"Check this out!" Chibi Rekka no Ryo announced as he stood before the entrance of a dark, gloomy cave. A cold wind slowly blew from the mouth of the cave and brushed past the armored boy. He assumed this was the entrance way to Sachiriku's castle. He had been leading his friends all over the forest and he didn't want to admit to them that he had gotten them lost. Well lost no longer! He told himself happily. This had to be it! There was no place else they could go.

Standing behind him were the other four Chibi Troopers: Chibi Tenku no Touma, Chibi Korin no Seiji, Chibi Suiko no Shin, and Chibi Kongo no Shu.

Peering from behind Chibi Rekka, Chibi Suiko asked, "Why is it so dark down there?"

"I guess monsters like to live in dark caves like this," Chibi Kongo answered. "So let's flush those nasty monsters out go to the weird lady's castle!"

Chibi Korin grasped Chibi Kongo's shoulder and pulled him back away from the cave. "No way!" he exclaimed. "We don't REALLY know if there's monsters down there or not!"

"Well we can't just stand here!" Chibi Kongo shot back angrily.

"But we're not going to go down in there!"

"Use that stupid Korin Ken of yours as a flashlight! Here gimme that!"

Chibi Kongo dropped his tetsubo and swiped Korin Ken from its owner. He went over to the side of the cave and banged the sword's blade against its rocky surface. The blade seemed to flicker to life and a faint glow was emitted. "Yeah, this is cool!"

"GIVE ME THAT!!!" Chibi Korin grabbed his sword back and glared at Chibi Kongo. "Dummy! This is MY weapon! You have your own!"

"BREAK!" Chibi Tenku cried as he slide in between his two feuding friends. "We don't have time to argue. Whoever or whatever the heck is down there, we should really check it out but we'll all go together. Okay?"

"Do not bother going," a haunting yet very familiar voice spoke from the air above. "For you shall meet your fate here and now!"

Chibi Rekka gasped and his blue eyes darted about the skies in search of the voice. "Oh no you again!" he shouted. "Come on out, Mister Kaijin! We know that's you!"

"Kaijin?!" the other four Chibi Troopers gasped. "The scary man with the mask?!"

The masked individual appeared before them within a swirl of gold and red colors. He stood there in silence, wearing a dark brown cape over his body, looking very intimidating. His gold mask glistened along the sun's rays, making him look like a mythical creature that fell from the heavens.

"Cute," Kaijin said dryly. He took a step forth towards the Chibi Troopers, his eyes vivid. "Children, realize that Sachiriku-sama is in need of her sanity. In order to cure her of her current state, I must destroy you five brats and perhaps destroy your armors. Depends on what she says... but no matter. I do what is commanded of me. And you can't stop me."

"Says you!" Chibi Rekka growled. He quickly drew out his Rekka Ken and shouted, "You can't stop us! Once we beat up Sachiriku, we're going to change back into big people and then you'll be sorry!"

The villain just scoffed at them. "Try as much as you like, you can't possibly win. Since I'm a nice guy, I'll allow you to take your shots into defeating me."

"Then better watch out 'cause here I come!" Chibi Kongo roared as he charged forth, his weapon ready at hand. He leaped into the air and his tetsubo broke into a nunchuku. He twirled the ends and as he came falling towards Kaijin, he shouted, "TAKE THIS!"

He swung with all his might but Kaijin simply moved his head to the side and avoided the attack all together. He thrusted his arm forward and jabbed the Chibi Trooper on his side. He sent the child flying back and crashing into his other friends. Kaijin laughed as the Chibi Troopers all fell down like bowling pins being knocked over by a bowling ball.

Chibi Kongo sniffled as he slowly got to his feet once more, tears in his eyes. "T-That's not fair!"

Chibi Rekka got to his hands and knees and frowned. "This guy's bad news. We have to stop him but how?"

"Kongo-chan's the strongest out of the five of us," Chibi Suiko pointed out as he helped Chibi Tenku and Chibi Korin to their feet. "And if he can't get to him..."

"None of you can!" Kaijin laughed but all of a sudden he stopped and sighed heavily. "What a pathetic task this is. I, Kaijin, once a powerful spirit, reduced to baby-sitting little children. Shadowlings, I allow you to have some fun with them before tearing their hides apart!"

All around the Chibi Troopers, the shadows of the forest suddenly began to move and take shape. Slowly creatures completely black all over but had the outline appearance of ninjas took form. A small group of Shadowlings leaped over and kneeled around the Chibi Troopers. They gradually stood up and all of them began to giggle uncontrollably.

Chibi Rekka trembled but he tried to keep a brave face on. Meanwhile, Chibi Suiko held up his spear, a look of pure fear on his face. He absolutely HATED these things! They were so mean and not to mention they could hit very hard.

"G-Get ready for them," Chibi Suiko whispered, his voice cracking.

Chibi Korin, Chibi Tenku, and Chibi Kongo nodded as they took a stance with their weapons. That was when the Shadowlings attacked.

Kokuen-oh hated Byakuen.

It was no secret now. The first time they had met was many centuries ago. Two tigers, two creatures: one who fought for hope and reason, the other who fought for nobility and power. Different in so many ways but alike in many more. The two served two individuals, both in which fought for different causes.

