Sato is standing on an ocean of molten lava. A firestorm occurs as a cloudy figure of fire pops out of it. "Alright, let''s make it snappy boy. I don''t got all day."


    Sato frowned, "Well gee. Aren''t you just a ray of sunshine?"


    The Fire spirit scowled, "Enough of the sarcasm. Let''s get this over with. Rule one, Fire is not a toy. Play with it and you will get burned. Rule two, Fire is not evil, think of it that way and you''ll regret it. Rule three; always stay focused while using Fire." The Spirit of Firs disappears back into the firestorm.


    Sato is now back on the volcano with Ai. "So did you sign the contract?" Natsuki asks curiously.


    Sato nods, "Yeah. Why didn''t you tell me the Spirit of Fire was such a jackass?"


    Ai sighed "Just come on. We have to go. Only three more keys and we can find our friends."


    Sato and Ai flew through the sky as they headed towards the mountain. "Ai." The purple haired teen began. "There''s something I need to tell you."


    "What is it, Sato?" Ai wondered.


    A worried expression covered Sato''s face. "Ever since we went to those ruins, I have been having this strange vision over and over again." He stared at the mountain. "I''m pretty sure whoever Katsuo is now. Is on top of the mountain. So stay behind, okay?"


    Ai shook her head, "No way! I came this far with you and I''m not gonna leave you know."


    Sato frowned sadly, "But Ai, he''s really powerful. I can sense it."


    "I don''t care. I''m not leaving and that'' that!" The Magic Bakemono states.


    Sato sighed, "If I can''t stop you, then fine. Just make sure if things get to intense, you back away."


    Ai nods, "Okay."


    Once they land on the mountain, the silhouette of a teenager is waiting on the other side. Sato clenches his teeth. "He''s over there. I can sense his power completely now. Let''s go over cautiously, okay?"


    "Right." Ai agrees.


    Once they make it over to the other side of the mountain as they get a closer look, they noticed it''s a boy with orange hair and bat wings on his back. Sato gasps, "No, it couldn''t be.


    He turns around revealing his face and sapphire blue eyes. "Long time no see. Sato, Ai." The orange haired Bakemono grins.


    "Arashi." Sato says as he stares at his friend.


    "Sato, be careful!" Ai warns him. "Remember he''s brainwashed!"


    "Right. I''ll have to find a way to just knock him out." Sato figures. "But, what about..."


    "Die!" Sato''s train of thought is disrupted when Arashi lunges at him with his orange flaming claws. Sato mange to doge it by bending backwards. The claw smashes into the mountain terrain, causing a quick explosion fire to occur.


    "He''s really trying to kill me." Sato realized as he blocked another attack with his forearms. The fire form Arashi''s claws shot up into the sky.


    Sato quickly jabbed at Arashi''s mid-section but Arashi blocked it with his blazing arms in an x-formation. The Fire-Bat Bakemono''s leg lit up as he swung it at Sato who blocked with his forearms again. "I can''t go all out or I might kill him." Sato thought. "But if I don''t, I might die."


    Sato threw up his leg to kick Arashi in the neck but Arashi blocked with his own leg. The Fire-Bat Bakemono then pierced his claw through Sato''s mid-section. Blood escaped from Sato''s body as in explosion fire induced.


    "Guess I''ll have to fight fire with fire." Sato takes a key out of his pocket and turns it. "I open my contract with the Spirit of Fire!" A veil of Fire began to frame around Sato''s body.


    Arashi grinned, "Fire with fire? Don''t make me laugh! My fire is way stronger than yours, Sato!" Arashi lunged for Sato and swung his blazing claws at him.


    Sato ducked underneath as he shot up a blast of fire form his palm. Arashi turned to dodges and struck Sato in the back with his scorching foot.


    Arashi came rushing in again with shooting out multiple blasts of fire. Sato manages to counter some with his own fire blasts. Once Arashi got close he pinned Sato down, his flaming claw ready to plunge through his neck. "A little piece of advice, Sato. I''m not brainwashed."


    Sato gasped, "But then, why? Why, Arashi?!"


    "You should know why!" Arashi snapped. "I hate humans! A human took my father''s life!"


    "I know that! But it has nothing do with me!" Sato protested as he struggled to break free.


    "On the contrary, it does!" Arashi retorted. "Jiro thought he had brainwashed me and originally I planned to pretend and take eventually take him down myself. Until; he told me the truth!"


    "The truth about what?" Sato questioned.


    "He told me that your father killed my father!" Arashi answered furiously.


    Sato tried to reason with him. "But Arashi. Just because my Dad killed yours, doesn''t mean we have to be enemies."


