One day, the Lady Miaka Yuki, a middle school senior…
…accompanied her schoolmate Yui to the library.
It was there that she saw a vision…
…of a bird which seemed to glow burning red.
Then, after wandering into a room…
…they found an ancient Chinese book entitled…
…“The Universe of the Four Gods” and began to read it.
The apparent magical power of the book…
…suddenly transported them both to an unknown land.
There, they met a boy who carried the mark of ogre upon his forehead.
Later, searching for Yui after they were separated…
…the Lady Miaka wandered into the capital of Konan.
Just when she faced danger again, the boy reappeared to save her.
But the Lady Miaka was completely unaware…
…that Yui had already returned to their world.
I thought it was you. What are you doing here?
This place can be really dangerous—
I… I was scared… I was so scared!
Relax. I took care of those guys.
It’s all right now, so cheer up.
Oh, yeah. I heard you were looking for me.
Yeah… Do you know where Yui is?!
Yui?
You know, the girl who was with me.
You took her with you! Do you know where she is?
Oh, HER!
I have no idea.
See ya!
Hold it!
How dare you make fun of someone asking a serious question!
I’m not letting go till you give me a clue!
All right! All right!
You’ll really tell me?
Yeah, yeah.
Then tell me! Where’s Yui?!
How should I know?
You…! Come back here!
Stop!
Now wait just a minute! First of all, aren’t you at all concerned?
A girl on her own gets separated from her friend…
…and is wandering around in a totally unfamiliar place!
Oh, you…! Are you listening?!
Aren’t you gonna say “Right, I see. Just leave this to me!” ?!
Look how I’m begging you! You call yourself a man?!
Jeez, you just don’t shut up, do you?
You have no money and no right to act so high and mighty!
If you want somebody to do something For you, you gotta pay for it.
Come on, pay me some money.
You… All you talk about is money. Is that all that’s important to you?
Yeah, it is.
Did you…?! Did you sell Yui into slavery?!
I don’t believe it! How could you sell a girl?!
Hey!
Shut up, you villain! You fiend! You beast!
Who are you calling a beast?!
Get away from me, you slave trader!
What?!
Hey! That guy’s a slave trader!
He must be trouble.
Everyone, stay away from him!
Low life!
Really! The world’s going to hell.
Everyone! Listen to me—
What are you saying? Gee, I can’t take you anywhere, can I ?
Well? Have you decided to help me look for Yui?
Would you cut it out?!
Oh-ho! Then maybe I should tell everyone about your business again.
Are you threatening me?! I’m not a slave trader!
I know.
You WHAT?!
What’s the big idea?! That hurt!
Payback!
You’re cruel! I don’t know anyone here! I have no one to turn to!
I have to… I have to find Yui fast!
Don’t you feel sorry for her?
Hey…
Jeez… I’m not playing games here. It’s not easy to find someone.
What’s that?
The emperor’s procession.
The emperor?
Yeah. Inside that fancy caravan is the emperor of Konan.
Wow, it’s so pretty…
Man, that crown on his head…
No, if only I had just one ornament off of that crown…
Is the emperor rich?
That’s obvious, isn’t it?
Is he nice?
Well, I haven’t heard that he’s bad.
Hey! I’m going to ask the emperor for a favor!
I’ll ask him for an ornament off his crown.
Then we can both look for Yui together!
— Promise me! — Sure thing.
Hey, Your Highness! That’s the emperor in there, right?
— Who are you? — Oh, me? I’m a nobody.
I just have a favor to ask.
Is she…?!
Could I please have an ornament off of your crown?
THAT IDIOT!
Come on, you’re rich, right? You can spare one. Please?
Uh-oh!
Ow! Oh…
You little…!
For your unforgivable rudeness to His Highness, you will be punished!
Hold still while I cut your head off!.
Huh? Why? What did I do to get my head cut off?
I don’t have to answer you!
What’s goin’ on?! I can’t see anything!
