VOLUME 4 CHAPTER SUMMARIES

With each new day, Recca Hanabishi discovers a little bit more about his family and himself. And the more he learns, the more confused he gets. Fore example: What's the deal with the Hokage Ningun? The secret ninja clan hasn't been around for 400 years, but Recca's destiny seems to be linked to the Japanese war-era set. Every family has its secrets and Recca is about to discover his. But first he must defeat his arch-nemesis Kurei and the evil horde he commandeers. Recca has the power of fire within him, but he's never met someone like the Living Flame. Talk about bad luck, Recca quickly finds out that he's no match for a fire that burns supernova.

Above from volume's back cover
First released in English: January 2004
Characters featured on cover: Recca and Yanagi

Chapter 30: Mikagami and Kaoru

Recca and the others wake up in a pool at the bottom of a pit. While on the 3rd floor, Tokiya is still fighting Kaoru. But Kaoru has only begun. He transforms the Kogon Ankin into its second mode, Ryu the Dragon. Kaoru transforms the Kogon Ankin all the way to it's 5th stage and Tokiya realizes that Kaoru's swordsmanship matches his own. Their fight ends in a draw.

Chapter 31: Fury

Fuko recalls the story of when she was little and a group of junior high students tried to beat her up, but Recca came to help her. Recca always got furious when fights were unfair. They walk into Mokuren's room. Mokuren plays a tape of Yanagi being tortured during the testing. Recca's inner fury doubles his firepower and he burns Mokuren almost to death.

Chapter 32: Kurenai

Recca attacks Kurei with his flame but Kurei extinguishes it. Kurei shows his flame's true form, an angel of fire named Kurenai.

Chapter 33: Living Flame

Kurenai's target is Ganko. Recca jumps in front of Ganko and repels the flame whith his own. Tokiya joins the battle.

Chapter 34: Man-Eating Devil

The gang tries a coordinated attack. Kurenai goes after Recca while Kurei easily beats the others. Recca is the only one left standing because he has a high tolerance against fire. Kagehoshi appears from the shadows.

Chapter 35: Eight-Headed Doom

Kagehoshi tries to get Recca to retreat but he won't. Knowing Recca is willing to die, Kagehoshi tells Recca to remove his Tekko from his arm. The Tecco protects the fire wielder from being consumed by his own flame. Without it Recca's flame's true power can be released, but could kill him at the same time. Recca removes it and is immediately overpowered by his flame. From his arm comes the legendary flame, the flame of Yamata. When Reshin, the leader of the eight dragons of Yamata attacks Yanagi after the wall collapses. Recca commands him to stop and he obeys.

Chapter 36: The Big Exit

Reshin is angry that Recca is giving him commands but is willing to help Recca for a price, Recca offers his arm. Reshin agrees and attacks Kurei, Kurei tries to block Reshin but Reshin deflects her and engulfs Kurei in his flame. But after that Kurei still lives. Four of Kurei's assassins came to get Kurei by orders from Koran Mori. Kurei retreats as commanded.

Chapter 37: Rescue

The gang wakes up in time to see Recca keep his promise with Reshin. When Yanagi hears about Recca's promise to give Reshin his arm she steps in front of Recca and offers her arm instead. But because Recca amuses him, Reshin decides to not take Recca's arm. He warns him that if Recca loses even once he'll kill him. Kanko shows up with Mr. Tatesako who is unconscious. Ganko explains that Kaoru saved them. Kaoru was watching Kurei's mansion burn when Kurei and four of his assassins appeared. Kaoru resigns from Kurei's team because Kurei broke his promise that he wouldn't hurt Yanagi. Neon is about to use her Madogu on Kaoru when Raiha stops her, not wanting to see kaoru die. Kurei spares Kaoru and they disappear.

Chapter 38: The Secret History PART 1

Kagehoshi brings Recca and his friends to her house in the mountains. There she tells them that she is Recca's mother. She says that 400 years ago, during the Sengoku period, Recca was born to her and Oka, the Hokage clan leader. But there was a problem; four years earlier Oka had a son with Reina. His name was Kurei, Recca's half brother. There couldn't be two fire wielders so one had to die. The one chosen to die was Kurei. Kagehoshi, whose real name is Kagero, asked the elder to spare Kurei's life, and he does. Angry that him and his mother are outcasts, Kurei sneaks into Recca's room and stabs him in the cheek with a dagger.

Chapter 39: The Secret History PART 2

Kurei was locked up. Nobunaga sent his armies to the Hokage village. Oka, the 6th generation leader tells his warriors not to use the Madogu because he feared Nobunaga getting them. Oka says good-bye to Kagero and Recca. When he enters the battle he allows himself to be killed. Kagero opens a portal to send Recca forward in time, but Kurei follows him. By using the spell she is cursed to live forever. She changed her name from Kagero to Kagehoshi.