None of them look like they have any backbone.
It's going to be boring with all these weaklings, Momochi!
Don't be a picky eater, Chijiwa.
Weak or not, with enough of them, you can gain a bit of spell power.
Yeah, yeah...
Man, you're such a nag, Momochi.
It'll make for a decent snack, at least.
Eat as much as you want.
I'll go first, then.
Let's split them half and half.
The rest are yours, Momochi.
Go on, eat up.
What's wrong? Hurry up and eat.
Eat, Momochi.
Eat them, please...
Shut up!
Momochi!
The Twin Stars...
What do you want, Kuranashi?
Chijiwa...
I can fully understand your rage.
We've had many of our comrades taken away by the exorcists, after all.
The real problem is the barrier that encases Magano.
For over a thousand years, we have been trapped here.
But that ends today.
I had the exorcists I drew into Magano create this.
Now you're free.
You can move about in the real world.
Simply say, "Rowengaimu."
Rowengaimu!
So it keeps me enveloped in miasma at all times, huh?
Now, go.
To avenge Momochi—to the Twin Star exorcists!
The Puppeteer's Revenge I Am Not Alone
Narukami Private Academy
Shimon!
No.
What?! I didn't ask anything yet!
You don't need to.
Every time I see you, you beg for training or help with practice. It's irritating.
I've been trying to come up with a new move.
I've experimented a lot, but nothing has worked out.
I was hoping for advice!
Shimon, please!
Shimon!
I don't recall being on a first-name basis with you.
Don't address me so casually.
Seika Dorm
The new head exorcist believes there's a chance the Basara will target the Twin Stars.
I sensed a presence like a Basara on the campus once,
but nothing has seemed out of place since then.
I see.
And?
And...?
How's high school life going?
I'm... not sure I understand.
You became one of the Twelve Guardians at a young age.
You don't have any friends close to your own age, do you?
An exorcist's first priority is fulfilling their duty.
I don't think friends are necessary.
Yeah, I used to think that, too...
They always tag along when you don't want them to,
they're loud, nosy, and a complete hassle...
They seriously pissed me off.
I'm not seeing any argument in their favor.
The thing is, even if they're a pain,
there are times when you're glad to have them...
Every once in a while.
Hey!
Pardon me, sir.
Hey, where are you headed?
I need to get back to my investigation.
Good grief...
Twin Star Exorcists' Home
It's... good.
Right?!
I bet Rokuro will like it, too!
That just leaves the final touch!
While you let it cook, you put your feelings into it!
That kind of thing is surprisingly important in cooking...
Oh, it's my mom.
Hello? Sorry.
I'm at Adashino-san's house, and we're making curry...
Feelings...
Benio-sama!
I saw how to put your feelings into cooking on TV the other day!
"Become yummy, become yummy..."
Love ~Kyun Kyun~!
I have to... do that?
It's supposed to add lots of affection and make it real tasty!
A-Affection?
Affection! Y'know, love!
Affection...
Love?
B-Become yummy... Become yummy...
Love ~Kyun Kyun~!
L... Lo...
Love! Kyun...
Kyun!
Hot! Hot, hot!
M-My eyes!
Oh, man! That's right...
How long are you going to stick around here, boy?
Benio-sama is waiting for you with dinner!
She is?
You should hurry back home, then.
Benio-san's home-cooking! Sounds great!
Nah, I hear it tastes pretty intense, actually.
But I bet she makes it in nothing but an apron—
I guess you're finally settling into married life.
Woo, woo!
Give it a rest, guys.
When something she cooks doesn't work out,
it actually gives me chills, on top of wrecking my stomach.
And when she does get it right, and I make the mistake of complimenting her,
she makes the same thing for an entire week!
Therefore...
"I ate at the Seika Dorm, so I don't need any dinner,"
Menacing
is the plan I'm going with.
R-Rokuro! Rokuro, behind you!
Menacing
B-B-B-B-Benio!
You suck, Rokuro.
You damn imp!
Are you saying you're not gonna eat food
filled with Benio-sama's affection?!
By the way, today I made your favorite...
Curry.
Curry again?!
It's been nothing but curry for a month!
Wait, really?
A word of advice, runt...
If you're a man, you shut up and eat the dinner that's served to you.
That's an experienced spouse for you!
It has a lot more significance coming from him!
Could it be he's... hen-pecked?
Why did he hit me, too?
Now, let's go home.
No!
Have you ever woken up from a nightmare where you're drowning in curry—
I apologize for the fuss.
Those two really get along well, don't they?
Woo, woo!
She just keeps tightening the leash.
He'd never get away with cheating.
That curry was even more intense than usual...
What the hell did she put in it?
A new technique... I don't want to lose anyone else.
One I can use to protect the people close to me without fail...
Not just people I can reach myself, but even at a distance...
A move like that...
Okay.
Narukami Private Academy
Nothing again tonight...
Shimon, I'm begging you!
I just need you to take a look at it! Come on, please!
I'm busy.
Come on, tightwad!
Do they get along or not?
Hard to tell.
Huh? A cursed doll?
Is that for real?
It really is!
What's up?
There was a doll nailed to a tree out back!
Two of them, in fact!
Creepy...
Isn't that how you cast a curse at the hour of the ox?
Late at night, between 1 AM and 3 AM, you drive a nail through a straw doll...
The idea is that you send the curse through the doll to the target of your hate.
And it's probably...
Trying to curse someone to death...
Where are you going, Shimon?
To investigate, obviously.
But class is about to start!
My priority here
is my duty as an exorcist.
Hey!
