Human World, Hanging Neck Island.
"Wow! Can I just say...? Wow!" Kuto exclaimed after seeing Zeru get turned into little more than a dark outline on the wall separating the crowd from the fighting area. "Hiei certainly showed us whose fire power was superior."
As Kuto spoke, Hiei returned to the rest of Team Urameshi. Although he did not show anything on his face, it was obvious to anyone with a bit of experience that Hiei would not be able to use his right arm for quite some time.
"Oh man, Hiei could beat anyone with that last move." Kuwabara said excitedly. However, a moment later, his countenance changed as his face paled after realizing what he had just said. "Hiei could beat anyone with that move."
While Kuwabara was dealing with his internal conflict, Hiei hopped off the ring and drew near to his team.
"Is he still not awake?" Hiei asked, glancing at Yusuke in passing.
"Nope, he's still out like a light." James replied.
"Hmph." Hiei snorted. "It's not like we even need him to win. Those two are even weaker than Rinku. Even the idiot could beat them."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the ring, Rinku and the last two living members of his team stood in shock. They never expected Zeru to lose, let alone be taken out in one attack.
"Hey, Rinku." One of the remaining fighters on Team Rokuyukai said nervously. "I think you should handle the last couple fights."
"Yeah, we're not gonna be any help against people that strong." The second demon said with fear.
"What?" Rinku asked in a bewildered tone.
However, instead of answering, the two fighters ran into the tunnel their team entered the stadium through.
"Hey, don't go!" Rinku, who was still injured from his match with Kuwabara shouted in despair.
Watching this, James could only shake his head.
'Since the round started, other than a few minor points of conversation, everything has gone just like the canon events I know.' James thought to himself. Then, he let his gaze wander across the members of his team, and Botan, who had jumped down from the stands after Kuwabara's fight.
"I hope that kid doesn't end up with abandonment issues after this." James said with a smile.
Everyone on Team Urameshi's side could only look at James blankly. It was clear to all of them that he had yet to take the Dark Tournament seriously. And from the display he put on last night, it was easy to see why. Even so, there was one person present who did not know what he was capable of.
"Could you please take this seriously? Uh..." Botan barked before realizing that she did not know James' name.
"Oh, you can call me J." James said with a smile. "And to answer your question, no, I can't take this seriously. Team Rokuyukai is too weak."
Though she was skeptical of that claim, Botan could only nod in understanding when she saw that no one from Team Urameshi refuted James' claim. She did notice that Hiei snorted in annoyance, though.
However, before she could ask any more questions, James head snapped toward the entrance Team Rokuyukai entered through. With a big grin, James muttered to himself.
"Oh, it looks like someone strong is coming." James muttered. "I'll wake up Yusuke now."
"Wait, you can wake up Urameshi?" Kuwabara questioned in a shocked tone. "Why didn't you do it earlier then?"
"Because You all needed to fight too." James replied nonchalantly with a shrug. "Teamwork makes the dream work... and all that shit."
While Kurama looked at James with a slight smile, Hiei seemed even more annoyed. Meanwhile, Kuwabara and Botan looked at James absent mindedly.
Ignoring the gazes, James walked over to Yusuke and crouched down. Then, he flared his killing intent, letting it wash over half of the stadium. Feeling the immense killing intent, Botan, Keiko, Shizuru, and most of the weaker demons nearly fainted. Then, the less experienced fighters in the crowd felt their breath hitch for a moment, Kuwabara was part of this group. Finally, the more experienced fighters looked at James warily.
"Yusuke, if you don't wake up, Master's gonna take over your training for the next three days." James said threateningly into Yusuke's ear.
Immediately after James words fell, Yusuke's eyes sprung open. Then, he sat up straight.
"There's no way in hell I'm going through another one of that sadistic hag's training sessions!" Yusuke shouted with conviction.
Seeing Yusuke awake and full of life, everyone was curious to know who James' master was. However, James frowned at Yusuke's exclamation. Then, he smiled brightly and put a hand on Yusuke's shoulder.
Feeling James' hand on his shoulder, Yusuke froze. With his eyes shaking, he turning his head to the side slowly. And when he saw James' smile, Yusuke almost soiled his pants
"What was that, Yusuke?" James asked with a warm and friendly smile.
Seeing that smile, Yusuke began to shudder.
"I didn't mean to call her that." Yusuke said, trying to distance himself from James smile.
Before James could intimidate Yusuke any further, James head snapped in Team Rokuyukai's direction. His eyes were locked onto the tunnel. Then, he smiled when he heard the voice coming from the darkness of the tunnel.
"Crikey!" A slurred voice shouted from inside Team Rokuyukai's entrance tunnel. "Why is it so bright out here?"
"Oh no, why is he here?" Rinku said in a quivering voice.
A moment later, a tall, well-built man with a blue mohawk and two ponytails that reach the middle of his back and a short and messy goatee and mustache, as well as a green line tattooed across the bridge of his nose and under his eyes wearing a black tank top, olive green pants, black boots and a red sash around his waist drunkenly stumbled into the ring.
