I'm glad you made it here.
I've been waiting for you.
When I heard that voice, I suddenly felt,
"This guy likes to hurt people."
I was sure of it.
Hm? You're unexpectedly brave.
Even though you don't understand anything yet,
you seem to have mastered the use of your left eye.
I can understand why the Princess has been watching you.
Who are you anyway?
Look, I have things to do today,
so I'd appreciate it if you'd send me back where I came from.
My, such impudence.
I have nothing against strong-willed types,
but I do dislike arrogant, worthless humans...
and I hate the stupid ones even more.
Tell me, do you know which is superior, a human or a robot?
The answer is obviously the human brain.
The neurons in the brain have greater information processing power than a computer.
Meaning that humans who cannot use their brains are worth no more than a chunk of metal.
So, I wonder about you.
You! You're from the other world, aren't you?!
What an inelegant way of putting it.
This is a place where impossible events can happen.
Taking that into consideration, it's called "Amatsuki,"
meaning "the moon on a rainy night."
The Princess seems to call your world "Higan," meaning "the other shore."
Amatsuki and Higan.
And so, you will be shown two paths.
Will you destroy Amatsuki and the Princess, so you can return to Higan,
or will you call on me to protect Amatsuki, and become its master?
Destroy the Princess?
Who the hell are you?
What are you hiding?
I discarded my real name a long time ago.
But I will tell you what I go by now.
My name is
"Bon," meaning "awakened one," and "Ten," meaning "enlightened opinions."
Bonten.
Once you have made up your mind, that is what you should call me.
That's the only thing you're useful for.
When you call that name,
I will serve only you, in the whole world.
The Spirit of the Dog and the Sacred Princess
You're finally awake, Toki?
Where am I?
Why am I here?
This is a room inside the shrine.
She let you rest here a while, until you regained consciousness.
You certainly surprised us,
disappearing from before our eyes like that.
When we searched the area, we found you collapsed in the shrine grounds.
What on earth happened to you?
Because you were unconscious, we tried to carry you back,
but then this girl called us.
She said we could use this room.
We couldn't leave you sprawled out on the paving stones all day,
so we accepted her kind offer.
S-So that's what happened.
Shinshu's duty is to act as a guide for guests and help keep the place tidy.
Shinshu, do you live at this shrine?
Yes. You're the one that the Divine Princess wanted to meet, aren't you?
The Princess?
Yes, yes, that's us.
Will you take us to her?
Um, well...
I can't take you to her.
The Princess is dead now.
She's dead?
What do you mean?
Did something happen to her?
No, it's not like that.
The Princess is born anew each day and dies each day.
What does that mean?
What!
I missed them.
Who's there?
We should be the ones asking you that,
vile ayakashi!
You did well getting this far.
Fire!
Wait! You might hit this girl!
My name is Shinshu.
Shinshu-chan, are you all right?
Yeah.
Kuchiha, can you lower the bamboo blinds hanging from the eaves?
Shinonome! You shouldn't use violence against girls!
You...
Don't be so cocky!
What?!
What the—
May your own shadow bind you, bastard!
Any wound you inflict on it will be reflected on your own body!
And that goes for you as well!
It's because you're causing so much trouble.
Shinshu, it's you!
Did you invite them into the shrine?
But these people are—
Shut up! Don't be a fool!
Do you even know what this shrine is?
This is Sakagami Shrine, sacred ground under the care of the great Divine Princess.
You went so far as to deceive Shinshu, in order to take Her Highness's life!
You ayakashi scum!
Hold on a minute!
The Princess herself summoned us here!
This is a misunderstanding.
There is a barrier on that road to lead tainted ones astray.
When the barrier stopped you, and you lost your way on that road,
your identities became quite obvious.
It's too late now to beg for your lives!
But that—
So it was a barrier after all.
Relax.
I'm the sole reason that the barrier was activated.
What are you saying?
However much I may want to deny it,
I can't remove the taint from my body.
Taint?
These two are different from me.
They are human.
They won't try anything, so please let them go.
I'm begging you.
