AN: Thank you cocobyrd87 for the review. I'm glad you're enjoying the story! ^^

UniversalGoddess

Koto flounced across the ring. "What an exciting round!" She announced. "The first match of the preliminaries is getting intense!"

The audience's boos and grunts told a different story. The demons threw their popcorn and drinks inside the arena.

"Team Rokuyukai is a disgrace!"

"Put your head out of your ass, and win the damn match!"

Tsuki stared fiercely at the rude audience. Win or lose, it didn't matter. The participants' lives were merely entertainment for their rotten pleasure.

Koto continued. "Alright, next fighter!" She stomped her foot when nobody entered the ring. "Hello?! Does anyone hear me?! I need new blood to enter the arena!"

The crowd's boos turned to cheers and whistles when Zeru stepped inside. Flames whirled around him as he glared daggers at the Urameshi's team.

Kurama inhaled a sharp breath. "What? Their team leader is going now!"

"But he should be going last!" Kuwabara stared at Zeru, slack-jawed. "Maybe this is a mistake!"

Tsuki shook her head. "No, he's ready and pissed."

"Zeru is the strongest of the four remaining," Hiei explained with a smirk. "But he's not taking this seriously enough. I guess Kurama's easy win was the fatal blow to his obnoxious ego."

Koto glowered and placed her hand on her hip. "Hello?! Urameshi Team, can we PLEASE get on with it here?!"

Hiei took off his scarf. "I'll go. This one has been irritating me ever since last night."

Tsuki focused her gaze on the ring. Two fire demons clashing against each other was going to be an entertaining match. Even though Zeru was strong, Hiei was unpredictable. He just needed to focus on Zeru's aggressive tactics.

"Now entering the ring is Team Rokuyukai Zeru and Team Urameshi Hiei!" Koto declared as the two fighters stood in the middle.

Hiei gleamed of deviltry. "I know a great deal about your technique," he explained with an arched sly brow. "You harness heat energy with such great precision that it resembles a knife cut. Of course, one of the edges was sloppily melted. You have your flaw."

"As do you," Zeru retorted, looking at Hiei up and down. "I don't think I need advice from someone with a fake eye."

They scowled at each other. Tsuki knew by their focus unblinking eye contact that they were fighting to the death.

"Fight!" Koto ordered.

The stadium felt like Tsuki was in a sauna. She backed away while Zeru's flames splurged, shoving Koto outside of the arena.

"Everyone, get closer to me!" Tsuki stood between Yusuke and the masked fighter. She formed a barrier surrounding her teammates. "This is going to get ugly!"

Hiei's lips curled with an icy contempt as Zeru pushed the flames a few inches from his face.

"Not intimidated yet?!" Zeru's flames spread out of the ring. Everyone was a target, but most of his fury aimed at the Urameshi's side.

Tsuki enhanced her spiritual energy. The screams of the crowd made her cringed. She covered her nose while the stench of burnt skin consumed the air.

Hiei laughed when a fire-tornado swirled around him. "Is that all? Your ring of fire isn't provoking my interest."

Zeru shot a flamethrower. "I wouldn't laugh just yet!" He shouted. His bullets of fire scattered to the sky as Hiei glided out of the way.

Koto peeked and climbed back to the arena. "Unfortunately, Hiei was not charged by the fire, but there's more flames coming his way!"

Hiei landed on the stadium's roof and sneered at Zeru. His face tightened while he soared away from another fireball.

The wreckage crumbled to a defenseless section. "Zeru's blows are fantastic! Hiei must run away from the scorching flames! Unfortunately, our good fan base is enduring the aftermath!" Koto declared.

Tsuki shifted her eyes between Hiei and Zeru. Hiei wasn't running away. By the look of his clenched face, he was annoyed by the pesky flames.

Zeru raised his chin high. His face showed unrelenting bloodlust as Hiei stood back inside the ring. "Heheheheheheh, you've become so quiet now!" He stated. "Are you too frightened to notice my supposed flaws?!"

Hiei gave out a fake yawn. "Actually, I'm bored."

"Actually, you're dead!" Zeru released his atomic bomb. The inferno of flames exploded in a pattern of a mushroom cloud.

Kuwabara's eyes widened. He stepped forward when the fire died down. "This guy is crazy!"

Tsuki took down her barrier. "Well, he met a crazier person," she muttered.

Kurama chuckled and stood next to Kuwabara. "That's Hiei for you."

Zeru inhaled, clamping his fists together. The flames that he absorbed changed his pale skin into lava red.

