of
its two-part sword and sheathe strikes. Nevertheless, it was a very
tricky move to pull off. A large amount of concentration and kenki was
needed to make the Double Battou-jutsu attack successful.
It seemed that the fates were truly conspiring against the ghost
formerly known as Battousai. Even his specialty, the sword-drawing
technique, failed him... all because of Yusuke Urameshi's utter
irresponsibility during battle.
Just as Yusuke had run out of reiki earlier, Kenshin had also run out of
kenki. Kenshin quickly realized that his bond with Yusuke was more of a
curse than a blessing as his somewhat watered-down Battou-jutsu strike
was completely overwhelmed by the power of Genbu's mace-like tail.
"Gotcha!" Genbu cried out in excitement as he batted Kenshin towards his
waiting palms. Upon catching the hapless ghost, he grappled his quarry
eagerly.
<Nothing I do seems to be working,> Kenshin observed in despair as he
felt his adversary slowly crush the life out of him.
"I told you so. I told you that I'm not the weakest of the Shisejyu.
By finishing off both you and Urameshi right here and now, I'll prove
just that. BAKURETSU-GANSHOU-DAN!" Genbu's iron-coated hands quickly
blew up, sending shrapnel, debris, and Kenshin flying into oblivion.
***
No matter where or how Yusuke dodged, the Spirit Guillotines were sure
to slash him with the speed that they were traveling. They were
everywhere, swarming him like flies to a landfill.
Yusuke coarsely cursed under his breath. The Spirit Guillotines cut him
up deeply and accurately. The distance of the strike was wholly up to
Randou, and there was little the half-demon could do about it.
Speaking of Randou, Yusuke soon noticed that the youkai was presently
wrapped in a silken cocoon of his own making. Yusuke's mouth twitched to
a scowl. <Shrewd bastard. While using my own reiki against me, he now
has a chance to recuperate in that cocoon of his. Dammit, if only I
hadn't used up all my reiki in that Double Barrel Shot Gun blast...!>
To make matters worse, Yusuke felt as if was being suffocated for some
reason. He accordingly stumbled and fell. <Dammit, because of the Youtou
what's-its-name's stupid bond, it feels like I'm fighting two battles at
the same time!>
Yusuke's lungs burned in agony as he felt his ribs constrict. He
desperately gasped for air as his vision dimmed.
<Dammit! Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT!>
Then, like Kenshin before him, Yusuke's world promptly exploded just as
every single one of the Spirit Guillotines homed in on him.
***
This was not the first time Kenshin faced what could have been a
literally explosive demise. He had already experienced the unique
feeling in the hands of another 'monster'.
Like Genbu's exploding palm trick, the damnable 'Guren Kaina' nearly
killed Kenshin during his most momentous battle many, many years ago.
The distant memory replayed itself in the former vagabond's mind. It
was the last memory he ever had before his untimely death.
Two men. Two different views on the topic of justice and truth. Two
goals. One final battle to determine the future that would come to pass.
One was the personification of the violent flames of the Bakumatsu, the
other was the only one who could stop this uncontrollable wildfire. They
were Makoto Shishio and Kenshin Himura.
Only one could survive. But neither of them did.
Both Shishio and Kenshin were hunched over, shaking and out of breath.
As Shishio struggled to pull himself together, steam began to rise from
his body. A scarlet steam.
Shishio's blood was boiling. His temperature was rising even higher,
exceeding the coagulating point of blood. He had finally surpassed his
human limits. As he slowly got up to his feet, the nearby smokestacks
flared. Even then, his kenki was at optimum levels. In this fight,
Makoto Shishio held the upper hand.
Kenshin was completely aware of the direness of his situation. The die
was already cast, so there was nothing left for him to do but to
sacrifice himself then and there.
