Editor's comments and actions are denoted by [brackets]. Sound effects are written {like this}. (Parenthesis) indicate side notes in the dialogue bubble or the mangaka's note. And finally, italics are thoughts.

A dark night in an old fashioned house in Kyoto.

Voice: Please, Sensei...!! Send me away from here!!!

A long, black haired woman kneels on a tatami floor before a suited, light haired man.

Woman: You're acquaintances with the boss, right? I'll be working my whole life to pay back the ransom money...!! I... I don't want to be living like some water rat any more!! Sensei~!!! ...if that's the case, I've also been thinking about it... I'll disclose each and every one of your secrets to the police!!

Sensei reaches for a sharp surgical knife.

{sound f/x kata: clattering of the knife}

Woman: Did you think I didn't know!? You, behind that virtuous facade, the truth is—

The woman is suddenly struck down. Blood flies.

{sound f/x ba: the woman getting hit}

{sound f/x bisha: the woman hitting the ground}

The woman crumples onto the futons. Sensei reaches down and brings the knife to her hair.

Sensei: You act like a whore... Did you seriously think that I would be your partner...?

Sensei slices through the woman's hair.

{sound f/x bushiri: Sensei's muttered complaining}

Sensei: Stupid woman......

Some time later, in the other realm, Tsuzuki and Hisoka walk in to work.

Tsuzuki: Nowadays you haven't been looking so good, Hisoka.

{sound f/x ka: click of footsteps}

Tsuzuki: Are you making sure to eat and take a bath and sleep every day? Hm?

{sound f/x kako: click of footsteps}

Hisoka: Even without being told, I eat and get exactly eight hours of sleep. (And I take baths, too.)

Tsuzuki: Reeally? Then why is Tatsumi getting mad at me lately? He tells me I have to make sure you take care of your health properly!! (Mou—! Why do those kind of things happen to me—~!?) (He tells me stuff like, "You're his senior, so you have to properly look after his troubles"!!!)

([pointing to Tsuzuki] But he's scary once he begins worrying.)

Hisoka: Aah... It's just...... Every day I see an old dream.

Tsuzuki: Dream...?

Hisoka: I dream about when Muraki attacked me...

The World After Death—— Built in Hades, the Judicial Organization Juuou-chou. Enma-chou's Shoukanka is a post established in order to back up the management. Under the direct supervision of Great King Enma, this is a special organization. That is, this Shoukanka.

Tsuzuki: Pardon u——~s, Chief!! Is there some kind of case again—?

Watari waves brightly at the two as they enter.

Watari: Yo! You two!! How're you doing?

003: (Hey)

Tsuzuki: Huh? Wh...what? Watari...?

Hisoka: Chief Konoe—— This time isn't independent work for us, is it?

Konoe: Um...

Tatsumi: Regarding that, we'll change locations and I'll explain. If you two would come here...

In a separate reviewing room, Hisoka, Tsuzuki, and Watari sit at desks as Tatsumi shows slides on one wall. A picture of a long haired, traditionally dressed Japanese woman hanging by a sash from a tree limb graces the wall.

{sound f/x gashan: dramatic impact}

Watari: This is the first victim. After this is the second. The third, the fourth... And we continue wandering until the tenth.

Tatsumi: This is the latest intelligence. Yesterday, she was discovered dead in Kamogawa.

Watari: Whatcha think? Noticed anything yet, boy?

Hisoka: They're all women aren't they... But their ages and occupations are unconnected... The methods of murder are also diverse, so what sort of thing do they have in common——...

Tsuzuki: ...I see... It's the... "hair"...

Watari: And that is correct. That's what it looks like from the photographs. Their hair is unnaturally long, right?

Hisoka: It's true...

Watari: At first glance it doesn't look like there's any connection, but all of the killed women had their hair cut off... [genki] As a bonus, they're all beauties~! (But they're corpses.)

Tatsumi: Watari-san!! That's indiscrete. And... this is what it comes down to, Tsuzuki. You and Kurosaki-kun will fly to Kyoto to collaborate with Watari.

Tsuzuki: Roger.

Hisoka glances over at the table with intelligence information. He focuses in on a picture of the last body and frowns.

Kyoto——

Tsuzuki, Hisoka, and Watari wander through some gardens and old traditional houses in Kyoto.

Hisoka: Of course this is a standard for field trips. So there are many students here...

