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Youtou Shinnoken
A Yuyu Hakusho/Rurouni Kenshin fic
By Chester Casta�eda 
gab_ab@edsamail.com.ph
Original concept by SeventhOne
chadjill@ms3.hinet.net
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1377336

Er... hi. Abdiel here. Youtou Shinnoken's back. :) 
Have some good news and some bad news, though... oh 
well... just check the Author's notes

A few more notes before proceeding:

< > indicates character thoughts
" " indicates character speech


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Chapter 5: To protect loved ones (Part 1)
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     Kenshin, Yusuke and Genkai went into their respective fighting 
stances as they braced themselves for the mob attack of three of the
four Saint Beasts.   

     "Keiko, we better get out of the way," Botan recommended as she 
offered her hand to the shorter girl. "Let the real fighters do their 
stuff!"

     "Yes, of course, Botan-san!" Keiko affirmed.

     "It's a group attack... Yusuke! Himura-san!" Genkai shouted out at
her two other compatriots. "We need attacks that cover a large area to 
stop them from reaching us, and then we divide and conquer!"

     "Hell yeah!" Yusuke shouted as he prepared his most devastating
area attack. "I'm ready when you are, granny. How about you, samurai?" 

     "Anooo... sessha isn't really a samurai, but more of a rurouni--" 
Kenshin politely corrected, but he was then quickly interrupted by
the tremendous force of Genkai and Yusuke's combined attack.
 
     "Whatever... SHOT GUN!"

     "REI-KOU-DAN!"

     "REI-GAN!" 

     After recovering from the recoil of the joint assault by means 
of his well-trained nimbleness, Kenshin attempted to execute his own 
wide area attack in the form of a well-placed Dou Ryu Sen on the 
ground, but he quickly stopped himself as he spotted a flash in the 
corner of his eye. 

     <Wait a second... the third attack... it wasn't said by either
Genkai-dono nor Yusuke-dono,> Kenshin surmised as he quickly calculated 
the origin of the flicker of light he saw and the connection it had with
the mysterious third attack. 

     A good fifteen yards away stood Randou, his pointer finger smoking
like the hot barrel of a recently fired gun, a grim expression on his
face. 

     Randou's finger was incidentally pointed at Keiko and Botan's 
direction.

     The fast approaching ball of red-colored demonic energy loomed 
nearer and nearer towards the two very surprised and shocked girls.
       
     Kenshin was able to deduce everything in a fraction of a second...
any later than that, it would have been too late. But it wasn't too 
late... not yet, at the very least.

     Kenshin narrowed his eyes. He saw no other option. He knew what he 
had to do.




***




     "Oi." 

     This was the statement from which it all began. It was a simple 
address that summarily showed the insistence and impatience of the one 
who spoke it.

     "What is it, rooster head?" was the other companion's eloquent 
reply.

     The taller figure coughed once, then twice. He then pointed at
something with a shaking finger, stating a wee bit nervously, "Why are
those little people trapped in that box?" 

     "...." the younger one wittily rejoined. He then snorted in reply,
to somehow keep up with his aloof attitude even though he himself had no
idea what the weird... box-type something was. 

     A barrage of colorful images, sights and sounds hypnotized the two
friends for a while... but the entirety of the situation at hand was 
just beyond the grasp of their mental capacity.

     "Hey, look... do you think that if we smash it to bits, we can kill
this demon box?"

     "Don't speak so stupidly, rooster head!" 

     "Well, you have a better idea, Mr. 'I'm a great, badass Tokyo 
Samurai'?!"

     "Yeah."

     "What?"

     "Well, we leave it alone, and the problem will solve itself."

     The sound of flesh connecting to bone was heard. 

     "OW! What was that for?!" the adolescent wearing the hakama 
and blue gi demanded.

     "You're the one who's talking stupid, moron! Let the problem
solve itself... HA! It's not as if that demon box will magically turn
itself off or something!"

     Suddenly, the supposed 'demon box' ceased its anarchic, chaotic,
visceral and generally noisy... performance. 

     The younger lad waited for two seconds before saying, "Ha! Told'ya 
so!"

     "Now wait just a goddamned..." the elder and scragglier man 
began. 

     "...." the two recently revived companions chorused as they stared
at an auburn-haired woman that suddenly appeared near the demon box.
They watched in silence as she extracted her finger from one of the 
buttons on the lower left panel of the strange device, too frozen in 
befuddlement and confusion to speak.

     "Oi," she said.

     It was a simple address that summarily showed the insistence
and impatience of the one who spoke it... and the one who spoke it was
one irritable, annoyed and generally unhappy Shizuru Kuwabara.

