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.

At the Noh play, Muraki speaks to Tsuzuki.

Muraki: In your body, there's undoubtedly blood of something not human mixed in... Tsuzuki-san. Are you truly...

{sound f/x dokun: loud heartbeat}

Tsuzuki: ——...

Muraki: Human?

{sound f/x dokun}

Back in Enma-chou, Konoe knees before an ornate shine. Large shadows stand in the dark hall.

Voice: What did you say... Is that the truth, Konoe———.

Konoe: Yes... Tsuzuki's former physician—— Muraki Yukitaka's grandchild is deeply involved in this affair. Until now, they've come into contact many times but... This time more than ever before, they're coming from over there to wage a challenge.

Voice: Hmm...

Konoe: If we deal with that doctor, I think that the secret will leak out but... My goodness, that family of doctors is too excessive in everything.

Voice: ——... Don't interfere.

Konoe: Your highness...

Enma: (Hm) Well, that's fine. For the time being...... let's see how far his grandchild will go. Mortals like them can't interfere with our schemes anyway......

{sound f/x ku ku: low laughter}

{sound f/x oooo: wind howling through the shrine}

Back at the Noh play, Tsuzuki slowly fades in from white.

Voice: ———ki... Tsu zu... ki... TSUZUKI~~!!!

{sound f/x bikun: Tsuzuki jumping in surprise}

Hisoka: Hey you, what're you fading off for!

Tsuzuki: Ah...~ Hisoka...?

Hisoka: The Noh already finished a while ago!! Were you even watching it? You. (Man.)

(It looks like sensei quickly went right home.)

Tsuzuki: Sorry... Somehow, my head's still all white and I can't remember a thing............

Hisoka: Huh?

{sound f/x dokun: loud heartbeat}

Tsuzuki: In the end, Muraki was saying something weird... In a strangely sweet voice.

{sound f/x dokun}

Tsuzuki: H...ot... Burning...~ I'm——~... I am......

{sound f/x dokun}

Tsuzuki looks down to his hands, which are covered in splattered blood. Hisoka runs over as he falls over in shock.

Hisoka: (Tsuzuki~!?)

{sound f/x go: Tsuzuki hitting the ground}

Muraki: Tsuzuki-san, you... are a beast that attracts demon blood——

(AHHHHHH)

Back at the university, Muraki stands in an underground room with Professor Satomi.

(AHHHHH)

{sound f/x ban: Satomi hitting his hands on the ground}

Satomi: For Heaven's sake, Muraki-kun!! I'm begging you... so please—— Set me free~!!!

(AHHH)

Muraki: ......... What happened so suddenly, Sensei..........

Satomi: I can't follow you any longer.

{sound f/x gata: Satomi trembling on the floor at Muraki's feet}

Satomi: No... In the first place, it was a mistake when I decided to cooperate with you... This kind...~.... This kind of horrible plan...~~

Muraki: Now, what are you saying? If you complete this research, won't you suddenly become famous in your field?

{sound f/x yura: Muraki shaking almost indiscernibly}

Muraki: Ah, or did it hurt virtuous you to be forced to kidnap someone?

(AHHHHHHHHH)

Satomi: It's everything!!! If you have no conscious, then I'll say something, Muraki-kun!!! There's something wrong with you!!! You're mad!!! Come to your senses!!! There are things that can't be done with a human's power!! Such as pulling the strings in the human matter of life and death like a god... Don't you know what kind of horrible sin that is!!?

Muraki: [chuckle] I don't know. Sensei.

{sound f/x pishan: a drop making a splash of water}

Muraki: The Japanese notion of a sin is a "stain." With water, you can rinse a stain clean... Isn't it often said that virtuous types look like fools?

Satomi: ...

{sound f/x ko: Muraki's footstep}

Muraki: "You can atone for however many sins" right——— It's precisely that way! [chuckling] Any time you commit a sin, you can rinse yourself clean of that sin at any time. [laughing] Those times I bleach myself and am reborn.

Satomi: Ahh...

