Summary
Yen, Kai, and Ryo, known in the Dark Tournament as M1, M2, and M3, comprise Team Ichigaki. Trained in martial arts since childhood by their master Mitamura, their lives changed when Dr. Ichigaki poisoned him. To secure Ichigaki’s aid in healing their master, the trio surrendered their freedom. In return, Ichigaki implanted Blood-Slaver Nodes into their backs, devices that can only be removed by killing the host. These nodes grant them immense strength and total obedience to Ichigaki, while trapping their souls inside their bodies. Despite their physical subjugation, their spirits remained intact and desperate for freedom, even at the cost of their lives. This spiritual awareness allowed them to communicate with Kuwabara through dreams, revealing their tragic history. As a team, they are highly skilled and fight with lethal efficiency. M2 and M3 utilize invisible attacks that are undetectable to those lacking sufficient spirit training, whereas M1 employs visible attacks designed to distract opponents. They coordinate seamlessly, using their combined assaults to keep enemies on the defensive and cover one another’s blind spots. During the tournament preliminaries, they remained undefeated, notably executing an opposing team member who attempted to assassinate them. In the main tournament, Team Ichigaki faced Team Urameshi, consisting of Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Genkai. Initially, the darkness of their invisible techniques left Yusuke and Kuwabara unable to perceive or counter their moves. Under Ichigaki’s orders, they neutralized Kuwabara, but his rage over their suffering allowed Yusuke to see through their techniques and strike back effectively. Genkai then employed a special technique that empowered their trapped souls to choose between corruption and purity. Empowered by this choice, the souls removed the Blood-Slaver Nodes without killing their bodies, securing the victory for Team Urameshi. Although they initially feared judgment from Mitamura, Genkai explained their healing and secured the master’s forgiveness. Kai briefly attempted to join Team Urameshi as penance, but tournament rules prevented it. Ultimately, all three members and their master survived the tournament intact.