     She cocked what the two hapless companions identified as a 
funny-looking, two-barreled gun, eliciting the desired response from 
the pair.

     And so from where it began, so will it end. 




***




     The combined attack of Yusuke and Genkai _should_ have disabled
at least most of the charging Saint Beasts... in theory.

     But it was not so, as the obese demon known as Byakko had some
very unique abilities that enabled him to counter the deadly 
combination of the Shotgun technique and the Rei-kou-dan maneuver.

     Byakko cackled has he opened his mouth and completely sucked and 
absorbed the two attacks like they were nothing at all. He then let out 
a deafening roar as he hollered, "MEI-KO-SHOU-KAI-HA!" 

     A furious stream of youki then came forth his gaping maw... youki 
that had been transformed from the pure reiki of the previous offensive. 
Under the furious assault that they were subjected to, Yusuke and Genkai 
barely had time to duck for cover as an entire portion of the patio 
disintegrated into nonexistence. 

     "Dammit... seems like the not-so-saintly beasts got better since 
the last time we fought," Yusuke noted as he nimbly avoided the larger 
pieces of rock, stone and debris that fell upon him and his companions. 
"They're not the Class-C shit they used to be."

     "You should expect as much... they're no ordinary youkai... not 
anymore. I can practically sense the overwhelming jaki inside of 
them... they're now like vengeful, corporeal spirits. In their quest 
for vengeance, it's their own negative feelings of hatred and spite that 
provide them with nearly unlimited reserves of energy," Genkai informed 
as she began assessing her best approach of attack.

     "Feh. Just like that loser Yakumo," Yusuke derisively assessed, 
snorting in disdain. "I don't really have that much respect for people
who don't rely solely on their strength of their fists. They're just a 
bunch of sissies to have to depend on jaki to win a fight." The 
sleek-haired young lad then noticed something amiss.

     "Hey, granny... where's Kenshin?"
  
     "I'm not sure... I though he was with you," Genkai said, merely 
shrugging as she spotted another wave of choleric ki headed towards 
their direction. "Keep on your toes, Yusuke! There's more where that 
came from!"

     "I know! You don't need to tell me!" Yusuke said, furiously 
punching his way through the rain of rubble as he consciously avoided 
Byakko's second assault. <Looks like the Rei-Gan's out of the question 
now, with that fat pig in the way... and where's that wimpy samurai when
you needed him? I thought he was supposed to be this legendary swordsman 
and shit....> 

     In the meantime, at the Saint Beasts' side, Byakko had already run 
out of ammunition and energy... so much so that he could barely control 
himself and his hunger pangs. He was practically starving for more reiki 
to corrupt. The youkai soon became near-mindless and feral as he lunged 
at the fleeting visage of Genkai in an attempt to satisfy his insatiable 
appetite for blood and power, only to be put in check moments later by 
Seiryu himself.
   
     A cold and menacing look from Seiryu... Byakko's original 
murderer... was all it took to silence the massive youkai. The light of
intelligence finally returned in the youkai's untamed eyes, only to be
replaced by the glint of frustration and disappointment. It was as if
Byakko's eyes were saying, 'Let me eat.'

     Seiryu merely shook his head, and left it at that.

     Genkai didn't miss any of this as she began pondering the meaning 
of the two Saint Beasts' wordless gestures. <Could it be... that their
attack was just a ruse of some sort?>

     Genkai then became aware of the flash of choleric ki that emanated 
from far away. "Oh no... Yusuke! It's a trap! They're...."

     She was then silenced by the elaborate yet razor sharp patterns of 
ice that suddenly materialized in front of her... she could not possibly
warn Yusuke in time, not with the awkward position she was currently 
in... she could only pray to the gods that somehow Yusuke would figure 
everything out by himself as she did her best to avoid getting impaled
by the lethal onslaught.

     But it was already too late. 

     Yusuke's eyes widened in shock and panic as he heard a duet of
panicked, female screams. <What the hell...?!> He then felt it... the
huge amount of youki that was headed straight for Keiko and Botan. 
<Randou... I can feel Randou's ki signature from that attack of his!
Damn that bastard!> 

     He had to do something to stop it... he desperately lunged towards
the direction of the shrieks, using every last bit of his strength to 
somehow get there in time and deflect the errant attack... instead he
saw the last thing he expected to see.

     Kenshin Himura... the one he labeled as the 'useless wimp'... was 
the very one who was standing in the way of Keiko and Botan's oblivion.

     "Kenshin!" came the collective shout of Yusuke, Keiko and Botan as 
Kenshin lunged towards the path of the ball of youki.




***




     Koenma sighed and continued sifting through the seemingly endless 
papers strewn about on his desk, a process he actually enjoyed every 
once in a while... just not right now.

