Samurai Deeper Kyo Volume 2: v. 2 - Softcover

Kyoshiro and Jimon, the blonde samurai, square off for battle. Jimon beats him mercilessly, waiting for Kyo to appear. Jimon reveals that he killed 108 people, in order to perfect his technique, and that Kyo will be the 109th. He continues to beat Kyoshiro until, finally, the sword is drawn, and Kyo's personality appears (and he's in a bad mood). As Okuni excitedly watches from a cliff above, Jimon demonstrates his deadly quick Flying Sparrow technique. Kyo is unimpressed and suggests a drawing match. After a tense stand-off, swords are drawn, and Jimon is killed. Okuni reappears, happy for the return of Kyo. She has an obvious thirst for blood and Kyo accuses her of leading Jimon and the other attackers to the hidden rebel village. Okuni's power is hinted at when after threatening to kill Kyo, she floats away. With the remaining villagers now safe, Kyoshiro and Yuya take to the road again, where they meet a town full of hungry orphans, including a pickpocket named Kouta and his young sister. Kyoshiro convinces Kouta that he should give up his life of crime, but Kazura, the beautiful pickpocket ringleader, will not hear it and has Kouta beaten. Luckily, Yuya arrives just in time to save him. After killing all of Kazura's gang members, the two women engage in a tense battle, from which Yuya barely emerges victorious. Kyoshiro and Yuya leave the children, and head on to the next village, where they save a tiny elderly woman from some thugs. She invites them to stay with her in her mountain home beneath a stunning cherry blossom tree. She tells them that the thugs work for the dreaded Three Color Gang, who are trying to push her off her mountain. As if on cue, one of the Three, White Crow, appears to give the old woman three days to clear out. But, when Yuya learns that the Kidou family is after the treasure that is said to be hidden somewhere in the mountain, she offers to be the old woman's personal bodyguard. As Kyoshiro collects wood for the elderly woman, he is attacked by Black Scorpion, the second of the Three Colors Gang. He falls off a waterfall, and is left for dead by Black Scorpion. Kyoshiro is then saved by a mysterious figure that turns out to be Red Tiger, the last member of the Three Color Gang. As they square off, Red Tiger demonstrates why he has earned the nickname, "Shadow Man."