Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Hell's Conquest ❯ Youkai Shingan ( Chapter 9 )

Chapter 9

Hell's Conquest

Youkai Shingan

Usui sat alone in darkness, his mind filled with the desire to kill Shishio. Though he wished he could, he knew it would be impossible. Shishio had always been able to predict his attempts at murder. The man always kept his sword beside him no matter what or where he'd go. Usui slammed his fist down on the straw thatch mat he was sitting on. This was too frustrating. Another idea that angered him was the fact that an elite member of the Juppon Gatana had fallen to a Shinsengumi captain…easily. Suddenly, he heard soft footsteps outside his small hut. Something about these footsteps, how this new person walked, he was definitely a skilled fighter…wait there was another with him. Usui gasped. This other man had an immense swordsman spirit that could be detected instantly. It was symbolized in a gust of wind that enshrouded the hut. This man was strong. Stronger perhaps than Shishio.

"Who are you? And what do you want with me?" Usui asked, indulging in the storm of power surrounding him.

"I am Tetsumaoliko. High Demon to the Great Lord Enma." stated the first, less powerful man.

Usui, however, had no interest in listening to him. His goal was to learn more about the second man.

"And you. The other beside him. Yes…I can see you." Usui smirked, expected the two to be taken aback in shock as plenty of other men had done.

"Impressive. You have the potential for greatness." Enma said.

Usui gasped. Potential?

"Oh yes. And I am Enma. I know many things about you and I doubt that in your current form you would be able to destroy Shishio. I'm here to offer you aid in that area. I would be willing to let some of my warrior demons enter into your body…you'll be nearly invincible." Enma offered.

"Hmm…what would be in it for you?" Usui asked, wanting this opportunity but still skeptical.

Enma smirked.

"Entertainment."

Usui smirked, laughing coldly.

"Well Enma, I like how you think! And the woman? What are your plans with her?" Usui asked, beginning to embrace this plan.

"She can line his grave in pieces." Tetsumaoliko spoke up, joining in on the cruelty.

Usui loved every aspect of this. He decided to go through with it.

"And how about the time that Chou came to the palace with his hair cut? I could have sworn Kamatari was falling for him!" Yumi laughed.

The whole mood of the situation, since he'd fallen from fever, had drastically changed to one of a happier tone. Shishio smiled at this comment. The children had gone off to play a game that Yumi and Shishio would turn to watch occasionally. The two of them were growing to be quite attached to the little ones and enjoyed watching them play. They were so carefree and happy despite all that had happened to them. But looking at them saddened Shishio. If he could not defeat Tetsumaoliko, the children's attitudes would probably not retain their happiness.

"You know what I want right now?" Shishio said, lying flat on his back, looking at the sky.

"Huh?"

"A bowl of my personal stock of sake from Mt. Hiei." Shishio stated.

Yumi smiled.

"Which one in particular? Or do you even have a preference?" Yumi asked playfully, sitting with her hands on her knees.

"Hmm…I'd have to say that one bottle from 18…something or other, the one from Hiroshima." Shishio reflected.

Yumi nodded. "I thought so too. It isn't often you get good sake from a small city like Hiroshima."

He nodded slightly, smiling.

Suddenly, a loud scream could be heard a short distance off. Shishio grasped his katana and his eyes searched his surroundings for anything unusual. Then he realized something. The children were gone! Shishio knew that kind of scream for one of agony. Anyone who had just made that scream was either now dead or dying. Yumi suddenly realized the children were gone. Her eyes showed her concern and they hinted Shishio to go see what was happening. He nodded and walked off, his katana unsheathed. He had to go quietly, not to attract any demons to where he was. He needed to save his strength for Enma. Yumi, without hesitation, took off after him. After a few minutes, the couple found who had been the victim. A large demon with short blue hair that was holding a machete. And laughing over the demon was a man that resembled…Usui? It couldn't be! It looked similar to how Usui had looked ten years ago except instead of having burned eye sockets; this man had bright green eyes of a cat. Then he saw Shishio.

"Ahh…It's nice to truly see you now. You pitiful creature! Being burned alive! I never realized the significance of that until now! Yes, now that I have my eyes again. I'm sure you remember me…"

"Yes I know you're Usui. Even though you've gained eyes, you're still blind to what's really going on. There is no possible way that you can do battle with me." Shishio assured his former Juppon Gatana member.

