---- Chapter 36: Truth ----
=== Tokyo, Japan ===
"For their deaths.... you will pay for your crimes, Kuwabara!!!"
Kazuma grinned evilly, and shot back, "As if you can beat me."
With a bellowing ROAR, Shinrai blasted forward, so fast that not even Kuwabara could see it. Unleashing three consecutive punches, and seven consecutive kicks, Shinrai continued a massive assault on Kuwabara. Effortlessly, the old master elbowed Shinrai in the gut, and kneed him away. As he strolled over to a weary Shinrai, he provoked him further - "Their deaths gave me great pleasure. As will your friends'."
And Shinrai had just enough.
He let out a Godawful scream, one that shattered glass for miles around, one that broke through the very fabric of both worlds - "KUWABARA!!!!!!!!!!"
Kazuma's face was suddenly torn at, as a small cut appeared on his cheek. More and more cuts materialized out of seemingly thin air, but Kazuma recognized what was happening....
The very ties that bind the three worlds are collapsing.... What power he holds.... !!
"Just like the baby to scream when it's angered. Cry, baby! Cry, you fool!!"
Shinrai raised his hand, and gripped it so tightly that blood spurted out. Energy began to gather from all over his body, and the air seemed to split in two around his fingertip.
Smiling, Kazuma clutched his hand to his side, and flared his aura.
There were no doubts on either's mind - this would be the last attack.
"Shin Reikou Ha!!!"
Kazuma's blast shot forward, and hit Shinrai dead-on.... and it had absolutely no effect.
"Rei Gun...."
=== Somewhere in Makai ===
A glass shattered on the floor, as a familiar voice cried out, "Don't do it!!!"
=== Tokyo, Japan ===
".... ZERO TYPE!!!!!!!"
The beam of energy tore through Kazuma, ripping him almost in two from the waist up. Through his great pain, he smiled.... and Shinrai noticed.
As he fell to the ground, now only the upper half of his body remained. Shinrai ran over to his former sensei, and clutched him tightly in his arms.
"...."
Kazuma hacked up blood, but still managed a smile.
"L-Like Genkai would say.... G-Good.... work.... dim.... wit...."
"Why?! Why did you do that? .... You provoked me on purpose. But where are.... ?"
"They're safe.... I simply.... used my aura to.... make them vanish to your eyes.... and created.... a few flashy explosions.... Heh.... you're too easy.... to fool...."
"But WHY?! Why did you do that?!"
"Because.... I wanted to die."
".... !!!!"
"It's.... true. I'm.... dying. By using the Jigen To against Sensui, my life span was significantly shortened.... It's.... a dangerous technique.... But I didn't want to die a passive death.... I am Kazuma.... Kuwabara.... and I've fought demons more powerful than I was, yet I survived.... I couldn't die like that.... I'd seen too many people die and killed so many, I owed it to them not to die like that.... I worked hard to teach Reikou Hadou Ken to people, to leave a legacy.... but I wanted more than anything.... to die by the hands of the technique I wanted so badly, it hurt.... the Rei Gun Zero Type.... My wish.... has come true.... Thank you, Shinrai...."
Reaching inside of his pocket, Kazuma withdrew a small piece of wood and placed it in Shinrai's hand.
"That.... is my pride and joy.... it gave me.... my Reiken.... take it.... and break the seal surrounding Yusuke's home.... Fight him.... and make.... me.... proud.... You always were.... like a.... son to me, while I trained you.... Don't die, Shinrai.... Live on, and always remember.... You hold in your hands the very essence of Kazuma Kuwabara.... Good-bye...."
And thus ended the life of Kazuma Kuwabara, a man whose honor ran as thick as his blood. A man who fought bravely for what he believed in, for his beloved Yukina, only to never see her again once she returned to her homeland.... The man who followed the code of bushido with all his heart. The man who loved his friends and family with everything he had. That, was Kazuma Kuwabara.
Shinrai then let out a great scream of sadness, one tinged with self-hatred and anger.
