When the Yoh, Amidamaru, Ren, Bason, Ryu, Tokagero, Horohoro, Kororo, and Renji entered Urahara's Shoten they were led to the back room once more by the little girl from before. Anna, Morti, Pirka, Jun and Pailong were all sitting at a round table with Urahara, Ichigo, and three other people. Anna glared at Yoh causing him to tremble in his sandals. Amidamaru, Bason, Tokagero, and Kororo followed closely behind their Shaman with Amidamaru, Bason and Tokagero in the ghost flame form.

"So you four passed the second part." Urahara said fanning himself. "Please, sit down." The four guys set their weapons against the wall and joined the group with spirit next to them. "I assume you four are here to find a way to find the Bounts?" All four nodded with a shocked look on their face. "Well you're in luck these three right here can sense a Bount's presence," He said pointing to the three people Yoh didn't recognize.

One was another little girl with short blond hair and bright blue eyes wearing a pink, fur-trimmed coat, with a black bird-shaped cape, and red boots, A man with a gray top hat and his left half of his hair blond and right half black, and he wore a white button-up shirt with a gray tie under a multi-colored suit and boots. The last person was another man wore a fur coat and a zippered hood, which was open and showed his red hair and turquoise eyes and on his back was a blue shield.

"Do you three mind introducing yourselves," Urahara asked them

The little girl stood up and announced, "My name is Ririn."

The man with the top hat stood up and bowed and said, "My name is Cloud." Both he and Ririn looked over at the man in the hood who didn't bother to say anything but zip his hood up to hide his face. "And that is Noba," Cloud sighed.

Noba unzipped his hood and muttered, "Hi." He didn't zip it up again though.

"Urahara," Anna caught his attention along with everyone else's. "Why are you helping Yoh, Ren, Ryu and Horohoro, but not the other Shamans?"

"Good question," Urahara said fanning himself some more. "But I have no idea, I just follow orders. Plus, they're the only ones asking me for help. Oh, that reminds me." Urahara walked out the room. The sound of drawers closing and opening and rummaging were going on in the shop. Urahara returned with an envelope in his hand. "This is for you Yoh, a man that looked like you asked me to give it to you when I saw you."

Yoh studied the envelope but there was no name besides his on the envelope. He ripped it and everyone hovered behind him.

"I'll read it aloud if you guys want," Yoh told them and everyone returned to their seats and listened to Yoh read.

"'Dear Yoh,

It's been to long since we have last seen each other. Hopefully the help you're receiving will help you get through this part of the tournament. After the last of the weaklings are plucked off then you and me can finally be united and rule this world together as Shaman King. I wait for that moment, and maybe that fiancé of yours could help you become strong enough to survive before our meet, and before you face the Bounts. Oh, by the way I already destroyed one. Hopefully you can handle one before they all die.

Your brother,

Hao

P.S. I well have some of my followers test you, so be prepared.'"

Yoh reread the letter in his head. "I have a brother," was the first thing that escaped Yoh's mouth.

Anna hit him over the head for the stupid outburst. "That doesn't matter," She yelled. "What matters is that he is after you for a reason."

"But why," Morti asked taking the letter from Yoh and rereading it. "All it says is 'you and me can finally be united and rule the world together as Shaman King,' But what does that mean?"

Anna went to her thinking position. "Morti, Pirka, Jun, and Pailong," Anna said in a cold tone. "We're going on our own little mission on. We'll meet up with the rest of you later."

Yoh was dumbfounded but nodded. Yoh, Ryu, Ren, and Horohoro got their weapons walked out the shop's entrance with their spirit partners, Ichigo and Renji, both in their Soul Reaper form, along with Noba, Cloud, and Ririn. Anna, Morti, Pirka, Jun, and Pailong were heading off as well until Urahara stopped them.

"Anna," Urahara called out and Anna looked at him. "Before you go I would like you to meet my closes friend Yoruichi." A woman with long purple hair in a pony tail with yellow piercing eyes wearing a orange jacket with two white straps on each shoulder over a black turtle neck shirt, along with a large beige sash around her waist like a belt with black stretch pants and long beige wrist and leg warmers, secured by bands with brown light shoes stood beside him. "If it is alright with you, she would like to accompany you on your little mission."

Anna gave her a quick studied and agreed to allow her to come along. She led her group south west.

Yoh, Ren, Ryu, Horohoro, Ichigo, Renji, Noba, Cloud, and Ririn were all wondering town aimlessly until a fire wall appeared in front of them.

"Wow," Horohoro shouted out a bit surprised. "Where did the wall of fire come from?"

The fire slowly died down and on the other side was the woman from the picture Renji showed with a fire monster next to her. She slowly walked up to the guys but stopped as she realized Ryu was walking towards her. She started singing as he got closer to her and then Ryu's expression went from serious fighter to love sick puppy as he continued walked toward the woman.

"Ryu what are you doing?" Tokagero asked still in the ghost ball form and tried to stop his partner.

"That woman is a Bount," Ririn yelled. "That fire monster must be her doll."

"Really," Ren sarcastically said pointing his spear at her. "I would have never known that if you hadn't told us."

