01x04 - Hell and Paradise

[bunniefuu]

Known as the Blade Dragon
and Unparalleled in Eight Provinces,

when I stopped finding men stronger than me,

a lord named Something-or-Other Tatsumi
asked me to become his officer.

He was a great man who took
pride in his great mansion.

His name's characters made him a "dragon" too,
so I agreed, in exchange for room and board.

You sure can put them back.

Splendid.

Anyway, Tamiya Gantetsusai-dono,
you may be the Blade Dragon,

but surely you can't k*ll a real dragon.

What?

So I cut down both the dragon on his gate
and that cowardly dragon's nerve.

Your temper is too violent.
I don't understand you.

I agree.

Because of that, his whole clan came
after me, and I was sentenced to death.

Not that I regret it.

Once I acquire the pardon,
I'll be cleared of all charges.

Then I can openly hone my skill again.

This time, I'll split his
whole mansion in half.

I don't understand you.

If you ask me, you people
make even less sense.

Those tools you're wearing are
for dissections, aren't they?

What a gloomy little man.

Does the food you earn beheading
criminals taste good, Whatever-emon?

It's Asaemon. Yamada Asaemon Fuchi.

Tameshi-itto-ryu Rank 9
Yamada Asaemon
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFuchi

Beheadings aren't
the Yamada clan's only trade.

We also test swords and produce medicines.

We're far more useful to society than you.

The same goes for the dissections.

Discoveries about the human
body help advance medicine.

It's a noble purpose.

I won't allow you to insult us.

Whatever.

Try not to get in my way.

H-Hey, wait.

Do you know what you're doing?

There's only one thing to do.

I'm going to eliminate the competition.

It's more efficient to take my time
searching for the Elixir after that,

and most importantly, I can use
my sword to my heart's content.

I thought I'd never get the chance to

engage in thrilling duels
in this peaceful world again.

It makes sense.

This job is like crafting insect poison.

The longer you wait, the stronger
the surviving venomous insects.

But will this really end well?

Not all of the venomous insects are here.

If the shogunate runs out of patience,
they'll send the next batch of insects.

Stronger, more venomous insects.

Interesting...

Stay back.

Hell and Paradise

What is this thing, a fish?

It's wearing prayer beads.

Is it a monster or a living creature?

Its appearance is ridiculously fantastical.

I have so many questions,

but my instincts are telling me
that this island itself is dangerous.

What a pain in the butt.

Gabima—

I told you to stay back.

Right.

It seems to be alive.

Shinobi Rule Number Five.

Do not fight an unknown enemy.

Should we run?

The two of us, or just me?

Gabimaru! Are you all right?

This place is dangerous.

So it's possible for you to be injured...

No, wait. I mean—

Let's run for now.

What are they?

They're smiling?

Are they real?

Calm down. Don't lose your head.

We've been surrounded.

Enough. Stop thinking.

Gabimaru!

Ninpo: Ascetic Blaze.

For now, don't think.

Just k*ll.

So you can survive.

So you can acquire the pardon
and escape this bloody world.

Just k*ll.

I knew this was a dangerous job,
but it's different now.

Everything has changed since mere hours ago.

What an otherworldly sight.

Am I in Paradise, or...?

Don't worry about anything else.

That's not weakness.

Just focus on the enemies in front of you.

True courage is being true to your emotions.

Eliminate them.

Um, Gabimaru...

I'm so—

Wow, you k*lled all of these by yourself?

Impressive, Hollow!

Wow, that was something else.

Wow.

I'm Yuzuriha.

Like you, I'm a ninja.

We're, like, totally the same.

Two executioners?

What do you think you're...

You're supposed to say "thank you"
when someone helps you.

Thank you for saving me.

So, what do you want? We're rivals.

You didn't have to help me.

Don't be so on edge.

The monsters are gone now.

You seem super dependable, Gabi-kun.

You're still standing, despite
how much you're bleeding.

Didn't you save her just now, too?

Hey, why don't we work together?

