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.

Muraki: ...What do you think? Professor——... Don't you think he's a wonderful guinea pig?

Satomi: ———...

In Professor Satomi's office, Satomi continues to listen to Muraki's plans.

{sound f/x wana: Satomi's hands trembling}

Satomi: Muraki-kun... What in the world... are you plotting...

Muraki: ——— Plotting...? Aabsolutely nothing. I only want to be of use to you... As your—— old student......

{sound f/x gyon: Muraki's eyes glaring widely at Satomi}

{sound f/x gata: clatter of a chair as Muraki gets up to leave}

Muraki: Well, I won't talk to you for a while. If it's necessary, I will lend you the data my Grandfather left behind.

{sound f/x gii: Muraki's fixed stare}

Muraki: Why don't you think about it... [chuckling]

{sound f/x ban: the door slamming behind Muraki}

Muraki: Now what will you do? Tsuzuki-san.

{sound f/x ka ko: the click of Muraki's heels down the hall}

Muraki: With this, my "pawns" have increased by one. Your medical treatment isn't finished yet, Tsuzuki-san———

{sound f/x basa: fluttering of Muraki's coat}

Muraki: From here on, the fun starts...

{sound f/x go: menacing atmosphere}

Juuou-chous's Fifth Court of Law, Enma-chou—— While in Kyoto the case is well under way—— At that time in Enma-chou, another problem has arisen.

Tatsumi: I beg of you Gushoushin~!!

{sound f/x pan: the clap of Tatsumi putting his hands together to beg}

Tatsumi sits in front of the Gushoushin, begging for their help.

(Ah, his haircut's reversed...) [It's true; Tatsumi's hair is parted the opposite direction...]

Tatsumi: Won't you please undertake the duties of contacting those upstairs~!!

[pointing to Tatsumi] Also the airheaded Tsuzuki's guardian.

Gushoushin: (Sorry but) No way. (Nothing good comes from being near Tsuzuki-san, really.) [sigh]

[pointing to the Gushoushin] The Gushoushin Brothers are on strike.

Tatsumi whips off his glasses and begins crying buckets of tears.

Tatsumi: Because we're paying for all of the food and drink that they consume over there... (sob sob and fake tears) (Whenever he wants, Tatsumi can cry his beloved tears.)

(Cheating Techniques (The Basics Chapter))

Long ago, Tsuzuki blew away the newly built library stacks and the Gushoushins have held onto their anger since—— Their strike continues even now.

Gushoushin: Free... (As much food as you can eat in Kyoto huh~~~~) (U~~m) (Like steaming tofu, traditional course meals, etc...)

(Looks like they're a bit shaky about things...)

As the Gushoushin contemplate free food, Tatsumi pushes his glasses back onto his face in triumph.

Tatsumi: (Right~? Huh~ huh~?) [sweat sweat] Hu-hu-hu... I can bait them with food... Too easy, Gushoushin!! (I won!!)

Suddenly, the Gushoushin explode with anger.

Gushoushin: DID YOU A——CTUALLY THINK THAT YOU COULD BAIT US WITH THAT SORT OF THING!!!

 ([on the flying furniture] A low dining table.

{sound f/x don: the Gushoushin's anger exploding}

Gushoushin: OUR ANGER ISN'T SETTLED BY MERE FOOD~!

Later, Tatsumi is seen wandering around unhappily, wounded and carrying a large cooking knife.

{sound f/x bu: Tatsumi muttering to himself}

Tatsumi: Daamn~ Though they're just birds, they're so insolent... (Just you watch because after this I'm making skewered chicken.)

{sound f/x bu: Tatsumi's continued muttering}

{sound f/x boro: }

Tatsumi: (I'll take them down and kill them and pluck them and sell them... [chuckling])

Konoe: (He——y) Are you all right, Tatsumi...? (More than that, where's your double...?)

It is needless to say that in the future, Tsuzuki will probably get the blow-by-blow.

Back in Kyoto, Tsuzuki sits contemplating the events thus far in a shrine.

Muraki: Tsuzuki-san... what's underneath that watch...? I know. It's the scar from your suicide, right? Tsuzuki-san.

