Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Digimon

Chapter 11

A Dark Duel

The first few days of Renamon and Rika's new life were a little shaky. Renamon was constantly calling anybody she knew, asking how to do things. Finally Jesse decided to give Renamon a hand and gave her one of his books. It was a small book, but it was a smart book. If Renamon asked it a question about how to cook something, clean something, or other household tasks the book would magically display the information she would need, in great detail. Rika was also having a little trouble adjusting. With out her mother's large salary, she could not go to the private school she had been going to. After talking it over Rika and Renamon decided Rika would transfer to Takato and Henry's school, so that she could continue her education and be around a few of her friends.

Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, and the others began to spend there days scouring the city for Naraku, but he never showed his face. It was a week and a half after Seiko and Mukino's funeral when the Bone-Eaters Well became active again. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru decided that it would be best if they stayed in the modern era until Naraku was killed or he went back to the feudal era. So, Sango went to tell Kaede what had happened to them, and the others remained to continue the search for Naraku.

It was a few days later when Renamon had to go to Rika's new school. Rika, in absence of bioemerging digimon, had decided to join the schools soccer team. Henry and Takato were on her team, and they had a game today against Rika's old school. Renamon had gotten away from her job at Hypnos. She had become Yamachi's assistant, helping him try and make a controllable link between the real world and digital world. She was now walking down the street in her human form. She came up to the field where the teams were going to be playing. Neither school had large enough fields to hold the 2 teams and all the spectators, so they had agreed to meet at a soccer field that was located in Shinjuku Park. Renamon entered the open area where the soccer field was and saw the large group of people sitting on the stands.

Renamon now regretted leaving so late, there wasn't a seat in the stands. She walked over to the side of the field and saw Rika, Henry, and Takato sitting on the bench, talking about the up coming game. Henry and Takato were forwards, but Rika, with her great reaction time and high level of concentration, had been made the goalie. Renamon walked up behind them, and said, "Hello you three."

Rika turned and smiled a bit. Henry and Takato were giving Renamon strange looks, and finally Henry asked, "I am sorry, but do we know you?"

Rika shook her head, she had told them Renamon was her legal guardian, her step-mom, but they didn't know she now had the ability to disguise herself as a human. Renamon chuckled at Henry's question as she said, "I wonder if Guilmon and Terriermon would recognize me. I am sure Guilmon would at least be able to recognize my digimon scent."

Henry and Takato looked at each other a second and then there jaws dropped when they figured out that this woman they were talking to was Renamon. Renamon went off and took a seat in the shade of a tree that was near the goalie box as Rika got Takato and Henry up to speed with the most recent events. Rika barley got done explaining everything when it was time to start the game.

As Renamon watched she heard a group come up behind her. She didn't have to turn to figure out it was Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, and the others. The only one not there was Jesse, who had decided to check a certain part of the city for Naraku. Renamon had told Kagome that Rika had a game that day, and she had a feeling that they would come down to see the game. They all sat under the large tree as they watched the game. Renamon cheered for Rika almost the entire time, but did it without embarrassing her in front of everybody. At half time it was 10 to 5 with Rika, Takato, and Henry's team in the lead. Rika, Henry, and Takato walked over to where everybody was sitting and enjoyed the quick break from the game under in the cool shade of the tree.

As the others tried to teach Inuyasha and Shippo the game Renamon gave Rika a few hints on the others team's strategies. How they liked to make fake shots and how they tried to get in as close as they could before they tried to score. Rika nodded her head, and then heard the referee's whistle, singling the start of the game. As the second half began Renamon watched it with full attention. She then sensed another person approaching the group, but relaxed when she turned and saw it was Jesse. He walked over and smiled down at Renamon as he said, "Now, is it just me, or is this digimon who thought she didn't know the first thing about parenting doing a much better job then she thought she would."

Renamon shook her head and said, "I still have trouble not burning dinner."

Jesse chuckled as he said, "Trust me, it will come with time. So, how is the game going?"

Inuyasha pointed at the score board and said, "It is 11-5 with Rika's team in the lead. They just scored a point when you came up."

Jesse nodded his head and said, "Renamon, what are you doing tonight?"

Renamon thought a second before she said, "Nothing right now, why?"

Jesse looked out to the field and watched Rika block a kick as he said, "I need to talk to you about something. Trust me; it would be worth your while."

Renamon thought a second before she said, "Come by about 9:00. Rika will be done with her homework by then and will be in her room working on her digimon deck. We can talk then."

