Conclusion of Chapter One



Yuria Forever... As Well as Shin!

Almost all of Southern Cross is in ruins, with only Shin's fortress remaining undamaged. Lin and Bat have ventured in, and think it has become a city of ghosts. Bat says that most of Shin's soldiers have run off to other cities, but he's heard that Shin's personal bodyguards have remained behind. Lin says this place feels empty, and guesses that anything built by force has to crumble in the end. Bat thinks that, at times, he just doesn't get the things she says!

They then hear something, as three guys on bikes enter the city. One of them says to hell with King, and to hell with Southern Cross. Another says there is no point in them hanging around here anymore, so they all leave. Bat comes out of his hiding place and wonders what to do now. He suggests that they go back to Taki's village, and asks Lin if she is coming with her. However, Lin is still thinking about Ken. Bat tells her to move on -Ken is dead! Lin says that he isn't, just as Pel starts barking at something.

Bat suddenly says Lin's right, there's no way Ken could be dead... the North Star divine fist is invincible! Lin runs out, as she and Bat see that Kenshiro has returned!

Lin runs over to hug him. Kenshiro asks her to stay here, and asks Bat to take care of her. Bat says he must be going to kill Shin, and tells Lin that they must stay out of this. For Ken and Shin, for the North Star divine fist and the South Star holy fist... today is their longest day. Kenshiro walks off.

At the fortress, Shin goes up to Yuria and says that they will start over. They can build a new city, one even more glorious than Southern Cross. As long as she is with him, he can do it. Yuria doesn't say anything, and Shin asks her if she's not going to respond -won't she open her heart to him?

Kenshiro arrives at the fortress, and heads inside it. There seems to be nobody around, but he then stops a spear by grabbing it.

The guard who tried to use it falls down in fear, as Kenshiro throws the spear into a wall, scaring another guy into coming out. He lets them live, and moves on.

Two more men rush up to Kenshiro, but he kills them both quickly. Word quickly spreads that the man with seven scars is here, as Shin's remaining forces gather together.

Shin hears his soldiers shouting, and realizes the man with seven scars is still alive. Nearby, Kenshiro comes across a group of men, who say they are Lord King's personal bodyguards -and they're not going to let him pass. They charge towards Kenshiro, but he starts hitting pressure points on them...

...and they're dead within seconds. Kenshiro enters the next room, and comes across a large set of stairs.

At the top of the stairs is Shin. Kenshiro tells Shin that he came back from the depths of hell to get to him again, whilst Shin says that it has been a long time. Kenshiro asks where Yuria is, so Shin tells him to come and see for himself.

Kenshiro heads up the stairs, and sees Yuria. But she doesn't say anything, and then Shin gets in the way. Shin tells him that Yuria has already said that she's forgotten all about him. It was Yuria who saved him, when he gave him those seven scars.

At that time before, Kenshiro and Shin clash in the air. Shin's attack defeats Kenshiro, as Shin tells his rival that there is a very definite difference between the two of them. He tells Kenshiro that he lacks ambition, and ambition is what gives you power.

Shin told Yuria to say that she loves him. Yuria refuses, saying that if he kills Ken, she'll die too. Shin decides to use a South Star execution technique on Kenshiro, and starts thrusting his fingers into Kenshiro's chest. Kenshiro tells Yuria to live -she has to live on.

Shin gives Kenshiro a total of seven scars, but Yuria then screams out, telling Shin that she loves him, and will follow him forever. Kenshiro is left in the desert, and can only watch as Shin takes Yuria away.

Back in the present, Kenshiro cries, and says it doesn't matter if Yuria has forgotten about him -just as long as she's still alive. Shin tells Kenshiro he's already beaten him once, and he can try and try again -the result will be the same. But he thinks it will be amusing to cut him up into ribbons, right in front of the woman he loves! He takes off his cape and goes into a stance, telling Kenshiro he can never follow his moves. He'll send him back down to hell...

NANTO SENSHU RYU GEKI

(South Star Thousand Dragon Head Attack)

Shin is not able to land a single hit, as Shin grabs his wrist. Shin says he really isn't that man he once knew... but why? Kenshiro tells him it is obsession, the obsession that he taught him.

Shin breaks free for Kenshiro's grasp, and leaps back. Kenshiro says he's no match for him now, so he should give up. Shin tries to stab him, but Kenshiro jumps back. However, he has still taken the hit.

