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.

Voice: ...Come.... Come here... Kazutaka-san....... Such a good child... You are so pretty and cute...

Child Muraki: Mother... where's Veronica...?

A young Muraki crouches, frightened, in the dark. A woman with long, white hair strokes his face.

Mother: Your silver hair, like a bright, frozen moon... Beautiful eyes, like a lake filled with the full moon—— White skin like the finest bisque. Ah...

Child Muraki: My nutcracker, Veronica!! What did you do with her, Mother~!! ———You didn't...... You threw Veronica away...?

Mother: You are the best in my "collection," Kazutaka-san...

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

Back in present day Kyoto, Muraki stands in a temple's graveyard. Snow rains down on the stones.

Oriya: You're obsessed, Muraki. With the flock of mizuko.

[Mizuko is a Japanese word that refers to aborted babies. Jizo is the Buddhist god of children that has been adapted in modern Japan to be the protector of aborted children as well. When a woman has an abortion, she prays to Jizo and makes offerings of foods that a small child would like to Jizo for the aborted child's soul after death.]

Nearby, Oriya rests and watches Muraki.

{sound f/x puka: Oriya puffing on his pipe}

{sound f/x boo: Oriya crouching, exhausted}

Muraki: I am not a fool like that. (Who's mizuko is it? Who's?) Do you have some business, Oriya? Because tonight I'm not in the mood to visit with you...

Oriya: What a horrible thing to say. And after someone goes though all the trouble to pick you up. I was asked to search for you since they said you didn't come home at the usual time. (By all of the female help.) Didn't you know everyone got worried?

Muraki: ——— Please leave me alone. I'm not some little teenager... Besides, my work as a doctor means that at no time is my work over...

Oriya: I got it, I got it! It's because your position as Mr. Doctor is varied and busy. And so when you leave work you want to have some time alone!! Sorry I bothered you, I'm going home!!!

Oriya turns and begins to make his way out of the temple.

Muraki: Ah... Oriya... (......)

Oriya suddenly spins back around, shouting at Muraki.

Oriya: I'm going home~! Okay~!!

{sound f/x ka: Oriya's face flushing in his anger}

Oriya: I'M REALLY GOING HOME NOW—~~!!!

Muraki: If you want me to hold you back, you should have said so in the first place. (You.) You knew I was here, didn't you.

Oriya: Ah, well. Since it's you, I thought you were probably in the Sagano area... You always come here every year, don't you. You have a habit of just suddenly not showing up at home.

{sound f/x riiin: glowing light}

Muraki: ... It's quite... calming here. The land that we call Kyoto... It's basically a place with unusually strong spiritual energy—— For me here is... The spiritual feeling of this Sagano is very comforting...

Oriya: (Hm...) So you're in tune with the land where women thrown away by men went to live in seclusion? Isn't that irony, Sensei?

Muraki: ... It's a joke that goes beyond irony... ... Oriya... I have a request.... Tonight... I will carry out my plan.

Oriya: [gasp] Muraki...

Oriya stares in shock at Muraki's turned back.

{sound f/x zaza: wind blowing softly through the temple}

Muraki: My rivals are ghosts from the land of the dead——... And of course, I'll not just give up. I will entrust these to you.

{sound f/x su: Muraki slowly pulling something from his coat pocket}

Oriya: ? Card keys?

Muraki: If the Shinigami pursuing me come here, please delay them with this bait. Even one minute... even one second is long enough...

Oriya grasps the cards and stares blankly at Muraki.

Muraki: If everything ends... I shall disappear. Don't worry... From now on I shall not trouble you......

A gear squeaks...

Muraki: Like that woman...

Covered in rust. Breath——

Oriya: ...... Stop... Muraki......~

Muraki: Like when I killed my mother.

Stops...

Oriya: (YOU IDIOT~~)

{sound f/x ga: Oriya jumping forward}

Oriya pounces, grabbing Muraki's collar and shaking him.

Oriya: Stop!! Don't talk like this is the end!!! Why can't you do anything but talk like that!! Why...~............!!!

{sound f/x zuzu: Oriya sinking to the ground in grief}

Muraki loosens himself from Oriya's grasp as he sinks to the ground.

Muraki: ...It can't be helped. Because I'm programmed this way. Because this is "me."

{sound f/x su: Muraki slowly bending to pick up his coat}

Oriya stares back at Muraki as he leaves without a backward glance.

Muraki: Well then, thank you for helping me out. Goodbye, Oriya... Goodbye...

{sound f/x za: softly blowing wind}

In Oriya's mind, a younger Muraki smiles at him slightly under falling sakura.

