As the Lady Miaka set out for Hokkan…
…before her appeared Soi, one of the Seiryu Seven.
HAKUJIN-RAIHOH!
It was the holy sword given to her by Hotohori…
…which saved them from this crisis.
Attention all patrons. The library is about to close.
Hey, Keisuke! What do we do? Should we leave?
Not yet! We’ve got to check this thing out!
Don’t forget the book!
Hey! Where are you going?!
Where we won’t be bothered!
Brr… It’s so cold!
Where’s Tamahome?
He headed off with that nasty little kid.
What’s wrong with Tasuki?
He got scared of Tasuki’s face while they were playing…
…and started to cry, you know?
HOW IS MY FACE SCARY?!
Whoa! Whoa! Just calm down!
They’re probably in the woods behind us.
Nuriko!
Bring him a blanket.
I’ll go right now!
C’mon! C’mon! What’s wrong?
You’ve gotta loosen up!
Don’t you want to learn how to ride right?
But…
If a man can’t ride, people will make fun of him!
You want that?
No way! I’m gonna learn to ride, no matter what!
Good! That’s the spirit!
Tamahome?
Miaka…
Okay, it’s getting late. You’d better get to bed.
See you!
Sure! See you!
You really have a way with kids.
Why do you think I started hanging around with you?
Hey, I’m not a kid!
Well, to me you seemed like a little sister.
I… I was scared… I was so scared!
Oh, so you just think of me like a little sister, huh?!
I did at first…
Then I realized I was in love with you.
Tamahome…
After you summon Suzaku, I want us to be together.
And you?
I also want to be with you, Tamahome.
No, what I meant was WHERE should we stay together?
I’ve been worried about this for a while…
…but when I heard about the Priestess of Genbu…
The Priestess of Genbu…
After she summoned Genbu, did she go back to her world?
Tamahome?
Well, that’s what they say, but I don’t know any details.
Will you go back to your world after you’ve summoned Suzaku?
I don’t know about your world, and I can’t go there.
But a priestess… You can…!
Tamahome just exists in this book.
And I’m a person from the real world outside the book.
I knew that… but I didn’t want to think about it!
I’m just a middle-school student…
Just an exam candidate.
And my mother… My brother…
All my friends are there!
It’s where I spent all 15 years of my life.
My real world…
But Tamahome doesn’t exist there.
I-I… I…
Don’t go!
Don’t go back there!
Stay with me!
Tamahome! We can’t do this! Let me go!
I don’t want to!
Always… I’m always worrying about it!
I don’t want to lose you!
If I stay here, I give up my old world forever.
But if I do it, I never have to leave Tamahome!
I don’t want to leave you. I…
I’ll stay here! I’ll stay here forever!
I’ll give up my family, my friends…
…the world I’ve always known…
If I can just be here with you, I can give it all up!
I want to live with you!
Above all, be careful!
We will! Thank you for your hospitality.
Big Brother!
Hi!
I promise! I promise I’ll learn to ride!
Because then I can ride to your country!
Okay, that’s a promise, then. We’ll see each other again.
Goodbye, Mr. Scary-Face!
Should I punch the little brat or not…?
Goodbye!
Nearly there! We have to find the Shinzaho in Touran.
I’m sorry about this, Yui, but…
No! For Yui’s sake, too…
…I have to summon Suzaku as soon as I can! I have to…!
It’s your turn now, Ashitare…
Lady Yui and Suboshi set out for Touran…
This is the land of your birth.
With that strength you have…
…find the Priestess of Suzaku… and slaughter her.
So, this is Touran.
We finally got here!
I’m cold.
It’s snowing!
Wow… It almost never does this in Konan.
The weather’s too nice there.
It’s been so long…
In my world, it would snow during the winter.
Wait! That’s right… I decided last night.
That, once I summon Suzaku, I’m staying here in this world.
That I was going to give up everyone…
My family and friends.
Well, then, now where should we go?
Right now, we’re at the city gates, you know?
We should split up and look for any clues about the Shinzaho.
Since Chiriko’s just a kid, I’ll go with him.
My pleasure!
Since Tasuki’s such a hothead…
…the much calmer Mitsukake should go with him.
What’s that supposed to mean?!
And, naturally, I go with Miaka.
What about Nuriko?
I’d prefer to go with Miaka and Tamahome.
I have to protect you in His Highness’s place.
Hey, baby!
Oh, yeah, you’re a pretty one!
How’s about you share my drink with me?
Excuse me, but I’m not that cheap!
Hey, baby! Maybe you shouldn’t go with Miaka.
Looks like there’s plenty of drunks around here.
Hey, lady! Want a drink with me?
No kidding.
If seeing two girls here brings out this many perverts…
…we’re never going to get anywhere.
Okay, I get it! I just have to not look like a girl, right?!
What a waste…!
Nuriko, are you sure about this?!
Now you can’t look like a girl!
It’s all right.
I told you, it’s time I quit doing the gay act.
Besides, I can’t have this flapping all over the place…
…while I’m trying to fight the Seiryu Seven!
The Seiryu Seven…
That’s right. They may hit us when we least expect it.
Exactly. The problem is finding a way to all keep in touch…
…while we’re split up looking for the Shinzaho, you know?
I can’t use magic, or the enemy will be able to find us.
Yeah, that’s a puzzler.
I have a great idea!
Hey! Don’t scare me like that!
What sort of great idea, Chiriko?
These!
Fireworks?
They’re signal flares!
If you find out anything about the Shinzaho…
…just light one of these off to let us know.