Usui growled and swore under his breath. Then his eyes lost their pupils and became pure white.

"And you are exactly right. You cannot hope to battle Usui. But I am no longer Usui. We are Usui. There are more than 50 demons possessing our body and there is no way you can hope to fight us." Usui said, with a voice that sounded like many voices at once.

Shishio just smirked.

"Even if you have 100 demon souls within you Usui, your 1 body is still susceptible to my blade and that's enough for me." Shishio warned, lighting his katana.

"Let's fight then! And you shall feel the true power of Usui of the Eye of the Heart!!!" Usui yelled, foolishly charging at Shishio.

He easily dodged the thrust and sliced open Usui's arm, blood pouring onto the ground and splattering Shishio's sword and arms. Usui smiled.

"Thank you for that Lord Shishio. I told you that you would feel my true power. And now you shall. My blood is tainted by demons. Anything it touches…well you'll soon find out." Usui mocked.

And just as he'd predicted, Shishio suddenly fell to the ground, clutching at his arms painfully.

"What- what did you do to me?!!" he cried out.

"This will do harm to whatever it touches including this dirt. Never will plants be able to grow here again. And never will your arms be able to move again."

Yumi gasped.

Usui heard her and looked her way.

"Hello Yumi. You truly are beautiful. Too bad you're going to die as well when I'm done with him." Usui threatened.

Shishio couldn't stand hearing Usui threaten Yumi. He jumped to his feet, his arms hanging limp at his sides and used a flying kick to hit Usui squarely in the jaw. Usui took the hit without trying to resist it and simply spit out a small amount of blood from his lip. Shishio couldn't believe it. The force of that hit should have at least caused him to step back a little. But it hadn't. Usui had been able to keep his feet and take the hit. He tried it again, this time kicking Usui just below the knee. This attack connected as it should have and his leg broke, snapping and bending in the other direction.

"Damn you!" Usui spat, clutching his leg painfully.

Shishio smiled, laughing mirthlessly. The smell of Usui's poisoned blood excited his inner killer as he rushed into another attack. This time he tripped Usui and kicked him once more in the jaw. This time, more blood flew from his mouth. He stomped into Usui's neck, about to snap it with his boot, when Usui's eyes regained their whiteness and his body flew into the air, suspended by nothing.

"You will not get away with humiliating me on the ground so I will kill you from the air!" Usui yelled.

He pulled a bow out from behind his back and fitted an arrow to it.

"My you think of everything don't you?" Shishio laughed.

"Shut up!!!" Usui shouted, letting the arrow loose at him.

Shishio simply moved aside and the arrow hit the ground…bursting into flames. Suddenly Shishio realized what Usui was planning.

"Now do you see why you can't win? I know you can't dodge these arrows forever and once a single arrow pierces your skin, it will start the rest of you on fire and you'll finally burn to death like you deserve!" Usui threatened, sending two more arrows at Shishio.

This was serious. Usui was right. He couldn't dodge arrows forever. Yumi knew this too. Maybe she could distract Usui and get him to the ground…suddenly she noticed something. In Shishio's attempt to escape one of the arrows…his arm had moved slightly. Yumi suddenly realized what Shishio was up to. He'd been faking his arms not working the entire time! She felt his victory had been assured and the rest of the fight followed through like a dream as Shishio suddenly grabbed his katana and struck Usui through the chest. It was over. Usui fell to the ground, dying as the demons left him.

"How…did you do that? Your arms were soaked with my blood! You…couldn't move…" Usui murmured.

"Ha! Soaked you say? Your blood barely touched my bandages! You were always underestimating your enemies Usui. But I must say you gave me a little scare with all that demon power there. You fought a good match."

Usui nodded and then closed his green eyes one final time, his body returning to its former form. Yumi walked up to Shishio, looking down at Usui. For a while, neither knew what to say to each other. Killing Usui had caused no regret in Shishio's mind and he simply shook the blood from his katana and sheathed it.

"That makes two of the Juppon Gatana…" Yumi said softly.

"I hold no attachments to them. They agreed to throw their lives away for my cause and so now they have." Shishio said darkly.

Yumi smiled and slipped under his arm. She loved how strong he was. Nothing could ever keep him from protecting her. Then suddenly Yumi realized what they'd come all the way over here for. The children! Where were they?

The End of Chapter 9

Okay where did the kids go?

Find out in Chapter 10

(Oh yeah I'm coming to the end pretty soon!)