     Especially not at this moment, while he felt that he was somehow
under the nervous surveillance of his loyal oni assistant Jorge as the
ogre's furtive glances bore upon the last vestiges of his patience. He 
decided to end the querying peeks then and there as he stared at his 
underling outright, asking, "What?"

     Finally, after countless glances and idle twiddling of thumbs, 
Jorge finally summoned up... or was forced to summon up... the courage
to say, "Anooo... Koenma-sama...."

     "...." Koenma elucidated. 

     Jorge merely scratched his head sheepishly in reply.

     "What is it, Jorge?" Koenma hurriedly insisted. "Just cut to the 
chase and tell me what's the matter. I can't have any work done with
you glancing at me every other minute like that."

     "Yes, Koenma-sama!" Jorge said, suddenly standing in attention and
saluting. He then just stood there for quite sometime.

     The scene caused Koenma to arch an eyebrow. "Well?" he asked 
impatiently.

     "Anoo..." Jorge timidly started. "About that money you handed
those two humans which you so generously revived...." Koenma's
blue-skinned assistant then grinned. "I was just wondering if ever me 
and the others wanted to have an oni's night out in the Human World, 
then maybe...."

     Koenma looked at Jorge blankly for all of two seconds before 
stating, "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"




***




     "Well?" Shizuru insisted as she pointed the shotgun at the two
strangers. "Let's cut the crap. Explain yourselves."

     "Oi, Yahiko," Sanosuke whispered conspiratorially to his fellow 
revived companion. "We're in deep shit with what your 'Koenma-san' has
done to us. He got us screwed big time."

     "I'm sure he has a reason for this," Yahiko replied in kind. 
"After all, he did get us some leads on Kenshin... that accounts for 
something, right?"

     "Less whispering and more explaining," Shizuru calmly yet earnestly
said. "You can't just barge in a house without explanation. And it 
better be a helluva good one, it you still want your heads to remain
connected to your bodies."

     <Oh great... we were just recently revived, and soon we'll be
recently deceased... again.> Yahiko sighed. <I went out of heaven for
_this_?>

     "I got it!" Sanosuke suddenly said, not minding the slight
flinch of Shizuru's eyes and the curl of her finger over the trigger
of the shotgun. "This is some sort of house for rent setup, isn't it?
And your the lady geisha of the house?"

     Shizuru just looked at the taller man with an incredulous look
in her eyes, though her countenance was still unflappable as she 
maintained her aim at the uncouth stranger's throat. "Perhaps I should 
be insulted with what you're trying to insinuate, hm, mister?"

     "Hey, easy... easy, missy!" Sanosuke cooed as he took something
out of his pocket.

     "Hey! No sudden moves!" Shizuru shouted as she methodically shoved 
her shotgun over Sanosuke's nose. "Put your hands up where I can see 
them!"

     "No worries, sister!" Sanosuke assured as he took out the money
Koenma gave them. "We'll pay you!"

     Yahiko merely palmed his face in aggravation. <Sano, you idiot!>




***



 
     "You gave them _fake_ money, Koenma-sama?!" Jorge said, his eyes
boggling in disbelief. 

     Koenma wiped the tears off his eyes. "I wish I could see the look
on their faces now," he mused, giggling.




***




     "...." Yahiko stated.

     "????" Shizuru detailed.

     "@$&*^!!!" Sanosuke elaborated.

     The three of them stared in shock, confusion, befuddlement and
a myriad of other puzzled expressions as they stared at the legal
tender they held in their hands.

     Well, it did look, for most part, like yen notes... save for the
smiling picture of a baby Koenma waving a peace sign printed on each 
of the paper bills.

     One thought entered the minds of the two recently revived
spirits as they stared down at the barrel of Shizuru's gun.

     <We're screwed.>




***




     "Why would you do that, Koenma-sama? What about the clothes, and 
their food...?" Jorge asked confusedly.

     Koenma waved the blue demon off. "They don't need that. They're
dead."

     "But didn't you just revive them, Koenma-sama?!" Jorge said in
confusion.

     Koenma nodded, smiling mysteriously. "Yes and no."




***




     Yahiko and Sanosuke both winced at the shotgun blast that never
came. Another simultaneous, near telepathic thought entered their minds.

     <W-we're still alive?>

     They opened their eyes to see a mirthful Shizuru laughing 
goodheartedly at the fake money, though they did still warily look at
the gun pointed at them.

     Sanosuke was the first one to speak. "Ei, sister," he said. "'Sup."
He then instantly held his hands up as Shizuru placed the barrel of her
shotgun over his mouth this time. 
     