"Seeing that guy, I'm suddenly feeling a touch of home." Yusuke said while wiping a non-existent tear from his eye.
Not paying attention to the confused glances from the spectators, the tall man made his way to the ring. Then, with great difficulty, he climbed into the ring before struggling to stand on his feet again. After making it to his feet once more, the man staggered toward Kuto.
When the man was close enough to speak, Kuto immediately recoiled backward. The scent of alcohol the man was giving off from every pore almost intoxicated her from a distance.
"Hey Sheila." The drunk man said, getting uncomfortably close to Kuto.
"Eww, please don't call me that." Kuto said, recoiling back once again.
"The thing is, those two guys, the ones that just ran away, accidentally died back in the tunnel." The tall man said with a drunken smirk on his face. "So, I'm wondering, how can their team continue this match."
"*Sigh* That guy is pretty good." James said with a smile, already knowing what happened to the two demons who ran away.
"Indeed." Hiei replied. I barely even felt his demonic energy when he killed those two."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Kuwabara asked, confused by James and Hiei's comments.
Before anyone could answer Kuwabara's question, however, Kuto waved away the alcohol smell and answer the man in the ring's question.
"Regardless of how many of their teammates die, only one substitute is allowed for each team." Kuto explained in a professional manner.
"Yeah!" The man shouted, throwing his arms into the air. "That means I can fight in this next round."
"Someone, get this drunk off stage!" A random demon in the crowd shouted.
Flying into an immediate rage, The drunk man charged in the direction that voice came from. Jumping into the stands, he began viciously beating the first demon he could get his hands on.
"I'm not a drunk!" The man shouted. "I'm Chu and I tried to make paper, but my hand got stuck on rock. It could happen to anyone."
Meanwhile, as the tall man, Chu, got his point across using his fists, James patted Yusuke on the back.
"Okay, you go and fight him." James said with a smile. "This should be a good warm up after sleeping for so long."
"Sure." Yusuke said with a smile. "I'm looking forward to beating someone up."
Jumping into the ring, Yusuke approached its center. Then, when he arrived near Kuto, he shouted in Chu's direction.
"Come on, I've got an ass to kick!" Yusuke shouted. "I don't have the time to baby sit a drunk."
His expression changing into a stern expression, Chu grabbed a bottle of liquor from a nearby demon, then he returned to the ring in a burst of speed while chugging down the bottle's content.
"Hey, he stole my booze." A heavily intoxicated demon said before falling asleep.
Once Chu was back in the ring, he finished off the bottle and tossed it out of the ring. Then, he sized up Yusuke.
"Don't disappoint me, Boy." Chu said with a drunken smile.
Seeing that both fighters were present, Kuto raised the microphone to her mouth.
"Forth match of the first round, from Team Rokuyukai, Chu!" Kuto said, gesturing to Chu before gesturing to Yusuke as well. "And from Team Urameshi, Urameshi Yusuke!"
"Boo~~~~~~~~~~!" The crowd jeered with hatred. "Kill Yusuke! Kill Yusuke! Kill Yusuke!"
"Well damn, I guess being a Spirit Detective is a good way to draw hate, huh?" James asked nonchalantly.
"I've been helping Yusuke with his cases, though." Kuwabara said in a frustrated tone. "Why didn't they yell, kill me?"
"Maybe because you lost." Hiei said in a scathing tone.
"They didn't know that before the fight, though." Kuwabara muttered to himself.
Meanwhile, in the stands.
"Master Genkai, what do you think of Yusuke's chances of winning?" Irene asked.
Hearing that question, Erza, Keiko, and Shizuru also turned their attention toward Genkai.
"Well, they are about equal in power." Genkai said without changing her stern expression. "If he hadn't trained with the lot of you, it would probably be a tough fight. But after all the control training, not to mention how often he was forced to break his limits, it should be a cake walk."
"Breaking his limits?" Keko asked in worry. "What kind of training did he have to go through?"
"It would be better if you did not ask, girl." Genkai said, shaking her head gently. "Just know that it made him stronger."
"Now, let the match begin!" Kuto shouted then ran away like usual.
With that, Chu began to sway from left to right. A moment later, he vanished from his spot. Meanwhile, Yusuke simply stood in place. Although it seemed as if he was not doing anything, Yusuke's eyes were darting from side to side quickly.
"Are you confused yet, Kid?" Chu asked in a solemn tone. "I'm a practitioner of drunken boxing. So... my erratic moves make it hard for you to follow, got it?"
"So basically, you just stagger around and pretend you know how to fight?" Yusuke mocked.
"Are you even listening?" Chu asked in an irritated tone.
Snickering in response, Yusuke maintained his posture with out shifting his position. However, after a short while, Yusuke made a quarter turn to his left and raised his left hand.
*Smack!*
To everyone's, except James, Genkai, Irene, and Erza, surprise Yusuke had caught a punch from Chu aimed at the back of his neck.
"Yeah, your movements are a bit disorienting." Yusuke said, tightening his fingers around Chu's right hand. "But compared to the shit I went through over the last three months, you might as well be walking normally."