Koto gasped. "Wow! Zeru seemed to be engulfed in heat!"

"Take your best shot, hothead," Hiei taunted. He smirked when Zeru lunged and pierced his stomach.

Tsuki and the rest of the team gasped. They watched in horror as Hiei airborne into the sky.

"No, it can't be!" Kuwabara cried.

"Argh!" Hiei yelled. His jacket began to disintegrate.

"I'm not done yet!" A huge fireball ripped through Zeru's palm, penetrating Hiei.

Everyone was speechless when Hiei fell into the ring. "Wow, Zeru. I didn't know you could be so savage!" Koto proclaimed. "You see it for yourself, people! Hiei is done!"

Tsuki shivered. The heated stadium became cold like the first day of winter. Zeru's fire was still burning, but there was a dark aura swirling around Hiei's body.

Zeru spitted the ground. "Huh, what a weak thing!" The audience said nothing as he walked away. "You can rest in hell!"

Koto turned around, facing Zeru. "Well, yes! That fight wasn't the long one, but if you got scorchy moves like Zeru, a little goes a long way!"

Tsuki heard a buzzing sound and gazed up. Black lightning flickered in the coven black sky. The priestess gulped when she spotted Hiei rising from the ring.

"Yes," Hiei stated with his eyes filled with utter insanity. The stomach wound was closing and regenerating his skin tissue. "He's so talented that I'm reluctant to make the kill."

There was disbelief in Koto's tone. "Hiei survived! He's on his feet! He's smoldering with Zeru's fire!"

"No," Zeru took a step back. "How could you survive it all?!"

"I believe we already cover that." Hiei unraveled a cloth around his right arm. He flared up his headband, revealing the glowing Jagan. "So my Jagan eye might not be natural, but it gives me exactly what I need! I would like to introduce you to my new power, the dragon of the darkness flame!"

"I don't believe it's true," Kurama stated. "He's actually going to attempt the darkness technique. I thought Hiei was kidding when he told me."

"The darkness technique? What does that mean?" Botan asked.

"It means he's going to summon his guardian," Tsuki explained, closing her eyes. She could hear the dragon begging to be release from its captivity. The beast was craving for new flesh and wanted to release chaos onto the island.

Tsuki stumbled. The earthquake lasted for a few minutes until the explosion of lightning ruptured the silence.

"You know it's impossible to control the beast. Once I release it, I have no say." Hiei lifted his palm while the black flames consumed his arm. "I have the power to pull you through oblivion! I assume my right arm will do."

Zeru's voice became low as he quivered. "Oh god. Please, help me."

A devilish grin split Hiei's face, teeth gleaming in the flickering stadium light. "You should've never assaulted the Jagan eye. Because you see, it has its own mine and it loathes disrespect. Resisting the beast is something that I wouldn't do."

"GRRAAWH!" The dragon's call amplified across the stadium. The light bulbs crackled. Darkness hovered them while Hiei channeled his demonic energy.

Koto scampered out of the ring. "I know it's in my contract to stay! But in light of this situation we have here, I have to retreat!"

"Now, burn in the depths of hell!" Hiei screamed, his shirt ripping. He extended his hand with an explosion of flames forming the dark dragon.

"ARGH!" Zeru cried. He froze as the beast clamped his body. Droplets of his skin melted when he collided with the wall.

No one spoke a word when the dragon disappeared. The sky turned blue, but the aftershock of the lightning hummed in the air long after it had died.

"I can't believe it." Kurama's eyes were bulging with amazement and fear. "Hiei succeeded."

"Yes, he did," Tsuki stated. If Hiei was crazy enough to call the dark beast, she shouldn't be surprised that he survived.

Koto crawled back to the arena. "Where's Zeru?!" She inquired, gazing around. The announcer gasped when she spotted his silhouette seared on the wall. "He's definitely out of the ring!"

"Believe me, he's not coming back," Hiei explained, eyeing his leathery arm. "That cinder is all that's left."

"Well, counting to ten would be ridiculous! Let's give it up for Hiei!" Koto declared.

The audience mumbled amongst themselves when Hiei strolled towards his team's side.

Kuwabara jumped. "Yeah! We're punching our way to the top! Hiei can beat anyone with that move! But wait," he stated with his face turning pale. "Would if he decides to be the bad guy again?! Does that mean he'll turn that dragon against us?!"

