Luka: Alright let's get this over with. (staggers into wall)

Draconis: Are you drunk?

Luka: Wha? No..all I did was go shot for shot with Kenshin and Erubetie.

Erubetie: ...in other words...he's incredibly drunk.

Draconis: Uh..where's Kenshin then?

Erubetie: Passed out next to Sheena

Draconis: Uh..why aren't you drunk then?

Erubetie: Alcohol dilutes in my body without any side effects.

Draconis: (narrows eyes wistfully) That's unfair. Anyway if you would be so kind Erubetie could you take Luka out of here..he's trying to reach for his sword to slice my throat.

Luka: Wha? Naw man c'mere...I just wanna...cut you a little.

Erubetie: (surrounds him in slime) Come with me.

Luka: Aw come on Erubetie!

Draconis: (watches him get dragged off) Poor bastard..anyway..

Negima! Springfield and Kuroshi Redux

Chapter 49

Wrath of the Demon King.

Draconis: Begin!

(start)

The next day

Shin Tatsu's Mansion

Luka stood on the roof of the mansion. "..."

"Gold piece for your thoughts?" Luka turned back around to find Granberia staring at him.

"Hm...I didn't know you got up this early Granberia." Luka said looking off at the sunrise.

"Funny..I didn't know you could be serious until I ran into you at Masouen." Granberia said.

"Heh. I only do that stuff to lighten the mood. Everyone at Rashoumen's too serious for my tastes." Luka said.

"Primed to get a lot more serious, once you get back." Granberia said.

Luka slumped. "God don't remind me."

"Hm hm hm." Granberia laughed. "Anyway, whats with the new sword?"

Luka looked down at Salamander's Fang. "I talked Salamander into loaning it to me."

"?" Granberia stared at him curiously. "You actually got Sensei to give you something?"

"It wasn't easy...She almost flame-broiled me." Luka said.

Granberia winced. "Ouch..."

Luka chuckled. "Tell me about it."

"So what did you need it for?" Granberia asks.

"I'm thinking of a plan to stall Maou while we all make an escape." Luka said. "Let's face it, if we go in with nothing planned...Maou's gonna eat us all alive."

"Yes." Granberia said. "But what about the Grand Cardinals?"

"I'm not concerned with Inutora, Akatama, Bureijin or Jordan. The four of them are just caged birds to me." Luka said.

"Explain." Granberia said.

"You were off traveling around, but I've heard whisperings amongst the Imperial Demonic Armies that all four of them have a huge gripe with Maou." Luka said. "Akatama's sister is Shirotama and Maou's using her as leverage against him by having her as his aide, that's just one example."

"Unfortunately I haven't found that out." Luka said.

"I see." Granberia said. "Do you think we could coerce them into siding with us?"

"Not immediately..we'll probably have to fight them at some point during the revolution." Luka said.

"I see." Granberia said. "So I heard Lady Alipheese had a lot of fun with you last night."

"You know all of you really know how to drain a guy dry." Luka said slumping. "It's a miracle I have the energy to stand right now."

"What was up with her?" Granberia asks.

"She's getting nervous about initiating this whole thing." Luka said. "I can't say I blame her. I'd be the same way in her shoes...er..scales.."

"Well I think, as long as she has you by her side, she'll be fine." Granberia said moving up next to him. "Like she said..your loyalty has kept her going."

"Heh." Luka said. "I wouldn't say I'm the only person keeping her going." "You're pretty loyal yourself Granberia."

"Yes, but I'm hardly around." Granberia said. "Neither is Alma Elma, Erubetie or Tamamo for that matter."

"She saved my life." Luka said. "So in reality..I owe her my life." He looked down and saw Erubetie exiting the mansion. "I'll see you later."

"Alright." Granberia said.

Luka hopped off the roof and approached Erubetie. "You know you're never going to sneak up on me." She said.

"Ah..dammit." Luka said.

"So, what is it you need?" Erubetie asks.

"Nothing, per se." Luka said.

"Hm." Erubetie nodded and turned her attention back to the mansion courtyard.

"You know I was really surprised when you agreed to do this." Luka said. "I mean, barring you the slimes aren't the most mobile of people."

"..." Erubetie said nothing.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, why?" Luka asks.

"Have you noticed that the areas populated by my people have been getting smaller and smaller?" Erubetie asked.

"Yeah." Luka said. "I couldn't understand why though."

"It is because slimes can only live in a clean environment of water. Sure we can travel anywhere, but we can't stay away from our water supply for long." Erubetie said. "I can because I've absorbed tens of thousands of my people who were looking for a home and now I've become self sustaining."

Luka rubbed his finger on her shoulder. "So, any where I touch you is touching at the very least...ten or twenty different slimes?"

"Yes." Erubetie said. Luka hastily retracted his finger. She shook her head with a small smile. "Don't worry, it's not hurting them, it actually feels quite nice."

"Oh." Luka said. "Well I hadn't realized the slimes plight was so extensive. Are there any freshwater supplies left besides Undine's Spring?"

"Few, My people live there, I transported them myself." Erubetie said.

"So, is that why you hate most male demons?" Luka asks.

"Yes, Female demons at the least understand and try to clean up after themselves, but most males do not care one way or another and pollute my people's lands carelessly!" Erubetie said raising her voice. "We've asked them time and again, but they do not stop!"

"Erubetie!" Luka said dodging a volley of slime whips

"..." Erubetie sighed. "...I'm sorry."

"Look, Erubetie it's OK to be angry, but you've got to learn to rein in that anger, if you don't you might end up hurting, maybe even killing someone you care about." Luka said.

Erubetie pointed to her left. "Can I be alone?"

"Sure." Luka said. He placed his hand on her shoulder this time giving it a light squeeze. "Take it easy."

"Mmn..." She nodded and Luka left.

Luka looked around. "Let's see...who am I gonna run into this time?"

