Chapter 10

Disclaimer : I Don't own Shaman King!

Italic stands for thought / dreams

'Italic with single quote stands telepathic voice'

-Stands for voice from the past-

Underline stands for letter

"Quote stands for dialogue"

Bold stands for emphasis

Bold italic stands for a dangerous tone

True Enemy, The Rogue True Identity

Hao was having his most peaceful sleep in months, until Yoh's screaming voice woke him up with a start. He rush to Yoh's place to see what happens, he stare blankly at the sight in front of him when he arrives. Yoh is screaming because Zenki and Gouki is after him, Anna inform him that it's punishment for Yoh for woke up late to make her breakfast and skipping his training.

Hao sigh and walk to the washroom to wash his face, after he feel fresh, he walk to the kitchen. "Good morning, Phantom." Ryu greet him and handed him a tray of food, "I save some for you, you are missing your breakfast".

"Thank you." Hao said and walk to kitchen table, he wear his mask and lower his scarf.

"You are not eating in dining room?" Ryu ask curiously.

Hao shook his head, raising his scarf again to muffle his voice when he answer, "I have to be fast, you have to be fast to, I will start your training, be grateful because my training is more productive that Anna's, even if it's the same level of hell training".

Ryu become pale hearing that, Hao lower his scarf and continue eating his breakfast. After he finished, he interfere Anna's training, he caught Anna's slap when she is angry her training is disturbed, and take over the training session.

He told them the weak point in human body and how to attack to make them pass out without injuring their opponents and practicing by fighting his human shape shikigamis, he also built their stamina by run around Asakura estate, which is a very long track, about 10 times and then training their concentration by counting a super long math formula without help from calculator or paper to write, they can only use their mind until they got them right, the answer is hold by Keiko since she is so insisted to help. After that, Hao told them all to do some meditation, and they have to stay calm and not thinking anything against the disturbance from Macchi as he told her to disturb them, they meditate for 2 hours before finally they can have their dinner.

Hao make them doing the same training everyday with Luchist and Keiko keep watch on them, he use his spare time to take a bath in Onsen for a short time before watch the surrounding for any indication of attack. During two weeks of training, he only stop the training 5 times, 4 because of attack from X-Laws, which Yoh's friend was able to win thanks to Hao's hell training, their furyoku is increasing too

The other one is because of Yoh's birthday party, he secretly gave him a present under Hao's name since Yoh looks like he want to cry every time he look into anything that show his reflection, he gave Yoh a jacket that have a drawing of a stars and leafs.

Surprisingly, Silva gave him a present and entrust him with Yoh's present, both he and Yoh got a novel book. And later that night, Keiko secretly come to his room while everyone else is asleep, he got a red kimono with autumn leaf pattern from her, he is surprise when he know that his mother talk to Keiko in her dream, so the kimono is both from his mother on his first life and from Keiko. He can't get a chance to wear them though, but he wrapped it nicely to prevent any dust to get into it and keep it safe in his closet.

He find it strange that the Rogue still not come and attack them, he is suspect that they will come with some trick next time.

"Hell no." Phantom said sternly when Yoh ask to let him go to a night carnival alone, "You are targeted by many people, there's no way I, as your Phantom who is here to protect you, will let you to go to such place at night, and alone".

"But, Phantom, I really want to go, it's boring to stay here, and I need some time alone." Yoh pleading with puppy eyes, "I can protect myself, and if I get attacked again, I will send you message right away".

Hao bit his bottom lip, he don't know what to say, it's obvious that he need some time alone, "Let him go, Phantom." Keiko's voice make him turn to her, "You can always teleport to him if something goes wrong, and I want you to help me with something".

"What do you think, Lin?" Hao ask his spirit partner, he already introduce her to everyone, so they won't find it suspiscious if there's a burst of fire when he teleport, since he can't bring another people teleport in his ghostly way.

'Let him have his time.' Lin croaked, 'You can know right away if something happens after all, you can teleport too, so there's nothing wrong with letting Yoh go'.

Hao sigh and nod, "Okay, you can go, but don't come home too late." He said sternly, "Or I won't let you leave anymore, until all this problems are solved".

Yoh grins widely and run out of the house, "You are acting like his father." Lyserg commented after Yoh's gone.

"I'm basically his guardian, so it's indeed like I'm his father, not to mention I'm his Phantom, a person who will protect him no matter what, so I have the right to decide something regarding his safety." Hao said in annoyance.

Keiko chuckled, "You are to young to be his father." She commented teasingly.

"I can'y get one thing." Horo Horo said as he come into the room, "Why are you always said that you are Yoh's Phantom? Phantom is your nickname, right?".

Hao raisen an eyebrow, "Phantom in my nickname, but what I mean by said that is I'm his shadow who will protect him with all the risk, whenever and wherever, since a shadow is always with the one who make them. I am Yoh's Phantom mean I'm his shadow person, since I exist is because of Yoh." Hao explained calmly and matter-of-factly, "That's aside, have you finish your training?".

"Uh, I twist my ankle, so I take a rest." He said nervously.

Hao eyed his leg, indeed, his leg is in strange position. "Faust!" He called out, he is already accepted as their coach, so he can order them easily. He is chosen as the coach because they all feel the different from before, and his training is indeed more effective than Anna's.

Faust come not long after he called, he is covered in sweat, "What is it, Phantom?" he ask with a smile.

"Take the Chou Senji Ryakketsu here, I will teach you how to heal a twisted ankle using furyoku." Hao ordered.

Mikihisa come into the room suddenly, already have Chou Senji Ryakketsu in his hand, "Oh, how do you know about this? I just want to tell you about this book." He asks in surprise.

