01x15 - Survival Traning?

[bunniefuu]

[♪ upbeat rock theme music playing]

The Fable

Survival Training?

-[birds calling]
-[footsteps]

[Kuro panting heavily]

[panting continues]

Think you can make it?

It takes everything I've got
just to keep up with you.

Walking one mile in the wilderness
is far tougher than 10 in the city.

You took off that cast too soon,
didn't you?

Make do with what you've got.
Here, use this as a staff.

[exclaims]
Thanks.

-[Akira] Let's go.
-[chuckles]

[birds chirping, cawing]

[Kuro grunting]

[Kuro] I want to know Nii-san even more.

How does he live,

how does he think,
and what is he striving for?

-And I want to be like him.
-[panting]

To be an incomparable, unbeatable

hitman!

[panting continues]

-Shh.
-[gasps]

[leaves rustling]

[boar snorting, grunting]

A wild boar?

Stay sharp.

[Akira] Even with a wild boar this size,
it could k*ll you.

If it charges with those tusks,
it'll rip your flesh to shreds.

What? Really?

In all likelihood, you'll bleed to death.

The blood will gush
from where it gashes you in the thigh.

That's pretty graphic.

[Kuro] Is it looking at us?

Don't move. Its vision is pretty bad.

But it's got a dog's sense of smell.

It left.

[Akira] We'll go back about 30 yards
then detour around this.

Go back 30 yards
after walking all that way?

[Akira]
It's better than gushing blood, right?

[disheartened sigh]

[birds calling]

Huh?

[Kuro screams]

-That scared me!
-A snake?

-Excellent.
-What is?

[gasps, grunts in fear]

-[grunts]
-[exclaims in shock]

We've got our dinner.

[exclaims nervously]

Wasn't it going to be wild vegetables?

Like I told you, we're not going camping.

[water lapping, trickling]

[pants heavily]

[in hoarse voice]
This is our destination, right?

[Kuro] It's this river, right?

[tired chuckle]

We've made it, right?

[panting]

[Akira] Yeah, I guess this is good.

[groans]

[Akira] I thought it would take
until late afternoon,

-but we got here just past noon.
-[♪ gentle music playing]

You did better than I thought you could
on that leg.

I didn't want to hold you back.

It took grit.

Alone, I would have arrived
in the morning.

Sorry.

We'll work out of here
until morning the day after tomorrow.

[Akira] This will be our base.

Anyway, let's start a fire and eat.

I'll gather firewood.

[Kuro gasps, whimpers]

What should I do?

Get rocks from the river
and make a cooking pit.

[Kuro] Prep for the cooking fire, huh?

[water lapping, trickling]

[grunting]

[exclaims pleasantly]

[Kuro] That feels so good!

But this is tough, harsh,
and totally brutal.

It's no fun at all.

And what's worst of all, I'm starving.

There's not anything at all to eat.

I'd rather die than eat a snake.

[scraping]

Eww! It's still moving.

[Akira]
Its vitality is what makes it nutritious.

[Kuro] Well, if you say so.

That's a huge mushroom.

This is called tinder fungus.

Its shavings are used as tinder.

You know, I've got a lighter.

We're not going camping here.

We're about as close to primitive life
as we can get here. Don't ruin it.

[sad groan]

Forget about
the conveniences of civilization.

You can do just about all you need
with what's on hand.

Smarts and innovation.
That's what Boss drilled into me.

[Kuro] Okay...

[blowing air]

[fire crackling]

[gasps in awe]

[Akira] There.
It'll take about 40 minutes to cook.

Put up your tent in the meantime.

What'll you do?

[Akira] I'll make my own shelter.

[Kuro] But how?

[Akira] With smarts and innovation.

Huh?

[insects chirping]

Aw, man. I'm starving.

And all we've got is a snake.

[Kuro] I can't even touch them,

so there's no way I'll ever eat one.

-[Akira] Is it ready?
-[grunts]

Ah. I'm not really sure.

The sun is getting low.

[Akira] It'll be pitch black
in a couple of hours.

-But it's not even 5 p.m.
-[birds cawing]

Night comes early in the forest.

The sky may be light,
but it's dark in the forest.

[sniffing]

You'll feel strange
for two or three hours.

[grunts in disgust]

[yelling]
That's hot! That's really hot!

[blowing air]

[crunches]

[shrieks]

[munching]

[grunts in disgust]

You don't want any?

Actually, I'm really not that hungry.

Liar. You walked a lot today.

If you're not lying, then you're sick.

Well, to be perfectly honest,
I don't like snakes.

Get rid of your biases.

Instead of thinking of it as a snake,
think of it as a source of nutrition.

-You've got grit, right?
-[gasps]

-[Akira] Go on.
-[hesitant grunt]

[♪ rock music playing]

Get rid of your biases.

