"Tear the next one apart! Rip 'im up!"

"Ground 'im up!"

"Mash 'im up!"

"Crush 'im up!"

"Happy to oblige." Shishiwakamaru smiled and tossed the dice to the ring floor.

"Shred 'im up!"

"Pound 'im up!"

"The bloodlust in this stadium is flowing like lava!" Koto exclaimed into her microphone.

Sayomi, Hiei, and Kurama watched the dice roll. They landed on Mask and Choice.

Shishiwakamaru smirked and said, "My turn again, natch. And you three?"

Hiei smirked and said, "As I said, I'll step in for our missing members. Any objections, Kurama? Sayomi?"

"Wait." The team turned to see the Masked Fighter standing behind them with her arms clasped behind her back. "He rolled me, and I'm here."

Sayomi raised an eyebrow curiously. She sounds raspier. So this whole time…

"Is that right? Frankly, I don't think so." Hiei turned to face the Masked Fighter completely.

"Hiei…" Sayomi watched the swordsman carefully.

"Our Masked Fighter was incredibly strong, though she restrained it. Though you are masked, I do not sense that in you."

"My aura is now with Yusuke."

Hiei's eyes widened and Sayomi asked, "Where is Yusuke?"

Juri walked up to Shishiwakamaru and asked, "Do you wish to protest her tardiness?"

"No." Shishiwakamaru glared at the Masked Fighter as he drew his sword. "I challenge her competence. I do not face a worthy opponent here. It's simply absurd that she would dare pit herself against me."

The Masked Fighter didn't say a word as she watched the samurai.

Juri waved her arm and said, "Begin!"

Shishiwakamaru dashed forward, swinging his sword down to attack his opponent. The Masked Fighter jumped back and stayed ahead of the samurai, staying just out of range.

"Shishiwakamaru wields a nasty sword!" Koto exclaimed. "The Masked Fighter can barely dodge the strokes… and now Shishiwakamaru's closing in!"

The samurai increased his speed, catching up to the Masked Fighter. "You are not as swift as you were! You would have me believe you're the original Masked Fighter?! I think not!"

Shishiwakamaru quickly attacked with his sword. There was a loud rip that seemed louder than it should've been. Everyone's eyes widened in shock at the face under the mask.

"Whoa!"

Instead of the young girl with vibrant pink hair, there was an older woman with graying pink hair and wrinkles.

"It's not her!"

"Not the same woman!"

Hiei's eyes narrowed slightly. "As I thought…"

"You're wrong, Hiei." Sayomi couldn't take her eyes off the old woman. Master Genkai, why didn't you tell us sooner?

"Heh heh…" Shishiwakamaru chuckled and turned to Juri. "See what's happened?! They've switched out fighters behind that mask!"

"Seems so," Juri agreed.

Shishiwakamaru pointed at the old woman accusingly. "Even if she's an alternate, she can't step in until a team member dies! If one has, then I demand to see his or her corpse right here, right now!"

Sayomi scowled and crossed her arms. "Now he objects to an alternate stepping in unfairly."

"Yeah! No corpse, no substitutions!"

"They've violated the rules!"

"Team Urameshi's a bunch of cheaters!"

"Give 'em the death penalty!"

"Death!"

"Death!"

"Death!"

Koto looked at the old woman, just as shocked as the rest of the crowd. "It looks like Team Urameshi is about to be brought up on charges of cheating! We'll halt the action while HQ – Ah, HQ has ruled! That was quick!"

"Death!"

"Death!"

"Death!"

"Quiet, please!" The crowd began to quiet down and turn to the room where the Tournament Committee was seated. The feminine voice from the speakers began to explain. "The Fractured Fairy Tales have charged Team Urameshi with illegally switching team members. After due deliberation… HQ has ruled that this match will continue without penalty!"

The crowd erupted into loud shouts of rage and insults.

"HQ didn't rule against the humans?!"

"No fair! Humans are always guilty!"

"Quiet, please! Quiet!" The committee woman silenced the crowd as she introduced their anonymous informant. "Toguro has come forward and offered to elaborate on this ruling."

The crowd let out a gasp of suspense as their hero took the mic.

"Wh-why Toguro?"

"It has been determined…"

"Shh… Quiet!"

"…That Team Urameshi has committed only a mild infraction – tardiness. Fact is…" Toguro smirked as he enlightened the crowd. "The woman you see in the arena is the one, and only, Masked Fighter."

"She is?!" The crowd buzzed in disbelief and shock.

Sayomi glanced at the old woman. Why was she so young before…?

