The third round requires consecutive battles. Due to conspiracy on the part of the tournament's head office, Hiei and the masked fighter have been shut up inside a peripheral realm! Further, with Kuwabara heavily injured, he is also unable to fight. The Urameshi team, consisting of just Yusuke and Kurama, must confront the Devilish Trainer team! In the first battle, Kurama narrowly defeated Gama. However, in exchange for his own life, Gama applied cursed body paint to Kurama!

A Desperate Kurama!
Body Paint of Death

Gama tells Kurama that he has sealed his power up. His makeup is made from his own blood, and now that some of it has gotten on Kurama, it has sealed up his spirit energy. Gama says this is what it takes to be a shinobi, to choose death in order to obtain the victory ahead. He says that even after he dies, his demon energy won't disappear for some time, and tells Kurama his teammates will defeat him. He then succumbs to his wounds and dies.

Toya steps onto the ring and tells Gama his death won't be in vain -he will avenge him. Kurama thinks this is bad, as his arms and legs are as heavy as led, so he can't move the way he wants to. And now, his power has also been sealed up.

HEXED ICE USER

TOYA

Toya tells Kurama to prepare himself, as he'll show him no mercy. As the rest of the Urameshi team watch, Kuwabara says if he could just regain his strength, these injures would be nothing. Botan tells him to just sit still. Meanwhile, Sakyo has decided to sit with the rest of the crowd for this fight.

Butajiri walks over and asks him what he's doing here when he has his VIP seats. Sakyo explains that down here, you get a better sense of actually being here, as it's more exciting. Butajiri asks him what he thinks of his plan -without Hiei and that masked fighter, the Urameshi team will clearly be beaten, and the spectators will also be immensely satisfied. And after that's happened, he'll have them serve as sandbags for a lynch mob, and call it a penalty game until they all die. Butajiri thinks it's fantastic, but Sakyo doesn't bother responding.

At the medical tent, the masked fighter tells Hiei that the only thing they can hope for is for Kurama to buy some time. When the times comes, Gama's spell will lose its effectiveness. If Kurama can hold out for that long, there's a chance that he can win. Hiei thinks that's fine, but it'll only happen if things go smoothly. Before the fight starts, Kurama asks Toya to tell him one thing: why is he and his team participating in this fight? Toya says for the light.

Toya explains that they have lived in the shadows, in a world already in darkness. There's no such thing as even a glimmer of light. But they realized something: with the power they have as Demon Realm ninja, they could live in the outside world as much as they'd like.

Their wish is to have their own territory, unsullied by anyone else: this island. If they win the Dark Tournament, their prize will be this island. But it will serve no more as their point of departure, as in time, they themselves will become the light and envelop this world. Hiei thinks this means a Demon Realm ninja rebellion. The masked fighter says as Demon Realm ninja, they entrust their secrets to their best pupils before they die, in order to preserve their techniques. If that process keeps repeating enough, there will be those amongst them who will wish to test their own power. Hiei wonders how Kurama can escape from Toya's attacks. Seiryu, who he defeated earlier, was an ice master without peer, and one of the mightiest among ice handlers.

Toya then says that's enough talk, as he thinks Kurama's intentions must be to buy some time, but he can't allow that. Koto tells them to start fighting, and Toya says he won't waste the time Gama made in exchange for his life. He uses a technique that covers the floor in ice, to which Koto comments on how cold it is.

The icy aura covers the entire ring. Toya says he knows how sharp Kurama's mind is, and says he doesn't want to approach him even though he can't use his demon energy. So he intends to shoot him dead, and creates some ice particles in his hands. He then blows them at Kurama.

MA TEKI SANDAN SHA

(Magic Flute Sleet Bullet Shoot)

Kurama tries to avoid them, and whilst he can at least move, he's too slow to avoid getting hit. Koto says that Toya has launched an attack, and now Kurama is in an absolute crisis. Kuwabara takes a few hits, but doesn't suffer any substantial damage.

He manages to run, but Toya goes after him. Kurama thinks this is no use, he can't defeat fight Toya without being able to use his demon energy. Toya uses the attack several more times, and whilst Kurama manages to avoid some of the projectiles, a group of them eventually get him.

Kurama falls down. The rest of the Urameshi team can only watch, whilst the audience tell Toya not to hold back -he should hurry and kill Kurama now!

Keiko yells at Yusuke for just looking on, she wants him to go and help Kurama out. Shizuru reminds her that that's against the rules, but Keiko thinks he should just ignore the rule. As she continues to yell at Yusuke, Shizuru thinks she's being a bit drastic!

Jorge asks Koenma what can be done, but even Koenma thinks all Kurama can do is give up, given that he can't use his demon energy. He thinks they'll have to let Yusuke deal with the rest of this. Back on the ring, Kurama manages to get back up.

Toya tells him to stop putting on such a fake show, as he knows he won't go down after being hit with an attack like that. He wonders if Kurama is just trying to buy some time again. Kurama notices some blood on the palm of his hand, and this gives him an idea.

He runs off again, and starts applying his blood over the blood Gama spilt onto him. Toya says he's trying to wipe out the blood letters from Gama's spell, and that's some nice thinking. Kurama attempts to summon his rose whip...

