01x03 - Norowareshi Mono

[bunniefuu]

Nanoka, did you just use my sword?

I was trying to cut the thread.

That is a sword
only I am able to wield.

What?

This sword, like me,

carries the Byouki's curse.

NANOKA KIBA
Curse?

NANOKA KIBA
What do you mean?

This is

MAO
the Sword of Hagunsei.

MAO
I used it long ago when I fought the Byouki.

I used it long ago when
I fought the Byouki.

During the battle, it was bathed
in Byouki's blood

and became a cursed sword.

Bathed in blood, and it gets cursed?

Time and again, bandits or yokai
have tried to steal this sword.

Bandits?

Anyone who wields the Sword of Hagunsei

ends up spewing blood from head to
toe and dying without exception.

The moment they try
to swing the sword,

the Byouki's poisonous blood
floods their body.

And this sword

always finds its way back to me,

even if it's stolen from me
or I let it go.

Sounds like a curse all right...

So what you're saying is...

Since I was fine after using
the Sword of Hagunsei...

Nanoka...

You might also be cursed
by the Byouki.

Uh...

OTOYA

I know you have much more
to talk about...

And that it's all very important, but...

Huh?
- Huh?

MAO

THE ACCURSED

Otoya! What happened to you?!

Uh... This is...

While you were fighting earlier...

I got caught in the crossfire.

That means...

It's my fault?!

Sorry about that, Otoya.

I won't ever let Nanoka hold
the sword again.

Please make sure she never does.

I did that...

...to you?

Sayoko. You've come to?

SAYOKO

SAYOKO
Dr. Mao...

What just happened?

Sayoko.

I want you to summon the police
after we've left.

They'll question you,

but tell them you fainted
and don't know anything.

But...

You won't be in trouble.

It will be immediately obvious that
a human being was not responsible.

Let us go, Nanoka.

She's fainted.

Wake up.

Eek...

Did I... k*ll him?

I did, didn't I?

Are you all right, Otoya?

Otoya?

You're split in half!

I see.

The original doll has
a crack in it too...

Here you go, Otoya.

What the?!

The calamity has been transferred
to the talisman.

The crack is gone...

All fixed up.

Good.

Uh...

Otoya, what are you exactly?

I'm what is called a shikigami.

A shikigami?

Weren't you paying attention?

Master Mao infused this doll
with his spiritual power to give me life.

That would mean...

Your original form was...

...this?

Yes.

I don't really get it...

But I'm glad you're alive.

I was actually in
serious danger, you know?

Huh?

More importantly,
let's talk about you, Nanoka.

If you were cursed by the Byouki,

that would mean
you've encountered it before.

The monster you saw as a child.

Are you saying
that was the Byouki?

After I saw it,

I was told they found me
covered in blood.

I always assumed the blood
was my own, but...

Are you telling me I was bathed
in the Byouki's blood?

Don't you remember?

No...

I wonder why?

Oh!

But there was a fire!

The town was ablaze...

Master Mao, we must be right about this
town being connected to the Byouki.

Where is the Byouki that
Nanoka encountered as a child?

This barrier...

A barrier only Nanoka
can pass through...

I'll go back home
and do some research.

Nanoka.

Take this with you.

What is this?

It's an antidote.

Take it when you can't get your
powers to work and you're in trouble.

In the modern world, it's more of a problem
when my powers actually do show up.

It's nighttime?!

It was morning
when I left the other side.

Nanoka!

NANOKA'S GRANDPA
Where have you been this entire week?!

A week?!

I was only on the other side
for one night...

I don't understand
how the flow of time works.

Miss Nanoka.

Your grandfather was so worried

FUNA UOZUMI
that he collapsed.

What?!

I'm so sorry, Grandpa!

Grandpa didn't give me
a hard time about it.

Morning.

You're acting like
nothing happened, Nanoka!

HITOMI, HARUKA, YUI NAKAGAWA
I heard you were in the hospital?

You really are frail, aren't you?

Are you alright now?

Oh, yeah...
I'm fine now.

Thank goodness!
- We were all so worried.

Thanks.
- Don’t overdo it, okay?

She must have told that to the school.

Thanks, Uozumi.

But more importantly...

SINKHOLE ACCIDENT AT FIFTH STREET ARCADE
I have to research that accident!

SINKHOLE ACCIDENT AT FIFTH STREET ARCADE

"Around noon on September 1, 2011,

there was a sinkhole accident
on Fifth Street."

"A family of three driving by
got caught in it,

k*lling a husband and his wife."

"Their seven-year-old daughter
was thrown from the vehicle

and miraculously survived."

This isn't helping.

It's all the information I already know.

What're you looking at, Nanoka?

Just doing a little research.

That's unusual.

