Hideyoshi prises the sai from Rob's good hand; he then drags the defeated hare over to a heavy dining table. With a hefty shove of his foot, the table tips onto its side; Hideyoshi then pins Rob's good hand to the table, driving the monouchi so deep the yoku also penetrate the wood; Rob cries out in pain as his hand is impaled.

"You monster!" Maria screeches, leaping through the firewall, Tsubaki's katana raised in front of her; Hideyoshi spins and unleashes a searing spear of flame directly at the lynx; the katana are liquefied instantly; miraculously, Maria twists enough at the last second to avoid the worst of the molten metal. However, she can't avoid it all; her right arm is sprayed; Maria collapses to the floor, screaming in agony as the molten metal burns deep into the flesh of her arm. Hideyoshi takes up the second sai, then drags Maria over beside Rob; he pins her left hand next to Rob's right, driving the monouchi equally deep.

"Two down, three to go," Hideyoshi casually remarks as Maria's wailing fades into a quiet whimper.

Danny can no longer hold himself back; he leaps through the flames and charges Hideyoshi, his sansetsukon-turned-hanbo swinging for a powerful blow to Hideyoshi's head; the bat ducks the attack and sprints to recover his naginata; he raises it just in time to block a second charge from Danny.

For the next few minutes, the pair duel, Danny fuelled by vengeful fury, Hideyoshi calmer in the knowledge he holds the advantage. The clash of wood on wood echoes around the dining hall; it ends suddenly, the makeshift hanbo clattering across the floor.

"Any last words?" Hideyoshi barks, holding the blade of the naginata to Danny's neck.

"Yes, but they're not for you," Danny smiles back; snatching the tekko-kagi from his belt, he slices through the shaft of the naginata; the blade clatters across the floor as Danny kicks it away into the flames.

"No matter," Hideyoshi shrugs, discarding the remains of the naginata. "I have no need of any weapon when I have these powers." Spreading his wings, Hideyoshi surrounds himself with writhing fire; Danny is forced back by the sudden wave of heat.

"What are we going to do?" Chika asks Xander; her tone belies her growing fear Danny is merely delaying the inevitable.

"I have no idea," Xander replies, his tone one of resignation.

"Surely there's something?"

"I see only two options: either fight and die slowly, or surrender and die quickly."

"So much for keeping you alive," Chika sighs in resignation.

The couple watches as Danny ducks and weaves, trying desperately to avoid Hideyoshi's assault.

"The fake Crystal!" they suddenly chime together.

"If we get it right," Chika starts.

"We can strike hard and fast," Xander continues.

"When he's at his most vulnerable!" Chika finishes.

"'It's at the moment of victory you're most vulnerable to defeat.'"

"Wise words."

"My father's."

"He taught you well."

"We'll only have one shot," Xander cautions.

"Then we better make it count," Chika nods confidently.

"Together," Xander nods in return.

Danny falls flat on his back; the tekko-kagi skitter across the floor out of reach.

"Your mission is over," Hideyoshi declares, building up the flames, ready to sear Danny into ash; Danny closes his eyes and waits for death.