Tsuzuki: Aah. That's right, Muraki... I wanted to die... In my mad mind, I only wanted to release myself from this long "life." Over and over and over I cut my wrist—— until the wound festered and rotted. Until the blood gushed out and I could see white bone. With all of that... I wonder why I'm still alive...

Hisoka: Aren't you in a place that doesn't suit philosophy and all.

Hisoka stands before Tsuzuki in the shrine.

Hisoka: Hey. What're you doing in Tsujiura?

Tsuzuki: Hisoka.........

{sound f/x zaku: cold wind blowing through the shrine}

Hisoka: Did something happen with you and Muraki? There's no use in hiding it. I can read your thoughts easily.

Tsuzuki: (E-he~) Perhaps, is Hisoka worried about me? (U-hu)

{sound f/x niko: Tsuzuki grinning madly}

Hisoka: (WHO~~~'S WORRIED get real IDIOT.)

(Mean...)

Tsuzuki: ...Thank you, Hisoka... But I'm... okay. Because I have to settle this problem by myself...

Tsuzuki smiles gently at Hisoka, who merely stares back at him.

Hisoka: You're... low. You never refuse to stick your nose into people's business, so why do you hide your own? That's cowardly.

Tsuzuki: —— Maybe that's right... But—— If you knew the truth, if you or Watari... or Tatsumi despised me... It's better this way. I don't want to hurt you—— It's better to be a cowardly and low human......

Hisoka: ...... —— Why... why do you still hide your own things... Can't you trust me? Tsuzuki!? Do you think... it's worthless talking to me!!

{sound f/x gu: Hisoka gripping his fist in anger}

Hisoka bites his lip as tears threaten to fall.

Hisoka: stupid bastard...

Watari: He—y Tsuzuki——! Bo———y!! (Hi~)

{sound f/x fuwan: Watari hovering}

Watari and 003 float over to where Tsuzuki and Hisoka are.

Tsuzuki: Watari?

{sound f/x patata: flapping of 003's wings}

Watari: It's time for work~~ Information concerning Master Muraki came in~!

Hisoka: Muraki——!

Tsuzuki: What did you say!?

Watari leads Tsuzuki and Hisoka through the streets of Kyoto.

Watari: To begin with, it's mysterious why a working doctor from Tokyo like Muraki is in Kyoto, but it looks like he got orders from the director of his hospital to come to a Kyoto university.

Tsuzuki: University?

Watari: Well, I don't know what kind of order it was, but it looks like it's something to do with the surgery ward at that university hospital.

Hisoka: Which university?

Watari: (Mm~~) I think you probably know it, boy, but...

{sound f/x pi: Watari pointing into the distance}

Watari: Look. You can see it now. Japan's most active university in the study of cloning techniques——Shion University.

Hisoka: Cloning techniques...

Tsuzuki: That's way too suspicious.

Watari: Our master medical doctor is with a clone loving bunch——— and he has a nasty habit of cutting girls' hair off...

{sound f/x pashi: Watari softly hitting his fist into his palm}

Watari: Looks like we've got enough reason for investigating.

Tsuzuki: (That's right.) This university...

The scene suddenly breaks away.

It's sudden but this is Enma-chou's Doctor Watari's EASY Cloning Techniques Course

Watari, in big glasses and mustache, teaches before students Tsuzuki and Hisoka.

Watari: In short, cloning is making copies.

(Phony act.)

Watari: You make copies of genetically recombined microorganisms that increase in great numbers. This is what we call DNA (genetic) cloning.

(Phony Doctor Watari.)

Tsuzuki: Excuse me, Sensei.

(Bad student Tsuzuki (Held back three times))

{sound f/x sucha: Student Tsuzuki raising his hand}

Tsuzuki: How do you build a clone from DNA?

Hisoka: (...sleepy...)

(Honor student Hisoka (Active student))

(What kind of college students are these?)

Watari: Mm. The role of DNA is to basically divide into parts and copy.

(Illustration of a cell)

A picture of a cell is labeled. Starting from the top right and going clockwise, it lists: Ribosomes, Mitochloria, Cell membrane, Nucleus, Chromosome (collected genes).

Watari: A child looks like its parents because it inherits their DNA. You extract the genes of people, animals, or plants and you can make a rearranged body

(DNA cloning method)

Another diagram shows the cloning process and is labeled from top to bottom: Rearranged body, Bacteria cultivation.

