02x12 - Zero

[bunniefuu]

[div]
Long ago in Asia,

humans and gods
were in close contact with one another.

In fact, some gods even chose
to live in the mortal realm.

What a beautiful day!

Now, time to make everyone happy.

I can't wait.

ZEROFUKU

Uh… Huh?

FORTUNE

Did you fall out of your nest?

Hey, hey. What are you mad at me for?

That hurt a lot. Huh?

Oh, she must be their mother!

That's good.

I hope you'll all be happy.

Back then,
Zerofuku was still a kind and gentle god.

ZERO

Upon his descent from heaven,

Zerofuku learned the ugly truth.

Mankind was living in abject misfortune,
enduring eight classes of suffering.

What do I do?

How am I supposed to make
these people happy?

That's it.

If the humans are suffering,

I just need to cut off
what's causing them pain.

Then they'll be happy for sure.

My chest hurts. What's happening?

What is it?

Who are you?

You said your chest hurts, right?

Wait.

What are you doing? Stop it!

You're gonna be okay.

I'm gonna absorb
all of your suffering into myself.

You… What was that?
What did you do to him?

Uh… Huh?

It doesn't hurt.

My chest doesn't hurt at all.

It can't be…

I'm running.

Hey, Mommy, look, I can run again!

That day,
Zerofuku found a way

to save the humans from their misfortunes.

Thank you, God. Thank you.

I hope you can be happy now.

The young god absorbed their suffering

and accepted it as his own.

Such was the sacred duty
he chose for himself.

He wanted mankind to be free
from their misfortune,

so he consumed it.

He suffered,

and suffered,

and suffered… all for them.

Then, after several months…

I took a lot from them.

Those poor humans,
they live with so much pain.

The misfortune he absorbed was so great,

it left him in excruciating pain.

But the joy he received
from making humans happy

soothed his weary soul.

I wonder how the people
in that village are doing.

I hope they're all happy.

That was the day
Zerofuku learned the truth

about mankind's true nature.

The more misfortune
he absorbed from the humans,

the more the humans
lost sight of happiness

and fell into depravity.

What is this?

Out of my way.

Hmm?

Huh?

Hmm?

You're all grown up now.

I'm glad you're not in pain anymore.

What's he talking about?

Do you know this kid? So gross.

Hmm…

Don't talk to me like you know me,
you little street urchin.

Take a bath, why don't you?

What?

What? What? What? What?
What? What? What? What?

Is this really happening?

No, it can't be.

It can't be… right?

This happened…

after all I did…

After I absorbed
all their misfortune for them.

Why?

Why?

Why?

Why aren't they happy?

Huh?

Huh? What's this?

Who are these people?

Check out all the animals.

What are they doing here?

I know why they're here.

They must have heard
that I can absorb misfortune.

They want me to take their pain away.

Forgive me, Buddha,
but may I please have another bean?

I'd be grateful.

Hmm?

-Oh!
-Go ahead. Help yourself.

The crowd of people following
the man were filthy and destitute.

But the looks on their faces
were peaceful and full of joy.

Wait…

Wait!

Hmm?

Why?

Hey. Why?

Why? Why?

Why? Why?

Do you wanna tag along too?

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Oh, sorry, you want some beans?

Why? Why?

Why do all the humans around you
look so happy?

I… I tried so hard.

I tried so hard to take
all of the humans' pain myself.

But why? Why?

These humans aren't happy at all!

I did so much for them,

and now they are all
more miserable than ever.

You took their pain?

No wonder it didn't work.

Let me tell you something…

You shouldn't try
to force happiness on others.

You can't.

Because it comes from within.

Huh?

Wherever there is shadow,
there is also light.

Understand?

Shadow…

and light?

The enlightened one said,

"Do you wish for happiness?

Then take up a burden
that is suitable to your own self.

That is the way to create joy

and the shadow that creates happiness."

From Sutta Nipāta, Chapter .

What do you say?

Would you like
to reach enlightenment with us?

What on earth upset that young man?

Who knows?

Puberty can be rough.

The god had become envious of the human.

It was supposed to be mine!

Mine!

Saving the humans was my job!

He was not built to endure
such tremendous shame.

What's wrong with him?

What's wrong with that human?

I…

I tried…

I tried so hard.

What did I do wrong?

Dammit. Dammit!

Many legends tell of what happened next.

Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!

Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!

Ah, dammit!

The once benevolent
god's love turned into hatred.

And then…

He became hell-bent
on destroying the human race.

GLUTTONY, PRIDE, LUST
WRATH, GREED, SLOTH, ENVY

Ah, much better.

ENUTROF

Now… time for the slaughter.

Hey, are you seeing this?

Run! It's a demon!

Huh?

Well, that was too close for comfort.

I was just about to inflict
divine punishment

on the entire human race!

I know I was the one doing it, but…

I have a duty to spread fortune
to humanity, not misfortune.

Yeah. But that damn Buddha
humiliated me back there.

I can't just let him get away with it.

Turning a blind eye to the gods
to lead the humans.

Such blasphemy requires punishment.

Divine punishment!

Indeed. But now is not the time for that.

Let us go.

