Ryoushi's eyes were wide with fear. He backed away slowly, "This… This is impossible… How did you escape?"
"That is no concern of yours," Kurama said quietly. He started to walk by Ryoushi to Yusuke and Hiei. Ryoushi put his arm in front of him to stop him. Kurama stood quietly.
"You know I can't let you live," Ryoushi said coldly.
"Be that as it may, the Spirit Detectives have nothing to do with us. Let me tend to their wounds and get them safely out of the way and we can continue this fight alone." Kurama was determined.
Ryoushi hesitated for a moment, then lowered his arm and let the spirit fox pass. Kurama glared at him with his golden eyes and walked over to his fallen teammates.
He stood over them and Yusuke managed to turn his head to face him. "K-Kurama…" Yusuke whispered.
"You shouldn't have come for me," Kurama said, a half-scolding tone in his voice.
"I'm… sorry…" Yusuke lost consciousness. Kurama took some herbs from his sash. He put a few in Yusuke's mouth and crushed the others to spread across his wounds. He proceeded to do the same with Hiei, who was just barely awake. Hiei chewed the bitter-tasting healing herbs and then began to lose consciousness. Once he was out, Kurama dragged both of them to the sidelines next to an already unconscious Kuwabara. Kurama tended to Kuwabara's wounds as well.
Ryoushi was becoming impatient. He began sprinting toward Kurama with his claws raised. Kurama's fox ears picked up the sound of his footsteps and he braced himself. Ryoushi struck, but Kurama ducked and countered with a spinning kick, sending the Demon Hunter off his feet. Ryoushi fell to the earth, and then hopped back up, landing sloppily on his feet.
"Tell me, hunter," Kurama began, "why didn't you kill me a few moments ago? You could have ended my life in a single strike right then and there."
"That takes the fun out of it," Ryoushi hissed. He charged again, one strike after the other. Each attack was dodged effortlessly by the fox demon.
Kurama jumped into the air and a vine began to curl around his arm, "Juryo yozan-ken!" The vine came to a point over Kurama's fist and he came down on Ryoushi, aiming for his head. Instead of dodging, Ryoushi jumped toward Kurama and slashed at him. They landed opposite each other and stood for a moment.
Both attacks hit. Kurama's Spectral Beheading Technique missed its original target, but did leave a deep gash in Ryoushi's shoulder. The hunter's claw sliced through Kurama's stomach, but not deep enough to immobilize him. Both fighters turned to face each other again and charged. Iron claw and spectral vine went back and forth, sometimes hitting, and sometimes not.
Kurama jumped back. The vine started to disappear. He reached into his long silver hair behind his fox ear and pulled a red rose from it.
"Not this again," Ryoushi whined.
Kurama extended his arm into the air, "Rose Whip!" The petals of the rose flew off and he brought his arm back down. The rose transformed into a thorn-covered whip. Again, he ran toward Ryoushi. When he came within a few feet of his opponent, Ryoushi moved quickly behind Kurama and crossed his claws in front of his throat. Kurama fell silent and still.
Ryoushi chuckled quietly, evilly, "So what now, Legendary Bandit Fox, Youko Kurama? Your death is near. Is this how you dreamed you'd die?"
"You shouldn't be worrying about my life," Kurama said coolly, "You should be worrying… about your own."
"Oh?" Ryoushi laughed, "I don't see a blade at my throat. You're clever, but not that clever. My eyes are keen on bluffs."
"Interesting, because I'm not bluffing."
Ryoushi growled, "Now you're just annoying me. There's no way out of this. Your life ends now." Ryoushi slashed and slit Kurama's throat… or at least that was the thought that was going through his head. "What?" Ryoushi gasped, "Can't… move!"
Kurama simply moved the Demon Hunter's clawed hands away, stepped forward, and turned around to face Ryoushi, "I've sown the Seed of the Death Plant in your flesh. I have but to will it, and it will bloom." His Rose Whip returned to its floral state and he put it back.
"You bastard…" Ryoushi growled. Kurama began to walk away. "You pathetic excuse for a youkai!"
Kurama stopped. He didn't turn around and simply uttered the word, "Die."
Ryoushi's eyes widened, and flowers erupted from his flesh, soiling the ground with his blood. The Demon Hunter dropped to his knees and fell to the ground. Kurama bowed his head and began walking again. He didn't get very far when he heard a voice close behind him, "Where are you going, spirit fox? We're not done yet."
Kurama's eyes were filled with disbelief. He whirled around and found Ryoushi standing there, bloody and covered in gashes. Kurama took a step back, "How did you… No one's ever… What are you?"
Ryoushi's head was lowered and Kurama could see his shoulders shake with laughter, "My name is Ryoushi," he hissed as he slowly raised his head, "I am a demon hunter." The twisted, mauled form of Ryoushi ran toward Kurama. Kurama managed to punch him in the face a few times and land a kick, but the cadaverous Demon Hunter's odd movements were new and hard to follow. They were held in a small brawl for a while, then suddenly…
The gold eyes of the demon thief widened and he went still. He winced, and coughed up some blood. He looked down at his stomach. Ryoushi's claw had gone right through it. Ryoushi unsheathed his claw from the fox's flesh and Kurama held his stomach, taking a step back. Blood flowed from the wound over his hand. The other wounds all over his body burned. He closed his eyes and dropped to his knees, breathing heavily. He looked up at Ryoushi. His silver eyes were no longer soft. They were hard, a crazed look in them.
"So this is Youko Kurama, the Legendary Bandit whose name is known all around the Makai," Ryoushi spat on him, "You worthless dog!" he kicked Kurama's side. Kurama's body convulsed and he fell to the ground. "You disgust me. Tell me, Youko. Why do they fear you, hm? Why!" he kicked him again. Kurama couldn't answer; he only coughed up more blood. Kurama tried with everything he was to stand up, but could only manage to get up on one knee, supporting his weight with his other hand that wasn't covering the wound on the ground.
"You will die," Kurama struggled to speak, "Whether it is by my hand or not, you… will fall…"
"Shut up!" Ryoushi shouted, "I'll finish you right now!" He raised his fist and brought his claw down on Kurama, but Kurama grabbed his wrist. The spirit fox glared at him with narrowed eyes. He quickly pulled his rose out again and entangled Ryoushi in it. He tried to stand up. It took him a few tries, but he finally stood on shaking legs.
"It's your choice, Ryoushi. I can kill you now, or I can summon my Death Tree and see what it wants to do with you."
Ryoushi shook. For a long while he had though the true Kurama, the ruthless, murderous Kurama had gone. He was wrong… Very wrong.
"No answer? Fine then," Kurama seethed, "I'll decide!" A new strength awoke in Kurama. He turned on his heel, and jerked the Rose Whip forward. More of Ryoushi's blood was spilled as he fell apart in several pieces. Kurama could sense it. He wasn't coming back. Suddenly, Ryoushi's torn and mangled body flashed white and changed form. Kurama went to examine it, "What's this?" Kurama knelt down, wincing at the sharp pain in his stomach. He looked at the severed limbs
A very confused look crossed Kurama's bloodied and bruised face. He could see it, smell it, but couldn't understand it. "A demon?" Kurama struggled a bit to stand up and he held his stomach, "It doesn't make sense… Why would… he…" Kurama's vision started to go blurry. Soon it went completely dark. Kurama collapsed and fell unconscious.
All right, we have one dead demon hunter/demon... thing... three unconscious bishonen and one... well, we're not quite sure what to call Kuwabara yet. In any case, what'll happen when they wake up? What will Kurama decide to do? That is, what will he decide to do if he wakes up? All questions answered in chapter 7, finale.