You are researching something.

I'm not good at this, though.

I never seem to get to
the answers I want.

Well, in that case...

Right?

Hey, Shiraha!

SHIRAHA

Got a minute?

W-What're you doing?

Nanoka says...

...she needs your help.

To do some research.

Sure. What're you looking for?

It's, uh...

About the sinkhole accident
on Fifth Street.

Huh?

Oh, I see.

I thought that accident
was strange as well.

Strange? In what way?

For one...

They never found out what caused
the Fifth Street sinkhole, right?

It wasn't an ordinary sinkhole...

Here, take a look at this.

SINKHOLE ACCIDENT AT FIFTH STREET ARCADE
Right here.

It's almost as if it were gouged out
by a powerful force from the side.

From the side?

Could it have come from
the deserted shopping street?!

Now that I think about it...

That side was on fire.

Something must've happened.

But what could it have been?

What else did you find, Shiraha?

Huh? Well...

Oh, this.

It's a post from a passerby
on the day it happened.

It says...

"As they were trying to
rescue the young girl,

the first responder's glove melted.

Was it acid?"

His glove melted when it came in
contact with the blood on my body.

Could it have been from
the venom in Byouki's blood?

I also found

some follow-up articles from
weekly magazines.

But they're...

What do they say? Tell me!

Uh...

This one, for example.

"A seven-year-old girl was rescued."

"But all of the windows
of the damaged car were closed,

so it remains a mystery why
the girl was found outside the car."

Stuff like that.

Right... When it happened...

I remember feeling like
I was being yanked

by some powerful force.

Why can't I remember
what happened back then?

Thank you, Shiraha.

I wish I could've helped more.

But I'm curious...

Why were you looking into
that accident?

Well, you know...

The girl who was rescued...

That was you, wasn't it?

Uh...

I'm sorry if that sounded weird.

It wasn't because I was being nosy
or doing it for kicks.

It's just that I couldn't stop
thinking about it.

About what?

Uh, well, you know...

Like, you’re really strong, Nanoka.

Strong?

Me?

Not at all.

I'm weak and terrible at sports.

What I'm trying to say is...

You went through so much
with that accident and everything.

But you never show it.

You're always so cheerful.

You're mentally strong.
- He's praising me... I think.

He's praising me... I think.

You're like... I think you're so...

Shiraha!

Thank you.

N-No, don't thank me!

Well, I'll see you again at school!

Bye!

Whoa!
- Oh, Sorry!

So, Nanoka...

How did it go yesterday with Shiraha?

Well, he knew a lot more than I did.

That figures.

He couldn't stop looking into it.

What're you trying to say?

Don't you get it?

Shiraha isn't interested in the accident.

He likes you.

Huh?!

See? He was staring at you just now.

He's always staring at you.

He's so obvious, isn't he?

So that's what this is about?

Pardon me, where can I find Dr. Mao?

Oh, right this way.

Next patient.

What's all this about?

Oh, welcome back, Miss Nanoka.

We found this vacant property,
so we opened a clinic here.

Opened a clinic?

Ouch...

You've got intestinal worms.

I'll give you medicine
to get rid of it.

Thank you very much.

Next.

So he's not trying to exterminate
all the yokai.

There are yokai that are peaceful,

and there are ones that
are vicious man-eaters.

Just as with humans.

Besides...

Master Mao has always been better
at fixing things than at breaking them.

Is that so?

Better at fixing than breaking?

So, Nanoka...

Where were you these
past ten days?

Ten days?!

But I was only in the present
for two days...

While you were away,

we did some investigating on our end.

Our patients are mostly yokai
from the neighborhood.

So you've been asking questions
as you treat them?

Nanoka, you said
you came here as a child

and saw the town in flames.

Yes.

No one has ever heard
of such a fire.

What?

That can't be!

How could there not have been a fire?

But that town and
the deserted shopping street

are definitely connected somehow.

What's going on?

MAO

SHOKO

Priestess Shoko!

Priestess Shoko!
Please bless us!

Where are you, Yoriko?!

She's a charlatan!

Yoriko! We're going home!

No!
- Stop it!

YORIKO
Let's go, Yoriko!

YORIKO
Don't do this, Father!

You'll be punished by the heavens!

Nonsense!

If that woman is truly a psychic who can
manipulate people's lifespans at will,

then let's see her k*ll me
with her supernatural powers!

Three days.

Your life will expire in three days.

MILK HALL

MILK HALL
Then, three days later...

That man really did end up dead.

TENKO
That man really did end up dead.

What was the cause of death?

A heart attack...

Is that what they call it?

He was apparently fine
just the day before.

But...

The town was abuzz with rumors that
Priestess Shoko cursed him to death.

Cursed?

