Natsume Yuujinchou
Hiiragi!
Natsume?
It's Houdzuki-sama!
What? What have we done?
Wait. Something's strange.
Is that really Houdzuki-sama?
The deer horn mask...
It must be him.
No, I smell a child of man, faintly.
A child of man?
It can't be...
Is a human trying to deceive us?
Wake him up!
See!
How dare you!
Do you not know that I am Houdzuki?
Did Fudzuki allow this?
Are you really Houdzuki-sama?
If you are, then show us your face under your mask!
I can't...
Something's wrong here.
Grab him!
Strip him of his mask!
He ran!
Chase him!
Wait.
Could a human command youkai in such a manner?
Then it must be Houdzuki-sama...
But I'm sure I smelled a child of man.
What is this?
Fudzuki-sama.
You see...
The God, Enshrined
Natsume!
I'm fine.
I just hurt my shoulder.
What about Hiiragi?
She'll wake up, if we can let her rest for a bit somewhere.
Good.
Take us back to that house.
Am I a taxi?
Sensei, once we put Hiiragi down,
take me down the river once more.
Why?
When I was swept down the river, I felt a small presence.
That was probably Houdzuki-sama.
I'm gonna go fast.
I'll catch up soon.
Understood.
Your friend...
It's a minor wound.
Hiiragi...
I'm fine.
I'm pleased that your friend is safe.
Now please, go search for Houdzuki-sama.
So then, now that Natsume's gone,
there's something I want to confirm.
Yes?
Was Houdzuki-gami truly sealed?
What do you mean?
When was he sealed?
No... you were in quite a hurry when you asked Natsume.
You could've taken action much earlier.
I thought you might be taking advantage of his
powerful spiritual energy and kindness, and planning something.
Could it be that Houdzuki-gami is gone?
The flow of time and the loss of people's faith eroded his power,
and the exorcist destroyed him, perhaps?
Or perhaps, as the black robes said,
he got sick of this mountain, and you, and left?
Perhaps you're planning on making
Natsume out to be the new Houdzuki-gami?
I see.
That's an excellent idea.
You...
Excuse me.
It was a joke.
But it's true that Houdzuki-sama was sealed.
It was three years ago.
Then...
The reason we did not act,
until the last minute, was that we made a mistake.
A mistake?
The winner of the Moon Splitting Festival dwelled
in a shrine deep in the mountains,
watching over the mountain and its villages.
We had guessed, as you say,
that with the loss of the people's faith
it must have been a boring life.
Then, an ignorant exorcist came to this forest,
with its many youkai,
and happened across Houdzuki-sama, who he sealed.
I imagine he was trying to test his own power.
We searched everywhere for the stone he was sealed in.
However, it was a weaker exorcist who did the sealing.
The seal was feeble.
Houdzuki-sama should have been easily able to break free.
Thus, we assumed that he had grown tired of watching over the mountain from his shrine,
and decided to rest for a while inside the seal.
We assumed that, when the fun of the festival began,
he would appear again.
We waited and protected the shrine.
When he returned,
we planned to suggest that this be the last festival,
and that with his task over,
we could leave on another journey.
Yes, just as you say,
the seal may have been broken long ago.
He may have left these lands.
But...
Yet, he may not be gone.
The seal may be stronger than you thought,
and he may be waiting for your help.
Was he the kind of master who would leave you behind?
If you decided in your hearts to serve him,
then believe in your master.
Natsume.
Natori-san.
Where's Hiiragi?
I'm having her rest a bit more, just in case.
Is this the spot?
Yes, probably.
At the bottom of the river?
No, it probably didn't fall in the river...
You're really amazing,
to be able to sense a presence while being swept down a river.
He must seem like a pretty valuable tool to an exorcist.
Of course.
I'd love, more than anything,
to have a powerful and talented assistant.
However, I don't want to lose a dear friend, either.
Sensei, Natori-san!
I think that's it.
That's it, huh?
That's not good.
We can't get down there.
It's okay.
I think Sensei can do it.
What?
Sensei, look at that.
The beast is there, too!
Hide for now!
This is bad.
We can't even get close.
It will repel the fangs of a youkai, just once.
That saved me.
I know, Natsume!
I've got a great plan!
I'll eat it and you take back its head!
Everybody will bow before you!
You can't have a god do that.
Everybody will freak out.
We don't have a choice, do we?
Even if we find Houdzuki-gami first,
if Fudzuki-gami gets the beast first, we lose!
I'm sure that even if Houdzuki-gami loses,
you're planning on asking me to solve everything,
but even I might get cursed if I go up against a god.
He's right.
Natori-san?
I suppose it doesn't really matter how we bring him back.
I have the spell and vial I prepared to seal Fudzuki-gami.
It might be a better idea to use this to catch him,
than to take his head.
Natori-san!
Want to try it?
Yes.