His answer was found when a ball of fur landed on his right shoulder. It expanded and unfurled to reveal Tamamo. "Heya Tamamo-neechan."

"Morning." She greeted.

"I was about to go into the kitchen and see if they had anything to eat, you in?" Luka asks.

"Sure!" Tamamo grinned.

Luka walked to the kitchen with Tamamo on his shoulder. "So you told Alice your little secret?"

"Yup." Luka said.

Luka made it to the kitchen and found, or in Luka's case made the food they wanted. "So you actually keep stocks of thin fried tofu in this joint?" He asks.

"Yeah, why not?" Tamamo said.

Luka rolled his eyes and took a bite into his meal. "So..why did Shin Tatsu leave this place in your care?" "Couldn't the Fateburns, Sheena or Ryomen have taken care of it?"

"Hm?" Tamamo narrowed her eyes at him threateningly. "Are you implying that I can't handle it?"

"Uh!..N-No. I was just saying, the portal seems out of the way for you." Luka said.

"Oh, well I enjoy the travel and sometimes I can just have it moved to Yamatai." Tamamo said. "To answer your question though, Sheena-Chan was way too busy after the war. I do bring her with me sometimes. Alice and her mother had too much to worry about as it was, Ryomen however...she left after Shin Tatsu did, to the human world."

"She was really dedicated to him wasn't she?" Luka said.

"Yes." Tamamo said. "By the way, the librarian told me you leafed through his journal."

"Uhm...s-sorry...I was just looking for anything that might help us take down Maou." Luka said.

"It's fine." Tamamo said. "It's him you're going to have to deal with if he finds out."

(gulp)

Tamamo giggled hearing Luka's gulping sound.

Back in Mahora, within Kenshin, Ryuujin looked around. "For some reason I suddenly wanna kick that masked bastard's ass."

Yama turned to him. "The masked character that Kenshin fought."

"Yeah." Ryuujin said.

Back at Shin Tatsu's mansion Luka stretched his arms out. "So what was the point of the journal anyway?"

"Eh, it was more of a logbook of the war." Tamamo said. "He just felt like writing it."

"So...no private thoughts?" Luka said.

"Well he never let me read it, so there had to have been." Tamamo said.

Luka polished off the last of his food and bid Tamamo adieu. Continuing his trek around the mansion he ran into Alma Elma who was eying a door curiously. "Alma, what're you doing?"

"Huh?" Alma Elma turned to him. "Oh Luka, I didn't see you there."

"I noticed. What are you up to?" Luka asks.

"Uh..nothing really, see ya!" Alma Elma said taking off.

"What's her deal?" Luka thought.

He turned to the door. "Hm?" He looked at the sign next to the door. "Imouto's room?" "Shin Tatsu had a little sister?"

He grabbed hold of the doorknob. It shocked him, literally. "Ah! Shit...hm.." He took out a charm holding his left hand in a handsign while his right clutching the charm grabbed the doorknob. "Absorb!"

He turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. "..." He walked inside and looked around. "Hm...kind of a bland room for the sister of a king." He said as he looked around. There was a dresser with a large mirror connected to it, a bed and a few pictures, and a bedside table, but that was it.

"Maybe Shin Tatsu's sister was someone who liked to live modestly..." Luka said shrugging. He was about to leave when he heard a voice.

"Hm?" Luka turned back around. His eyes widen slightly seeing two figures, two spirits to be exact. "? !"

One of the spirits was Shin Tatsu himself, while the other was an older looking version of Alice. Shin Tatsu turned to her. "Ah, Lady Alipheese the Fifteenth, what do I owe to your gracious appearance?"

Alice the 15th glared at him. "You know you don't have to do that anymore."

Shin Tatsu grinned. "I know that, it's just so damn fun to get you flustered."

Alice the 15th's expression softened. "So how's it feel? To be the Eiyuu no Makai?" She asks. (Hero of the Demon World)

"Eh, not much different from what I was before." Shin Tatsu said. "I'm kinda used to the whole public admiration shtick at this point."

"So where's your little sister?" Alice the 15th asks.

Shin Tatsu narrowed his eyes at the echidna lamia. "You aren't gonna try and scare her again are you?"

"N-No..." Alice the 15th said turning her head away.

Shin Tatsu walked up to her. "Liar."

Alice turned her head back to him as he placed his hands on her waist. "..." She leaned upward to whisper something into his ear. He jumped back like he'd just been burned.

"Wh-Wha? ! S-Seriously, you're gonna have a kid? !" Shin Tatsu said pointing a shaking finger at him. "Oh man oh man oh man, I'm not ready to be a Dad yet! Hell I'm barely ready to be a king!"

"HA HA HA HA HA!" Alice the 15th couldn't take it anymore and started laughing hysterically.

"What the hell's so funny? !" Shin Tatsu barked.

"You should see the look on your face!" Alice the 15th said.

"Wha?" Shin Tatsu said.

Alice calmed down and smiled. "I'm not having a kid stupid, I just wanted to see the reaction you would have."

Shin Tatsu glared. "You bitch."

She shook her head. "Yet, you know you love me." She wrapped her tail around his waist and pulled him in close.

"You know I could be out of here tomorrow, milady." Shin Tatsu said with a small smirk with leering eyes.

"Stop jesting and kiss me already you moron." Alice the 15th said.

"..Yes ma'am." The Dragon Knight said.

The two kissed and the vision faded out. "Uhm..."

Luka turned to see one of the maids. "Huh?"

"You..You aren't supposed to be in here sir." She said.

"Oh, I'm sorry...uhm, curiosity got the better of me." Luka said. "I'll be leaving."

"Please do." She said.

Luka walked out of the room thinking. "Hm...funny, Were Shin Tatsu and Alice's mother...lovers?"

He shook his head. "Now's not the time for this. I need to think of my plan to take the 16th Maou out." He thought.

(break)

A week later.