Before he was able
to annihilate the human race,

Zerofuku split himself
into the Seven Gods of Good Fortune.

And that is how the legend
of the eighth god was born.

The time has finally come.

I shall inflict divine punishment on you
in front of everyone!

Do not blame me for this, after all…

this is your fault!

You made a fool of me!

-Huh?
-Oh, my…

Oh, wow.

Um… have you and I met?

Oh, Zerofuku just got
a nasty wake-up call

from The Awakened One.

Can he recover from this?

I… can't breathe.

Better pull it together, champ.

Huh?

Come on, get up and fight.

Whoa, he caught him off guard? Incredible.

I must admit
that man has always been a quick one.

"The law is harsh, but it is the law."

Quite true in this case, yes?

Hmm? Ah, yes, it is indeed.

I'm bleeding!

It hurts.

After all this time,

why must I still be the one
who asks to endure so much pain?

Why? Why?

Why… I'm suffering?

What's up with that axe?

It looks like it's alive.

So creepy.

What?

But I swear I saw it hit him.

That isn't fair!

Dammit. Dammit!

Zerofuku is going wild!

But Buddha keeps dodging and dodging

and dodging some more!

What's wrong with that guy?

None of his attacks are even coming close.

What a waste.

He should have
just let Vaiśravana handle it.

I can't hit him.

I can't hit him at all.

I'm tired of all this…

misfortune!

Oh, what a fascinating twist.

Am I imagining things?

His axe is…

Oh…

If I didn't know better,
I'd say that his axe was growing?

It looks that way because it is growing.

Huh?

That axe of his is a weapon
that absorbs all misfortune.

Ah, I see you've returned to us.

Welcome back, my lord.

You say it "absorbs misfortune".

What is that supposed to mean?

It means that the more suffering
that weapon comes into contact with,

the larger and more destructive
it becomes in battle.

That's why they call it…

…"Cataxetrophe."

Ah, I see.

I suppose that makes sense.

A frightful god should have
a frightful weapon.

It… absorbs misfortune?

That's right.

And of course,
every time Buddha dodges an attack,

it is quite unfortunate for Zerofuku.

Wait, but if all that's true then…

that means
that every time Buddha dodges something,

the more powerful
Zerofuku's attacks become?

Whoa! It's like an impossible video game!

You've got
a pretty cool weapon there, buddy.

Wow! Buddha's reflexes are incredible.

-Well, you say that, but…
-Huh?

Watch Buddha's movements closely.

Anything strike you as odd?

Uh…

He's moving
before Zerofuku even starts his attacks.

He isn't just dodging.

He's one step ahead of every single swing.

Or at least that's what it looks like.

Correct.

Buddha is able to evade

because he already knows
every move Zerofuku will make.

Seriously?

So he has the same ability as Kojiro?

No.

Kojiro's ultimate prediction ability
came from years of experience

and training in battle.

But the technique Buddha is using now
is another thing entirely.

He can see into the future.

Whoa! Really?

Indeed.

It is a plane of existence

that only the enlightened one,
Buddha himself, can reach.

Samyak Sambodhi Alaya-Vijnana.

SAMYAK SAMBODHI ALAYA-VIJNANA

What do you think you're doing?

Stop dodging me and fight, you coward!

You think I'll let you mock me?

I'll fight when I feel like it.

Oh, wow! Buddha's got
the best power in the world!

We're really gonna win this!

My jaw is aching,

and my attacks won't hit you!

Why not? What's happening?

Yeah. Sorry.

I probably should have mentioned
the clairvoyance.

The what?

You can foresee my attacks?

That's cheating.

That's cheating!

That's cheating!

He's swinging for his life,

but Zerofuku just can't land
a hit on Buddha!

That's Buddha for you!

"Form is emptiness!"

Before the enlightened one,
all attacks are absolutely abrogated.

What a splendid show he's putting on.

As the human say, "Float like a butterfly
and sting like a bee."

With Buddha's
Samyak Sambodhi Alaya-Vijnana,

it was clear who was the strongest.

Or so everyone thought.

Everything's wrong.

Just like back then.

I saved those people.

But when all was said and done,

they didn't even thank me for my trouble.

How unfortunate.

I became jealous of someone like him.

Dammit. Dammit. Dammit. Dammit.
Dammit. Dammit. Dammit. Dammit.

Dammit. Dammit. Dammit…

Dammit!

It's always me who's in pain…

…who suffers!

Oh, dammit!

The first person to notice a change…

Huh?

…was none other than Buddha himself.

Well, who's cheating now?

Wait a minute.
Why did Buddha just stop moving?

He sees something.

I'm suffering… so much.

I'm suffering more
than I've ever suffered before!

What am I seeing?

Ah… Oh, my!

I'm suffering!

There's no way he can dodge that!
What are we gonna do?

Is that why he stopped moving?

The moment one sees a future
that one cannot change,

the power of clairvoyance
becomes worthless.

All it brings is paralyzing despair.

All right then. Six Realms.

Divine Punishment.

Staff of the Six Realms, Realm Four.

Asura Realm, Avalokitesvara.

SHIELD OF AHIMUSA

Don't you worry.

That teenage angst of yours?
I'm gonna help you.

Buddha!