    "Oh really?" A wicked smile crept across Arashi face. "Because guess what? My Uncle is the one who killed your father! How do you feel now? Still think we shouldn''t be enemies."


    Sato stares in shock for a while but he eventually smiles. "Yes."


    Arashi frowned, "Fool!" Arashi''s screamed as he swings his blazing leg down onto Sato.


    Sato slid across the mountain but quickly got up. He wiped some blood from his mouth. "He''s right. I can''t beat him this way." Sato pulled out his other key and turned it. "I open my contract with the Spirit of the Wind!" A veil of wind began to combine with the fire surrounding Sato.


    "Now, that''s not fair." Arashi complained. "Allow me to even the playing field." The orange fire around Arashi now became blue instead.


    Sato dashed across the files gliding in the wind. He released fireballs form his hands as he travelled. Arashi managed to continually dodge them all. Sato grunted, "Damn it." A blade of fire formed in his hand as he swung it down at Arashi.


    Two giant hands of blue fire clasped the side of the fire sword. The hands slammed the blade into the ground, along with Sato. Blood erupted from Sato''s mouth and body as he was slammed into the ground repeatedly. The teenager screamed out in pain.


    Arashi grinned, "Now for the final blow." He released a blast of blue fire aimed directly at Sato.


    "Sato!" Ai shirked.


    A large green shield surrounded Sato, protecting him from the attack.


    Arashi scowled, "Damn girl. I almost forgot about her." Arashi rushed over to where AI was standing. He extended his blazing claw planning to strike right through her but Sato was back up and blocked the attack with his elbows."


    "I will never let anyone hurt her again." Sato stated. "Not even you. Ai get out of here!"


    Ai did as told and flew off into the sky.


    Sato glared at Arashi as his purple eyes shifted into pitch-black ones. An intense black aura begins radiating around Sato. "I''ll destroy you!"


    Arashi smirked, "So then, you haven''t learned to use it at will. Have you, Sato?" Arashi realizes as his blue eyes turn into golden ones. A golden aura begins to emit around him. "History repeats itself. Just like Susumu and Katsuo, their respective families killed each other. And now you and I shall do the same. This is where you and I shall fight to the death! The sight of our bloodiest battle!"Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    Sato and Arashi both charge across the mountain in flash, both at equal speed. Sato leads off with a powerful punch supported by his black energy. Arashi copies the action, only with golden energy supporting his strike.


    The two strikes collide with another as the respective black and golden energies both try to overpower the other. Rock ad dirt from the mountain rise into the sky. Some of the terrain begins to crack form the pressure.


    A shockwave occurs form the attack causing the two teens to release their punches. But both immediately follow up with a series of intense punches and kick each more intense than last and more and more rocks begin to rise. As the two continue to fight, neither gets an attack in thanks to both sides extremely effective blocking.


    "I''m sick of this!" Arashi s declares as he shoots out an explosion of light energy from his hands. Sato remains in the same position as the attack focuses in on him. At the last moment, Sato deflects the attack. Killing a many of the mountain wildlife in the process. "What a coincidence." The tee says darkly in a usually deep and threatening voice. "I was just about to say the same thing. Only my attack won''t be weak!" The black energy around Sato begins to grow larger until it''s surrounded the whole mountain.


    "I''m not just gonna kill you. I''m gonna make you suffer!" Sato''s dark energy begins to crush everything''s completely killing off all trees and plant life. A swell as wiping out any remaining sings of wildlife. The energy shoots right multiple of Arashi''s vital spots. Arashi collapsed but he crushing darkness sphere doesn''t end it continues to eradicate everything. Different kinds of blood shooting up into the air. Blood splattered onto Sato''s face as well.


    Sato looms over Arashi glaring down at his corpse. "Die!" He slams his foot down onto Arashi''s neck, crushing his bones.


    "Sato!" Ai''s voice breaks into his mind.


    Sato''s eyes revert back to their usual purple color. "Ai?" As the darkness sphere around the mountain fades. The mountain itself begins to crumble unable to stands forma ll the abuse it has taken. Sato falls off plummeting through the sky.


    "I got you!" Ai catches him holding onto him as tightly as she can. Once they land on the other side of the now destroyed mountain, she looks over at him nervously. "So, Sato. Where''s Arashi?"


    Sato was now sitting down on a small rock. His purple bangs hiding his eyes. "He''s gone." Sato said lowly.


    "What do you mean?" AI questioned?


    "Arashi''s dead. I…I killed him." Sato choked.


    ?


    "So then. You''re the human I''ve been smelling." A young boy about fifteen is standing in front of Sato. His sapphire blue eyes burning with rage.


    "Who are you and how can you smell humans?" Sato tries to ask calmly to avoid bowing his cover.