They can be seen from anywhere in the city!
Touran…
I smell it… I smell something delicious.
I smell the Suzaku girl and her friends!
What was…? Was that a howl?
A stray dog…?
What is this? Why do I suddenly feel like…
…something horrible is coming closer to us?
Hey! Hey! Look! Did you see this monument?
What is it?
Well, there’s a carving of Genbu on top.
You think there might be a connection?
What is all that?
Those characters look like worm-tracks!
Oh, excuse me! Could you read this for us?
Oh, this? This is the ancient writing…
…we stopped using 200 years ago.
Ancient writing?
The only people who can read it now are scholars.
I know someone who can read it.
Are you travelers?
You said there really is someone who can read this?
Yeah. My father.
I can take you to him. Follow me.
Let’s take him up on that!
Hold it. I wouldn’t if I were you.
Everyone knows that man’s a good for nothing bum!
His father WAS a scholar, but he’s fallen on hard times.
You don’t have to come.
I’ll go!
Miaka, you stay here with Nuriko and wait for me.
I’m going, too!
Nuriko, take care of Miaka!
Gotcha!
I hope he’ll be all right.
You aren’t cold, are you, Lady Yui?
Yes, I am!
You don’t have to be so direct about it…
Nakago said that we’d find clues…
…about the Shinzaho if we searched here in Touran.
And that he was sending Ashitare against the Suzaku Seven.
Have Miaka and Tamahome arrived here already?
I heard from Nakago before.
About how that guy rejected you. Was it Tama—
Lady Yui!
Lady Yui?
Hey! How much further is it?!
We’re here.
Yikes… I’ve got a bad feeling about this.
You’ve got money, don’t you?
I had a feeling it’d be like this. So, you were lying.
I wasn’t lying.
The guy drinking at the table to my right is my dad.
You’ve traveled this far, so you must have some money.
Now give it to me!
I see. Sorry, but I don’t have any.
I have to borrow some myself.
I see… Well, then, you can pay with your body!
Y-You’re into THAT?! Sorry, but I like girls!
What are you talking about?!
Since you’re just standing there not taking me seriously…
…you’ll pay the price with a little pain!
That’s how it goes.
Should have just done what I said to begin wi—
Ooh, that felt good! So, you done now?
Wh-Why, you…!
Wait!
You’ve lost, son! And you, boy!
You don’t seem like the usual sort of…
…idiot treasure hunter we get around here.
I’m sure.
Another second and I’d have smashed his face.
For an understanding father, I’ll show some mercy.
Uh-oh…
It’s nice to finally be away from Suboshi…
…but now I’m lost!
Still, it’s nice to be alone for a change.
I see… You’re one of the Suzaku Seven, huh?
In that case, listen well! This is what that monument says:
“This monument lies on the spot the Priestess of Genbu appeared…
…who, with the seven stars, saved our land forevermore.”
“The Shinzaho lies hidden deep within a cave atop Mt. Koku.”
“He who opens the cave must also be one…”
“…who does the will of the 28 constellations.”
The Shinzaho is in Mt. Koku!
Miaka’s going to be so happy about this!
Yu…!
Tamahome!
What’s taking Tamahome so long?
What are you talking about? He just left, didn’t he?
Hey, Nuriko…
Don’t you have any regrets about cutting your hair off?
Never mind about that. I thought having this hair…
…could make up for losing my little sister, Korin.
Still, you look really cool with your hair cut like that!
Oh? Haven’t you ever noticed how attractive I am?
Gee, you sure take compliments quickly!
What are you implying?
What are you doing here?
Of course. You’re after the Shinzaho, too.
Relax. I’m alone right now.
Neither Nakago nor Suboshi are with me.
Do you still consider yourself Miaka’s enemy?
I think you know her better than that.
You know she didn’t betray you!
None of that…
Don’t you see that doesn’t make any difference now?!
I’m the Priestess of Seiryu! That makes me your enemy!
This is your chance, isn’t it? Why don’t you kill me?!
Look out!
Let me go!
Why are you acting so nice?!
Especially when you feel nothing for me!
That’s not true! You’re a good person! And you’re Miaka’s friend—
Stop it!
We can never be friends again…!
Why are you so stubborn?! There’s still time!
You still haven’t summoned Seiryu!
No…
I’ve already made up my mind. To summon Seiryu!
But don’t worry. I don’t intend to do it to get you.
That’s going to be Miaka’s wish to Suzaku, isn’t it?!
For you two to be together?
For what reason? It’s stupid!
Because if she doesn’t summon Suzaku…
…you could never spend your life with Miaka!
Who cares about you?! You’re just a character in a book!
What’s wrong, Miaka? Cold?
No…
I just suddenly got a bad feeling…
Feeling…?
I’m really worried about Tamahome!
I’m gonna go look for him!
Hey, Miaka! Me, too!
I’ve found you.
Are… Are you sure about this? It says to keep out.
Enough already! Just keep your eyes on that book!
Okuda… Okuda… Where did it go?!
Right, right. I hear you.
Okay… “As Nakago had ordered…”
“…he arrived to kill the Priestess of Suzaku…”
WHAT?!!
Priestess of Suzaku!
Die.
MIAKA!!!
Seven Celestial Warriors were brought together…
…to protect the Lady Miaka.
Sharing in their hearts the willingness…
…to die fighting for her is the pride of the Suzaku Seven.
And for Nuriko, it is the reason for his existence.
Next time, “To Die for the Star of Suzaku.”
A sacrifice for the one he believes in…