Note: Last chapter was exciting, wasn't it? Not only did Bairei fight bravely, but we got a new enemy. It's fun to have a break in the monotony every now and then. Before we move on, I have something to say to two reviewers.

hechtmanelijah06: Well, the magicians DO have various forms of magic, so there's no doubt that Bairei would be interested. The real question is to whether or not the Seven Heroes have documents on magic. If so, they can use it against their enemies. As for the blood being realistic red blood, that's because this isn't Samurai Jack (at least the first four seasons). The story is, more or less, an attempt to parody an unreleased Build Engine game that had started production in China. The game wasn't released because of the lack of communication between Apogee/3D Realms and Ascend (the company behind the game), or something like that. As such, it's a violent story, albeit with the cast of the Raccoons.

Ron: Yeah, I just needed a break in the monotony of having the Seven Heroes fighting ninjas for several chapters. Odds are, the hospital attack isn't the only time the magicians are going to appear. Stay tuned for more, and maybe you'll see for yourself.

Now that I've said that, it's time for chapter seventeen.

Chapter 17: Regrouping

Back at the Seven Heroes' hideout, Ryuta, Mayumi, Chikaga, Shizuka, Schaefer, and Bentley were sitting around at the table, waiting for what to do next. Each of them had already accomplished the tasks they had been given, so they were bored. However, their boredom didn't dominate their minds, as they were still on edge. As far as the team knew, Bairei was still in the hospital, recovering from his wounds and being victim to an attack. On top of that, the Serpent Gang could've been brainstorming a new plan. The fact that the organization could've gotten the Ruby of Saturn at any moment did not help the Heroes in the slightest.

A knock came on the door, causing the Heroes to look up. Chikaga got up from his seat, curious as to who it was. He was entrusted to answer the door by Chu-Ya, due to the aardvark wanting his son to be more honorable. Upon opening the door, Chikaga gasped. The others did the same, their eyes widening. However, this didn't stop a familiar voice from speaking to them.

"Man, walking here sure is a hassle! But, when you feel refreshed after a lengthy battle, it almost feels like nothing!"

It was Bairei who was standing in the doorway. To the Heroes' surprise, the raccoon looked like he was entirely uninjured. As happy as they were to see him, they were also cautious. Seeing him up and running after being dealt severe injuries was something odd to see, considering how it had been less than a week since he was in the hospital. Bairei walked into the hideout, his katana sheathed on his back. He sat down between Shizuka and Ryuta, having a big smile on his face.

"Dou shita, no?" Bairei spoke. "Aren't you glad to see me?"

"You're healed!" Schaefer said. "But how?"

"Oh, it's a long story." The raccoon said. "However, it's worth a listen, because it's shocking!"

Chu-Ya came into the room, having an annoyed expression. He had overheard the yelling from the other room, so he was wondering what it was about. It wasn't out of concern, but rather because the aardvark was eager to hit whoever was causing the ruckus. However, much to his surprise, Bairei was back with the team. The raccoon no longer had the injuries that he gained from the battle against Kazuma Araki, looking like how he did prior. In fact, there wasn't even a small scratch on the procyonid.

"Konichiwa, Chu-Ya san!" Bairei greeted.

"Tanuki, what are you doing out of the hospital?" Chu-Ya asked. "How did your injuries fade in such a short time?"

"That's what I was about to get into, Mr. Sunea!" The raccoon said. "Come, I'll tell everyone what happened!"

For forty-five minutes, Bairei explained why he was out of the hospital, and why his body had been healed completely. While he had been waiting in his hospital room, he heard screams and metal sounds. This caused the raccoon to look outside his room, he saw that the Serpent Gang had sent ninjas to kill him. Despite his injuries, the procyonid didn't let the ninjas get the better of him, as he fought back. In the process, he had to use a blackjack he swiped from a ninja, wanting to have an extra weapon. As soon as every ninja was dead, Bairei was ready to leave the hospital and contact the rest of the team.

Before Bairei could step out of the door, he heard someone calling him. The person happened to be a fox vixen with magical powers. In a lengthy battle, Bairei struggled to take down the vixen, who kept using her magic on him. Believing that it would be his final action, the raccoon let himself get hit with her magic, which healed him instead of killing him. With that out of the way, the procyonid killed the magic-using fox and made his way out of the hospital. From there, Bairei concluded his story by saying what was currently happening.

Once Bairei had finished explaining why he was healed, the Heroes sat in disbelief. The fact that he had run into a magician shocked them. Fighting magic users was a rare occurrence for them, and it often took teamwork to defeat one. Bairei had luck on his side to take a magician head on, considering how powerful her magic was. Chu-Ya was dumbfounded, knowing that the Serpent Gang had managed to get a magician on their side. This was bad, and it would only get worse.

"Isn't it crazy?" Bairei spoke. "Not only do the Serpent Gang have Kazuma Araki on their payroll, but now they have magicians!"

"That means they're growing their army!" Chu-Ya said. "If you fought a magician at the hospital, then that was only a breather for what the Serpent Gang has next!"

