And then Ichi died and this stupid story ended. That would be great. Unfortunately, Ichi lived. He lived to fight. He lived to be stupid. He lived.

The moment Ichi turned around healed he unleashed a flurry of blows on Avar. His bigfoot form renewed, his tree trunk arms covered with black energy with spider white lines planted into the cats golden aura. Each one of Ichi's blows staggered Avar. Spirit foxes all around him that survived the explosion of the barracks ran in all directions like their heads were cut off, as a grey one slipped off up to the battlements.

Avar's golden aura grew thinner. It took all of the cat's concentration to maintain what little magic he had. He couldn't run, the fists where flying at him too fast. He didn't have the spare time to move his hand to his sword. Each blow required his full focus, his full magical energy.

It ran out. Avar slumped to the ground. Ichi's fist stopped just short of Avar face. Ichi flicked his finger at the cat for good measure. As Ichi saw the bakeneko fly into a passing spirit fox like a bullet he regretted his actions. Isn't Ichi... aren't I, Ichi thought, a lot stronger than him?

It's not like they got a chance for a real fight in the fight place. Avar got one good stab in. Then, Ichi wondered, why couldn't I hit him the first time?

The answer eluded him, and his mind chased after it as Avar groaned. The surviving spirit foxes regrouped and dashed to the battlements, some jumping off in panic. A grey fox came upon a grumbling, but awake, Danberu. He lightly shook him to his senses. A wicked grin spread across the grey foxes maw. Reaching into his clothes, he pulled out a leather sack. Flinging it open revealed a countless small vials of colored liquids. The fox muttered to himself, "No, No," as his paw moved over each one. He pulled out the one he wanted and quickly snapped off the top of the vial and poured it's contents into Danberu's mouth.

Ichi changed back into his human form. He walked over and stood above Avar, looking down on the cat's heaving chest. Ichi's head snapped up as a roar rang out from the battlements and the tanuki lord jumped off. Veins popped on Danberu's face, his tight open teeth flashing at Ichi as a deep low growl echoed out.

Ichi backed away on instinct, his eyes shifting from Avar on the ground to Danberu. Froth spilled out of Danberu's mouth.

"Wait, wait, calm, calm, down boy, down!"

Ichi said stupid things like this before Danberu pounced on him. Surprised, Ichi nearly forgot to put up his black energy barrier. If he had been a second later Danberu would have crushed his head.

There's no shifting out of death. Probably. Ichi didn't want to try, at least. The bulk of the growling tanuki lord pressed in, massive weight and strength forcing itself onto Ichi's shield.

Then Ichi saw it. White spiderweb energy lines flowed through his black energy. The shield began to crack even more as Danberu pressed in on it.

Ichi gulped. Could he call Fubuki now?