File 22: Drunken frenzy - the strength of their wills
On the ring, the contestants were facing each other. The crowd was overwhelmingly cheering for the blue-haired fighter. His youthful opponent smirked. The man smirked too. Their sharp gazes were fixed on each other. Shizuru said she had a bad feeling, which made Keiko even more worried. Koenma was tense too. But this time Urameshi had by himself asked to be Genkai's student, he had surely been taught techniques of the Reikohado. Suddenly he was distracted by Georges eating sweets beside him and he confiscated them for eating at such a tense time and ate them all himself. The masked fighter was watching intently from their place at the prince's other side. Koto ordered the fight to begin.
Chuu started swaying across the ring at a quick pace.
"H-he's fast!" Kuwabara exclaimed.
"His movement is very fluid!" Kurama observed, impressed.
"It may be his own style, but he's wasting nothing and he has good self-control! He's going to be hard to pin down!" Hiei commented with a faint note of appreciation.
Chuu fastly circled around Yusuke to try and confuse him before attacking him with a sword hand aimed at the left of his neck. The boy blocked with his forearm and only saw at the last second the left punch going straight at his guts. He was unable to dodge, and though it only looked like one punch to most people, Akari and Hiei saw five blows connect with Urameshi's abdomen and send him flying backward, holding his belly. Suddenly the blue-haired fighter appeared behind his opponent and smacked him down with an elbow drop.
Kuwabara was freaking out: that guy was way too fast to counter, but the fox was more awed at the enemy's impeccable technique and flawless self-control. Due to the announcer's inability to properly see through the whole fight, there was a replay on the screen. But then, Yusuke stood up. It was his turn to attack. He threw punch after punch but none landed despite his relentlessness. Chuu was easily dodging everything and retaliated with a heavy back kick that blast him away to the middle of the grassy mid area where a furrow was dug all the way up to the wall that was partly destroyed when Yusuke crashed against it. The "Kill... kill..." chant started again. Kuwabara was amazed: those kicks had nothing to do with Rinku's! Koto after making a comment with the same amazed tone, announced the beginning of the countdown as Constestant Urameshi was out of the ring. But soon after, Yusuke was back on, grinning like a kid who had found a new toy.
"Phew that was close! If I hadn't guarded I would be dead from that kick!"
"What?! He dealt with that bloody kick with one hand? That's well done! But he had me worried!" Kuwabara was so relieved he put his arms around Kurama's shoulders while Keiko very spiritedly cheered for her childhood friend. Shizuru amusedly commented about it and the young brown-haired girl sat back down, embarrassed.
"A moment's lapse invites death, huh?" Urameshi smirked.
"That's right." Chuu replied, his arms crossed.
"And yet, why is it that it is so incredibly fun?" The boy licked his lips. "But that's the same for you, isn't it?"
"Yeah, I've got it as well, battle mania..."
"Hearing that has gotten me all fired up!"
The match resumed. Yusuke aimed at Chuu, gathered reiki at the point of his index but suddenly changed target and shot at the deck. Chunks of concrete fell on the screaming and scurrying audience. This time it was the boy's turn to introduce his technique.
"That just now was my speciality, the reigun. Apparently, four shots in one day is my limit. I've got three shots left."
Koto commented that the sportsmanship had led to ridiculous honesty and doubted wether this had ever happened since the tournament first took place. Kuwabara thought he had gone completely crazy but both Chuu and Akari were laughing their heads off for similar reasons. Yusuke was indeed completely stupid and that was what was so fun about him. In a sense that was really typical of him. She understood it perfectly, that wish of his to fight on equal footing. It was so much more thrilling this way. But then the mohawk dude stumbled for real. He had drunk too much sake while he was waiting. It was then that the demon fighter decided to show his secret technique. He took a bottle from his belt. It was a bottle of Onigoroshi – Demon Killer – the strongest sake of the Demon Realm. And after he gulped it down his youki increased dramatically and enveloped the whole stadium. The members of the Urameshi Team were frowning except Akari who was grinning ear to ear, extatic. His muscle mass was also increasing. The tension was building. Everyone was holding their breath.
