Hinohara...
Hey!
There are some things I want to ask you.
You seem to be his friend, so tell me about Hinohara.
What'd you say?
Huh? You are his friend, right?
Arata!
Honestly, I take my eyes off you for a second, and you're gone.
Come with me. We're going to say hello to your teacher.
Sorry about this.
Come on!
Hey, hang on, lady!
Don't call me "lady!" Call me Mom!
You have to say hello to your teacher. Understood?
You won't get away with screwing around like that.
Please look after him.
Homura
His memory hasn't returned,
so I wanted to give him a little more time off,
but he insisted that he wanted to go to school.
"Mom," huh?
Yo, Hinohara.
Come with us for a sec.
We brought him, Kadowaki.
I thought you had shut yourself up at home,
and now you're faking amnesia?
Whoa, what a great view!
The sun is there, so the Hinohara house would be over there!
What's with him?
Hey!
Yeah? What's up?
Do you really think I'm...
Who do you think you are?!
I only came because I was asked to.
I should be asking who you think you are.
What's with that big shot attitude?
Hey, for a guy who wasn't gone very long,
you've learned to talk pretty tough.
You guys aren't Hinohara's friends.
Friends?
If you want friends, give us your money.
Then we'll be your friends.
Idiotic.
Hold it!
I don't deal with wimps who can't do anything
without a gang to back them up. Later.
What?!
Hinohara!
All right, you wanna play?
Happy to oblige!
What, it's over already?
Kadowaki, I don't know what Arata did to you,
but he's putting his life on the line in my place.
I won't stand for you belittling him.
Are you okay, Kotoha?
I'm fine. I just took a little spill.
Kanate!
You're such a klutz, Kotoha-chan.
You leave me no choice.
Here. I'll carry you.
I'm sorry, Master Arata.
Let's rest a bit.
That's all right. I can walk.
I'm sorry!
You can't keep going, Kotoha-chan.
We should rest in that grove we just came through.
You're right. Can you make it?
Thank you.
Careful.
Okay.
It's pretty swollen.
You're with the Uneme clan. Can't you heal it?
We can't heal ourselves.
Oh... That's kinda inconvenient.
I'll go look for medicinal herbs, then.
I know one that works for pain.
I appreciate it, Kanate.
Thank you.
All right! Leave it to me!
I'm sorry this happened when we're in a hurry.
It's okay. Don't worry about it.
Just let me stay like this.
These are the only times I get to do this.
Even though you're right beside me,
sometimes it feels like you're so far away.
It makes me feel lonely.
I am a girl, after all.
Just a normal girl.
Master Arata...
I'm going to check the area.
That's right, it's not me she's thinking of.
It's him. It's Arata.
Yo, Hinohara!
Arata...
I see. So Akachi took Kannagi's Hayagami.
Sounds like things are getting dicey there.
Yeah.
You're a Sho now, too. Be careful.
I know.
Are you sure you're okay?
Y-Yeah.
Oh, yeah! How's Kotoha doing?
This is an important time for Master Arata.
How could I...
Arata...
How do you feel about Kotoha?
Huh? Why do you ask that all of a sudden?
Uh, no reason. Just curious.
Well, we've been together since we were babies,
so I've never really thought about it.
A little sister, I guess?
I can't say she's like an older sister.
Yeah, that's it.
If I had to say, I'd call her a little sister.
Really? A little sister?
Yeah. A precious little sister I have to protect, no matter what.
Even though we're separated now, since all this happened.
So I'm counting on you, Hinohara.
Protect Kotoha in my place.
All right. I promise I will.
All right! I trust you!
Yeah.
Let's see...
What's this all the way out here? Someone's grave?
Hey! The herbs!
Kotoha-chan's gonna be so happy!
She might even give me a thank you kiss!
What's going on?
Whoa, that's hot!
What the hell is happening?!
Oh, yeah. I should let you know what's going on here.
I went to school.
School?! Was that okay?!
Yeah, it was fine.
There was one annoying guy there, though, so I popped him one.
What? That's not okay at all!
It's fine, I tell ya!
Please, just behave.
So, who was the guy?
Oh, his name was Kadowaki.
He sure is weak, for all his big talk.
Oh, he's not your friend or anything, right?
I saw a... What's it called? A photo?
Hey, Hinohara?
What's wrong?
Okay, later, Hinohara! Good luck!
Give Kotoha my regards! Bye!
What's up with him?
Kadowaki...
You're wide open.
Kannagi!
How about you give me your Hayagami?
The sword of origins that will reign over the world...
Tsukuyo.
Kannagi... Is it really this easy?
