In the basement of Lighthouse Tokyo, Shinobu stood with his newest recruits, a half-human forest creature, Isamu, and two spider yokai, all members of the construction crew that recently repaired the church. Shinobu had just delivered the same fatal blow that killed succubus Kiyoni's brother to his first student, Minamino Shuuichi, who was possessed by the fox yokai, Kurama. Due to the blood pact made between Shinobu, Shuuichi, and Kurama, there was a possibility of all three parties passing upon the unfortunate death of the latter two. A shot to the head would kill anyone or permanently disable them if they're lucky. In this case, Kurama and Shuuichi were lucky.

Normally, that kind of blunt force trauma would leave a bloody mess accompanied by scattered brain matter and skull shards. That didn't happen. A bullet did enter the brain but what happened to it was a mystery. As a matter of fact, one could say that the bullet provided a gateway for the inhabitants of the victimized body to come together in more ways than one...and permanently.

"It doesn't matter," Shinobu declared, "He's as good as dead anyway. I'll be back for you within three days. I trust you'll want to give your life over to God by then."

He made the order for Kiyoni to be contained again as he departed from the basement.

All alone, Kiyoni sat on the stretcher keeping her focus between the monitor in front of her and a lifeless body hanging on the wall, Shuuichi...Kurama...please…? Please tell me it worked. Tell me it worked, show me! Please...I don't...I don't want to be alone again. Please don't leave me alone. I'm so scared. Please… Hathor...help us…

Two stones began to glow within the pockets of both Kiyoni and Shuuichi's outfits. Energy from the latter engulfed the body from head to toe, pushing out the bullet lodged in the brain and healing whatever wounds it created. The faded ruby red hair elongated and returned to its strawberry color added on by silver gray highlights. The same effect was applied to the tips of the ears and a brand new tail. Eyes that were originally bottle-green in nature and amber when in yokai form, shifted to an olive green that could be mistaken for hazel in some aspects. Either way, they were full of life again and so was the rest of the body as it broke free from its webbed chains, kneeling as it fell to the floor. The moment the body took its first breath, things began to settle.

"I'm...I'm alive," he said while doing a full body recount, "I'm alive. It worked!"

Kiyoni couldn't believe it either, "Shu-? Shuuichi? Ku-? Kurama? Is that you?"

The plan had worked to perfection. Shuuichi and Kurama were whole in mind, body, and spirit.

"It's fine, Kiyoni," he said, "You can refer to me as either. It doesn't matter. We have finally become one."

Kiyoni was speechless. Not only did her involvement plan with the two souls do something but it brought them to life.

"Suu'chi," she whined as he lowered the stretcher down to free Kiyoni, "You're...you're okay! You're alive!"

"Yes. Thanks to you."

Kiyoni grabbed Shuuichi's face and held it close for inspection despite the pain in her left shoulder. She could see the old features of Shuuichi but Kurama was there as well. The olive pair of eyes contained equal hints of Shuuichi's green and Kurama's amber. The facial shape was genuinely androgynous but leaning on the side of masculine. The lips haven't changed at all. Still soft, still kissable, still welcoming with that reassuring, comforting smile. The silver addition to the hair was a nice touch as well. Definitely fitting for a fox. But Kiyoni couldn't help but look into the eyes again. If captions were to be made from those eyes, they would say, "I'm here. I've missed you. So nice to see you. I haven't changed. Don't worry about me. I'm okay. Everything is going to be okay."

And that's exactly what was said from Shuuichi's lips, "Everything is going to be okay."

Kiyoni, being the emotional baby that she was, started crying again, "Suu'chi...Kurama, I…"

Not another word was spoken for a few moments as Kiyoni was pulled in a passionately grateful and welcoming kiss. It didn't even matter that Kiyoni was in physical pain from the gunshot wounds to her body. It didn't matter that Shinobu got away with it and was still getting away. All that mattered was that Shuuichi and Kurama were whole and Kiyoni felt just as complete being with him.

