Chapter One

Prelude to Destruction

The sun was already starting to set as Yusuke Urameshi closed up his ramen shop for the day. He threw on his green sports jacket and started walking. Another day, another small wad of cash in his pocket. He was making a decent living for someone who never finished high school. Keiko had urged him to go back to school on a number of occasions, but the suggestions just seemed to go through one ear and out the other. The twenty-one year old was happy with what he had…at least on the outside.

A strike of a match lit the end of his cigarette as he left the shop and started to walk to his modest apartment in a shadier part of town. His mother, with her "connections" had offered him money and a better place to live several times, but just like with Keiko he shrugged it off and told her he was fine the way things were.

So much had passed these last three and a half years that Yusuke felt as though he was being overwhelmed with change. Keiko was no longer in Japan, but in a high-class school in England. She had received a full scholarship there and was doing quite well. She and Yusuke were technically dating, but with her living halfway across the world and busy with her schooling, Yusuke felt like they were getting more and more distant with each passing day.

Even Kuwabara was doing well for himself. He was still nearby, going to a university in Toyko and trying to become a professor of some sort. Kurama, or Suichi as he insisted nowadays, had taken over his step-father's business and was doing very well for himself in Kyoto.

Everyone was moving on with their human's lives as if nothing had ever happened. As if the Toguro and Sensui, the Demon World Tournament and everything else had just been one long, incredible dream.

Ever since he had been fired from his Spirit Detective position, the guardian of Earth, Yusuke tried to find normality in the Human World, but every morning he'd awaken from the same dreams; dreams of his past cases, and what could have became of him had he stayed in Demon World.

Enkii, the king of the demons, had proposed another tournament in four years to see who would become the next Demon King. Back then, Yusuke had said he'd return, promising the demon friends he had left behind that he'd be even stronger than before, but now…

It was a week ago that Koenma, prince of the Spirit World, had come to pay him a visit.

"What's up, Koenma?" Yusuke had asked, passing his former boss a bowl of steaming noodles. "Sorry if they're not up to your royal standards."

Koenma, who was wearing a tan suit and white tie, just smiled. "I'm sure they're fine, Yusuke, thank you."

"So what do you want? I haven't seen you since grandma's funeral."

Genkai, Yusuke's former teacher, had passed away eight months after Yusuke's return to the Human World, leaving Yusuke and his friends everything she owned, including a large chunk of land. Like they had promised her, they kept it all the same and allowed a few demons to live there. It was her wishes to try and bridge the gap between the Human and the Demon World…however long that would take.

"It's about the upcoming tournament," Koenma said, take a pair of chopsticks and blowing on his ramen.

"What about it?"

"Are you planning on participating?"

Yusuke blinked. "I…I hadn't really thought about it. I told Chu and the rest of those guys I'd be back, but I haven't exactly had time to go about and train these last few years."

"I see," Koenma began carefully eating his ramen, his gaze never leaving Yusuke's for more than a few seconds. "These are good."

"Glad you like them. So why the sudden interest? Does Spirit World have a problem with me becoming the new king of Demon World?" Yusuke let a cocky grin grow across his face, "Cause if so I may have to do it on principal."

Koenma looked at Yusuke with surprisingly serious eyes, "Yusuke it is in your best interest not to try and go to Demon World right now."

"Why's that?"

"The Ka-kai Barrier has been put back in place."

"What?"

The Ka-kai Barrier had been undone at the end of the first Demon World Tournament, under the orders of Enkii that demons would no longer cause mischief of any kind in Human World.

"But why?" asked Yusuke, his hands slamming down on the counter, "There haven't been any attacks on Human World this whole time, minus a couple few mishaps here and there, but that's to be expected! No one got hurt!"

"I didn't realize you were so adamant on the idea, Yusuke," stated Koenma, keeping himself reserved. "Of the HDCP."

The Human-Demon Coexistence Project, or HDCP, came into existence shortly after Yusuke returned to the Human World. Started by Enkii and Lord Yama, king of the Spirit World, it seemed to be doing just fine. Government leaders of the Human World were all told about the existence of the Demon World to try and make peace between them. Many plants and minerals from the Demon World would be very useful for mankind, as well as other resources. As long as everyone cooperated, it seemed like a good idea, but Yusuke had always been skeptical.

"I'm not, but this was Genkai's dream, Koenma. That's all I'm standing for. I could care less whether or not humans and demons coexist in perfect harmony, or whatever." Yusuke turned away and began idly washing some kitchen supplies.

Koenma finished his ramen before speaking again. "Are you going to ask 'why', Yusuke?"

"I figured you wanted to hold out the dramatic suspense."

"The reason," said Koenma, ignoring Yusuke's sarcasm, "is because of a psychic named Rito."

Yusuke looked back over at him, suddenly interested. "A psychic? Like Sensui's old crew?"

"No, Yusuke. Rito is the actual definition of the word. He can predict the future."