<My entire body is exhausted... and I�m losing a lot of blood. I�ve felt
death near many times, but this is the first... this is true death. But
Shishio�s lost almost all of his strength as well. How many years later
will he recover? Even if he comes back again, the ones who will bear the
next age should be able to stop him. So the mission entrusted to me...
will end here. To protect this country... to protect this city. And...>
But he did have one regret in his ultimate decision. He remembered the
words of his master, Seijuro Hiko...
"If you sacrifice yourself now, a girl who came all the way from Tokyo
just to see you will be very unhappy."
<Kaoru-dono...>
"Let�s go home together, okay?" were the words mouthed by the lovely,
smiling face of the aforementioned girl from Tokyo, Kaoru Kamiya.
<I'm so sorry, Kaoru-dono. I'm so very...>
"Let�s go home together... or else I'll whack you!"
<...Oro?>
Kenshin soundly blinked as his vision of Kaoru suddenly smacked him hard
with a boat paddle.
***
Kenshin wrested himself upright, startling the handless Genbu. By the
gods. What did it take to kill the swordsman?
"What's going on? Y-You can't be a-alive... Then that means Urameshi is
also alive! H-How can you possibly survive my up-close-and-personal
Bakuretsu-Ganshou-Dan? This isn't part of the plan! You have to die so
that _I'd_ be the one who kills Urameshi! Two birds with one stone and
all that!" the Holy Beast rambled on in aggravation.
Ignoring Genbu's hollow rants, Kenshin said the words he longed for to
say but never had a chance to do so.
"I can't die. There's no reason for me to die here. There�s still
someone waiting for me to come back. Nothing... nothing is stronger than
the will to live!"
"What--Waiting for you?" Genbu incredulously asked. After a few moments,
he started to cackle contemptuously. "What are you blabbering about?
Nobody's waiting for you. You've died a long, long time ago. You're just
a clueless, know-nothing samurai that had the misfortune of getting
cursed and imprisoned by some demonic sword! Get real."
Kenshin's determined features turned crestfallen as his adversary's
words sunk in.
"You can't die, you say? Fool. You're already dead!" Genbu jeered,
laughing derisively as he used his Tetsuzan Kou to rebuild his stony
hands. "It's too late for you to say such things. It's not your 'life'
that I desire to take away, it's Urameshi's. He's the only reason
you're even in this mortal plane! You can't possibly have the so-called
'will to live,' because the life you claim to have isn't even yours in
the first place."
<You're already dead... Nobody's waiting for you... Your life isn't even
yours in the first place... It's too late.> Genbu's taunts reverberated
in Kenshin's mind. The harsh truth behind these biting words pierced
through the remnants of the lost soul's delicate hope and faith.
After coating his newly reconstructed hands with iron, Genbu decided to
add injury to insult by pouncing on the rather distracted and perturbed
Guardian of the Demon's Sword. "You poor, deluded soul. Don't worry...
I'll be the one who'll send you back to your long-lost love ones. You'll
join them soon."
Kenshin just stood there, awaiting his miserable fate.
***
There were subconscious portions of Yusuke's mind that realized that
Yusuke was, in general, a man of passion rather than reason. It was
these portions that worked hardest to get Yusuke out of the dangerous
situations he regularly found himself in, usually by flooding him with
images that would trigger an expected impulsive reaction.
Yusuke's mind feverishly dug around in Yusuke's psyche for the perfect
memory to wake him up before he literally became minced meat care of the
converging energy blades.
"KEIKO!" Yusuke woke up with a start, grasping his left cheek in alarm.
<Damn. It was only a dream.> He exhaled noisily. <But hell, even in my
dreams, Keiko can still slap like she means it!> Sighing, he did his
best to shake off the remnants of disorientation that had washed over
him.
Yusuke's mind admittedly could have done better than summoning the
hackneyed 'Keiko slaps Yusuke to a bloody pulp' memory, but beggars
couldn't be choosers.
Yusuke grimaced. An urgent, nagging feeling in his gut told him that he
needed to be awake and alert, that he needed to clarify his fuzzy memory
and find out why he felt as if...