"We have to stop," she determined, "We have to stop him."

"Agreed. How are you feeling?"

"I'm hurting like hell. You go on without me. I'll only slow you down."

"No way. I'm not leaving you behind. I've already done that once and I'm not doing it again," Shuuichi picked a thoroughly grateful Kiyoni up in his arms and carried her upstairs.

Kiyoni trembled over the idea that she almost lost two people to the same person in the same manner. Separation anxiety brought on by violence and trauma is a major bitch.

"I thought I…" she wept on his shoulder, "I thought I…lost you."

"No. We can thank our higher powers for that," Shuuichi assured.

Much to their surprise, they found Shinobu standing at the door with his team behind him. The door was bolted by shards of wood, locking everyone inside.

"What's all this," Kiyoni questioned, "Why are you still here? I thought you would've ran away by now."

Shinobu took a couple of steps forward, crossing his arms, "So, you live after all."

"Which is more than I can say about you," Kurama declared, stationing Kiyoni down within the choir pews.

"How is that even possible? Our blood pa-"

"Is null in void as of today."

"Explain."

"Instead of waiting on you to break the pact between us, I made a new one with her."

"I invoked the spell just before you thought you had killed him," Kiyoni added, "The second he died was the second my spell kicked in, saving his life and breaking the bond between the two of you."

"Christianity isn't the only religion that dabbles in the hematic arts, Shinobu. Every religion has ties to it one way or another. Just like every religion has its form of magic."

Shinobu was stunned, "But to do that, you would need-"

"Blood given freely? A new moon cycle," Kiyoni finished, "Yeah. About that, breaking a blood pact during the full moon cycle actually provides an opening to create a new one within that time frame. As far as free blood is concerned...well...I'm on my period this week."

"Why you...filthy, disgusting-"

"For what? Being a woman? You praise women for being submissive, passive, robotic, baby factories but shun them the second they want to use their cooters for other things? Shame them for bleeding uncontrollably for a week every month? Dude, you are so misogynistic. If you have a thing for men, just say that! Quit wasting everyone's time!"

"Last chance, Shinobu," Kurama warned, "Either step down and walk away from this ridiculous crusade or endure the consequences."

"Precisely why we're here," Shinobu stated, "My team versus you. Let's see who's convictions are stronger."

"Kiyoni…" Kurama instructed, "don't move from that spot. Things are going to get...destructive."

"Are you crazy," Kiyoni shrieked, "It's essentially three against one! They'll cream you!"

Kurama looked back with a confident smirk, "Kiyoni, you've helped set me free. There's nothing holding me back. At this point, you've only seen a sliver of my power. Now you'll get to see what I can really do."

Shinobu summoned, "Isamu!"

Isamu stepped forward with a couple of hearty, wooden stakes, "Yes, Father."

Isamu lunged Kurama's way, leaping over the middle set of pews ready to strike the fox when he was forcibly pushed back towards the upper deck of the building by a group of vines. Vines that came from Kurama's sleeve.

"Holy shit," Kiyoni watched, "You...you...don't tell me you're Spiderman!"

Kurama popped his sleeves open and loosened his tie, "That was a little Peter Parker like, wasn't it?"

"Yeah! I mean, pew pew!"

Isamu growled from above as he removed more weapons from his body. He clearly wasn't happy.

Kurama warned again, "Kiyoni, you might want to duck."

Isamu angrily threw more wood Kurama's way. Kurama quickly avoided the attack while Kiyoni followed instructions, taking cover. The stakes broke through the front pew while Kiyoni occupied the second one behind it. If she took cover directly behind the first pew, she most definitely would've been hurt for a second time.

"I'm afraid this is moving a bit slower than what I'm used to," Kurama acknowledged, "Why don't all of you come at me at once and get it over with? My schedule is wide open."