Hiei stared straight in his eye. "Don't worry, fool. We entered an alliance. And I'm not the type to break it. Although, after we win the tournament, I can't guarantee a thing." He winced and dropped down, standing next to Kurama.

Tsuki observed Hiei's charred arm. His dark aura disappeared. She sensed that his energy was low too. The powerful move destroyed Zeru, but Hiei didn't come out unscathed.

"Woohoo! I'm ready to watch more spectacular rounds! Now, who's ready to fight?!" Koto asked both of the teams.

Rinku blinked rapidly after his two surviving teammates shook their heads with their trembled bodies backing away. Without another word, they dashed to the exit.

Tsuki wasn't surprised by their cowardness. Their energy was the same as Roto. However, the priestess flinched when she heard their screams. Tsuki felt another demon emerging from the waiting side. His energy was stronger compared to the ones who just left.

He was tall and scruffy. The blue mohawk demon carried the dead members with one hand and a bottle with the other. Rinku beamed as the demon bent down to talk to him.

Tsuki's nose wrinkled. His odor was a mixture of sake and shochu. When the demon slurped his bottle, she noticed his arms were muscular and brawned.

The priestess didn't expect an alcoholic to be a powerful opponent. After the demon dumped the dead teammates onto the floor, he wobbled to the ring. He lifted himself halfway up before stumbling to the ground.

Botan touched her cheek. "Oh dear, a drunk mad man escaped to the ring."

The demon was successful with the second climb. He tried to wobble towards Koto but dropped after taking a few steps. He waved his hand to the announcer. "Hey, Sheila! You're hot and seem to know what's the deal. Can you please come here?"

Koto pointed at herself. "Me?"

He scowled and slammed his fist to the ground. "Yes, you! I got a question for ya!"

The fox lady gulped and sprinted towards him. "Um, what kind of question?"

"Two of them fellas just died in an accident," he explained with a burp. "How can the team continue?"

"Gross," Koto covered her nose. "It doesn't matter who died! Each team is allowed a minimum of 5 fighters! 6 is the maximum! You're allowed to fight if you're with the Rokuyukai Team!"

The demon's sky blue eyes lit up. "Are you sure?"

"Duh, the rule book is part of my job!" The announcer shrieked when his muscular arms wrapped tightly around her body.

"Yeah! That means I can fight these two rounds myself! I think that's really ripper!" He grinned while Koto glared at him. "Thanks, Sheila!"

Kuwabara scratched his head. "His spirit power is less than Zeru's. But for some reason, I got a creepy feeling about this guy."

"He's the last fighter. And second, he's a drunky. What could go wrong?" Botan argued.

Tsuki narrowed her eyes. There was something dangerous about this guy. He killed his teammates without breaking a sweat. And he confidently declared that he wanted to fight two rounds. Although the demon was an impulsive drunk, he was the strongest of the Rokuyukai Team.

The demon put a toothpick in his mouth and eyed them. "Let's go, you zorks! I want to get a good brawl in before my fun wears off! In that case, they better just fight me two-on-one! HA! HA! HA!"

Kuwabara turned to his teammates. "So, who's going to take him?"

"Hurry up! I ain't got all day!" The demon demanded.

"Chū's very impatient!" Koto announced.

"What?!" He glared at her.

Koto lifted her hands. "I just call it as it is!"

Chū pointed at the Urameshi Team. "Don't confuse me with big words! Just give me a fighter!" He yelled, causing Koto to scurry in their direction.

"Come on, Urameshi Team! Choose a fighter!" Koto instructed.

"Masked fighter? Tsuki?" Kuwabara asked.

Tsuki and the masked fighter shook their heads and pointed to the stadium. Kuwabara glanced ahead as Yusuke jumped inside the ring.

Kuwabara cocked his head. "Well, that's unexpected."

"Indeed," Botan stated.

Yusuke yawned and rubbed his nose. "Waking up to the smell of alcohol, I can't help but feel a touch of home." He grinned and raised his arms in the air. "Hey, you stupid demons! I've been trying to sleep with your clever trash talk long enough, and I'm ready to kick some ass!"

Kurama touched his forehead and sighed. "After all the explosions, the alcohol stench woke him up."

Tsuki smiled with her eyes glistening. Her dear friend woke up at the right time. Chū may be strong, but Yusuke wasn't going to give up without a fight.

"Are you certain you're ready to fight?" Botan asked the spirit detective. "You've been sleeping all day!"

