Having been appointed a Spirit Realm detective, Yusuke Urameshi has returned to this world. Right away, his first assignment was to seek out a gang of 3 heinous demons, and take back the three treasures they have stolen from the Spirit Realm. Yusuke takes a stand against one of them, Gouki, who devours the spirits of children. However, Yusuke has fallen short before Gouki's unimaginable strength!

Kurama's Secret?!
The Ties Between Mother and Son

Yusuke watches as Gouki walks towards him, and thinks this is no good -their power levels are too different, and at this rate, he's going to get killed! Gouki tells him that for interfering with his meal, he's going to pay with his body. Gouki punches him and Yusuke jumps away, but doesn't avoid the blow and gets sent flying back.

Gouki says he forgot how fragile humans are, but he does love that aspect about them. He kicks Yusuke into a tree and then charges into him. Unable to fight back, Yusuke can do nothing as Gouki starts choking him.

Suddenly a voice calls out and a light shines, telling everyone that she's seen something over there and to come over. More lights appear and the voice asks whoever's there if they'd like to go camping with them. Gouki sees that people are coming and tells Yusuke to learn his lesson -he's a mere human, so he should stop coming after them and worry about his own life. He then drops Yusuke, who loses consciousness.

Yusuke suddenly wakes up in his own bed. Atsuko comes in and sees his awake, and promptly bashes him on the head -she tells him now that he's come so far by coming back to life, he shouldn't make her worry by being so reckless! She then starts to cry, and Yusuke tells her he understands. But he also thinks about what happened -what was that voice who saved him?

Botan then walks in and says hi. Atsuko explains that she carried him in here, so he should thank her. Yusuke is more surprised that his mother can even see Botan, but she explains that Koenma thought it wouldn't be much use having an assistant spirit detective that nobody could see. Atsuko leaves the room and tells Yusuke to introduce her to Botan later. Yusuke tells Botan that she did pretty well to find where he was, but she explains that with this compass, she was able to do it:

YOUKIKEI

(Demon Energy Plan)

Spirit detective item no. 2, demon energy plan. When a demon is near, it indicates its direction and distance.

Yusuke takes the compass and says he was nervous, as Gouki is no weakling. To think that such a strong guy would be his opponent... Botan tells him that the other two guys have even greater spiritual power than Gouki. And they've got one week to catch them and take back the treasures. Yusuke thinks he can't deal with this. Koenma is watching and thinks this is no time for Yusuke to be anxious, as he's the only one they can rely on.

And he's even more worried about what will happen if King Enma finds out about this. Back on Earth, Atsuko is watching a news report on TV. The reporter states that another strange incident has happened, again affecting elementary-school children. Four children, from the same area, have fallen into a comatose state for unexplained reasons, and have been taken to hospital. Yusuke and Botan also listen in, but Yusuke knows it was Gouki who did this. Botan says children's spirits are his favorite, and as long as he has the gem, he'll keep eating them.

Yusuke asks how long a spirit will stay inside Gouki's stomach, and Botan says just one day at the most. Yusuke gets up and says he'll take Gouki down, but Botan can't believe he'll go in his current condition. Yusuke is worked up, and says that having your spirit eaten must be a lot more painful than the death of your body. You wouldn't be able to become a ghost and float freely, for one. He says that he will be able to shoot his spirit gun today, and he won't lose this time. Botan reveals she has one more item for him that can help:

REI GEKI WA GU

(Spirit Strike Ring Tool)

Spirit Realm detective item no. 3, spirit strike ring tool. Raises the power of the spirit gun many times over.

Yusuke takes the ring and Botan tells him they'd hoped to wait until his spirit powers had increased before giving him this. It will greatly increase the power of his spirit gun, but after he uses it, he'll be left totally exhausted, so it's his ace in the hole. Yusuke says he understands, and then uses the compass to locate Gouki. A short time later, Atsuko brings in some tea, only to find both Yusuke and Botan are gone.

In a forest, a little girl comes across the gem. Gouki quickly appears and as she passes it to him, he thanks her and says that in return, he'll eat her spirit. He uses the gem to take her spirit.

She drops to the ground, and he says another one is now his. Yusuke then appears and says he's come to pay him back. Gouki is annoyed with him, didn't he hear the warning he gave him yesterday? Yusuke says that unfortunately, he's not that bright. Gouki transforms to his true self.