"What do you mean by that, father?" Chikaga asked.

"What do you think I mean by that?!" The aardvark said. "I mean that your mission has gotten much more difficult! Now, you need to improve your skills and prepare for whatever the Serpent Gang has next!"

"That's a given, Mr. Sunea, but now we need to learn magic in order to stand a chance against their magicians!" Mayumi said.

"Let's not forget that they're still after the Ruby of Saturn." Bentley said. "If they get a hold of it, then all hope is lost!"

"Then it looks like all seven of you will have a heavier schedule for the next week or so!" Chu-Ya said.

"What did you have in mind?" Ryuta asked.

"I'm thinking of having each of you train in sensory-deprivation combat." He said. "The boys and I will see if there are any magic scrolls back in Tokyo, or if there are any at the museum, so that you can practice magic and use it against your enemies. No matter what happens, the Serpent Gang is not getting that Ruby!"

"And we'll make sure of it!" Bairei said, grasping onto his katana.

"Good to know that you're back to normal, Tanuki." The aardvark said. "Now, all of you, go train!"

Upon hearing that, the Seven Heroes ran outside, ready to begin training. That is, except for Schaefer, who was still sitting at the table. He watched as Chu-Ya's expression went from confident and aggressive to conflicted. Such a thing surprised the sheepdog. Whenever he was around, the aardvark seemed to be sure of everything, being full of life. Knowing that, Schaefer figured that there was something wrong if Chu-Ya had an expression like that on his face.

"Is something wrong, Mr. Sunea?" Schaefer asked.

"Shouldn't you be outside, training with your teammates?" Chu-Ya asked.

"I was about to, but then I started to think about Araki again." The sheepdog said. "What if we're unable to take him down, even with all the training in the world?"

"That's why you NEED to train!" The aardvark said. "If you want to take down your opponents in a fight, you need to give it your all!"

"Of course you do, but sometimes it can mean nothing when your opponent has a technique." The canine said.

Chu-Ya was about to say something, but stopped himself. Once again, he had a conflicted look on his face, as if something was bothering him. Schaefer grew concerned, wanting to know what was wrong. He stood up, approaching the aardvark. The tubulidentatid stepped back, but knew he couldn't run. After all, Schaefer was the most powerful member of the Seven Heroes in terms of physical strength. Chu-Ya knew it, and so did the rest of the team.

"You want to know why I'm being like this, don't you?" Chu-Ya asked.

"I'm just concerned, Mr. Sunea." Schaefer said. "You seemed happy a moment ago, but now you're upset."

"I was just thinking about how the Serpent Gang had magicians again." The aardvark said. "If the team can't use magic as well, then there as good as cooked!"

"Did any of the previous versions of the team encounter magicians?" The sheepdog asked.

"Yes." The tubulidentatid said. "Two of them, in fact! The first team to encounter a magician was the second incarnation, while the second team was the one my father was in. When the second team encountered magicians back in the tenth century, they had no problem dealing with them. My father's team? Not so much."

"What happened to that team?" The canine asked.

"Unlike the second incarnation of the Seven Heroes, they were unprepared for the magicians they were up against. The attack was so sudden, they were practically wounded animals that were trying to survive. My father bravely stood, not letting any of the magicians keep him down. But, just when he thought he had the upper hand, a magician fired a magical bolt at him. The bolt was strong enough to cause permanent damage to his spine!"

Schaefer could not help but gasp. By listening to Chu-Ya's story, the sheepdog understood how dangerous the magicians were. Considering how the aardvark's father was paralyzed by one, it didn't take long for him to worry about the damages the current team would suffer. If they were every bit as unprepared as the last one who encountered a magician, then they would end up in a worse state, or even dead. This sparked something in Schaefer, to the point where he proudly stood. He went over to the door, grasping onto the doorknob.

"Where are you going, Arthur?" Chu-Ya asked.

"I'm going to go train, Mr. Sunea!" Schaefer said. "No matter what happens, we're not letting a magician get the better of us! We'll fight the Serpent Gang as bravely as we can! And, if it's the last thing I do, I'll take down Kazuma Araki!"

Once Schaefer walked out, Chu-Ya felt confident again. Not only had the sheepdog shown how determined he was, but he claimed that he would be the one to take down Araki. Chu-Ya couldn't help but feel proud of the current team, knowing that they were getting serious. While Bentley was still lagging behind, the aardvark had a feeling that he would prove his worth in the next battle. The tubulidentatid figured that they just liked a challenge when it was presented, no matter how tough it got. Despite that, he was proud of them, and he hoped that their ancestors were proud, too.

"Dad, if only you could see Chikaga." Chu-Ya said softly.

Note: The team is officially back together, and things might get more serious. Not only have magicians shown up, but Schaefer is planning on fighting Araki. Will he win? Will the Seven Heroes be able to fight the rest of the Serpent Gang? Will they learn magic in time? Can they protect the Ruby of Saturn?

Until next time, guys, this is Newcomer24, signing off. Peace!