Are you stupid?! You wanna get killed doing something like that?!
But…!
All right, just don’t cry! Since you had the guts to do that…
…I’ll help you find your friend.
What? You… You will?
Yeah. My name’s Sou Kishuku, but everyone calls me Tamahome.
Tamahome? My name’s Miaka Yuki.
But I can’t repay you.
Don’t worry. I’ll take my payment now.
There they are!
You fools! Prepare to die!
You…!
Get His Highness’ caravan out of here!
Hurry!
Wait.
— What’s all this uproar? — It’s that girl from before.
She suddenly began to give off a red light!
A red light?
Look! The girl’s disappearing!
What is this?
“The girl was surrounded by the red light and vanished…”
Yui… It’s Yui!
This is the library! Oh, thank goodness!
You made it back ahead of me. Please, Yui! Notice me!
Yui! Yui!
YUI!
— Guard! — Highness!
Seize the girl and that boy at once.
Miaka… You…
“By order of the emperor, the girl and the boy…”
“…were captured and thrown into prison.”
Yui! Yui, you got back!
Miaka, you were going to take the Jonan entrance exam with me.
But you have no chance.
Mom?
No, you have no chance, Miaka.
Mom, wait! Don’t go!
Are you all right?
Pervert!
What?! You’re the one who grabbed me!
Oh, yeah. We were captured by those Konan soldiers.
What, are you still half-asleep?
You’re sure calm about getting thrown into a dungeon!
Besides, who are you exactly? What was that light you gave off?
Well, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.
Yui… Yui went back home…
Yui was the other girl, right?
But I didn’t make it back…
Don’t cry. I’ll find some way to get you back. Don’t worry.
— Really? — Well, I was already paid for it.
Idiot…
Highness, the boy and the girl must be put to death!
They say the girl gave off a strange light and vanished!
They may be demons!
Highness, give the order!
Wait, please. That girl was dressed in foreign clothing.
Don’t you think there may be something more to this?
B- But…!
I have an idea that the girl… She may be the Priestess of Suzaku.
The Priestess of Suzaku?!
You mean the girl from the legend, Highness?
Yes.
Oh, and on top of everything, I’m really hungry.
I’m so hungry…
I’m in luck! Gum! This should help calm down my stomach.
Hey, girl! What did you just put in your mouth?!
Show me what you have in your mouth right now!
What this? What a pain…
Get away! That’s disgusting!
A ghost!
Who are you calling a ghost?!
Whoops!
These should do the trick! Hey, that was quick thinking.
Really? Thanks!
A… A monster! Help!
Oh, I’m getting it from everyone!
Are you sure I can have this incredible stuff?
No take-backs, okay?
What are you talking about?!
You’re so stingy about a couple of pieces of gum!
Uh-oh! Someone’s coming!
— What are you doing?! — What about you?!
Jeez!
Darn it, I sure chose the wrong guy to ask for help from!
— Miaka. — What?
Look at that.
That’s… That’s the bird I saw drawn in the book!
It’s Suzaku.
Suzaku?
There’s one guardian god each for the North, South, East, and West.
The god who protects the East is Seiryu.
The god who protects the North is Genbu.
The god who protects the West is Byakko.
And the god who protects the South is Suzaku.
Suzaku is the guardian deity of Konan.
Of course, the other 3 gods are worshipped in the other lands.
Well, first of all, we should see about getting out of here.
Right, Miaka?
Hey, Miaka? Where’d you go, Miaka? Miaka!
Let’s eat.
Oh, I’m stuffed! I feel so much better now!
Wow, you gotta love how great real Chinese cooking is!
By the way, Tamahome—
Oh, no! I got separated from Tamahome! What’ll I do?!
I don’t know where to go! I wandered all over here!
I’m lost!
What’s wrong? You’re lost, aren’t you?
The gate’s over there. You can get out.
Thanks.
You’re the girl they captured before, aren’t you?