     Shizuru then smirked and patted the taller man's spiky hair, 
grinning. "You should have told me you were one of Kazuma's weird 
friends from the Spirit World. Would have saved us a lot of trouble."

     <Kazu-- who?> Yahiko thought to himself in puzzlement, but he kept 
those thoughts to himself lest the deranged... or perhaps not so 
deranged, merely domicile-protective... lady decided to blast him and 
Sanosuke to kingdom come. "Er... yes. Koenma-san sent us."

     "Yup... he sure did," Shizuru confirmed, smirking as she waved the
play money in front of the two spirits. "And he does have a weird sense
of humor, doesn't he?"
     
     "That's why I hate him so much," Sanosuke mumbled to himself.

     "Well, introductions are in order, I'd guess... but perhaps after 
a nice cup of tea?" Shizuru smugly offered as she clipped the 
shotgun over one arm while getting a cigarette stick from her pocket
with her free hand. "Do you mind?"

     "Er, not at all, sister! It is your goddamned home... a lovely home
at that!" Sanosuke corrected as the shotgun was again pushed against his
nose, now understanding why the strange woman gave him such weird spirit 
vibrations. <Dammit... she's a lot like a female Saito!>

     <Dumb rooster head,> Yahiko merely thought to himself as he 
directly addressed the lady in kind. "Could we at least know the name
of our hostess? We were given a mission, but we're kind of lost on
how we're going to go about it...."

     "I see," Shizuru said, nodding sagely. "No problem... though I
think it's best for you to wait for my 'dear' brother Kazuma first. 
He's the one who should be briefing you, not me." She fumbled for the
lighter for a bit then finally savored the ecstasy of breathing in 
burning tobacco. "I'm Kuwabara Shizuru, by the way." 




***




     "Kenshin!" Yusuke shouted in shock as the misidentified samurai 
fell into a boneless heap. <Damn... damn that Randou!> The spiritual 
detective did not miss the fact that the energy ball was an underhanded
ploy of his past nemesis Randou... he gritted his teeth in a combination 
of frustration, anger and pain.

     <Pain?  What the fu...!?> Yusuke thought incredulously as he felt a
shooting anguish on his right shoulder and on the side of his abdomen... 
which was a strange coincidence, since Kenshin himself was hit on his 
right side as well. <Did... Randou fire a second shot? Was I hit by him 
too?>

     Yusuke knew that it wasn't the case... no other shot was fired and
none of the Saint Beasts were able to hit him with their attacks. Then
he remembered the numerous instances where Botan or Keiko would whack
either one of them and then they would both feel the pain. He had thought 
that it was mere happenstance, but now... he wasn't so sure. He then put 
two and two together.

     <Dammit! Whatever happens to Kenshin also happens to me... and
vice-versa!> Yusuke dolefully concluded as he held his bleeding shoulder 
while tending with the painful ache of his now-broken ribs. <Dammit... 
if that's true, then we really are in deep shit.> He then eyed Kenshin 
bitterly. <Why'd you have to make a martyr out of yourself, you moronic, 
half-wit samurai?!> 




***




     "Jorge," Koenma said to what he considered to be his most loyal, 
blue-skinned oni assistant. "I can always depend on you, can't I?"

     "O-of course, Koenma-sama!" Jorge hurriedly said, nodding 
copiously. "You can trust me with anything, my lord!"

     "Good ol' faithful Jorge," Koenma said, grinning. "You didn't even
question my decision to revive those two souls, even though you knew
that it was an illegal act for me to do so. After all, the dead should
only remain as such."

     "It was not my place to do so, Koenma-sama," Jorge humbly said,
bowing. "But I was curious as to why...?"

     "Why I broke the precious laws of the Spirit World just to grant a
couple of spirits a few more moments in the world of the living even 
though they have a permanent, binding contract to rest in eternal 
peace?" Koenma finished for his underling, sighing. "What I did for 
these spirits was different from what I've done for Yusuke. Yusuke's
case was an accidental breach of contract. This was far more...."

     Jorge nodded grimly. "Intentional, sir." 

     Koenma chuckled. "Breaking the very laws of the Spirit World...
so many things have happened in such a short period of time." His eyes
were again fixated on the ceiling. "The Chojin... he worries me, Jorge.
All of the three worlds are now in the grip of a hidden peril, and we
could do next to nothing about it... just like with Sensui...."

     "K-Koenma-sama..." Jorge said concernedly, trailing off a bit in 
the end of his half-thought statement. "No one could do anything 
about--"

     Koenma slammed his fist on the oak table in frustration, his eyes
aflame with rage and frustration. "I was desperate then, as I am now. 
Tantei shouldn't fight against tantei... as dead spirits shouldn't 
fight against living ones!"

