Flaming Hearts ~Dying Spark ~Book1 {OLDER VERSION}

CH14 - Rise or Fall

"Gee buddy, are you alright?" Kuwabara asked as he rubbed his head awkwardly. "That was just a warm-up shot."

"You needn't worry about my health sir." Shorin reassured with an empty look before running at full speed and started to attack Kazuma with kicks and punches. However, Kuwabara easily dodged the boy's punches and then sent a punch right into Shorin's head, making him laugh out loud.

"Our difference in strength is pretty big, huh?" The ugly carrot head asked jokingly as if this is all just a child's play. This all looks ridiculous, but I didn't drop my guard down.

This situation seems too much like the fight I had with Hiei or that one time when Yusuke and I had to deal with Gouki. They showed their cards when anyone least expected.

"So, what are the chances of a demon being a total wuss?" I hear Yusuke ask Botan. "Maybe Rando is hiding somewhere, but not as a fighter, or maybe Rando was one of the fighters and got beaten." My brother concluded.

"I don't really think so." I told him a little skeptically. "If you remember from our first case, Gouki and Hiei revealed their true forms when we least expected. Also, Botan said Rando would have revealed his true self after being beaten, but all of those fighters you had to deal with did none of that."

"Oh, give me a break sis, how can you be so sure about this little pipsqueak is Rando?" Yusuke asked a little irritatedly making me sigh in defeat.

"I am not sure at the moment." I replied calmly. "We can only wait and learn." I hear my brother growl and complain about how I just overthink stuff, but I cared less. This is not a coincidence, this last person must be Rando.

"What?" Kuwabara asked the boy, still laughing. "Is that all we're going to fight?" He asked as Shorin stood up to his feet.

"No, let me try a few techniques first." Replied the young boy with some sort of madness flickering in his eyes. He positioned his legs before moving his hands. I noticed a small electric spark flickering between those palms. Suddenly some sort of red spirit energy began to wash over his entire body. I felt myself shiver a little, but I also felt the warm energy of destruction fuelled by anger and hatred. That's when I saw that the suspected demon in disguise began to create a ball of fire in his hands.

"It couldn't be." I hear Genkai say. I turned to the master and I saw the recognition in her eyes.

"Circles of inferno!" Shorin cried out as he jumped up in the air and threw those fireballs straight at Kuwabara, who barely managed to dodge.

"You're okay Kuwabara! Stop giving yourself a pat-down and get ready for his next attack!" Yusuke yelled at him.

"Would you shut up!?" Kazuma snapped at my brother while his opponent began to prepare another round of fireballs.

"Fine, if you want to use your fireworks, I'll use mine." Kazuma threatened as he pulled out that wooden piece from earlier and summon his spirit weapon. "Alright you little shrimp baby, batters up!" He said as he got into a batting position like he was on a baseball match. Shorin, as expected, threw another flaming orb right at Kuwabara, but this time the thug managed to hit the ball and sent it back to its owner's stomach. Shorin groaned in agony as he fell back to the ground, landing rather harshly.

"Woah, I guess that's a home run." I hear my brother compliment. The boy held his stomach as the sound of sizzling and burning was heard from the spot that his own attack hit him.

"Hahaha, those pitches were pretty nasty, but they ain't nothing compared to the old batting cages back home." Kazuma laughed confidently. I mentally rolled my eyes at his overconfidence but as soon as I turned to the injured opponent I saw something in his eyes I felt my eyes open wider like a chicken egg.