Shinobu snapped his fingers, summoning his other lackeys. The tsuchigumo lunged forward, spewing out his web while the jurōgumo crawled along the wall, with Kiyoni as his target. Kurama avoided the shots of spider web, narrowly dodging Isamu's wooden stakes. While Kiyoni watched the fight go down, she quickly turned her attention to the second spider yokai sitting in wait against the wall like a real spider. Goosebumps formed and fear-based adrenaline flowed throughout and all over Kiyoni's body. Real spiders were bad enough. What could this one be up to?

Isamu joined the tsuchigumo where Kurama stood with his hands behind him. He was confident as to what he was going to do next.

"Is 'show and tell' over with," he insinuated, "Is it my turn now? Fine."

"Don't just stand there," Shinobu shouted, "Kill him!"

And that's what they attempted to do. Before they could land anything, Kurama quickly put an end to it all by kneeling to the floor as if in prayer, placing his hands on the concrete, and with the use of his immense energy, conjured multiple stalks from his garden that pierced the heads and torsos of his opponents from behind.

"May God forgive me..." Kurama mumbled in prayer, "for taking the lives of these two and may He have mercy on their souls. That's two down, Shinobu. Wasn't there a third?"

Shinobu displayed a cocky smirk, pointing to where Kiyoni was, "You tell me."

Kurama gasped in horror, "Kiyoni!"

Kiyoni was found hanging underneath the glass ceiling by a thick rope of spider webbing around her neck and covering her nose and mouth, making it hard to breathe. She struggled to break free but was running out of time.

"You let her go, Shinobu," Kurama demanded, "She's no longer a factor in this!"

"You're already aware of the conditions of her release," Shinobu stated, "Repent or die. In God's name of course. Submit to me or die. Also, in God's name of course. The two of you will be great examples of why God is truly an awesome God."

Kurama growled in his throat, "You bigoted, selfish son-of-a–"

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land," Shinobu announced, "2 Chronicles 7:14. Time's running out, fox. What are you going to do?"

It didn't require the intelligence of a scientist to figure out Kurama's next move. Kiyoni's life came first.

"Release her, Shinobu…" Kurama offered, "and I will...do as you ask. I'll repent for my sins, give my new life over to God. Kiyoni will as well. All I ask is to spare her life."

He knelt down before Shinobu to emphasize his decree. Within his trembling heart, Kurama feared Shinobu would do the worst and slay Kiyoni just like he did her brother.

With a smirk, Shinobu gave the signal for Kiyoni's release. She fell to the ground crashing through a couple of pews.

"Kiyoni," Kurama shouted, "Shinobu, was all that necessary?"

"She'll be fine," Shinobu assured as he stepped up to Kurama, "With her being unconscious, she'll be easier to indoctrinate. As for you, we'll need to recreate our previous blood pact. Since she was so willing to share, we'll use her blood as well. The both of you will be wise not to go against me."

By the time Shinobu was in range, Kurama found an opportunity to attack.

"Go to Hell," Kurama summoned more vines through his sleeve, forcing Shinobu to shoot through the back wall of the sanctuary.

The lone jurōgumo hissed and lunged from the wall and straight for Kurama. Kurama rose to his feet and with the use of the deadly stems from earlier, sliced the second spider yokai into multiple pieces like a sushi roll. A significant amount of blood splashed along the pulpit. Wasting no time, Kurama ran to check on Kiyoni's condition. She was knocked unconscious from the lack of air. Shuuichi did his best to tear through the webbing.

"Kiyoni? Kiyoni, can you hear me?"

A trickle of blood flowed and dried from Kiyoni's nose and mouth as a result of the failed lynching. Shuuichi wanted to cry for her and he prayed for her as he performed CPR.

"Come on, Kiyoni. Wake up…! Wake up, Kiyoni. Kiyoni, please…?! Wake up for me."

By the time Shuuichi blew into Kiyoni's mouth for a third time, she woke up with a violent cough. Praise God, Jesus, Amun-Ra, Ausar, and whoever is in charge of giving life.