Muraki: Oriya... Oriya... If I happen to die before you... Even if it's false... will you shed one tear for me...?

Oriya: Arrogantly cool-headed—— You were always looking at people with scornful eyes. At that time, you only showed your face once... Even now, your ephemeral smile is like a broken down marionette——... I understand... You can't just live that way... But if that's so... Then what was our time together? Muraki...? In the end, I couldn't shift your point of view by even one millimeter.........? In the end... Answer me, Muraki...~...!!

Back in Enma-chou, Watari works as his computer when Tatsumi comes in.

Tatsumi: How are things, Watari-san? Are you making progress in your investigation?

Watari: Yeah. I'm hurrying up to arrange all of the information. Before this when the boy and I went to Shion, we picked up all sorts of interesting stuff.

Tatsumi: ......? What in the world do you mean, "picked up?" (Don't tell me, it's another bunch of garbage I don't understand...)

Watari holds up a computer disk.

Watari: This. Shion University prides itself on being the authority on genetic engineering... Professor Satomi's data file——

{sound f/x gashakon: the disk popping into Watari's computer}

Tatsumi: (Hmm) Is this... "research"...

Watari: His published research dissertation, other various things... Anyway, the contents of Satomi's research up until now is all in here. Satomi——everyone recognizes him as the best in the genetic engineering field, but... he's not recognized by the field at all.

{sound f/x ui: whirring of the computer}

{sound f/x gashakon: the disk popping out of Watari's computer}

Tatsumi: ? Why is that?

Watari: Because Satomi's research is too reckless. —— Satomi... He makes pieces of new life.

Tatsumi looks more than a bit disgusted.

Tatsumi: ......... You say... pieces. (That's splatter, isn't it...) Is that like "scattered in pieces" pieces?

Watari: Yup. (That's right. It's grotesque.) From the start, he made a perfected pieced together body——— Head, hands, organs... he made parts to organize into a "body," then linked the parts to "pierce" them together...... Satomi presented at that guy's academy 20 years earlier.

Tatsumi continues to look disturbed.

Tatsumi: (......) (And that's why scholars are idiots...) ~~~... Weren't there any questions of ethics?

Watari: (Naturally.) Of course, the academy at that time couldn't accept the theory Satomi raised at a~~~ll. From the beginning, they resolved to fail him so the academy still doesn't recognize him.

Tatsumi: I see... as can be expected, he seems to hold a grudge against the academy.

Watari: According to rumors, a university somewhere built a state of the art underground research facility and is continuing the research from 20 years earlier......

Tatsumi: ......... And? In the end, doesn't it sound like he has hidden intentions?

Watari: Yeah. Hidden and black. Pitch black. Truth is, the boy and I tried to go into Satomi's research room but...?

(In their spiritual forms.)

Tatsumi: That means you used Kurosaki-kun's empathetic power, right?

Watari: That's the fastest and most reliable way. We looked around as much as we could and sniffed out this one disk about the old man. (Dragged it out.)

{sound f/x hyooo: a cold wind blowing through Enma-chou}

Tatsumi: But, you can be sure that Muraki is thinking and taking advantage of this situation...

Watari: —— Well... That's a big possibility...... All for the sake of his research, if he killed that many people, someday the ruin will be traced back to him. If that happens, all of his work would be for nothing. Probably, he's being threatened by Muraki...

Tatsumi: A pity...

Watari: Tatsumi. Tomorrow or some time soon, could you hurry through the necessary formalities for me?

{sound f/x gata: Watari's chair shooting back as he stands}

Watari: We have to hurry and protect the old man before Muraki makes him disappear. And 20 years of research material... Even if it's almost completed, we have to destroy it.

{sound f/x gogogo: threatening atmosphere}

Tatsumi: —— Understood.

{sound f/x pishi: Tatsumi twitching with anger}

Tatsumi: (If it's that pervert, I'll do it 120%.)

Watari: Tomorrow, first thing in the morning. I'm counting on you.

{sound f/x don: explosion}

{sound f/x zuzun: the building shaking wildly}

Watari: UWA! Wh... what's that, an earthquake~!?

System Voice: Red alert!! Red alert!! A large scale explosion incident originating from Infirmary Recovery Room #2.

{sound f/x bii: loud beeping}

System Voice: Commencing force field inside of Block B.

Tatsumi: !!

{sound f/x bii}

Watari: In the IRR!!?

{sound f/x bii}

{sound f/x dadada: Watari and Tatsumi's running footsteps}

System Voice: All personnel, please take immediate shelter from inside of the block.