Muraki: I'll commit a sin once more...... And again and again...!!! [laughing]

Satomi: It's no use... It's no use anymore...

Muraki: And again and again!!!

THAT INDEED IS MY REASON FOR BEING. EVIDENCE OF BEING———!!!

Muraki: And then I shall be reborn into a higher existence!!!

Satomi: He's completely broken down.

Muraki: Ku...~... kukukukuku...

Satomi: He's broken down and gone mad.

Muraki: (Ah—~ha~ha~... ha~ha~ha~ha...)

{sound f/x gaku: Muraki shaking with laughter}

{sound f/x don: Muraki's hand hitting the desk as he steadies himself}

Satomi: The fallen angel who seduces people with his wings.

Muraki: (Ha... Ha...) (Ahaha... Ahahahaha)

Satomi: Why did you bear... this kind of defective, failed work... Doctor Yukitaka...———~!!!

Muraki: Ku...~... Now Professor...

{sound f/x giro: Muraki glaring at Satomi}

Muraki: Let's go put the finishing touches on your honorable research.

(KYAAAAA)

{sound f/x gou: menacing atmosphere}

Muraki: I commit a sin. Then at any time, I rinse myself clean and I am reborn. That's because my—— That's because the whole program is carved out by my DNA!!!

{sound f/x goooo: menacing atmosphere}

Snow falls down heavily on Kyoto. Tsuzuki sits at a bar, drink in hand.

Bartender: Uwaa... snow! It's snowing. Strange huh... The forecast said today'd be clear...

Hisoka: You're drinking again. Leave off on however many drinks you've already had on Tatsumi-san.

Tsuzuki bounds over to where Hisoka is sitting down in a café booth.

Tsuzuki: (Ah—~) HISOKAA~! Heey heey, let's drink together! Salty Dog. (This salt, right— while you're tasting it, you sip a bit of the drink too and it's really good.)

Hisoka: MORON. (One Vienna Coffee.)

(Next to the bar, it becomes a tea room.)

Hisoka: It's suddenly coming down again. (The snow.)

Tsuzuki: (Damn)

(Bori—ng!)

{sound f/x bu: Tsuzuki complaining to himself}

Tsuzuki bemoans the snow, before calming and resting his head against the table.

Tsuzuki: Heey, Hisoka... He said I'm not human.

Hisoka: Huh?

Tsuzuki: He said my DNA arrangement was different. ——— Different from a human's...

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

Tsuzuki: If that's so, then what am I?

Hisoka: .........

Tsuzuki: If I'm not human... then who am I...

Hisoka: (D...~) Dummy... what're you suddenly talking about...

Tsuzuki: When I was a kid—— I was often teased about my eye color. I was different from everyone... Different from everyone around me...

{sound f/x waa: children crying out}

Kids: Monster! Monster!! You're not human——!!

{sound f/x gatan: Tsuzuki's chair scraping against the floor}

Tsuzuki suddenly flees from the bar. Hisoka sprints after him.

Hisoka: Tsuzuki!? What in the world happened? He looks strange... Tsuzuki~!!

{sound f/x sa: Hisoka running down the street}

Hisoka: ...That idiot...~ [pant wheeze] Where did he go off to? !?

On the street, Tsuzuki picks up a shard of stone and shoves it into his eye.

{sound f/x ga: Tsuzuki suddenly attacking his own eye}

Hisoka: Tsuzuki~ !?

Hisoka rushes forward, pulling the shard away from Tsuzuki.

Hisoka: Idiot! What're you doing~!!

Tsuzuki: These eyes...~ It's better if they just disappeared!! These! These...! THESEE~———... (AHHH)

Tsuzuki collapses onto the ground crying.

{sound f/x zukin: Hisoka suddenly feeling a sharp pain}

Hisoka: Ow~!! I'm starting to feel something from him.

{sound f/x gooo: threatening atmosphere}

Hisoka: This is... Tsuzuki's consciousness...?

