What is this strange Yoma aura?
I sense countless distorted Yoma auras from within the castle...
It's pulsating...
So these are the auras I'm sensing...
Damn.
Surrounded by Yoma aura everywhere,
to think, I didn't even notice these Yoma approaching...
What a bothersome trick!
Ah, ikutsu-mono yoru o koete
Koutta yume to kieyuku namida
Warm me, warm me, wrap me
Hito o aisenai kono mi ga nikui
Doko made aruitemo owari ga mienai
Kako no kioku o michizure ni
Kono mi wa nani-iro ni somari-yuki no darou
Kotae o sagashiteru
No running... No running now.
What is this...
This huge Yoma aura...
Huh?
What the hell? You better not be a man.
If you're a man, you won't be worth tormenting, and it won't be any fun.
Oh, well.
I'll find out once I peel off your clothes.
Huh?
Huh? The path's too narrow...
I can't move.
Ow!
Owowow...
Hey, what're you doing?!
That hurt, you bastard.
Owow...
Ouch. Ouch.
Bastard. Just because I can't move...
You're weak, aren't you?
Damn!
What's a swordsman doing, letting go of his sword?
Huh?
It's a trap, you moron.
Same here.
She's actually pretty good.
Maybe I should've had Dauf bring her here instead of giving her to him.
What the hell...
What the hell are you after?
That's a secret.
If you awaken and join us, I'll tell you.
You've got to be joking.
Like hell I'll ever join you monsters...
What's so funny?
Because, to normal people, you're a monster, too.
Awakened Beings and half-man, half-monsters
aren't actually all that different.
It's just a matter of which side our awareness is on.
But neither of us is human.
That's the truth.
Just as you say,
I may be one such monster myself,
but since I was born human,
I want to live human and die human.
That's my truth.
I like people like you.
Now, I really want to make you one of us, no matter what.
Owowowowow...
That was pretty nasty, you bastard.
Impossible...
He took the brunt of the Quick-Sword technique...
You're not getting away with that!
Second one!
The bone...
Sometimes, it can be harder to heal when it's shattered inside,
than to stick two severed parts together.
Now, I think I'll peel your clothes off and see.
Are you a man? Or are you a woman?
This is troublesome.
I was able to find you pretty quickly,
so I was feeling rather happy, but...
What am I to do in a situation like this?
Having come this far,
I suppose I can't very well go home empty-handed.
Who the hell are you?
You don't even have your sword out. Are you looking to die?
That emblem...
Number 3, Galatea!
Why is she here?! Did she come in pursuit of me?
Oh?
Someone who seems very powerful has come now.
I've got another playmate now, so maybe I'll just crush this one.
Huh?
You're lighter than you look.
You should eat more.
My business here is with this one,
so sorry, but I'll be excusing myself now.
Huh?
Don't underestimate him! He's...
Get real!
What the hell did you do?!
Don't mess with me, bastard!
What the?! Why can't I hit her?!
His attacks are veering off on their own.
That's impossible...
Whoops.
It seems he had a brain in that head of his, after all.
Bastard! How dare you mock me!
You're not getting away with it anymore!
I'll kill you!
I'll strip you naked,
yank out your arms and legs, and after I've dragged out your guts,
I'll toy with you like there's no tomorrow!
You stay here and mend your legs.
R-Right.
But you...
You certainly were set to fight a real good-for-nothing.
Please be careful! He's hard, and swords are no use against him!
No, I didn't mean him.
I was referring to the other one on the lower level.
Were you planning on going to your death?
She's hiding her Yoma aura with tremendous skill,
but if you match her wavelength, you should be able to find her, too.
If my attacks won't hit you,
I just have to make it so they do hit you!
Weren't you going to drag out my guts,
and toy with me like there's no tomorrow?
Huh? What're you talking about?
Galatea!
That's what you get for keeping up your cocky attitude forever! Moron!
Huh?
Your brain switches gears so quickly. I envy you.
I see.
So, ordinary attacks can't even penetrate his outer skin.
Why you!
As I expected, even though your outer skin is hard,
there seems to be some variation depending on the location.
You bastard!
Wh-Why?
It seems the one to be yanking off arms and legs first...
...will be me.
So, this is what Number 3 is capable of!
It's as though she can control her opponent at will!
Bastard! Bastard! Bastard!
Don't cry. It's unbecoming.
It'll only make your ugly face look worse.
What an idiot.
He's really such an idiot, isn't he?
You came out here faster than I expected...
Hey, Dauf, what're you doing?
This is why it's taking forever
for you to get to a level where you can brag that you're my man.
But my punches and stuff won't hit her, and that's why...
There's no way you're unable to hit her! You must be a real idiot!
I-It's true! That's why...
Then, I'll tell you a way to make your punches connect for sure,
so make sure you hit her this time, okay?
Okay. Okay.
Hit her with all your might. Give it everything you've got.
But I've been giving it everything I've got for a while now,
and I still haven't been able to hit her at all...
Never mind that! Just do it!
And just so you know, if you miss again, I'm leaving you.
Y-You can't...
D-Damn it!
Bastard...
Bastard, it's your fault! Damn you!
Huh? It didn't veer off this time.
Galatea!
There you go. That's the way to do it, Dauf.
If you'd been doing that from the start,
you'd never have lost your hand.
You bastard! What did you do?!
I didn't do anything.
