The new stadium turns out to be somewhat bigger, hosting a larger crowd, a noisier one. Besides the new stadium, we have a new official announcer as well, named Juri. She seems to be some water type demon. Koto sits on the side for commentary.

As we enter the arena to start our next match, we find ourselves without Yusuke and the masked fighter. They are still much pre-occupied with other business, so it's just the four of us against Uraotogi. We meet in the middle of the ring.

Looking around, I don't spot the girls. I'm guessing they forgot to set an alarm, as they weren't there for breakfast either. Botan is going to have a fit when she wakes up.

"What could this mean? I don't see the all important Yusuke Urameshi or the masked warrior with the team." Koto remarks. Could this mean that one of the contestants will be forced to fight twice? Who will it be?" she wonders, making Kuwabara round on her. "I'm all it will take to handle these guys!"

Shishiwakamaru scoffs. "It seems we're being looked lightly upon. What happened to the other two?" "They said you were beneath them." Kuwabara mocks, earning a foul glare. I roll my eyes at the big-mouthed oaf. Someday he's going to get himself in trouble with that. "Now the, please decide the manner in which you will be fighting this match." Juri urges.

"Enough talk. Let's get this started." Hiei says, looking bored out of his mind. "Aren't you a feisty one, kid? Are you going first?" the tall one asks, chewing gun at his leisure. I forgot his name. I wasn't really paying attention before. "And I will be last. I can do this on my own." Hiei retorts, a menacing look coming to his face. The guy's gum pops in his face.

"Lately I've been in a foul mood. Stress has been building up you see.." Hiei continues, his pent up energy leaking from him. Shishi, as I will call him now because his name is just too damn long, chuckles. "Look, don't get so upset." he mocks. How about we use there to determine the opponent match-up." he suggests, pulling out a pair of dice from his robe.

"Our names are written on them. If 'free choice' is rolled, you can decide for yourself who will fight. You can fight as many times as your name comes up. As long as you're alive that is." he explains. "How leisurely of you. Whatever you like." Hiei says, looking amused at the idea. "If Yusuke comes up, I'll fight in his place." he decides. I have no objections. If I had, I'm sure Hiei will put his foot down on the matter, or in my mouth. Whatever works best.

I watch silently as Shishi rolls the dice, landing on Hiei and Makintaro. "Hn. You're cheap tricks have backfired on you." Hiei smirks, eying his first prey. It's a taller guy, dark skin and showing off a lot of it. I guess it was too much trouble for him to put some pants on this morning.

As soon as the fight is called to begin, Hiei whips out his Katana, slashing twice without ever leaving his place, or so it seems. "That's it for this match." Kurama says, looking pleased. This causes Kuwabara to look at him confused.

"Stop playing around!" the crowd yells, not knowing what just occurred, though the blood dripping on the floor by Hiei's feet should be a hint and it isn't Hiei's. He hasn't quite figured it out himself as he laughs at Hiei's expense. "What's the matter? Did you get scared and wet yourself?" he mocks, making Hiei smirk. He's enjoying this very much.

"You are such a cretin. Haven't you even realized?" he asks. "What kind of nonsense are you talking about?!" Makintaro laughs. "Come on! Come and get it!" he urges. "Hn. I already have." is Hiei's reply as he hold up a severed arm, Makintaro's to be precise. Finally realizing what happened, Makintaro throws a fit of panic. "Give up already." Hiei says, throwing the arm into Juri's arms, causing her to shriek.

When Hiei turns his back on Makintaro, the enraged demon grows, much to anyone's surprise, a new appendage, this one representing an axe instead of a hand. With it, he rushes after Hiei. For a moment it looks like he caught Hiei off guard and ran the axe right through him. Makintaro gets a surprise of his own however when only Hiei's cloak drops to the floor. Looking up, Hiei already found himself a nice perch on top of Makintaro.

"Die." he simply says, running the demon through his head with his Katana. And that is already the end of the first fight as Makintaro goes sprawling. That was shamefully easy. Hiei didn't even get to break a sweat. Knowing Hiei, he must be disappointed.

On the next roll, the dice last on 'free choice' and Kuromomotaro. Ah yes, that was gum chewer's names. It speaks for itself that Hiei claims this fight as well.

Kuro, as I decided to call him, is in a different league compared to Makintaro. I was surprised when he cut himself using Hiei's sword, but his reasons were clear soon enough. After using one of the balls fastened to his belt, the Kibi Dango, as he calls it, he became all furry. As a result, Hiei's sword couldn't harm him any more. Furthermore, it actually broke. After that, Kuro went on the offensive and with his new strength, knocked Hiei around quite a bit. This doesn't look good.

"Hiei." Kuro calls out from the ring as Hiei is buried in the wall of the stands. "Do you understand why I cut my arm with your sword?" he asks. "My body, you see, completely memorizes the offensive abilities of an opponent by the damage it takes. I cut my arm earlier to remember its power. Then, in order to overcome your offensive ability, I ate one of my millet dumplings. They are specialized items that allow me to endure an opponent's offensive abilities and grant me an even greater power!" he explains.