Watari and Tsuzuki burst into the IRR where Tsuzuki and Mariko had been. The room is destroyed, covered in still falling rubble.

Watari: Tsuzuki! What in the world happened!?

Tatsumi: What happened~!!?

{sound f/x keee: Suzaku's cry}

{sound f/x buwa: an explosion}

{sound f/x kya: Watari screaming}

Suzaku's power explodes around Watari, causing him to spin like a tornado.

Tatsumi: [sweatdrop] (He's skilled, isn't he.) (...)

{sound f/x gooo: threatening atmosphere}

Watari: Wh... what's that~!?

{sound f/x peso: Watari still spinning in shock}

Tatsumi: Suzaku!!?

{sound f/x suuu: Suzaku soaring through the air}

{sound f/x bawa: Suzaku flapping her wings}

{sound f/x zuu: Suzaku abruptly landing around Tsuzuki}

Watari: Tsuzuki~!!

{sound f/x ba: Tatsumi throwing his arm out}

Tatsumi stops Watari as he springs forward to reach Tsuzuki.

Tatsumi: Wait a moment, Watari-san!! That's...!!!

{sound f/x gogo: menacing atmsphere}

In Tsuzuki's hands is a bloodied, mangled head with long hair. Tsuzuki picks up Mariko's head and begins licking it slowly.

{sound f/x pero: soft licks}

{sound f/x pota pota: dripping blood}

{sound f/x pero}

Watari: HE'S... LICKING HER HEAD.........!?

{sound f/x ugero: Watari about to lose his lunch}

Tatsumi: ............ Isn't he trying to mend the wounds? They say that human unconsciously repeat the same actions over again... (——...) Perhaps long ago... something similar to this happened...?

Watari: Are you all right!? Tsuzuki~!!

{sound f/x kee: Suzaku's cry}

{sound f/x piku: Suzaku perking up to notice Watari}

Watari leaps forward to help Tsuzuki again, only to get blasted by Suzaku's power.

{sound f/x basa: Suzaku flapping her wings}

{sound f/x dodo: big explosions}

{sound f/x shee: Watari shrieking}

([pointing to the charred figure] Watari.)

Watari: (Wha Wha Wha) What in the world's that...

{sound f/x busu: Watari smoldering}

Tatsumi: You were threatening them. It's like a mother bird protecting her chicks.

[The word used for chicks is hina, but hina can also refer to a type of Japanese doll. Considering the situation, the doll reference is also symbolically interesting.]

Tatsumi: He's losing all consciousness... These circumstances—— If this were a normal summons, it would instantly kill its master in order to escape from the bonds of use... If that's so, why is he still fine!!?

{sound f/x bata: footsteps flying closely}

Hisoka: Tatsumi-san! Watari-san!! What's this, what happened!?

Hisoka bursts into the scene.

Watari: Boy~!!

Tatsumi: Kurosaki-kun!! Don't come any closer!!! It'll cause you to have a mental collapse!!!

Hisoka: Huh? (He said don't come...)

{sound f/x oooo: wind howling through}

As Hisoka looks at Tsuzuki's blank face, he's suddenly overwhelmed with emotions and begins seeing Muraki, Mariko, and Tsuzuki in the near past.

{sound f/x do: Hisoka getting hit with mental power}

{sound f/x gogogo: threatening atmosphere}

Muraki: This is a means of the curse called "fuko."

{sound f/x shuuu: vapor overflowing from the container in Muraki's hands}

hot... help me

Hisoka: Dammit! My body's——...

{sound fx kasa: rustling}

{sound f/x paki: small eating noises}

No! I don't want to die!! Painful...

Mariko: For me to survive, I just have to kill you!!

YOU CAN JUST

Mariko: Only you.........

I don't want to die!! I don't want to die!! I don't want to die!!

Mariko: If only you didn't exist!!!

I don't want to die I don't want to die I don't want to die HELP ME

Hisoka: uh......... ah... ah~

NO———~

Hisoka: It's sucking me in~~!!!

DON'T KILL ANYONE——

Hisoka: Ah...! Ah...

help me...

Hisoka: AH...

Still in memories, Hisoka watches as Suzaku suddenly appears before Tsuzuki and Mariko in the infirmiry.

Suzaku: I am Suzaku... The god that governs destruction and rebirth.

{sound f/x fuu: Suzaku taking in a deep breath}

Suzaku: Pitiful humans, nothing but food for bugs...

Tsuzuki: Suzaku! She's just being controlled by Muraki!! Go back!

