Can the Flames of Love Burn in Hell?
You Are Already Dead!!

Kenshiro arrives at Shin's fortress. He thinks about Yuria telling him he is the only one, and then also thinks about Shin, who tells him he is no match for his South Star holy fist -Yuria belongs to him.

Inside the fortress, Yuria is playing her harp, when Shin appears. He tells her that is a beautiful melody, but she then stops playing. He asks her why, and she says there is a sadness in this melody, just as there is in her heart. She asks him why he can't understand, but he changes the subject by announcing they will be leaving this place. Yuria asks where they are going, and he says Southern Cross.

He explains that Southern Cross is their new capital, which has finally been finished. It's a shining new city, which he has dedicated to her. He is certain her feelings will change once they go there. He tells her to get ready to leave.

Meanwhile, as Kenshiro walks toward the fortress, Bat and Lin drive after him. He ignores them, but they pull up alongside him. They want to go with him to help with his fight against King.

However Kenshiro tells them to stay away, as this is his fight alone. He forbids them to move from here. He then continues walking towards the fortress. Bat thinks that was scary, and Lin says she's never seen Ken look like that. Kenshiro stands before the fortress, and says he's finally found where Shin is. It makes him think back, to what happened one year ago...

Kenshiro and Yuria pay their respects to Kenshiro's deceased master. Ken tells him to rest in peace, but he doesn't need to worry about him. He possesses the North Star divine fist, and besides that, he also has Yuria. As he and Yuria get up, he says these are tough times. He wants to live with Yuria the best they can, and picks her up.

He says that today is the first day of their journey, and they'll walk together forever. He asks her if she'll promise him this much, and she says she does. The two laugh, and walk towards their bike.

However someone shoves an axe through the bike, as a gang of men appear. Kenshiro asks who they are, but they just laugh, and then take a step back. Shin appears, and tells them might makes right -isn't this a wonderful time to live in? The strong can take what they want.

Kenshiro asks Shin what is he doing -, he's of the North Star, whilst Shin is of the South Star. They may have practiced different styles, but they did train together. Shin ignores that, and says that he has always loved Yuria. Yuria asks what he's saying -she'd sooner die than hear that! Shin tells her that just makes him love her even more, as he loves a woman who's as strong-willed as she is beautiful. He tells Ken that he is going to take Yuria.

Ken tells him not to be stupid, as Yuria is the most important thing in his life. Shin says in that case, he'll take her by force. He tells Ken to move out of the way, and does a quick swipe, which cuts Ken's face.

Kenshiro asks Shin if he has forgotten their master's teachings. The Fist of the North Star and Fist of the South Star are two sides of the same art, and must never fight -they must work together, to pass on the art to the next generation. Shin says all that nonsense the old man used to say... he's already forgotten! He kicks the grave marker, breaking it into pieces.

Ken gets angry with him, but Shin just laughs and says that finally got a rise out of him. He again says he'll be taking Yuria, but Ken thinks he must be out of his mind. Shin says he's no match for him, and leaps up. Kenshiro jumps up towards him, and the two clash in the air:

NANTO GOKUSATSU KEN / HOKUTO HIEI KEN

(South Star Hell Murder Fist / North Star Flying Defensive Fist)

As the two land, Shin looks behind him, and laughs. Suddenly, Kenshiro's knees and elbows burst open, and he falls down. Shin stomps on his head, and says there's no way he could possibly defeat him.

Shin says there is a very definite difference between the two of them. It is ambition, or obsession. Ambition is what gives your power, and he tells Ken his problem is he has no ambition. He then says he will be taking Yuria now, but Ken says he won't let him have her. Shin has an idea, and gets two of his underlings to pick Ken up. He then tells Yuria to say that she loves him. Yuria says nothing.

Shin then places one of his fingers onto Kenshiro's chest, and then stabs into him. Kenshiro screams in pain.

Shin says this is a South Star holy fist method of execution. An ordinary man couldn't take even one of these, but he wonders how many Kenshiro can take before he dies. He stabs into Kenshiro again, but Yuria screams for him to stop -if Ken dies, she'll die, too.