Toguro answered Sayomi's unspoken question. "When she's at maximum power, her cells rejuvenate, and she appears as she did in her prime. Otherwise, this is her normal appearance." Toguro's smirk stretched into a wicked grin. "Does that about cover it Genkai?!"

Genkai glared up at Toguro as the crowd broke into gossip.

"'Genkai?!'"

"It's her! The notorious Genkai, the Reiki Master!"

"No wonder Team Urameshi was kickin' butt!"

"But how'd Toguro get wind of all this?"

Sayomi looked back and forth between the two fighters as they stared each other down. He seemed very familiar with her technique. Do they know each other?

"Genkai… Heh heh heh…" Shishiwakamaru broke into a fanatic grin as he realized who he was fighting. "…Genkai… the famous Genkai, eh?! Fortune smiles on me today!" He drew his sword and said, "I took you for an old woman of no ability… but if you're Genkai, then I retract my earlier disdain!"

Shishiwakamaru gripped the hilt of his sword with both hands as it extended. Beneath the material, there were organic intestines. About midway, solemn faces emerged and began to moan. Shishiwakamaru smirked as he held his weapon proudly. "It now appears that I should take you very seriously!"

"Eh…?" Hiei frowned at the strange weapon.

"That sword! Is it…?" Kurama watched it warily.

"What is it…?" Sayomi shivered as she listened to the weapon's cries.

"Banshee Blade!" Shishiwakamaru presented his sword and began to spin it over his head with one hand. "Because its power is beyond awesome, Benkai sealed it away, unused. Even the wielder isn't safe, for it summons…" He caught his sword with his other hand and held it up defensively. "…the Grim Reaper! So ends your life, Genkai!"

"He could be right!" Kurama watched the samurai in worry. "Its aura overshadows Shishiwakamaru's."

"So he summons Botan?" Sayomi asked in confusion.

You cannot be that stupid.

Sayomi scowled at Hiei. He kept his eyes on the ring with his arms crossed. Sayomi quirked an eyebrow at the swordsman. He said it summons the grim reaper. Isn't that what Botan is?

Why would his sword summon that fool? He obviously intends his attack to be threatening.

…Good point…

"Here I go!" Shishiwakamaru dragged the tip of his blade on the ring, circling around his body.

Genkai held up her fists defensively, waiting for him to make the first move.

"That's one creepy sword Shishiwakamaru's wielding!" Koto watched the samurai spin the weapon around, switching hands with smooth motion. "What displays of power are in store?!"

"Heh heh…" Shishiwakamaru chuckled as his sword began to emit more painful wails.

"That sound…" The weaker demons in the crowd were the first to become affected. "Gnawing at my brain…!"

"It… It's the sword!"

"It's shrieking like a demon!"

"Raaagh!"

"M-my head is… exploding!"

Koto looked around her as the crowd began to scream in pain. "The sword's shriek is knocking out the spectators! What a sight!"

Sayomi began to feel a headache creeping in. She clenched her fists, digging her nails into her palm. She bit her lip and tried to focus more on her physical pain. I can't let this get to me. It'll only get worse from here…

Shishiwakamaru continued to twirl his sword, summoning specters. "Those of weak will cannot withstand the beckoning of ghosts. I, however, find it beautiful." He steadied his sword with a cynical smirk. "What's your opinion, Genkai?!"

Shishiwakamaru jumped into the air and swung his sword in a downward diagonal strike. "Take this, you old bat! Smothering Skull Gush!"

A horde of spectral skulls burst from the attack and began to scatter throughout the stadium. They screeched as they flew through the air and bit off the heads of the living.

When the ghosts directed their assault on Sayomi, she pulled out her kusarigama and used the chain to spin a barrier and destroy one. Hiei used his Blazing Sword of the Overlord to torch his assailant. Kurama used his Rose Whip to destroy another.

Shishiwakamaru smirked down at the large crater left in the ring. "The Banshee Blade's shriek releases evil that, through the resonating blade, becomes amplified into a shockwave. I lose a lot of aura in the process… but my target is utterly wiped out."

"Provided it connects."

Shishiwakamaru's eyes widened at the sound of the old woman's voice. He turned around to see Genkai standing with her fists raised. Her clothes were ripped in a few places, but otherwise she was unharmed. The samurai's face became grim as he glared down at her. "So, not so slow and weak as I thought."

Genkai pointed at him and said, "I seem to have gone a bit senile. I forgot the technique to use until you reminded me."

"Eh?" Shishiwakamaru's eyebrows drew downward angrily. "No way you could've dodged me except by blind luck! You won't escape next time, I promise!"

"Waah!"