Suzaku: It's our duty as Shikigami to protect our master's life.

Tsuzuki: Neesan~...!!! Why is she ignoring my orders!!?

[Neesan can mean older sister, but also can refer to a young woman. Most everyone refers to Suzaku as Neesan or something similar.]

{sound f/x gaa: Suzaku gathering power in her throat}

{sound f/x goki: swallowing noises from Suzaku}

Tsuzuki: Stop!!

Suzaku: With my flame, I'll guide your soul to its purification.

Suzaku suddenly spits flame at Mariko.

{sound f/x goa: Suzaku's roar}

{sound f/x doga: giant explosion}

Tsuzuki: STOOOOOP

Mariko: ah... no... NOOOOO

{sound f/x giaaa: Mariko's screams}

Mariko: MURDEREEEEER!!!!

Hisoka: UWAAAAAA

Tsuzuki screams with bloody tears and Hisoka clutches his hands to his head.

{sound f/x ba: Suzaku suddenly flying towards the sky}

Tatsumi: No good~! He's calling up the other summons!! This isn't land suited for the four gods, so you can't gather them all together! For instance, even three of them have terrible destructive power!!!

{sound f/x oooo: wind howling through}

(AHHH)

Watari: Stop already!! Tsuzuki~!!!

Hisoka: (Uah~ Ee...)

Watari: ...you... do you want to...

Hisoka: (Uahh) (Ah)

(AHHHH)

{sound f/x go: bright light shining though a big impact}

Watari: Do you want to destroy the boy~!!!

{sound f/x zudon: sudden explosion}

{sound f/x guo: threatening atmosphere}

Elsewhere, a young person kneels on the floor.

Voice: Your majesty. Now... something...

{sound f/x zuzu: sudden movement}

Enma: Mmm. As I thought, it wasn't that it wouldn't hold... And the "seal" placed a century before was reasonable as well.

{sound f/x ko: Enma's footsteps}

Enma: Look. The freed power of the elements. When Tsuzuki relinquished his "self"—— The spirits showed their true forms... The "nature" that mothered all things in creation, and the wild incarnation of destruction...!!!

{sound f/x uu: howling power}

{sound f/x go: sudden impact}

Watari: ......... Is it useless...? ... Has he gone insane...!? Tsuzuki!!?

{sound f/x iii: high pitched cries of one of the gods}

{sound f/x dangoga: large menacing explosions all around}

System Voice: Environmental Regulation Device badly damaged——— Field power down 50%.

{sound f/x bii: loud beep}

System Voice: State of damage report.

{sound f/x bii}

System Voice: Great Court of Law, complete collapse. Force field has completely vanished.

Watari: No good!!

Watari braces himself in the wreckage as the gods' power continues to whip around him.

{sound f/x ga pi: desperate beeping}

Watari: If it keeps up like this, even if we use up all of Juuou-chou's energy, the shields will disappear in 3 minutes......!!!

{sound f/x bushu: things smoking as energy whips past close by}

System Voice: All personnel immediately take... ta... ke......

Watari: But the boy snapped from the overload. (And Tatsumi's just spinning around......)

{sound f/x zeha: Hisoka panting and gasping}

Tatsumi: [tears running down his face] (Our debt just doubled~~~~) (Ah~~~)

Watari: —— Shit~ What should I do!!

{sound f/x ba: Watari hitting something in frustration}

{sound f/x ooo: wind howling through the infirmiry}

Across the rubble, Watari notices Tsuzuki's limp figure.

Watari: If I reach out my hand, looks like I'd reach him, but I still can't do anything...

{sound f/x ga: Watari hitting something hard in frustration}

Watari: ——...~ Shit~!!!

{sound f/x fuwa: a feather floating down}

Tatsumi: !?

{sound f/x saaa: light rustling}

Watari: Wh... What's this......?

As Watari and Tatsumi look on, the area begins to slowly brighten with a gentle light. Feathers drift down softly from the sky.

{sound f/x saaa}

Watari: Light...?

Across the rubble, Muraki stands in the middle of everything, Tsuzuki limp in his arms.

{sound f/x saaa}

{sound f/x kusu: Muraki's small chuckle}

Watari: Mu...~ Muraki~!!? W...~ Wait~!! What're you planning to do with Tsuzuki!!?

{sound f/x bou: Muraki slowly fading into the light and feathers}

Watari: Tsuzuki~!!

{sound f/x ba: Watari rushing forward}

Tatsumi: (Watari-san~)

{sound f/x fuwa: Muraki floating away from the scene}

{sound f/x bua: Muraki fading away completely}

Watari: TSUZUKI————~!!!

