Flame of Recca Volume 18 Well, a lot has happened since the end of the tournament, hasn't it? We saw that in chapter 17 a new Ura Uruha was formed with opponents for everyone, including the mysterious and emotionless, Rasen . . . and we've all seen Soujiro from Kenshin in action, so we all know what lack of emotions means ^_-. We also see a girl that can shoot flames from her hand, calls Mori "tou-san" (Father) and Kurei "nii-chan" (Brother, the endering term) named Renge (Note: pronounced as REN-gay). Now, as Hokage team heads into an odd cave where inside lies the terrifying power of the Madogu "Tendou Jigoku", or Heaven Hell. BTW: Like my scan of ch 18? So what if i'm cross eyed ^_-. Volume 18, Chapter 1: Crossroads (The chapter opens up with views of the underground world, where 3 people are walking in. Something that looks like spikes comes gunnin' it down a tunnel . . . Renge no Hono!) Mori: Ha... Hahahahahah! Good child, what a good child you are, Renge!! With you around, your daddy can really relax! (He turns to the other guy.) Mori: Hey, I'm thirsty. Go get me something to drink. Man: Yes sir! Mori: *Heheheh... not for long now... not for long now! The most wicked Madogu of all, 'Heaven Hell'... will be mine!* Man: Mori-sama! There're footsteps! Mori: Whose!? There shouldn't be anybody in here at all!! Renge: ? (Rasen and Kirin appear.) (Mori drops his juice box (He's drinking a 'Sipps' squeeze box for crying out loud! What is he, two years old?).) Mori: Rasen!! Kirin!? W-What are you guys doing here? You Group A people should have received the order to assassinate the Hokage Team! Why? Answer me!!... Or... could it be that... a person as powerful as yourself have come to tell me that your whole army has been decimated... ? (Rasen shakes his head.) Mori: THEN WHY, YOU IDIOT!? As long as that group of people are still alive... they WILL find this place!! No... they probably already ARE in this place!! Kirin: Then they've had it! It's difficult enough to assasinate someone outside there. It would be better to lure them all here and then finish them off cleanly. Aren't there more and more reported cases of missing children nowadays? The Hokage Clan erected this underground world... how fitting it would be if it were to be their final resting place as well! (She bursts into insane laughter.) Kirin: UUUuuuuwaaaaaa - that was brilliant!! Kirin is such a bright girl! Mori: *Idiot...* That's fine with me... but don't forget... once the Hokage is finished, the outcome of your group will be no different from that of Kurei's... Kirin|Rasen: "As you wish - you can do whatever you want." Kirin: Please excuse us. Mori: What are you laughing at, Renge? Girl: Daddy... shall we kill them as well? Mori: ... W-E-L-L... (At Rekka's side, they seem to have come to a fork in the cave.) Rekka: It's a crossroad. Fuuko: Hmm... where should we head? Domon: Let's use finger guessing to decide! Rekka: How can we use fingers to decide a thing as important as this, blockhead? Tokiya: We'll take both roads - Mori has already gone in, so we must find 'Heaven Hell' before he does... and destroy it at once. If everyone heads down the wrong path, we won't have time to turn back. In other words, to save time, we'll have to split into two now. Tokiya: If we ever get lost, we'll press against the walls and continue straight. We will eventually reach the final destination... and there, both groups will meet up. Rekka: OKAY OKAY! We'll split up! Yanagi: I agree! I agree! (Is it like this?) Yanagi: Then let's use finger guessing to decide! Domon: How can we use fingers to decide something as serious as this!? Yanagi: *bawls* Uuuue~~ ueee~~ Rekka: WHAT'S WRONG WITH FINGER-GUESSING!? *stomp* I’LLKILL YOU! *step* DIE!! Fuuko: *Something's wrong here..* (After a while...) Rekka: Only paper or stone! Scissors... Paper... STONE! (In the red corner! Rekka, Yanagi and Domon!) (And in the blue corner... Tokiya, Fuuko and Kaoru!) Domon: THIS ISN’T FAIR!! I want to be on the team with Fuuko... Fuuko: DON'T BE PICKY! Rekka: It won't do you any good to be in the same team with her, Domon... Okay! We're taking the left path!! Yanagi: (I am so fortunate!) Rekka: Don't get lost you guys! Kaoru: What're you talking about? Who's the directionless boy around here? Fuuko: Are you done with crying yet, Domon? Tokiya: (If only it were Yanagi, not Fuuko...) Fuuko: I'll pat you on the head when we meet again. And Rekka... no messing around with Yanagi! Rekka: WHAT? ... Okay! Domon: *Only the head... ?