"Yeek!"

"I don't wanna watch anymore!"

"Step aside!"

"I don't wanna die!"

Koto ducked down behind her desk and peered over the edge just enough to see. "This crowd's nervous! Many of 'em are bolting for the exits! All in all, can't say I blame 'em!"

"Wot a buncha wimps!"

"Runnin' out when Genkai's about to go down!"

"Some are trying to be brave, sticking it out… while the match continues!"

Sayomi glared up at the wannabe samurai. He looks crazy. Does being famous really matter to him that much? Seems like it would get annoying fast.

Shishiwakamaru began to spin his sword above his head again, creating more cries and moans.

Sayomi fought back the urge to cover her ears. Her eyes widened when she saw a wall of spirits materialize around the two fighters. Well that doesn't look good…

"Restraining Wall of Screams!" Shishiwakamaru sneered down at Genkai with open malice. "Nowhere to run, Genkai… Nowhere to hide! It is such a marvelous moment when you know you're sending another worthless fool who fantasizes about 'justice' to the grave!"

Genkai stood her ground and said, "You know nothing about justice other than your hatred of it!"

"Oh yes!" Shishiwakamaru grinned as his eyes dilated. "I do hate it! Violence is my meat, Genkai, and wickedness my ambrosia! I have no use for hypocritical 'pacifists'!"

"Same here." Genkai smirked. "We're not so different."

Shishiwakamaru glared and jumped into the air, his weapon raised and surrounded by wailing ghosts. "Don't you dare mock me! Prepare to be torn to bits!"

A loud crack echoed throughout the stadium. The crowd was silenced as they watched in awe. Genkai had the blade between the palms of her hands. The aura from the ghosts began to pour out from the sword and absorb into the old woman, changing her back to her younger appearance.

"Huh…?" Shishiwakamaru's eyes widened at the sight, catching him off guard.

"Reflecting Mirror Blast!" Genkai concentrated the aura into her hands and sent the blast back at her opponent. His sword broke into pieces and ghouls were forced out towards the swordsman. Shishiwakamaru spit up blood as the direct attack sent him flying back, skidding on the arena floor. Sayomi, Hiei, and Kurama all watched with wide eyes, impressed with the psychic's technique.

Young Genkai looked down at her bleeding opponent and said, "I have little aura to spare so I borrowed yours."

Shishiwakamaru was covered in bruises and blood. His clothes were ripped and stained all over. He weakly lifted his head to look up at the woman in shock. "Y-you're diabolical…"

"You misunderstand my view of justice." Genkai explained like a teacher to her student. "I just don't particularly care for scoundrels like you."

"Heh… Well said…" Shishiwakamaru smirked and laid his head back on the ring. "And… darn, you're cute like that… cute enough to… fall in love… with…"

Shishiwakamaru passed out and Juri began to count. Sayomi looked up at Genkai with new admiration as she began to age again. Wow… She's amazing… So she gave her energy to Yusuke? How much stronger has he gotten?

"Ten!" Juri lifted her arm and gestured to the aged woman. "The winner is – Genkai!"

"She stopped a sword with her bare hands, then zapped Shishiwakamaru with his own aura!"

"She's one tough tomato!"

The crowd continued to buzz with amazement at the old woman's skills. Hiei kept his eyes focused on the other team. "One left."

"All that's left is that old man?!"

"That's pathetic! Hopeless!"

"Oh dear…" The old man stood hunched with his hands behind his back. "There's no real need to throw this die now, but would you still like it to decide?"

Hiei crossed his arms and answered, "Fine with us. Little good it'll do you."

"Very well… Here we go…" The old man tossed the lone die onto the ring. It bounced a couple times before rolling to stop on Kuwabara. "Hmm… Tsk tsk…"

Juri looked down at the die and said, "It's come up… Kuwabara." She extended her arm and cheered, "Guess we'll have to give it another roll—"

"Don't nobody touch it!" Juri was caught off guard as the loud voice blared through the stadium. "'Cause I'm here t' tell ya…"

"Ulp! Oopsy…" Juri turned to the stands to see Kuwabara with Koto's microphone in his hand as he used another demon's head as a stepping stool.

"…Kazuma Kuwabara's back, fans! Ready to chew gum, kick butt, and take names! Too bad I'm outta gum!"

Sayomi sighed and shook her head in shame. "Did he really need to be so loud about it?"

"Hn. So the fool lived." Hiei glanced at the human with annoyance before looking back at the old man. "How fast do you think he'll lose this time?"

"You never know, Hiei." Sayomi looked over at the swordsman. "He might be able to beat the old man."

