In his bedroom, Kuwabara is studying. Shizuru enters with a food tray for him and urges him to study hard, as he's very behind his class. He snaps at her, telling her to give him a break.

After she leaves, however, he thinks to himself, "She's right, I've got to take this seriously. I'm lucky to have someone watching over me. Thanks, sis." He drinks from the mug she has brought, wincing at the lack of sugar.

He hears mewing and looks around for his pet cat, Eikichi. Instead, he finds Botan hovering on her oar just outside his window.

She says she was sent to take him to Genkai's temple. Kuwabara refuses to go, but only until Botan tells him that Yukina will be there as well. Kuwabara jumps onto her oar.

Shizuru steps into the room once more, bringing milk and sugar for her brother.

"Oh no, I'm in trouble," Kuwabara moans. "Go, Botan, go!"

"Kazuma!" Shizuru shouts.

Botan lifts off quickly. "Forgive me, Shizuru-san!"

At Genkai's temple, watched by Yukina and Botan, Kuwabara grabs Yusuke by the collar. "You can't be serious!" he's yelling. "I don't believe you! You've grown even more stupid since you found out you have youkai blood in your veins!"

"I'm not kidding around," Yusuke replies. "That's my decision. I'm going there no matter what it takes."

"Are you out of your mind? You're going to join them and attack our people?"

"I might," Yusuke says calmly.

Kuwabara punches him on the face. Yusuke is tossed against the temple's large double doors, opening them to a night breeze that blows out all the candles inside.

Yusuke grins, rubbing his bruised cheek. "This is the last time you'll ever hit me with these crazy socks of yours. I'm gonna miss it." He tells his friend that there are many powerful demons in Makai that are forcing matters to take him there.

Kuwabara asks him about his duties as Reikai Tantei. Koenma, in his teenage form, appears at the doorframe and informs that Yusuke has been dismissed from his Tantei job. Reikai has not withdrawn the order to exterminate Urameshi.

"Do you understand now?" Yusuke asks Kuwabara. "If I stay here, there'll always be someone coming after me to kill me. That is my destiny, I don't have any alternatives."

Genkai lights the candles again. "I miss the time when Yusuke was only starting his training. His only goal was to fight bravely against evil. Now he's become very strong, I no longer have means to control him. Now all we can do is pray that he won't follow the wrong path. Only Yusuke knows that kind of blood runs through his veins. He has a fierce temper, won't give up until he gets results." She turns to Kuwabara. "Isn't that why you've been always with him, fighting beside him?"

"But how is he going to go back there?" asks Kuwabara. "The tunnel connecting the two worlds was sealed, or have you all forgotten about that?"

"No problem," Koenma replies. "We'll just open it again."

"What?!"

As on cue, Shunjun, Rinpai and Ryouhi, three of the Tokubetsu Boueitai, materialize behind the temple.

"Yusuke Urameshi, are you ready to leave?" asks Shunjun.

"Anytime," says Yusuke.

Kuwabara is furious. "That's dirty. You didn't manage to kill him, so you're banning him to Makai instead."

Shunjun confirms it. "I think Enma-daiou was wise to make this decision. We will follow his orders loyally."

"What if another Sensui shows up?" Kuwabara argues. "Kurama, Hiei and I won't be able to deal with something like that on our own."

"It won't happen," Koenma assures him. "In the past few days, the destiny of the team has changed drastically."

Hiei chooses that moment to land near them. "I was invited to return to Makai as well."

"So you're joining Raizen too?" Kuwabara frowns.

"The invitation didn't come from Raizen," Hiei explains, "but from Mukuro, one of Raizen's enemies."

"You're leaving us too!"

"I've accepted the invitation because Makai is the world I've come from."

"And what if you have to fight Urameshi?"

"If it must happen, there's nothing I can do about it," says Hiei. "If that's my destiny, I'll accept it and enjoy it."

Kurama emerges from a bush and announces that he is leaving too. "I was invited by Yomi, the third of the Makai kings. I have to go, although I might take longer than Yusuke and Hiei to leave."

"I'm disappointed in you," Kuwabara yells at his three teammates. "You are turning out to be just like Sensui and Toguro. It doesn't matter what side you are, all you care about is the fight itself."

"Hn. You seem to turning out to be a little clever after all," Hiei snorts.

Kuwabara runs to Hiei, grabs him by the scarf and raises his fist to punch him. Hiei doesn't react, doesn't even take his hands out of his pockets.

"Enough!" Genkai yells, causing Kuwabara to halt. "We don't know for sure if they'll fight among themselves."

"We don't know that they won't either," Kuwabara insists.

"Kazuma-san, not all the fights in Makai are dirty," Yukina intervenes. "Makai is my home world too."

"Yukina-san..." Kuwabara lets go of Hiei, his shoulders slumping in defeat. Hiei looks away from Yukina.

Yusuke goes to Kuwabara and holds him in a half-embrace. "Good luck on those exams, Kuwabara."