* Rekka: See ya later! Fuuko: Bye! (They head down their paths.) Renge: ... Mm - Daddy... why did you let them off so easily? They allowed those bad people to come in. If you only ordered me, I would have killed them. Mori: There is no need, Renge. It's true that they can squash the Hokage anywhere they want. People in the Ura Uruha are more powerful than those in the original Uruha... it pains me to just think of them as dangerous people. Especially... that man called Rasen... who, under circumstances, can grow many times scarier than Kurei himself! (Meantime, Domon still stands around in a daze.) Rekka: How long are you going to keep standing around in a daze? Can't you keep your spirits up, you science freak!? Only you and I can battle in this group. We have to stay on the alert, Domon! Domon: Ah, yes... you're right... *Princess is without self-defence herself... we'll have to protect her!* Yanagi: Look! We've arrived at a really huge place! Gaou: Welcome... Domon: !! Gaou: Am I fortunate or what... ! Domon has come . . . [After splitting into 2 groups, an enemy appears in front of Rekka's group... and he is, the Ura Uruha : Gaou!!] Back to top Volume 18, Chapter 2: Gaou Domon: I see you have appeared - GAOU!! Rekka: Who is this guy? Domon: Somebody from the Ura Uruha. I... was ambushed... and beaten to pulp by this guy before! (He thinks back.) Gaou: Ambush? I ambushed you? I should be the one saying that, idiot! Looks like we have quite a relation! After... I finish this bar of chocolate... I shall send you on your way... Rekka: ... Do you guys have some deep hatred or something? Domon: How would I know!! I only met you once before. Gaou: I have replenished my energy!! I challenge you, one-on-one, Domon. Don't worry! I have aboslutely no interest in that shortie, Rekka, or the girl over there. I'm only challenging you. Domon: Looks like you won't be letting us pass that easily. (He brings out a Madogu which transforms into a weapon.) Yanagi: Ah! Kuchibashi Ou! Rekka: WHAT? You mean you carry that big and heavy equipment around all the time!? Domon: WAHAHAHAH! Your mother Kage Houshi gave me a useful Madogu 'Hidden King' to hide it at all times. Kage Houshi: "It's very convenient!" Domon: - All right, let's get going. If you wanna fight, I'll just have to fight with you. And I won't lose this time!! Gaou: Before we fight, I'd like to show you something. (He brings up a bottle, with something inside. Upon closer examination, Domon finds out that it is a skull wrapped up with three buckles.) Yanagi: YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA - !! Rekka: Uuu... A human head!? Gaou: This... This head... was... was... my younger brother... my younger brother Sekiou’s head! Domon: Younger brother!? Sekiou... wasn't he the big guy patrolling Kurei's mansionette? Gaou: Exactly... and it was because of you that Kurei did this to my brother. While that scoundrel is dead now... there is still another enemy! AND THAT'S YOU, DOMON!! I will slice your head off with my own hands and place it as a medal upon my mantle piece! (He puts the bottle down.) Gaou: Stay here and watch, brother... your brother Gaou... WILL SEEK YOUR REVENGE FOR YOU!! Domon: AH!! (Gaou's weapon is clamped between Domon's.) Domon: *Wh... What strength! This fellow... is stronger than Sekiou!* Aa - !! Uu... ... GO! (He turns to Rekka.) Domon: Go first, Hanabishi! Destroy 'Heaven Hell'! Leave this to me here! Rekka: I got it, Domon! Let's go, Princess! Gaou: ... That... won't do! (Pierces weapon into the ground. On the other side, a huge hand appears in front of Rekka. They jump just before it strikes.) Domon: Hanabishi! Yanagi! Gaou: Wahahahahah! I may have no interest in you, but the people up there had me stay you. And... I want you to see... how only Domon's head shall remain in this world! How... you shall take his head into your hands and bawl... I will be laughing happily... laughing happily. Rekka: What're you talking about? Don't be so cocky! Hey! Domon: Let me face him alone. Let me be responsible. During that tournament, I faced many experts in the field, and defeated them all, emerging winner. Yet I became complacent. After I was beaten up by that guy, though, that little bit of pride was shattered within me. I returned to my previous livid state. Domon: I was defeated by my own complacency!! To remove that shadow of doubt... I must defeat you with my own hands! Back to top Since January 25, 2000