You see, she can control her opponent's Yoma aura.
I say that,
but the best she can do is tweak it a little.
She can't actually stop someone from making a move.
So, when Dauf strikes with all his might, letting his rage take him,
there's nothing she can do about it.
This is bad! Dodge it!
I hit her! I hit her!
What should I aim for next?
Looks like we've got a winner.
Oh, my. It's fine to release your Yoma power to heal your legs,
but you've surpassed your limit.
Next... I'm going straight for the head!
Huh?
Y-You...
Go back! Damn it! Please!
Go back!
Damn you!
--Wait, Dauf! --Huh?
Go back! Go back!
Almost there.
I-I can't... anymore...
Who would have thought?
That you would really be able to revert back.
Just now... was that you, Galatea?
I just tried to pull you over to our side. That's all.
I can see why the Organization has its eye on you and wants you found.
Just who are you?
Aw, what the heck?!
And here, I was looking forward to seeing her awaken!
A high ranker, who controls Yoma aura,
and a mystery fighter, who can surpass her limit and still revert back.
I like you!
I'll let you two join me.
What is this large and ominous Yoma aura?
Just...
Just what in the world is she?!
In the long history behind us fighters,
there are three worst case instances of a Number 1 awakening
One during the era of men. Two during the era of women.
They are called the powerful three,
and as beings who represent the epitome of Awakened Beings,
they each went their separate ways.
To the north, to the west, and to the south.
They knew of each other's strengths,
so in this way, they avoided clashing unnecessarily.
After that, they never came out into the open
and they came to be known as the Creatures of the Abyss.
Creatures of the Abyss...
Isn't that right, Creature of the Abyss?
Riful of the West!
Riful... of the West...
She was the first female Number 1 fighter of the Organization.
The fighter who reached her pinnacle
and unleashed that power at the youngest age ever.
You're still so young, I'm amazed you know all that.
But it's not quite right.
It's not as if we were avoiding clashing with each other.
It just so happened that the locations we settled in didn't overlap.
Why have you begun to stir recently?
You are not the only one! The two in the north and south, too!
Each has begun
to draw the Awakened Beings in their respective regions to them.
Just what is it that you all are trying to achieve?
The man to the north picked a fight with me, you see.
For some reason, the man to the north is getting all carried away.
Ever since he got his hands on that woman.
That woman?
She's an Awakened Being,
who was going on an uncontrolled rampage in the north.
A one-horned woman.
Priscilla!
Well, it's not like I'm busy,
so I decided that I'd take him on.
Yup, yup.
And that's why I'm collecting various subordinates right now.
This man...
Where... Where is he?
Huh? What is it?
You're speaking too softly for me to hear.
Tell me the name of the man to the north.
I will kill his woman!
Oh, you know that girl?
Don't give me that crap!
Just tell me the name of the man to the north
and where he is!
That's not a very nice way to talk.
Well, let me think...
If you can land even a single blow on me, I won't mind telling you.
Too bad. That was close.
Overhead.
D-Damn you!
Ouch! Owow!
Come on, now. This is no time to be saying it hurts.
Don't get cocky, you fool!
I see.
Rather than haphazardly surpassing the limit,
it seems surpassing it with clear intent
tends to enhance both power and speed more.
Now, let's hear the answer to my question.
Oh, but I haven't been cut yet.
If you want to die that badly, I'll let you have your wish!
I swear! You're a problem child who takes a lot of looking after!
Aw, and we were so close. That's too bad.
Wh-What was I...
You were just about to join them.
Awakening by letting their cheap provocation get to you...
That's exactly what they want.
Owowowow...
We're going to defeat this hulking monster.
If the Creature of the Abyss has no intent to fight,
we still have a chance.
To do that, we absolutely need the help of the other one.
The other one?
Someone who can thrust her sword into his tough body.
Number 9, Jean, on the lower level. I want her help.
Number 9, Jean...
But she is in an extremely unstable state.
She could awaken at any minute now.
She has likely been severely tortured,
both physically and psychologically.
Given her personality, I believe she would choose death over awakening,
but it appears she is not in a position to do so.
I will handle things here.
You go rescue Jean.
And if she should be beyond help,
you take Jean's life.
Go! There is no time!
You're not getting away, you fool!
Why you!
Bastard!
Owow... Ouch! Owow...
This hurts way more than before!
Jean!
Wh-Why you...
It goes against my sense of aesthetics,
so I prefer not to do it too much, but...
The amount that my power increases by when I unleash my Yoma power
is said to be the greatest of all 47 fighters...
Sorry, but you'll have to put up with this ugly appearance for a while.
Why you! Do you take me for a fool?
You're not getting away with it now!
I'll kill you. I'll kill you!
Ultimately, she's just buying time.
Th-This is...
K-Kill me!
Kokoro... mada anata no kioku no naka de
Karada... sagashiteru tarinai watashi o
Kyou mo dokoka de dareka ga nagasu namida
Tsumetaku warau sadame o ikite-yuku koto
Nakusenai mono nigiri-shime-nagara
Watashi wa ima mo koko ni iru no
Karenai hana wa utsukushikute
Yuruginai omoi o mune ni saki-tsuzuketa
Chigireta kumo no danzai no sora
Tomaranai kanashimi o dakishimeteta
Approaching the limit and surpassing the limit.
A foe from far beyond.
Next time, "The Witch's Maw III."