Sayomi sat next to Kurama as he read his book. Hiei's head rested in her lap as she petted his hair, keeping it out of his face. She stared down at him as she thought about how to go about telling him the news.

He's going to be so angry. I ended up wasting his time and I came back instead of staying to protect Yukina. But can he really blame me when Kurama was in such terrible shape, though? Her hand froze mid-pet as Hiei began to stir.

She pulled her hand back as he opened his eyes and smirked down at him from under her hood. "I thought I told you not to pull anymore fake deaths, you crazy bastard."

"Sayomi…?" He blinked a couple more times before slowly sitting up. He propped an elbow up with his knee and looked around at the stadium.

"Ah! You're awake." Kurama smiled at the waking demon.

"So… How long was I out?!" Hiei asked, turning to the red-head.

"About six hours," Kurama answered.

"And the tournament? How's it going?" Hiei leaned back on his hands.

"After your win, they called a halt." Kurama turned back to his book to continue reading.

"Huh? Why?" Hiei asked in confusion.

"To clear up the mess you made of the place." Kurama brought the swordsman's attention to the state of the stadium. The ring was in pieces. The roof was half gone and a whole section of stands and wall had been cleared away. A large opening led to the surrounding forest.

Hiei turned to Sayomi and asked, "So why are you here if the tournament is still going on?"

Sayomi sighed and said, "Look, before you get mad, she told me to come down here herself. And while you were out…" She glared down at her clenched fists that rested in her lap and took a deep breath. "I was told not to fight anymore. I'm only allowed to heal."

"Why? Who told you to stop?" Hiei glared around at the group, gauging the most likely culprit.

"Does it really matter at this point?" Sayomi shut her eyes and took a few more deep breaths. "I was never cut out to be a fighter in the first place and you know it. You even said so yourself at the very start."

Hiei narrowed his eyes and was about to respond when Juri spoke into her mic. "Sorry for the wait, folks! But now we're ready to go! Let's have the third match!"

The crowd erupted into loud cheers and shouts.

"All riiight!"

"Nuthin'll stop the Toguros now!"

"We're under way again after a six-hour break!" Koto announced from her booth. "Which hasn't dampened the enthusiasm of this crowd!"

"I'm up next!" Kuwabara declared as he made his way into the ring.

"Then come up and die, human!"

"Die!"

"Die!"

"Still favoring the Toguros?" Hiei glared up at the stands in disbelief. "Even after I defeated Bui and knocked 'em around like that?"

Kurama put away his book and turned to Hiei. "While you were asleep, Toguro impressed them with a little stunt."

Sayomi remembered how the demon in question walked back to the old stadium. Just a few hours later, the ground shook as he returned with the old ring on his back. Sayomi trembled at the memory.

"He hauled over the ring from the old arena?!" Hiei asked in disbelief.

"To salute your spectacular effort, he said." Kurama kept his eyes on the Toguro brothers standing across the field.

As Kuwabara made his way to the ring, Koenma said, "You okay? Bowels acting up, perhaps?"

"I'm fine, thanks!" Kuwabara replied angrily. He turned away from the Underworld prince and muttered, "What use are you, anyway? If Genkai were here, I could've tackled the middle-aged dude."

Hiei's eyes widened as he overheard the teen. "He still doesn't know she's dead?"

"That's what it looks like…" Kurama confirmed.

Sayomi bit her lip in shame as she turned away from the ignorant human. I couldn't bring myself to tell him… I thought he would notice it…

Hiei stood up and turned to their team leader. "Yusuke… why haven't you told him?" When Yusuke didn't reply, Hiei clenched his fist and mumbled, "Should've told him myself."

Hiei… Sayomi glanced at the swordsman curiously.

"Die!"

"Die!"

The elder Toguro brother jumped down from his brother's shoulder and walked forward. Kuwabara stepped into the ring, ignoring the hateful chanting from the demon fans. He held up the hilt of a sword and glared at his opponent.

"Begin!" Juri announced with a wave of her arm.

"Grr!" Kuwabara focused his aura on the hilt. He gritted his teeth as the tool charged and began to emit a brilliant light.

"Huh?!" The crowd was curious about the new attack from the human.

Yusuke, Hiei, and Sayomi watched with wide eyes, unaware of Suzuki's gift. The elder Toguro stared at the weapon with feigned interest. "My, my…"

Kuwabara stood in the ring, holding a blinding sword of aura. The energy stemmed from the hilt as a blade and expanded until it covered the young fighter in electric energy.