I'm so scared of this dangerous place.

I'll do whatever you say. Please protect—

Huh? What?

Ow... Ow...

Ow, that hurts! What are you doing?

You can't seduce me.

I'm familiar with kunoichi methods.

Yeah, yeah. I'm sure you are.

I just wanted to try it.

It's better to regret what you've done
than regret what you haven't, right?

But I'm serious about working together.

Five is safer than three.

Wait a minute.

Why do you have two Asaemon with you?

This guy is, uh...

Yamada Asaemon Genji.

Tameshi-itto-ryu Rank 8
Yamada Asaemon
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hGenji

I was originally assigned
to Moro Makiya the Apostate.

Makiya d*ed when he was
fooled by this woman.

Her foul tricks run contrary to bushido.

I deemed a single executioner
insufficient to control her,

so I decided to accompany them.

Huh.

So she seduced him.

I see.

Women have always been
Genji-dono's weakness.

He fell for her tricks.

Uh, um...

I'm Yamada Asaemon Senta,
the executioner assigned to her.

Tameshi-itto-ryu Rank 5
Yamada Asaemon
Senta

Well, you know.

We ran into crazy bugs, monsters,
statues on our way here.

We know just how dangerous this place is.

Finding the Elixir as quickly
as possible is important,

but there's no point in blindly
charging in and dying without a plan.

You're the one who called me disappointing.

Did I? I don't remember that.

As long as you both agree to it,

then there's no problem
with you working together.

All right! I love you, Gabimaru.

Ow, ow, ow! What are you doing?

I never said I'd work with you.

I can't trust a kunoichi.

Trust? Come on.

We're not kids.

We can betray each other at any time.

Even if we find the Elixir,
only one of us will be pardoned.

I'm suggesting we use each other
for as long as possible.

Or are you scared of me?

You're surprisingly naïve.

Please, Gabi.

Won't you help a weak little girl?

You're wasting your time with that.

Oh?

How would working with you benefit me?

You'll offer your strength
in exchange for my information.

For example,

you seem to think the monsters are a thr*at,

but the real danger here is the bugs.

Human-faced butterflies.

They fly around monsters,
but their nests and behavior are unknown.

Their scales seem to contain
hallucinogens and poison.

How do you know that?

Moro Makiya.

I got close to him and talked him into it.

I tested them on him.

The centipedes are gross,
but you can safely ignore them.

They only eat dead flesh.

How do you know that?

I tested it on Makiya.

There are other bugs too,
but they didn't att*ck unless approached.

I tested it on Makiya.

What happened to him?

I got him to let his guard down
by playing dead and k*lled him.

Many of the items worn by the
monsters feature Buddhist or Taoist designs.

Buddhism and Taoism are
different religious traditions...

It's strange to see them mixed together.

The Buddhist statues are strange, too.

I have trouble believing
this island is truly Paradise.

I agree.

We can explain it away
by calling them fantastical,

but to my blade, their anatomy and musculature

feels like those of living creatures.

See? There's so much we don't know.

We should work together
and gather information.

I'll tell you everything I know.

Why are you willing to reveal so much?

Are you that desperate to survive?

I have one younger sister.

She's got an incurable disease,
but can't afford any medicine.

I became a shinobi in order to make money.

I endured hellish training
with the Kai of Kasumidani.

The Kai shinobi are from Mizoredani.

Uh, right. That place.

Anyway, uh... the village chief, uh...

He said something about
how I couldn't do that.

And then they betrayed me.

If you're lying, then keep it short.

Oh, you figured it out?

Do I need a reason to want to survive?

Some deep personal motivation?

I've got nothing like that.

Do I need a reason to want to
make it back home alive?

I don't want to die
while I'm still so young.

That's all.

Maybe you samurai wouldn't understand.

After all, you risk your lives
just because the shogun wills it,

and never even question it.

I have another question.

Hmm?

What did you actually do to Moro Makiya?

Nothing.

You care about the lives of others?

It'll get you k*lled.

Fine.

