01x16 - Hakubi

[bunniefuu]

Isn't this odd, Hyakka?

What do you mean?

The m*ssacre in Hitokabe Village
happened less than three days ago, but...

There isn't a single reporter
or police officer here.

That just means the newspapers and
the police have been told to stay away.

It was the same back then.

They...

...appeared out of nowhere.

What the...?!

Everyone in the village was slaughtered.

I barely managed to escape, but...

The incident never made the papers
or even sparked a rumor.

But this time,
the incident made the papers.

Hyakka, I think this is...

It seems the incident in this village
was a trap to lure us out.

That's right, but...

I never expected you
to show up as well, Hyakka.

You b*stard! Were you the one behind
the scarecrows 20 years ago?!

Well, yes.

Back then, neither of us had the chance
to get a good look at each other's faces.

Would you like to see mine?

Before I take out
your remaining eye?

This is the man who did
that to Hyakka's eye?






What the hell happened?

HYAKKA
Who did this?

HYAKKA

What are those things?!

Metal scarecrows?

Metal aura?!

An onmyoji must be behind them!

Is that him?!

HAKUBI

Hey! This is all your doing, right?

You dragged innocent
villagers into this...

You g*dd*mn monster!

What an unlucky village.

All because you happened
to be there, Hyakka.

However, it was an excellent
testing ground for my soldiers.

Screw you!

MAO
Hyakka!

These ribbons of steel are identical to the ones
used by the shikigami that attacked me.

This man is also working with Shiranui.

Who is he?!

Stay out of this, Mao!

He's mine!

A barrier?!

OTOYA
His arm...

OTOYA

That arm of yours...
Is it because of what happened back then?

I underestimated you,
thinking you were just a brat.

For centuries, I was never injured
by anyone in a battle.

Though it hasn't inconvenienced me
in the slightest.

You're...

The only problem is...

I haven't aged a bit.

HAKUBI
I haven't aged a bit.

HAKUBI

Hakubi!

Mao k*lled Lady Sana...

Why?!

Calm down, Hyakka.

I saw it, too.

Mao betrayed the Goko Clan...

He's our sworn enemy!

You were summoned to
the Goshikido as well, Hakubi?

I was.

Hyakka...

I knew that you were summoned, as well.

Fighting you 20 years ago
was a blessing in disguise.

I learned that those of us who
were summoned to the Goshikido

can injure and k*ll one another.

Among the members of the Goko Clan,

Hakubi was one of the most
trusted by the Master.

He was tasked with
casting many of the curses.

Master would hand him a scroll...

And within days, rumors would
spread that a nobleman had died,

followed by deliveries of
various gifts to the compound.

What was inside the scrolls
Master handed over

whenever he ordered a curse?

For me, the Goko Clan was
where I felt I truly belonged.

But Mao, your betrayal brought about
the Goko Clan's downfall.

Over the centuries,
I fought in many battles.

I discovered that I was
better suited to the b*ttlefield

than lurking in the shadows
casting spells.

I died many times...
Or felt like I did.

But every time I woke up,

every wound I'd suffered in battle
had vanished without a trace.

Hyakka, wasn't it the same for you?

Yeah. Same here.

That is why, 20 years ago, Hyakka...

When we crossed paths
and fought one another,

and I realized my severed arm

and the burns on my face
would never heal...

I was thrilled from
the bottom of my soul.

Because that was when
I learned there is an end!

Handy arm you've got there.

I'll grant your wish
and put a quick end to this.

Ordinarily, Fire overcomes Metal.

WOOD - FIRE- EARTH - METAL - WATER

Master Hyakka should
have the advantage, but...

That's only when both sorcerers
are evenly matched in elemental energy.

Hakubi's Metal aura is powerful.

Oh?

Huh? That's...

Mao, is that the sword
that the Master gave you?

The Sword of Hagunsei.

How can this be?

That ill-omened sword was meant
to mark you as the sacrifice.

It was never meant to protect you.

This is a cursed sword,
bathed in Byouki's blood.

I, too, am cursed by Byouki.

Cursed, you say?

Don't make me laugh, Mao.

You're using that
so-called cursed sword

to receive Byouki's protection!

Mao, give me your body.

Byouki's protection?!

Who cares?!

You b*stard! Just melt already!

Pearls?

I hate having to use Water energy, but...

Forgot already, Hakubi?


of your scarecrows to ashes.

No flames...

Hyakka!

Did he just use the Water energy
of the pearls to seal Hyakka's spell?

Damn it! I can't get it off.

Hyakka, I'll k*ll you properly later.

Hakubi.

Are you working with Shiranui?

Why?!

I could say the same of you.

You joined forces with Byouki
and betrayed the Goko Clan.

Mao, you are...

...the Goko Clan's sworn enemy!

You are the Goko Clan's sworn enemy!

You're siding with this fake Goko Clan?

Fake?

Are you so sure about that?

