Lanshan Crimson Fist!
A Sad Woman Living in This Age!!

Kenshiro's group are taking a break. Mamiya asks Rei about the place where Toki is being held: Cassandra. Rei says he doesn't know much about it, but apparently it is a prison built by the Fist King, who seeks to take over this era by locking up all martial artists. The Fist King is hunting down martial artists and other warriors, to steal their secrets and boost his own strength, then imprison them in Cassandra.

He's heard that once you pass through its gate, nobody comes out alive -it's a prison of death. Kenshiro gets up, so Rei and Mamiya follow him.

At Cassandra, Targel brings the successor to the Song Shan passing elbow fist to Uighur. The successor has said that he will gladly share his art's secret scroll with him. The successor says it had better be true -if he hands over the scroll, his family will be spared? Uighur says he promises, so the successor passes over the scroll. Uighur reads it, and says it looks like it's real. He then says that he shall pass this over to Lord Fist King.

The successor wants to go, but Uighur says there is no need for two successors to the passing elbow fist -from now on, the Fist King will be the successor to the style. But he did promise to spare their lives, so they can spend the rest of their lives in Cassandra. He tells Targel to put the woman and child in a different cell, as that way, if the man tries anything, they can easy kill his family. The successor says Cassandra is no place for a child to grow up, but Targel says if the child was freed now, he would later have a grudge towards Uighur. All grudges must be put out now -that's Cassandra's code.

The family are lead away in separate directions, but as his wife screams, the successor takes out a couple of guards:

SUUZAN TSUUHI KEN

(Song Shan Passing Elbow Fist)

Uighur wonders if this guy would like a taste of his whip, but before he can fight, Targel steps in. He tells Uighur that's there no need for him to dirty his whip over this, he can take care of it. Uighur allows him to fight, so Targel goes into a stance:

KOKUSHO JYUJI KEN

(Black Palm Cross Fist)

The two start fighting, and Targel avoids all of his opponent's attacks. He says it's his turn now.

His opponent leaps back, but Targel focuses and then dashes forward, slicing his opponent to pieces:

Black palm cross fist. It comes from a secret monastery on Mt. Lushan, in Shandong, China. It's a deadly assassination art which annihilates the enemy in an instant!

Uighur congratulates Targel. Targel tells the guards to take the wife and her child away. As they drag her off, Uighur listens to all the screams being heard throughout the prison. He says how he loves to listen to the sound of the devils crying...

Elsewhere, some of Cassandra's guards have spotted Kenshiro's group. They are determined to not let them pass through here, and go into hiding as they approach.

However Kenshiro and Rei sense they're there, and Rei tells them to come out. The guards says they are the Cassandra assault squad, and they won't let them pass this point. They jump down and start their attack, but Kenshiro hits some pressure points...

...whilst Rei slices them up. The entire squad is wiped out in just a few seconds, and Rei asks Ken what's wrong. Ken says it's nothing, but Rei tells him the closer they get to Cassandra, the worse the fighting will get.

Targel reports to Uighur that the assault squad was wiped out, and that Kenshiro's group is much stronger than they had imagined. Uighur says there's nothing to fear, as he's learnt all there is to know about Kenshiro. He knows what Kenshiro's weakness is: women. His weak point is his foolish kindness and softness, he won't be able to kill a woman. Targel understands, and tells a guard to bring out Bella, the successor to the lanshan crimson fist.

A guard goes to get her out of her cell, as the warden wants her. She doesn't move, so the guard asks her if she's deaf. She suddenly appears behind the guard, and places a rose next to his face, before asking where her mother is. Targel appears, and tells her that if she wants to see her mother, she should come quietly. Bella is taken to Uighur, and she asks if her mother is safe.

Targel says that Bella is here, and Uighur thinks she's as beautiful as ever. He has a favor to ask, but she demands to know where her mother is, and if she's safe.

Uighur tells her that she must kill the successor to the North Star divine fist, Kenshiro. He is certain that she, the successor to the lanshan crimson fist, can win. Bella refuses, stating that her art is not for murder. A scroll is thrown at her, which she catches. She sees that the scroll is for her own style, and then looks over to see that her mother is here. Uighur tells her that her art's scroll, and her mother's life, depend on her answer. He tells her to think about it again, and then reply.

Her mother tells her not to go through with it, and forget about her. She tells her daughter to go back to being a woman. However, Bella tells Uighur that she will defeat Kenshiro, without fail. Uighur tells her to go.