Shin tells her she is the only one who can stop this execution. She only needs to say one word. He stabs into Kenshiro again, and tells Yuria that he's not forcing her -but what does she say? She tells him that the only person she loves is Kenshiro. Kenshiro tells Shin that if he's going to kill him, he should just get it over with.

Kenshiro tells Yuria to live -for his sake, live on. Shin tells him he never liked the way he lived his life, and stabs into him again. Kenshiro screams out.

Yuria tells Shin to wait, and says that she loves him. Shin says he can't hear her -does she really think she can move his heart when she whispers like that? He pushes his fingers further into Ken's chest.

Yuria yells that she loves Shin, and will follow him forever. Shin laughs, and lets Kenshiro fall to the ground. He asks Kenshiro if he just heard that -the woman who said she'd rather die than be with him, just said that she'd love him, and will follow him forever. He thinks a woman's heart can be such a cruel thing.

Shin tells Yuria to come with him, as they will go to a paradise on Earth. Ken can only watch as Yuria is taken away from him. The two scream each other's names, but Kenshiro can do nothing to save Yuria.

Sometime later, Kenshiro got himself out of that desert. He stumbled and fell down due to the heat, but the thought of Yuria kept him going. But he was a changed man.

Back in the present, Kenshiro has arrived in the fortress. He thinks that he crawled out of hell so he could kill Shin. He heads inside, and comes across a guard. He hits his zusetsu pressure point, leaving him comatose. Two other guards later find him and ask what's wrong.

Kenshiro then grabs them from behind. They yell out for help, and soon even more guards arrive. Kenshiro tells them to take him to King, but they think he must be joking. Two of them charge towards him, but Kenshiro throws his two hostages at them.

They smash into each other, and explode. Kenshiro tells the others that they're no match for the North Star divine fist, and again asks for them to take him to King.

The guards say they'll kill him, and charge. Kenshiro runs towards them, and starts hitting their pressure points. Soon, they all explode.

HOKUTO HYAKURESTU KEN

(North Star Hundred Crack Fist)

Kenshiro runs on, and yells out for Shin to show himself. He hears someone laugh, and sees Joker waiting for him. Joker says that Lord King isn't here, as he's gone on a journey, along with Lady Yuria.

Outside, Shin, Yuria and several guards have already moved out. Shin asks Yuria if she's thinking about Kenshiro, and tells her that Kenshiro is already in the fortress. But that is where his journey will end, as this time he really is going straight to hell. Back inside, Kenshiro asks where Shin ran off to. Joker says there's no need to bother Lord King with this, but Kenshiro says he'll chase Shin to the ends of the Earth, if that's what it takes to find him. Joker asks him if he can get out of here first.

Several more guards appear, and one attacks with a club. Kenshiro strikes the club, breaking it into pieces. Joker tells them to get Kenshiro, but Kenshiro warns them that anyone who gets in his way, will die. He rips his jacket and shirt off...

...and as the guards rush towards him, he hits their pressure points, using the hundred crack fist again. The guards all explode, but Joker just laughs. He asks Kenshiro if he didn't notice all the gasoline dripping down the stairs.

Joker then tells him to burn, and ignites the gasoline. As everything starts to burn, Kenshiro leaps up. Joker tells him to turn to ashes along with this fortress, and heads higher up. Kenshiro follows him, and finds him waiting on the roof.

However Joker then whistles, which summons a giant eagle. The bird gives him a lift, and he gives Kenshiro some advice: all of their kerosene is stored in the basement. Kenshiro can only watch as Joker flies away, but then the fortress begins to explode. He jumps off the roof.

Having seen the explosions, Bat and Lin move in towards the burning fortress. Yuria also watches it explode, but Shin says it is a fine funeral pyre for Kenshiro. He and his convoy continue towards Southern Cross.

Later on, once the fire has burned itself out, Bat and Lin look for Ken. They fear he is dead, but he then appears. He says he's a man who has crawled out of hell... it'll take more than this to kill him. He swears he will get Yuria back.

NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW

Whilst searching for Shin, Kenshiro finds an oasis, ruled by the terrifying battalion, God's Army! Next time, on Fist of the North Star: Search Order from Satan. Find the Man with the Seven Scars!

Kenshiro: You are already dead.