     "Koenma-sama," Jorge reiterated, only because he did not know 
what to say beyond that.

     "The Chojin... is using the souls of the dead... the evil souls of 
those thrown in the abyss of darkness... and reviving them somehow
through his awesome power... now there is a thin line between the living
and the dead, and if things go on the way they are, then the Chojin 
will have his own Army of Darkness roaming around the entirety of the 
three worlds."

     "Koenma-sama... forgive this humble servant of yours for his
stupidity..." Jorge stated, bowing, "but what does that have to do with
your reviving of these humans, sir?"

     Koenma inhaled deeply. "Death was the greatest power the Reikai
had over all living things... over both of the two living worlds. Once
the bind of death befalls any being, then they are now at our complete
control. Itsuki knew as much, which was why he kept Sensui's spirit from
us." 

     Koenma stood up, plucked his pacifier out of his mouth and studied
it closely. "The Chojin cancels out our power over the dead, 
particularly the evil spirits. He has somehow gained the ability to 
revive most of Reikai's most dangerous foes. This... overlord of sorts 
now has the power over life over death, just as we do." 
 
     "Oh no," Jorge muttered in dismay. "So this Chojin is now as 
powerful as Reikai itself? As Enma Daio himself?"

     Koenma nodded. "That's right." The tot then gripped his pacifier
tightly. "So even at the price of breaking one of our sacred laws, I 
just had to revive these fighters from the past... the only other
connection we have of the Chojin, other than the Demon's Sword. It would
also put us _at least_ in equal footing with the Chojin himself, with
what he's been doing and all."

     "But I still don't understand how you could have done that, 
Koenma-sama..." Jorge mused, mostly to himself. "I mean, reviving the
dead into the living uses up a lot of energy... and, since Enma Daio
is the source of all the reiki in the entirety of the Reikai, then he
would have felt the siphoning of energy. More importantly, he should 
have been the one to approve it. How did you manage to do it without 
your father knowing, Koenma-sama?" 

     "It's simple really... I used my own power to revive those two.
That way, not even my father would suspect a thing."

     "But that's dangerous, Koenma-sama! You already used up most of it
while battling Sensui! It'll take at least half a century to get back all
the power you've saved, and what little power that's left in you, when
used up, could prove fatal for you!"

     That was the cue Koenma needed before he suddenly collapsed on the 
ground in utter exhaustion.

     "Koenma-sama...!? KOENMA-SAMA!!!"




***




     "Keiko-dono, Kaoru-dono! LOOK OUT!!!"

     Kenshin braced himself as the blast impacted on his torso, feeling
what could be the equivalent of pain had he still been alive... it was
as if the pressure from the surging energy had metaphorically broken a
couple of his metaphoric ribs and shoulder blade. <It's... been a 
while... since I've felt pain like this,> he contemplated as he 
unceremoniously fell down in a boneless heap.

     After a few more seconds of intense pain, he managed to sit up and
look over his shattered shoulder. A small smile crept up his lips as he 
saw that Botan and Keiko, albeit crying, were still mostly safe. 
"Yosh," he whispered hoarsely, relieved. 

     Botan was the first one to come to the rurouni's aid. "Baka! What 
possessed you to do that? Koenma-sama said that your physical form is 
still unstable... what if something happened to you and the sword!? We 
could've lost you forever! Kenshin no baka!" she managed to choke out, 
sputtering everything she had said in a span of a few seconds before 
Kenshin altogether silenced her with a quiet smile and a finger on her 
lips.

     "Ssshhh... don't look so sad. It doesn't become you."

     Flustered, Botan rejoined, "You are a complete and total idiot! You
didn't even get my name straight! Don't you know that it's insulting for
a girl to be called by some other girl's name? I'm Botan, not Kaworu or 
whoever! BO-TAN... Botan!" Even the saddened ferry-girl had to smile a 
bit at her admittedly teasing remark, despite her tears and all. "Never 
do that again, baka!"

     Kenshin chuckled weakly. "Sessha promises that--"

     "Well, she's right about one thing... you really are an idiot."

     Everyone fell silent upon hearing the malicious statement... it 
was an avowal made by Yusuke himself.

     Keiko was the first one to break the ice, stating, "Mou, Yusuke!
Don't speak of such things! How could you...?" before she noticed that,
strangely enough, Yusuke was also in a similar incapacitated state as 
Kenshin. "Yusuke! What happened? Are you all right?" But Yusuke wasn't 
listening. 

     The half-demon boy glared straightforwardly at Kenshin, his eyes
aflame in contempt. "Because of your 'martyr' act, you've gotten us into 
deep shit. I could've taken out Randou and his goons with one hand tied 
behind my back... but not anymore... not like this! Because of your 
high-faluting, moralistic bullshit, we're all going to get screwed!