Kuchiha!
I'm begging you...
No, you can't!
You don't have to say something like that.
You don't need to look so sad.
After all, Kuchiha, you're so strong and cool, and you're really cute.
You're a normal girl.
Toki.
Stop your whining!
There's a quick way to find out what you really are.
You see. The shadows pass through your bodies and change shape
to show your true monstrous forms.
Tengu (天狗, "heavenly dogs") are spirits that have both human and avian characteristics.
Just as I thought, you are a pawn of that tengu.
Tengu (天狗, "heavenly dogs") are spirits that have both human and avian characteristics.
Tengu?
What the hell did he do to my eye?!
Kuchiha!
This one is a demon hound.
She's a big catch.
Does she serve the Yakou?
You think I am ruled by such a fledgling?
What a grave insult.
Well, it does come from a third-rate priestess, who has little supernatural power.
What the hell!
Scum!
My, my, you want a piece of me?
Since you so kindly invoked my physical form, I will grant you a quick death with no suffering.
Stop your prattling!
I'll skin you and make your hide into a rug for the Princess!
Vermin! Are you trying to protect this woman?
I have almost no intention of getting in your way,
although coming from me, that is rich.
You! You didn't feel anything from that?
Thanks to you.
You want to be crushed between my jaws too?
Don't rush me. Be patient!
I can hear it, that damned sniggering laughter!
Creepy bastard!
Who are you?!
Show yourself!
Well, well, my apologies.
I suppose the show is over.
Your Highness! You mustn't come out here.
It's all right, Tsuruume.
That boy is the one I told Sasaki to bring to me,
and those two accompanied him, yes?
See! The Princess did summon them!
B-But then, are these people...
Quite so.
He is the "blank page,"
and he is my guest.
That tengu...
It seems that he has done the boy some mischief.
He has used the boy's left eye to spy on us.
Tsuruume, cleanse the boy of the tengu's taint.
At once!
It's all right. A little thing like that can be fixed easily.
No way!
You!
A pleasure to meet you, my guests.
I am the master of this shrine.
I am Shamon's and Sasaki's superior,
a bitter foe to the tengu,
the natural enemy of ayakashi,
and the defender of all humanity.
I am Ginshu.
My humble thanks for making your way here,
Rikugo-dono.
It's—
It's just ventriloquism!
It's probably not, you know.
I can't hear you.
That's definitely ventriloquism.
Just leave it at that!
It's not some haunted Japanese doll!
It's not terrifying!
What's the matter with you?
Ayakashi don't faze you, but ghosts are a whole other matter?
But ayakashi are just like weird animals.
You are a funny one.
But calm yourself.
I do not wear this form by choice.
My role is to defeat ayakashi that perform evil deeds, as the people wish.
But a powerful ayakashi on the verge of death can leave behind a curse.
And I am afflicted by such a curse.
Without inhabiting a doll like this, I cannot continue to exist.
A curse?!
No!
Shinshu! Your Highness! Get back!
That is no curse!
That is retribution.
Retribution for the so-called ayakashi that you self-righteously slaughtered!
It's vermin like you who have persecuted this girl.
What's the matter?
Aren't you going to do something?
Why don't you explain your so-called justice?
It's not that she has no answer, it's that she can't answer.
I'm sad to say that she has no power at all on her own.
Who's that?
She cannot defeat ayakashi or stand on her own feet.
She cannot even speak on her own.
Ah, how pitiful you are, Princess.
Is your desire to live so strong that you would endure so much?
Vile tengu! How did you get in here?
What have you done?!
Oh, I just borrowed this girl's consciousness for a while.
Right now, all I can do is talk to you.
Rest assured that once I settle this matter, I'll give her right back.
Don't screw with me! Get out of her body right now!
As feisty as ever, eh, Tsuruume?
If the Princess were not in that condition, I wouldn't have been able to get in.
Hurry up now. At this rate, she'll be mauled to death.
Wasn't she saying the most inconsiderate things?
She said I performed some trick on the boy's eye?
How rude.
He's different from all of you.
