Challenged by Bui, Hiei takes off the bandages from his right arm, releasing an unbelievable dark ki. The Urameshi Team watches with apprehension. Koenma is ready to launch his rockets and escape from the stadium. Shizuru shivers; Hiei's youki is giving her a chilling sensation.

Sakyo and Toguro Otouto remember the fight against Zeru, when Hiei released the Black Dragon for the first time. They're eager to see it again, and confident that Bui is a lot stronger than Zeru.

Dark columns of energy drop from the sky and rise from underwater, hitting the stadium and causing parts of its structure to shatter and fall. Koto drags Juri, who's paralyzed with terror, out of the battlefield. Kurama is amazed at how fast Hiei managed to master the Black Flames Doctrine. A red lightening hits Hiei and he releases the Kokuryuuha.

Knowing that if he manages to withstand the attack the Dragon will devour the one who created it, Bui flares his Battle Aura and keeps the Dragon's mouth open with his hands. Hiei snorts and adds a second charge of ki to the Kokuryuuha.

Bui remembers Toguro Otouto laughing at him: "I won't kill you now. You'll get stronger. Come to challenge me again then." The remembrance gives Bui courage: "I can't be defeated now!"

The Black Flames hit the weakest among the public, burning them to death. The Kokuryu breaks through the ceiling, taking Bui with it and pinning him against one of the tall, curved rock formations of the island. Hiei jumps to the ceiling to see it.

But the memory of how Toguro caused the scar on his face gives Bui the strength to resist. The Dragon turns against Hiei and swallows him.

The Urameshi Team stares in mute shock as the Kokuryu spirals in the sky. Koto urges a frightened Juri to declare the end of the fight. But when Juri is about to announce Bui as the winner, a huge explosion coming from the black fire cloud in the sky knocks her down. The cloud falls heavily on the battlefield, revealing Hiei surrounded by an eerie aura and completely unharmed. The tattoo in his arm is gone.

Urameshi is deeply relieved to see Hiei alive. Shizuru is confident that Hiei will show his true art now. Yukina is frightened, but Keiko tries to soothe them all. "I'm sure he's still the same Hiei we know; the only change is the arm without the tattoo." Kurama says that Hiei absorbed the Kokuryu inside his body and now can manipulate its power as he wishes. Bui is visibly scared.

"You see? This is the true power of the Black Dragon," Hiei tells him. "Many mistake it as a mere instrument to fly. It isn't. It's the aliment that nurtures the energy of its master in a explosive way."

Bui gathers courage and attacks Hiei with punches and kicks, hitting him hard and continuously. Hiei doesn't move, but doesn't seem to feel a thing either. In the open Jagan, Bui can see the image of the Kokuryu. He keeps spanking Hiei brutally, throwing him against the ceiling, then back to the ground. Hiei doesn't react at first, then grabs Bui's fist and the Battle Aura dissipates.

Bui insists on the fight. Hiei hits him with a charge of his dark energy, sending him up in the air. Then he rises in the air as well, the Black Dragon forming around him, and punches Bui, who falls in the middle of the audience, defeated.

Hiei lands beside him. Juri, seeing both fighters out if the battlefield, starts counting.

Bui asks Hiei to kill him: "When I fought against Toguro, I was defeated. But then there was still a chance I would become stronger. With the goal of challenging Toguro again, I trained and strengthened my skills. However, Toguro is a lot stronger, there's a huge difference between our levels. And now I end up defeated by you. I have no reason to live anymore."

Hiei snorts. "Hn. If you wanna die, do it yourself. I'm the kind of guy who hates to be ordered around." He jumps back to the battlefield in time to be declared the winner by Juri.

Urameshi cheers: it's a tie between the two teams. Kuwabara says that Hiei is invincible: "You can finish the others by yourself!" But Hiei, with trembling legs, denies it: "This strike still has some flaws. It's too heavy a burden, and both body and spirit need rest." He yawns. "I'm gonna take a nap and you better not bother me. I might be strong, but I can't help it. I trusted you and used my secret art. When I wake up, I don't wanna see that you lost, or I won't forgive you." With that, he passes out.

Kurama giggles. Urameshi chuckles, finding hilarious how Hiei keeps the arrogant façade even when he's about to collapse. Gazing at Hiei's tranquil features in sleep, Koenma comments thoughtfully: "This innocent face is completely different from his bully attitude." Kuwabara takes out a pen, intending to draw moustaches on Hiei's face, wondering if the short youkai is really asleep.