     "Oi! Yusuke! H-how can you possibly blame Kenshin for what happened
to... you?!" Botan demanded confusedly, still not understanding the 
situation at hand completely.

     Kenshin looked mournfully and apologetically at Yusuke. "Sumimasen.
Sessha only wanted to protect Keiko-dono and Kao... Botan-dono from 
harm. Sessha only wanted to protect his... those who are important to 
him. Sessha never realized that you would also suffer and...."

     "Feh," was Yusuke's only reply, silencing the rueful rurouni. He 
then added, "I know you what you wanted to do and why you did it. But it
won't change the fact that everything's now fucked up." The young spirit 
detective could only grit his teeth in frustration as he narrowed his 
eyes. "Besides... it's too late for excuses or apologies," he growled as 
he looked into the horizon.

     Keiko, Kenshin, and Botan could only stare in shock as they 
followed Yusuke's gaze towards a gleeful and cackling Randou a good few 
yards away.

     Randou chortled mightily. "I only used that ki-shot as a way of 
angering Urameshi by taking out his floozies... nonetheless, I think 
things turned out better this way. This time you're really going down, 
Urameshi Yusuke! And that bitch Genkai, too!" <And that samurai's just 
the person to help me do it,> he added to himself, chuckling.




***




     "No, Randou. You can have the others, but Urameshi is mine," Genbu
remembered himself saying earlier when he finally approached the Saint 
Beasts' designated objective. Of course it was Urameshi who he needed to 
defeat... after all, it was him who conquered their great leader Suzaku, 
right? 

     The giant stone tortoise-golem did feel a bit disappointed with the
fact that the red-haired whip-wielder... Kurama, the one who actually 
defeated him in battle... was not present in the current fracas. But 
those were just silly thoughts... his supposed true target was Urameshi, 
after all. Wait... was he the one with the sleek-black hair or the 
redhead?

     Genbu's searched frantically for his intended objective... it would
really be embarrassing for him to mistakenly attack someone _other_ than 
his prey, after all. It all came down to deducing which was which. No, 
Urameshi wasn't the red-haired gaijin samurai that was hit by Randou's 
cheap shot nor the old crone/martial artist that was currently trapped 
in one of Seiryuu's attacks... ah, then he must be the third fighter, 
since Yusuke wasn't a girl either, right? He studied the boy 
carefully... it seemed that the young lad was still okay for the most 
part save for his inexplicably bleeding shoulder.

     The titanic, boulder-like Saint Beast's jagged teeth morphed into a 
twisted grin as he stared at Yusuke's current state. He didn't 
particularly care how or why his opponent was injured... all he knew was
that this was the perfect chance for him to strike.

     Genbu chuckled in a self-congratulatory manner. This was going to 
be great... he was about to take down Suzaku's killer... all with one, 
easy strike! He was now to become deserving of the title "The most 
powerful of the Shisejyu."

     "You mortals are still confined by the earth that you walk on...
because of this, I have complete control of you... Urameshi! Take this! 
BAKURETSU-GANSHOU-DAN!"

     Instantaneously, all the rubble and debris from Byakko's last 
attack disintegrated into a maelstrom of dust, creating a veritable 
sandstorm-like wave headed towards the hapless Spirit World Detective.

 


***




     Yusuke could only stare wide-eyed in shock and confusion for the 
second time that day as a gigantic tsunami of rock fragments crashed 
upon his person.

     Randou shouted maniacally at Genbu, incensed... but his words 
were unfortunately drowned out by the loud and noisy Bakuretsu-Ganshou-
Dan. <Dammit... the original version of Genbu's attack was a lot quieter
than this... hell, a herd of stampeding elephants would have been 
preferable. That Genbu... he doesn't know what he's doing!> 

     "Yusuke...!" Keiko started as she made her way toward the crashing
waves of dirt, only to be immediately held back by Kenshin. "Let me go! 
I have to help Yusuke somehow! He's in trouble!"

     Botan bit her lip as she covered her teary eyes from the dusty 
winds of the vicious onslaught. "We can't do anything for Yusuke, 
Keiko... it's all up to him now." 

     The brown-haired girl then sobbed inconsolably on Kenshin's good 
shoulder as she heard the ferry-girl's remark.

     Genbu laughed heartily at his accomplishment. "I did it... I killed
Suzaku's murderer! I AM THE STRONGEST OF THE SAINT BEASTS! BWAHAHAHAHA!"

     "Feh," Seiryu snorted as he began caging in Genkai using intricate 
and elaborate ice patterns resembling enlarged snowflakes. "That fool
thinks he defeated Uramehi... yet he didn't even live long enough to 
watch the boy fight Suzaku during our battle in the Maze Castle. He 
has no idea what he's getting into."