Byakuen was with Kaosu, the warrior-monk who long ago vanquished the demon king, Arago, from the Mortalworld. He took Arago's and created the nine mystical armors that went into the hands of those with good hearts. How soon things changed as the years rolled by.

Kokuen-oh stayed with Kenboukyou, a noble swordsman who lived in the Netherworld. The two of them shared a close bond much like Byakuen and Kaosu. He and Kenboukyou went on so many adventures and came across the most interesting people in their time. During one of their adventures did they find the Koretsu Ken, the powerful swords that accompanied the Shiroi Kikioutei. It was only when Kenboukyou died in battle against Rekka no Ryo, did their close bond, their friendship, ended.

"I should've left you to die," Kokuen-Oh hissed as he swung the giant black boomerang and slammed it into Byakuen's back. He leaped back and drew the weapon back once more. He then cried out as he threw it forth and watched as it flew dangerously close to his target.

Byakuen gasped and barely made it to safety. He rolled onto his side as the boomerang slammed into the ground. The dirt and rocks flew up and away from the extreme force of the attack. Tediously did Byakuen get back to his two feet. He touched his throbbing, aching back and he winced as he felt a tear in his body armor.

It felt like hours since the two started fighting in this strange, mysterious world of the unknown. While trying to figure out a way out of this place, Byakuen was also trying very hard to fight for his own life. Why did Kokuen-oh betray them like he did? He should've been able to have sensed Kokuen-oh and what he was thinking, feeling, saying... He assumed the bond between them was no more.

Kokuen-oh frowned slightly and drew a lock of dark hair from his face. "Missed you, didn't I?" he observed with a deadly look in his eyes. "Well then, I'll make sure I won't this time."

Taking a step back, Kokuen-oh clenched his fists and snarled as his body suddenly began to emit a yellow aura. Eyes glowing with fierce power, he whirled around and suddenly a suit of black armor formed over his body. Like the devil himself, Kokuen-oh stood there wearing the Kuroi Kikoutei, eyes glowing and an immoral smile on his face.

"Well what do you think, Byakuen?" Kokuen-oh asked innocently. "Think Mukara-san'll mind me borrowing his so-called old armor?"

"I-I can't believe it," Byakuen whispered, his eyes wide in shock. His face had gone completely pale and he felt like he was about to faint at any moment. The Kuroi Kikoutei? Here?! He didn't understand how Kokuen-oh was able to call upon its presence, seeing how it was assumed destroyed back in Africa long ago. Or so he thought.

Thunder boomed in the background and soon a flash of lightning accompanied it. The lighting created a rather frightful looking effect on Kokuen-oh.

What has happened to you? Byakuen wondered. He felt so sad all of a sudden. Has revenge turned you into this deprived monster?

"RAI KO ZAN!"

"CHO RYU HA!"

The combination of Chibi Korin and Chibi Suiko's power �water and lightning- created a very dangerous and very powerful attack among the Shadowlings. The electrocution caused many of the dark creatures to suddenly rip apart and vanish. But when one Shadowling would fall, another would quickly take its place.

Chibi Rekka and Chibi Tenku, who stood back to back, both made sulky faces. "This is not fun!" Chibi Rekka shouted as he quickly dodged a Shadowling's swipe and counterattacked with his Rekka Ken. "There are so many of them!"

"Bring them on!" Chibi Kongo said as he leaped from one Shadowling's shoulder to another, laughing. "These goofs aren't too hard once you get the hang of it! I can feel myself getting stronger every time I fight!"

::Watch out::

Chibi Kongo suddenly fell off of a Shadowling's shoulder and crashed onto the ground. He moaned as he tried to get up. His eyes suddenly bulged out as a Shadowling stood over him, ready to make the final kill. He squeezed his eyes shut and screamed, "I WANT MY MAMA!!!"

"SHU!" Chibi Rekka, Chibi Tenku, Chibi Shin, and Chibi Korin cried out. They were too far away to be able to reach their friend in time...

The Shadowling that stood over Chibi Kongo suddenly ripped apart and vanished into nothingness. Chibi Kongo who was crying very loud suddenly stopped, opened his eyes, and sat up. "Huh? What? Where?"

He looked about the area and found a magical staff floating before him. All around the Chibi Troopers, the Shadowlings screamed out in pain as the staff's rings chimed softly, almost melodiously.

Kaijin, who had been watching the battle from atop of the cave cursed aloud and placed his arm over his eyes, shielding them. "What is that? Can it be Kaosu's staff? But what is it doing here?!"

The Chibi Troopers smiled as they all gathered around the staff. The five little boys formed a circle around it and joined hands. They closed their eyes and their armors began to glow softly. A soft, low hum was heard and before Kaijin could even blink, the staff unleashed a powerful blinding light that was so unbearable, he had to retreat from the area.

The winds of the cave howled and a wicked laughter was heard, followed by a horrifying scream for help.

Chibi Ryo: We have to figure out how to get to Sachiriku's castle and not to mention find Byakuen and the others. Where did all of our grown up friends go? And what're we going to do with that staff?

Chibi Shin: We'll use it to whack Chibi Shu on the head and give him some common sense.

Chibi Shu: SHIIIN!!!

Chibi Ryo: See you in the next episode of Choroiden-Chamurai Troopers: "Kuroi Kikoutei! The End of the World?"