There's no way I would do such a thing on a whim.
If she has degenerated into such a imbecilic mannequin that she can't even see that,
then perhaps she is better off being mauled to death.
Stop!
Stop it!
Shinshu-chan!
I have no desire to kill you. Get out of my way.
I won't!
Move!
You too?
I don't think you ought to pick on the weak.
Stop fighting!
Oh, how boring.
There I was hoping that she would put the Princess out of her misery,
and instead this?
I suppose she turned out to be a useless mongrel after all.
Ah well, in that case,
I'm sure you know your bloodline is going to die out.
You bastard!
You mustn't!
Somebody!
Rikugo-dono, you must stop her!
You have the power to do so.
Quickly!
Stop it!
Stop it!!
Too fragile.
Don't be fooled by appearances.
That thing wears the shape of a dog, but it's a monster.
Visualize something that could stop a beast.
Those ridiculously huge jaws, arms, and legs,
stop them all.
Eh?! What? What just happened?
Th-Thank the gods.
Were you watching carefully, Shinshu?
That power belongs only to the "blank page."
Return this dog to its vessel!
What is that woman letting live inside her body?
Tsuruume-sama, we will treat you immediately.
Thanks.
Kuchiha!
Are you okay, Kuchiha?
I'm fine.
You don't need to move.
I'll get you to a bed—
Get away from her.
She is extremely dangerous.
Hand her over now.
That ayakashi could run amok at any time.
It's the right thing to do, for your sake as well.
You attacked her first!
What do you know about Kuchiha?
He's right. Your paranoia was the cause of all this.
If you have time to accuse people, then why don't you try apologizing instead for once?
You can start with the guy that saved your life.
He's right, Tsuruume.
Stand down.
I apologize for all the fuss and bother.
Once again, I welcome you as our guests,
no, as our saviors, and invite you to enjoy the full extent of our hospitality.
Tsuruume, take this lady to a bed,
and then prepare dinner.
Right away.
That's what you're useful for.
...for the so-called ayakashi that you self-righteously slaughtered!
...you who have persecuted this girl.
My role is to defeat ayakashi that perform evil deeds, as the people wish.
What did you make me do?
That was not my power.
Very well, I will explain it to you in detail...
but it will be a long discussion.
Please step inside for now.
A meal and tea first, I think.
It seems the Princess has invited us to enjoy her full hospitality.
By the way, I'm something of a connoisseur,
so I want only the finest.
Toki, we might get to eat meat for a change.
It would not have been unusual if at least one of them had perished.
Quite amazing.
Are you retarded?
What are you trying to do by making more enemies?
By its nature, an inugami should be on our side.
Turning it against us was a most foolish act.
Oh, do shut up.
You should show some appreciation for all the trouble I've gone through.
Yeah, yeah, well done with your peeping.
You're as creepy as usual.
However, the preparations for the awakening of Hakutaku are progressing well.
Bon, did you do something?
Nothing particularly remarkable.
How reliable!
All by yourself?
I hate to admit it, but perhaps there was no real need for me to be there.
This makes me even more keen to bring him here as soon as possible.
You're sure you're not exaggerating the human's power?
I'm sure of it now.
Nothing good ever came of placing your trust in a human.
Tsuyukusa, you shouldn't be so harsh.
This will make our power greater.
Well, I'm not going to trust him.
Can't you try using your head a little?
It isn't as if I really trust him.
There's nothing wrong with making use of a worthy tool, is there?
And if he outlives his usefulness, then it's over.
I'll get rid of him.
That's all there is to it.
You're so despicable.
I'd prefer it if you said "wise."
Well, my work here is done.
I'm going to rest.
Bon, don't just curl up in a place like that!
What if you catch a cold?
Ah, just be quiet. If you care that much, then come here and be my pillow.
Or should I pull out your feathers instead?
My feathers! Don't pull my feathers out! Ow!
All right! All right, I get it! Calm down!
Stop it!
I told you to stop it!
Stop it!
Next episode
Daybreak and Awakening
Episode 5: Daybreak and Awakening.