This way!
That which is not shadow, that treads on old ground,
you are under my power.
Show yourself.
Natsume!
Right!
We did it...
Natori-san, thank you!
I'm sure this will work!
Thanks for lending us your power, Nyanko-sensei...
Sensei!
Natsume Yuujinchou
What was that light?
I feel something unpleasant.
Natsume, take the vial and go to Misumigahara.
I'll hold them here.
Natori-san.
If I can, I'll go back to that cliff and get Houdzuki-gami.
It'll be fine, Natsume.
You've come this far.
You're almost there.
You can do it.
Go.
Yes.
You be careful, too, Natori-san.
Hey, did something just go that way?
I won't let you go after him.
A human!
What is a human doing here?
Is he planning something?
Is he going to exorcise Fudzuki-gami?
Exorcising a god is difficult,
but I can play with you.
Come.
Both of them are late.
Maybe neither of them will catch it.
Hurry.
Hurry!
The legends say that if Fudzuki-gami wins,
the mountain will dry up, yes?
How terrifying.
It'll be fine.
Houdzuki-gami has never lost before.
That's true.
Look, he's here!
He's here!
Which one is it?
A crown of peonies... it's Houdzuki-gami!
He did it!
Houdzuki-sama won!
Something's wrong with Houdzuki-gami.
He's a mess.
He looks just like...
I, Houdzuki, am here first!
Then show us the beast!
You have done it!
The winner is Houdzuki-gami!
I did it.
Now...
It's Fudzuki-sama!
Fudzuki-sama!
You are not Houdzuki.
What?
That's...
That's a human!
He was tricking us!
You humans flattered us gods with your worship,
then tired of us and abandoned us.
Did you banish him as well?
Answer me.
What's that?
Even I might get cursed if I go up against a god.
Sensei, no.
Beast, you forget your place.
Nyanko-sensei!
Natori-san!
Natsume, take this.
You should be able to undo the seal.
This is Houdzuki-gami?
Houdzuki-gami, please, wake up!
These are Houdzuki-gami's memories?
Is this a dream?
It was a smaller festival than I imagined, with less people.
Still, it's warm.
Thank you for your help, child of man.
Why do you make that face?
No.
Sharp.
As you suspect, my power is almost gone.
To the point where I couldn't even undo that seal.
Even if I had won the festival,
I lost the power to protect the mountains and forests long ago.
Then the festival is over?
Yes, it's over.
Then we have no more reason to visit this mountain.
If you wish, you may vanish here on this mountain,
but would you rather come with us?
Fudzuki...
Let us go, Houdzuki-sama.
We shall protect you!
Let us go... Let us go...
Natsume-sama,
thank you.
Thank you... Thank you...
Natsume! I'm so glad.
Natori-san...
Sensei.
You shouldn't make any sudden movements.
Houdzuki-sama and the others...
Look.
That's Houdzuki-gami and Fudzuki-gami, and their followers.
Pretty, isn't it?
I'm sure those two are the gods.
It's strange, isn't it?
The two groups, which looked like they hated each other,
are now shining the same color as they vanish into the distant sky.
Natsume.
I'm glad...
I did it.
Thank you, Natori-san.
I'm glad you came.
I couldn't have done it myself.
I couldn't have done it myself... I'm sure.
That's right.
That's right, Natsume.
Thus the Moon Splitting Festival came to an end.
I was laid up for several days from exhaustion,
and was forced to listen to Sensei's endless complaints.
Jeez, what is wrong with you?
You get involved in something so stupid,
and then you get sick from exhaustion?
Sensei...
You're heavy.
Shaddup.
That's a spring breeze.
When my fever goes down,
I'll visit Natori-san, once in a while.
Oh, Takashi-kun.
Are you okay now?
Yeah, I'm going for a walk.
Don't force yourself.
I promise.
There are still times when our
different ways of thinking make me hesitate,
but I feel like there are ways
we can balance each other, because we're different.
The youkai of Misumi have decided
to continue protecting the shrine of Houdzikigami.
I see.
By settling the matter without banishing the god,
Natori's reputation among the other exorcists has improved again.
He's a smart kid.
Has your wound healed?
Yes. It was nothing bad.
I'm glad.
It's possible the charm you drew had an effect.
You drew it on me first.
Does that charm work on logs, anyway?
That's true.
I retract my thanks, then.
He's here.
Thank you.
If there are things you want to ask, or things you want to say,
say them to him directly, later.
Yeah, that's right.
Sorry.
Been waiting long?
A Single Photo
Natsume Yuujinchou
What are you looking at, Natsume?
A picture of my parents.
I didn't know you had one.
When I was little,
I tried as hard as I could to forget about them,
but I'm okay now.
You keep that stoicism up
and you'll become a weakling.
Watch us next time!
Natsume Yuujinchou
Everybody'll kneel before you!