It had been a week since the group of six had been to Shin Tatsu's mansion. They had all been traveling together back to Rashoumen, where oddly enough Maou had called a Taiyoukai Council meeting to take place as soon as Luka arrived back in Maouzyou.

It was nighttime and all six were gathered around a campfire. No one said anything. Deciding now was the best time Luka cleared his throat. "Ahem."

"What is it Luka?" Erubetie asked.

"Before we get back to Rashoumen, I think it's time we made a plan of escape." Luka said.

"He's right." Granberia said. "If we go in with nothing we can't hope to live."

"OK, so what do you have in mind?" Tamamo said.

"Well, what I thought of doing is having someone go in alone. Setting everything in motion then, getting the hell out of there." Luka said.

"..." Everyone went silent.

That is until Alice spoke up. "You're suggesting that someone here play sacrificial lamb and go off and martyr themselves."

"No." Luka said.

"Then what?" Alma Elma said.

"I'm saying that I'll go in." Luka said.

"? !" Everyone turned to him in shock. "What do you mean you'll go?" Granberia asks.

"Alice can't do it because she's going to take over after the war, she needs to remain alive." Luka said. "Tamamo, sadly you aren't fast enough, Maou would have little problem dealing with your earth-enhanced strength."

"What about me?" Alma Elma said looking over at him.

"Alma, you're fast enough to get away, but we don't know if Maou will be fast enough to catch you, and I don't want to risk it." Luka said.

"How are you better fitted to do it?" Granberia asks.

Luka tapped the space under the right eyehole in his mask. "I can use Taimu Agata to get away." "Plus I will be able to stun Maou anyway." "Granberia, If it were anyone besides Maou, I'd gladly stand aside and let you handle this, but it is him and if things get ugly, Alice will need a retainer.

Granberia nodded. "I see." Luka turned to Erubetie.

"I'm not even considering letting you go in there because your people depend on you too much." Luka said. "If you're gone, the slimes all get thrown into a panic."

"...He's right." Alice said. "Aside from the point, Maou will be expecting him anyway." "The rest of us should remain in the back, but Luka...what if this doesn't work? What if something happens to you?"

Luka got to his feet and stroked his chin in thought. "If something happens to me, get the hell out of there."

"? !" Everyone's eyes widened as he vanished.

"I'm going on ahead, wait for me on the hills overlooking Rashoumen." Luka said.

(break)

Two days later.

Luka stood at the gates of Rashoumen. Knowing the risk he would take, to attempt to save the demon world. "..."

"You shouldn't do this alone."

"? !" Luka turned around, only to find Alice. "What are you doing here?" He asked. "It's too risky."

"And yet you're doing it." Alice said.

"Because I am expendable." Luka said. "If I become incapacitated or captured it won't mean anything in the grand scheme of things." "Maou won't kill me, because I know where the Tsurugi no Kami is, but if you get captured, the revolution will be over before it can even begin."

"Why do you want to do this alone?" Alice said. "You could at the very least take one of the Shitennou with you."

Luka sighed. "Are you seriously asking that?" He walked toward her, setting his hand on her chest.

"..." Alice stared at his body.

"Fine...I'll let you come with me, but first." Luka said.

(kiss)

"Mm?" Alice moaned as the masked man kissed her.

"..." Luka's hands move upward to the back of the Demon Queen's neck and pinches down on a cluster of nerves.

"? !" Alice fell backwards her vision darkening. The last thing she heard was Luka's voice saying. "I'm sorry."

Luka caught her and slapped several charms on her stomach before lifting her up. "Kaze Tenohira Nifuda."

Alice's body went flying away. He saw her get caught by Alma Elma. He looked up at her and shook his head before walking into the capital of Makai. "...I would love to have you with me for this my queen, but...I..I can't risk your life here."

As he walked toward Maouzyou his body quivered. "Dammit, don't get nervous now...This is when you strike, this is when you avenge the death of your father!"

He stopped as his mind landed on his, Kenshin's father, Ryuushin. All of his memories of Ryuushin were from before he got split from his other half, Kenshin. Back when he was still an innocent boy for the most part. His experiences in Makai had allowed him to block out what happened to him and Kenshin in Mundus Magicus. (sigh) He continued to walk getting closer and closer to Maouzyou.

"I wonder how Kenshin and everyone is doing?" Luka thought.He smiled. "I hope Mom isn't trying to fawn over him to make up for lost time."

"I wonder if that first kiss Yukari gave us went anywhere?" He thought. "Heh...I doubt it." Oh how wrong he was.

"I didn't know her for very long, but I do hope Miyuki is alright as well." Luka thought. "Hopefully I didn't do anything stupid to make her feel bad." Wrong again, you're 0 for 2, but hey who can blame ya?

He made it to the castle gates and turned to the guard. "Has the Taiyoukai Council meeting already started?"

"They're waiting on you Seer." He said. "Shall I see you in?"

"Nah, I'm good my man, say...we may be in there for awhile." He tossed him a sack of gold pieces. "Why don't you go get sloshed on me."

"Yes sir!" He said taking off.

"Heh heh, I feel kinda bad to be playing on his alcoholism." Luka said making his way toward the council chambers. When he made it to the doorway. He took a breath. "Whelp...Showtime!" He exclaimed to himself.

He heard Maou demanding to know where he was and opened the door. "Speak of the devil, and he shall appear."

Maou turned to him. "Ahh, there you are...and where is that Yondai character, Seer?"

"I go by Luka these days my lord." Luka said grinning softly. He lost that grin. "Although I regret to inform everyone, that Yondai couldn't fell the Kuroshi Clan Patriarch. It seems in the end the Tsurugi No Kami rejected him." "Kenshin instead, felled him."

Maou narrowed his eyes into a glare. "I should have figured as much, never send a false god to do a king's job." "Very well then, hand the Tsurugi no Kami back, and I'll go deal with this Kenshin myself."

