COPYRIGHT INFORMATION: The characters here only belong to CLAMP, well probably for some of those that I created myself. Other than that, they are strictly the property of the CLAMP manga team of four women and they rock!

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys, I'm real sorry if the chapters didn't come in. I was involved in some seriously matter and couldn't really update anything. Anyway, I'll try my best to update as soon as possible because this story is really slowing way too much! HahahaZZ…anyway, thanks for your faithful commitment to this story and please enjoy the next installment of this story. And of course, I'm here to thank those who reviewed again:

Dust-in: Haha…you're so funny…always discrediting yaoi…anyway, thanks for your review

Tenshi Moonlit Inu: Well…I have no say in the use of Kuro/Fai fanfics. I suppose it's kinda cute to those who like Kuro/Fai fanfics. Anyway, thanks for your review!

KakashiLvr: Oh…as for that…haha, it just came to mind on the part of Kurogane's funny part. Anyway, I thank you once again for yer' review!

PeachPonta: I've been waiting for your next chapter. Update soon? HahaZ, I'm just utterly impressed with the way you use your language. Read further in this chapter to see.

Larania: Hmmm…yep, it does sound strange. But to be strange is to be unique too, isn't it? HeheZZ…perhaps someday I may go find a beta and get some help, but not at the current moment coz' I want to complete this fanfic first.

asga: hmmm…well…if Kurogane dies, then won't the story end? Hehehe…nono, I'm not implying anything. chuckles

Nanie-san: Don't worryshinpai suru na! There will be definitely be action in here but I just do hope you can interpret the way I describe it. Thanks for yer' review too!

CHRONICLE EIGHT: THE MYSTERY OF PRINCESS TOMOYO'S POWER

Kurogane rose from the ground, his body slightly injured from the lightning attack. He wiped off the stream of blood dripping from his mouth. Giving a smirk, he once drew out his katana and brandished it before his ninja opponent.

"You're quite strong, aren't you darling?" She gave a small sinister chuckle, covering her mouth with the small katana. "But you'll never defeat me, the all beautiful and great Reishi of the Lightning!" She raised her arms, emanating the strong electrical energy and directed them at the black ninja. Knowing that he was not a fool to let himself be hit by the lightning attack, Kurogane dodged spontaneously to the side avoiding the attack as it hit the hard ground. "Mine mine, aren't you quite speedy too?" She commented, staring at Kurogane who was panting heavily from his injuries.

"I…I…" He panted heavily and used his katana to raise himself from the ground. "I won't lose to the likes of you!" He grabbed his katana again and pointed it at her. She started laughing, clutching her stomach bending down. "W-what's so funny?" He demanded to know.

"A mere child like you," she stood up and looked at him seriously for a moment. "Is just too pitiful to die from this." Before he knew it, Reishi had rapidly teleported next to him and looked at his crimson eyes which were bent on killing the formidable lightning ninja. She slowly moved her fingers up from the skin of his arm to his face, giving a small evil chuckle at the shocked expression in his eyes. "What a waste," she spoke in a pitiful tone. "A young one already preparing to see his death."

"I won't lose to the likes of you!" He reiterated again, slicing her into half with his katana. It slid through her as though she was a ghost. The illusion vanished and revealed to him that she had been standing at the same position as before. "You bitch! You used another underhand method?"

"All ninjas used underhand methods," she replied back to him with a sinister look in her eyes. "There is no honour involved in doing the work of a ninja." She raised her arms and began to emit the same lightning attack on Kurogane again, which hit him on the spot this time. His arms made impact with the ground as he crawled on the ground, weak from the powerful attacks by this so called Reishi of the Lightning.

"Oh gosh," she lamented sarcastically, giving a slight yawn. "You're so boring. There's no thrill in fighting you, except to subject you to a world of illusions." Drawing out the katana again, she walked slowly towards her injured opponent dragging the tip of her own weapon across the hard ground, which left the metallic sound in its wake. "Now it's time for you to disappear from this world." She gave a smile and raised her katana before him.

Kurogane only lied subconsciously on the ground with his body almost immobile from the paralysis caused by the electrical attacks of his opponent. Only fleeting thoughts filled his mind as he heard the katana beginning to slam down on him.