     "Yaro," was all that Byakko added, growling and baring his fangs as
well as unsheathing his claws in irritation.

     Kenshin patted the sobbing girl's back as he looked intently at the
site of the crashing waves of earth. "Daijobu. He's all right."

     Keiko sniffled as she looked up at the rurouni's face, her eyes red
and doubtful. "H-how can you be sure? H-he was injured a-and he didn't 
make it out in...."

     "This lowly one knows," Kenshin cut Keiko off gently, his velvet 
eyes clear and sure. "Sessha has discovered that whatever happens to
Yusuke-dono, due to our connection through the Demon's Sword, happens to
me too... _that_ was why he was so... pardon my saying... 'pissed-off' 
by my 'martyr' act. What's more, this lowly one knows Yusuke-dono's all
right because...."

     The earthly tide was then split in half as a tremendous force began 
pushing the waves of dirt and debris back to its owner.

     "Sessha is also okay. Besides the shooting pain on this lowly one's
shoulder, this lowly one is perfectly fine," Kenshin reassured, smiling
confidently.

     "What the hell...?!" was all Genbu could squeak out as his attack 
began to weaken.

     "HAYAKU RETSU-KEN!!!"




***




     "HAYAKU RETSU-KEN!!!"

     Genkai smirked as she heard Yusuke scream out that attack. It 
wasn't a real Rei-Kou-Hadou-Ken technique, nor was "The Hundred Punch 
Rush" its real name... but the move, like her former student, was simple 
and brash enough to do its job.

     She then frowned as she eyed her two opponents warily... Byakko and
Seiryu. Seiryu... she felt a coldness and apathy in him that completely
contradicted his claims of vengeance and retribution. It was as if the
whole battle was just a script that he had to act out for... Kami-sama-
knows-what. Byakko, on the other hand....

     <His ferocity and viciousness are undeniable. The amount of jaki 
inside him is far more than all of the present Saint Beasts' negative 
energy combined. Yet, his mindless attack just a while ago seemed 
almost... forced... unnatural, even. It's as if his hunger for murder 
has absolutely nothing to do with his own vengeful feelings. Something 
is not right with his spirit,> Genkai concluded, perturbed. 
     
     Seiryu sneered at the old woman in contempt.  <So this is the 
master of the Spirit Light Wave? Bah. Without her Spirit Light Gem, 
she's nothing to me... I'll show her a power worthy of the so-called 
A-levels... a power strong enough to counter even the evil-eyed Fire 
Demon's infamous Kokuryuha.>  

     Soon, Genkai was trapped by a veritable cubicle of ice as wall upon
wall of frost surrounded her. The arena was set. <Oh well... it's just
as well... at least Yusuke and Himura-san's worries have been reduced
considerably.> To the two demons, she called out, "C'mon!"

     Byakko merely snarled, licking his lips in anticipation. That was 
all he lived for... vengeance for his defeat, honor and pride. <No... 
none of that really matters. There is only one thing that's important 
to me... my hunger... for violence.> His feral eyes soon became glassy 
as he started to stalk his aged prey.




***




     Yusuke continuously kept on swinging and punching hard against the 
crashing earth waves with his good arm, creating a vacuum of sorts that 
shielded him from the upsurge. <Feh. Like I said... I can take on all 
these clowns with one arm tied behind my back.>

     Genbu could only stare, dumbfounded, as the human... no, 
half-demon... known as Yusuke Urameshi reduced his offensive into a mere
quibble. This could not... should not be. His rocky teeth grinded hard
against each other as he hissed, " Ushiro-Bakuretsu-Ganshou-Dan...."

     Yusuke's eyebrows furrowed as he saw all the waves of dust around 
him begin to form into clumps. <Explosive Rock Assault _reversed_? What 
now?!>

     "TETSUZAN KOU!"                   

     The clumps of dust instantly solidified into solid rock, encasing
Yusuke in a mountain of iron-hard stone.




***





     Kenshin suddenly had trouble breathing. He then knelt down in
agony, as if the whole world was on his shoulders.

     "Oh my gosh! Kenshin? Are you all right?" Botan inquired the
wheezing rurouni worriedly.

     "Yusuke... dono... he's... in trouble..." Kenshin managed to say as 
his vision blurred. His slow suffocation... as well as his present 
injuries... soon made his condition infinitely worse.

     "Oh no... Yusuke!" Keiko shouted at her petrified childhood friend. 




***




     Genbu appreciatively examined the results of his attack. "Didn't 
expect that, didn't you? Get crushed by my iron mountain like a pancake, 
hanyou!"