So that is what it was? That would make it seem that whatever attack Hiei may use, he will never win. But honestly, I doubt that's true. There must be options, like incapacitating him from using any dumplings; besides, he must run out at some point. Also, what if an attack kills him in one go? Things may seem worse than they actually are, and Hiei must find out as well. He will need to use his head on this one.

Kuro dares Hiei to use his darkness-technique and I can just see the radars turning in his head until he smirks. Throwing off his headband, Hiei seems to comply with the request as the dark flames of the Demon world start to surround him. I wonder: is Hiei actually going to summon the dragon? After what it did to his arm? Is he even able to use it at this point?

Hiei rushes at Kuro, taking to the air before summoning his technique. "Jao ensatsu rengoku sho!" he calls, making me blink in surprise. That doesn't summon the dragon. Coming down, he trusts his fist, covered in hellish flames into Kuro's gut. "Those are the flames of the human realm!" Kurama exclaims, shocked.

Hiei huffs as Kuro is down on his hands and knees. His body is smoking. "I didn't even need to use the flames of the Demon realm. I can defeat you using the flames of the Human realm!"

Kuro laughs, getting to his feet, though looking to be in serious pain. But that's just it; he's only in pain. He's going to use another of his dumplings! He will be able to withstand this attack as well!

As expected, Kuro inhales a dumpling and once again his body changes. A strange combination of scales and feathers now cover his body from head to toe. He calls it his pheasant guise. I suppose in any other situation, I would have laughed my ass off.

Taken aback by his opponent's new power, Hiei receives a few punches before remembering to dodge, using his speed to elude Kuro. Kuro can follow his movements however and almost gets another shot in, when Hiei comes to a stop before him. "Jao ensatsu rengoku sho!" he shouts, confusing us. He already used that technique! It won't work.

Nevertheless, Hiei unleashes a barrage of punches. It seems to work for a moment as Kuro's skin is scorching, but it was false to hope and Kuro gets back to kicking Hiei around as if he were a rag doll. Kuro even beats Hiei at his speed. It's painful to watch Hiei having this much trouble.

"It must be awful to not be able to use your finishing technique, the Kokuryu-ha." Kuro laughs at the panting fire demon, clasping onto another dumpling. "However, I'm not going to hold back. I'm going to take extra special care to kill you. I will use my final dumpling!" he calls, crushing it and absorbing the power from it.

Again his body transforms into something horrible. His skin turns brown and his mouth grows razor sharp teeth, his hands claws and his ears elongate. "The demon dog guise!" he announces. "I will use my fangs and claws to tear your body into rags." he says, rushing at Hiei who dodges just in the nick of time. Kuro's claws dig into the ground where he used to stand. The next swipe nearly cuts Hiei's chest.

As Kuro advances on Hiei, he picks up his broken sword. "I never though I would have to use this technique." he mutters, making Kuro laugh amused. "You can cut out your psychological warfare. You're just talking as if you have some great technique to try and make me worry. That's not going to happen."

"No." he starts, looking disgusted at whatever is on his mind. "It's a crude technique that bears such an unpleasant image, I'd seriously rather not use it." His words make me curious. What could be so bad that Hiei is even hesitant to use it?

"Those will be the last words you say in this world, and such lack luster words they are too." Kuro says, disregarding Hiei's words. "Die!" he shouts, going in for the kill. Just a mere second later, blood goes flying everywhere.

My eyes are wide and I can feel bile rising to my throat as the fountain of blood continues to spray. I'm relieved when it finally stops, but whose blood is it? It's hard to tell as they stand so close to each other. It looks like Kuro's teeth are in Hiei.

Just then, a black and green flame shoots right through Kuro's back, leaving a decent sized hole. "Jao ensatsu ken!" Hiei calls out, cutting through his opponent, leaving him burning and in pieces.

"Amazing." Kuwabara mutters. "A sword of flame.." Kurama recognizes. "But that isn't an ordinary flame. He has mingles his own Demon energy with the flame, making it sharp enough to slice through Koromomotaro's enhanced body." Kurama explains, looking to be in awe. "Kuromomotaro was dead before he ever reached Hiei."

"It looked a lot like my own Spirit sword, but the power it put out was so strong, there's no comparison." Kuwabara admits, a look of realization coming to his face. "Hey! Look here you!" he yells at Hiei, making the demon look back at him like he has gained another head. "Are you saying that my Spirit sword is crude and bears an unpleasant image?!" "Could it have meant anything else?" Hiei scoffs, throwing the remains of his katana away. "You bastard!" Kuwabara yells angrily.

Returning to us, Hiei doesn't look all that fresh anymore. This fight took its toll on him, whether he would care to admit it or not.

"Now then, roll the dice. Bring me up again." Hiei urges impatiently once we gathered on the ring once again. Shishi complies and the dice land on Kurama and a guy named Uraurashima; another long name. Kurama seems glad to have a turn.

I'm surprised to see this guy. He's tiny and handles what looks like a fishing pole, overall very weak looking. Despite that, he doesn't look threatened by Kurama. I wonder why that is. Anyone in his or her right mind should be scared shitless. What could be his special technique?