Yusuke couldn't help but laugh, "You're saying the Ka-kai barrier was rebuilt because of what some crackpot said? That's about the biggest load of crap I've ever heard, Koenma."

Koenma continued to look serious. "Rito is no crackpot, Yusuke. He is a Spirit Mage, one of only three still in existence. He has aided my father many times in the past few millennia, and each of his predictions has been correct."

"Well yay for Rito, but what kind of prediction did he make that forced you guys to do something stupid like this?"

"Yusuke…I never said that it was Spirit World who rebuilt the barrier."

"Excuse me?"

"The barrier was set back up by King Enkii, not my father."

Yusuke dropped the pan he was washing and stared, mouth open, at Koenma. "What did you say?"

"King Enkii rebuilt the barrier, not us."

"Why?" roared Yusuke, slamming his hands back down on the counter. "Why would Enkii do something so stupid? I thought he would have more sense than that!"

Koenma remained calm, something that was starting to rub Yusuke the wrong way. "Yusuke, Rito's abilities are known throughout ever corner of Spirit and Demon World, and he doesn't work specifically for us. He is a free agent, who tells the party that needs the information the most about what is going to pass. I came here to warn you."

"Warn me about what?" asked Yusuke, a bead of sweat trickling down his cheek.

"To be on your guard."

Yusuke unlocked the door to his apartment and stepped inside, throwing his green sports jacket on the couch. Just like the apartment, his furniture wasn't exactly high class. A few miscellaneous things he had found at thrift shops and other cheap departments. His bed from his mom's place was crammed in a corner under the one window. A hot-plate rested on the floor next to it.

He walked over to his bed and let gravity take over as he fell onto it, then stared at the ceiling.

"What do I do now?" Yusuke asked the rotting ceiling panels.

Koenma had told him he would keep Yusuke informed about the situation with Demon World. Enkii had apparently been scarce on the information Kito had given him. "Break the bridge between Demon and Human World, or both worlds will be brought to destruction." Those were the words that he had told Enkii, and that was what Enkii had in turn told King Yama.

Yusuke had tried to get a hold of both Kurama, but he was told that he was out of the country in order to close some kind of deal for his company. He thought about calling Kuwabara, but knew that his friend's school finals were coming up and didn't want to bother him.

"Jeez, I must be getting soft. I don't want to worry my friend about the fate of the world because of school. Give me a break…"

Yusuke closed his eyes and, even with the worries of the last week weighing heavy on him, fell asleep.

He was falling. Falling through the shadows that engulfed his body and mind. He wanted to yell out, but found he couldn't find the energy to open his mouth. After an eternity, he landed forcefully on the stone floor of a familiar room.

Yusuke looked up to see Raizen, his ancestral father, sitting in his stone throne. He looked exactly like he had the first time they met, with the exact same cocky smile Yusuke had.

"Yo. What's up, son?" Raizen asked, shifting his body forward to get a better look at Yusuke.

"You tell me," said Yusuke, finally able to open his mouth. "What is this? A dream?"

"Something like that."

"Don't play games with me, old man, or I'll—"

"You'll what?" interrupted Raizen, who was suddenly towering over Yusuke. "Kick my ass? Don't make me laugh."

Yusuke glared and clenched his fists, "I've become a lot stronger since we last went at it!"

"Yes, and working at a ramen shop is the pinnacle of your training. Nice."

"What do you want?" asked Yusuke, annoyed. What could he say to that?

"I came to warn you son."
"Yeah. You're the second person to warn me this week, and so far all these warnings haven't helped me at all. What the hell am I supposed to be so scared of?" Yusuke was agitated at this point. Not because his father was before him, but because he didn't know what to do anymore.

"Yusuke, can't you feel it?"

"Feel what?"

"The power that is awakening in your world. A power that should not be."

"What power? Stop beating around the damn bush, Raizen! Tell me what is coming!"

Raizen's face became solemn. "Yusuke…search your soul. In your veins runs the Ma-zoku blood. Unleash that power once again, and then you will know what is about to befall your world. I promise."

Raizen and the rest of the stone room began to disappear back into the darkness which Yusuke came through.

"Wait! Dad, hold on! What does that mean?"

But Raizen was gone, and Yusuke felt himself being lifted upward…

"Dammit!" Yusuke cried as he shot up in his bed, drenched in a pool of sweat. He rubbed his face and walked into his bathroom, the only other room in his apartment. He turned on the sink faucet and splashed his face with water and looked at himself.

In three and a half years, he hadn't changed much. He kept himself clean shaven, and his black hair was just a little bit too long for his usual liking. He sighed and walked back into the other room and looked around the apartment, only to find a piece of paper under the door.

"What the-?" he walked over and unfolded it and read the scribbled words.

'Come to Genkai's temple.'

Yusuke recognized the trace amounts of demonic energy coming from the letter.

"Hiei."

Not knowing what else to do, Yusuke threw on his jacket and ran out of the apartment. He didn't even hear his phone ring as he slammed the door shut.