"Kiyoni…" Shuuichi breathed, "thank God…"

Kiyoni coughed and inhaled one more time before speaking, "...Su-... Suu'chi…?"

"Yes. Yes, that's me. It's Suu'chi. I'm here."

"Ow," Kiyoni whined, "It...it hurts."

"What? What hurts?"

"...Everything. I'm gonna need...a lot...of ointment."

Despite the serious nature of what's going on, Shuuichi couldn't help but laugh. Of all the times to be silly, Kiyoni would choose now.

"Kiyoni…you're right. We're going to need a lot of ointment."

"Where's Shinobu? Is he dead?"

"No. But he will be if he gets back up."

"You can't...kill him. It goes against the code. Your code."

Kurama wiped the dried blood from Kiyoni's mouth, "Not today it doesn't…because I have a just cause."

Rumbling from the back of the church drew attention to Shinobu upon him presenting himself.

"Praise the almighty," he stated, "For he works in the most mysterious of ways."

When his eyes opened, they glowed in the brightest of yellow and were filled with divine fury. Shuuichi struggled to move Kiyoni because the fall had caused some damage to her ribcage making it hard to breathe.

"How," Kurama asked Shinobu, "How are you still breathing?"

"When you have studied the Abramelin arts for as long as I have, some things tend to stick. I heard the calling of our Lord and Savior and easily answered. His purpose has always been greater for me. That's why I do what I do. If his purpose is for me to bring creatures like you to his feet, I will obey. Those who refuse will simply perish in his name," Shinobu's hands glowed with the same energy as his eyes, "Starting with you!"

Full of adrenaline, Kurama mustered the strength to grab Kiyoni and drive himself away from Shinobu's attack. The blast was so great, the explosion could be heard from outside. Kurama landed on top of Kiyoni, worsening her pain.

"Ah," she huffed, "I can't...I can't breathe."

"Sorry," Kurama stated, "I'll need you to hold on a little longer. Take short breaths for now."

"Yeah...that's what I'm...doing."

Shinobu glided through the air, engulfed in divine light, "Still think you can take me down, Kurama? No weapon formed against me shall prosper and I will make it so in Jesus mighty name."

"He's...super...Shinobu," Kiyoni noticed.

Kurama propped Kiyoni against a wall, "Stay here."

"I'm...not going…anywhere," she replied, "You just...kick...his ass."

"Done," Kurama faced Shinobu, wrapping himself in his own botanical green energy.

Another standoff ensued with Shinobu looking down upon Kurama. In Shinobu's corner was the power of Abramelin magic. In Kurama's corner, all of his years and experience and energy developed in the botanical arts. With Kiyoni as an audience, her safety came first. Kurama reached inside the back of his head and removed a rose petal. With a kiss, he placed the petal directly in front of Kiyoni and to her surprise, it created a protective dome around her the same color as his smoking bowl. As if there wasn't already an appreciation for the color pink.

The two men stepped away from the succubus to take their battle elsewhere with Kurama giving Shinobu the opportunity to strike.

"Your move, Shinobu," Kurama offered.

"With pleasure," Shinobu opened a hand and over it was a glowing energy ball.

It seemed harmless enough as it approached Kurama, making him wonder what the ball would do as it stopped directly in front of him. Surprisingly, it exploded, sending Kurama crashing through the confessional area and out of the church before he had a chance to blink.

With one strong breath, Kiyoni shouted, "Kurama!"

The ringing in Kurama's ears subsided to be replaced with Shinobu's sadistic laughter. He coasted through the recently-created opening like the antagonist mutant, Magneto, ready to cause chaos in the name of God.

"You're right, Kurama," Shinobu gloated, "There is magic within every religion. However, the magic that I possess is true in nature and powerful in status. The powers of the holy trinity flow within me like blood through one's body and it's only getting stronger. It's like I've become a living saint!"

