Author's Note: Hey! What do you know? I've updated. 96 reviews aren't bad. Wondering where some of you went, but I'm not going to be picky. I'm kind of surprised my first anime story was so successful. Thanks a bunch you guys! The story's almost reached a close!

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It didn't take long for the five to catch up with Imashirou.

Not that they needed to catch up. The Warlord was eagerly awaiting their presence.

In a large antechamber located near what had to be the heart of the castle, Imashirou waited. He sat, cross legged and sipping from an elegantly carved golden goblet. Eyes that were as piercing has a hawk's spied them from over the rim of the goblet, and though his features were covered, Yusuke knew that he was smiling.

Eagerly.

When he had finished, Imashirou set aside the chalice and stood.

"I see that you have at last found me," he stated with a sly grin. "Good. I was getting worried that you'd leave without saying hello."

Yusuke cracked his knuckles. Teeth gritted against the nerves that were tensing in his neck and back. Too badly did he want to wrap his fingers around this arrogant man's throat and throttle the live out of him.

Something told Yusuke that it wasn't going to be quite that easy though.

Imashirou grinned. White, glinting teeth with canines as sharp as a wolf's were visible through his thin, smiling lips. Yellow eyes, still eagerly considering each team member in turn, danced in their sockets, while an impeccable white mane of waist length hair flowed from his head. Billowing robes, as white as his hair, lazily dressed his tall, slender form while armor danced in slender wraps around his torso and shoulders.

For a moment, Inuyasha was humorously reminded of his elder brother, Sesshomaru.

"We've got more to say than that," Kuwabara promised, rolling up his sleeves. "Why don't you come down here and have tea with us?"

Imashirou's grin widened.

"I'm afraid I was never much for tea."

"Then why not come down for a diet soda?" Yusuke asked in a mock advertising manner. "We've got your choices of Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Sprite, Lemonade, or a nice, refreshing bottle of WHOOP ASS!"

Without a thought, Yusuke leapt at the man with ferocious speed.

Imashirou had been expecting this.

He drew out a long, slender arm and caught Yusuke around the temples. Proceeding to squeeze, very hard. He began to speak, now holding the attention of the others.

"I am not what you think I am," he began, still holding a struggling Yusuke. "And I have more power than you will ever know. I do not simply collect demons, but I collect their powers. I collect them and make them my own."

Kurama momentarily paled and spared a glance toward Hiei. The fire demon's jaw was clenched, and an inferno burned in his red eyes. Apparently, his thoughts were not much different from Kurama's.

"I have the abilities of over one thousand demons, and then some," the warlord continued, a glint of malice in his eyes as they turned toward Inuyasha. "That girl of yours was particularly delicious."

Inuyasha paled, slowly drawing Tetsusaiga from it's sheath and snarling.

"What have you done with her?"

"What I have done with all my other pets when I've finished with them," he lifted Yusuke, now limp, from the ground. "What I could do to your little Spirit Detective friend right now."

Kuwabara started, but Kurama held him back. Hiei's arms twitched spasmodically, impatient to get moving. If he had harmed Kagome, what had he done to Yukina?

Imashirou seemed to read his mind.

With a motion, as though Yusuke were simply an annoyance, he flung the Spirit Detective away and turned sideways, a smile growing deeper onto his pale, pointed features.

"You needn't worry, Hiei," he stated. "I haven't gotten to her yet."

Hiei's jaw was clenched tighter than a bear trap, and Kurama sensed it.

"And you never will." The fire demon stated casually, though his voice was icy cool.

Imashirou grinned wickedly. "And you're going to stop me?"

"If you're so much of a fool to know better than to lay your weapon down now, yes."

"Lay down my weapon?" Imashirou grinned. "Lay it down to what? A powerless match stick such as yourself?"

Kuwabara snorted, a mistake that he was quite lucky Hiei had not been paying attention to.

"I am far from powerless." Hiei retorted. Kurama's nerves jumped at this very dangerous bluff. Imashirou was most likely certain that Hiei's powers were fully drained. He probably contained them now within his body, if nothing else.

In this case, Hiei was toying with death, and did not have a defense to put up around himself.

He was going to get himself in trouble.

Imashirou was willing to allow this to happen. Apparently he wanted to experiment with some of his new toys. Now, he had five people to experiment on.

The demon warlord lifted his hand. Long nails, pointed in dangerous angles grew from the tips of long, slender fingers. A devilish smile danced across his features, and Kurama saw their mistake.

"You're no man!"

"Of course not," came Imashirou. "I'm nothing like you've ever seen before. Not man; not demon; not wizard, machine, monster, alien...or whatever you like to call it."

"Then what are you?" Kuwabara shouted, his eye twitching nervously.

Imashirou closed his eyes, grinning. "You will just have to find out on your own."

Yusuke was up again, rubbing his temples and groaning. Kurama was at his side.

"Are you all right?"

Yusuke merely groaned, his head resting against his knees. This wasn't good. He probably had drained Yusuke of some of his powers now as well.

Their options were dying as they stood there.

"So, now that I've taken some of your more prominent advantages...." Imashirou raised a hand. Lights flicked on everywhere. "Let us begin."

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Author's Note: A storm has caused me to halt this. Until later.