[sniffs]

[blowing air]

Okay!

[crunching]

[munching, grunts nervously]

Hmm?

Say, could you leave half for me?

Oh. Yes, sir.

[Kuro] I never realized a snake...

[Akira] You don't have to say it.

-[insects chirping]
-[bird cawing]

The sky is light,

but it's already dark in the forest.

In 30 minutes, it'll be pitch black.

-[soft grunt]
-[rustling]

How is this kind of thing useful
in your line of work?

You mean this shelter?

Well, I've never really thought
of that kind of thing.

[Akira] Sleep is very important.

I guess you could say,

when you go live in nature,

you somehow feel closer to how life works,

to what life and death is for us humans.

-[♪ calm music playing]
-Like how life and nature work...

It's hard to put it into words.

What you learn in nature

can usually be used in some way
in the opposite world of the city.

But for some reason,

most of what you learn in the city
is totally useless in nature.

Mm...

Yeah, I don't know how to say it.

No, I think I get it, Nii-san.

-[squeaking]
-[insects chirping]

Hmm.

[exclaims]

That's a pretty sweet knife.

Structurally, it's not tough.

[Akira] It's not very practical.

But Boss has always had
this kind of knife with him.

I brought it because he sent it to me.

It really suits you and the wilderness.

I mean, all I've got is this dagger.

I should have bought a real knife.

If it cuts, that's good enough.

Remember what I said
about making do with what you've got?

Oh.
[soft grunt]

[Kuro] It's gotten totally dark.

[Akira] We should go to sleep soon.

It's best to stay put at night
in the forest.

I've encountered bears several times.

Seriously?

[Akira] There's unexpected dangers
like wild boars and wild dogs everywhere.

We'll look for food in the morning.

You're physically exhausted,
so you'll fall asleep fast.

Good night.

[Kuro] What time is it?

It's still just past 8 p.m.

10, 11, 12...

[sighs]

10 hours like this?

[♪ comical music playing]

This is totally freaking boring!

I'm bored to death!

What a waste of time.

If I was in the city,

I'd eat sushi or yakiniku,
and party with my lackey.

We'd talk about which babe's pub
we'll go drinking at and stuff.

I totally want to go back.

Dang, it makes me want to cry!

[clicks]

[grunting]

[sighs]

-[leaves rustling]
-[gasps, grunts]

What time is it now?

It must be after midnight by now.

It's just past 9 p.m.?

-[thuds]
-[gasps]

Something's outside. Oh, no!

[Kuro] I'm totally chickening out!

-[insects chirping]
-[thudding]

Hey! Don't mess with a yakuza!

[coughing]

What? I'm not messing with anyone.

[soft gasp]

Geez! Don't scare me like that, Nii-san.

I didn't do anything.

I found a viper.

Since I didn't eat much today,
I thought I'd have a midnight snack.

A viper?

Can you eat venomous snakes?

[Akira] Of course.
They're tastier than rat snakes.

Go to sleep after eating it.

[Kuro] Okay.

It must be like 3 a.m. or something.

[exclaims in surprise]

It's still just past midnight?

Yeah. You'll still get plenty of sleep.

-[birds chirping, cawing]
-[soft groan]

[soft grunt]

[Kuro exclaims]

Good morning.

Hey.

The night sure was long.

I always thought it was quiet in nature.

[Kuro]
I didn't expect all the insect sounds.

Oh?

What's wrong, Nii-san?

What are you looking at?

[Akira] Look closely. That's a bear print.

[exclaims]
You mean that noise last night...

[Akira sighs]

[Akira] Must be a Japanese black bear.

There's at least one.

[♪ uneasy music playing]

Couldn't it be something else?

It's a living creature.
It's no surprise that it's around here.

If I suddenly run into one,
should I play dead?

You'll really die then.

Don't you ever turn your back to a bear.

[Kuro inhales sharply]

Uh...

You think we should go back to town
just to be safe?

Go back to town?
For ordinary people, that would be best.

But not me.

I came here because I was losing my edge.

Yeah, that figures.

[water lapping, trickling]

[Kuro grunting]

[pants]

-[frog croaks]
-[surprised grunt]

So, it's frogs for lunch?

It won't be very filling.

You can eat them bones and all
when they're this size. They're good.

Return to the tent and start a fire.

I'll find some more food then go back.

I could really do with a snake.
I'm used to them now.

You've got a taste for them, huh?

I'm hunting insects today.
They're nutritious.

No. Get a snake. Definitely a snake.

Okay, Nii-san. I'll go and start a fire.

[Akira] Good.

Huh?

Isn't this my hat?

Huh?

[Kuro] Wait.

This is my backpack.

Huh?

What's it doing here?

Don't tell me...