    The teenager snicker. "My name is Arashi and I''m a Fire-Bat Bakemono. So that''s how I can smell you." He replies grabbing his red jacket proudly.


    Sato notices his bat wings and flaming claw-like hands. "Oh, I see."


    Sakura looks uneasy, "But how is that possible? "The Fire-Bat Bakemono are all supposed to be dead."


    Sato turns to Sakura, "How come?"


    "You don''t need to know, human! Cause you''re about to die yourself!" Arashi shouts as he extends his arms back and runs toward Sato, his bare feet clapping on the ground. The distance quickly decreased between them. "Die!" Arashi bring his flaming claws forward and slashes at Sato''s neck.


    "He''s fast!" Sato thought as he barely managed to roll out of the way. "Crap. This dude isn''t playing around." Sato rose his arm pictured a gleaming silver sword with a deadly sharp blade and shouted, "Illustrate!" It appeared firmly in his hand and he inhaled and calmly swung it to his side. "I think I''m getting used to this."


    Arashi snickered, "Good. Cause it''s the last time, you''ll ever be using it in this life!" Arashi swung his flaming claws at Sato again. Sato was struggling to dodge his attacks getting injured after every one of Arashi''s blows.


    ?


    Arashi rubs his parted orange haired head, "Oh yeah." He immediately stood up, "So why are you guys helping me?!"


    "Geez, ever hear of thank you? Just shut up and be grateful we didn''t leave your ass in the avalanche."


    "What did you say to me?" Arashi asks irritably.


    "I said you should be thanking us for not letting you die in this cave where you belong!"


    "I knew I should''ve killed you when I had the chance!"


    "Likewise!"


    Sakura steps in "Guys calm down. We don''t have time to be fighting each other right now. We have to take down the Rock Bakemono and get out of this place in one peace. If you waste time fighting like this Sato. We''ll never find Niji."


    "Hold on. Did you just say you''re looking for Niji? As in the Warrior Bakemono Niji?"


    Sato responds for Sakura, "Yeah, what of it?"


    "Do you know where he is?"


    Sato smirks, "Yes I do, actually. But I''m not telling you."


    "You asshole tell me where he is right now!" Arashi yells furiously as he chokes Sato by his shirt.


    Sakura answers Arashi, "We don''t know exactly but he''s somewhere in Silverwald Country. Queen Hikari told us that he changes where in Silverwald Country every day."


    Arashi drops Sato carelessly on the ground. "Silverwald Country, huh?"


    Sato gets up rubbing his butt, "What''s the big deal, anyway? Why do you wanna find Niji so bad?


    "That''s none of your business human!"


    "Okay! First of all, would you stop calling me human! My name is Sato! And second of all, it was a just question; you don''t have to get all pushy about it!"


    ?


    "If you call me human one more time, I swear…"


    Arashi ignores Sato, "So Sakura, right? Where are we headed to next?"


    "We''re going to a small village just beyond this cave. Oh look an exit!"


    "So then, we''re almost there." Arashi looks over at Sato and grins, "Hurry up or you''re gonna slow us down. Human."


    Sato articulates the words, "I…hate…you."


    ?


    Arashi puts his hands in his green cargo shorts pockets. "It''s going to get dark soon. We better find a place to rest."


    Sato becomes irked and points at Arashi, "Hey! Who died and made you leader?!"


    Arashi calmly turns halfway turns Sato notching his head back, "You have a better idea, human?" Sato can''t answer and Arashi smirks in response, "I thought so."


    "Why don''t you just shut up, you stupid bat pyro!" Sato shouts.


    Arashi turns all the way around and shouts back, "Just because I''m a Fire-Bat Bakemono doesn''t make me a pyro!"


    "Oh yeah? Well then what are you? A jackass?"


    "No that''s you! Now shut up before I burn you to a crisp!" Arashi threatens.


    "I knew it you are a pyro!"


    ?


    As Arashi fell he slammed into the ground, smoke erupted from the collision. When the smoke cleared a smirking Arashi was surrounded by a veil of blue flames. "Finally, I''ve been waiting all this damn time to use this."


    "Hold on! Since when can he do that?!" A jealous Sato question.


    "Oh yeah. You weren''t with us the first time he used it." Sakura remembers. "He used it back when he fought against Yoshi. It was the only time in that fight where he was actually almost at his level.


    "I see." Sato grunts, "Everyone''s so much stronger than me. Hikaru, Niji, Yoshi, and now even Arashi." He grips his hands tight on the railing. "I have to get stronger."


    Ai has a gloomy look on her face. "Please, Arashi. Don''t do this."