"I'm afraid there's more bad news." Luka stepping up onto the Taiyoukai's meeting table. "When I tried to claim the Tsurugi no Kami back, I was ambushed by the Maoujou's Shitennou, I could not win in such dire straights when I had to fight there myself.

Maou stood up slamming his hands down on the table. "WHERE IS MY BLADE? !"

"Your lovely wife, took it away and sealed it somewhere." Luka said.

"! !" Maou's body quivered in rage as everyone gasped. "WHERE IS SHE? !"

"I have a hunch." Luka said unsheathing Salamander's Fang.

Maou stepped onto the table and stormed up to Luka. "Where?"

"I'll guide you to them." Luka said. "But..leave them all to me. The only reason they beat me is because I wasn't sure it would be safe to unleash my full might and put Kenshin on the alert as well."

"Hmph...I could have sworn your loyalty to my wife knew no bounds." Maou said as Luka turns his back to him.

"I'm not foolish my lord. I do have an innate need to live." Luka said. "Alipheese the 16th wishes to start a rebellion and I want no part in it."

Maou narrowed his eyes. "I knew you'd see the light soon."

"Sometimes the snake gets devoured by an even bigger snake." Luka said with an ever present smirk. "It's a matter of nature taking it's course."

Sheena stared at him. "What is he doing? ! Did he seriously just want to stab Alice in the back? !" She thought.

"You see my lord, I have no heart, I just look to see things progress as they are naturally...the fall of kings and queens mean little to me." Luka said. "I just look for entertainment."

"Heh...there will be plenty to be had once we squash this rebellion." Maou said with a smirk.

"I have to ask though...after I bring you their beaten...broken bodies, what do you intend to do with them?" Luka asks.

"I'll string their corpses up across Rashoumen...as a warning to anyone thinking of mounting another foolish rebellion...to send a message..that I am invincible and my power is absolute." Maou said stretching his hand out in front of him.

"Very well then. Leave the killing of the Shitennou and the Maoujou, to me then..." Luka said.

Maou narrowed his eyes. "Seer Luka.."

Without warning, without provocation, Luka turned around and rammed Salamander's Fang through Maou's chest shocking the entire Taiyoukai Council, Shirotama and the Four Grand Cardinals.

Maou stared down wide eyed at the blade in his chest. "Kuuuhhh..!"

"Lord Maou!" The Four Grand Cardinals said in unison. Luka responded by lifting up his shirt. "Ah ah ah..one more step and I detonate all these explosive charms on my torso and we all get blown to hell."

The Grand Cardinals stopped their advance dead in it's tracks. Luka turned his attention back to Maou. "The JuuYondaime Maou and Alipheese the 14th and 15th, The Ryomen Sukuna no Kami, Tamamo, Sheena of the White Tigers, Beria the Dragonkin Knight of Flame, and last, but not least the JuuGodaime Maou, Shin Tatsu." These people and so many many more make up the composition of your DNA, your body...isn't that right, Homunculus?"

"? !" Everyone gasped. Sheena included.

Maou however glared. "Where did you learn that?" He snarled.

"Hm hm hm...wouldn't you like to know?" Luka said smirking. "None of your assassins ever knew this...yet they still thought they could kill you...how sad really..." He extracted Salamander's Fang from Maou's chest as blood squirted out from the wound and onto the table as he staggered backward.

"The only one who can kill you JuuRokudaime Maou...is me." Luka said.

Maou clutched his wound. "I knew..that..you would try to kill me eventually.."

"If you knew it then, why did you lend me the Tsurugi no Kami?" Luka said.

"That was an oversight on my part, but rest assured it will not happen again...I was merely interested..in how you would go about it." Maou said. "All in all I am very disappointed...did you really think a stab would do me in?" He said raising his head to smirk at Luka.

"I didn't..." Luka said.

Maou glared at Luka. "..."

Luka raised Salamander's Fang. "Did you happen to see the charm that was right here when I unsheathed the blade earlier?" He tapped the middle of the blade with his finger. "Right here?" He then pointed at Maou. "The charm is located inside your chest."

"? ! !" Maou's eyes widened. "What? !"

"The charm contains the pure essence of Salamander herself." Luka said. "It can melt down whatever it's attached to when it's activated..."

"Keh..." Maou said glaring at Luka.

Luka in turn smirked back. "Hmm...looks like you understand it, and I also took the liberty of dipping the edge into a special poison so you can't move." "You're completely at my mercy..."

He walked up to him. "If you're going to say something to me...you had better do it now...eh...even if you did though..you wouldn't be able to say much.." He placed his hand on Maou's chest while his other hand flashed through hand signs. "Melt, Breath of Salamander."

"LUKA...DAMN YOU!" Maou yelled as he felt an unbearably hot sensation hit his chest full force.

"Hey look at it this way..you'll probably be able to meet Kami, that is before she damns you for using her sword." Luka said.

A large hole tore itself through Maou's chest as a charm burnt away. Luka however had his eyes on the large dark orb that had been made visible. He thought back to every time he had seen Alice, and Makai suffer because of Maou as he reached for the orb. "..."

(smack!)

One of Maou's powerful hands swung up and batted at Luka who retreated backward...clutching the orb in hand. His mask fell to pieces. Sheena looked over at him as he looked back at Maou. "? ! !" "Th-That's! !" Sheena thought, shock washing over her.

Luka flashed away as all the Taiyoukai scattered. He was well out of Rashoumen when he stopped and started panting heavily. His right wrist was almost half gone and oozing blood as his hand clutched Maou's core. "Al..right...now...to end it..." He reached for his greatsword when he sensed a massive power exploding from Maouzyou.

It was then that he could hear it. Maou's voice roaring, his power increasing dramatically. "Shit! I have to act fast!" Luka said. To his shock the core began glowing. "What..the hell? !"

He also felt a massive power appearing directly behind him. He turned around to see a smaller, leaner Maou with long silver hair. He smirked at Luka. "You know...you have something that belongs to me."