Gouki says this is twice he's interrupted him during a meal. Yusuke ignores him and thinks that for now, he'll try hitting him with everything he's got. He charges and punches Gouki in his stomach, but he ends up hurting himself. Gouki tells him that for being a detective, he sure hasn't investigated him very thoroughly. In this form, his body is as hard as steel, and not even a blade could get through. Gouki punches at Yusuke, but misses and breaks apart a tree.

Yusuke picks up the broken tree trunk and rams into Gouki with it, but again it does nothing. Gouki picks him and the trunk up and throws them back. Yusuke lands and realizes this is all or nothing, he's going to have to bet everything on this fight on his spirit gun.

However he thinks about what Botan had told him -she thought that even with the ring, he won't be able to deal any lethal damage on Gouki. Yusuke wonders if he should aim for Gouki's eyes, but realizes that he'll only be able to hit one of them. He then has an idea, but he'll have to get close to do it. But Gouki then kicks him and starts stomping on him, saying how his screams are just increasing his appetite. Botan then appears, and throws another tree trunk at Gouki. It shatters on the back of his head.

Yusuke tells her to hurry and run away, which she does, but Gouki leaps up into the air and lands right in front of her. She turns around and runs back to Yusuke.

Gouki towers over both of them and tells them he'll eat them together.He picks up Yusuke by his head and tells him how much of an utter nuisance he's been. He yells at him to die, but Yusuke responds by shoving a bit of tree into his open mouth.

Yusuke tells him he was waiting for this -for him to get close and open the mouth on that big, stupid face of his. The outside of his body may be hard as steel, but what about the inside of his mouth? Yusuke unleashes his spirit gun, scoring a direct hit.

Gouki topples over, defeated. Yusuke and Botan watch as the captured spirits are released, and Yusuke is sure to count them all.

The little girl Gouki met earlier revives. Yusuke says that it took him everything just to get one of these back, and there's still 2 to go. He hates to think about what could be coming next!

Later on that evening, Yusuke staggers through town. Botan says he should let her prop him up on her shoulder, but he tells her does she think he would do something so degrading? But then the compass starts beeping -a demon is nearby! Yusuke thinks he's in no condition to fight them now, and they see that Kurama has appeared.

However, Kurama tells them not to be wary, as he's not here to fight them or run away. He just has a request: wait 3 days. He will return the mirror to them in 3 days. Yusuke and Botan head home, and as Botan treats Yusuke's injuries, she tells him that she thinks this is a trap. 3 days from now will be when there is a full moon, which is the same day that the mirror can exhibit its greatest power. The mirror reflects the desires of those who look into it, and will then grant that desire. However, in order for it to work, it seems something must be offered, but she doesn't know what.

She's sure Kurama is just trying to figure it out over the next 3 days. Yusuke says if that's the case, why did he bother showing himself to them? He had no reason to. He has a feeling that Kurama isn't that much of a bad guy. Botan can't believe what he's saying -it was one of Kurama's partners who wore him ragged like this!

Yusuke explains that when he first encountered them, the 3 were fighting among themselves. Kurama was trying to leave the group and from his eyes, he didn't think he was lying. They wonder what is up with Kurama, but the moment is shattered when Atsuko walks in, happily announcing that dinner is ready. She wants Botan to come and eat too, which she's thankful for. But Yusuke tells her they're in the middle of something very important right now. Atsuko grabs him and asks what is it -is it something that can't be said in front of her? Yusuke tries to explain it's nothing like that at all.

3 days later, Botan tells Yusuke she'll go to Koenma and ask him about the Darkness Mirror, whilst he can go to the place Kurama specified. As she heads off, Yusuke walks to the place: a hospital. Kurama is waiting outside.

Kurama takes Yusuke to one of the rooms inside, where a woman is lying in a bed. She tells him that it's a rare treat for him to bring a friend along. He tells his mom it's ok, but she should just lie down. She tells him she's feeling good today and he asks if he can peel her an apple. She declines, saying she has no appetite, but he tells her she has to get some nutrition, or she'll never get better. She decides to do as Shuichi says. Meanwhile Yusuke is trying to take all of this in and wonders what is this all about?!

Kurama takes Yusuke up to the roof. He says that Shuichi is the name he's adopted in the Human Realm, and that woman is her adopted mother. His father died a long time a go. For the past 15 years, he let her raise him under this deception. His real identity is that of a fox demon, who has lived for hundreds of years. He has taken on spiritual powers, becoming an enchanted creature.