But suddenly Chuu clamped his hands on his mouth and ran to the limit of the ring where he crouched down and threw up. People like Koto fell from the shock and others like Akari burst out laughing. That dude sure loved making a fool out of himself. Rinku, who was at first very embarrassed, then explained about his teammate's suiken. The blue-haired fighter stood back up. His skin color turned to dark red. But that was not the only thing about him that had changed. His aura was different. He looked less drunk. His youki and the youki from the sake were merging, giving him unprecedented power. He presented his technique, the Renkinyou jutsu. A swirling ball of youki took shape between his hands. Hiei remarked that the alcohol was in fact just to reinforce the man's power. He appeared and sounded much more relaxed than Kuwabara who was panicking. That techniqued looked like the reigun. Even the fox looked anxious. Not only they looked similar but also had the same destructive power. Chuu challenged Yusuke. The contestants ran sideways. Their speed was also the same. They suddenly stopped. Chuu pitched a fast ball at Yusuke who fired his reigun. The attacks collided and pushed at each other before dissipating in a small explosion. They were even. The two lunged at each other, took a big swing, and without thinking of guarding anything, relentlessly punched each other. No time to breath or even blink. No time to relax a single muscle. The blows were raining heavily, each aiming to strike the second the other pulled back. The youkai was first to land a hit. The boy skidded backward. That was the opening Chuu had been waiting for. He created a huge ball of youki and threw it at his opponent.
Hiei commented that they were using too much energy and that they were going to regret it later. He appeared cold and indifferent but was intent on the fight. Kurama was anxious: they were equal. They were not going to take a chance like that.
"Geez, you guys are no good because you think too much about things like outcome and chances. Yes, those guys are equal in strengths and personalities so don't look so stuck up and enjoy the fight like they do. Clashing with all you've got and having fun, that's what really matters." Akari scolded them.
"Take that!" Chuu yelled.
It's more powerful that the reigun! The fox exclaimed in his mind, more worried than ever.
He's badly placed. He's going to take it! Hiei thought, his face as emotionless as usual.
"Shit, watch out!" Kuwabara yelled. Akari was smirking, her arms crossed, her eyes gleaming.
Urameshi aimed. Chuu was certain of his victory. That attack had all his spectral power packed in it. The human fired. But to his surprise it was not a simple reigun but two consecutive shots. The double strike went right through the giant ball. However, the mass of youki had not lost any of its power. Neither of them could dodge. Both were hit. When the smoke cleared they had disappeared. Everyone wondered where they had gone. The two had jumped high and landed again. They had taken quite some damage and they were breathing hard. Their upper clothings were torn and they were hurt all over. Chuu smirked.
"You used up your three shots. What's more, you have burned up all your energy. You're empty. That's correct right?"
"Yeah..." Yusuke smirked back.
"Oh well, me too!"
Both started laughing. They were injured all over and yet they were laughing. That was indeed battle mania. That was something Koto could not comprehend. Akari was laughing too; although she was the only one among her friends. But there could be no tie. A winner had to be decided. Chuu took out two daggers from his boots and held them by the point of their blades between the thumb and index of his right hand.
"We'll settle this with a knife-edge death match." To the general surprise, the mohawk fighter planted the blades in the ground, slightly tilted, about 150 centimentres apart from each other. "Take off your shoes and place your right foot against the dagger. The limit is fixed by the knife. It's the border line between life and death. The only rule is that you mussn't pass it. If you cross that line, you must die. A real body-to-body! An old style of fight! Whoever clobbers the other wins!"
Yusuke appreciated the simplicity of the method but Koto stopped them saying they could not establish such irregular without the consent of the head office of this tournament... much to the crowd's discontent who just wanted to see the kid get killed as soon as possible. Rinku was very confident as Chuu had never lost in that type of duel.
With the waiting, the tension began to rise. An ominous wind picked up and dark clouds were gathering above their heads. There was going to be a thunderstorm. The atmosphere had literally become electric. The fighters heightened their concentration, completely intent on their opponent. They did not move a muscle when lightning bolts fell on the daggers at their feet. Then at last, it was the 'okay'. The same second, the two contestants started hitting each other with a rare intensity. The crowd was cheering.