"! !" Luka jumped back and pocketed the core. "Damn...so close.."

"Hm hm hm hm...so close...to death that is.." Maou said holding his hand out. A jet black claymore appeared in his hands. "Tell me...you go by Luka, what's your real name?"

Luka glared readying his greatsword. "I left my real name behind a long time ago."

"Heh...how quaint..I left my name behind as well." Maou said. "It's almost as if fate decided this...that we..two nameless men would fight to the death."

Luka said nothing, gripping his greatsword's hilt. The two stared each other down. Luka's expression darkened into a glare his right eye shining as the two charged one another.

Luka cut a gash into Maou's torso while the King of Demons sliced into his leg. Maou's wound healed instantly, but Luka's did not. Luka jumped backward and took out a charm throwing it at Maou. "Hyoumenka Suimon Level One Offense! Ice Drill!"

"Hmph!" Maou brought his claymore down shattering the ice effortlessly. Luka however banked on it and charged behind it slicing another gash into Maou's chest and kicking him away. "Nisi Rabies Duos Filiolus: Kenotêtos astrapsatô de temetô!"He dashed toward him swinging his free arm downward. "Dios Tukuos!"

"Heh...was that a spell from your old world?" Maou said jumping past the smoke and slashing at Luka's neck.

Luka leaned back to avoid and brought his foot up kicking the Demon King in the chin. "Tch..." He back flipped away from Maou. "I've got to find a way to destroy this core."

"Oh? You mean this core?" Maou said holding an orb in his hands.

"? !" Luka reached into his pocket only to pull out a dull orb. "BUT HOW? !"

"I must really thank you Luka...your little stunt there proved to be beneficial to me." Maou said smirking. "My container was wearing down by the day...I needed to have it destroyed in order to regenerate a new one." "However in order for it to be complete...I need to assimilate that old orb into my being." "So hand it over...and I assure you, your death will be painless."

Luka pocketed the orb again. "Not on your life Homunculus! I will kill you here today and avenge my father's death! !"

"Try whatever you can...Kuroshi Tsuki Kenshin." Maou said smirking.

"? !" Luka gripped his greatsword's hilt his eyes wide with shock once more.

"Heh heh..I realized it just now...you and he look exactly alike except for a few extremities." Maou's eyes glew maliciously. "I also see you only have half your soul, which means Kenshin himself has the other half...is that right?"

"Guh..." Luka grunted glaring at Maou.

"I knew it...which means...if I kill you..or at the very least grievously injure you...then Kenshin will have the same happen to him at some point, and if I kill you..he immediately dies." Maou said. "Yeeesss...I'll literally kill two birds with one stone."

Luka gripped his sword's hilt. "Then all I have to do is not let you kill me."

"Hm? You imply that you can control something like that." Maou said. "That said, there is something rather comforting about facing death wouldn't you agree?"

Luka took a few steps to his right as Maou went on, looking for a blind spot. "It's almost like nothing else even exists..outside of the pure instinct to survive. Nothing...it's all meaningless, to fight on behalf of our own lives and nothing else." "Only when I fought my master Shin Tatsu, have I ever felt so alive!" Maou said. "Heh heh...I guess you could say I've finally arrived..."

Luka readied himself as Maou took a step forward...then another, and another until the King of Demons ran toward him jumping in the air and bringing his sword down at Luka's head. "Demon Skull Beheading!"

"Tch!" Luka flashed through handsigns before stomping his feet. "Daichi Guntou Level One Offense! Ooburi Sekkai!" Small pressurized lumps of earth shot upward obscuring Maou's view as Luka jumped back

(slam!)

Maou's claymore shattered the earth beneath him and he rushed toward Luka stabbing at the half soul demon multiple times forcing him to weave in and out of each stab. Seeing a chance Maou slammed both their swords down to the ground and slammed his forehead against Luka's. "COME ON! WHAT'S WRONG! DON'T TELL ME THAT'S ALL YOU GOT!" Maou took one of his hands off his blade's hilt and grabbed Luka's wrist and kicked him away. "BECAUSE IT'S NOWHERE GOOD ENOUGH! !"

Maou readied his blade. "The only way you can 'save' Makai is to destroy me." "NOW FIGHT LIKE YOU MEAN IT NAMELESS DEMON!"

Luka rushed toward Maou with an insane burst of speed. "Bloody Fissure Thunder Thrust!" He shouts stabbing his blade forward slashing Maou's left shoulder. Maou in turn slashed downward slicing a gash into the right side of Luka's torso. Luka cursed and jumped back. Maou smirked and brought his claymore upward cutting into Luka's right shoulder.

"Grruuhhh!" Luka grunted painfully and stabbed his greatsword through Maou's stomach and dragged it upward.

"Useless!" Maou shouts slicing toward Luka's neck.

"!" Luka fell backward to avoid and sprung back up away from Maou. All of Maou's wounds healed. "Dammit..I'm never going to get that core back out if he keeps healing...thankfully I can still wound him..." He muttered to himself. "It doesn't mean anything though, if he fucks me up worse..than I can fuck him up"

Maou smirked hearing every word he said. "I see he fell for my illusion..now he's desperately trying to get back the core that doesn't exist." "Fu fu fu...as long as he's still tricked..I'm safe."

Luka glared taking out charms and layering them on his fists. After he was done he sheathed his sword. "Hm? Giving up already?"

"AS IF!" Luka shouts darting toward Maou.

"Hm?" Maou said as Luka's fist buried itself in his right cheek. "What's this? A direct attack, unarmed? You fool."

"Bakahatsu Aikyou! Bakahatsu Ken!" Luka shouts as an explosion detonated at the end of his fist.

"Gruh!" Maou groaned in pain as his face burned in the explosion. Luka rushed toward him again punching at his chest. Maou caught his fist and smirked. "An explosion based style of the fist eh? Doesn't that hurt?"

Another explosion detonated in Maou's hand. "You think you're the only one here with a strong body? !" Luka said.