"I said, my clients give me all the information about Yoh, since I'm here to protect him." He said and take the book from his hand, "Why are you here though, aren't you the same with that old man? Want to kill Yoh just because of his twin is an evil person." He look straight to Mikihisa, "Just so you know, as long I'm here and alive, I would never let anything happen to Yoh, I was requested to protect Yoh forever".

"And who is it that request you to?" Yohmei growled his question.

Hao look at Yohmei with bored eyes, "I said so many times, my clients identity is a secret." He said coldly, "And even if it's not, I still won't tell someone like you, who can't even believe in your own grandson and want to kill him after he just save all of you from death".

He look at Mikihisa, "Same goes for you, until you ask for Yoh's forgiveness, since I know you only following Yohmei's words." Then he push the two person out of the room with his shikigami, he don't like people who want to hurt Yoh after what he had to do for them. It's true that he himself hurt Yoh pretty badly, but he is already ask for his forgiveness and atone for his mistake by protecting Yoh, even if his life is the cost.

He taught Faust for about half a hour, then Faust healed Horo Horo's twisted ankle, he told them to back to their training. He turned to Lyserg, "Have you found where that Rogue organization is?" he asks seriously.

Lyserg sigh and shook his head, "It seems like they have something that make dowsing impossible to do, even with you trained me, I still unable to grasp their location." He said in resign tone.

"That's enough for today, take some rest and continue tomorrow." Hao advice with command.

Lyserg nod weakly and walk to his room slowly, it's obvious that he is too tired for dowsing all the time without stop.

Hao turned to Keiko, "What is it that you want my help for, Keiko-san?" he ask in Phantom way of talking, always polite to her.

Keiko smile and gesture for him to follow her, he following her in silent to a small room outside the main building.

"Here." Keiko said as he open the door and walk over to a large box, "I need help with tidying up this box, I remember I found some old magic book inside, and an old flute".

Hao blink, "Um, you mean. . ." he start and unable to put his thought to words.

"I want to give them to you, and I remember I put my cooking book inside too." Keiko explain, "I will give those two to you if you help me get my cooking book and tidy up the stuff inside".

Hao blinks again and nod, start working immediately, "I figure that you also want to have some time alone with me, mother?" he asked softly, "Since if it's only this, Ryu can help better than I".

Keiko smile warmly, "Yup, you got me." she said happily and start working too.

They both enjoying the comfortable silent that accompany them when they are working, after a few hours of working, the box is cleared and the stuff inside is organized nicely on the cupboard in the room.

"Finally." Hao exhales deeply, "I wondered how all the stuff can get inside, there so many things while the box is small".

"Don't underestimate a mother way of tidying up, I can put more in the box if there were more in the past." Keiko said proudly, "And, here, the old magic book and old flute." Keiko handed Hao the items.

Hao look at the old brown flute, "Wow, this is very well made and about 200 years old already." he commented and try the flute, the sound is beautiful and it make him calm.

"It's a hobby of my grandfather, I would like to hear you play it someday." Keiko pat Hao's head with affection, "I hear from my grandfather that the book is even older and a real deal".

Hao lift the book and look inside, "It's a book to controlling elements, getting information from nonliving things, and many more." he commented, "I guess I can learn and use them, beside the controlling elements." Hao look up to Keiko, "Thank you".

Keiko smile and pat Hao's head again, but Hao flinched, "Phantom?" she ask with a frown, "What's wrong?".

Hao handed the book back to Keiko, "Can you bring this to my room, Keiko-san?" he ask as he walk out of the room, "Yoh is attacked by that Rogue group." he got a panic wave, what he heard from Yoh is the attacker is stronger than before.

Hao look around, "Oh, crap. I forget that Lin is going somewhere else." he look at Keiko, "Please tell her if she is back that I go for a bit, it's only around here".

"You are not bringing any spirit?" Keiko ask in surprise, but Hao already vanish like a ghost.

"Yoh!" Phantom appear not too far from Yoh, he gasp when he see that Yoh is get caught by the enemy.

Hao run to Yoh to help him, he kick the woman away from Yoh. "Phantom, thanks." Yoh said in relief but then yelped when Hao pull him into a run. Hao can't teleport using fire since he will be exposed, and not without fire too, the situation is too dangerous, all he can do now only run.

"You brat." the woman growl, "Tsk, I won't care about rule anymore, you are mine!" she jump to their way, "Don't worry boy, I won't hurt so that much".

The woman jump again, knowing Hao can't defend against her right now, he push Yoh away to prevent him caught in the attack too.

"Phantom!" he can here Yoh word when the enemy lock his movement.

"Don't mind me, run!" Hao ordered, Yoh is run, but he run to Hao, "Stupid! Run back to the house!".

Yoh stop in his track, "Uh, okay." he answered hesitantly and run away, he doesn't bring any weapon at the moment.

"What a boy, protecting him to the point of sacrificing yourself." She said mockingly to the glare Hao shot her.

"What do you want?" he ask coldly and gasp when the woman move and bite his neck, for a moment there, Hao can't grasp what is happening.

What the . . . Vampires? The Rogue is an organization of vampires? He thought when he can get what is happening. He feels so drained and weak, he is wondering if this will be the day he will really die, until he is saved by someone.

The woman shrieks when she is stab by a large bone white sword from her side, Hao fall to the ground in the process. He is glad that Yoh's already gone, his scarf is not covering his face now.

"Hao-sama, we are here to help." a man voice entered his mind before his consciousness fell into darkness.

To be continued . . .

Froim : I'm very excited to continue the story XD

Lin : Just continue then.

Froim : Please your review -^o^-

Next Chapter : "Shaman Fight start again?"