Shin tells him his obsession means nothing. Kenshiro tastes his own blood, but spits it out. He goes into a stance, and says he can follow every move he makes -he can't win.

Shin says not to underestimate him, and uses the thousand dragon head attack again. Kenshiro again dodges every strike, and gets behind him. He swats Shin across the face, and the two jump up towards each other, using some familiar techniques:

NANTO GOKUSATSU KEN

(South Star Hell Murder Fist)


HOKUTO HIEI KEN

(North Star Flying Defensive Fist)

This time, things don't go Shin's way. One of his shoulder pads explodes, but Kenshiro tells him not to worry -he didn't hit a pressure point. A guard then tries to hit Kenshiro with an axe...

...but Kenshiro avoids his strike, and hits several pressure points on his face. Kenshiro says that even if someone were to approach him without making a single sound, nobody can sneak up on him. The guard staggers back, and his head blows apart. Kenshiro asks Shin if he will give Yuria back now. Shin makes his way towards Yuria, and says he has shown him how obsessed he really is.

But he says why doesn't he just destroy the object of his obsession? Before Kenshiro can stop him, he stabs into Yuria, killing her. He tells her that even in death, her face is beautiful.

Kenshiro can only say Yuria's name, as Shin laughs and says that even if Kenshiro kills him now, Yuria is dead. Half of his obsession is now gone! Shin laughs, but then stops when he sees Kenshiro ripping his jacket and shirt apart.

"Shin... I will kill you!"



"Die!"

Shin stabs into Kenshiro's hand. But even then, Kenshiro is able to grab Shin's hand. He does a counter punch, which Shin attempt to block, only for Kenshiro to pulverize his other hand.

Kenshiro's punch hits Shin in the chest, and he then follows it up with several more, striking some pressure points:

HOKUTO JUJI ZAN

(North Star Cross Slash)

Shin gets launched into a pillar, and falls down. Kenshiro says that it was rage that let him counter his technique... a rage even stronger than his obsession. Shin asks how long he has left to live.

Kenshiro says he has struck pressure points on him, in the shape of the Bloody Cross. He can die admiring his own emblem, and has three minutes left. Kenshiro then goes to check on Yuria, but as he touches her face, he realizes that she's just a doll!

Shin laughs and says their battle is not yet over. Kenshiro asks what the meaning of this is, and then notices that Shin has started to cry. Shin says that Yuria is dead, and now no one can ever end this battle between the two of them. It happened not too long ago...

Shin tells Yuria that Southern Cross is burning. The grass, the trees, the people in it... these things all belonged to her. But he tells her not to worry, as they can build a new city. A city even larger and more glorious than Southern Cross, and therefore more suitable for her as its Queen. As long as she is with him, he can do it. Yuria starts to cry and says that he is just going to do the same thing again, but even worse. As long as her feelings for him don't change, he'll just keep on doing this.

She steps forward onto the ledge, and says that even more innocent people will die. She can't take it anymore, and before Shin can stop her, she lets herself fall off the fortress.

"Ken... I couldn't keep my promise to you!"

Yuria falls to her death, and Shin doesn't understand why. He screams out Yuria's name.

Back in the present, Shin says that was the first time he had ever cried. In the end, he could never possess Yuria's heart. It was because Kenshiro was always in her heart. He gets up and walks towards the ledge, and says this city, which he built for Yuria, is now her gravestone. He says to behold Yuria's gravestone: the city of Southern Cross. But this city, and all the power and wealth he's amassed... it's all empty, in the end.

He only wanted one thing: Yuria! Some of the pressure points then erupt, and says it looks like this is the end for him. But he tells Kenshiro that he refuses to die by his technique!

"..."



"Kenshiro..."



"...farewell!"

Later on, Kenshiro finds Shin's body, and carries it back with him. Bat and Lin see him and are glad that he's alive, but he ignores them. Instead, he builds a grave for Shin.

Bat asks why Ken is doing this -why make a grave for a guy like Shin? Ken says that it is because Shin loved the same woman that he loved.

Chapter One

The End

"Farewell... my friend."


NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW

Kenshiro mourns the death of his beloved Yuria. But there can be no peace for the North Star divine fist! Next time, on Fist of the North Star: "Chapter 2 Begins: The Tumultuous Dragon and Tiger! Are Battles All That Await Me!!"

Kenshiro: There are no prayers for the wicked.