"His recuperative powers have been boosted." Kurama observed from the sidelines. "The sword's aura is also enhanced. It's both a weapon and a shield."

"That's pretty cool," Sayomi commented quietly. Maybe he can win this one…

"Have at you!" Kuwabara dashed forward, his sword ready to swing. The elder Toguro simply stood his ground with his hands in his pockets and a bored expression.

Sayomi flinched when she heard the tiles break. She looked up to see cracks at Toguro's feet. Cracks? But, Kuwabara hasn't attacked him yet.

"Raah!" Kuwabara swung his sword down.

The crowd gasped as they watched. "Why's he just standing there?!"

The sword cut straight through from Toguro's ear down through his torso. Sayomi gasped at the sight of blood and torn muscles and tendons. The flesh slumped down lifelessly as Kuwabara stepped back.

"Eh?" Kuwabara watched his opponent in doubt as sweat dripped down his face. The Toguro brother stared blankly at nothing as he stood in place. "Is… is that it? D-did I… Did I actually win? Th…"

Kuwabara was cut off as he was pierced from behind in his arms and torso. He dropped his weapon, his aura receding, and coughed up blood.

"Kuwabara!" Yusuke shouted angrily.

Sayomi could only stare with wide eyes as Kuwabara fell forward to the floor with a heavy thud. The tendrils that stabbed through him retreated across the ring. A hand emerged, followed by the rest of the elder Toguro. Sayomi looked back and forth between the two identical figures in the ring. "But… how?!"

"Heh heh heh…" His fingers retracted back to normal on his hand as he emerged from under the ring floor. "Such naiveté… It's quite entertaining, really."

"Holy… spit!" Kuwabara grunted as he struggled to look behind him. "Two of him!"

The tiles broke as the Toguro brother lifted his arm, raising his doppelganger from the other end. His puppet unraveled into the fingers of his other hand to reveal a small scratch. "You attacked an extruded mannequin. It feels pain, but you feel it worse."

Toguro's face extended out and twisted about as he spoke. "My organs are all rather free-floating. I drilled through the stone with my feet… That's how I got over here." He stretched out his fingers and picked up Kuwabara's weapon to examine it. "A handy, well-made device. A memento from Genkai? Funny…" He smirked down at Kuwabara. "Such a gift, wasted on such a nitwit. How can she hope to rest in peace?"

Sayomi paled when she saw the emotions cross Kuwabara's face. She tried to keep her breathing even as she saw the disbelief flash in his eyes. Oh no… Not like this…

"What?" Kuwabara struggled to get up as he glared at the elder Toguro. "Did you just say –?"

"This surprises you? You mean… you didn't know?" Elder Toguro smirked down at Kuwabara as he said, "Genkai is dead. Killed in a fight."

Kuwabara gritted his teeth and his eyes widened at the news. His body shook as he slowly got to his feet. "What…?" He clenched his fist angrily, popping his knuckles from the strain.

Toguro attacked the boy from the front, piercing his legs and hips with his fingers. Kuwabara fell to his knees, catching himself with a hand for support. "Unh!"

"Heh heh heh heh… Heh heh heh…" The Toguro brother chuckled quietly before he laughed out loud in amusement. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Your 'friends' didn't bother to inform you?" He raised his hand and let it twist and morph into a humanoid shape. "I'll tell you the tale with a little puppet show."

Kuwabara gasped when the lump of flesh transformed into the young Genkai.

"Once, long ago," Toguro began. "Two dear friends, a young man and woman, together sought to master the martial arts. But time passed…" The puppet morphed, aging the young Genkai until it resembled the old Reiki master. "The woman aged, lost her looks…"

"Brother!" The younger Toguro warned from the sidelines.

"This won't take long," Toguro assured his younger brother. "The man, though, called on the powers of the Demon Plane to preserve his youth. Consumed by jealousy, the woman challenged him to a duel. Sadly, she was off her game… but he wasn't. And so my brother finished it… like this…" He sharpened his fingers and stabbed them through his puppet version of Genkai. Kuwabara grunted and his eyes opened wide at the sight. "And she went to Heaven."

The puppet Genkai bled from the mouth as the Toguro brother smiled down at his opponent. "And he lived happily ever after." He threw back his head and cackled in delight. "Ha ha ha ha ha!"