"He couldn't beat a child," Hiei countered bluntly. "Given how the old woman fought Shishiwakamaru, I highly doubt he will fare any better against this old man."

"Watch it, stud." Genkai warned Hiei casually with a smirk. "I may be old but I'm not too old to teach you a lesson or two."

"Hn." Hiei's face became impassive as he watched Kuwabara make his way to the ring.

"By the way, Master. Where is Yusuke?" Sayomi needed to know about her charge.

"He's sleeping. He'll be fine on his own for now." Genkai turned to the ring, signaling the end of the topic.

Sayomi didn't ask any more questions as Juri started the match. She looked back to the ring and saw Kuwabara run straight for the old man. "Is that really a good—"

The old man maneuvered his arms and summoned an orb of darkness out of thin air, holding it in front of himself. Kuwabara continued to charge straight into the orb where he became imprisoned.

"What is that?!"

"Some kinda… black hole!"

Kuwabara glared and pressed himself against the wall of the sphere. "Hey! Lemme out!"

Koto watched the match with wide eyes and announced, "Kuwabara no sooner jumped in, then he got trapped in a black sphere!"

"You were saying, Sayomi?" Hiei smirked at the demoness.

"Shut up, Hiei." Sayomi glared at the old man and Kuwabara, annoyed by the outcome.

"This, my friends, is the Terminal Hagoromo…" The old man explained for the spectators. "An entrance to another dimension. I can manifest it without the use of a cloth. The rest of my team was just an opening act using tools – mere toys, actually – I created to suit their talents."

"Arrrr!" As the old man went on, Kuwabara yelled as his body began to distort and vanish. "Not againnnn!"

"Ho ho ho…" The old man chuckled and let the sphere vanish into smoke. "…One gone, three to go. I'd hoped Shishiwakamaru would last into the finals. Oh well…"

"So he literally ran into the same trap twice…" Sayomi took a deep inhale and let out a slow exhale. "…Yeah… Okay…"

"And next up?" The old man glanced at Team Urameshi and held up their die. "Kurama? If so, I could tell him the secret of the smoke… if he wins."

Kurama's face betrayed no emotional reaction, but Sayomi could just feel his desire to learn the secret. The die rolled across the tile and landed on Mask.

"'Mask'… Genkai!"

"Busy day for her, huh!"

"Ho ho…" The old man chuckled. "You up to it? You must be rather tired…"

Genkai stared him down with a blank expression and said, "And you can stop putting on the old and feeble act. Is there any further point in the pretense, whoever you are?"

Sayomi's eyes widened at the news. An act? So he's not really old?

The "old" man smirked at Genkai and said, "You 'never judge a book by its cover,' eh? I'd even concealed my aura level. Disguises are something of a hobby, you see."

"Hmph!" Genkai scoffed at his explanation.

"Ah, well…" He reached for his cheek and began to pull. "…Might as well unveil."

"He's been in disguise?"

"Then who is he?!"

"I did myself up as an old man…" He pulled the fake wrinkles away, tearing the mask. "…Because, frankly, I hate senior citizens. Assuming the guise of what I scorn boosts my aggression. Aging… Pssh! It's grotesque! A veritable sin!"

There was a small explosion and a white smokescreen covered the last member of the Fractured Fairy Tales. When the smoke cleared, there was a clown in the arena. He wore a pink jester's outfit with a green collar and wrist cuffs. He wore blue jester shoes and a blue belt with a gold heart buckle. His face was covered in white make-up with blue lips and a purple heart over his left eye. The right half of his face was covered with a mask. To finish off the look, he wore a bright red clown nose and his blond hair stood up in wild spikes.

The clown smirked and brought a hand to his chest as he began to introduce himself. "I plan to make my mark long before my wrinkles start to show. And everyone will know my name! And my name will spell pure, unholy horror! Winning this tournament will be the first step!"

"Hmph… Idiot." Hiei scoffed at the clown.

"Yeah, no joke." Sayomi agreed.

"You're all here at the beginning…" The clown continued. "…to witness this moment for posterity. I am Suzuki, the Beautiful Fighter… A man of a thousand faces—and moves!" He held up a finger and kept talking. "When you speak of me… speak well, and don't forget the 'Beautiful' part."

Koto smiled nervously and said, "Suzuki's had himself totally made over in this garish getup. He's about the wackiest-looking fighter I've ever seen!"

Genkai stared at the clown, unimpressed with his entrance. "You say you're beautiful, and yet you hide your face? Perhaps you are, in fact, quite ugly?"