Yikes…
It seems you are. Is it true you were rude to His Highness?
What do you mean? I’m just a middle- school student passing through.
Anyway, bye-bye!
Don’t worry. I’m on your side.
I won’t call the guards after you. So, please relax.
R-Really?
Oh, that little idiot! Where did she go?!
Uh-oh!
— Hey, hold it! — Intruder!
Halt!
You want to find your friend?
He got thrown into prison on my account.
If I don’t get him out…
…I’ll never be able to go back to my world.
“Your” world…?
Are you saying you’re not from this world and you came from another?
Yeah.
Oh, no! I just said something weird she’ll never believe.
What’ll I do?
That’s amazing!
How interesting! Another world, you say?
That’s just amazing!
Relax. My name is Hotohori.
Although I’m usually called by another name.
I’m Miaka Yuki. You can just call me Miaka.
I’m pleased to have made friends with you.
Something wrong?
No, it’s nothing.
It’s just that you’re so pretty, Hotohori.
Indeed, I am.
Come on, walk! Let’s go!
Quickly! Hide!
C’mon, talk! Where’s the girl?! Where’d she go?!
You gonna talk?!
— I dunno! — Still resisting us, huh?!
I can’t tell you what I don’t know!
Maybe she ran away while you guys were chasing me!
— Why, you…! — Wait!
Miaka!
Please don’t hurt him!
Stay back, you idiot! Miaka, what are you doing here?!
Because… Because I couldn’t just leave you!
Miaka!
Tamahome!
If you bastards lay a finger on her, I’ll make you sorry!
Silence! Silence, all of you!
No one will harm either of these two without my orders!
Who the hell are you?
It… It’s the emperor!
Really?
Hotohori’s the emperor? This young, beautiful woman?
You idiot! The emperor’s a man!
No way.
Shut up! Just bow, already!
Totally flat. Which means he’s got one of THOSE down there!
Don’t think that far through!
Forgive me, Miaka. I didn’t mean to trick you.
I hid my identity because I wanted to learn your intentions.
At the very least, you don’t appear to be enemies or demons.
Then you won’t…?
No. We won’t harm you.
However, I have a request.
Miaka, will you save Konan?
There is an ancient legend that says, when the empire faces destruction…
…a single girl will appear from another world…
…and she will gain the power of Suzaku and save the empire.
Oh, no! That couldn’t be me!
I’m just a middle school student! An exam candidate!
I’m only here by mistake!
Well, then, wouldn’t you like the power of Suzaku?
Have you no wishes?
Wishes?
“This is the story of a young girl who single-handedly…”
“…gathered the Seven Stars of Suzaku…”
“…and gained the power to make all her dreams come true.”
“The story itself is an incantation…”
“…and whomever reads it gains the main character’s power…”
“…to have their wishes granted.”
Then, if I become the heroine of “The Universe of the Four Gods”…
I can become the kind of girl who looks good in tight dresses!
I can have any boy in school!
I can be strong enough to beat up any bad guy I wanted to!
I can eat all my favorite foods every day!
Oh, yeah… And I can get into any high school I wanted to!
Well? You can have the entire world if you so wish it.
I’ll do it! I’ll do it! I’ll do it!
I’ll be the Priestess of Suzaku! I’ve been waiting for this role!
Listen to me, all of you!
This girl is the one who shall gain the power of Suzaku!
She who shall save our empire, the Priestess of Suzaku, has appeared!
“The girl took upon herself the role of the Priestess of Suzaku.”
“Hundreds of courtiers formed ranks before her and bowed low.”
The Lady Miaka, now proclaimed as the Priestess of Suzaku…
…begins the search for the Seven Celestial Warriors of Suzaku…
…in order to gain the promised power.
Just then, the Lady Miaka and Tamahome…
…trapped under a collapsed gazebo…
…are rescued by a beautiful young woman.
Next time, “The Seven Stars of Suzaku.”
The star of a new legend is shining.