Jesse nodded his head, accepting the appointment, and then spent the rest of his time in the park enjoying the game with the others. It was the final few seconds of the game. The score was 20-19, and the other team was going to try and tie the game and win it in over time. Most of the other teams goals were scored while the coach had Rika take a break from her position. This time, Rika was back in between the goalposts, and was ready. The other team's head forward kicked the ball, but with amazing speed Rika reach out and blocked the shot. The stands exploded with cheers when the game clock ran out, and Rika, Takato, and Henry's team had won the game.

The whole group was leaving the park and talking about the many different plays in the game when Sesshomaru stopped dead in his tracks. Soon, Inuyasha and Miroku sensed a familiar evil and Kagome sensed a huge piece of the sacred jewel. The group turned to their right and they all saw what they feared. Naraku was standing there, his usual cocky grin gracing his face. The group readied for a fight, but Naraku never attacked, he just stood there. Finally, Inuyasha said, "Why isn't Naraku attacking use?"

Miroku replied, "I don't know. He must be planning something."

Sesshomaru nodded his head in agreement as he looked up and down Naraku's body. He was just standing there, both arms exposed, but something wasn't right about the entire thing. Sesshomaru turned to Renamon, who was still in her human form, and said, "Renamon, take Rika and her friends to somewhere safe."

Renamon nodded her head. She wanted to stay and help fight, but she knew Naraku might try and attack Rika, Takato, and Henry. So, she did as she was asked and took them behind some trees a few feet away. The others continued to stare Naraku down until he finally said, "Inuyasha, would you be interested in making a deal?"

Inuyasha spat as he said, "I would never make a deal with a devil like you."

Naraku chuckled as he said, "That is too bad, because that will be the last time you deify."

In a flash Naraku formed his arm into a sword and speed toward the group with lightning speed. No one had time to react, and Inuyasha paid for it. Naraku ran his sword through Inuyasha's side and he quickly ran back to where the group had first spotted him. Inuyasha grunted as he pulled out the Tetsusaiga, but in the time it took for Inuyasha to pull out his sword Naraku had come up and drove his sword through Inuyasha's gut.

Inuyasha flew back from the force of the attack, and everyone began to worry. Miroku turned back to Naraku and said, "How is he that fast? He is even faster then Sesshomaru."

Naraku turned toward Miroku as he said, "You will never know why I have become so fast monk, because it is time to be swallowed up by your own wind tunnel." Naraku then began to rush toward Miroku, intending to slash him across the palm and make his Wind Tunnel, the curse of his family, consume him and everybody else. The attack never struck though because just when Naraku got close enough to attack Miroku a figure came running up to him and tried to attack him.

Naraku dodged the attack and put some distance between him and his attacker. Naraku got his first look at the person who had the gull to attack him, and it wasn't Inuyasha or Sesshomaru. It was Jesse. Jesse took his sword in both hands as he turned toward Naraku. He reached around his back and pulled the swords sheath of his back and stuck it in the ground. In an instant a large barrier formed that protected everyone, even Renamon, Rika, Takato, and Henry from the coming battle.

Naraku looked over his opponent for a second before he said, "How? How can you match my speed? I cast a speed spell from a book older then earth itself, back from when there was only heaven and hell."

Jesse gave Naraku a serious look as he said, "I know of the two world spell book you say you have cast a spell from, and I know of the spell you cast on yourself, but I know a better spell. I am the oldest living human in the world thank to the Great Dog Demon, and being as old as I am, I have had time to master many skill and see many powerful items. The reason I can out run you Naraku is I have taken a drink from the lake of time. The mystical lake, lost in the Himalayas, which is time magic in a liquid form. It is now with my mere will that time slows, and you slow with it. If I was to use my full mastery of time I could stop time in its tracks. So, you feeling lucky you hodgepodge of demon parts and a human heart?"

Naraku was grinding his teeth. This insolent fool had been in his way since he came to the modern era, and he was tired of it. If it weren't for Jesse's meddling Naraku would have killed Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, and all the others. He would already have the completed shikon jewel, and be back ruling feudal Japan. Naraku's blood was boiling, this kid, punk, pain in his side had stopped him at every turn, and now, when he thought he had an easy victory, he stood in his way again.