"That bastard…" Sayomi growled, clenching her fists as her aura began to shift around them.

"I hate it when he does that," Younger Toguro muttered to himself with a sigh.

"Mm?" Toguro stopped laughing when Kuwabara made it back to his feet.

His body staggered as he bled freely from the small wounds. His fists clenched firmly as he composed himself enough to say, "That's enough of that crap, pal."

Toguro smirked and held up the sword hilt. "Still acting tough, huh? But I have your sword. Your aura alone won't amount to much."

"Shut up…" Kuwabara straightened himself, despite his injuries.

"You shut up… and die." Toguro extended his fingers, aiming for Kuwabara's chest. He faltered when his fingers stopped on impact, unable to deal lethal damage. "This… This doesn't make sense! They can't pierce your skin!"

Kuwabara slowly raised his head to glare at the demon. Then he yelled, "I said shut up! And die!"

Kuwabara thrusted his fist forward, emitting a blinding aura. Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, and Sayomi watched with gaping mouths. Kuwabara glared coldly as Toguro fell to the ring in bloody pieces.

"Guuh…!" Toguro stared up at the human boy in shock. He was wielding his aura sword as smaller orbs of energy shot out from it. "Your sword is giving off an aura like shuriken. You're more ingenious than I expected."

Kuwabara fell to one knee with his hand keeping him up. He quivered and began to sweat from exhaustion. "Huff huff…!"

"Heh heh… but you're badly hurt…" Toguro smiled sadistically. "…Too hurt to come up with any new aura tricks. I, on the other hand, don't have that problem." Toguro's flesh began to reach out to itself and pull together. Before long, he stood up in one piece, ignoring his tattered clothing.

"Wow! Lookit that!"

"His chopped-up bits grew back together!"

Toguro allowed his organs and body parts to shift around his head. His fingers reached out from his scalp while one of his eyes dropped down to the mouth and reach forward. He spoke from his mouth that moved off to the side of his head. "You might take Kurama's trick and go for my heart, but can you tell where any of my vital organs really are?"

"Blast…" Kuwabara clenched his teeth as he staggered to his feet.

"Back on your feet? Sorry…" Toguro reorganized his body and reached for the boy. "…But I like you much better flat on the ground." Toguro extended his fingers and looped them around to stab Kuwabara from behind.

"Yaah!" Kuwabara yelled out as his body was forced back down to the floor.

"Kuwabara!" Yusuke yelled out in fear.

"He's down!" Juri announced instantly. "1!"

"I'm more comfortable with you this way," Toguro said with a smirk. "If you want to try for a T.K.O, don't. I'd just slit your throat."

Kuwabara glared up at his opponent with defiance. "Enjoy this moment. It's your last."

"4!"

"Don't make me laugh." Toguro raised his free hand and shaped it into a large blade. "You're a frog about to be dissected. Die!"

Kuwabara grunted as he concentrated his aura into his hand. He pushed the energy down into the ring, connecting it to the dropped sword hilt across the floor. The hilt levitated and the aura blade solidified from the tool.

Toguro turned to look behind him and his eyes widened. "He's pulling my trick! And he's telekinetic?!"

"You're the frog, pal! Slice an' dice!" Kuwabara used the sword to cut Toguro into pieces again from behind. As the Toguro brother fell, Kuwabara got to his feet.

"8! Turnabout! The Elder Toguro is down!" Juri restarted her count.

Kuwabara wobbled as he made his way to Toguro. The demon smirked as his body began to regenerate again. "Got me fair and square! But you still haven't delivered anything like a lethal blow! Heh heh…! I'll just reassemble again… and again… and again!"

Toguro stared up in confusion as Kuwabara's sword changed into a large paddle. Kuwabara stared up at his weapon and said, "This thing's really something. It took the most effective shape, both times." Toguro began to sweat in fear. Kuwabara glanced down at him with cold indifference. "Since I don't know your weak spots… I'll just squash you whole!"

Kuwabara glared as he swung his weapon down on the elder Toguro brother. The crowd watched in dumbfounded silence. Juri's eyes widened at the boy's aggression.

"Um… I'll just confirm…" Juri stepped forward as Kuwabara relinquished his aura. Her face paled when she saw what was left. "Ew!" She raised her arm and made her announcement. "The winner: Kuwabara!"

"I can't believe it."

"Team Toguro is down 2-1."