I want information.

As long as we're simply fighting together
and not fully cooperating...

All right! You're the best, Gabi-chan.

Ow, ow, ow! I just got a little excited.

What is this for?

I have a wife.

Then let's share what we know.

No, wait. We're working together now.

We don't have to tell them anything else.

The words were barely out of your mouth
before you went back on them.

I'm kidding, I'm kidding.

What have I done
since arriving on this island?

I lost my bearings against those monsters
and let the situation overwhelm me.

What purpose have
the sword skills I honed served?

I'm so powerless.

Change is strength.

He became an agent of the clan
within a month of joining it.

Impressive, Toma.

The final step is for you to execute a
criminal so we can add your name to the list.

Which execution would be suitable?

I have a request.

Thank you for waiting.

I've come to save you, brother.

Took you long enough.

Not even a word of thanks
for your younger brother who infiltrated

the Yamada clan and achieved
this status within a month?

I endured a month of t*rture at their hands.

And now you're more handsome than ever.

So, how are we getting out?

The magistrate's men don't give up easily.

There's apparently a way
to make them stop pursing us.

I'm in.

Change means changing yourself
according to the situation.

Brother...

Quickly appraising a situation
and understanding it.

Are these things alive?

Some situations can be
difficult to understand.

Then they can be k*lled!

My brother's strength is
how quickly he understands situations.

He always has.

Even when the lord our father
served committed an outrage

A lord's crimes are his vassals' crimes!

at Edo Castle and our clan was disbanded.

Even when our mother d*ed
while we were living in poverty.

For avenging their master,
all 47 ronin shall be beheaded.

Even when our father was ex*cuted
for avenging his lord.

Even when we were att*cked by bandits.

He immediately understood the situation
and ultimately ended up controlling it.

Give yourself up, Bandit King Chobe!

Come quietly!

Toma, I want you to run.

Brother.

Come rescue me later.

I believe in you.

We don't live in a world
where the strong prey on the weak.

It's survival of the fittest.

It's those who can adapt that are strong.

Brother...

Toma,

we're slipping through the monsters.

Got it.

Fleeing a situation you can't
understand can also be the right choice.

My brother is a genius when it comes to change.

The one thing that hasn't changed is...

Brother...

Change is strength.

Those who cannot change are unnecessary.

That's why my brother is strong.

Damn monsters!

You won't get past me!

What's more effective against a monster
than its own weapons?

Brother...

You bought me time to pick up a w*apon.

Brother!

Brother! Brother! Brother! Brother!

m*rder is a sin.

Even insects are alive.

So are fish.

You mustn't harm them.

These things can talk?

m*rder is a sin.

Brother, are these real deities?

Are we in not in Heaven,
but in Hell instead?

Where sinners receive divine punishment?

A lord's crimes are his vassals' crimes!

They shall be ex*cuted!

Arrest that criminal Chobe!

I'm sick of hearing about crimes and sins.

Evil? Sin?

I don't give a sh*t.

You're the ones who decided that.

You're slaves to righteousness.

You're puppets without your own desires.

I'm not letting anyone
else tell me what to do.

I'll do what I wanna do.

I'm my own lord.

I'm my own god.

My brother's strength is change.

And because he changes,
it always comes to the fore...

His unyielding sense of self.

Father, Mother...

I wanna go back to the mansion.

We were the sons of samurai,
but now we're bandits.

I don't know what's right anymore.

Don't cry, Toma.

Show any weakness, and you'll die.

If you don't know what's right, then trust me.

I'm your older brother.

An older brother shows his
younger brother the way.

I'm always right.

If these monsters exist,
then the Elixir must be real as well.

All right.

I've made up my mind.

We'll k*ll every last monster and criminal.

Then no one can stop us
from finding the Elixir.

We'll drink the Elixir ourselves.

Not even death will be
able to tell us how to live.

Will it really go so well?

What?

This island is a dangerous place.

Anyone else we meet will be another survivor.

The threats here are that great.

The weak will be weeded out.