As Bella heads out, she thinks back to her past. Some time ago, her dying father told her that from today, she will inherit the lanshan crimison fist style. He also told her to forget her womanhood from today, and that the art of the lanshan crimison fist must not be lost.

Back in the present, Bella leaves Cassandra. She says that if it was her fate to throw away her womanhood that day, then defeating Kenshiro must also be her fate.

Back at Mamiya's village, Bat asks Lin what she's doing. She says she's making a flower bed, but Bat wonders why -there's already one of those around here. Lin says she wants to show Ken the flowers that she's grown, and wonders what will happen first: Ken returning, or her flowers blooming. Bat's not sure what the answer to that is.

Kenshiro's group find a guy and his granddaughter. The girl says that they were so close to town, but her grandfather needs water. Kenshiro gives him a flask to drink from, and once he's had some, he says he feels like he's been reborn.

Just then, a rose suddenly gets thrown into the ground. Bella introduces herself, then jumps down. She tells Kenshiro that she must defeat him, so Kenshiro tells Rei and Mamiya to take care of the other two.

RANZAN KURENAI KEN

(Lanshan Crimson Fist)

Ranzan kurenai ken. Its movements are as elegant as petals scattered in the wind, but concealed within its beauty lies an immeasurable force!

Bella asks Kenshiro what's wrong, why doesn't he want to fight? Kenshiro tells her that she has eyes that are filled with sorrow, and doesn't think she can kill people. Bella tells him to fight, and attacks. Kenshiro dodges her strikes, but doesn't fight back.

Nearby, Targel is watching, and says that it's as expected -Kenshiro can't kill a woman. Bella continues to attack, but Kenshiro blocks or avoids her moves. She leaps forward...

...and does a jump kick that shatters part of the cliff behind Kenshiro. Mamiya blocks some of the flying debris with here yoyos, but the commotion causes the hold man to drop the water flask. The girl goes to get it.

Bella spins around and throws out her rose, and it heads right at the girl. However, Kenshiro blocks it with his arm. Bella thinks that even at a time like this, Kenshiro used himself to defend the child.

Kenshiro removes the rose from his arm, and asks Bella if she's done already. Bella drops to her knees and says that she's lost, so Kenshiro bids her farewell. He, Rei and Mamiya start to walk away.

Moments later, Bella's mother stumbles forward, saying this is the way it should be. She has been stabbed in the back, and collapses. As Bella cradles her, she says that she's sorry in making her daughter inherit the ranzan kurenai ken style. She tells her to abandon it, and live on as a woman. As she passes away, Targel starts laughing.

He asks Bella if she understands the code of Cassandra now. Bella stands back up, and goes into her stance. Targel see that he's being challenged, and goes into his own stance.

The old man tells his granddaughter to go and get Kenshiro's group. Bella and Targel start to fight, but Targel is able to avoid all of Bella's strikes. He says that playtime is over, and the two clash for the final time.

Bella starts to fall, and is ripped apart just as Kenshiro's group arrive. Targel laughs, and says that all who defy Cassandra's code will end up like this.

Kenshiro rips his jacket and shirt off, and tells Targel he'll pay for this. Targel says he'll show them all the terror of his black palm cross fist, and then sets his men on the three. Rei tells Ken that they'll handle the small fry.

As he and Mamiya take out Targel's men, Kenshiro and Targel stare each other down. Kenshiro tells him he's all that's left, but Targel says he'll be the last one standing.

He clashes with Kenshiro, but Kenshiro survives. Targel says he did a good job avoiding that, but it won't work a second time. He charges again, but Kenshiro strikes pressure points on his head:

HOKUTO GEKITSUI SHI

(North Star Strike-Down Finger)

Targel wonders what's going on, as that didn't hurt at all. Kenshiro says he's struck the hyakkai pressure point, and three seconds after he removes his fingers, he'll explode. Targel thinks that's impossible, but once Kenshiro pulls his hand back, Targel stumbles back and explodes. Kenshiro tells Bella that she also suffered the fate of a sole successor... all the more tragic for a woman...

At Cassandra, Uighur finds out that Targel has been defeated. He wonders if Kenshiro thinks he can challenge Cassandra's legend. Another guard then runs in, and reports on something strange: Toki has smiled! Uighur is surprised, as Toki has never shown any reaction to anything. He thinks that perhaps Toki had a vision of Kenshiro's arrival. Meanwhile, Toki sits in his cell, with a smile on his face.

NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW

Kenshiro's group finally reach Cassandra! But two giants await at its legendary gates! Next time, on Fist of the North Star: "A Wicked Legend! The Gates to Cassandra Open Now!"

Kenshiro: Toki... we must meet.