Shall we look into it, Master Mao?

You should go there,
because...

They say Priestess Shoko
can manipulate people's lifespans.

That woman may have
encountered the Byouki.

Huh?
What do you mean?

The Byouki knows how to...

What?

...manipulate human lifespans.

Master!

Who could have done this?!

A cat?

The Treasure House stored secret scrolls
passed down through generations.

It was a place only my master and his
successors were permitted to enter.

The Byouki got inside and
devoured the secret scrolls.

Secret scrolls?

Scrolls that have spells to
manipulate human life?

They were the ultimate secret arts
of the Onmyodo, right, Master Mao?

That's right.

The Byouki gained those powers
when it devoured the scrolls.

That's unbelievable.

You're saying it downloaded the information
in those scrolls by eating them?

Down...?

What could Miss Nanoka
be talking about?

I haven't a clue.

Question.

How many years ago
did that happen?

That would be...

Quite a long time ago.

"Quite a long time ago?"

I've been wondering for ages...

Just how old are you, anyway?

I stopped counting along the way.

But...

I think it's been around




So, you're basically immortal?

Yes.

The Byouki failed to take my life,

so it inscribed a curse
onto my body and escaped.

I don't really understand, but...

Does that mean my lifespan
was somehow affected, too?

That is why...

...we have to find the Byouki.

You and I must find it
to lift the curse.

A woman cult leader
who can manipulate lives at will...

Priestess Shoko may have learned
that technique from the Byouki.

Is that what you're saying?

Unless she's a fake psychic.

So, that's why...

You must go, Nanoka.

Huh?

What?!

Uh... I have to go in alone?

SHORINKYO

SHORINKYO
The Shorinkyo cult led by Priestess Shoko

preaches doomsday prophecies.

It's a common story.

She promises that if
people follow her faithfully,

they will be able to survive
the end of the world.

Her followers are mostly
wealthy students or female students

who are young and naive.

Nanoka, you look just like
a naive female student.

Someone who looks suspicious like me
wouldn't be able to get in.

That might be true, but...

I don't feel good about this.

Newcomers can sit at the front.

Is it okay to take such a good seat?

Sure, have a wonderful experience.

So that's Priestess Shoko.

The Star of Doom,

the Five Yellow Earth Star has ascended
to the center of the heavens.

I can see it.

Huge flames, people fleeing in panic.

And countless dead bodies.

I don't want to die!
- Priestess Shoko!

What should we do?
- Please tell us!

Save us!
- Priestess Shoko!

This is giving me the creeps.

Do not despair, everyone.

SOGEN
As you know,

Priestess Shoko has the power
to control human lifespans.

Before you are protective stones that have
been blessed by Priestess Shoko.

They will protect you

from all disasters
- Huh? Is this a sales pitch?

and spare you from the coming end.
- Please, give me one!

I beg you, Priestess Shoko!

My daughter is sick with
an incurable illness!

Bring her here.

Please, I beg you to help her!

She's glowing!

She opened her eyes!

The thread of her life
has been preserved.

It's amazing!
- Priestess Shoko did it again!

Priestess Shoko!
- It's a miracle!

She saved the baby!

Thank you... Thank you...

Mommy!

Something about it seems so fake...

Why is she trembling?

You're asking about this shabby dojo?

YAMAMOTO JUJUTSU

YAMAMOTO JUJUTSU
It was just the father

YAMAMOTO JUJUTSU
and daughter living here.

YAMAMOTO JUJUTSU
The daughter, Yoriko,

got brainwashed by
some new-fangled cult.

It's my understanding that
the headmaster died suddenly.

That's right.

He dropped dead just three days
after he tried to bring her home.

Rumor has it that the Priestess
put a curse on him.

Gives me the creeps.

I found it, Master Mao!

It's a cursed doll.

It was buried by the entrance
to curse him.

So they know a thing or two
about the dark arts.

SHORINKYO
Give me a protective stone!

Give me one, too!

Me, too!
- One for me, too!

No pushing!

Place your donations here.

Please form a line.

I'll take one!

Me, too!
- One for me, too!

All right. Here you go.

This will protect my life.

These stones have been blessed.

Now I can survive
the end of the world!

This smells like a scam.

A-Are you all right?!

You were shaking earlier.

Yoriko.

Come with me.

Yes, Master Sogen.

W-Wait...

Master Sogen?

He was there with
Priestess Shoko earlier.

What's going on?

Poor Yoriko.

I heard her father passed away
just as Priestess Shoko prophesied.

That's what happens for
calling the Priestess a fraud.

She's the daughter of the man
who was cursed to death?

I need to look into this.

I must save them all.

NEXT TIME
Next time: "The Shorinkyo Incident."

Next time: "The Shorinkyo Incident."