Chapter II

"It's unusual for you to accept a request, Naraku," Kagura said.

"I know. But how could I not? After all that he had done…"

"You know he could betray you. You should be careful."

"I know that as well. But… as long as we abide by his conditions he doesn't need to know our plans."

Naraku walked towards the window. They were in his private chambers in his castle.

"I'm still not sure the kid's worth it," Kagura said in a matter-of-factly tone. "For all we know, he could be on their side."

"Well, this is where we find out," Naraku answered.

---------------------------------------------------

"What are the conditions?"

"Nothing you can't give me, Naraku," Ross said. "All I want is to fight the best of the best. Send me to eliminate your greatest enemies. Or, is that too much trouble?"

Ross opened his eyes. They were approaching. Okay, they were still about a mile to the east, but still.

He was lying in a tree overlooking the road. If they wanted to pass, they would go through here, so there was no need to go to them.

He closed his eyes and thought for a moment. He wondered if this Inuyasha was strong enough for him.

Oh get a grip, Ross, he thought to himself. You're not going to obtain Soul Form even if you fight Naraku himself for a week straight.

"I wonder where that bastard is now," Ross said aloud, turning to other thoughts. "Shain should be corrupting anybody he sees by now…"

Why did he and Shain end up in this world anyway?

His pondering was disrupted by his enemies getting closer. They were approximately 100 meters out. Ross poked his head out of leaves and looked at his opponents.

It was them, all right. Naraku really meant it when he said they were a strange group. He would never even think such different people could become friends.

The first a couple meters in front of the group was the one he needed to watch out for. That was Inuyasha all right… the red cloak and the sword was easily identified.

Ross frowned. Tetsaiga doesn't look that big…

Behind him was a girl carrying a large boomerang. Now that was big. On her shoulder was a small two-tailed cat. So that must Sango and her demon pet Kirara.

Next to her was a monk holding a sacred staff. He seemed to be looking at Sango with a strange look on his face. His hand was jittery and it looked like he was trying to touch something.

A pervert? Ross sighed. This was Naraku's supposed troublesome monk Miroku?

His eyes slid over a small fox-demon Naraku hadn't mentioned to the other girl in the group.

He gasped.

Kagome. He had said she was a strange one. One that held incredible sacred power. But he hadn't said she'd be wearing a school uniform… or that'd she'd be riding a bicycle.

She was from the present? But how…

He rubbed his eyes. No, he couldn't kill them now. He had to follow. He needn't to know where she came from.

Sorry Naraku, but our alliance wasn't definite anyway.

He sat, closed his eyes, and waited for them pass. They were walking right by them, but he felt it.

Inuyasha's aura was getting stronger. Or rather, the sword was getting stronger. He just had time to look before Inuyasha yelled.

"WINDSCAR!"

Power from the blast rushed out to meet him.

Shit, don't tell me he could sense me…

He grabbed his sword, the Crystallus, and shot out a blue wave of energy. The two sources of power met and exploded upon contact. The blast was still out of control, so Ross erected a small barrier to shield himself from the blast. It hit the energy and struggled to remain solid.

"So that's what Naraku meant," Ross murmured. The Windscar had surpassed Ross' own blast.

"Not bad, Inuyasha. No wonder Naraku's afraid of you."

The smoke cleared. Inuyasha was looking at him with angry eyes. His Tetsaiga was out… and it was big.

A transforming sword. How nostalgic.

"Is that him?" Kagome asked him.

"I'd recognize that smell anywhere. You were the one that destroyed the demons and that village, weren't you?"

"Smell? So just like a dog, you smelled my handiwork and tracked me down. Almost killed me in the process, too. That's not too bad."

"Shut up. You'll pay!"

"Wait, Inuyasha," Miroku warned. He stepped forward.

"What are you? A demon or a human?"

"Again with that old question? Unfortunately I'm a mere human. Or, am I?" Ross laughed.

"Why did you slaughter that village?" Kagome demanded.

Ross closed his eyes and shook his head.

"For the same reason I'm going to kill you. I'm on Naraku's side now. And Naraku wants you dead."

"Naraku…" Ross could almost hear his teeth grinding.

"That's right. But before you ask, let me explain introduce you to a few of my friends."

He unsheathed the sword on his back. It was large but not quite the length of a regular sword.

"This is my sword Crystallus. It's a demonic sword I managed to purify for my own use. It's pretty powerful, even though myself as a light user I will never be able to unlock its true potential. And this here…"

He took out the sword on his belt. This one looked perfectly normal.

"The Angellan. My sword, the sword of the so-called hero. And yes, I have the power to wield them. You sense them, can't you? Their auras…"

Miroku's position shifted. His hands were at his prayer beads.

"We don't need to waste our time with him, Miroku," she said.

"I agree," Miroku said, and unleashed his Wind Tunnel.

Ross was taken by surprise. He had to quickly plunge his Crystallus in the ground and hang onto it to avoid being sucked in.

"That's nice trick," Ross said. He began to regret not taking the poisonous insects, but he hated bugs…

There's always more than one way to get out of a situation.

He let his light magi into the ground and made it surface once it had reached the monk. The energy hit him in the face, and he was knocked down onto the ground, where he quickly resealed the Wind Tunnel to avoid sucking his friends.

"You bastard!" Inuyasha yelled, and charged.

"Humph. Too predictable." Ross' aura skyrocketed, and Inuyasha suddenly fell.

"You don't like it? Did you know large amount of Light aura can make a Dark or Demon type nauseous?"

"What are you, you bastard?" Inuyasha asked angrily as he got up.

"I am a Light Adept, the strongest one that ever existed. And that's why you, a half-demon, will never be able to defeat me."

Inuyasha ignored that remark and raised his sword.

Ross sighed. "So, the battle begins…"

He laughed as he always did before a good fight.