In the VIP seats, Toguro was watching intently when he sensed a familiar aura and looked back. In the hallway, behing the closed door, guards were being killed one after the other. Explosions could be heard. And soon, a single man entered. He was tall and lean, young and and handsome of appearance, dressed entirely in black, with a long wavy black coat, slightly open at the chest and with a red inside. His hands in his pockets, he had long straight black hair down to his bottom and cold and merciless purple eyes as well as a metallic mask covering the bottom half of his face. He stopped a few steps behind Toguro.
"Karasu. It's a long, long time before your turn."
"Oh, no. I just heard that there was someone decent here."
"You mean Urameshi?"
"I was wondering what kind of guy he was."
"He's fighting now."
"Yeah, I saw him."
"So, any impressions?"
Karasu kept quiet for a long time.
"And that girl?"
Togoro followed the unusually interested look in his teammate's eyes to the small and trembling pink-haired girl who was holding herself down there on the grassy waiting area, and he smirked. Both knew the reason behind her trembling and holding herself. They knew the reason behind that smile curving her lips and that glint in her wide golden eyes and the way she was breathing.
"That one's a special treat." He answered. "You two have some points in common. You should be able to get along well..." The muscular demon trailed off, apparently finding the situation quite amusing.
"Ooh?"
Time passed. Seconds changed into minutes, each feeling like a whole hour. And the fierce exchange continued. Sweat dripped from their bare torsos. Their feet drove more and more against the sharp edge of the knives with each attack. Blood gushed and sprayed on the floor, mixing with their sweat. Keiko, who could no longer bear to watch them, decided to go and stop the fight. Shizuru, worried, ran after her, but lost her in the maze of the stadium. However, the older woman had been noticed. A large band of youkais, obviously up to no good, was following her. Shizuru saw them and ran away. They chased after her. She arrived in a spacious room supported by huge pillars. She looked around, looking for help, when suddenly a man in a suit joined her, grabbed her hand, and ran with her. He had straight black hair down to his shoulder blades. The woman was reluctant but there was no time to hesitate. They hid behind a corner. The monsters passed them by unknowingly and went on. Shizuru turned around to take a better look at her savior. He looked quite young and relatively handsome, in his late twenties/early thirties, with slicked black hair, blue eyes, with a scar over his right eye. He was smiling. But to her, the most surprising thing about him was that he was human, like her. He kindly advised her to be careful and left.
Keiko arrived running and bumped against Kuwabara. With tearful eyes, she begged him to make them stop.
"Make them stop, you say?" Kazuma repeated.
"He's going to die! Yusuke's going to die!" The girl cried, punching her friend's chest, tears streaming down her beautiful and pitiful face.
"It's no use Keiko-chan." Akari interrupted a little harshly. "They cannot be stopped. They must not be stopped. There's no point whining about it. If you're his woman then watch quietly and believe in him."
"Why?!" Keiko cried again, hurt by the tone the female rei master had used in her remonstrance.
"Akari! Couldn't you have been more gentle?" Kuwabara reprimanded her.
"Humph. Then gimme an opponent already. Someone against whom I can fearlessly give my all." She reported her attention back to the fight.
"Akari..." Keiko whispered. Akari was smiling, trembling, not due to fear but to extreme excitation and anticipation. Her eyes were shining. She had spoken with envy. She was yearning with all her body and soul for something Keiko could not comprehend. Yes, with bodies so completely battered they should not even be able to stand, simply giving your all, enjoying the 'exchange', completely baring your soul, forgetting about everything else, rising to a new height, overcoming the utmost of your limits, and experiencing something far beyond life and death, an immense and incomparable pleasure that could not be defined with mere words.
"You know, me and Urameshi have come across one extraordinary foe. He was exceptionally strong and we were completely powerless before him. In order to clear ourselves of that humiliation, and to fight earnestly against him once again, both of us have to fight with our lives on the line." Kuwabara explained.
"No way..." Keiko said in a small voice.
"To that end, Urameshi will do whatever he has to. That fight is just one step he has to take to arrive there. On top of that, Urameshi is also fighting for his opponent."
"For his opponent?" She exclaimed, surprised.