Yusuke twisted his body. "Ah, give me a break. I always warm up in the morning. That's why I'm taking on this jerk. "

"Kill Yusuke! Kill Yusuke! Kill Yusuke!" The demon's tone was murderous. Their eyes stared menacingly at the ring while they chanted.

Kuwabara observed the crowd. "Jeez, that's intimidating. Never heard of so many voices hating on a person so much."

"Can you really be surprised?" Hiei eyed the spirit detective. "Yusuke is becoming a boogeyman for the apparition."

"Yeah, I guess," Kuwabara stated. "But I've been helping Urameshi. Why haven't they screamed for me?"

Botan rolled her eyes. "Perhaps because you lost?"

"Hey now! They didn't know that before the fight!"

Chū spitted his toothpick out once they met in the middle. "Before we begin, I gotta say something." He reappeared in front of Koto and took her microphone. "Sorry, Sheila. I gotta borrow."

Koto gave him a dirty look. "Ew, don't call me that!"

"I just want to set the record straight before we get this thing going," Chū stated. "The only thing I suck at is rock, paper, scissors!"

The crowd responded with grunts and snorts.

"What a moron!"

"What the hell is he saying?!"

Koto grabbed her microphone back. "Uh, let me translate for the drunkard here! Early this morning, the Rokuyukai Team decided on their roster through rock, paper, scissors! Chū lost and became the last to fight! He wants you to forget all that because he's number one!"

"YEAH!" Chū yelled.

"She's good." Tsuki assumed he just sucked at the game.

"Yeah, she's definitely a perceptive person," Kuwabara complimented.

Chū eyed Yusuke. "I'm strong, ok! Do you get what I'm trying to yap to ya?!"

Yusuke tossed his jacket. "Yes, stupid. I understand," he said while jumping up and down. "You're scared of fighting me. Now you're blaming on this dumb game."

Chū slapped his forehead. "No! That's not what I meant! Didn't ya not hear foxy?!"

"Come on! This fighter is a pathetic drunk!" a demon yelled.

"Who's said that?!" Chū's veins formed around his arms as he stormed to the front row. He grabbed a random demon and choked his neck. "I'm going to pulverize ya!"

Tsuki gave out an exasperated sigh. The Dark Tournament had bullies and insane demons.

Chū grabbed another bottle and entered back in the ring. "Ima tell ya something, mate. I'm a master at drunk fighting. Don't let this persona fool ya!"

Yusuke got into his fighting stance. "Whatever, drunkie. I've fought a lot of ya back at home. You better have something else up your sleeve to beat me! I didn't come all this way to babysit your ass!"

"Wait a minute, you won't be jabbering that once I hit my groove. Course I got to stumble into it first."

Tsuki felt the tension thickening while the audience growled and stomped their feet.

"Kill him!"

"Cut off his head!"

Koto smiled. "This is so awesome! I've never heard of such excitement in an early fight! I can't even hear my thoughts! I can say horrible things and no one will seem to notice!"

Tsuki heard the clanking sound again. Thunder resonated in the sky and faded. "Yusuke better watch out. Chū won't be easy."

"Yeah, I hear ya." Kuwabara agreed with his eyebrows furrowed.

"You know, I heard lots about you," Chū explained with a smirk. "From the looks of it, I don't find you intimidating. I think you're just a little scared punk that gets lucky."

Yusuke growled and clenched his fist. "We'll let the round decide who's scared."

Chū relaxed his shoulders. "Now, now. Try to loosen up."

"Let the fight begin!" Koto demanded, giving the signal.

Tsuki's eyes widened. Chū's bloodlust had awakened now. The demon's moves were fluid as he glided, his musty odor intensifying. Tsuki found it hard to trail him.

Kurama stared intensely at Chū. "At last, he reveals himself. I've never seen spiritual energy of this kind."

"Watch how he flows. That guy is fast," Kuwabara stated.

"Yes, and his speed only adds to the problem," Hiei enlightened as Chū kept circling Yusuke. "Good luck trying to hit him."

"Wow, people! I guess the loon has talent after all!" Koto pronounced. "His moves are so fast and bizarre! I can't even tell where he is!"

Chū stood in front of the spirit detective. He aimed for his chest, but Yusuke covered his body with his arms. That didn't stop the demon from uppercutting him. While Yusuke flew, Chū jumped and elbowed him to the ground.

"Wow," Tsuki expressed. She barely saw how many punches he landed.

"Even from this killer view, I couldn't track Chū's strange moves! I suspect we missed some of Yusuke's fantastic agony!" Koto turned to the enormous screen. "Let's double check with our slow motion instant feature!"