...but it fails, causing him to drop to his knees. Toya tells him it's useless, it'll take more than that to break the spell. Until Gama's spectral power disappears, there's absolutely no way for him to use his own demon energy. Toya then uses his ice projectiles again, which knock Kurama down. Koto comments that Kurama is down again, but he's trying to get back up.

Kurama manages to stand once more, and wonders if there is some way to let him use his demon energy. Toya is surprised Kurama can get back up after he took so many hits from his ice technique. He tells Kurama he's one formidable guy, as he's dodged him every time he's tried to hit his vital points. Kurama asks him one more thing: what would he do in the world? Toya says he doesn't know, as the light comes first.

Toya then thinks this is bad, as it's about time for the spell to wear off. No matter what Kurama's injuries are, he thinks it's risky to let him use his demon energy. And so in that case, he'll have to defeat him in close-quarters combat. He summons an ice shard, which covers his hand.

He then goes on the attack, lunging with several strikes which Kurama narrowly dodges. Yusuke tells Kurama that's enough, and he should give up already. Kuwabara knows that no matter how tough Kurama is, if he gets hit by one of those attacks, he's had it.

Kurama thinks he'll have to risk everything on this, and then he has one of his arms slashed and cut open. As he hits the floor again, Yusuke tells him to leave the rest to him, and there's nothing to be gained if he dies. Kurama gets up yet again.

Koenma wonders what he is doing, and says he should just leave things to Yusuke. Kurama tells Yusuke to let him do this. Toya says he'll just kill Kurama and get this over with, and prepares to strike.

Kurama runs off, and Toya follows him, telling him it's useless, as he can read his movements as clear as day. Toya then leaps up and lunges forward towards Kurama, but as he does, Kurama wields a plant weapon from his hand.

Kurama's attack has pierced through Toya's body, but all the latter can says is this is impossible -Kurama shouldn't have been able to use his demon energy. He asks how Kurama was able to produce that shi maneki sou (death inviting grass), so Kurama reveals that he planted the seed inside his own body, in the arm wound he received from Toya earlier.

Kurama says it was the only thing he could do -using the demon energy that was sealed inside of him. Toya tells him he's something else, but then collapses. As he does, the icy aura covering the ring disappears.

Koto starts to count Toya out, and most of the crowd are outraged that Toya has lost. Keiko wonders if Kurama is going to be alright, but Shizuru says all Kurama can manage now is just remain standing. Elsewhere in the stadium, Butajiri isn't happy with what's happened, and thinks his entire plan is ruined. He rushes off.

As he does, Toguro comes over and stands next to Sakyo. Elsewhere, Koenma and Jorge celebrate Kurama's win, and Koenma says you can't give up until the very end. Jorge thinks that's not what he said earlier, and Koenma tells him he's been rebellious lately. He pulls out a book and says the next time there are personnel changes, he'll have him transferred to clean the gutters of the blood pond. Jorge says it's no time to be saying that, and points out that Toya is getting back up.

Koto is halfway through her count, as Toya tries to stand. But he can't do it, and falls back down just before she reaches 10. Koto announces that Kurama has won twice in a row. Toya tells Kurama to kill him, but Kurama refuses. He says he wants to know what is it Toya and the rest of his team are seeking so badly.

He wants to know what comes after the light, what is it that could make them go through all of this. Kurama then passes out, but remains standing. The crowd start to celebrate, believing that Kurama is dead.

Koto checks on him, and announces that he's still alive. The crowd can't believe it, and yell for someone to hurry up and kill him.

Yusuke tells Koto that he'll be swapping with Kurama, and will be fighting from here on. But then someone tells him he can't do that, as a shadow appears and looms over Kurama and Koto. The next fighter, Bakken, has stepped onto the ring.

DEVILISH TRAINER TEAM

BAKKEN

Bakken says that Kurama is still standing, so it means for the next fight, he can take him on. Yusuke calls him an idiot, as Kurama can't fight any more, so he'll be fighting from here on. Koto says she'll allow the swap, but there is then an announcement from the tournament main office: no swap will be allowed. The third match will be Kurama versus Bakken.

As Hiei walks forward, Ruka tells him to behave himself. He'll end up greatly injuring himself if he so much as touches the periphery realm carelessly. Bakken picks Koto up and tells her the main office are saying she's not fit to be the referee. He tosses her off the ring.

Bakken says he'll enjoy this, and punches Kurama. He says Kurama makes for a good sandbag, and then gives him a kick. Koto says Kurama is down, and tells Bakken to step away so she can start the count. Bakken tells her not to make him laugh, as does she think the spectators are going to be satisfied with a ten count?

As Koto reaches nine on her count, Bakken picks Kurama up and says the match can continue, since Kurama is no longer down. He gives Kurama another good punch, as Yusuke screams for him to stop.

Kurama is in a desperate position! Can Yusuke do nothing but watch on in silence?


NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW

(Yusuke is speaking)

Bakken! How dare you harm Kurama when he can't fight back?! Now that you've done that, it won't be so easy to let you off! I'm going to take it out on your body to make you appreciate what you've done to Kurama! Prepare yourself! I'm going to give you an out-and-out pounding! Next time: Annihilation! Yusuke's Iron Fist of Fury. The Other World's not watching for nothing!