Chapter 11

Hunter and Hunted

Ikaruga and Imu were now working quickly through the youma working together like a true team after forging a temporary truce. The two kunoichi were both subtle and quick, and they worked their way between their opponents swinging their weapons back and forth in an effort to spread out and prevent the enemy form moving around. They didn't notice Danzo in his youma trigger rushing past with electrical energy crackling around him as he carved through the youma with his twin blades Arjuna and Rama, heading back to where the bridges crossed to reach the final point of his destination.

"Was that-?" asked Imu.

"It's Danzo, and he's in his Youma form," replied Ikaruga.

They raced after him, but couldn't know where he went.

"Shoot out a flare!" suggested Imu.

Ikaruga nodded and shot out a flare which reached to the sky.

Sensing that there was something about Danzo, the Kunoichi saw the signal and raced back to where Ikaruga and Imu were. They soon gathered nearby at what appeared to be an arena underneath the earth at Imu's urging. Ikaruga saw that Asuka was growing anxious as they stood watching and waiting for what would come next, as their vigilance would remain strong.

Danzo had managed to reach the Rotating Causeway, when he dropped down to his knees as the electricity crackled around him. Then he flung the Haywire Neo-Generator at the open mouth of a demonic face carved from stone. Making the causeway turn almost instantly. His youma form soon dissipated as he breathed deeply and sighed slowly.

"What a rush," he muttered, "Next time that happens I'm gonna hafta get used to staying in my youma form for a couple of days."

He quickly walked off into another door that lead to another corridor. He was walking carefully down the stairs hoping that he'd get some more useful abilities to aid him in his quest. Soon he saw doors with horses carved on them, and stepped boldly through onto a bridge where a small horde of youma blocked his path. Danzo was going to draw his sword when the torches began to light up and glow a faint bluish-green color. Then came the sound of galloping hooves and Danzo could see that there was what he called a horse drawn carriage in youma form. Danzo watched as the creature knocked the youma knocked the youma off the bridge sending them falling to their doom.

"Talk about Horse Power," he chuckled.

The horse like youma stopped and neighed loudly prancing back on its hind legs.

"A chicken race with a horse, huh?" he grinned arrogantly, "Fair enough…"

The youma charged again at him but Danzo was light on his feet shooting the Horse and slashing at it sending it off ballance. The bridge they were standing on suddenly began to collapse making them both plummet to the arena below, where Asuka and all her friends had gathered. Danzo saw that they heard he commotion from up above and readied themselves for battle. Danzo managed to land on the ground, bracing himself from the impact. He observed his surroundings and knew that he was in the arena.

"First chicken, now Gladiator. This just keeps getting better and better! Luckily there's some babes here that are enjoying the show," he said proudly, and engaged his enemy.

"Look guys," Asuka said pointing towards the battle.

Everyone could see that Danzo was battling the horse like youma with a chariot. They quickly lunged into battle. And distracted the creature long enough for Danzo to fall back. Danzo did so as the horse forced the kunoichi back away from it. Then Danzo lunged at it in his youma form delivering some powerful strikes that brought it down to its knees. The creature stopped as the kunoichi gathered when Fubuki sensed something about it.

"You have been bested by this warrior in this contest. Now you shall accept your defeat," said Yumi's foster sister.

The horse nodded as Danzo looked it right in the eye. Now the its soul burst from its body making the youma collapse and traveled to Danzo granting him a new ability as he walked off. Above him, some rubble from the collapsed bridge began to fall towards him.

"Danzo look out!" cried Hibari.

Danzo did look and his new found power stopped the rocks descent from crushing him. Then he pushed them aside as if they were pebbles and walked away from them. Time flow returned to normal as they fell sending dust and grit everywhere. The girls covered their eyes so that the grit wouldn't sting them. When it settled they looked in amazement and relief to see Danzo standing with his back to them.

"Gagana used this power to slow and stop time so he'd move faster than his enemies. I'll give it the name, Quicksilver," Danzo said to himself.

"Good name!" called Homura.

Then she approached him.

"I see you met some of my friends and rivals of Team Crimson, Team Hebijo, Team Gessen, Team Master, and Team Mikagura, and Team Hanzo, but this is the first time you've met me and Hikage. My name's Homura, and your name's Danzo," she said grinning at him.

"Right on the mark," Danzo replied.

"It's nice to meet you Danzo, my name is Murasaki, Imu's sister," the purpled haired girl with fuuma shuriken said, "You are an interesting person."

"Though you saved my sister Ryona from getting killed by those scimitar wielding youma, Arjuna and Rama, I guess I can assume you know that I'm Ryona's sister Ryobi," Ryobi added.

"Yep, This is gonna get ugly from here on out. And Hibari, I know you're strong enough to handle things on your own," Danzo said.

Then he turned and walked away towards a door leading out of the underground arena in the hopes of finding his brother in the bottom floor of the Tower of Darkness.

"We'll try to catch up to you!" called Asuka.

"You may want to be faster than cheetahs if you want to catch up with me," he said to himself.

The kunoichi watched in amazement as Danzo walked off into the distance.

Inside the lair of judgement, Ryuki saw what looked like a small open circle in the center of a larger circle that was etched with lines containing hidden secrets. He was just approaching it to start up the ritual when he heard a low rumble from behind. Turning himself around he saw the creature that had attacked his brother, Belial.

"I found you, seed of Sato! I told you I remembered your rancid scent! No matter where you run to, you can never hide from me!" he said with a low growl.

Belial tried to strike with his fist, but Ryuki quickly lunged upwards, and landed on his back with Yamikaze in his hand. Belial was shocked.

"Y-You are not the one I faced before… But this smell… There are two of them! That excrement Sato had two sons…!" Belial shuddered, realizing the truth too late as his head fell with a crash, and his body began to crumple to the ground.

Ryuki smirked sadistically as he leapt down and drew the soul of Belial to him granting him new gauntlets and greaves. With a might punch he sent Belial's body flying to the ceiling, then delivered a powerful kick that could destroy any bone, cutting the youma in two half. He landed on his feet, as Belial's split body fell behind him sending silver feathers everywhere.

After the body was unceremoniously disposed of, Ryuki walked to the center of the circle holding the two amulets in his hand. They glowed and connected to each other, then disappeared into the altar before him. He knelt down to one knee, drew Yamikaze and began to cut the palm of his hand open with the sharp edge of his sword. Gritting his teeth, he pulled it back sending blood everywhere, as his now cut hand began weeping blood into the altar. Using his youma power the wound soon healed quickly leaving no scar. Then he picked up his scabbard, sheathed his sword, and stood waiting for his moment of glory to arrive.