The video displayed Yusuke getting punched multiple times before Chū elbowed him.

Botan covered her mouth. "Oh, dear."

"Yeah, he's not even fighting back," Kuwabara added.

"This is nothing to Yusuke," Tsuki informed. "He's been through more hell than this."

Koto twirled. "Yes! Chū actually gave Yusuke five hits and a massive blow to the back of the neck! That was amazingly painful! What do you think, audience?!"

The crowd's claps and whistles erupted in the stadium.

"Are you finished?" Chū questioned Yusuke.

The spirit detective got up and sprinted towards him. "No, this fight has just begun!"

Chū's head moved side to side as Yusuke tried to hit his face. No matter how many punches he threw, the demon wasn't giving in.

"Try using your feet or your elbows maybe!" Kuwabara suggested. "Yeah! He wouldn't expect that!"

"Kuwabara, do me a favor and shut the hell up!" Yusuke's punch landed at Chū's cheek. The demon tumbled to the ground.

"Alright!" Tsuki and Botan cheered.

With a blink of an eye, Chū was behind Yusuke. His ankle kick flew the spirit detective outside of the ring, smashing against the wall.

"My, my! Such a delicious attack! I wish we have time to watch every blow on the instant replay screen! But we all see that Yusuke Urameshi has been buried in a pile of rubble!" Koto announced.

"His energy is five times stronger than the brat I just fought up against. Oh, we're in so much trouble," Kuwabara stated, crossing his arms.

Chū stumbled and flopped to the ground. "Hey, foxy! Can you lend me your hand!" He stated with another burp.

Koto squinted her nose and put the microphone in front of his mouth.

The demon hiccuped. "I still need another one!"

"Let me translate again!" Koto flipped her hair. "Chū gets more effective the more he drinks! I believe he's asking us to be more patient! While he requires the rest of hi-"

Chū dragged her down for a bear hug. "Exactly! What's the chance of us getting together after this lady?!" He asked, rubbing her head.

"Slim to none!" Koto announced with a smile.

"Hey, lovebirds! He's out of the ring!" A demon yelled.

Koto glowered at the crowd. "Hold on, jerk! I was checking on Chū to make sure he was fit to fight! Now moving on! 1, 2, 3!"

"I hope Yusuke gets up in time," Kuwabara remarked.

"Me too. If he loses, then one of you guys will have to fight him," Botan stated.

"Oh god," Tsuki groaned. She didn't want to get in the ring with the drunkard, especially after he was flirting with Koto.

"5, 6, 7!"

Chū tapped his feet. "Oh, come on, kid! I thought you wanted to see a real challenge! I haven't done anything great yet!"

"8, 9!"

Yusuke spurted out of the rumble and landed back in the arena. "That was close!" He spoke, moving his arm. "I could've been killed if I didn't guard myself!"

Tsuki, Botan, and Kuwabara sighed in relief.

"One dumb mistake and my soul will be floating back to the Spirit World." Yusuke licked his lips. "You know this life and death thing. I'm starting to like it. Let me guess, you too?"

"That's correct, mate," Chū replied. "There's no pleasure in playing if it ain't dangerous."

Yusuke pointed at Chū and channeled his spiritual energy. "That's good, drunkie. We finally found something in common."

"You can fight anytime now!" Koto ordered.

Yusuke smiled, firing his spirit gun at the stadium's ceiling.

"Hey! Why the heck would he go and waste his bullets?!" Kuwabara asked as the rubble crumbled to another section.

"That's a great question," Botan stated. "I assume it wasn't caused by bad aim."

Tsuki slumped her shoulders. "He's showing off."

Yusuke blew his finger. "My spirit gun. You better get to know it. I got three more left. And one could probably kill you. Not too long ago, I could only fire one of these a day. But I was just so scrawny back then."

Koto sighed. "Just like Chū, Yusuke introduced his move before using it on his enemy! But this is the Dark Tournament! Not the happy game! Where are the dirty cheats, the blackmails, the backstabbers?!"

"Darn it, Urameshi!" Kuwabara called. "I'm the one that's got the honor code! You copier!"

"HAHAHAHA! Everyone is shouting at you now. All because you wanted a fair fight!" Chū stumbled and gagged. After he wiped his mouth and composed himself, the demon revealed a canister. "Right, it's about time. You got your secret technique. I got mine. This right here is the strongest alcohol ever made. It's called ogre killer."