=== Tokyo, Japan ===
"For their deaths.... you will pay for your crimes, Kuwabara!!!"
Kazuma grinned evilly, and shot back, "As if you can beat me."
With a bellowing ROAR, Shinrai blasted forward, so fast that not even Kuwabara could see it. Unleashing three consecutive punches, and seven consecutive kicks, Shinrai continued a massive assault on Kuwabara. Effortlessly, the old master elbowed Shinrai in the gut, and kneed him away. As he strolled over to a weary Shinrai, he provoked him further - "Their deaths gave me great pleasure. As will your friends'."
And Shinrai had just enough.
He let out a Godawful scream, one that shattered glass for miles around, one that broke through the very fabric of both worlds - "KUWABARA!!!!!!!!!!"
Kazuma's face was suddenly torn at, as a small cut appeared on his cheek. More and more cuts materialized out of seemingly thin air, but Kazuma recognized what was happening....
The very ties that bind the three worlds are collapsing.... What power he holds.... !!
"Just like the baby to scream when it's angered. Cry, baby! Cry, you fool!!"
Shinrai raised his hand, and gripped it so tightly that blood spurted out. Energy began to gather from all over his body, and the air seemed to split in two around his fingertip.
Smiling, Kazuma clutched his hand to his side, and flared his aura.
There were no doubts on either's mind - this would be the last attack.
"Shin Reikou Ha!!!"
Kazuma's blast shot forward, and hit Shinrai dead-on.... and it had absolutely no effect.
"Rei Gun...."
=== Somewhere in Makai ===
A glass shattered on the floor, as a familiar voice cried out, "Don't do it!!!"
=== Tokyo, Japan ===
".... ZERO TYPE!!!!!!!"
The beam of energy tore through Kazuma, ripping him almost in two from the waist up. Through his great pain, he smiled.... and Shinrai noticed.
As he fell to the ground, now only the upper half of his body remained. Shinrai ran over to his former sensei, and clutched him tightly in his arms.
"...."
Kazuma hacked up blood, but still managed a smile.
"L-Like Genkai would say.... G-Good.... work.... dim.... wit...."
"Why?! Why did you do that? .... You provoked me on purpose. But where are.... ?"
"They're safe.... I simply.... used my aura to.... make them vanish to your eyes.... and created.... a few flashy explosions.... Heh.... you're too easy.... to fool...."
"But WHY?! Why did you do that?!"
"Because.... I wanted to die."
".... !!!!"
"It's.... true. I'm.... dying. By using the Jigen To against Sensui, my life span was significantly shortened.... It's.... a dangerous technique.... But I didn't want to die a passive death.... I am Kazuma.... Kuwabara.... and I've fought demons more powerful than I was, yet I survived.... I couldn't die like that.... I'd seen too many people die and killed so many, I owed it to them not to die like that.... I worked hard to teach Reikou Hadou Ken to people, to leave a legacy.... but I wanted more than anything.... to die by the hands of the technique I wanted so badly, it hurt.... the Rei Gun Zero Type.... My wish.... has come true.... Thank you, Shinrai...."
Reaching inside of his pocket, Kazuma withdrew a small piece of wood and placed it in Shinrai's hand.
"That.... is my pride and joy.... it gave me.... my Reiken.... take it.... and break the seal surrounding Yusuke's home.... Fight him.... and make.... me.... proud.... You always were.... like a.... son to me, while I trained you.... Don't die, Shinrai.... Live on, and always remember.... You hold in your hands the very essence of Kazuma Kuwabara.... Good-bye...."
And thus ended the life of Kazuma Kuwabara, a man whose honor ran as thick as his blood. A man who fought bravely for what he believed in, for his beloved Yukina, only to never see her again once she returned to her homeland.... The man who followed the code of bushido with all his heart. The man who loved his friends and family with everything he had. That, was Kazuma Kuwabara.
Shinrai then let out a great scream of sadness, one tinged with self-hatred and anger.