Kuwabara's eyes widen. "How do you know about that?"

"Keiko told me. She said Shizuru is very pleased to see how much you've changed. Listen, I'll be back in three years. And when I come back, I'll want to hear about your progress."

Kuwabara smirks. "Three years? How can you know that? I suggest you don't come back before you become the king of Makai and find Yukina's brother."

Yusuke hesitates. "I'll try, I'll try..."

Hiei gives Yusuke a warning look. Kuwabara doesn't see it.

"You always get weird when I mention this subject," Kuwabara frowns at Yusuke. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, nothing..."

Kurama suppresses a chuckle.

Shizuru arrives then, and joins Koenma, Genkai, Botan and Yukina. But no one needs to explain to her the situation. "Yusuke chose the most dangerous path," she says.

Genkai grins. "These kids enjoy a dangerous adventure."

Shunjun tells Yusuke that it's time to leave.

They all watch as the Tokubetsu Boueitai reopen the tunnel, right there, near the temple. Yusuke is saying goodbye to a sad Puu, petting the bird's long neck.

"It's so weird," Yusuke remarks. "You guys can open this tunnel so easily, while Sensui took his entire life to do it."

"Urameshi, we will be following different paths from now on," says Kuwabara without facing his friend. "I give you my word that I will succeed in my exams."

Kuwabara's words move Botan to tears.

Ryouhi announces that the tunnel is complete.

Shunjun tells Yusuke he probably won't come back alive. Yusuke promises he will, and that he'll open his own tunnel for that.

Yusuke jumps into the tunnel and vanishes. Botan cries.

Shunjun muses, "It's strange. He has the knack to affect our emotions."

"I'm really curious to find out what kind of trouble he'll create in Makai," Ryouhi admits with a smile.

Shunjun orders the other Tokubetsu Boueitai to seal the tunnel again.

In Makai, Yusuke is received by Hokushin and Touou. Yusuke notices that their power is much greater now that they're back to their home world. Hokushin promises to take Yusuke to Raizen.

In Ningenkai, Koenma tells George that the Tokubetsu Boueitai will reopen the tunnel for Hiei and Kurama too, since that's part of the agreement Enma-daiou has made with the three kings. Yusuke, Kurama and Hiei are to be imprisoned in Makai in order to keep the order in Ningenkai. George suggests Enma-daiou probably has a good reason to do that.

"I hope so," Koenma replies.

In Makai, Hokushin, Touou and Yusuke are running at preternatural speed. Yusuke suggests a break to rest, as they have been running for an entire day already.

"We're not even halfway there yet," Hokushin tells him. "We'll arrive in four days."

"Four days?! You want us to run for four days?"

"We can stop for a while if you're tired..."

"No, I'm fine, let's run," Yusuke smirks.

And they do, crossing several exotic landscapes of the Demon World, until they arrive to Raizen's kingdom.

Hokushin, covered in sweat — as is Touou —, compliments Yusuke. "We tried to leave you behind, but you kept up with us and didn't even break a sweat."

Yusuke admits to be as surprised as they are that he managed to keep up with their pace. He also asks about the loud rumbling sound they're hearing.

"That's Raizen-sama's stomach," says Hokushin. "Since he stopped eating, the sound increases when it's near meal time." He points to the tower where Raizen is.

Hokushin and Touou guide Yusuke to the tower, and the boy makes his way to the top on his own. He finds Raizen sitting at the corner of a room, waiting for him.

"Hello, my son," Raizen greets him coldly.

Yusuke is sweating now.

"What is the problem? I am your real father."

"Why did you interfere in my fight with Sensui?" Yusuke yells. "I'll make you pay for that."

Raizen only moves his fingers and Yusuke is tossed backwards against the wall; blood drips from a deep gash in the boy's chest.

"You're nothing but a toy in my hands," Raizen laughs. "That petty power of yours will never defeat me... brat."

Furious, Yusuke attacks. Blood spurts everywhere. Yusuke is again thrown against the wall.

Raizen is still sitting at the same corner. "Don't you understand? Your insignificant power isn't even enough to get me to move from my seat."

Yusuke spits blood. "I can't believe you're on the verge of dying."

"Which means you're very weak," Raizen counters. "I doubt I'll live over a year."

"Die now!" Yusuke shouts, charging his Reigan.

He shoots. From outside the tower, we see the wall that had been behind Raizen exploding into dust.

Raizen is unhurt. But he is standing now.

"I did it," Yusuke smirks. "I made you move."

Raizen smirks back. "I admire your persistence and courage," he says, walking to the boy and crouching in front of him. "I like you. I'm usually here, sleeping. You can come and challenge me whenever you want. It's your choice. You can stay here and improve your powers, or you can leave. But be warned: if you're not strong enough to defeat me, you won't have any chance against Yomi and Mukuro." His stomach growls loudly.

"Why have you given up eating humans?" asks Yusuke.

"Hah. I'll tell you when you get out of your diapers."