    Arashi dashes towards Ren and his swings blue blazing claws at him, knocking him high up into the air and past the clouds. Ren''s neck shoots back as he rockets into the sky. "Say your prayers!" Arashi brings around his flaming leg to kick Ren but suddenly stops mid-attack. Arashi wraps Ren''s arms around his body and surrounds Ren in a barely visible shield of blue flames. Both of the Bakemono then plummet to the ground. Arashi had made it look like Ren won. When the two collide with the surface. Ren realizes he is still standing while Arashi just lies on the floor.


    Everyone gasps but then Hibiki raises his right arm. "Ren, Wolf Bakemono is the winner of the Sihalia Battle Royale." The teenager declares. "Here''s your trophy." He hands Ren, a golden trophy with the word''s Sihalia''s Pride inscribed on it. "And here''s your prize money."


    "Thank you, your highness." Ren takes the large bag of coins gratefully.


    Arashi got up and walked back up to the stadium. Sato laughed, "Guess, you''re not so great after all, pyro.


    ''Shut it, human!" Arashi snapped back.


    "It was kind of funny watching you get your butt kicked by a kid though." Sakura adds. "Hey, maybe Ai could beat you too."


    "It''s too bad you didn''t win. We could''ve had such a nice buffet with that prize money." Hikaru mentions. "Well, anyway. It''s been about a month, so we should be getting back to Fairport City now.


    "Finally! Niji here we come." Arashi says with vengeance burning in hi sapphire blue eyes.


    Sakura laughs, "Please you couldn''t even beat a kid. How are you gonna beat Niji?"


    Arashi groans, "Just stop already!"


    As Sato, Sakura, and Arashi walk off, AI taps Arashi on the back. He turns his head, "What is it?"


    Ai smiles kindly, "Thank you. For throwing the match."


    Arashi smiles his first genuine smile back. "You''re welcome. But tell the others and I''ll hurt you."


    ?


    Arashi traumatized stared at his wounded trembling hands. "Me…it was me."


    Niji laughed, "So what are you gonna do now? I mean you can''t really get revenge on yourself."


    Arashi stood up, "Who says I can''t? All this time, I thought you were the one responsible. But if I''m to blame. I might as well finish what I started. And kill the last remaining Fire-Bat Bakemono. Arashi flies up to the stratosphere. He plummets down purposing not using his wings.


    "I don''t think so!" Arashi''s is fall is stopped right before he hits the ground. Sato was hanging onto his shirt from a tree branch. Don''t you die on me."


    "Well, It looks like it''s time for me to leave." Niji disappears into his black aura!


    Sato grunts, "Damn. Niji got away again."


    Sato jumped out of the tree branch and carefully set Arashi down. Sakura and Ai came running in. "Sato, what happened to Arashi?" Sakura asked.


    "I''m pretty sure he got beat up by Niji. Ai can you heal him?"


    Ai nods, "Yeah. Of course." Ai begins to heal Arashi.


    "Why did you guys follow me?" Arashi mumbles. "We''re not allies anymore.


    Sakura sighs, Yeah, but we are still your friends. And you''re not gonna change that. So deal with it already.


    Sato nods, "What Sakura said." But how come you look so depressed? You can get your revenge next time."


    Arashi shakes his head, "No. I can''t. I can''t because Niji isn''t the one who killed my species. It was me." Arashi mutters. "It was because of the Dark Fire power the Demon Bakemono gave me. When I saw everyone hurt, I freaked and lost control." Arashi lowers his head, "I''m the reason I will always be alone." A tear drops onto the ground.


    There is a brief moment of silence before Sato and Sakura put their hands on Arashi''s shoulders and Ai wraps her arms around his waist. Sato smiles at Arashi. "You''re not alone. Cause you have us, Arashi."


    Arashi lifts his head up. "Thanks, Sato. Everyone."


    ?


    Hibiki and all of the other Bakemono walk away leaving Sato, Sakura, Ai, and Arashi alone. "Well, Sato." Arashi starts. "It''s been fun." Arashi hands Sato a red handkerchief. "It''s a parting gift."


    "Arashi." Sato says lowly. "Good luck restoring the Fire-Bat Bakemono!"


    ?


    Tears began to fall from Sato''s eyes. He lifted up his head as Ai wiped the blood from his face with a wet cloth. "I killed our friend. I''m a monster."


    Ai shook her head, "He wasn''t even brainwashed. You did what you had to do."


    Tears continue to stream down Sato''s face. "But I could''ve found another way."


    "Cheer up." Ai kissed Sato on his cheek.


    Sato stares at over at a pile of rocks traumatized at what lied underneath. He had saw it earlier it his entire mid-section, one huge bloody hole. His neck was bent and crooked. And the rest of his body was completely covered I blood. "I''m sorry, Arashi."