Maou's hand lurched forward and grabbed Luka by the head. "I AM the only one with a strong body here."

"Grruh..." Luka strained as Maou's hand squeezed down on his head. He unsheathed his greatsword and sliced Maou's arm clean off and jumped back. Maou smirked as his arm grew back

Luka's body shook as blood loss exhausted him. "Dammit...I'm losing..a lot of blood.." He looked down at his pocket where the orb rested and took it back out. "If I destroy this...you will never...be complete..."

"!" Maou's eyes widened. Luka smirked wearily.

"Heh..Heh..heh..it's time you know what it feels like to be weakened..." Luka said.

"LUKA! !"

Luka's eyes widened hearing a collection of familiar voices. He turned his head to find Alice, Granberia, Alma Elma, Erubetie and Tamamo rushing to him. "WHAT ARE THEY DOING HERE? ! !" His thoughts raged. He now had an impossible choice to make. Use Taimu Agata to stop time and destroy the core, weaken Maou and chance him killing Alice and the others, or...use Taimu Agata and use the force displacement spell to send them off and leave himself at the Demon King's mercy.

Maou turned toward them smirking. "Ah...I think I'll make you suffer first...my queen." He rushed toward them.

It was then that Luka's choice was made as his right eye began shining. "TAIMU AGATA! !"

Everything froze except for Luka who immediately began running through handsigns and chanting. He extended his sword hand toward the Demon Queen and the Four Heavenly Knights. "Forced Displacement! !"

Time unfroze as magic circles shone underneath Alice, Tamamo, Erubetie, Granberia and Alma Elma. "What? We...We can't move!" Granberia said.

"Hm?" Maou stopped cold as everyone looked toward Luka.

"No...you didn't! !" Tamamo shouts realizing what was going on.

"What's going on Tamamo?" Erubetie said.

"Luka's displacing us! He can only do five people at a time!" Tamamo said.

Alice banged her fists on the magic wall in front of her. "LUKA CANCEL THIS SPELL THIS INSTANT! THAT'S AN ORDER!"

"..." Luka shook his head.

Maou turned toward him. "Ah...I see.."

"Luka please don't do this! You can't take Maou on alone!" Alma Elma pleaded.

Luka closed his eyes and mouthed two words to the Succubus Queen. "I'm sorry."

He turned to Granberia and nodded. She nodded back and closed her eyes. He did the same with Tamamo and Erubetie both giving nods in return, the former bowing her head in shame.

He turned back to Alice and narrowed his eyes mouthing three words to her. Her eyes widened as a single tear slipped down her cheek. "Sayonara...my queen." He said audibly.

"LUKA NO! ! !" Alice screamed as she and the Shitennou vanished.

Luka turned to where Maou was only to find nothing. He slowly turned around finding him smirking down at him. "!"

Before he could react however. Maou slashed a deep gash down his torso. Luka grasped the core weakly in his hands shooting the demon king a weak, but hate filled glare. His thoughts traveled back..to when he became the Seer of Maouzyou

(flashback)

Eight years ago.

"Interesting, so you say there will be an uprising in the western desert?" Maou said seated in his throne. In front of him was Luka who was kneeling in his black cloak and hood.

"Yes sir." Luka said holding his hand over his chest. "There have been whisperings of the Sabasan royal family staging an coup de tat against your soldiers there. If this is allowed to succeed then you will be short one Grand Cardinal as Akatama will be overwhelmed." He turned his head to Maou's right where Shirotama grew worried the to Maou's left where Alice was furrowing her brow. "Akatama is a valuable asset as the Grand Cardinal of Water, if we can avoid losing him we should do something."

"And how do you know this?" Maou said. "Hearing whisperings is one thing, but you seem certain this will happen."

"I posses the ability of foresight my lord." Luka siad lying through his teeth. "I can see the future."

"If we act now, will the uprising be averted." Maou said as more of a statement then a question.

"Yes." Luka said. "Kill the Sabasan king, and the rest will run amuck in a panic like a decapitated chicken."

"Heh..interesting." Maou said. "I have use for someone like you boy."

"Maou, there's no need for this boy's service." Alice said. "Just inform Akatama to be on the alert."

"Ignore her my lord." Luka said. "Doing as she says is a foolish path." "Just kill the Sabasan King yourself and cement your rule there."

"Hm hm hm. Very well I haven't dirtied my hands with blood in awhile." Maou said getting up from his throne. "From this point onward you are hereby appointed to the position of Seer of Maouzyou and will stay here, understood?"

"Yes my lord." Luka said bowing his head. Maou walked by him and out of the throne room. Alice slithered up to him.

"What are you doing boy?" Alice said.

"Whatever I please milady." Luka said.

"You know..he's not going to let you go now..." Alice said staring down at him sympathetically. "You're in the same rut as me."

Luka looked up at her smiling. "That's fine...it means I get to be by your side, as long as I want my queen."

"!" Alice bent down and embraced Luka tightly. "You...stupid, stupid boy..."

"Milady?" Luka said.

"Just shut up...and let me hold you, stupid." Alice said.

"Yes ma'am." Luka said embracing her back

(flashback end)

Luka's glare deepened at the demon king. "This man...made her suffer...for centuries..!" A dark light shone in Luka's palm and connected to Maou's chest. He saw the core shrinking.

"For years..I have cemented my iron fisted rule..and increased the strength of my container...my body." Maou thought. "Ever since I nearly fell to Shin Tatsu all those years ago." "However..until I finally experienced a brush with death...all those upgrades would be meaningless." "That is until you came along...Luka."

The core fully disappeared and absorbed itself back into Maou's skin. It was still sinking into his chest as Luka reached for it with his right hand. "Al...most..."

Maou grabbed Luka's injured wrist and ripped his arm clean off. "!" Luka's mind was numb to the pain as he glared at Maou who merely smiled evilly in return and rammed his sword through Luka's chest making him stand straight before bending over on his blade. Blood seeped out of Luka's mouth and pooled on the ground.