Koto sniffed and covered her nose. "Yeah, people! That's some strong stuff! Take a sip of that, and you wake up in jail this morning in the arms of a hairy demon!"

Chū chugged the alcohol. After a few gulps, he threw the canister outside the ring.

"What's happening to him?" Botan asked as his demonic energy rose.

"Don't know, just feels so weird," Kuwabara stated.

"The entire stadium is being eclipsed by Chū's aura!" Koto pronounced. "The audience can only wait in a hush as Chū revealed his technique! Dare we hope for something truly horrific!"

Chū sprinted by Rinku's side and kneeled. "Braack!"

Gross. Tsuki almost retched from the sour smell. She observed Chu's hair changing purple and his tan skin becoming darker. The demon's aura was getting creepier by the second. "Something strange is happening."

Koto rubbed his back. "Do you need anything, Chū? A wet towel, maybe?"

"I'm fine, foxy," Chū said, standing up. "By the way, you smell great!"

Koto smiled. "Yeah?! It must be the shampoo!"

"Now back to business," the demon stated as he eyed Yusuke.

"Suddenly, he's somber again. Alcohol doesn't affect him in a normal way. Somehow it serves him as a catalyst," Kurama explained.

"How odd," Botan spoke. "So the chemical in his drinks actually brings out his energy."

Chū hand formed a swirl of energy. "I need you to act more excited, kid. After all, this is what you've been waiting for!"

"Now we're definitely in for some action! Chū is revealing an entirely new attack! I can't tell what it is, but it should be awesome to see!" Koto declared.

"Hey, what is that stuff?" Kuwabara asked.

"His energy, you lump," Hiei spoke. "He's creating his finishing move. If you look closely, I bet you can see the alcohol mixed in with his energy."

Chū created a blast that resembled a sun. It continued to grow until it became a medium size ball.

"Woah! The blast looks a lot like Urameshi's spirit gun!" Kuwabara remarked.

"And approximately equal in force." Kurama informed.

"What?" Botan stated. "Don't you think we should tell Yusuke that?"

Tsuki watched her friend observe Chū's attack. "He knows."

"It's time to test our powers!" Chū sprinted.

Yusuke followed him. "I was waiting for the invite!"

Chū lifted his leg like a baseball player and threw the fastball. "See you on the other side!"

Yusuke pointed. "Spirit gun!"

"Oh my! The two fighters' energy is actually duking it out!" Koto covered her eyes as both of their energies collided.

"Get em Urameshi's energy!" Kuwabara yelled.

"It's a draw," Hiei concluded.

Once their energies disappeared, Yusuke and Chū charged and started brawling. Numerous punches landed everywhere on their bodies.

Botan cringed when Yusuke received a hook in the face. "My god, they're not even bothering to block those headshots."

"This is pure offense," Hiei explained. "They gave up fighting with their brains a long time ago. Now it's simply a matter on who can endure the most pain."

Chū punched Yusuke's chest, forcing the spirit detective to skirt back. "This is it! Now I have you!" He created another ball of energy.

Hiei's lips set in a grim line. "This time Chū's energy is spreading into a larger blast. It amazes me how much control he has on the size."

"It is," Kurama agreed. "Yusuke won't be able to block it with his spirit gun."

"Try not to sound too worried," Botan stated, touching her heart.

Tsuki anxiously watched as Chū threw the sun ball towards Yusuke.

"Double spirit gun!" Yusuke's rapid fire broke through the blast.

"Double devastation!" Koto declared while the fighter's energies struck each other.

"Oh, man!" Kuwabara cried. He looked around the ring. "Huh, they're all gone. They disintegrated!"

Botan covered her eyes. "Don't say that, Kuwabara. I don't care if it's true or not!"

"No trace of either warrior could be found! Not even a little pile of ashes!" Koto glanced back and forth. "Have the fight truly ended in a draw?!"

Tsuki pointed to the sky. "Look up!"

"Huh? Unbelievable!" Kuwabara's eyes lit up. "Both of them have survived!"

Yusuke and Chū landed back in the ring, panting and chuckling at each other.

"Well, they burn their skin, shorten their breath, and somehow lost their shirts. Altogether I call it a successful fight!" Koto announced.

Kurama's face tightened. "They're both at the end of their line. I don't know how this will end."

"Is it a tie?" Botan questioned.

"No, Yusuke and Chū are both competitive. One of them is going to win this round," Tsuki predicted.

Chū grinned. "Hey, I know a way we can finish this for keeps."

"I'm all ears," Yusuke answered with a smile.