"He did it…" Sayomi smiled in relief. "He could use some healing, but at least he's not dead."

"Hn. Those aren't the wounds that matter," Hiei said with his arms crossed.

Sayomi raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Nice work, Kuwabara!" Yusuke walked up to his teammate excitedly. "Hey, you okay?!"

Kuwabara glared at Yusuke. Then he landed a straight jab to Yusuke's cheek.

Yusuke stared ahead in shock, trying to register the action. Kurama gasped while Hiei and Koenma just stared. Sayomi was about to step in until Hiei rested his hand on her shoulder, holding her back. Despite the gesture, she couldn't tear her eyes from the two boys.

Yusuke wiped his hand across his bruising cheek as Kuwabara confronted him. "Why didn't you tell me she was dead? Didja think I couldn't handle it? That I'd panic, lose my nerve, and take off or something?"

Sayomi flinched as Kuwabara's words struck her. She turned away and stared down at the ground.

Kuwabara grabbed Yusuke by the shirt and growled, "Well?!"

"Kuwabara…" Kurama approached the teen carefully.

"I didn't ask you!" Kuwabara yelled, keeping his focus on Yusuke.

"He didn't tell us, either." Kurama stayed calm as he explained. "We just figured it out on our own."

Kuwabara let go of Yusuke, waiting for him to respond. The detective stared down at the floor, unable to look his friend in the eye.

"Genkai… She died in my arms." Kuwabara listened quietly as Yusuke recalled the incident. "I asked Koenma to… take care of her, then come back and help out." He clenched his fist as he continued. "I relied on her, y'know? I know that's no longer possible… but still… I can't believe she's gone. The reality is… unreal. I think, and feel, that she'll still manage to show up… unless I admit, openly, that she's dead. Then even that vague hope vanishes. That's why I… said nothing. Sorry."

Sayomi felt tears build up in her eyes. Since no one could see under her hood, she let them spill. Oh, Yusuke… I'm sorry I couldn't save her… I'm such a weak coward…

"Hmph!" Kuwabara grunted as he turned and walked away. "Why didn't you just say so, then?"

Kurama's smile strained as he said, "Weren't you listening? That's just what he couldn't do."

"Urameshi!" Yusuke turned to look at Kuwabara. "Beat him."

Yusuke smirked and made his way towards the ring. He adjusted one of his wristbands and said, "That's my plan."

"Finally!" The crowd began to quiet down as the big fight was about to begin.

"Wow…" Koto said in wonder. "The crowd's gone deathly quiet! I think… it's the calm before the storm!"

"Toguro." Sakyo made his way to the ring. "Let me go out first."

The crowd began to mutter amongst themselves in confusion.

"What's Sakyo doing?!"

"He figuring to fight Urameshi?"

Yusuke blinked as he watched the billionaire walk up to Juri. He held out a hand and asked, "May I borrow that?"

"Uh… sure." Juri handed the man her mic.

Sakyo held up the mic and said, "I'd like to place a wager on this match. I'm confident Toguro will win. So confident, in fact… I'll stake my life on it."

Everyone looked at Sakyo in confusion or shock. Hiei crossed his arms and said, "So, he's just declared this the de facto championship match."

"Can he do that?" Sayomi asked curiously.

"He said it wouldn't come down to him," Hiei reminded her.

"And to show how much this match is worth overall…" Sakyo continued. "…The winner will be credited with two wins. I may be Team Captain, but I know I don't have what it takes to satisfy this crowd. Toguro, on the other hand, is guaranteed to thrill you. I'm pleased to put my life in his hands. Of course, that's if HQ and the other team's captain agree to this."

Koenma gauged Sakyo carefully and said, "All right, then! I'll stake my life on Yusuke Urameshi to win."

"Koenma…" Yusuke turned to the young prince.

"I kinda got you into this mess, so I should assume some risk. But…" Koenma watched Sakyo carefully as he spoke to Yusuke. "Sakyo's no idle boaster. He's wagered his life many times before… You can see it in his eyes. The ambitions of such a man can too readily lead to chaos and mass destruction. You must prevent that. You're the only one who can."

Yusuke stared at his boss, unable to respond. Meanwhile, the crowd became restless.

"The teams have struck a deal!"

"What'll HQ say?! Will they allow it?!"

The speakers in the stadium screeched as the voice began to speak. "Attention! The committee must confer! There will be a 10 minute break!"

"Okay by me! I gotta take a leak!"