(You can make a clone like this!!)

Watari: With this cultivation, you can make large quantities of the rearranged body with the exact same genes copies in it!!! Clones can be made with countless items of genetic information...———

([pointing to the close-up of Watari's hair] Oh my, split ends.)

Watari: For example one strand of hair or one drop of fluid.

Tsuzuki: (Yes, sir.) That's all great, but your specialty is mechanics, right?

003: (Oh no)

Watari: YOU'RE STOPPING BEING THE STRAIGHT MAN LIKE YOU PROMISED.

(He was supposed to be an "I don't understand anything!!" kind of straight man.)

The end.

The side explanation cuts away and returns us back to our regularly scheduled manga.

Hisoka: ——— Well, since there aren't any clues...we should try concentrating on investigating this university.

Watari: That's right.

(Look)

Tsuzuki: Hm?

{sound f/x jii: staaare}

From across the campus, Mariko's short-haired friend stares directly at Tsuzuki.

Mariko: Maki! What're you looking off into tomorrow for!! Hurry up let's go~ (Next is P.E., so if we don't hurry up and get there, they'll lock us out of the locker room~)

Maki: (Ah.) Right.

(The university and high school use the same gymnasium.)

Maki: (I wonder if those people were with our university...)

Tsuzuki: ......... That girl now—— She didn't see us? (That was weird~ Right? Right?)

Watari: Huh? What're you talking about. Right now in our spiritual bodies—— normal humans can't see us. (Well then. Let's go back now and make a plan for what to do after this.)

Tsuzuki: (Ah—~~ Wait up~ you two~)

Out of a building window, Muraki watches as the Shinigami wander off.

{sound f/x kusu: Muraki chuckling}

In a very old, slightly run-down looking house, Tsuzuki helps build the fire under the bathtub.

{sound f/x moko: crackling of the fire eating up the wood}

{sound f/x fuu: Tsuzuki blowing}

Tsuzuki: Hisokaa, how's the water?

{sound f/x kapon: Hisoka lifting the cover off of the bathtub}

Hisoka: A little hot.

Tsuzuki: (hmph) Now now, still we have to burn all of the firewood now or else... Tatsumi's so stingy with rent money, man...

Hisoka: Hey.

Tsuzuki: What?

{sound f/x hyoi: Tsuzuki poking his head through the bathroom window}

Hisoka: Want me to tell you what I learned back then in Tsujiura?

Tsuzuki: Wow~ tell me tell me~

Hisoka: You and I, our partnership, right... is the biggest, absolutely worst CRIME.

{sound f/x gan: Tsuzuki hanging his head in horrified shock}

Tsuzuki: Mean (ah)

(Shock)

Hisoka: We've been through a lot until now, but I think that things are going to get worse from now on.

{sound f/x egu: Tsuzuki's SD sniffle}

Tsuzuki: Ah... Is maybe Hisoka—— That time......

Tsuzuki remembers their conversation in Tsujiura as his SD tears dry.

{sound f/x pachi: sharp crackle from the fire}

Tsuzuki: I get it...... Mm... Thank you, Hisoka.

Hisoka: ... (hmph)

Hisoka sinks lower into the hot water, his face flushed slightly. Elsewhere in the streets of Kyoto, Maki and Mariko walk home.

{sound f/x zawa: wind rustling through the trees}

Maki: Aa......h, I'm late again today. And I had a TV show I wanted to watch...

Mariko: You can't tape it?

Maki: Mariko... (hmph) You do know, right. My complete lack of mechanical skills. Why does it come with those useless buttons!? (I don't understa—nd, stupid things~)

{sound f/x kii: Maki shrieking at the injustice}

{sound f/x dosu: Maki shouting in a menacing voice}

(Her angered pose)

Mariko: (Then you) read the instruction book... (Maki...)

Maki: These things try to just fxck with you, but you'll see it!! (Today's theme is diet.) (FIGHT— OH—~) [Maki's line was actually censored the same way in the original, too, which is why I translated it as I did.]

Mariko: (Right, right)

Maki: (MUAHAHAHA!)

Muraki: Excuse me, young ladies...

In a darkened side street, Muraki stands waiting for the two girls.

{sound f/x oo: wind howling through the street}

Mariko: Huh...?

Muraki: This morning, you didn't see a young man wearing black clothes, did you?