Voice: Right, right, could everyone move out of the way! Except for those involved, this is off limits!!

{sound f/x zawa: crowd noises}

In a Kyoto garden, men are gathered around working as a crowd gathers.

Worker: Said we've got a drowning victim here?

Worker: Drowned himself.

{sound f/x zawa}

Behind the crowd, Watari watches the scene.

Worker: (Look, from under the bridge.........)

Worker: Been a series of homicides or suicides... really unsettling... (man...)

Worker: (They say he was a university teacher.)

Worker: ... Anyway... Here, too, looks like we just missed them, huh...

On a nearby bridge, Watari meets with Hisoka and Tatsumi.

Watari: Satomi was wiped out while... well... Master Muraki's scheme must also be pretty close to ending...

{sound f/x byoo: cold wind blowing through the scene}

Hisoka: ——... I'm sorry. It's all because I collapsed......

{sound f/x gyu: Hisoka making a fist in frustration}

Hisoka: He was the only witness who knew the truth of this case...

Watari: Don't worry about it. (It wasn't your fault.)

Tatsumi: That's right. The root of all evils is that Muraki.

Watari: Are you feeling better now? Your consciousness didn't return for three days.

Hisoka: (Yes) I've settled down quite completely. ———but, he's... For three days, I needed a long "sleep"—— I took in far too much of Tsuzuki's feelings, and I felt "confusion," "shock," and "recklessness." "The worst ending..." Pain, bitterness, inability to do anything, sorrow...

(*As a consequence of his "sleep," Hisoka can arrange and manage others' consciousnesses that he takes in.)

Hisoka: He's given up on "himself." Until Ikaruga was killed, he was keeping himself together—— In the end, he and his life took priority... Therefore he completely stopped... His life's time. His ability to think. "He" completely buried "himself" in darkness............ —— Tsuzuki... And surely if Tsuzuki doesn't come back...

{sound f/x kyu: Hisoka hugging himself sadly}

Tatsumi: (...) Pull yourself together! Kurosaki-kun!!

{sound f/x gi: Tatsumi glaring at Hisoka in anger}

Tatsumi: As his partner if you think things like that, you won't be able to take him back from Muraki!!!

Hisoka and Watari stare at Tatsumi in shock.

Hisoka: ...... Tatsumi-san...

{sound f/x biri: Watari facefaulting in fright}

Watari: (Uha— scaryy~)

Tatsumi: That guy was staying over at a traditional Japanese restaurant—— Let's try talking with that party. If they don't spit it out, even if we have to use force... We'll make them tell their secrets...!!!

{sound f/x giri: Tatsumi grinding his teeth in anger}

Hisoka: ...But... even if we save him maybe he won't return to normal. He denied his own existence. Myself, everyone, surely it's all been deleted from him...

Tatsumi calms down and smiles at Hisoka gently.

Tatsumi: (......) But, we won't forget about him, right...? You won't forget him, right!? Within our memories, he has "existence" there. That means it will never be "nothing"...! Kurosaki-kun!

Hisoka: ———... never... "nothing".........

Watari being laughing merrily, while pounding Hisoka hard on the back.

Watari: Right right!! Since it's him, maybe if you bait him with some food, he'll turn back to normal!!! (Uhahahahaha)

{sound f/x bashin: Watari hitting Hisoka}

{sound f/x geho: Hisoka coughing}

Watari: If you give up now, then you're accepting defeat to Muraki, boy!!

Hisoka: ......

{sound f/x gyu: Hisoka making a fist}

Hisoka: Everything's...... not over yet... I can still fight!! Let's go! To Kokakurou!!

In Shion's underground lab, Muraki strokes Tsuzuki's blank face.

{sound f/x kopo: liquid flowing}

{sound f/x su: Muraki slowly stroking Tsuzuki's face}

Muraki: ——... ......always... I was aaalways waiting... for this moment. The day that you would return to myself and my grandfather... Truly... it was long... With this, at long last, my wish will be granted——

Muraki turns away from Tsuzuki to look at the machinery.

{sound f/x gobo: dangerous noises from the machinery}

Muraki: Huhu...~... You also seem to be waiting impatiently. Persevere just a little bit longer, Niisan. Soon, I'll bring you back to life... Saki......

{sound f/x dokun: heartbeat}

Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25

Manga belongs to Matsushita Youko, Hana to Yume, and Hakusensha, taken from the Yami no Matsuei, Volume 8 manga, ISBN4-592-17408-9. 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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