My attachment to this boy...
This is the end.
A gash epposion?
A gas explosion.
Why did he make a gash epposion?
I don't know.
Why?!
I don't know.
Why did this happen?
It's your fault, Hina!
Why?!
I want to see him again!
We have to get going.
No, we still have time.
The reception only starts in the evening.
But it's already started.
The people from the temple are praying for Keisei even before the ceremony.
You're from Kougon, right?
Please come in.
That's alright.
I'm fine here.
Don't mind us.
Us?
Kagami Oori-dono.
You may have seen me before.
My name is Shirai Risen.
I've been appointed to be this area's auditor.
Auditor?
We are those who support all the priests who are fighting.
Also, we arrange martyrs’ funerals.
I really appreciate that you agreed with us that we held a Kougon ceremony before his all-night wakes.
No.
It was my brother.
This is the funeral of my brother's other identity, right?
There is something you should know right away,
Priest Tagami couldn't become a Shikabane Hime.
That means he went straight on to heaven without becoming a Corpse.
He has passed away.
Sometimes they get betrayed, you know?
By those living dead, Shikabane Hime.
Excuse me?
I am Takamine Sojo from the Kougon society.
That guy...
Keisei was my first student.
In some ways he was like my son.
That why I thought I should discuss something with you.
About us.
People die.
But sometimes there is more to death.
Every death is a part of our society that works and changes something in this world.
You can also say that people become a part of this world after passing away.
People have to die.
But at times, beings who refuse death are born.
They are those who die, but have still a strong attachment or some sort of fixation to this world,
and get reborn as a moving corpse.
This is what we call a Corpse.
There are two elements that can be distinguished between them.
The first one is a regeneration ability that makes them immortal.
It also allows them to change themselves into a monstrous form.
The other is that they believe they are still human and live among us.
But at the same time, they have a hatred towards the living. They have no hesitation attacking.
Corpses have superhuman strength.
Besides shredding them to pieces so small they can't regenerate,
or by demolishing their brain, there is no way to kill of them.
And the only ones capable to do that are the Shikabane Hime.
Shikabane Hime are those who've become Corpses,
but can fight them while being human, thanks to the teachings they've received from the Kougon.
In other words, they are a secret weapon in fighting Corpses.
No, that's an exaggeration, I guess.
Every single Shikabane Hime has her own support we call a Contracted Priest.
They provide the dead Shikabane Hime with life energy we call ‘Run'.
But, they are also there to support them in their fight.
Note: Reiki means aura.
The Contracted Priest and the Shikabane Hime have a connection we call ‘En'.
Note: Shugo means protector.
Today there are over one hundred Contracted Priests in the whole country.
The Contracted Priest of each area is called a Shugo.
Tagami Keisei was the Shugo of this area.
The highest rank in the Kougon society is the Dai Soujo.
The one who fulfills the role below him is the Gon Dai Soujo.
Under him are six priests that each represent a number of temples.
I am one of them.
Moreover: Gon Soujo,
Shou Soujo,
Gon Shou Soujo,
Dai Souzu.
That is the ranking order.
Keisei was a lower class priest.
But, because he died in duty he is granted the title of Gon Shoujo.
It is not rare that priests die in battle.
When the En breaks, the Shikabane Hime can't receive any further Run energy.
This usually results in death.
But sometimes there are those who survive.
There is no other way then to dispose of those as we would any other Corpse.
But, it's quite unusual that a Shikabane Hime is disposed of in those cases.
All Shikabane Hime who fight hope to go on to heaven.
It's necessary for the Shikabane Hime who are lost between life and death to defeat one hundred and eight corpses in order to be freed from their agony.
When a Shikabane Hime achieves that goal, they will be freed from this world.
It's not like we are using them for our own sake.
We are saving them.
I understand the Kougon society is doing a difficult job.
Once I thought that the Kougon society was doing horrible things to the Shikabane Hime.
But what should I do from now on?
I shall explain that to you.
I will tell this to you clearly.
