The Demon Realm tournament was the greatest of all martial arts tournaments, with control of the Demon Realm at stake. In preliminary matches that gave rise to all sorts of drama, 128 contestants won their way through. And then, in the first match of the first round of the main tournament, Yusuke gained victory in a magnificent display. However, the skirmishes between tough contestants continued. Who will it be that lives through this survival tournament?

Fierce Fighting!
Men Fighting for their Dreams

The current fight going on is Shishiwakamaru versus Hokushin. Shishiwakamaru uses his sword technique to send out many skulls, but Hokushin destroys them all with a barrier. Shishiwakamaru strikes the ground, sending a stream of skulls along it, but Hokushin jumps over them.

Hokushin then throws out several small projectiles, which Shishiwakamaru blocks with his sword. Meanwhile Yusuke finds Jin and Toya, and asks them how it's going. Toya says that Suzuki lost his match, as his opponent's demon energy was in a whole other league.

They then see that Shishiwakamaru is being crushed by Hokushin, and he gives up, making Hokushin the winner of block C's eighth match. Yusuke says there's always a bigger fish, and Jin says he knows that because he's had it beaten into him over all of the fights he's had up to now. He says his fight is up next, and tells Yusuke not to go losing before they come up against each other. As he heads off, Yusuke thinks he is the same as ever. Toya agrees, but says his strength as increased remarkably.

Koto says that block A's sixth match is about to start: Jin versus Souketsu. As Jin looks at his opponent, he thinks that whilst he may be lanky, he's hiding the fact that he has a lot of spectral power.

Elsewhere, Rinku is chasing after Sasuga. Sasuga thinks he's persistent, but at least that just goes to show how charming she is. As she evades Chu, Rinku isn't watching where he's going, and crashes into him.

Chu tells him to stop chasing after some girl and cheer Jin on a little. Rinku thinks he's one to talk. The match begins, and Jin immediately uses his wind taming powers to take off high into the air. After saying how nice this breeze is, he dives back down towards the ring.

He tries to punch Souketsu, but the instant his fist is about to connect, Souketsu moves out of the way and gets behind him. He reveals he can also fly, and then delivers a powerful punch right on Jin's face.

Koto comments that Souketsu's attack squarely connected, and that this match could disappointingly be over already. Jin gets up and tells Souketsu he's pretty good. Souketsu calls what he just did his calling card, what he'll do next with be something even rougher. Jin says flying techniques are his specialty, and takes off.

He heads up high above the arena, and gets ready to attack. But he then notices that Souketsu is no longer on the ring. Souketsu laughs and asks him where is he looking at. Jin turns around and sees that, somehow, Souketsu has already gotten behind him. Souketsu tells him being a wind tamer has its limits, as he can't exceed the speed of the wind. Jin starts attacking him with punches, but Souketsu blocks them all.

Toya can't believe that Jin is being outmaneuvered. Yusuke says his father's old-time friends are strong. Mukuro tells Hiei that his friend appears to be having a difficult time of it. Hiei says he wouldn't call him a friend -here, as long as he's got to fight them, he considers everyone his enemy. Mukuro asks if that's right, and after looking at Kurama, asks Hiei if that goes for whoever he's fighting. Hiei says it does.

Jin goes for another punch, but Souketsu dodges it. Souketsu then seemingly hits Jin in the back with a powerful beam blast, but Jin doesn't get hit and gets right behind his opponent.

Jin then uses a powered up version of his whirlwind fist, which hits Souketsu and sends him crashing into the arena. Jin doesn't realize that Souketsu comes back out from underneath the arena, and flies upwards. As Jin is saying he can't allow himself to lose here, as he wants to fight Yusuke again, Souketsu tells him that's a shame.

Souketsu says this is where he'll lose, and batters Jin with punches, sending him crashing back down onto the arena. Souketsu lands and says he enjoyed that more than he thought he would. He tells Jin he has some pretty good skills.

Koto comments that Jin is down, and says that Souketsu has demonstrated an overwhelming difference in terms of power. Jin gets back up and says he can still keep going. Souketsu says this is surprising -he hasn't met anyone as tough as him since Raizen. Jin tries to use his wind powers, but no longer has the power to summon them.

He still tries to attack Souketsu, who avoids every punch he throws out. He thinks about the reason he accepted Kurama's invitation to train under Genkai was for this, so he can't let himself be beaten here. He throws out another punch, and when it misses, he falls over. He gets back up again.

Souketsu tells him he's just like how he used to be. It was about 1,500 years ago... when he was fighting Raizen. Raizen blasted him into a wall. He confronted Raizen again and again, knowing that he would be beaten.

He felt lucky just to be able to fight with him. He tells Jin that he wanted to fight Raizen again, and one day defeat him. That's all he'd been thinking about up to now, but now Raizen is no longer here. He knows Jin wants to fight the son of Raizen so badly, that's why he's worked as hard as he has. He feels the same way he did when he was fought Raizen. Jin says that's right, so Souketsu decides he'll defeat him with his full power.

He rushes forward and hits Jin several hundred times in a few seconds, knocking him down. Souketsu calls him something else, as he hasn't felt like this in a long time. He says he'll take Jin's feelings, and fight the son of Raizen in his place. However Jin still isn't done, and says he will be the one who faces Yusuke.

Souketsu is surprised Jin can still stand up after taking that kind of attack. Jin says he'll take him on again, so Souketsu goes to punch him. But he stops his fist just before Jin's face, as he's noticed something.