Suzuki crossed his arms and said, "A legend is forever, so what does it matter what face it has? People are fascinated by the unknown, and their fear of it fuels their imaginations. Take gods and devils, for example. Women a century from now will wonder, 'that beautiful, powerful fighter… what did he look like?' I get a thrill imagining how they'll debate over that."

Genkai clenched her fists, getting more annoyed by the minute. "I find your type repugnant."

"This I promise, that once I win…" Suzuki shouted with glee. "I will have all the old and infirm put to death! Along with anyone who challenges my fiat! Only followers – my followers – will be allowed to live!"

"Dream on, Pajama-boy!"

"Who'd follow a lame-o like you?!"

Suzuki glared and sent a blast of energy towards the stands. The crowd panicked and got hit with the blast, leaving behind a smoking crater. He smirked with his hand still raised. "I'm quite serious."

"This clown's nuts," Hiei commented.

"He's not even funny in the good way," Sayomi agreed.

"Gee… Who do we root for?"

"Yeah! Don't like either of 'em!"

The crowd grew pale and worried as the possibility of either team winning seemed grim for their future.

Suzuki pointed at Genkai and said, "You will appear in a passage of my story titled, 'Genkai Gets Flattened by Suzuki, the Beautiful Fighter.'"

Juri raised her arm and announced, "Time to fight, guys! Begin!"

Suzuki began to move his arms hypnotically as he manipulated his aura. "I'd advise you not try the Reflecting Mirror Blast. It works by matching harmonics, right? Well, I can change my aura harmonics at will."

He held up his finger and began to shift through different aura signatures with ease. He rushed towards Genkai with a grin. "Get the picture?! You'll just have to try something else… if you can! Rainbow Cyclone!"

Suzuki opened his arms and released streams of different-colored aura. They spiraled towards Genkai, sending her skidding back into the stadium wall.

"Is that it for her?!"

"Mmm…" Suzuki smirked. "A rainbow-hued blast of various harmonics is a most exquisite beautiful move, and my favorite."

"Genkai's out of bounds!" Juri declared. "I'm starting the count! 1! 2!"

"Huh! That it?" Suzuki rested his hands on his hips. "There're 999 other moves I wanted to show her."

"Pfft. Yeah, right," Sayomi scoffed under her breath.

When the dust settled, Genkai was sitting up with just a few bruises and rips in her clothing. She stared up at her opponent with boredom as the wall crumbled behind her.

"Ah…" Suzuki glanced at her. "Tougher than that, eh?"

Genkai smirked and tossed up a bright red accessory in her hand. "That's a shapely nose you've got. You should show your face. Might help your legend."

Suzuki glanced down and gasped when he noticed his red clown nose was gone. "Y-you witch!"

"Heh…" Kurama chuckled.

Genkai dropped the nose and clenched her fists as she got to her feet. "As I said, I'm no champion of justice. I'll take down anyone I don't like." She smirked and pointed at the clown with her middle finger. "No need to waste any aura on you, either. I'll just use my fists."

Suzuki began to sweat as his body heat escalated. His pupils dilated as he began to tremble with rage. "You… old… crone…"

Genkai began to shuffle from foot to foot, taunting her opponent. "I had to have a strong physique to withstand the unimaginable pain of becoming the successor. Compared to that, your attacks are like pound cake."

Suzuki sneered down at Genkai as he growled, "You dare mock me?! Graah! Then I'll save my aura, too!" Suzuki clenched his fists as his muscles began to expand, ripping his shirt into tatters. "Ha ha… How d'ya like my Explosive Flesh of Steel?! It's Toguro's move! As you can see, I can do just as well as he can!"

Genkai pointed at him and said, "You think so? I don't. You'll lose, and why? While you're a genius at creating weapons tailored to others… that gives you no edge in combat. Even Shishiwakamaru was stronger than you."

"Shut up!" Suzuki brought his fist down, shattering the ring as Genkai jumped back.

She threw a right cross and connected directly with his cheek. Suzuki slammed into the floor, bleeding from his mouth. Genkai landed on his back, breaking a few bones on impact as his body was forced against the ring. She jumped off and kicked his chin, sending him almost to his feet.

Sayomi, Hiei, Kurama, and Koto watched in suspense.

"Haah!" Genkai delivered a barrage of punches directly to Suzuki's face and body. She pulled back and looked at his swollen face. "Hmph!"

"Qu… Quack…" Suzuki spewed blood from his eyes, nose, and mouth. His skin was turning purple and his hair was a mess.

Juri watched in shock as he collapsed to the floor, unconscious. Genkai ran a hand through her hair as she realized something. "Hmph! Never got a look at his real face."