About your situation as the new Contracted Priest of the Shikabane Hime Hoshimura Makina.
New Contracted Priest?
Correct.
I have already made my decision.
As soon as we decide on your successor, you can end the contract with Hoshimura Makina.
Hang on a moment.
My brother gave it to me.
By my brother.
You really think you will continue being her Contracted Priest?
Yes.
You won't be able to achieve anything, even if you continue being her Contracted Priest.
Have you forgotten that you were about die when she extracted all your Run energy?
You should be happy you're still alive.
In the first place, you haven’t gotten any training to be a priest.
You have nothing to do with us.
Where is Hoshimura-san now?
Will she come tonight?
She is staying with us.
Besides, we cannot allow any of those stained ones to attend a funeral.
I see.
All of them...
are Shikabane Himes.
Keisei.
You're such an idiot, Keisei.
I wasn't his real brother.
He took me in when I was about three years old.
I don't remember anything of what happened before that day.
The thing I remember most clearly is the time I saw my little cat die.
Since that day I am filled with thoughts of death.
I can't fear death.
Strangely enough, there are some times when I feel very close to death.
Two years ago, my whole life changed.
My brother became the Contracted Priest of the Shikabane Hime Makina, who was the daughter of the Hoshimura family whom my brother was raised by.
But I did not know the least about it.
I was only worried about my brother who came home wounded from time to time.
Soon after, I became involved in the fight between the Shikabane Himes and Corpses because of my curiosity.
Even if those Shikabane Himes are merely living corpses, Hoshimura Makina looked like a normal girl to me.
But Hoshimura-san...
She said my brother was her fellow soldier.
To her he was the most irreplaceable person.
But, then I realized...
to Hoshimura-san, my brother was someone really special.
That day both Hoshimura-san and I lost someone irreplaceable.
Whoa! Are you going to take all of that with you?!
It's you!
You put all of this in my boxes!
Isn't your name written on it?
But this is your handwriting!
What the hell is this?!
It's the proof of my love for you.
Look at all of these Moe Senshi goods and figurines!
There's more.
I've even given you many items that are sold out nowadays!
This is me, that wants his little brother to be happy.
Why don't you decorate your own room with them!?
Go home already!
Do you want to be alone already?
You want to have fun with all these ladies alone, huh?
Like hell I would!
You want to know why Makina and I fight, right?
Did you ever wonder what happens after you die?
Those that don't believe their deaths have a meaning, don't accept the cause...
those who are obsessively attached to this world, become those monsters we call Corpses.
Brother, if you ever get wounded badly and you...
Then please light up a candle for me.
What will happen to the Dairinkan if you die?!
Those kids...
What should all of us who are left behind do?
I'm sorry, Oori.
I can't quit.
Makina is the only reason why I am a Contracted Priest.
I'm the only one she can rely on.
The thing my brother gave me before he died was...
Yo, Oori.
Idiot.
Master?
Why...
That clothing?
I knew your brother.
Please, come inside.
You too, Akira-san.
I can't go in there.
I'll pass too.
Could it be that Akira-san is a Shikabane Hime?
Hey, master!
This part time worker is useless!
Master?
It came back from the dead...
Eh...
I'm sorry to interrupt.
Could you watch over a friend for a while?
Not again.
I'm sorry.
I was lost in my thoughts.
About that girl?
We're sorry about that.
No.
She said she had to go somewhere no matter what, so we had to let her go.
It's alright.
So, you are her Contracted Priest, Master?
I've been here long enough for today.
See ya.
Please wait.
Please tell me if you are from the Kougon.
I want to become a Contracted Priest.
No.
The contract has already been made.
So I want to become worthy of being one.
I don't want to give Hoshimura-san to anyone.
Do you know the mountains called Goryouzan?
Sadahiro!
That's the place where all of us have trained.
I'm sorry about what happened to Minai.
Let's get going, Akira.
Things once broken can't be fully repaired.
And still you yearn to get it back?
You're so desperate.
Can you see it?
The road of light?