-[soft growl in distance]
-[gasps]

-[Kuro] Oh, no.
-[♪ tense music playing]

You've got to be kidding!

[bear huffs, growls]

[whimpers]
Get away from me!

Don't you ever turn your back to a bear.

-[♪ dramatic music playing]
-[bear huffing]

Should I play dead?

You'll really die then.

Don't you ever turn your back.

[Kuro] Should I play dead?

[Akira] Don't ever turn your back.

-[Kuro] ...play dead? ...play dead?
-[Akira] ...your back.

-[body thuds]
-[whimpers]

[Kuro]
Playing dead without turning my back.

Oh, no! I totally blew it!

I ended up doing
the one thing I shouldn't do!

[breathes shakily]

[growls]

It's huge.

Oh, no! It's going to eat me.

[whimpers]

Darn! I can't move.

-[leaves rustling]
-[soft growl]

[shouts]

[whimpers]

[grunts]

[shouts]

[growls]

[grunts, gasps]

[Akira shouts]

[bear huffs]

[in shaky voice]
Nii-san...

-[water lapping, trickling]
-[bird screeching]

Sorry.

I went into a panic.

I couldn't decide what to do.

So you played dead, huh?

Um, I really am sorry.

[Akira] It's all right.

Eat up. They're done.

Grasshoppers and frogs...

You get more nutrition from insects
than from the same amount of beef or fish.

[blowing air]

That's a good thing to remember.

But they must taste awful.

If there was suddenly
a major earthquake or other disaster...

[crunches]

...food like this would increase
your chances of survival.

I think most people believe

that kind of disaster
would never happen to them.

Yeah, now that you mention it.

It's probably the same for everything.

[crunches]

If nothing is guaranteed,

then all you can do is learn ways
to increase your chances.

[Akira] Most of the people I've k*lled
thought that way.

Before they die,
they have a look that says, "Why me?"

Isn't that what you thought
when you ran into that bear?

I thought I'd never see a bear,
so I couldn't believe it.

When I saw my backpack buried,
I wondered, "Why my backpack?"

[chuckles]

[spits, clicks tongue]

Your backpack was buried, huh?

Yeah. My hat was too. That darn bear.

-This is bad.
-[crunches]

I told you so. That's an insect.

That bear will be back.

It'll be back for that backpack,
and it'll be on the offensive.

-[♪ uneasy music playing]
-What? Why?

It's a bear's nature
to get back what belongs to it.

"Get back what belongs to it"?

But this is my backpack.

It doesn't think so.

That's a bear's nature.

What? Well, I won't stand for it.

This thing was expensive.

That bear's like a hoodlum.

That's the nature of a hoodlum, huh?

Are you saying I should just give it
my backpack for free?

For free wouldn't be good.

If we did that,
it would look down on us humans.

[Akira] If it ran into other humans,
it might attack them.

It needs to be taught...

[crunches]

-...that humans are to be feared.
-[gasps]

There are some bears
that aren't afraid of humans.

Bears like that have had some experience

that made them believe
they're stronger than humans.

[Kuro] This is insane.

Nii-san here is going to battle
a bear that isn't afraid of humans.

It is one of those scary things
that would be neat to see though.

[awkward chuckle]

[Akira] This is
where I caught the viper last night.

Don't move.

Really? With my hair?

Yeah. If there's one nearby, it'll come.

You want to eat a viper, right?

-[Akira] We'll burn your hair.
-[crackling]

Do snakes really like
the smell of burned hair?

Actually, bird feathers are best.

You know
how a snake's tongue is split, right?

Their tongue is like that
so they can sense the smell of prey.

Really? That's pretty useful.

Let's burn your hair in two more places.

[exclaims]
You need my hair again?

You want to eat a snake, right?

You need nutrition to gain vitality.

[Kuro] Well, yeah. But, uh...

[♪ quirky music playing]

Uh... do you have a mirror?

I bet I look funny, don't I?

No. You don't look funny at all.

[concerned sigh]

[♪ quirky music continues]

[Kuro inhales sharply]

[Kuro] I'm only keeping quiet
because Nii-san did this.

But if anyone else tried this,
I'd beat them to a pulp,

lock them up, and t*rture them
for three days and nights.

So, first-class hitmen need to be
strong enough to do things their own way.

Dang! I'm in awe
of how intense this guy is!

[hissing]

-We've got a viper.
-[exclaims]

We didn't need your hair.

You're kidding!

[exclaiming]

[shocked yelp]

Yes, I've been pretty busy with work,
but I'm fine.

I was also just thinking
how I'd like to see you, Mr. Kawai.

Okay. Then I'll see you tonight
at that same bar.

[soft chuckle]

[giggles]

I've got a Kawai!

[♪ upbeat closing theme music playing]

Next Episode
Mountaineer Man