"That's right. In combat sports, when you fight an opponent, you learn everything about him. Not just his power and techniques but his whole character. And so the person who knows Chuu best right now is Urameshi. And it looks as though Urameshi has really taken a liking to Chuu. Watching the way they fight, it's easy to tell. I think it's why Akari told you that. In order to pay back your opponent, there's nothing you can do but expand all of your power. That's why, no matter what happens, until a conclusion has been reached, there's no way we can stop them.
"Yusuke..." The girl murmured, gazing at her childhood friend with worry and wonder on her pretty face. Both Yusuke and Chuu were putting all of their power in each blow. Yet, it was like they felt no fear or pain, and their smiles were so bright, they seemed to be enjoying themselves so much...
"Keiko, watch carefully. As Yusuke's childhood friend, you're the one who has been with him for the longest time, always at his side. But you don't know him. What you're seeing now is his true self he had kept hidden as to not worry or frighten you. Watch him carefully, and then think about what you want and can do for him, for yourself, and for the both of you." Katsuyama told her.
The match was lasting quite some time and Botan was starting to complain. But all good things must come to an end, and this one was drawing near. At the slightest opening, it would be over. Suddenly, Chuu landed an especially powerful punch on his opponent's jaw. Yusuke was off balance.
"Now!" And he prepared for the ultimate headbutt. But it was not over yet! At the last second, Yusuke regained his footing, blood spurting from the sole of his wounded foot, and braced himself and went up to meet Chuu's headbutt with one of his own, literally confronting him head on. The foreheads collided, the whole stadium intent on them.
Then the demon's eyes rolled up, and he fell on the side. Koto started the countdown. Urameshi was grinning and laughing, but it was a rather nervous laugh. He too was at his limit. Still, to think these two were so alike they even had the same ace up their sleeves... Then, Koto declared Yusuke the winner of the match. Three against one: the victory was for the Urameshi Team. Kuwabara cheered. They had cleared the first round. Keiko and Koenma were especially reassured... contrary to the owner of the Rokuyukai Team who was devastated. Rinku rushed to his fallen friend. He could not believe it. Chuu had broken the slate tile in his fall, and yet, there was someone who had beaten his iron head.
"Hey, kid!"
"Yes!" Rinku jumped, startled.
"When he wakes up, tell him that we can have a rematch whenever he wants!" Yusuke smiled sincerely, giving him the thumb up. The child agreed, though innerly thinking that this guy was insane. However, the crowd was not happy at all.
"Hey! Enough with the chat!"
"We've been fooled!"
"Give us back our money!"
"Kill him!"
"They sucked!"
"Death to the losers!"
"We want a real show!"
"Death!"
"Kill him!"
"Finish Chuu!"
"Rinku and Chuu must die!"
"Good for nothings! Go die!
"Kill him!"
"Death!"
Kuwabara was angry but Rinku told him to ignore them. They didn't have the guts to come down and fight themselves. However, it was nothing to Urameshi's rage.
"SHUT THE HELL UP!" He yelled at the top of his voice. The whole stadium froze in fear. They had become so quiet one could have heard a pin drop. "Come on you delicate things! If you have anything to say we'll take you on! Come on, we're waiting! Come and play with us!" He challenged them with a wicked smile, pointing at the ground in front of him. Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei were also glaring at them, their hands in their pockets, their eyes narrowed. Only Akari had a feral smirk curving her lips too. She wanted to wreck havoc, to run wild, blow everyone and everything and release just a bit of tension. That was all she was waiting for, if only she could get the chance and permission. But of course, there was not a single movement in the audience. What a disappointment. How boring. Rinku was surprised and a little touched. Chuu was also awake, though pretending not to be, and had heard everything.
"Karasu, what do you think about Urameshi? Soon he will be our opponent in battle."
"Can he really make it this far?"
They were noticed by Urameshi who gave them the finger. Akari's expression changed to one of a real predator, a murderer thirsting for blood that enjoyed tearing their preys apart with only the Toguro Brothers in her sight.
"He's made a big mistake. He can't use his reigun anymore." Karasu said again, detaching with difficulty his purple eyes from the tremendous and wonderful hatred that burned fiercely into that girl's golden gaze. They were alike.