"You too," Yoh said looking at Ren with a surprised expression.

"You mean you did realize she was a Bount," Renji screamed in Yoh's face. "Weren't you listening to me as I was explaining the third part of the Shaman King Tournament? I even showed you this exacted Bount and you still didn't know she was a Bount."

"You were showing us a picture of a Bount," Yoh said piecing the puzzle together. "I thought you were showing everyone your new girlfriend and that she was as hot as fire or something like that." Yoh nervously laughed and rubbed the back of his head as Renji's face turned red.

"Yoh," Ren said grabbing Yoh's shoulders to get his attention. "How to you expect to become Shaman King when you don't even listen to orders?"

"I didn't know they were orders," Yoh defended himself and "Plus I was hungry and all I could think of was food."

"How can you guys fight each other at a time like this," Ririn yelled crossing her arms.

'Surrounded by morons,' Ichigo thought as he shook his is shame and watched Ren shake Yoh vigorously and Ririn bickering at them.

"When do you think they'll realize that their friend is in serious trouble," Cloud asked Noba and Noba answered by shrugging his shoulders.

"Lord Yoh," Amidamaru called out still in his ghost ball form.

"Lord Ren," Bason said trying to get Ren to calm down from his ghost ball form.

"Guys," Horohoro screamed. "Hey guys!"

Ren stopped shaking Yoh and he feel to the ground and everyone looked at Horohoro.

"Master Yoh, are you alright," Amidamaru cried as he floated beside Yoh who nodded.

"Shouldn't we be fighter her and before she steals Ryu's soul," Horohoro yelled pointing at the Bount.

"We thought you were going to handled it," Ren said standing his spear straight up. "After all she is a fire user and you are an ice user. Sound like an interesting match if you ask me."

"I just thought you guys would have wanted to help save him," Horohoro said as he held his board. "But I guess I was wrong. Come on Kororo." Kororo integrated into Horohoro's snowboard

"Hold on Ryu," Yoh yelled trying to get up but fell forward on his face. "We'll save you," he yelled to the ground

Renji, Ren, Ichigo, Cloud, Noba and Ririn all stare at him then at Ren.

"Is he always like this," Ririn asked Ren.

"Unfortunately," Ren groaned and blushed slightly from embarrassment.

"Amidamaru lets go save Ryu," Yoh yelled with his face still plants to the ground.

Ren, Cloud, Renji, and Ririn shook their heads and sigh. Ichigo sat down and watched Horohoro attack the woman.

'At least one of them cares about that loser,' He thought.

"Come on Noba," Cloud cried out run towards the Bount. "Let's help the snowboarder out."

"How," Noba asked and got Cloud to stop.

"Umm, well," Cloud started to think. "I hadn't really thought of that part yet. But helping out is better than just stand here and watch." Noba sighed and shook his head.

Ririn heard Cloud and saw Horohoro and fighting the Bount. "Hey should you guys be helping him," She asked point to Horohoro.

"Fine," Ren sighed and held out his hand and Bason appeared. "Bason, into the spear," he yelled integrating Bason into his spear

"Good luck," Renji said joining Ichigo in watching the Shamans fight.

Ririn's eye twitched as she stomped towards Renji and Ichigo. "You two aren't helping," she growled.

"Nope," Renji calmly stated as he put his hands behind his head. "Soul Reapers are not allowed to mess with the Shaman King Tournament unless someone else messes with it first."

Ririn clenched her fist and bared her teeth. Noba and Cloud quickly held her back before she attacked Renji and Ichigo.

Yoh slowly got up and shook his head. He looked up to see an unconscious Ryu but saw his chest rising so he was still alive. The woman fell to the ground unconscious. Right then and there an idea popped into Yoh's head and he dashed in of her causing Ren and Horohoro to stop their attacks.

"What are you doing Yoh," Ren yelled at him. "Why are you saving her?"

Renji, Ririn, Cloud, Noba, and Ichigo all stare at Yoh wonder what was going through his mind.

"Because," Yoh started to explain. "You don't seem that bad too me.'

Everyone was shocked by his answer. "Are you crazy Yoh," Horohoro hollered. "She tried to kill Ryu!"

"Yes, she did try," Yoh recalled. "But she didn't and she also didn't really put up a good fight. Also if she really wanted to take Ryu's soul she would have done it while we were distracted."

"What are you getting at," Ren demanded to know.

"Let's take her to Urahara's for questioning," Yoh suggested.

Ren and Horohoro looked at each other and nodded. Boson and Kororo left their Shaman's weapon and watched as their Shamans each grabbed one of her arms and dragged her all the way to Urahara's. Noba threw Ryu over his shoulder and carried him to Urahara's. Ichigo and Renji led the way and Yoh, Ririn, and Cloud covered the back with the four spirit partners.

They could of killed her and be in the clear,' Renji thought as he looked behind him at the Bount. 'They must trusted Yoh's decision to keep her alive, but why?'

"Yoh is very convincing and he can be smart at times," Ichigo said looking over at Renji. "On the other hand he can be very odd and completely clueless." Ichigo chuckled as he saw Yoh with a goofy smile. "I don't know which he is right now though."