"Evolution as a being requires fear." Maou said. "Fear that no matter how strong you are..you could die at any given moment." He smirked. "Thank you Luka...I am now as I was before...no..I am stronger...faster than I was before.." "And when I get the Tsurugi no Kami back..I will finally have the powers of a god..once again." He thrust Luka off his sword and watched as he hit the ground with a dull thud.

Luka's eyes remained on the sky...as tears seeped out of the corners of his eyes.

(flashback)

Eight years ago.

Luka walked through a snowfield in the winter time carrying his black cloak and hood on his back. "Heeey!" He turned to find a younger Alma Elma running up to him. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to Maouzyou.." Luka said. "I'm going to become the Seer of Maouzyou...and from there I'll change things...so no demon..has to suffer ever again."

"What are you talking about Luka?" Alma Elma said.

"So people like you and Lady Alipheese will never have to suffer again." Luka said.

"! !" "WAIT!" Alma Elma shouts as Luka disappeared.

(flashback end)

He thought back to his apologies to both Alice and Alma Elma. "I'm glad...I apologized...when I had the chance..." He thought.

He thought back to his father. "I'm sorry Dad...it seems...I wasn't...able to beat him...either..."

Maou glared disdainfully at Luka. "How pathetic..lamenting at the decision you made...bah..whatever I'll end you right now.." "!" Maou's eyes widened as a charm appeared in front of his eyes and activated shining a bright light that blinded him completely.. "ARGH! !"

Luka felt himself being picked up and large rushes of air. His eyes opened and he saw forestry below. He looked to his left seeing a white kimono and white hair with black stripes. "...ShiroiTora..no..Sheena?" (Sheena of the White Tigers)

"Don't talk...you're bleeding out. It's awkward enough healing you as it is." Sheena said.

"Wh..What are you doing? If Maou saw you...your people are as good as doomed." Luka said.

"Relax, I made sure he didn't see me." Sheena said. "As soon as I saw your face...I knew I had to save you."

"...I didn't want to use your affections for Kenshin as leverage against you...and in the end..that's all that saved me." Luka said.

"Why did you decide to take down Maou alone?" Sheena said feeling his wounds closing slowly.

"...a thirst for vengeance got the better of me." Luka said.

"Vengeance for what?" Sheena asks.

"Maou..poisoned Ryuushin Kuroshi during the Schismatic War on Mundus Magicus...Kenshin and I are two halves of the same soul..Maou's the reason...Kenshin's...my father..is dead." Luka said.

Sheena narrowed her eyes and sighed. "I see..." "So..if you die..then Kenshin.."

"Yes..Kenshin will die as well." Luka said.

"Then hang on." Sheena said. "For as long as you can."

"..." Luka said nothing.

"Luka?" Sheena said. "Shit! He's already went under from losing too much blood!" "I have to hurry!" She said landing on the ground and hastily beginning the healing process. "Don't you die on me, you hear me!"

Maou looked off in the distance. "He got away..." He cast his sword away and walked back to the gates of Rashoumen where a red haired man with pale white skin wearing a tan cape and a blue button up shirt and fighter's pants. "...L..Lord Maou?"

"What is it Akatama?" Maou said turning to him.

"U..UH! I-I'm sorry sir, you just look so different." Akatama said.

"Hm hm hm.." Maou laughed. "Where are the rest of the Taiyoukai?"

"They all fled in a panic when the Seer wounded you." Akatama said.

"I see...I wouldn't be surprised if some of them thought the rebellion could work after seeing that, perhaps that was his intent after all...to expose my vulnerability." Maou said.

"My lord...what should we do? If we do nothing..a rebellion will surely be mounted by Lady Alipheese." Akatama said.

"Then that's what we will do." Maou said walking by him.

"? !" "M-My lord?" Akatama said.

"This should be a great source of entertainment." Maou said smirking. "I can't wait to see the hopeless look in her eyes..when I squash this rebellion right in front of her." He turned to Akatama. "Which brings me to my next point...you aren't thinking of joining her are you?"

"Wh-Wha? N-No..I-I would.." Akatama stammered. Maou set his hand on Akatama's shoulder smirking down at him.

"Good..because..you know if you ever betray me...your sister Shirotama is as good as dead." Maou said. "Now go round up your division and start preparing them for war." He turned his back to Akatama and vanished.

"Y..Yes sir..." Akatama strained out through gritted teeth. As soon as he was sure Maou was gone he punched the wall as hard as he could. "RRGH!" His eyes burned with tears. "If..If it wasn't for Shiro's life being at stake...I'd..I'd have joined in a heartbeat."

"Akatama." He looked over and saw a dark skinned bald man with wings for hands wearing a decorative sash over his torso and what looked to be a pair of brown african dashiki pants.

"Jordan, Grand Cardinal of the Wind and Co-Chieftain of the Harpy tribe." Akatama said.

"He threatened you with Shirotama's life didn't he?" Jordan said.

Akatama glared at the ground saying nothing. Jordan nodded. "I thought as much."

"What is he threatening you with?" Akatama asks.

"That should be obvious..if I betrayed him..he would kill my wife." Jordan said.

"What about Inutora of the Earth and Bureijin of Fire?" Akatama said.

"They're being tightlipped about it." Jordan said. "In any case...we don't have a choice...Luka couldn't even defeat him and he was the only person to wound Maou so extensively since Shin Tatsu was here."

Akatama nodded. "I know...that bastard has no allies...he rules by fear...sad thing is that's all he needs."

"Yes, come on..before he gets impatient." Jordan said.

"Yeah.." Akatama said.

(break)

At the same time

Evangeline Resort.

Kenshin was sparring with Evangeline alone when his body locked up. "Urgh!"

"?" Evangeline stared at him. "What's up?"

Kenshin reached for his chest, pain wracking his entire body. Evangeline's eyes widened. "Is it your heart? !"