Chū drew out two knives from his socks. He placed the tip of the knives inside the ring. "Let's end this with a knife-edge death match."

Botan turned to Kuwabara. "What does that mean?"

"I may have gotten more of my share of street fights, but I never heard of anything like that before. But if I have to guess, I say it's a match to the death with these guys," Kuwabara explained.

"Take off your shoes and put your foot in front of the knife," Chū directed.

Yusuke nodded and followed the demon's instructions.

"The edge of that knife is the edge of your world. That's the only rule of the knife-edge death match. You don't step out of that line. If you do, it's sudden death," Chū explained. "We fight with our bodies and our weapons. The winner is the last blow standing. You think you can handle that?"

"No sweat," Yusuke confidently declared.

Koto raised her hand. "Excuse me! It's really not up to you to make the rules around here! We have a respectable tournament committee that gets paid to do that!"

The crowd responded with defiance.

"Shut up, fox!"

"Let them fight to the death!"

Hiei put his hands inside his pockets. "Now that the fight is reduced to hand to hand, the one with the strongest head would prevail."

"Urameshi! Show that lass what you got left in ya!" Kuwabara shouted.

Koto glanced at the angry audience. "Everyone, please be patient! I promise we'll see people tear each other from limb to limb! We just need to wait for the committee's approval!"

An explosion of thunder splintered in the sky while everyone watched the screen. After a minute, the screen showed a large circle.

"Yes! Ladies and gentlemen, get ready for some supreme brutality!" Koto declared with the bright stadium lights flashing on the ring.

"YAHHH!" Chū and Yusuke yelled as they began their bare-knuckle scuffle.

Koto lifted her leg and spun. "This is extremely impressive! Both men are giving it their all without taking a single step backward!"

"Chū! Chū! Chū! Chū!" The crowd repeated.

"Raah!" Yusuke hit Chū with an uppercut.

Chū winced and hurled a cross at his face. "Ahhh!"

Fresh blood formed on the sharp knives. The fighters smiled at each other as they threw and landed more punches.

"Could this battle get anymore more brutal?! Let's just hope it can, people!" Koto announced.

Kuwabara's eyes twinkled. "I wish that was me in there. I have never seen something so impressive all my life. To them is like nothing else exists. Such focus. Such pain. I could watch them fight for hours."

Tsuki wanted to close her eyes from the brutality. Yusuke had to be a little crazy for participating in this knife battle. Each time they punched, she spotted new saliva and blood splattering in the ring.

"Kuwabara!" a voice called from behind.

Tsuki turned and spotted Keiko running close to them.

"What's happening out there?! Please tell Yusuke to stop!" Keiko demanded.

"No way. Why would I do that?" Kuwabara asked.

Keiko's face was crimson red. Her eyes misted over with tears. "Because if you don't stop him, Yusuke will die! Again!"

"Sorry, Keiko. This is not an option."

"Why not?!"

Kuwabara glanced at the ring. "Because Urameshi made a promise. And now everything he lives for is hanging on his ability to fight."

"Kuwabara is right," Tsuki stated, squeezing Keiko's shoulder. "We don't have a choice but to fight. Besides, Yusuke is enjoying himself. Just watch."

Keiko bit her lip and stood next to her.

Botan winced as Yusuke got hit in the throat. "They're so evenly matched. They must end in a stalemate, or they might never end at all."

"No, I'm certain they're standing on their last leg. It's almost all over. The weaker one will crumble soon," Hiei stated.

Tsuki and Keiko caught their breath when the fighters headbutt each other. They stood still until Chū's eyes rolled back, falling sideways to the ground.

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5!" Koto counted.

Kuwabara tilted his head back and yelled. "Yeah! That was the most exciting finish that I have ever seen!

"6, 7, 8, 9, 10!" Koto lifted Yusuke's arm. "The winner for this match and round is Team Urameshi!

"Yes! Right on, Yusuke!" Tsuki cheered. She turned to face Keiko, but her friend wasn't near her side anymore. Tsuki frowned, watching Keiko run near the waiting area.

Kuwabara went inside the ring and held Yusuke. "That was incredible, Urameshi! How are you holding up?"

Before Yusuke could speak, Chū approached him. "Urameshi, we agree to fight in a deathmatch. Finish me off, mate."

Yusuke gave him a thumbs up. "Nah, we'll fight again once you get better."

Chū smiled. "You ripper. It's been a great match, Urameshi!" He stated, shaking the spirit detective's hand.

"Likewise, pal."