Tomoyo reopened her eyes from the magic spell cast on her. She had once again bore the pain of the power being sucked from her. She fell on the ground, looking at the exiled noble. She knew she would not last long from the spell being cast on her, for the life force was also being slowly removed from her, attached too firmly with the magical energy stored within her.

"I see you're enjoying it, princess," he walked to the princess who was utterly weak from the spell. "You won't have to worry," he sniggered back at her and grabbed her head up by the hair. "I will send your body back as a present for your imperial highness of a father." Her eyes had dilated to the point where the pupil was almost nowhere to be seen. She has been completely weakened from the spell which she had identified, which was a sealing spell to remove the power of powerful priestesses of the past.

"And now," he continued as he returned to the edge of the onmyou circle. "We shall see how this vessel can manipulate the magic within her." Casting another spell with another hand formation, her handmaiden Hanako rose from the ground with the light blue glow surrounding her body. Her eyes opened to reveal brown, dilated eyes which made her looked as though she had no mind of her own.

"W-what did you do with Hanako-chan?" Tomoyo questioned as she looked at what was going on. "She looks like her soul has been stolen?"

"You're a clever one, princess," he looked back at her with another sinister look. "After all, your handmaiden here has a soul too ordinary that she cannot hold all of your magical power at one goal."

"So you removed her soul to store the energy within?"

"How clever of you, your highness!" He praised her with sarcasm. "And also thanks to her stupidity in acquiring magic powers. It was so easy to manipulate the darkness growing in her heart through this demon magic." He gave a large laugh enough to echo the entire large room. Tomoyo's expression was still calm although she had been weakened both physically and spiritually.

"I see that we had a great conversation for the last time before you're sent to hell," he replied back and raised the book in one hand again. "Let's get over with this and seal the last gate, shall we, your highness?" He gave a fake and hypocritical smile. The exiled noble began to chant a few more words, causing a bright glow around the princess once again. She closed her eyes preparing to feel the final pain once more.

He stopped chanting and lowered the book again. She opened her eyes, peculiar at what he was doing. Doing another formation of the demon magic, Hanako or what was left of her body as a vessel glowed pinkly and vanished instantly. Tomoyo was surprised at the way what the magical power could do.

"It seems that there has been a minor interference," he replied to her casting a spell that created a vision. Through the vision was the image of someone black on the ground unconscious glowing with a crimson blood-red aura as one ninja was about to strike her sword down on the figure in black. "I have dispatched my vessel to give a quick end to your dear saviour."

"That guy…" Tomoyo looked at the vision in which she remembered the person. He was probably the black ninja whom she had approached earlier but had a cold attitude towards anyone. "He has nothing to do with it! You shouldn't drag him into this."

"I'm afraid not, highness," he responded to hers sharply. "He chose to interfere and this is what he gets by my loyal Reishi who is famous for killing people through the use of lightning." He raised the book again, not noticing that the magic binds on her limbs had been nearly dispelled from the effect of her magical power. Tomoyo got up, limping towards the antagonist to stop the chanting of the spell.

"W-what?" His eyes widened as he saw the princess approaching him near. "That wasn't supposed to happen! My spell is not working?" He quickly chanted another spell, in which the magical binds rose from the ground again and once dragging Tomoyo to the ground again. This time she was near unconsciousness and simply lied motionless on the ground.

"Your highness, it is unwise of you to move around in such a state," he sniggered again. "I can't let you die before I take away the last bits of your magical power." She gave a weakened look at him. "I'm sure you'd want to know the secret of your power," he gave another hypocritical smile. "Before you leave this world."

Reishi of the Lightning had a tinge of shock in her indigo eyes. A strong hand had suddenly deflected her blade, pushing it back without even being cut by the sharpness. A red glow had surrounded Kurogane as he rose up from the ground. His eyes had dilated to reveal a very large crimson iris. His body had suddenly become more muscular and stronger, as seen by the taut and developed muscle on his arm which pushed back the blade.