As the awkward sensation flitted inside of him, he suddenly remembered
something very important. Actually, he remembered dozens upon dozens of
very important things.
Yusuke leaped aside, instinct guiding him as the grazing power of
tremendous ki-attacks destroyed the earth where he had been standing.
<Holy shit, that was close!> His limbs ached and his teeth were clenched
tight. He pathetically limped as he desperately ran away from the horde
of Spirit Guillotines. <Damn. How could I've been so careless?>
But the nagging feeling he felt earlier never left him. Something was
still amiss. Soon enough, this nagging feeling found its voice.
<Yusuke-dono! I say, LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU!>
The shrill screeching of a thousand fiends ensued.
***
"Kenshin..."
The voice was weak and distant, yet cheerful and familiar. If only he
could find its source... but he was too tired.
Kenshin lay where he had slumped onto his side, wheezing slightly, his
wild purple eyes open, filled with sadness, despair, pain...
Pain. He felt a strange pain inside of him, where he couldn't tend to it
for it was deep where he couldn't see. It hurt so much that it felt like
he was being cooked from the inside out.
And the monster was coming. The terrible one that smelled of decay, rust
and earth, the one who promised death which Kenshin strangely longed for
because he was so tired of everything. He felt the peculiar need to end
the futility of his existence right then and there.
"Kenshin, please..."
He had to do something. Yet he couldn't and wouldn't, even though the
monster was nearly upon him. He didn't even try to stop it because he
felt that it was meaningless to do so. It was about time that Kenshin
Himura ceased to be.
"Kenshin, please... Don't die."
But he had to because she wanted him to do so, he could hear it in her
voice, and he couldn't stand to disappoint her again like he did during
his final battle as a flesh and blood man, and the monster was right
next to him, it grabbed him so that it could blast him again with its
hellish exploding palm trick, and it was going to...
"We still have to come back home, Kenshin."
...kill him and make him break his promise to Kaoru again and there was
no way in hell he was going to let that happen.
Kenshin's eyes widened.
***
Genbu's massive jaw dropped. Just as he was about to blow up Kenshin for
a second time, his quarry vanished like a ghost right before his very
eyes. Well, technically, he _was_ a ghost, but...
<What in the world...?>
As the holy beast looked around him, he was awestruck by what he saw.
There they were. Kenshins. Hundreds of them, appearing and disappearing
successively like the dancing waves of the ocean.
<Afterimages,> Genbu mused in bewilderment. <They're just like the
afterimages Randou makes when he's using that quickness technique of
his, only... the samurai's technique is much better. Faster. More
frightening.>
The Shisejyu shook his head as if to clear it. <No, no, no! Snap out of
it. Why am I thinking such things? That wimpy ol' ghost can barely
even _scratch_ me, let alone defeat me. What's really happening is that
I already have him on the defensive. One more blast of my Bakuretsu-
Ganshou-Dan and he, as well as Urameshi, will be history!>
***
Kenshin frowned. An urgent, nagging feeling in his gut told him that he
needed to be awake and alert, that he needed to clarify his fuzzy memory
and...
<Remember.>
He didn't want to. It was too awful, too humiliating, and all too
depressing. But Kaoru's voice pulled at him, as it always did. Her voice
dragged his humanity from where it lay, submerged in utter despair. As
he awoke, he felt every nuance of his awakening. He felt his guilt and
regret stab through his very soul, still influencing him, trying to
stifle him, trying to smother him with hopelessness...
<Remember.> His own voice, in his own mind.
He remembered. And it was so embarrassing. He, the growing spark of
awareness that was Kenshin Himura, was painfully aware that he wasn't
able to hold on to his sanity even when somebody's life was at stake.
More importantly, he remembered _why_ he felt so mindlessly depressed
and hopeless; why he _wanted_ to die in the hands of some C-Level demon,
albeit it was Yusuke Urameshi's life on the line and not his.
