Explosion of Secret Techniques!
The Destiny of the Two North Star
Brothers Surpasses Hatred!!

Rei tells Kenshiro to wait. Raoh sees that Rei is back up. Kenshiro asks what this is all about, so Raoh explains that he gave Rei three days to live. Warriors who defy him... he won't kill such people immediately. The reason why is because if you kill too quickly, the fear will not spread. But those with three days to live will tremble in fear of death, and will suffer to the end.

He says that that terror turns to legend, and the name Fist King will carry all the more weight. He says that he has hit the shinkesshu pressure point, and that in three days, blood will erupt from all over Rei's dying body. In the meantime, Rei can taste the terror of death, which looms closer by the second. Kenshiro tells Raoh he'll make him pay, and gets up to confront him again. But Rei stops him.

Rei tells Kenshiro not to do it, as right now, he can't defeat Raoh -there is a reason he can't win. Raoh is impressed that Rei was able to see through it. Kenshiro asks what they mean, but then screams out in pain.

A dent appears in his chest, causing him to cough up blood and fall to his knees. Raoh says that if Rei hadn't shot that arrow, then he would have pierced Kenshiro's chest. He hopes Kenshiro understands, now -someone like him still has no chance of taking him down from his horse. He says he'll finish him off, right here and now.

Kenshiro manages to get back up. Raoh says he fears the fists of just one man: Toki! Nearby, Toki and Mamiya approach the village, and see that it's burning. Toki says they must hurry, as it's not time yet for Kenshiro to fight Raoh. Only calm waters can tame the raging rapids -if you fight the raging rapids with your own fury, you'll only be swallowed up and broken apart. The rapids must be faced with calm waters, the flow of quiet water.

He suddenly tells Mamiya to stand back, and calls out to someone. A large man suddenly bursts out of the wreckage of a train.

The guy is annoyed that Toki sensed him, as he'd hoped to smash his head open with one strike. Toki says anyone could feel the aura of hostility coming from him. The guy says he thought he'd hidden it well enough, but guesses he couldn't control it without realizing. He then says he won't let them enter the village -at least, not until the Fist King defeats Kenshiro.

He tells Toki to look at the blood stained iron rods of his, as these rods are going to taste his blood. Toki guesses he has no choice, and tells the guy to make his move. He tells Mamiya to watch this, as the way to fight depends on your opponent. The guy thinks that's a joke -does Toki really think he can win with some dancing style? He goes on the attack:

RETTOU HAKOU KON

(Fury Combat Steel Breaking Rod)

Toki avoids his move, and gently touches him on the back. This causes him to go flying straight into a wall.

Toki says that if he opposes the rapids, he'll be swallowed up. Instead, follow and absorb their flow. His advice falls on deaf ears, as the guy attempts to attack him again. He gently taps the guy's hand...

...but it's with so much force that it causes his arm to wrap around his back, and he can't move it. He tries to attack with his other arm, but Toki once again taps him, causing him to lock his arm over his head.

Toki tells him only calm waters can tame the raging rapids, and that his arms will never let his rods taste blood again. He tells Mamiya they can go, so they head off. The guy is left standing there, begging for him to come back.

Back in the village, Raoh asks Kenshiro if he understands now -he was afraid to let him meet Toki again, but he doubts that Toki has taught him his techniques yet. He decides to finish this fight before Toki appears, and charges towards Kenshiro. But Rei tackles Kenshiro out of the way.

Rei tells Ken that if he fights now, he'll die -for now, he must run. His fists are like raging rapids, and even if he defeats Raoh, he'll be broken apart. He pleads with him to stop. Raoh asks Kenshiro what the matter is -if he runs, it'll only shame the title of successor to the North Star divine fist.

Kenshiro gets up, and says he won't lose. Rei grabs him and says that if he must fight, then he should carve this into his heart: he must live. A mutual kill would be the same as losing. This era needs him, and for Lin, Bat and everyone's sake, he must live on. Kenshiro tells him that even if he has a 99% chance of losing, as long as there is that one percent, it's his fate to fight as the successor to the North Star divine fist.

Raoh then charges, and says that he'll show him that his fighting spirit is nothing more than a ripple in the water. Kenshiro stands his ground, and punches the Black King. The Black King nearly falls over, but Raoh manages to get him under control.

Kenshiro tells Raoh he won't be able to defeat him whilst riding on that pack mule, and tells him to get off. Raoh curses Kenshiro out, but then senses someone: Toki. Toki and Mamiya have arrived in the village.

Toki tells Kenshiro that life is not to be wasted. Raoh sees the look in Toki's eyes, and thinks that his strength hasn't faded yet. Toki tells Kenshiro that it's not time for him to fight Raoh yet. Kenshiro asks why.

Toki looks at Rei, and says it looks like he's too late. But Rei tells Toki to please stop Ken. Toki tells Kenshiro that Rei is so concerned about him, that he isn't even thinking about his own inevitable death. Rei has entrusted all of his dreams to Kenshiro, so he shouldn't let Rei's feelings go to waste.

Toki then tells Kenshiro that he must live, and sees this age through to its end. Kenshiro tries to explain about his 99% chance of losing, but Toki tells him that he doesn't even have that remaining 1%. He asks Kenshiro a question: can he kill Lin?

Kenshiro asks why, and Toki tells him that if he can kill her, then he can defeat Raoh. He says that fighting spiritual energy is born only in the blood of the ruthless. He tells Kenshiro that whilst he was able to take on that spirit in his battles with Shin and Rei, however...

..Raoh is far more ruthless than him. He was the one who killed their master, Ryuken! Raoh sees that Toki knew about that incident. Kenshiro can't believe it, as he thought Ryuken had died from illness. Toki says that Raoh is the one who broke two thousand years of history of the North Star divine fist...