Is this what I was after?
Give me your Hayagami!
Never!
Give it to me.
Did you...?
Sadly, without Homura, I no longer control the flames.
A lava flow runs along an underground vein in this area.
Occasionally, it bursts through the surface like this.
The flames here devour people.
How?
I've lost Homura,
but as long as the chosen ones exist in this world, I am a Sho.
In other words, flames are still my very being.
Appear!
Why do you want this Hayagami?
I'm the one Tsukuyo chose!
Only until your life ends.
Hand it over, and I will kill you painlessly.
Even if I die, you don't know that Tsukuyo will choose you—
Quiet!
That Hayagami is the only hope I have left!
I'll use that Hayagami to make Akachi submit and get Homura back!
Now, give it to me!
Move and I'll kill you!
You can kill an unarmed man?
What's wrong? Come on, kill me!
You'd rather lose than hurt your opponent?
Pathetic boy.
Why did Tsukuyo choose someone like you?
Master Arata!
Lord Kannagi, please stop!
Kotoha!
Master Arata!
Emisu...
Kotoha!
They're in trouble!
Don't, Master Arata!
There's still something you have to do!
Don't worry about me! Just run!
I promised
that I would protect you!
Master Arata, why?
Arata! Kotoha-chan!
Kannagi...
Kannagi,
let me introduce you to the new helpers
who will work at the mansion starting today.
This is Akachi and Emisu.
Nice to meet you,
Akachi and Emisu.
Arata! Kotoha-chan! Are you okay?!
Kannagi!
Lord Kannagi!
Aw, man!
You've improved a lot.
I'm an even match for you now.
No, I'm stronger!
Oh, is that right?
You've got a way to go, Young Master.
Man, you're pissing me off.
Kannagi!
You have to try harder!
Don't get too conceited!
You, too, Emisu? That's harsh!
You have to become truly strong to protect those you love.
You do have someone you love, don't you?
Do your best for her sake, too!
Right...
Back then, if the lord of the domain hadn't...
If the previous Sho of Okoro hadn't died and lost his domain...
It's mutiny! The servants are revolting!
The master has been killed!
The young master... Is the young master safe?!
Don't let the son escape!
Kill anyone who sides with him!
Emisu!
Give me your hand!
We can ride this down to the ocean! We can escape!
Come on, Akachi!
Go! Leave these guys to me!
You fool! What are you saying?! Get in!
That only carries two.
Take care of Emisu.
Don't let them go!
Go, Kannagi!
Akachi!
Kannagi, go back!
Akachi is...
It's no use. My power isn't enough.
A burn, of all things?
And he was fine in the middle of those flames.
I bet it's a wound he got before he became a Sho.
Or perhaps, a wound of the heart.
Emisu...
Emisu!
Emisu...
Thank you,
Kannagi.
Emisu...
There's someone on the ground!
Master Ohika?
Let's get them to the village.
"I will make Emisu happy."
That thought alone kept me going
when I left my homeland of Haniyasu
and wandered until I arrived here in Kagutsuchi, barely alive.
Haniyasu... You came from that far away?
All the people of Kagutsuchi were kind.
Emisu and I decided to live out our lives here.
But then...
It's been five days. At this rate...
I'm going to look for medicinal herbs.
Emisu, the underground vein is active right now.
We must wait until it calms.
How long will that take, Master Ohika?
Two days? Three days?
Calm down. You have to stay calm.
Emisu?
She couldn't have...
Emisu!
Kannagi!
I'm coming!
Don't! Stay away!
Emisu...
Kannagi... Thank goodness...
Why?!
Why? Why?
God of flames, why did you take Emisu?
I give my life to you!
Without Emisu, I have no reason to live!
Homura, god of flames!
Take me to Emisu's side!
I have heard your request.
Your lamentations are as flames.
You are suitable to be my Sho.
I am Homura!
I watched Emisu die.
In return, I became a Sho,
and thus I still live today.
To me, Homura is Emisu herself.
That's why I will get it back from Akachi, whatever it takes.
Lord Akachi and Lord Kannagi were so close before.
Yet, now this has happened...
I wonder why...
Join us, Kannagi.
Come with me.
We're going to change this nation,
this world.
Oh? Arata the Sho...
I never imagined he'd coax Lord Kannagi to his side.
Looks like things are getting interesting,
Lord Yorunami.
You're certain?
I see.
So they're on the move.
The Six Sho.
Every damn one of them...
If I hadn't said that, they'd have made me their target, too!
Why don't I jump in to back up Kadowaki, then?
Because of him...
Orochi
He took my place away from me!