He had failed. He had failed to keep his promise to Kaoru in the
interest of defeating Shishio. He thought he was strong enough to bear
the loss of Kaoru Kamiya, Sanosuke Sagara, Yahiko Myoujin, Megumi
Takani, and many, many others after his eventual death. But he
apparently wasn't, or else he wouldn't be feeling so disheartened right
now.
Where were they now? What had happened to them? Would he ever see them
again?
He quickly realized that because of his sacrifice, his existence was
now an empty one. He was all alone in the altogether alien world of the
new age. Besides that, he was eternally cursed to remain a demonic tool
of death and destruction at the expense of his forgotten humanity.
<What is the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu for? What is Himura Kenshin for? Once
again, I've broken my promise to someone I truly cared for. Kaoru-dono,
I'm...>
But he also remembered the words that he longed for Kaoru to say, but
he instead heard from someone else.
"Kenshin, welcome back to Tokyo," a certain blue-haired ferry-girl
excitedly declared, taking his hand to hers.
Kenshin reminisced staring at Botan's hand in dumbstruck wonder, his
mouth forming a little 'o' of shock. He smiled a bit, as if somehow this
was the sort of thing that was supposed to happen in his life... his
past life... the sort of thing that should have happened after he
fought Shishio.
"Never mind empty, unfulfilled promises... You still have people to
protect, Kenshin," Botan and Kaoru seemed to say in unison in Kenshin's
complicated imaginings. "You lose what's most precious to you, then
exhaust yourself body and soul. But if you have something you can't
bring yourself to throw away, whatever anyone says, that's your only
truth."
<My... truth?>
He gingerly clutched the Demon's Sword in deep contemplation. Though it
represented everything that was damnable about his present existence, it
also embodied all that was good in him; his childish hopes and dreams,
even. He clung to it the same way he steadfastly clung to his foolish,
juvenile, and unrealistic credo... "The Sword that Protects."
<There's one thing I can still do. Protect the happiness of the people I
see before me. If one sword can still catch people's eyes, than it's
enough to protect. Even if one person was suffering before me for
whatever reason, I just can't let him be. That is my truth.>
Indeed, he still had people to look after and protect. In particular, he
still had Yusuke to save from harm. That was a more powerful truth than
his long broken promise to Kaoru. He had died to protect his loved ones,
so he would live to do the very same.
Kenshin blinked. The nagging feeling he felt earlier was still there,
growing stronger by the minute.
As he continued to stall for time by confusing Genbu with his myriad of
reflections, he concentrated. He focused on the feeling.
And there it was. The Youtou Shinnoken's link to his and Yusuke's soul.
<Is this what the hullabaloo's about? Is my shared bond with Yusuke-dono
merely acting up again?> he ruminated.
As he focused on the link and felt the brash, impetuous presence of the
current bearer of the Demon's Sword, he felt... something else.
Something was amiss... and this was the real reason why the link had
been demanding for his attention for quite sometime now.
Kenshin felt it. He _felt_ the danger that Yusuke was currently in, and
his concern soon found its voice, echoing through their consciousnesses.
"Yusuke-dono! I say, LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU!"
***
To be Continued...
Next: The Mazoku unleashed.
I usually geek out during these author notes. You'll be glad to
know that today is no exception. Though I've said time and time
again that the only ones who really like the author notes are the
author and himself, w-ell... Yeah, that's apparently true. I love
my author notes, readers be damned. ;)
First off, we'll be having yet another addendum of techniques.
Randou had briefly mentioned in YYH that he had about... what?
Ninety-nine techniques? Then there's the fact that he copied the
Rei-Gan technique from Yusuke (which makes for a hundred
techniques). Then there's the fan fiction fanon (:P) I've
established of Randou copying Kuwabara's Jigen Tou technique
(which makes for a hundred and _one_ techniques). Nifty, I say.
In any case, guess what? I'll be filling in the rest of those
'mysteriously unused' techniques in typical fan fiction flair! ^_^
Let's start off with a couple of 'canon' techniques that he
already used in the fic:
1. Silk Threads: IMO, Randou's lamest technique. It looks like
something you'd see in a Sentai Show.
