------------------

Chapter 241 - "Si Shen Confrontation -- Sanosuke versus Byakko"

------------------

(Byakko's mouth is bleeding as Sano drives a vicious punch to his face)

Sano: You are not only annoying, but also full of pesky techniques! If you intend to defeat me, 
	come with a big blow instead of small sleights of hand!

(a medicine box goes flying and hits Sano in the head.)

Megumi: YOU IDIOT !! I told you countless times NOT to use your right hand! (Can't you stop
	being a stupid!?) How many times do I have to tell you before you learn ?!

Sano: To use a medicine box as a weapon means that you're getting the guts, huh? (And which side
	are you on, after all?)

Megumi: Shut up! 

Sano: Well, just let it be for one more time only.

Megumi: One more time?

Sano (smiling): Yeah, one more time. And (turning to Byakko) I don't think you'd like to lose
	to a man who can fight only with his left fist, right?

Byakko (grinning): Feh. Don't talk big just because you hit me. That was just an accident. 
	You don't know how puny you are.

Sano: ... I've heard such stuff countless times. Sorry, but I can't get angry at it anymore.
	Nah, before that, you make me feel disgusted.

(Byakko is completely enraged. He starts attacking Sano furiously.)

Byakko: I AM THE DISGUSTED ONE, YOU FOOL !!

(Sano is striken mercilessly)

Byakko: "Ri Ken"! "Kotsu Da"! "Sou Shou"! "Byou Shu"! "Hai Shi"! "Ou Kei"! "Gu Wa Shi"! 
	"Sa Ba Ra"! How about that?! You can't even move a f...

(Byakko is surprised as Sano glares back. Sano drives another punch to Byakko's face. Byakko
falls down.)

Sano: So, do you call it as a second accident? 

Byakko (wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth): ...........

Megumi: That idiot, he used again his right hand!

Misao: What... he is strong, after all.

Kenshin (smiling): It's the first time that Misao sees Sano fighting, isn't it?

Misao: I thought he was just a nasty guy who liked to call people names, but he's quite strong!
	But that's obvious, thinking about it, he's the guy who shared most fights with Himura
	and Himura also said in Kyoto that "he is one of the most trustworthy men", isn't that
	so?

Kenshin: Yeah... he's a man you can count on... really...

Sano (walking towards Byakko): Haven't I told you that small tricks are useless against me? I'll
	give you one more chance, so come with a big technique, will ya?

Byakko: ...... all right.... if you want to die so badly, here I go!

(Byakko throws a handful of sand to Sano's eyes.)

Sano: !

Misao: What a dirty trick! Throwing sand to the eyes of the opponent!

Megumi: That fool! He was so confident that he left an opening!

(Byakko folds the spiked wristbands in two and drives it to Sano's stomach.)

Byakko: Pai Hu Chang Kung Back Fist Technique -- "Tekki - The Iron Devil"! 

Misao and Megumi: ...........

(Byakko pulls the wristbands. Blood gushed from the wound. Sano falls down to his knees.)

Byakko: How about that?! Can you still talk big...

(Byakko is surprised)

Sano: I told you that small tricks are useless. 

(Sano clenches his fist)

Sano: A big technique is like this, for instance! 

(Sano hits the sand)

Sano: FUTAE NO KIWAMI !!!

(a jet of sand rises)

Misao (amazed): WOOOOOOOOOW! What the heck was that !? (that's amazing!)

Megumi (slapping her forehead in annoyance): That idiot, why does he do that when he 
	gets carried away? If he uses that, then...

Kenshin: No. The Futae no Kiwami is the ultimate technique of destruction. It works by placing
	two shockwaves with only the slightest delay of time, reducing resistance to zero and 
	thus maximizing the impact. Until now, Sano used Anji's version, where the right hand
	did both shockwaves, but now it's different. He used also his left hand, reducing
	drastically the strain of the technique. 

Misao (grinning): Great!

Kenshin: I don't know when he came up with this technique, but it's a wonderful technique of his.
	(thinking) Really... when I realized, he had become much more trustworthy than before...


(Byakko falls again.)

Byakko: Gah!

(Byakko sees Sano approaching slowly.)

Sano: I can't play with you anymore. Let's finish this now. (grinning) I'm not so bored that I 
	could find some fun in stepping on you.

Wu Heishin (indignant): Wha... wha... wha... what the hell are you doing?! Aren't you the
	"Four Gods" ?! How come you can't defeat scum like that ?!

(Kenshin glares)

Genbu: No need to worry. I, Genbu, will do the work on behalf of the other three.

(Genbu and Yahiko are on a standstill, Yahiko holding Genbu's club/staff with the back of his
hands.)

Wu Heishin: Don't talk big! You haven't moved a finger against that brat yet! You're the most
		despicable of the four!

Genbu: I, Genbu, am the most expert among the Si Shen when it comes to thinking about battle
	strategies. This brat is trying to do a big technique. So it's not that I can't move,
	but rather I don't move, waiting to see it.

Yahiko: So you realized about the ougi. You're quite careful. But that's no reason to be here
	doing nothing. The only way I can go is ahead! 

(Yahiko dashes)

Yahiko: Here I go! Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu Ougi -- HAWATARI !!!

Genbu (grinning): I see. So the technique is about neutralizing the weapon of the opponent at
	the same time as it performs an attack. (twisting his staff) Then, this is enough.

(the club/staff become a very long nunchaku, making Yahiko lose his balance and fall on the sand)

Megumi and Misao: No!

Wu Heishin: Yes!

Genbu (grinning): Feh. This Hsüan Wu Hsieh Hun is not an ordinary staff. In fact, it's a six
	piece staff linked with chains, which allow it to grow and to shrink, to bend and to
	straighten! Against this weapon, your technique is rendered useless!

Misao: That's bad, Himura!

Megumi: Yahiko!

Kenshin: "How come you can't defeat scum like that"... if that boss still talks like that
	even in this moment, then it means that this fight has been settled.

(Yahiko stands up.)



----------------