Life-Or-Death Struggle ~sunny day~

After the flashback: the horrified Goku calls out to Sanzo, and the ikkou (apparently making the many-story drop to the ground with ease) charges toward its fallen leader; but Hazel commands "stop right there, demons", and puts a bullet into Sanzo's shoulder. The trio skids to a halt, and Hazel, those pretty blue eyes now Arctic slits, says, "Gato." The big guy, already taken aback by Hazel's appropriation of his gun, hesitates. Hazel's eyes get even scarier: Gato! he hisses, and Gat fires on the ikkou.

They dive for cover, and Hakkai observes that "unlike Sanzo", Gato is quite a good shot. [--Unfair of Hakkai, who knows full well that Sanzo is a dead-eye shot; but probably justified by the monk's numerous snipes at his absent crew.] Gojyo says they needn't be anxious, as Gato's gun only holds six rounds. They count shots and charge when they hear him eject his 6th round, only to be fired upon by Hazel, who's had time to reload the other pistol! HG&G hightail it back to the rocks, where Goku and Hakkai give Gojyo grief for not thinking of that. (Hakuryu, also hiding, listens to their quarreling and kyuu's ruefully.)

The guys do the math: if Hazel and Gat have both reloaded, that's a total of twelve rounds. Four for each of us, says Goku. Gojyo teases that saru-chan's math skills are top-notch and he retorts that sheesh, of course he can count; Hakkai chides that this is no time to bicker, and G&G settle, agree and arm up. Make sure you draw your share, calls Gojyo as they break cover. At once their plan is clear--force the HT to expend so much fire on them all at once that neither has time to reload--and with all three on full offensive and using their signature attacks that's just what happens. When Goku lands a huge nyoi-bo bash on Gato, Hakkai is able to slam him into the cliffside with a ki sphere. Hazel calls to him in alarm, but before blue-eyes can move he hears a pistol being cocked behind him; a deadly-eyed Sanzo has used the distraction to pull himse

Next episode

S03E25 - The Thing That Should Be Protected ~truth~