Able to break both seals and codes, his specialty was stealing ancient treasures. But 15 years ago, he was seriously injured by a powerful hunter. He escaped to the Human Realm, still in his spiritual body.

There, he entered a woman, and became her child. He had thought that in that form, if he could put up with it for about 10 years, he would recover his spiritual powers. When that happened, he planned to leave his adopted parents.

But now... his mother's illness is incurable. It was then when those guys appeared -Hiei and Gouki -and invited him to join them on their quest to steal the 3 treasures. He then remembered about the Darkness Mirror, and how it could grant one's desires.

He wants to use the mirror to save his mother. If he can just get that granted, he'll then return the treasure, go before King Enma, and receive his judgment. Yusuke asks why a demon would go this far for a human. Kurama tells him he's not sure himself. But there is one thing he knows for certain...

...he owes her an awful lot. She didn't know what he really was, and she did an excellent job in raising him. When she became ill, it was the first time he ever thought about repaying her kindness. Yusuke asks why is he telling him this, and he says maybe he just wanted someone else to hear about it. Besides that, more than anything, Yusuke had faith in him. A nurse then appears and calls for Shuichi to come.

Everyone heads back inside, and the doctor explains that Shuichi's mother has taken a turn for the worse, and is now in critical condition. She may not make it through the night, but they'll do the best that they can for her. Kurama and Yusuke head back onto the roof, where Kurama says he has to do this -he has to use the mirror. Yusuke says he heard that in order to have your wish granted, you have to offer up something. Kurama says that you must offer your life.

In the Spirit Realm, Koenma tells Botan that the mirror grants your wish as it takes your life. The reason it's known as the Darkness Mirror is because of how many different owners it has had. Botan rushes back to the Human Realm so she can let Yusuke know. But on Earth, Kurama places down the mirror and tells it to receive the light of the moon. The mirror reacts, sending out black energy.

The energy dies down and the mirror itself speaks, displaying an image of Kurama's mother and asking him if his desire is to trade a lifetime of happiness for this woman. Kurama says it is, but Yusuke asks if he's making a mistake. Even if she is saved, if he dies, this won't amount to anything!

Kurama tells him this is the only way. The mirror states that to fulfill this wish, it must take his life, and asks if he is sure this is alright. Kurama says that it is, if it will save her life. The mirror accepts and starts to emit a different energy, which surrounds Kurama. As he says goodbye to his mother, Yusuke suddenly puts his hand forward.

Kurama asks what he is doing, but Yusuke tells the mirror to take his life instead. If he does this, then the mirror won't have to take Kurama's life. Kurama asks him what is he thinking?!

Yusuke tells him that the sight of a mother's crying face after losing her son -it's unbearable! He knows, as he saw what his mom was like after he died. There is nothing more discomforting! The mirror then emits a powerful white light.

Botan sees it and heads in, as the light vanishes. Yusuke and Kurama are both down, but Kurama gets up -he's alive! He wonders if his mom is, and runs off to find her.

Botan lands and sees Yusuke lying down. But he also gets up, and shouts this is great -he survived! It's situations like that where he acts before thinking about what will come afterward. Thinking about it now makes him shudder! He then sees Botan, and says he got the mirror.

The mirror tells them that in light of Yusuke's actions, it has decided to grant the wish without taking a life. Inside, Shuichi finds out from the doctor that his mother is going to be ok -she's on her way to making a complete recovery. He goes and sees her.

Up on the roof, Botan says how great this is, and Yusuke tells her he guesses so -now there's just one more treasure to go. Botan tells him that to think he's gotten two of them back already, that's really outstanding! Yusuke thinks it's remarkable. As they laugh, Koenma is watching and says Yusuke doesn't understand how hard getting the third treasure back will be. Hiei, who has the Sword of Demonic Invocation... he's no ordinary guy!

NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW

(Yusuke is speaking)

I got the treasures back safely from Gouki and Kurama. Hiei is the only one who remains! This Hiei captures Keiko, of all people! You bastard, drawing Keiko into this, when she has nothing to do with it! You'll pay for this! Hey, Hiei! Just try to lay a finger on Keiko! You won't get off scott-free! Next time: Keiko in Peril! Hiei, the Evil Eye Master. The other world's not watching for nothing!