What's with that look of defiance?
Shimon!
That's better.
These stupid strings—
Cut them and he'll die.
Those strings are made from Chijiwa's spell power.
Forcibly sever them,
and they'll remain in the body, destroying it from the inside out.
Let's cut one as a demonstration.
Shimon!
You're one of my puppets, too.
Which means Chijiwa holds your life in his hands.
Whoa, there. Who said you could fall over?
On your feet.
What are you...
Nothing special. Just shortened his lifespan a little bit.
Say what?!
People with weak spell power take damage from being wrapped with the strings.
That's terrible...
This is hilarious, Momochi.
They can't do anything.
Now, how shall I get rid of the Twin Stars?
You can brutally torture them,
or you can just tear them apart quickly.
Do what you want, Chijiwa.
Let's see...
What would be the most amusing?
Come to think of it, you said it yourself, didn't you?
Protecting them is your duty.
Suzaku of the Twelve Guardians...
Kill the Twin Stars.
What Must Be Protected What Is Really Important?
Exorcist Union Naniwa Branch Office, Kansai
Thanks for calling, Arata-san.
Hiya.
How are things on your end, Mr. Ujii?
The Naniwa branch office in Kansai is an empty shell.
I don't see a single exorcist.
There's no sign of Kegare in town.
How about on your end?
The same here.
At a glance, it seems totally peaceful.
Except for the fact that the exorcists have vanished.
And from what I've heard from the other Twelve Guardians,
it's the same everywhere else, too.
We were sent to provide backup to the various outposts,
but there's no one to back up.
For so many exorcists to disappear all at once,
and with no traces left behind...
What do you suppose is going on?
It's probably the calm before the storm.
We're on the verge of a major battle.
By the way, Mr. Ujii, I have a favor to ask.
There's a Naniwa-exclusive Magical Girl Bonbonbina T-shirt
being sold at Animenco. Would you buy it for me?
It costs 3,132 yen...
Since you didn't ask me sooner, add transportation costs,
a handling charge, and a fee for my trouble.
That comes to a total of 10,000 yen.
I'll take it!
Thank you very much.
On the verge, huh?
Oh? So you can resist my strings.
That's one of the Twelve Guardians for you.
Your spell power is impressive.
I am Suzaku of the Twelve Guardians, Ikaruga Shimon!
I will not be threatened by a Basara!
Even if it costs me my life!
You idiot!
What morons.
Even if they run, I can retrieve them easily with a little tug of the strings.
It's amusing, though. Why not have fun with it?
It's not like they can leave this place.
That's right, they can't leave.
They can't escape.
They can't be saved.
You're right.
Find them.
And then play with them.
You two will die slowly, in my hands...
There's a barrier made of string around the building.
Kinako?
I've got him covered.
Found something that'd be handy to possess.
There we go!
Shimon, are you okay?
Yeah...
Forget about whether he's okay.
What the hell were you about to do?
Cutting those strings means you die!
You were already in a ton of pain from just cutting one!
I, as one of the Twelve Guardians, have a duty to protect the Twin Stars.
Even if it costs me my life—
Screw that!
I'm not here for that kind of protection!
I can fight—
Your job is to bring forth the Miko!
There's no need for the Twin Star Exorcists to battle!
You're not considered part of the equation!
So you expect us to just sit around and wait?!
All people die eventually!
I've seen the deaths of more exorcists than I can count.
They were all trying to protect something,
and fought without worrying about their own lives.
So now it's your turn to be sacrificed?!
If that is my duty as one of the Twelve Guardians...
Even to protect something, there's no such thing as an acceptable sacrifice!
Whether you're a regular exorcist or one of the Twelve Guardians!
Rokuro.
Move.
Stand aside.
What are you—
Hallowed Ground Cleansing, come forth at once!
The strings are gone...
How?
Otomi-san had a bright idea.
If the strings are made of spell power,
can't they be exorcised with spell power?
Plus, when Chijiwa cut one before,
there was a delay before Shimon felt pain.