Ryuken asks Raoh if he is leaving. Raoh says that now Kenshiro has been chosen as the successor, there's no point in him remaining here. Ryuken tells him then he must give up his North Star divine fist, and never use it again.

Raoh reminds Ryuken of his desire to grasp the heavens. He wouldn't have become his adopted son if he planned to abandon the North Star divine fist. He declares that he won't take orders from anyone -not even God! Ryuken says he must be ready to take the responsibility. The sole succession to the North Star divine fist requires him to seal away his fists. Raoh says he will defeat him, and become the strongest man alive. Ryuken thinks he has created a horrific student, and then uses a technique:

HOKUTO SHINKEN OUGI:
SHICHISEI TENSHIN

(North Star Divine Fist Secret Technique:
Seven Star Mark Spirit)

Raoh sees this technique, and says he didn't know such a move existed. However he quickly realizes that he can't read Ryuken's movements at all. Ryuken starts moving so fast that there appear to be multiples of him, and they all strike Raoh together.

Raoh crashes to the ground. He gets back up just in time to avoid a couple of Ryuken's strikes, and then leaps up.

From the air, he can see that Ryuken is moving in the formation of the Big Dipper. As he lands back down, Ryuken tells him that he'll show him why the seven stars of the Big Dipper govern death. There are seven blind spots in human movements, and if you follow them, your movements take the shape of the Big Dipper. In other words, those seven stars show the path to sealing one's opponent: the path to death! He strikes Raoh again.

Ryuken says he won't kill Raoh, but will make sure he will never be able to use his fists again. As he says this, he starts to stumble with his words. He asks Raoh to forgive him, and prepares to finish him off, but he then realizes he's in pain: he's having a heart attack! He drops to his knees.

Raoh laughs, and gets up. He says that God has granted him good fortune: it seems He truly wants to fight with him. Ryuken pleads with God, asking to be able to live just a moment longer. Raoh has one last thing to say to his master:

"Die!"

Back in the present, Toki says by the time he got there, it was too late. Kenshiro says he never knew about this, he only knew that his father's body was growing weaker. Raoh says Kenshiro must finally understand why he can never defeat him, no matter how hard he tries. But now that Toki is here...

...it seems that he can now stand on the same ground as them. He says there will only be death for them both. Kenshiro steps forward.

He can't believe Raoh even killed Ryuken to further his ambitions -he won't forgive him for that. Kenshiro is about to fight him again, but Toki stops him. He tells Kenshiro to stand back.

He tells him to watch his fists, and the way he fights -this will surely help him someday. Without warning, Toki suddenly strikes a pressure point on Kenshiro, causing him to fall.

Toki says he has hit the secret pressure point known as shintanchu. He now won't be able to move unless he releases him. Kenshiro tells him not to do this, but Toki says that there are no two on one battles in the North Star divine fist. Even if they win together, it's no victory -he mustn't forget this, as he's the true successor to the North Star divine fist. As he walks up to Raoh, Rei thinks that Toki is ready to die. He wonders what Toki seeks to teach Ken through his own death.

Raoh removes his helmet, and throws it aside. He is impressed with his brother, but says that if he'd fought together with Kenshiro, they could have won. He says it looks like it's time to settle things. Toki tells Kenshiro to watch how he fights closely.

Toki tells Raoh to start, but Raoh tells him to call him the Fist King. The name of the Fist King will soon echo in the heavens! He sends out a blast of aura, which Toki defends himself against. Bat says that the air isn't moving, like it wasn't when Raoh fought Ken.

Rei says Toki is letting it pass by him. Bat and the others rush over to Rei, who tells them that Raoh's fighting spiritual energy hasn't changed, but Toki is letting it pass by him, almost swallowing the violent rapids of Raoh's fighting spiritual energy. He tells them to watch: when Raoh approaches, Toki withdraws and dodges. It's why the air is so calm.

Raoh says that Toki's fists rely on defense, and they show their true strength by blocking his attacks. But he wonders how long he can keep evading him for. Raoh then attacks with many punches, but Toki avoids them and goes to strike.

Raoh is able to stop him, and then avoids a second attack. He throws Toki high up into the air.

He dashes back to the Black King, and retrieves a sai. He leaps up into the air, and clashes with Toki. But Rei says that Raoh has changed his strategy.

As Raoh and Toki fall back down to the ground, Raoh stomps on Toki's foot, and then plunges the sai down.

Bat thinks Raoh is nuts to stab through his own foot, just to keep Toki from moving. Rei thinks Raoh has gone for a battle of endurance, and now neither he or Toki has any place to run.

Raoh tells Toki that it's over now. Both he and Ryuken were on his level in terms of skill, but they will both fall to old age and illness! Toki thinks this could be the end. Rei says that in martial arts, in battles between masters, even staring down your opponent requires an immense amount of energy. The slightest distraction could cost you your life, and Toki is ill...

Toki hopes Kenshiro will keep watching -he wants to let his death strengthen him. He thinks Kenshiro is the only one in this world who can defeat Raoh. Raoh laughs, and says that it seems God does want to fight with him. Kenshiro yells for Toki to release him.

Raoh thinks that Toki must have seen the death omen star. But it was never illness that spelled his doom -he'll be the one who'll end him! Lin runs over to Ken, and tells him to save Toki. Kenshiro tries to move, but he can't!

NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW

The time of settlement has finally come with Raoh's fists of fury! Will Lin's tears drive Ken's secret techniques to explode? Next time, on Fist of the North Star: "The Greatest Battle in History, Raoh vs. Ken! You'll Be the One to Die!!"

Kenshiro: The North Star code... I will uphold it.