"No..!" Kenshin strained out. "M..My body..f-feels like it's ripping itself apart! !" His shirt ripped open and a deep gash appeared on his torso shooting blood out in front of him.

"What the hell? !" Evangeline said rushing to his side. She put her hand on his shoulder only for it to faze through. "What?" She said noticing his body becoming transparent. "He's..disappearing?"

"R..Rgh...AAAHHHH! !" Kenshin screamed in pain. Ryuujin and Yama appeared outside of his body.

"Yo old man what the hell is happening to him? !" Ryuujin said. "It's like he's ceasing to exist!"

"In a way that's what's happening." Yama said. "You see when Kenshin was revived half his soul was expelled from his body." "It must have made a body of it's own...and now it's on the edge of death."

"How does that have anything to do with Kenshin? !" Evangeline demanded.

"When one half of the soul dies...the other half dies with it." Yama said. "It's out of our hands...if something doesn't save the other half. Kenshin's as good as dead."

"Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! AAAAHHHH! ! !" Kenshin roared painfully.

"Why is it so painful for him then?" Evangeline asks. "Shouldn't he just disappear?"

"The way Kenshin dies is dependent on the way the other half was put on the edge of death." Yama said. "Not even I can tell.."

(cough cough cough!)

The screaming stopped and Kenshin laid motionless on the ground after violently coughing. "Is he...?" Ryuujin said.

"No." Yama said. He placed his hand on Kenshin's chest. "Kenshin, just got extremely lucky."

"The other half is saved?" Evangeline said.

"Yes." Yama said. "Barely." He charged a minute amount of holy energy into Kenshin's body and all his wound's healed. "With that they should both be saved...saving and dying with half souls works both ways, but it seems someone was already working on him."

"Whew...that was close..Hikari and her daughters would be completely distraught if he kicked the bucket." Evangeline said sighing.

"That and you wouldn't have anyone to fix your seal problem.." Ryuujin said grinning at her.

"Sh-Shaddap!" Evangeline said.

Kenshin stirred and rose up. "Urgh..."

"Try not to rise up too quickly." Yama said. "Your body is recovering."

"...While that was going on...I saw...Sheena standing over me in her den telling me to hang on..." Kenshin said. "She had tears in her eyes and her hands were covered in blood..."

Ryuujin stared. "Sheena..? Then..Kenshin's other half is in Makai? Wait! Could it be that...Luka guy?" "I don't think Sheena killed him...did he..try to take down that Homunculus?"

"Well in any case you should go to the bedrooms and get some rest." Evangeline said. "Chachamaru."

"Hai Master." Chachamaru said.

"Carry Kenshin to a bedroom and get him to sleep." Evangeline said.

"Hai Master." Chachamaru said slinging Kenshin's arm over her shoulder and carrying him away.

Evangeline turned to Yama. "Is there any chance of that happening again?"

"The events of whatever happened to his other half may repeat themselves with someone else facing down Kenshin." Yama said. "To prevent this..Kenshin will soon need to find this person and rejoin with them." "Only then will his fate be his own again."

"I see." Evangeline said. "Should we mention anything to him or his family?"

"Not right now." Yama said. "After his heart operation."

"Alright." Evangeline said. She got up and walked away. Ryuujin turned to Yama. "Still think we shouldn't break the god's rule of non interference?"

"What about?" Yama said turning to the Dragon God in disinterest.

"What if he's about to die? If we could spare him..shouldn't we do it?" Ryuujin said.

"Hmph." Yama smirked softly. "It's times like this you expose that you care for the boy."

"? !" Ryuujin glared. "Shut up old man! I just don't want Kami grilling my ass for his death when we could have done something about it!"

"Right and your successor isn't a complete and utter psychopath." Yama said.

Ryuujin's glare deepened as he started summoning ZanRyuu. Yama in turn held Saigo-Shi at his throat. "!" Ryuujin stopped cold as Yama leveled him with a cold glare. "You don't stand a chance against me Shin Tatsu. You would do well to relax that swordarm of yours...also..if I catch you leaving to Makai to stop him..I'll drag you back here kicking and screaming."

"!" Ryuujin glared. "You...bastard..MAKAI WAS MY HOME! WHY SHOULDN'T I GO THERE? !"

"You are a god now hatchling. You left it all behind when you decided to take the post of Ryuujin." Yama said.

"Kuh..." Ryuujin glared down at the ground as Yama removed his blade. "..."

"Your job is to train the chosen." Yama said. "Remember that."

Yama disappeared leaving Ryuujin alone. "...Goddammit...that Homunculus could be running rampant around Makai and there's not a damn thing I can do about it."

Stuffing his hands into his vest pockets he walked off, presumably to clear his mind.

(chapter end)

Draconis: So, Luka's in the infirmary.

Luka: You're a dick.

Draconis: What?

Luka: I could have totally killed Maou there!

Draconis: Yeah, but I need a main antagonist after I finish the Negima Manga.

Kenshin: (glares at Luka) You know your little stunt there almost got us both killed.

Luka: (jumps) Oh...u-uh Kenshin, what's up?

Kenshin: So if I so much as lay one finger on you..you get absorbed into my body?

Luka: U-Uh n-no...

Kenshin: (smirk) C'mere then..

Luka: (runs around the room) GET AWAY FROM ME! !

Kenshin: (chases) GET IN MY BODY! !

Draconis: God that sounds wrong.

Yukari and Sheena: Uh...what's going on?

Draconis: See for yourself. I was about to go out for drinks. Care to join me?

Yukari and Sheena: (stares at Draconis, turns to Kenshin and Luka)

Draconis: Well?

Yukari: (slumps) I'm in..

Sheena: (sighs) Same.

The makings of war are taking shape in Makai, meanwhile the Mahora Festival is about to begin. What awaits Kenshin in these next few days in Mahora?

Find out Next time!

Draconis678 out