I thought we could purify him at that moment!
Looks like they've figured out how to escape the strings.
But no matter what they do, the outcome won't change.
Right...
There's no way they'll all survive.
We can save everyone now!
With no sacrifices!
Do you really think that's possible, given the situation?
It's not a question of whether it's possible.
That Basara is strong.
Your Resonance didn't work against him.
I don't care. No one dies! No matter what!
Ikaruga Shimon...
Trying to stop Rokuro is pointless.
He'll never give up once he's made up his mind.
That's just how he is.
Didn't you struggle against that Basara because you were fighting separately?
Dad said something once.
The Twelve Guardians are strong, so they can exorcise a lot of Kegare.
But no matter how strong an exorcist is, there's a limit to what they can do alone.
Seigen-san said that?
No exorcist is perfect.
So they fight in teams to compensate for what the others lack.
And that's why the Exorcist Union was created.
So if we all work together...
Then you've got a shot at winning!
Otomi-san.
You and I should save the people caught in the strings.
R-Right!
But there are so many...
Can we help them all?
If we cleanse each one individually,
we probably won't be able to save every student.
I think the Basara who set the strings has to be defeated.
Got it. I'll beat him!
Not possible.
Listen, man...
You can't do it alone.
Which is why I'm going, too.
Enmado...
You and I are going to exorcise that Basara.
Yeah!
Help the others until we exorcise the Basara.
Let's get this done, Mayura!
Together.
Right!
But how're you gonna fight?
That Basara's crazy strong.
If you take him head-on, you're just gonna get torn up.
I'm not thrilled about it...
But we'll try one of those "gambles" that I try to avoid.
This is my trump card.
It doesn't look like you've come back because you've given up.
Obviously!
Basara, the two of us will defeat you.
The two of you?
Not even the Twin Stars, but two people with no connection at all
are going to beat me?
I'll tear both of you to shreds!
Here they come!
Come on, let's go!
Hallowed Ground Cleansing, come forth at once!
If you've been cleansed, you're with me!
Do you have enough talismans?
Yeah, I'm good! You guys gave these to me,
so I'm going to make extra sure
to cleanse the heck out of everyone!
Good to know.
Let's help them!
Right!
Profane Enchantment!
Eight Claws, Hundred Nightmares! Come forth at once!
Is that... all you've got?!
Go away!
You're next!
I'll put all my spell power into defense!
My toughest, most absolute defense!
Iron Cliff Wall, come forth at once!
Why?!
Why, why, why?!
Why were you able to beat Momochi?!
You mean to tell me Basara care about their friends?
Well, screw you!
We've lost plenty of our own, you know!
More exorcists than I can count have been crushed and lost!
So I'm just as pissed as you!
You're nothing like me!
You bastard...
I have a dream...
To exorcise all Kegare and create a world without fighting.
I don't have time to waste doing something like this!
Now!
This is my trump card...
Suzaku Crystal Talisman.
This talisman activates the technique the Twelve Guardians use
to don their true power, the Divine Enchantment.
Divine Enchantment...
It multiplies spell power more than tenfold, but it carries a big risk, too.
Divine Enchantment can be active for five minutes at most.
And the backlash of using it is that I'll be in no shape to fight for hours afterward.
If I'm going to use this, it needs to be for a guaranteed victory.
It's a move that has a high risk, for a high return.
All right, so I'll be a decoy and create your chance!
But...
If you need a guaranteed hit, that's the least I can do.
I'm counting on you, Ikaruga Shimon!
Sorry to keep you waiting.
Vermilion Wing, Divine Enchantment!
What?!
Get some rest.
From here on...
I'll finish this.
So this is Shimon's Divine Enchantment.
The conflict between exorcists and Kegare that has lasted millennia...
Many exorcists were sacrificed in that time.
To protect others... I will live!
And to protect them, I will exorcise you!
I'm wiped out...
There are too many!
I'm running out of talismans.