"H-how can this be?" The female ninja exclaimed as she took several large steps back away from the person who had been unconscious minutes ago. She had been shocked by the sudden unexpected reaction of a young, inexperienced ninja. "What kind of jutsu is this? I've never experienced once before."

Kurogane looked at both his suddenly fitter and more muscular arms. He was glowing in a crimson glow and raised his head to reveal his visage to his opponent who placed a hand over her mouth in shock. "What is this feeling?" His voice had become raspier as he looked at her with his largely crimson eyes. As he opened his mouth, teeth canines had suddenly transformed suddenly into large fangs. "I feel just an urge to kill, to kill anyone now."

"Y-you…" Reishi exclaimed in shock at the sudden transformation of his face. He had turned fiercer especially through the sharp fangs that had suddenly appeared in his mouth. "A monster? You're the demon incarnate!" She dropped her sword and slapped her palms together.

Kurogane grew angrier at the mention of demon incarnate. He gave a louder growl as his aggression took over his mind. His blood boiled at the though of being called a monster from the bad childhood memories he once had.

"Die now, monster!" She cast a giant lightning ball in the gap created between her two palms and pushed it across to the black ninja. Kurogane took both palms and tried to deflect the powerful attack back as the entire lightning ball engulfed him with its bright bluish-white glow. Reishi of the Lightning gave a slight smile as she took her katana and raised it in her opponent's direction. "You shall not survive this last part."

The lightning ball had dispersed, revealing a Kurogane in tattered clothing. He was panting but there was no sign of exhaustion from his physique. At instant, his opponent gathered the lightning created into the katana and prepared to charge at him. The black ninja or the ninja in tattered clothing prepared to face her, with his arms strong enough to destroy her weapon.

She tried to electrocute him but it was to avail. Kurogane, with his enhanced hands, squeezed the katana and caused the blade to break into many pieces just like shattered glass. Her eyes were shocked from the sudden outburst of power by a ninja so young only. She fell back on the ground with a Kurogane clenching his fist and staring at her. His mind had become bent on killing her as his thirst to kill became stronger within his mind.

He was about to strike her when suddenly a pinkish ground surrounded the female ninja. It formed a barrier which pushed back Kurogane from her. He looked up to see someone familiar hovering in the air with a pink glow around her. But he was in a mood too aggressive and engrossed to try recognizing her.

"T-this was sent by him?" Reishi questioned but there was no reply from the hovering girl. She gave another smile back at the ninja, but with a sinister look. "So it does seem that this barrier can serve to be quite useful." She began walking towards him, with a plan already formulated within her mind in mere seconds.

Kurogane crawled on all fours, still baring his fangs at his opponent and giving a slight growl. His clothing had been torn and tattered, with the torn parts dangling from his body. His face expression changed when his eyes met the sight of someone familiar before him.

"Kuro-chan, don't be angry anymore!" The cherubic voice of a familiar girl with big eyes and long hair walked towards him. His aggression had lessened down although he had not reverted back to normal yet. The young Tomoyo walked slowly towards him as he got down on the ground.

"And you can enjoy how Reishi's tactic and your power can combine to form such a clever strategy," the exiled noble replied back to Tomoyo who was still observing the vision. She was worried at the battle scene as someone who looked almost like her was approaching the black ninja. "This is one of the secrets of your power, your dear highness."

She could only watch as the black ninja's began to lower in aggression as his face calmed down to see the young Tomoyo walking towards him with the cherubic expression on her visage. On the other side, she could notice a grinning Reishi who was manipulating the entire situation.

"How stupid of you, young boy," Reishi chuckled as she watched the young transformed ninja in a state of illusion.

END OF CHRONICLE EIGHT

CHRONICLE NINE: TIME IS RUNNING OUT

CONCLUSION: Now we know Kurogane can be quite powerful when in times of crisis, but can he actually avoid the illusion and come in time to save Tomoyo? And how can he try to defeat Reishi of the Lightning if she is continually protected by the strong barrier created? Find in out in the next chapter Time Is Running Out!

GLOSSARY:

Jutsu – something like of a ninja's skill; there are different forms (if you're a naruto fan, you should know much about this)

THANKS FOR READING! PLEASE AWAIT THE NEXT CHRONICLE SOON! MATA NE!