"You and I…" Kurama grunted, "have different views on what it is to become a saint. Touya was a saint before you corrupted him. Natsume was a saint before you corrupted her. Yukina is the sweetest saint I know. And whether you like it or not, that woman in there, the one you're so hellbent on destroying, is more of a saint than you'll ever be."

"We'll see…" Shinobu charged up, "once I'm through with you."

Another energetic attack came Kurama's way only to be avoided. In fact, Kurama was forced to play another game of dodgeball as Shinobu's attacks divided, creating smaller, equally destructive energy blasts. It all led Kurama back inside to avoid causing harm to other people and unnecessary destruction to any external property. By the time Kurama was given a break, two of the three groups of pews received significant damage.

Kiyoni watched it all from the sidelines, This is ridiculous! Kurama doesn't stand a chance. Shinobu's clearly stronger. Fuck! There's gotta be a way to take him down…

Nearby, Yukina approached the compound and was immediately alarmed by what she saw. A giant hole within the wall of the sanctuary and the sounds of a fight going on made the young ice apparition race towards the action. When she entered the building, she noticed Shinobu hovering in the air, Kurama struggling to stand, and Kiyoni looking for a way to get away from it all. Yukina went to her first.

"Kiyoni," she called in a low tone, "Kiyoni!"

Kiyoni peered over and was happy to see a better resemblance of an angel than Shinobu will ever be, Yukina!

Yukina rushed over just as the two men restarted their fight, "Kiyoni! Are you okay?"

"Not...really…" Kiyoni replied while trying to breathe, "Broken...ribs…bullet…wounds…"

Yukina gasped, "Let me help you."

She passed through Kurama's barrier with ease since it was created out of the best intentions.

"Help...me how?"

"I can heal you. Allow me."

Yukina placed her hands on Kiyoni's torso, just underneath the breast. With glowing hands, Yukina got to work on repairing Kiyoni's ribcage. The immediate cooling sensation forced Kiyoni to deeply inhale as if she was taking her very first breath again. It felt as strong as ingesting a breath mint and an equally breath-freshening piece of gum at the same time.

Kiyoni coughed a couple of times to clear out the blood-filled airways in her lungs, "Thank-[cough] you! [Cough] Thank you, Yukina."

"My pleasure. What's going on? I've never seen Father Shinobu like this."

"Shinobu is...working with some powerful magic. The same magic that made Kurama and Shuuichi what they are now. No time to explain. The only way to take Shinobu down is to take away his power. Do you know how? Wait, where's the book?"

"Book? What book?"

"Shinobu uses a book of ancient magic to charge up if you will. We find that book, we take him down."

Yukina thought back, "There was a book that I saw Father use, I think."

"Yes! Yes, that's it! Yukina, do you know where it is?"

"I saw him take it to his office."

"Fantastic. Let's go there. Wait…" Kiyoni checked, "my leg and back."

"Oh! They should be healed as well."

"Really," Kiyoni did a quick body check, "Wow! They are! Wait...you even got the bullets out! Yukina, you're amazing!"

Yukina smiled warmly, "Thank you."

"Now let's go get that book!"

Meanwhile, Kurama finally got a chance to put out an attack of his own with the use of an extended rose stem, "ROSE WHIP!"

The weapon attached itself to Shinobu's ankle, slamming him down to the ground.

"That's for all the times you grounded and whipped me when I was child," Kurama quipped, "Spare the rod[?]…malarky."

Shinobu rose to his feet, "I see. You actually want a hand-to-hand fight."

"Why not? I did manage to learn some things from you. Afraid that the student may surpass the teacher?"

"I may have taught you everything you know but I know, for certain, that I didn't teach you everything I do," Shinobu shifted into his fighting stance.

Kurama did the same, He's a quick one, especially with his lower body. If I can avoid even just one of his kicks, I may just beat him, altogether.

If I know him, he's more prone to using aerial and ground-level moves. Not to mention, he is quite agile. Take away any aerial or terrestrial advantage and he's as good as defeated, Shinobu assumed.