Up until he began training with Scathach, Yusuke's weakest aspect was his spiritual awareness. Something Scathach helped Genkai to rectify rather quickly.
For the first two weeks spent I the Alaverus Estate, Yusuke did not sleep much. Why? Because he was always on guard from a sneak attack from either Scathach or Genkai. Though Genkai's attacks hurt, Yusuke did not mind them much as they were not aiming to take his life. But Scathach... Most of her sneak attacks would be fatal with a very small margin for error.
Eventually, Yusuke learned to grasp his surroundings and the locations of all the beings who could harm him, even while asleep. That is the reason why no matter what Kuwabara and Botan did, they could not wake him up. Because they were too weak to do any lasting damage.
Without another word, Yusuke threw a devastating right hook into Chu's ribs, causing the demon to stagger back to with the sickening crunch of broken bones.
"Oh, thanks to Master's training, he is imbuing each strike with his spiritual energy." James said with a smile.
"Huh?" Yusuke exclaimed, looking between his right fist and Chu's ribs repeatedly.
"And based on Yusuke's reaction, it's a subconscious reaction." James added after seeing Yusuke's reaction.
"Now, even I am starting to get curious about who your master is, J." Kurama said, glancing at James from the corner of his eye.
"In due time, my friend. In due time." James replied as his smile broadened.
"Hmph!" Hiei snorted as he had done many times since he met James. "I really will kill you if your master is not worth the wait and the games you are playing."
"Even if my master wasn't as great as I'm making them out to be, I doubt you'd kill me." James replied with the same facial expression on his face.
"And why would you think that?" Hiei asked menacingly.
"I'll tell you later." James said before ignoring Hiei to watch the match.
By now, Chu had recovered slightly from the pain of his cracked ribs. When he did, he reached into the waist band of his pants and pulled out a flask.
"So, it seems I wasn't drunk enough to go toe to toe with ya, huh, Mate?" Chu said, holding up his flask for Yusuke to see. "This is Ogre Killer..."
"Oh no, he's gonna do it." Rinku said, hiding his face behind his hands.
"Blah blah blah, just drink it." Yusuke said. "It must be a strong liquor. And drinking it will make you stronger, right?"
Annoyed that his explanation was interrupted, Chu frowned at Yusuke. Meanwhile, Kuto explained just how strong Ogre Killer was to the crowd and anyone who was unaware. Then, Chu uncapped his flask and began chugging down its contents. With every gulp, an alcohol induced flush appeared on all of his exposed skin, and Yusuke could feel Chu's power growing. And he finally understood why James had him fight this guy.
A few moments later, Chu's power level began to plateau. Then, with a proud expression on his face... He ran over to the edge of the ring and began puking up the contents of his stomach.
"Ugh... I knew this would happen." Rinku said in a somewhat embarrassed tone.
"Are you okay?" Kuto asked, rubbing Chu's back while lowering her microphone.
"Thanks Love." Chu said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "You have a really pretty tail, Love."
"Really?" Kuto brightened up at the complement.
"Are you gonna fight or flirt?" Yusuke said from his starting spot. "Like I said, I don't have the time to babysit a drunk. So, I can leave you to her if you want."
Hearing that, Chu's eyes narrowed. Then, he stood up and turned to face Yusuke. At a much higher speed than before, Chu rushed toward Yusuke. Then, he threw a barrage of punches that Yusuke was unable to catch as easily as the first. However, he was able to parry and dodge them without much issue.
After throwing a much heavier punch than the others, Chu was able to force Yusuke back. Then, in the brief window he created for himself, Chu brought his two palms together and a glowing orange ball of demonic energy appeared between them.
"Oh, you can actually see drops of alcohol floating around inside that energy orb." Hiei said in an intrigued tone from his place among the rest of Team Urameshi.
Meanwhile, when Yusuke saw the energy orb forming, he dropped into a stance that some of the older demons and Koenma noticed immediately.
"That stance." Koenma said from his VIP room.
"So, he has mastered it." Toguro said with abroad grin on his face.
At that moment, Chu threw the orb at Yusuke. To his surprise, however, Yusuke swatted the orb aside, causing it to explode among the demons in the stands. Then, he dashed forward and threw an uppercut into Chu's abdomen.
"[Spirit Wave]!" Yusuke shouted just before the blow landed.
When Yusuke's blow landed, an explosion of Yusuke's magic power or spirit energy was detonated, sending Chu high into the sky. A few moments later, he slammed into the ground outside of the ring next to Rinku, causing the child-like demon to jump in fear.
'Just as I thought, Yusuke is about as strong as he would have been during the fight with Jin in the anime.' James thought while following Chu's flight path. 'But his energy control is much better.'
When Rinku looked at Chu, he was dumbfounded to find Chu alive and unconscious. He had never seen Chu beaten so easily before. In fact, he had never seen Chu lose before, at all.
A moment later, after exclaiming excitedly and doing a little dance, Kuto began her ten count. And to no one's surprise, Chu did not manage to climb back into the ring.
"The winner of the match and round is... Team Urameshi!" Kuto shouted into her microphone to a chorus of boos from the crowd.