2. Imp and Lower Demon Summon: Yeah, he used it in the series.
Remember the piranha-like fish and the little imp he used as bait
to said fish in his canon fight with Yusuke? Think Blackheart's
special moves a la Marvel Super Heroes.
3. Zankuu Reppu Jin: Those vacuum cutter thingies he used against
Yusuke once upon a time.
4. Chanting to Elder Demons, Shrinking Technique: He pretty much
used that on himself in the earlier chapters of YS, actually... to
recuperate.
5. Shaolin-Ka-Shou-Happa-Ken: Your typical (and literal) fireball
projectile technique. A technique stolen from some Shaolin monks
before the events of Genkai's tournament.
6. Rei-Gan: Y'know what this is, right? Though, truth be told,
it's kind of a misnomer, since Randou uses youki to power his
'Rei-Gan'. It should instead be called a 'You-Gan', really.
And here're the rest of the 'fanon' techniques.
7. Inner Blood Turmoil: Energy shield/power up using blood and ki.
A Danyal Herder creation, from the Kyuuketsuki Gakuen.
8. Blood Fire Wave: Energy projectiles using blood and ki. A
Danyal Herder creation, from the Kyuuketsuki Gakuen.
9. Spirit Guillotine: A ki-based cutting wave. Slightly more
effective than the Rei-Ken, but the Jigen Tou owns it. A Danyal
Herder creation.
10. Jigen Tou: The Dimensional Sword. A technique stolen from
Kuwabara. A Yoshishiro Togashi creation. :P
11. Blood Wind: An energy vortex using blood and ki. An Abdiel
creation, from the Kyuuketsuki Gakuen.
12. Iron Body Technique: Based on the fact that Yusuke's ki-less
punches barely fazed Randou in the canon YYH. Interpret that as
you will. The special move is now among the Byakko's Claw
techniques in this fic's universe.
13. Mental Telepathy: A technique which he used to communicate his
special instructions to Genbu during the end of the brief Genbu-
Yusuke 'fight'. He taught this technique to Iehik.
14. Body Absorption Technique: Absorbing different kinds of
creatures unto oneself to become really powerful. He taught this
technique to Iehog.
15. Silk Cocoon: A self-recuperating technique using the lame-o
silk cocoon threads, thusly making them cooler than they really
are. An Abdiel creation.
And here we are... the first fifteen techniques of Randou's one
hundred and one skills. So that's eighty-six techniques to go.
Mindlessly Obsessive of me, ne?
Soapbox: You'd think that with ninety-nine plus two skills, Randou
would be the most powerful being in the YYH universe... but he's
not. In any case, I personally believe that though Randou knows
all these techniques from the start, it doesn't necessarily mean
that he could use all of them at the same time or that he'd have
enough power to execute any of the higher level techniques without
risk to his life. Needless to say, as he gets more powerful in the
fic, he becomes more and more like a fighter to be reckoned with.
Why the hell am I listing these things here? First, because I forget
things easily, and second because I want to establish a semblance of
continuity in Youtou Shinnoken, even though the entire premise of
this fic is based upon pure otaku geekiness rather than a desire to
write a fan fiction classic.
Also, starting at the end of this first major arc, I'll be making
an exciting new promotion for Youtou Shinnoken. A separation of
the "brand" has come. In accordance to the wishes of my former co-
author Danyal Herder, I'm now going to give his ideas a try by
branching the story out into two series... the "original" Youtou
Shinnoken and the newer series, Demon's Sword. Simply put, I'll be
working on my story developments in YS while working on Danyal's
story developments in DS. Stay tuned for further developments.
Disclaimer: Yuyu Hakusho is the rightful property of Yoshihiro
Togashi, Shueisha, Fuji TV and St. Pierrot. Rurouni Kenshin is the
rightful property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and Sony. Don't sue us please,
we are very poor.
Ja!
Abdiel
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