Shizumaru and his allies are trying to find the prophet, but couldn't find anything. 

They arrived at a town. 

It's almost night time..they found an inn. They went to take a bath........

It's like a big pool, like a Jacuzzi.....

Women take the bath on the left side...the men take the right side....

It's separated by a wall......

Charlotte, Cella, and Rimururu takes the left side...

Charlotte : "So that's how Japanese live..." whispers Charlotte, relaxing in the water........

Charlotte : "I like it..."

Rimururu : "Nah!! You should go and take a bath in the waterfall, especially the one from my forest........me and Nakoruru used to go there. It's the BEST!!!"

Charlotte : "What happened to Nakoruru..?"

Rimururu : "......."

Rimururu lowers her head........

Rimururu : "..It's a long story.."

Then she saw Cella.....

Rimururu : "Huh?"

Cella is trying to look at the other side.........the right side of the bath....where the men are......

Cella : "...C'mon..." whispers Cella

Looking through a small space between the bricks.....

Then she smiles......

Cella : "YEA!!!! THAT'S IT..!!!!"

Rimururu : "Huh...?"

Rimururu went to Cella...

Rimururu : "Whatta??!!"

She saw Cella spying on Shizumaru..!!! And he and the other guys are taking a bath..!!

...meaning Shizumaru is NAKED!!!

Cella : "Isn't Shizumaru...HOT?!" smiles Cella

Cella : "He's so much cuter without his clothes on.."

Rimururu : "[BLUSHES] WHATTA??!!!!!!!! CELLAAAAAA..!!!!!" freaks Rimururu...

And she pushes Cella away..!!!!

[SPLASH]

Cella : "WHY YOU PUSH ME??!!! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU??!!" freaks Cella

Rimururu : "YOU SHOULDN'T LOOK AT HIM......!!"

Cella : "OH, THEN YOU SHOULD???"

Rimururu : "WHAA....!!!! YOU...!!!!!"

[ARGUEING] [SPLASHING]

Charlotte : "...[sighs]" Charlotte sighs, ashamed..

[SPLASH]

Shizumaru : "Huh?"

Shizumaru turns around, to the wall. He and the other guys are taking a bath on the other side. They heard splashes on the left side where the women are...

Shizumaru : "What's going on over there?" said Shizu, getting curious.....

Hoahmaru : "Probably one of those girl games..!!" laughs Hoahmaru

Shizumaru : "I thought someone was spying on us.." whispers Shizu, scratching his head..

Hoahmaru : "NAH!!!"

Hoahmaru : "THAT'S OUR JOB!!!"

Shizumaru : "........." Shizu blinks, "...what do you mean?"

[Silence]

Hoahmaru : "HA HA HA HA..!!! YOU CRACK ME UP, KID!!!" laughs Hoahmaru

Galford : "Hey check that dude out." said Galford, looking outside the window...

They went to see...

They saw a blue-haired man fighting...

And a bunch of girls sighing at every move he makes....

Galford : "He's pretty good.."

Hoahmaru saw him

Hoahmaru : "BAH..!! NOT AS GOOD AS ME..!!!"

Then he shouts out from the window.................

Hoahmaru : , "HEY, YOU!!!!!!!!!!"

(?????????) : "....???"  The blue-haired man looks around.

Hoahmaru : "YEA, YOU!!!!!!!! BLUE-HAIRED PUNK!!!!!!!!!" shouts Hoahmaru

The man looks to Hoahmaru......

(?????????) : "You calling me 'punk'?"

Hoahmaru : "YEA, PUNK."

Hoahmaru : "LET'S FIGHT IN A DUEL..!!!"

(?????????) : "......."

The man didn't say anything......

Then he whispers.......

(?????????) : "I accept your challenge."

Hoahmaru : "GOOD!!!" smiles Hoahmaru..

Hoahmaru : "But wait for me ok? I'm having a bath right now..."

(?????????) : ".........." the man didn't say anything...

They went to bed after they took a bath. In the morning, they're ready to continue search for the prophet again...

Hoahmaru : "Huh?"

Hoahmaru saw the blue-haired man outside of the inn. He must've been waiting ALL night for Hoahmaru to show up for the duel....

The blue-haired man is standing there, his eyes closed, and face down so his blue hair covers his face...

Hoahmaru : "Hey, you really waited for me for the WHOLE NIGHT??" said Hoahmaru, scratching his head...

Shizumaru : "If you two are going to fight, stay then. I'm out of here." said Shizu, and walks away......

Hoahmaru : "WHOA..!! HOLD UP, KID!!!" freaks Hoahmaru.........

Hoahmaru : "Hey punk, let's do this next time, okay?"

(?????????) : "........." the man grabs his weapon......

(?????????) : ".....no."

Hoahmaru : "Oh c'mon, man!!! I gotta go....they're gonna leave without me!!!"

(?????????) : "No."

Hoahmaru : "DAMN!!! @#$%.."

Hoahmaru felt stupid. He shouldn't have ask that punk for a duel... now Shizu and the others are leaving him behind, especially Charlotte. And she has his sake with her....