Kuwabara helped Yusuke out of the ring. As the team walked, the crowd booed and threw more garbage.

"This is ridiculous!"

"I want my money back!"

Yusuke sneered and tightened his fists. "SHUT UPPPP!" He screamed. "IF YOU IDIOTS HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, SAY IT TO MY FACE! OR, SAY IT TO MY FISTS!"

Tsuki and the rest of the team glared at the silent crowd. There was no love or support from the demons' eyes. That's when Tsuki noticed a young woman staring at her.

She was standing by the front row exit. When Tsuki made eye contact, she was surprised that the woman waved at her.

Tsuki smiled and waved back. The demon woman was alluring. Her energy was magnetic as it swirled her attractive body.

The priestess stopped smiling when the Toguro brothers and another tall man emerged from the shadows. The woman greeted them while the younger Toguro touched her shoulder.

Tsuki shook her fists. She had the urge to shoot her arrows at the brothers' heads. The rest of the team spotted them as well.

"Hm, Toguro." Yusuke flipped him off.

The Toguro brothers smirked before they and the tall man walked back to the exit. The woman winked at Tsuki, trailing them.

Tsuki squinted her eyes. The demon woman must be on the Toguro's team. They may have won this match, but the war wasn't over. They had to deal with them in the end.

"That feels so much better," Kuwabara said, rolling his shoulder. "Thanks, Tsuki!"

"Yeah, I can actually feel my feet again," Yusuke stated while he wiggled his toes.

"No problem," Tsuki glanced at Kurama, who was sitting next to the masked fighter. "Kurama, do you need anything checked?"

The fox demon smiled. "I'm fine, Tsuki. Roto wasn't nearly as tough as the rest of his team members. My cuts and bruises will heal by the next day."

"You guys did great out there!" Botan praised. "We have the next round in the bag for sure!"

Shizuru lifted her canned beer. "Yeah, this is cause for a celebration. Cheers to the Urameshi Team!"

"Cheers!" Everyone clinked and opened their can of soft drinks.

"Kazuma, you better win the next round, or I'll kill you," Shizuru threatened, glaring at her brother.

Kuwabara glanced down and rubbed his head. "Y-yes, sister."

They heard a knock on the door. Botan opened it and allowed the servicewoman to enter.

Tsuki beamed as the servicewoman put their tray of food on the table. Tonight's dinner was grilled wagyu with matsutake mushrooms and rice.

"Where's Keiko?" Yusuke asked. "Isn't she going to eat with us?"

Botan sighed. "Keiko decided to stay in our room. She isn't in the festive mood right now."

"Why? I thought she would at least nag me for being distant these past couple of months."

"Don't worry about it, Yusuke. She just needs her space." Tsuki will let Keiko be for tonight. She'll talk to her friend tomorrow.

As everyone grabbed their proportions, the priestess glanced around. "Where's Hiei? Isn't he going to eat?"

Kurama stared at Tsuki with a straight face. "He's still in the room. I'm afraid he's not worried about his appetite."

Tsuki placed her chopsticks down and got up. "I'll go check on him."

"Be careful, Tsuki," Kuwabara warned, snapping his chopsticks. "Shorty might bite ya!"

The priestess ignored him and proceeded down the hallway.

Tsuki felt Hiei's pain from outside. She found his energy to be repellent. Tsuki sensed that he didn't want anyone to bother him.

The priestess took a deep breath and knocked. "Hiei, it's Tsuki. Food is ready if you want to eat."

Silence. Tsuki closed her eyes. Luckily, she was able to open the door. Hiei, I'm coming in.

Hiei sat on the bed with his back against the wall. His head lowered and covered with his arms and legs.

Tsuki noticed Hiei's right arm was swollen, his skin peeling. "Are you alright?" She asked. "Let me check your arm, Hiei."

"Go away," Hiei demanded. He didn't even bother to look at her.

"Hiei, you're hurting. If you let me, I c-" She stopped when he gave her a vicious gaze.

His tone was deadly when he spoke. "Leave, now!"

Tsuki took a step back and heaved. Before she left, the priestess turned to him. "Hiei, you don't have to suffer alone. There are genuine people here that'll help you face your darkness."

Hiei's face was expressionless. He remained quiet when she closed the door.

What a jerk! Tsuki thought, counting to 10. She wanted to scream and stomp but remained silent. Instead, she composed herself. There was no need to make a scene. After all, everyone was enjoying themselves right now.

Tsuki glanced at the door one more time before walking away.