Mariko: This person is Professor Satomi's——... ——Black clothes? (Was he around? That kind of person...)

Maki: (Weird old man) Aah, I saw him but......... (What about it?)

{sound f/x zawa: a rustling around Muraki, slowly growing louder}

Muraki: ......... Is that right...I feel sorry for you.

Maki: Eh...?

Muraki: You saw him... the Shinigami.

{sound f/x gi: Muraki's evil glare}

{sound f/x ba: explosion of smoke}

The wind blows Muraki's hair out of his face, revealing his false eye. In an explosion of smoke, a giant bird-like creature appears before the girls.

Mariko: !?

Elsewhere, Tsuzuki wanders the streets of Kyoto, list in hand.

Tsuzuki: Le—~t's seee, Hisoka wants the concentrated apple juice, Watari wants Crystal Black... I wonder if I should get the dark beer or the Super Dry—...

{sound f/x teku: Tsuzuki's lightly walking down the street}

Tsuzuki: (Mm~~~) Well!

(Happiness.)

Tsuzuki: I'll buy both!!

Mariko: (KYAAAAA~!!!)

Tsuzuki: [gasp] !? A scream!?

{sound f/x ba: Tsuzuki's shock at the scream}

Tsuzuki: ——!? There's something really bad in the air...

Tsuzuki runs towards the sound of Mariko screaming.

Mariko: NOO~ stooop!! Maki~...!! Makii———~~!!!

Tsuzuki: What in the world...~ What happened!?

{sound f/x da: Tsuzuki running forward}

{sound f/x bishi: blood flying in Tsuzuki's face}

In the middle of the street, large birds are swarmed around something, bloodied flesh sticking out of their mouths.

{sound f/x gucha: wet crushing noises coming from the birds}

{sound f/x gogi: swallowing noise}

{sound f/x kura: dizziness overcoming Mariko}

{sound f/x dosa: Mariko collapsing to the ground}

Tsuzuki: Ah......

Tsuzuki can only look at the scene in utter shock.

{sound f/x gaku: Tsuzuki shaking}

Tsuzuki: Ah... Ah... Blood...... crimson... human blood... I killed that person——!! AHHHH~!!!

Muraki: Oya, perfect timing Tsuzuki-san. It's wonderful, isn't it? For these Kochou, human flesh is their favorite dish...

{sound f/x gya: cries of the Kochou}

{sound f/x gucha: wet crushing sounds}

Muraki: [chuckling] Especially young girls' flesh...

Tsuzuki: Ah... I couldn't protect that girl...

Muraki: You remember, don't you, when you see blood——— about that night. What did you do, Tsuzuki-san? It looks painful.

Tsuzuki: I can't get involved with humans but...

Muraki: It seems as if more "medical treatment" is necessary, isn't it...

{sound f/x nya: Muraki's leering smile}

Tsuzuki: My body...

Muraki: Tsuzuki-san.

{sound f/x gya: the Kochou's cry}

{sound f/x do: one of the Kochou leaping forward}

Tsuzuki: My body is cowering and won't move...

{sound f/x shuru: the shadow from under Tsuzuki's hand shaking outwards}

Tsuzuki: !?

{sound f/x bua: the shadows around Tsuzuki leaping forth}

As the Kochou descend on Tsuzuki and Mariko, shadows begin dancing around them. Tsuzuki covers Mariko with his body as the shadows sweep outwards

{sound f/x pita: the Kochou suddenly being stopped}

{sound f/x dokan: large explosion}

Muraki: !?

Muraki watches in shock as parts of his Kouchous' bodys come falling to the ground.

{sound f/x bota: blood raining down}

{sound f/x bicha: one of the Kochous' heads flopping to the ground}

Muraki: What~... This is...!?

Voice: I'm terribly sorry for bursting in at such an enjoyable moment but...

{sound f/x shuu: mist clearing}

Tatsumi tosses one of the Kochous' heads to the ground as the shadows recede from around Tsuzuki and Mariko.

Tatsumi: That being said, I will not forgive you harming him.

{sound f/x don: the shadows suddenly receding}

{sound f/x bisha: the head flopping against the ground}

Tatsumi: Doctor.

{sound f/x gi: Tatsumi's hard glare}

Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21

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.

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