"Let the teams have their way!"

"The suspense! I can't stand it!"

"Approve it, already!"

"So after six hours of waiting, they want to tack on another 10 minutes?" Sayomi shook her head and turned to Kuwabara. "So how are you feeling? I'm not Yukina, but you look like you could use some help."

Kuwabara smiled down at her and said, "Yeah, I guess you're right about that."

She smiled and began to patch up the small holes scattered all over his body. "At least this way, your aura can recover without having to fix you up physically."

"Heh heh…" Kuwabara looked over Sayomi's head and noticed Hiei glaring at them. He glared back and said, "You got a problem, shrimp?"

Sayomi turned to see Hiei watching them. After a moment of staring, she turned back to healing Kuwabara. "I don't think he's glaring at you, Kuwabara."

"Why would he be mad at you, though? I thought you guys were cool now." Kuwabara looked down at Sayomi, trying to block out Hiei's stern gaze.

"Who knows?" Sayomi shrugged as she finished healing the teen. "Just don't start anything, okay?"

"I won't if he won't," Kuwabara said cautiously.

Sayomi sighed as she made her way to the fire demon. "Is there something wrong, Hiei?"

"Why do you assume something is wrong?" Hiei countered dryly.

"Well, you just seem tense." Sayomi looked down in shame. "If it has to do with me not fighting anymore, can we discuss it later?"

"And if there isn't a later?" Hiei turned his attention to Yusuke and the Younger Toguro brother as they stared each other down.

"You wouldn't let Yusuke have the final match if you didn't think he could handle it." Sayomi couldn't bring herself to look at him. She could feel his body heat from where she stood and she could tell he was upset.

"I've been wrong before." Hiei kept his eyes on the ring, but Sayomi knew that wasn't what he was talking about.

Before she could say anything, the speakers blared with the voice from the committee. "We have a decision! The proposed terms of the match are approved! The winner of this match will be awarded two victories, and his team declared the Tournament Champions!"

"Fighters forward!" Juri announced enthusiastically.

As Yusuke and Toguro were making their way to the ring, a muffled laugh began to emit from a hole in the ring behind Juri.

"Heh heh… heh heh heh…" Then, scaring Juri nearly to death, the Elder Toguro popped out of the hole. He was half naked and he cackled maniacally. "Bwa ha ha ha ha! Hee haw hoo!" His face was covered in blood as he glared and reached out for Yusuke. "My brother is unbeatable, Urameshi! Your fate is sealed! He defeated Genkai! Yes, even her!"

Yusuke glared at the demon in the ground with calm anger.

"Gack!" Kuwabara reeled when he saw the Toguro brother. "The shrimp-boat! Thought I'd clobbered him!"

Toguro watched silently as his older brother continued. "Genkai rejuvenated for the last moments of their battle! But it did her no good! It wasn't enough! And you're not nearly as strong as she was! Genkai was hot when she was young, a real babe. I often wanted to take her for myself. But I didn't. Want to know why? Hee hee… Because she was more than I could handle." His eyes dilated as madness consumed him. "But she eventually grew wretched and decrepit, and I no longer cared! She's gone, and you'll soon join her!"

"Lemme at 'im! I'll pound 'im to mush!" Kuwabara growled angrily.

"Save it, Kuwabara," Kurama advised his comrade. "The scum's overstepped his bounds as those two up there will soon make clear."

Yusuke's glare grew more dangerous as the little monster spoke. The younger Toguro sighed as his brother reached out for him. "Come, brother! I'll be your weapon! What would you like? A sword? A spear?! Just name it! With you wielding me, we'll be invincible!"

"Go away," Toguro said as he stared down at his brother.

"Huh?" The older brother was stumped.

"This is my fight," Toguro said with finality. Then, he kicked his older brother in the chin, sending him up into the air.

"Nooo…" Elder Toguro glared down at his brother. "I'm your brother! We sold our souls together!" He adjusted himself so he was falling back down towards his younger brother in a mad rage. "Yet you would do this… to me?!"

"So it goes, brother." The younger Toguro raised his fist so his older brother landed on it, face-first. Following through with the punch, Toguro disintegrated his brother into pieces of flesh and bone that landed out in the ocean. "I never sold my standards."

Toguro turned his attention to Yusuke. "No one else will interfere. This is our fight, one-on-one, start to finish."

"Oh yeah," Yusuke agreed with a smirk.