Kurama made the first move, charging towards his opponent with an aerial drop kick. Shinobu slightly moved to the side to avoid the hit but Kurama quickly came back with the use of a right-legged donkey kick. Shinobu dodged that as well, coming through with a roundhouse kick to the jaw that sent Kurama flipping over.

"Was that the best you got," Shinobu teased, "I can probably count with one hand the amount of steps I took just to outmatch you just now."

"I'm not finished," Kurama lunged forward again, using a sliding kick this time to knock Shinobu off his vertical base.

Shinobu leaped over his opponent, landing into a somersault. With a quickness, Kurama landed an impressive blow to Shinobu's back with a kick to the spine. Even if Shinobu's stability was questioned, Kurama would need that to gain the upper hand. It worked, forcing Shinobu to use his hands to prop himself up but Kurama had momentum on his side. A hammer kick to the back of the neck flattened Shinobu followed by one to the face for good measure. Kurama figured Kiyoni would like that. Unfortunately, and to Kurama's surprise, Kiyoni was nowhere to be found.

Where did she go?

That momentary lapse in attentiveness flipped the script in Shinobu's favor. His swift foot met the side of Kurama's face, forcing the fox to land on the pool of blood from the sliced tsuchigumo.

"You have just proved my point," Shinobu exaggerated, "The second you fall for the charms of sin, you seal your fate. It is precisely why I make it my mission to purify all yokai, and soon the world, in the light of our Lord so that when his great son, Jesus Christ, returns for his children, no one will be left behind."

"You're wrong, Shinobu," Kurama declared, "There will be at least one person left behind."

"And who's that?"

"You," Kurama charged for Shinobu again with a spear to the midsection, serving the man who taught him so much with a melee of fist and elbow punches.

Shinobu, displaying an impressive form of core and upper body strength, lifted his body into the bridge position, throwing Kurama off.

Flipping back onto his feet, Shinobu proclaimed, "The only way you'll leave this earth is if I allow it."

Yukina and Kiyoni charged into Shinobu's office and immediately went to work looking for that spell book.

"Any idea what to look for," Yukina wondered.

"Eh...I think it's...it looks like a pair of dirty jeans in terms of color, I think."

"Okay," Yukina searched Shinobu's entire book collection.

Subjects concerning alchemy, ancient religions, manipulation techniques throughout history, and the world's connection to the universe through magic stood out like a sore thumb.

"I don't think I'm seeing it."

Kiyoni suggested, "What about anything concerning blood magic?"

"Blood magic? That's-"

"It is not witchcraft, Yukina. Blood has just as much significance in your beliefs as it does in mine. Blood is just as sacred in your religion as it is in mine. It was blood that binded Shinobu to Kurama and it was blood that binded Kurama and I. I'm willing to bet that Shinobu spilled a little bit of his to gain the power he has now. I have blood that I'm willing to give. Is anything I'm saying making sense?"

Yukina looked over the bookshelf again, "How about that one?"

The needed book was found on the bottom shelf.

"Eureka! That's it," Kiyoni grabbed the book, flipped through the pages and came to a familiar yet shameful realization, "Everything is in Hebrew!"

She wanted to cry as she slammed her head within the pages.

"Unfamiliar with Hebrew?"

"Greatly. Screw it! We don't have the time," Kiyoni pulled out her phone, "We'll use Google translate."

Faint screams from the sanctuary attract attention.

"Maybe I should help," Yukina offered.

"Are you crazy?! Shinobu is insanely strong."

"I can sense him. He's lowered his power to make things fair for Shuuichi."

"Do you really think you can take him? Shinobu?"

"I may not be able to defeat him but it's better than doing nothing," Yukina stormed out of the office, leaving Kiyoni to figure things out on her own.

"Shit," Kiyoni continued shuffling, "There's gotta be something here I could use. Fuck!"

It seemed like time only favored Shinobu. He could feel Kurama's energy wearing down. However, there was an ally on the way to provide some much-needed assistance.