A child Tsuzuki runs, crying. Other children follow him, throwing rocks or waving sticks.

Hisoka: "Discrimination." "Oppression." "Loneliness." ——And then awareness of sins... (U~...) The feeling that living is a sin!!

Tsuzuki: ...I knew I was different from other people......

{sound f/x poroporo: dripping tears}

Tsuzuki: But I... wanted to be with humans... I wanted to become human——... Always, I was looking at my hopeless dream... Please, I want to be human——

Hisoka: ......... You...

Tsuzuki: (Hi~... ccu...p...)

Hisoka: Just because of this, you got such horrible treatment... and yet you still believe in humans? For the sake of those guys who hurt you... you're even hurting yourself... Tsuzuki... —— You're an idiot...~...

{sound f/x gui: Hisoka suddenly grabbing Tsuzuki's collar}

Hisoka: You're human. I guarantee it.

Tsuzuki: Hisoka...

{sound f/x egu: Tsuzuki sniffling}

Hisoka hugs Tsuzuki as he continues to sniffle.

Hisoka: If weak creatures like this aren't human, then what are they called? You are, you always have been human. So don't cry. And if before you didn't have anyone——— At least I'll be by you... Tsuzuki...

The snow is still falling as Tsuzuki and Hisoka lurch down the street.

{sound f/x hero: Tsuzuki limply being dragged by Hisoka}

Hisoka: Look! Walk straight. You drunkard!!

{sound f/x yoro: Tsuzuki staggering along}

Tsuzuki: (Uh——...) My head hurts~~ My head hurts~~ My eye hurts, too~~ (U~~n u~~n u~~n)

Hisoka: Serves you right, you idiot!!

{sound f/x gaku gaku: Tsuzuki's legs wobbling}

Hisoka suddenly notices legs lying on the ground before them.

Hisoka: ...Hm? (Legs?)

{sound f/x ba: Tsuzuki & Hisoka reacting in shock}

Tsuzuki & Hisoka: AH~!!!

The legs belong to the prone form of Mariko.

Hisoka: Ikaruga~!?

Juuou-chou's 5th Court of Law——Enma-chou

Back in Enma-chou, Mariko lies in a hospital bed under the care of Watari.

Watari: Anyway, from here on it's fine. She'll wake up in a little while.

Tatsumi: For the time being, shouldn't we keep her here?

Watari: That's right.

Tsuzuki: Tonight I'll stick around, so everyone take a rest.

Hisoka: (What're you talking about~) You, too! Weren't you dead drunk!!

{sound f/x gyan: Hisoka and Tatsumi yelling at Tsuzuki}

Tatsumi: That's right! Old men should go to bed early!!

Tsuzuki: (Mean...)

003: (Drank too much?)

Tsuzuki: I'm fine. Just for tonight, I want to be by Mariko-chan's side...

Tatsumi: ......... Is that right... (Well then, if anything happens, call right away, all right~!?)

{sound f/x kudo: Tatsumi repeating himself over and over again}

Tsuzuki: (Okaay.)

Watari: Recently, he's been strangely lenient—— (Tatsumi) (Hmm... Did something happen? Those two......)

003: (Ehe)

{sound f/x gooo: menacing atmosphere}

{sound f/x hyuuu: cold wind blowing through}

Later that night, Tsuzuki sleeps with his head on Mariko's bed.

{sound f/x kukasu: Tsuzuki sleeping soundly}

Voice: ...en... Awa...ken...

{sound f/x piku: Mariko's hand twitching}

{sound f/x ka: bright light}

Mariko's eyes suddenly fly open in a blinding light. Her body begins to warp and bend.

{sound f/x gogi: Mariko's body mutating}

Voice: The one who tormented you

Tsuzuki: (U——m I can't eat any moo~~re.) (mumble mumble)

{sound f/x gu ka: Tsuzuki still sleeping soundly}

Mariko's form rises above the still sleeping Tsuzuki.

Voice: Your hated rival... kill him......!!!

{sound f/x gooo: menacing atmosphere}

Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24

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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