The Cursed Iris

Sprout 25: The Vessel of Susanoo Has Awakened

Chiyoko smiled as she looked at the orb where they were watching Katsumi and Hokusai's fight. She began yelling in joy, "My little brother is incredible!" she yelled.

Aimi sighed. "It kind of surprised me that he gained control back. Especially after he had seemingly killed Ayame. That girl is truly amazing."

"Yeah, but she's got a little help with her because of that Dragon Emperor of course. I'm glad she did though, I may end up liking Ayame more than I thought."

*****

Ayame stared at Katsumi and Hokusai as Katsumi punched him into the ground. "Oh wow," she mumbled.

Everyone had woken up and Shang-Lao stared at them in awe. "This energy, Katsumi Nakajima's energy is amazing. I never thought he would ascend his spirit energy just that quickly."

Katsumi attacked him with a flurry of punches and kicks all enveloped in his multicolored flames. Each one hit and each one caused substantial damage to Hokusai, "Fire Demon!" Katsumi yelled as he inhaled. "Bellow!" he released a multicolored breath attack afterwards, which hit Hokusai head on.

Hokusai let out a pained yell, "He's getting stronger," Shizuko noted.

"Who's getting stronger?" Kikyo asked.

"Who else girl? Look with your eyes and feel with your soul. You'll see what I mean."

"Feel with my soul?" she asked confused.

Hokusai tried to attack him with an orb of fire and wind, but Katsumi stopped it with one hand, "What!" Hokusai asked in shock.

He crushed it, and Katsumi chuckled. "Told you I won't lose to you."

Natsume stared at Katsumi as he began to attack him again, "Katsumi..." she said.

"I've never seen a being ascend their spirit energy the way that boy just did, I guess a half breed and a god vessel is special. I could say the same about the other vessels," Shizuko noted as Katsumi punched Hokusai into the air.

"Katsumi is special?" Natsume mumbled.

He threw an orb of his flames at Hokusai, "That boy also seems to have that special ability that shows up once in every thousand years. He just doesn't know how to use it yet, does he?" Shizuko asked. "The ability to adapt to any fight, the ability to perfectly mimic your opponent. Kind of incredible now that I think about it."

The attack exploded, "Damn it, he's not dead is he?" Katsumi scoffed. He then looked back at Natsume. "I won't kill him because that choice is up to you. But he is your enemy, so that makes him mine," he stated while pounding his fists together.

"The energies are beginning to merge," Michael said in a low tone.

Hokusai coughed. "How could he get so strong?" he asked nervously.

Katsumi appeared in front of him, "Because you endangered my friends. That's why," he said as he began to spin like a top. His feet became enveloped by the flames and as he did he looked like a UFO to Ayame. "Cursed Sole! Endless Cycle!" he yelled as every attack connected.

"Ahh!" Hokusai yelled in pain.

Shizuko chuckled. "Ryoma's descendant, a vessel for Susanoo, a vessel for Amaterasu's yin half, the wielder of the Storm and the Cloud, and the new Suzaku. This group is definitely going to change the Three Realms for the better after this battle," she whispered. 

She turned her gaze to Kikyo who was watching in awe, and then she turned to Ayame who was doing the same. "Although those two... they're the linchpins in this situation. The one who creates fate and the one who decides fate; I need them both to grow stronger, and I got the perfect suggestion for a familiar."