Is that where the nail was?
What happened to the doll?
Why did you follow me?
Because we're exorcists, of course.
What do I do?
I'm the class representative, but I'm skipping class?
I'm turning into some kind of truant punk class rep!
Where are you going?
It looks like he's investigating faint traces of spell power.
By following that trail...
We might find a clue!
All right, come on.
Narukami Private Academy
To do something like that... Do you think it was a Basara?
Most likely.
A Basara at school...
But something is strange.
O-Otomi...
Don't be so fearful.
If you're an exorcist, you need to maintain your composure at all times.
S-Sorry!
I think something just moved...
Huh? Benio-sama!
Rokuro!
You okay?
Yes.
Where are we?
The gym...
Dolls?
Are those supposed to be us?
The Miko, who will bring about the end of Magano...
The husband and wife exorcists who give birth to the Miko are called...
the Twin Star Exorcists, isn't that right?
They're complete strangers,
yet they have the nerve to claim to be the ultimate duo.
So, what do we do?
We curse them.
If they find a trace of our spell power,
the exorcists will follow its trail.
And once they brazenly show up, we take them.
And so, the Twin Stars, having stupidly fallen into a trap,
were torn asunder and died.
What a happy ending.
You're...
I've been waiting to see you again, Twin Star Exorcists!
We lost contact with the Shinshu and Chuo branches yesterday.
That means contact has been lost with over 70% of our regional outposts.
After learning of this, the new head exorcist
issued orders to the Twelve Guardians.
They're to head to the different branches and provide support.
He sent the Twelve Guardians...
What in the world is going on?
You're that Basara!
How can you be here when there's no miasma?
Is he... using enchantments?!
An enchantment of miasma?!
This lets me stay in the real world as long as I want.
I will slaughter the two of you
and avenge Momochi!
Avenge?
You two killed him!
We did fight your partner, Momochi...
But we weren't able to exorcise him!
You're playing dumb, after all that's happened?
We're not playing dumb!
We have to fight him.
We can't let him do any damage to the school.
Right.
Now, bring it on, both of you.
Here we come!
Star Armor Master Talisman: Inferno!
Exorcism Enchantment Ensemble: Astral Disaster!
Noble White Fangs!
Now to enact my revenge...
Are you seriously trying?
Meteor...
Magano Gate, open!
...Smash!
Meteor Smash
It's going to work!
Sorry, Momochi...
I came to see you, but you're just gonna chase me off?
That's ice cold.
Let's have a little more fun!
Rokuro!
Too slow!
This guy...
His spell power's clearly grown stronger since last time.
Yeah. I'm stronger now.
When he died, Momochi entrusted his spell power to me.
In that case...
Burning Stone!
Crimson Strike!
Resonance, a power only the Twin Stars can use...
But it's so simple to break.
I only need to stop you from moving and keep you separated.
Momochi, which should we kill first?
Him. Starting with the right arm.
Good idea.
First we'll tear off that obnoxious arm...
Rokuro? Rokuro!
Who's there?
Suzaku of the Twelve Guardians.
Ikaruga Shimon!
Rokuro! Adashino-san!
There's no need for the Twin Stars to fight.
Stay back.
I only have business with the Twin Stars. Get out of here!
No.
Protecting the Twin Stars, who will bear the Miko,
is one of the duties of the Twelve Guardians.
If you want to fight them,
then you need to defeat me first.
Move!
Om tathagata udbhavaye svaha.
Thank you.
No. It's the least I can do.
Rokuro?
Ikaruga Shimon...
He really is amazing!
Damn it, quit darting around!
Guardian Master Talisman!
Vermilion Wing, come forth at once!
You—
This is bad!
If the other students see this, there'll be mass panic.
Huh?
Om garudaya svaha...
Karura's Descent From Heaven, come forth at once!
He vanished!
Up above.
He...
Awesome! He's flying!
Of the many exorcist spells that exist,
only Suzaku's enchantments enable flight!
Shimon became Suzaku at the age of 14, the youngest ever...
But his operational range
is the uncontested best among the Twelve Guardians!
You seem well-informed about Suzaku.
And you sound rather proud.
N-Not really! I just saw it before!
And I think it says something about it
on page 358 of volume 8 of the Exorcist Almanac...
Your strings cannot impede Suzaku's flight!
Namo bhagavate rudraya.
Minna goharaya savabhina enkaraya.
Satva setro bhinashaya om cavara
shitsuru shinna kavrabro rotrokynyuu,
hayate svaha!
Vermilion Hawk Infinite Screen, come forth at once!
Vermilion Hawk Infinite Screen
My wings of Suzaku will fly wherever they must...
Until my foe is defeated!
He got him!
Being able to take out a Basara solo is really impressive!
This is...
Caught you.
This isn't enough to—
Not happening.
Shimon!
What are these strings?!
These strings made of my spell power pass through skin,
wrap around bone, and take control of your body...
Just like a curse.
A curse?
What is this?
Wh-What the heck?
The students are all strung up!
This is...
Let me introduce you to my puppets.
Go on, say hello.
Now do you understand why I chose this place?
Because there are so many people here who come in contact with you!
You two killed Momochi...
I'm not just going to kill you.
I'll make you kill people close to you, let the despair sink in,
and after you've suffered more than you thought possible,
I will then grant you death!
Now...
Who will you kill first?
Ikuta Choko said,
Next Episode
"When you see many enemies before you,
look behind you, and see that you have many allies, as well."
Why are you telling me this?
What Must Be Protected What Is Really Important?
Because you're kind of a loner yourself.