But we have to protect them!
An end to seven torments, as seven leagues return to the stars,
come forth at once!
Thanks for the save, Mayura-han.
But now we can't move from here.
Rokuro...
Shimon!
This is it.
With the next attack...
M-My whole body's numb... Has it been five minutes?!
Or is it the damage caused when the string was cut?
What's wrong?
Looks like you're at your limit!
My limit? What of it?
I never thought I could exorcise you without taking a risk!
I'm counting on you, Ikaruga Shimon!
If I don't surpass my limits now, then when will I?!
Golden Winged Extreme Impact!
Golden Winged Extreme Impact
Cleanse! Purify!
Go, Shimon!
Come forth at once!
They've stopped?
You people are done for...
Done for? What do you mean?
Wh-What are those?!
I'll be dead soon...
And once I'm dead, the rest of you will die!
Blasted by Momochi's explosion!
E-Explosion?!
These Momochis...
are linked to me.
Momochi was the only one who made my solitude bearable.
That's why I made him...
Can you people understand what this kind of loneliness is like?!
You, who live with others by your sides at all times?!
So I'll kill you all...
It's going to be grand!
You really wanna blow up the doll you made of your partner?!
I'll do it because it's a doll of him!
Momochi and I were always together!
We were born together...
And we were supposed to die together...
So I'll be blown up, too, and disappear!
I won't be alone anymore! I won't be lonely!
I won't let you...
Attack one of the dolls and they'll all explode!
From the beginning, there was no way you people could survive this!
The Twin Stars, Suzaku, you're all coming with me!
That's not happening!
I couldn't reach them...
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't reach them.
I don't even know how much I've lost...
But that's exactly why I can't afford to lose anything else!
Divine light that gives form to shapeless fate,
firstborn son in all creation!
Reach through the mantras upon this talisman, beyond the halls of Heaven,
and to the creator who reigns over all!
Divine light, hear my call!
Die, all of you!
Come forth at once!
Gold Smash!
Gold Smash
Momo...chi...
Huh?
What just happened?
He attacked the Basara and all of the dolls simultaneously, stopping the explosion.
Rokuro used his new technique.
Rokuro, that's amazing!
That technique...
Was it inspired by the killing curse?
The same way the curse is sent to a hated target through a doll,
you used those seals to project your shock wave to your target at a distance.
The number of seals
and the time it takes to prepare the shock wave seem to be limitations,
but it's not a bad technique.
The killing curse gave me a hint,
but most of the inspiration came from you.
Me?
After seeing you fly, it hit me.
I want to be able to fight like that!
Ikaruga Shimon of the Twelve Guardians is pretty impressive!
Wh-What's wrong?
Nothing...
W-Well...
I'm trying to say...
Just Shimon's fine.
Thanks, Shimon!
Right!
Good work, Chijiwa. Your actions bought plenty of time.
It won't be long now.
Soon all exorcists will vanish.
Just a bit longer...
What is this?
When I listen to it, it helps me calm down and focus better.
I'll make you a copy, Enmado.
Oh, er, I'm...
The Twelve Guardians are all being summoned?
I've sensed an ominous atmosphere.
Suzaku, Ikaruga Shimon, please return at once.
Wait, please!
We've defeated a Basara, but we haven't verified Kuranashi's intentions,
and I can't say for certain that Narukami is safe yet.
The Twin Stars must be protected.
It is, in fact, for that purpose.
What do you mean?
I can give you the details once the Twelve Guardians have gathered.
I'm asking you, as acting head exorcist, to do this to protect our world.
Understood.
Shimon, dinner's ready!
We got lucky today!
It looks really good!
I'm sorry.
Next Episode
Dazai Osamu said it!
"Man was born for love and revolution."
I don't think a revolution's in the cards, so we'd better find love!
Right, Shimon?
Again, why are you asking me?
Spirits Soaring in the City of Romance Tell Me Honest Feelings
Like I said, you're kind of a loner—
Stop saying that!