I first heard rumors of the Goko Clan
toward the end of the Tokugawa era.

Someone claiming to be
from the fallen Goko Clan

was said to be carrying out life-extension
and cursing services for the nobility.

I went looking for them.

I was certain it was an imposter
using the Goko Clan's name.

I intended to k*ll the imposter.

I went to the Northern Beach where
the Water sorcerers of the Goko Clan trained

and found a shrine protected by a barrier.

I slipped past the barrier
without difficulty.

No, they must have let me in
on purpose.

Waiting for me was that woman.

She had a familiar, dark, sinister aura.

She was no imposter.

She was unmistakably
a woman of the Goko Clan.

A woman?!

What are you talking about?

Mao, you've already met her, haven't you?

Lady Yurako.

Lady Sana?!

Hey, Hakubi! You b*stard!

Dark? Sinister?
Who the hell are you talking about?!

Know your place, Hyakka.

Show some respect
when you say my name.

Mao, let me tell you this.

She's not the woman you think she is.

What is it that you know...?!

You'll have to find out for yourself.

I'll let you meet her right away.

Master Mao!

Mao, I'm taking you back with me alive.

So your objective is the secret
spell of Taizanfukun?

I have no interest in
a life-extension spell.

Shiranui insists on learning it, though.

My Diamond Arm melted?!

Mao! Damn it!

Shiranui told me...

That Byouki's blood flows
through your veins, Mao.

He said it is a deadly poison that burns
and melts anyone who touches it.

You shouldn't have resisted me.

Mao... Don't tell me you're dead?!

Master Mao...

Is that Mao?!

I see now, Hyakka.

On that day when the compound burned down,

you never saw this monster, did you?

I suppose you were too much
of a coward, hiding for your life.

Hakubi's spells are having no effect!

So this is the power of Byouki.

Mao...

After becoming one with Byouki, you're no
longer just an enemy of the Goko Clan...

You're the enemy of all onmyoji!

Of onmyoji?

What are you talking about?!

I will punish you!

Before I entered the Goko Clan,
I had never seen a cat before.

Hyakka, it was the same
for you, wasn't it?

Is that true?

Yeah.

In those days, I heard cats were
only kept by noble families.

Lady Sana's Haimaru
was the first cat I ever saw.

What's your point?

Cats exist outside the realm of Onmyodo.

It is a creature that belongs
to none of the Five Elements.

In other words...

WOOD - FIRE - EARTH - METAL - WATER
They exist outside the cycle

WOOD - FIRE - EARTH - METAL - WATER
of elemental opposition,

WOOD - FIRE - EARTH - METAL - WATER
making them immune

WOOD - FIRE - EARTH - METAL - WATER
to elemental spells.

So why would Master have welcomed such
an eerie creature into the compound?

There can be only one answer.

Master intended to turn the cat into
the most fearsome kodoku of all,

Byouki, and make it serve him.

Using Byouki, which is unaffected
by Onmyo spells, as his shikigami

would make him invincible.

But instead, Byouki went berserk.

And even worse, it chose the traitor
Mao and bound itself to him.

Hakubi doesn't know that
Master Mao rejected Byouki

and that only his body fused with it?

You hideous monster!

I thought that b*stard said Onmyo
spells won't work on Byouki...

Master Hyakka.

Show me your sealed arm.

Huh?

Let's see if this works.

This is my hair.

You grew just one long one?
That's so weird.

I should've known no ordinary barrier
was going to stop him.

Come at me!

The seven tails have been severed,
and the transformation is reversing...

That cursed talisman he put on his arm...

It's identical to the talisman on the Spear
of Taima that nearly k*lled Byouki.

That seems to work.

Hakubi...!

You're a dead man!

Hyakka...

You broke the seal?

Hyakka. I'll k*ll you next time.

Fight me now, you b*stard!

He got away.

Damn it!

Master Mao.

Is he back to normal?

Hey, Mao! Pull yourself together!

He fell asleep.

He must be very tired.

Huh?!

I'm glad you were here to help us.

He’s a real pain in the a*s.

You're much stronger than I thought.

Damn right!

Fire is stronger than Metal.

I'll tell Miss Nanoka what you did.

Yeah, tell her.

For some reason,
she doesn't take me seriously.

NANOKA KIBA
Mao? Otoya?

NANOKA KIBA

Huh? No way!

Nobody's here?
I feel so alone!

Byouki exists outside
the realm of Onmyodo...

It would be interesting
if I could control Mao.

NEXT TIME
I have no appetite.

I have no appetite.

My neck feels so stiff...

EFFICIENT
I will give you some medicine.

I will give you some medicine.

Let me help, Otoya.

Apparently, there was a huge craze for
a curse that controlled cat kodoku.

What does "maogui"
translate to in Japanese?

"Cat demon" or Byouki.

They said all that was left
was a pile of dirt.

What? You mean his body
turned into dirt?

Next time: "Maogui."