Jesse continued to smile when Naraku raised his sword formed hand and charged at him again. Once again Jesse used his mastery of time to slow Naraku to a crawl and gently moved out of his way before he let time resume its normal speed and Naraku ran right into the barrier being produced by the sheath of Jesse's sword. Naraku spun around and attacked again, but this time Jesse didn't slow time, he used his own speed to block the attack with his sword and push Naraku back into the barrier. Naraku then saw Jesse's time control weakness. He had read that if someone attacked someone else while they while time was slowed, the attack would pass through them with out doing any damage. The attack would be moving so fast that it wouldn't be able to do any damage. Naraku began to smile as he threw himself at Jesse one last time. Jesse dodged as he did, and returned time to normal to slice through Naraku's side, but he never got the chance. Naraku had already spun around and run his blade through Jesse's side. Jesse quickly put a hand on the wound and fell down to one knee as Naraku smiled his smug smile and said, "Now, with you gone killing Inuyasha and those other fools will be a simple task."

Naraku brought his sword up and started swing it down, but just before it would have sliced into Jesse's head Jesse summoned up a huge amount of his magic, and did what was most dangerous to him. His sword, which had been thrown off to one side sprung up into the air, as if someone had picked it up. It then flew and with only a few inches separating the blade of Naraku's sword and Jesse's head blocked the attack. Naraku was startled enough by the sword that it gave Jesse a chance. He focused his magic again and the sword quickly drove itself into Naraku's gut. Then, with one final force of his magic Jesse lifted Naraku up by the sword in his gut and threw him across the field.

Naraku struck a tree on the far side of the clearing and fell to the ground. He stood up, expecting his wound to heal quickly, but when he felt his blood trickling down he knew something was wrong. Naraku looked over to Jesse who still had his hand held tight over his own wound, the blood staining his cloths. Jesse smiled as he said, "Be careful Naraku, the wounds inflicted by this sword, the octet blade, never heal. So, I think it is time we put you out of your misery."

Naraku's eyes went wide as Jesse picked his sword up and it began to glow at his touch. He held it high above his head before he spun it around in a complete circle and used the speed of the spin to throw the sword at Naraku as he said, "Seal of the 8 swords." In that instant the one flying sword turned into eight and they encircled Naraku. A white circular symbol with many small designs within the circle of blades formed and Naraku felt his body become bound by unbreakable ropes that weren't really there. Jesse walked over to the sheath of his sword and pulled it out of the ground. He then turned to Sesshomaru and said, "Naraku can't leave that circle until he is dead, permanently. So, you can kill him as you wish, I need someone to bandage this wound before I lose too much blood."

Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, and everybody else walked over to where Naraku was being bound by the seal of the 8 swords. They couldn't believe it, Naraku was captured, and the only escape he had was death. The group talked for a few minutes and decided that Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, and Renamon should combine the power of their four swords to kill Naraku.

Renamon transformed back to her digimon form and pulled out the Rensaiga, the sword forged of a fang from Sesshomaru. Inuyasha unsheathed the Tetsusaiga, the sword of earth that could slay 100 foes with a single swing. Sesshomaru pulled out the Toukijin, the sword forged of the fangs from one of Naraku's reincarnations, the one whose fangs had been able to bite the Tetsusaiga in half. They held the blade together, and began to gather their energy. Renamon feed the power of her diamond storm into the sword where its power was increased ten fold. Inuyasha formed the wind scar around the Tetsusaiga, and finally Sesshomaru prepared the dragon strike. The last part was Sesshomaru brought out the Tenseiga, the sword of heaven, and placed it on the three other blades. The Tenseiga soon began to absorb the power from the other three blades, and Sesshomaru let it take one third of the of each swords power.

They were finally ready. Sesshomaru went first by attacking Naraku with the Tenseiga's ultimate attack, the attack of the heart. This left Naraku no stronger then a human. Then Inuyasha, Renamon, and Sesshomaru brought up the Tetsusaiga, the Rensaiga, and the Toukijin, and released the three powerful attacks at once. Naraku was vaporized, and they waited for some sign that Naraku was truly dead. There sign came when the seal of the 8 swords disappeared and the 8 swords melted back to one. Miroku also showed everybody that the Wind Tunnel, the curse of his family, had disappeared from his hand.

The whole group cheered, even Rika, Takato, and Henry joined in on the celebration. Naraku was dead, but something was wrong. Kagome then realized that the sacred jewel of the four souls was gone. Naraku's large piece and Kagome's few shards had disappeared. Jesse was sitting on a nearby park bench when he raised his head a bit and said, "Unfortunately, that is the price of using the seal of the 8 swords. The seal draws its energy from the most powerful item in the area, which was the shikon jewel. The shikon used all its power in binding Naraku with the seal, and when you killed him the jewels power was released, but it wasn't given a new form. It has now disappeared in the breeze, and can't be claimed by anybody."

In the end, the victory was more sweet then bitter. With Naraku gone everybody could get back to there lives, that is after Jesse tended to two more things.