He calls up to the referee, and says that Jin is unconscious. Koto comments that Jin has passed out whilst still standing, showing some fearsome tenacity. As Jin has been judged as unable to continue the match, Souketsu is declared the winner.

Souketsu picks Jin up, and calls him a lucky bastard. Meanwhile, in the B block, the eleventh match is about to start: Toya versus Kujou. Kujou sends out a projectile blast...

...which causes a lot of explosions, but Toya survives. The two land on a small rock, which is in the middle of a lake. Koto explains to the audience that in this vast natural arena, fighters can choose the location where they can make full use of their own abilities.

Kujou asks Toya what the matter is -is he still intent on now showing his special moves? Toya says he can't believe he has to use this technique in the first round. He sends out a wave of ice, which covers the entire lake.

Chu and Rinku think Toya has got this, as he can stop his opponent with this technique. Natsume then appears, and wonders what Kujou is goofing around for. Chu asks her how she's involved with this Kujou guy, is he her lover? Natsume says Kujou is her brother. Chu is relieved to hear that.

He tells her it looks like it's all over for Kujou, and she says it is... for now. As Chu stares at her, he comments on how beautiful she is. Rinku thinks he's stupid.

Koenma's group then come over, and Botan tells Rinku she heard that right now in block A, Sasuga's younger brother is fighting. Rinku asks who her brother is, and they say that it's the demon on the top right screen. Rinku tells Sasuga's brother good luck, he'll root for him.

Jorge asks if that demon is really Sasuga's brother, and Botan and Koenma says it's just a little white lie. Back at the fight, Kujou and Toya exchange some attacks, with Toya eventually managing to hit Kujou in the face.

As Kujou gets up, he says he's impressed with Toya's freezing technique, as well as his speed. Toya says he'll now show him that he's got more than that, and freezes Kujou's legs. This technique also starts draining him of his demon energy.

Toya says his ice deprives his opponent of their demon energy, no matter how strong it may be. It also stops them from using their spectral power any longer. He then uses his sleet bullet shoot technique, and blasts Kujou with numerous icy shard projectiles.

Kurama tells Yusuke that Toya is doing well. Yusuke says he's impressed that Toya has trained as much as he has. Kurama says Toya and the others all had this grand goal of defeating Yusuke. Yusuke says he's grateful, but there are guys even stronger than himself all over the place. Kurama says that's right, but it's not just because he's strong that they wanted to fight him. Before this match started, Toya told him that as a Demon Realm ninja, he gained his light after the Dark Tournament. It was tantamount to gaining freedom, and the desire to fight Kurama again remained with him ever since. He can remember Kurama asking him what he would seek after light. He sought a fight where he could go all out, and wanted to have such a battle against him, or Yusuke, or Hiei, or even Kuwabara.

He felt that by doing that, he can find what he is seeking after light, and is certain he will find it. Back in the present, Kurama tells Yusuke that Toya's fighting aesthetics have been influenced by him. Yusuke doesn't really get it, and Kurama thought he might have said that. Back at the fight, Toya says it's time to conclude this, and summons as ice sword over his hand.

He leaps up into the air, but before he can strike, Kujou screams out and destroys the ice around his legs, along with melting most of it covering up the lake.

Toya is surprised that he still had that kind of power, but Kujou tells him that he just used the last of his power up. Toya thinks his opponent still has quite the glare in his eyes considering this, but Kujou says it's just because he's just like him -he doesn't want to lose. The two resume fighting.

Toya tries rapidly striking with his blade, but Kujou avoids every lunge. Koto comments that her eyes can't follow the contestant's attacks, and wonders who will come out ahead. Kujou lands a powerful punch on Toya.

Toya is still able to graze Kujou with his ice blade, and the two land. Toya tells him that he allowed his demon energy to be drained on purpose so he could fight him as an equal -he didn't need him to put on such an act. Kujou says he wanted this to be a good match, although it was a risky gamble. Toya says he's grateful, as he's been able to utterly expend himself. Kujou says they'll have to fight again sometime. As Toya agrees to this, his ice blade shatters.

He then collapses, and his ice starts to melt. Kujou leaps over and picks him up, and returns to dry land. He wishes Toya hadn't made him use up so much power though, as it's going to cost him in the next match.

Koto comments that block B's eleventh match ends with a come from behind victory for Kujou. Yusuke thinks it was a shame, but Kurama says Toya appeared to be content with the result. They see that Toya is back up, and seems happy.

Kurama thinks that the ones who fought with Yusuke at the Dark Tournament, along with those who used to fight with Raizen... is it really thrilling to fight against them? Mukuro says if there are more fights like that one, the Demon Realm is going to change. Hiei asks her if she just said something, but she says she didn't. Kurama tells Yusuke he'll see him around.

Yusuke tells Kurama not to lose. Kurama tells him not to lose either, as he'll have to fight Yomi soon, who is very powerful. Yusuke says he can handle it -the stronger his opponent, the hotter he burns. Kurama says that's just like him, and walks off. He thinks that not all fights are going to be so invigorating, and guesses the real thing starts now.

The powerful opponents from the Dark Tournament were all eliminated in the first round. However, what they took away from their battles was something great. What will Yusuke be showing us in his next fight?


NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW

(Yusuke is speaking)

During a fierce battle with Shigure, the silver-haired form of Yoko Kurama appears once again! However, Kurama is wavering over something. His friends, his family, and himself! The cherry blossoms that bloom over the battlefield will set Kurama's thoughts free! Next time: Kurama, A Break with the Past.