Watari: Now, it's just the season for the fall leaves. The climate's great this season.

Hisoka: The sakura season is also pretty. But for me, Kyoto is the best when the fall leaves are dyed crimson... It's really Kyoto-like, and I love it.

Watari: That right, that right~!!? I love Kyoto the best during autumn, too!!! Kyoto's my native city. If there's anything you don't know, ask me anything~!

Hisoka: Watari-san, aren't you from Osaka? (I thought that was certainly it.)

Nearby schoolgirls squeal at the beautiful men.

{sound f/x kya: squealing schoolgirls}

Watari: I grew up in Osaka. But really I was born in Kyoto. Thanks to that, I really picked up a nonsensical Kansaiben. [laughing]

Hisoka: [sigh] (Yes, well...)

Tsuzuki: ...... Watari. Let's get on topic soon...... What's the real reason you called us here? If you just needed some help, you could have called in another team. So why did you specifically ask for us...!?

Watari stares back at Tsuzuki seriously.

Watari: ———...

Hisoka: ...... Watari-san...?

Watari: (Hmph) Guess I'm beat... You see through everything, don't you Tsuzuki.Can't be helped~! I'll tell you the truth...!! (ah— man—) The truth is, I specifically asked for you guys because you wanted to see this...!!

{sound f/x su: Watari slowly pulling out the packet}

Watari slowly pulls a small packet out of his pocket. A few short strands of light hair are inside.

Hisoka: ——!? Hair...?

Tsuzuki: [leaning close into the packet] This is... white hair...?

003: (White hair white hair)

{sound f/x su: Watari slowly putting on gloves}

Watari puts on a rubber glove and removes one of the hairs from the packet using tweezers.

Watari: No... you're wrong. This is "silver hair."

Hisoka looks at the hair in shock.

Hisoka: ———!!

Hisoka looks horrified as Watari continues talking, remembering the picture of the woman he saw right before leaving the Shokanka.

Watari: This was found grasped by the corpse of the woman you saw this morning. The apparent criminal's——— hair...!!

Elsewhere in Kyoto. In a very traditional Japanese house, a man with long black hair and dressed in a kimono kneels on the tatami floor. He mixes powdered green tea in with a brush for a tea ceremony.

Man: Really, there's absolutely nothing to do with a guy like you...!

{sound f/x kasha: rustling of mixing the tea}

Man: Besides that, how in the world many people do you think it's been? ...And what you do you do with the women you buy, but of course that's your thing. After that, just deal with the bodies here.

Muraki smiles slightly from where he sits across from the other man.

Muraki: ......... That's right, isn't it. Ten people—— ...have been at this place.

The man slams his cup of tea down on the mat.

Man: ......... Eleven people. (Hey~)

{sound f/x dosu: tea spurting out of the cup on impact}

([pointing to the splash of liquid] Tea.)

Muraki: Oya, pardon me. (You're violent, aren't you...) But because there are also humans like myself... Isn't your business also composed of them? Oriya...... The outward appearance is of an old high-class Japanese restaurant... and the young Kokakurou master. But in the underworld, you're a boss of a hidden house of prostitution for high-class bureaucrats and politicians———... For generations, the present master of the Mibu family has run a brothel, not wanting to give up customers... Not even those sorts of brutal men...

Oriya: ...Hmph. But that doesn't mean that I just want to be doing this sort of business. Besides, you come here all the time because you're my friend. If you weren't, I'd ban you from freely coming here.

Muraki: Oya oya... That's an honor.

Servant: Oriya-sama, dinner is prepared...

Oriya: Ah, I'm coming now.

Muraki follows Oriya out through the gardens for dinner.

Oriya: Speaking of it, haven't the police confiscated the hair of someone they think is the criminal?

{sound f/x zaa: wind blowing through the garden}

Oriya: It looked thin as a silk thread...... Platinum blond.

Muraki smiles mildly and takes his glasses off.

Muraki: .........

{sound f/x su: Muraki slowly taking his glasses off}

Oriya: You shouldn't be so bold... Is that all right...?

Muraki calmly wipes his glasses off.

{sound f/x kyu: Muraki wiping his glasses}

Muraki: Hn, hn... I won't do anything stupid like get arrested by the police.

(My goodness, they haven't changed since they were students...)

Muraki: That. It's a sign.

Oriya: Sign?

Muraki: Yes... That's right...