Hoahmaru : "OH C'MON PLEASSSEEE..???? NEXT TIME, OK???" Whines Hoahmaru

(?????????) : "No."

Hoahmaru : "C'MON.....JUST THIS ONCE..PLEASEEEEE???"

(?????????) : "No."

Hoahmaru : "THEN WHAT DO YOU WANT EXCEPT A DUEL?? HOW ABOUT MONEY??"

(?????????) : "......" he hesitates...

(?????????) : "$1000000."

Hoahmaru : "hmm.."

Hoahmaru looks into his pockets. He only has 3 cents, and a small linen. He hands the stranger what he has......

Hoahmaru : "How about a IOU $999997, ok? and a linen."

(?????????) : "No."

Hoahmaru : "OH C'MON!! YOU DON'T WANT TO FIGHT ME..!!!"

(?????????) : "..."

Hoahmaru : "Ok maybe you." whispers Hoahmaru......

He freaks out......

Hoahmaru : "OH SHIT..!!! THEY'RE GONE ALREADY..!!! I GOTTA GO FIND THEM..!!" He waives goodbye....

Hoahmaru : "NEXT TIME, PUNK!!"

(?????????) : "No."

(?????????) : "NOW."

He pulls out his long pole katan, and swings at Hoahmaru..!!

It almost hit him.

Hoahmaru : "@#$%..!!!" Hoahmaru freaks out, and a litte of his hair are cut off...


Hoahmaru : "OK THAT'S IT..!!!! LET'S GET THIS OVER WITH..!!!"

He pulls out his sword, and attacks.........

Hoahmaru : "GET READY, PUNK!!!!!!"

[CLASH]

The man defends himself...

Hoahmaru : "LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN DEFEND FOREVER..!!" smiles Hoahmaru,and attacks again and again and again....

The man keeps on defending himself with his weapon...but can't keep this up. He makes a back flip, jumping away from Hoahmaru.

Hoahmaru : "Huh?"

Hoahmaru couldn't see his face.... the man hides his face, only his back showing...

Hoahmaru : "Damn, are you shy or something?"

(?????????) : "...."

Then he runs straight at Hoahmaru...!!!

What a stupid mistake. He's running straight at him...ready to get himself killed..!! Hoahmaru can finish him off very easy like this...and he saw his chance, and swings his sword at the man...!!!

But it's a trick. When Hoahmaru swings the sword...he totally concentrate on the attack...he didn't care about defense. That's the man's trick. He quickly slides and hit Hoahmaru's legs when Hoahmaru lost his guard....so Hoahmaru trips over.

[BOOM]

Hoahmaru : "OUCH..!!!"

Hoahmaru falls on the ground....

Hoahmaru : "OH SHIT..!!!"

The man was about to stab him....!!

[Silence]

Hoahmaru : "??"

[Weapon drops the the ground]

The man drops his weapon to the ground....and backs off....

He starts coughing REAL BAD....

Hoahmaru :"Uhmm.."

Hoahmaru gets up, and ready to fight again....but it seems the man won't be able to fight nor defend. He's coughing a lot now...

Hoahmaru : "Hmm...."

Hoahmaru stares at him........

Hoahmaru : "..Uhmm..are you ok, man?"

[LOUD COUGH]

Blood splatters to the ground...

Hoahmaru : "Eewww... I take that as a no..."

[Stops coughing]

[Breathing]

The man tries to catch his breath....and wipes off the blood from his mouth.

Hoahmaru : "Man...you should get a doc to fix you up."

(?????????) : "....doctors.." whispers the man....

(?????????) : "Damn those doctors...they can never heal my disease...the tuberculosis..."

Hoahmaru : " The tuber-what?? "

(?????????) : "...." the man gets his backpack...

Hoahmaru : "HEY..!!! YOU STILL WANT TO FIGHT?? I mean, look at you!! You're like coughing yourself to death!!"

(?????????) : ".........." the man hesitates......

Hoahmaru : "Maybe next time, k?"

Hoahmaru : "NOW I GOT TO HELP THE KID FIND THAT PROPHET GUY...."

(?????????) : "The prophet..?" whispers the man

If he finds the prophet...maybe the prophet knows a way to cure his tuberculosis...

Then he said...

(?????????) : "WAIT. I'll come with you."

Hoahmaru : "Huh???"

Ukyo : "I am Ukyo, the last survivor of my village..."

Ukyo : "I'll come with you on your journey."

Hoahmaru : "Well..you forced me to lose my sake cuz of you....and tried to kill me..."

Hoahmaru : "BUT OH WELL!!! Let's hurry so we can catch up to them!!"

Then they walk away... ...a bunch of girls follow Ukyo.......

Hoahmaru : "Hey Ukyo.."

Ukyo : "...Yea.."

Hoahmaru : "I have a question"

Ukyo : ".....Yea.."

Hoahmaru : "HOW DID YOU GET THESE BEAUTIFUL LADIES AROUND YOU???"

Ukyo : "........."

Chapter 16.............The Ghost of Nature......

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