     "Baka, baka, baka, Yusuke! You're better than this! Don't be such a
wimp!" Keiko shouted determinedly, despite her obvious distress.

     "Of course not, you stupid b--" Yusuke shouted back in a muffled 
voice. "That guy's nothin' to me."

     Keiko squealed despite of herself. "Yukata... you're alive!"

     "Heh... you can still talk big, even though you're trapped under my
enormous mountain? You should just shut up and die," Genbu retorted 
gleefully.

     "Mountain? More like a molehill... JYU REI JYOU ANTE!!!"




***




     Kenshin suddenly felt a chill on the nape of his neck. <This 
is...?>

     Botan blinked as she noticed a large number of leaves fly past 
her... she then gawked, bewildered, as each and every one of those 
same leaves began to snap in two. "W-what's going on?"    

     Concurrently, cracks began to surface on Yusuke's stone prison as 
tendrils of reiki glowed underneath the slowly-breaking mass of rock.

     "Sessha's... kenki... is reacting to Yusuke-dono's spiritual 
energy, as far as this lowly one can tell," Kenshin informed, finally 
able to breathe as a large portion of Yusuke's rocky prison collapsed 
under the barrage of the Reikai tantei's reiki. 

     "Ken... ki?" Botan slowly repeated, her voice full of wonder. "The
swordsman's presence?"




***




     Before long, the transmuted rock that incased Yusuke was 
obliterated completely by means of the Spirit Detective's Luminescent 
Spirit Ante. The furious blast of reiki soon came forth in the form of a 
flaming blue phoenix, rising from the shattered rock like a resurrected 
firebird emerging from its egg. 

    After the stunning spectacle, Yusuke rose from the conflagration
of rock and reiki, his eyes burning with a passion and desire like no
other. Those were the eyes of Raizen's descendant... those were the
eyes of a Demonic Warlord.

     Randou could only shake his head at the idiotic, gargoyle-like
Saint Beast. <You've bitten off more than you can chew, small fry.>

     Awestruck... spellbound... no words could describe the expression 
etched on Genbu's face as he witnessed the true abilities of Urameshi 
Yusuke. <I've heard stories about him from the other demons... and he 
_was_ able to defeat Suzaku... but I never imagined that he could be 
_this_ powerful! The phoenix god... that's what Suzaku is supposed to 
be... but this boy, can he actually be an even _stronger_ Suzaku?!>

     The granite-hard Saint Beast then felt the glare of the young 
man... half-demon... whatever... burn into him like one of Suzaku's 
Ankoku-Raijin-Ken. If he could only sweat, then he would be sweating 
right then and there. "O-omoshiroi," he stuttered, pretending to be 
'intrigued' and failing miserably. "You have forced me to use my final 
attack! Take this... GENBU NO--"

     "Kurai yadare."

     Randou winced. 'Eat this,' Yusuke had said... it was a very 
familiar statement to the red-haired demon. Moreover, he knew what that 
particular declaration meant... and what soon followed after it.

     Yusuke aimed his pointer finger at Genbu with no hesitation. Soon, 
a familiar warmth and energy rush seized his person as he collected his 
ki into a concentrated ball of energy.




***




To be Continued...


Next: The myriad of fights... continues. 

Hm.... um, where do I start? ^^;

Bad news first, I guess.

First of all, if you haven't noticed in the title art, my
good friend Danyal  has already decided to drop out of 
Youtou Shinnoken/Demon's Sword for strictly professional 
reasons that I won't delve into... but he will still remain 
as my consultant on certain arcs of the series ('coz, 
really... parts of the story are and shall remain as his 
ideas now, ne? :D). And, ultimately, it was for the best... 
Danyal, my friend, this fic is now officially dedicated to 
you as well as to SeventhOne. ;)

Hm... what else? Oh yeah, the good news! ^-^

At first, I have to admit, I was wary about Danyal's 
inclusion of Sanosuke and Yahiko. I mean... I'm okay with
Yahiko... ;)... but Sano, OTOH... I don't know what to do
with him, really. Then... inspiration struck. I can't
share many details (read: spoilers) here, but I'm really
excited in portraying the Sano in YS now! LOL. 

Oh, this little arc says 'Part 1', right? Haven't really
decided on how long it'd be, but I'm guessing it'll be the
first major arc of this series. I can't wait to finish it 
up. 

Anything else? Well, all I can say is... stay tuned!

Disclaimer: Yuyu Hakusho is the rightful property of Yoshishiro 
Togashi, Shueisha, Fuji TV and St. Pierrot. Rurouni Kenshin is the
rightful property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and Sony. Don't sue me 
please, I'm very poor.

Ja!
Abdiel


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