{sound f/x za: wind blowing through the trees}

Muraki: For my beloved to quickly find me...

The wind blows Muraki's hair dramatically. His right eye is exposed, but looks distorted and not quite human. [Tsuzuki took his right eye out in a fight during volume 3, also the last time we've really gotten to see Muraki.] Elsewhere in Kyoto, Tsuzuki and Watari are gathered around a set of computers on the floor.

Watari: [pointing to a screen] Just to make sure———... I tried running a Level 4 Check on this hair.

{sound f/x kata: clicking of Watari typing on the keyboard}

Watari: That result was... this.

{sound f/x pi: beep}

Computer: The resulting match for the synthesis of the genetic pattern reference———

{sound f/x pipipipi: beep beep beep beep}

Computer: Blood type A-, male———

Tsuzuki stares in horror at the screen. Watari watches him with uncharacteristic seriousness.

Tsuzuki: (——...)

Watari: Now do you understand? The reason I wanted you two to come. This case——— so far when numerous atrocious cases have occurred, the likelihood that Mr. Muraki is entangled has been high...

A picture of Muraki sits before the pair on the computer screen.

Watari: Really high even.

Tsuzuki: Muraki Kazutaka...!!!

Tsuzuki balls his hand into a fist and fumes.

{sound f/x gyu: Tsuzuki squeezing his hand into a fist}

Tsuzuki: ...I knew it...!! I knew that bastard was the criminal...~!!!

{sound f/x gatan: something falling over as Tsuzuki stands up}

Tsuzuki: I won't forgive him... This time I'll say it, this time I definitely...~~!!!

{sound f/x gi: Tsuzuki fuming in anger}

Watari holds up a hand calmly to stop Tsuzuki.

Watari: Ah, wait, Tsuzuki. The owner of this hair and the culprit aren't necessarily the same. The possibility's low, but it might just be a trap for us to think that Muraki's the criminal.

Tsuzuki: You're wrong! It's definitely his doing!! I can't think it's anything but that!!!

Watari: (Well) In any case, will you please cooperate with me?

Tsuzuki agrees in SD anger.

Tsuzuki: ...I understand! If I can do something, I'll do anything! (Mm~!)

Watari: [smiling brightly] Gre...at! Really, I'm grateful to the two of you......

{sound f/x gi: Watari turning around}

Watari and Tsuzuki suddenly look at the other half of the room, which is long empty.

Watari: ——~and... Huh? Where did the boy go? Tsuzuki?

Tsuzuki: Huh? Ah... Hm~? Hisoka? (He—y~)

In a moonlit park, Hisoka broods at the bottom of a tall set of stairs.

{sound f/x go: menacing atmosphere}

Hisoka: The moon is crimson—— The same as that night... Like it's painted in blood, a crimson moon——

Hisoka flashes back to Watari's words earlier.

Watari: "The killed woman was clutching this. It's probably the criminal's hair...!!"

Hisoka: Silver......hair———... For the past few days, I've been seeing the same dream every day... I wonder if it's because splinters of that man's spirit have crept into me...... !?

Hisoka stops suddenly at the bottom of the stairs. Half way up, he sees the battered, bloodied head of a black haired woman.

{sound f/x ban: sudden impact of the battered head}

Hisoka: ———!!

Hisoka gasps and gags as various images run through his mind: blood running down the steps, sakura blossoms, the dead woman from earlier, his younger self being... choked and other not nice things that I won't mention here, himself spattered in blood.

Hisoka: Aah...!! Aah...~!!!

The bout suddenly ends. Hisoka gasps, sweat running down his face. He looks quickly up at the stairs. Half way up, he sees a man.

{sound f/x za: wind through the trees}

{sound f/x ko: footstep}

Man: Oya oya... Is it you again...

Muraki looks down the steps at Hisoka.

Muraki: Really, you have bad timing, don't you boy...

Hisoka: ...Muraki...~!!?

Part 18 | Part 19

Manga belongs to Matsushita Youko, Hana to Yume, and Hakusensha, taken from the Yami no Matsuei, Volume 7 manga, ISBN4-592-17407-0. Not like the story makes sense if you haven't read the manga anyway. Romanized and translated into English very badly by Mina-P, with desperately needed help, as always, by Mako-chan. Any comments or corrections can be mailed to Mina-P at Minako@senshigakuen.com.

Index | Main