Hiyori-chan...
The person before you is both Juujou Hiyori and Princess Ichikishima.
She absorbed the great aradama.
Just as I once did.
Why?
It was likely Princess Ichikishima's will.
She wished to be absorbed by Juujou rather than Princess Tagitsu.
And Juujou has gained the strength to repel Princess Tagitsu.
Hiyori-chan? I'll ask about the details later,
but let's get back to the others.
Stay back!
Please, just stay back.
Why?
For just a moment...
Kanami, I saw myself cutting you apart over and over and over again.
It's future sight from the dragon's eye.
Princess Ichikishima inside you can predict possible futures
and show them to you.
Hiyori-chan, does it hurt?
Hiyori-chan!
Don't go after her!
Etou, go back and report what's happened to Sana.
Tell her to prepare for Princess Tagitsu's next attack.
But what about Hiyori-chan?
I'll go after her.
You wouldn't be able to do anything, even if you did go after her.
What Juujou needs right now is to control the aradama.
I can teach her how to do that.
Got it?
Katana Maidens
Episode 21 Sword of the Thunder God
All of you should rest up a bit.
I'm fine. Please, let me join the search for Hiyori-chan!
No, you need to rest up and stay in top condition.
Your abilities are indispensable to us.
Princess Tagitsu will be after Hiyori-chan
now that she's fused with Princess Ichikishima.
We have to protect her!
Kanami-chan...
You don't think anyone but you can do it?
That's not what I meant...
This isn't like you, Kanamin.
Let's just take a brief rest, so you can settle your feelings.
Yeah, you have to recover before a boss battle.
Leave the hunt for Juujou to us.
The bureau director has gone after her, too, hasn't she?
Yes.
Director...
Both of you take a rest, too.
The situation is what it is, and I will need to rely on you as well.
Has Yomi still not been located?
There have been no reports at present.
I doubt even Yomi-san could have survived those wounds.
Satsuki Yomi has ingested an unusual number of aradama.
I would like to save her if possible,
but we must consider her under Princess Tagitsu's control.
No, we can't say that for sure.
She seemed to have some kind of strong resolution of her own.
Not something given from someone else.
I don't believe it is anyone's will but Yomi-san's.
Then why has she been fighting all this time?
I'm not sure.
Yomi...
So you were exhausted, after all.
Mai...
I want to get stronger.
Eh?
I've always thought I was strong.
And it was easy to complete the missions I was given.
But now I want to get stronger.
I want to get stronger and be of use to everyone.
Even more than Kanami and Hiyori.
Sayaka-chan...
You've grown up a bit, too, Saaya.
It's all right.
You'll get even stronger now.
Acting like she's the older sister...
Origami Yukari...
Does it hurt?
Ironic, isn't it?
You used to be the one possessed by an aradama,
and I was the one trying to kill you.
Now, I'm the aradama.
Now that things are like this, Juujou, you must destroy Princess Tagitsu.
That has always been my intent.
Stop!
How many times did you slay me through your future sight just now?
You probably cut me down in the end of various exchanges in every possible way.
Though I don't think that would clear away the hatred you bear for me.
Don't be swallowed by the aradama! Hold firmly to yourself!
Listen, Juujou Hiyori.
You inherited the power of the Hiiragi family from Kagari.
It is the exact same power that we, the Origami family, have.
What are you talking about?
The Origami suppress the aradama,
while it is your family, the Hiiragi, who exorcise them.
You could say that the Origami and Hiiragi are like two sides of the same coin.
Even among the Toji, they are the families that are closest to special aradama.
It is because of that power that you were able to fuse with Princess Ichikishima.
Why?
If we're the same, then why was it only a Hiiragi, my mother,
and not an Origami who had to sacrifice herself to suppress the aradama?!
It's absurd! I can't accept that!
And yet...
Damn it! I can understand it through Princess Ichikishima.
You truly wanted to release my mother from such an absurd duty.
You sacrificed yourself to Princess Tagitsu
to save my mother and Kanami's.
But!
If no one is to blame,
then where do I direct my anger or my mother's regrets?
Destroy Princess Tagitsu.
Take her down, absorb her into your body, and become an evil god.
You want me to become an evil god?
Once you do that, I will bring an end to everything.
Owie...
Okay, that makes it my win, score 7 to 3.
You're so strong, master.
You're pretty good yourself, though, Kanami.
You got three points on me.
So, what's bugging you this time?
Hiyori-chan's fused with an aradama, huh?
Yeah. I was right there, but I couldn't stop her.
Hiyori-chan has been a little weird since before the mission.
I'm sure she thought she had to do something herself as things dragged on.
Shidou-san even tried to warn me.
Well, what's done is done.
It's not your fault.
You're so kind, Kanami.
You're kind, and you care about your friends,
but you're cold and self-centered.
Isn't that a contradiction?
It is, but the world of swordfighting is like that, right?
I want to get stronger because I work with the sword, too.
I want to master it.
But you defeat opponent after opponent,
and once you've beaten them all, you find yourself all alone at the end.
Even though you need an opponent to fight.
Right now, you've gotten so strong
that there's no one over there to be your opponent.
That's why you always seem so lonely.
But that's okay.
You're supposed to have those kinds of struggles.
An okatana is a dangerous thing to have.
You just have to think about it like that.
What matters most is that you're kind, and you care about your friends.
You are definitely a good kid.
Your parents must've been amazing people.
That would be you.
I told you, that's not me.
If anything, it's the future me.
Yeah, you were a very amazing mother.
Of course I was, because I'm me.
You're just like my mom when you say that.
Okay!
We're definitely going to bring Hiyori-chan back with us.
Kanamin, your energy is back after just a bit of sleep.
Kanami-chan has always been like that.
She gets totally re-energized once she sleeps.
I'm feeling a bit better, somehow.
Must be nice to be so simple.
I'm so tired.
Rui-san!
Rui-rui!
Did you desert?
Don't say such outrageous things.
I finally got released and was able to join up with you.
Huh? Where's Hiyori-chan?
We're going to get her back now.
I haven't had a report back from the search unit yet.
You all will form a unit and take up the search.
Yanase is in command.
Yes, ma'am.
We can find Hiyoyon with a spectrum finder
or even Nene as she is now.
Oh, in that case...
We're beta testing the latest version.
We've expanded the measurement range.
The operation is still the same.
I got along pretty well with Princess Ichikishima.
I wanted to keep her safe as much as I could.
Princess Ichikishima became one with Hiyori-chan
to protect Yukari-sama.
She hasn't completely disappeared.
We will bring her back with Hiyori-chan.
Yes, please do.
So she's barely able to control it?
She's here.
Now then, let's begin the final battle.
No reaction.
The shrine is that way, and if we cross the mountain...
Let's go further in.
Okay.
Nene?
You know, before, President Hashima said
that seeing you and Hiyori-chan reminded her
of Minato-san and Kagari-san.
My mom? I guess I don't really see it myself.
I wonder if Hiyori-chan looks like her mother, then.
I think she probably does.
The president said that she was always by their side watching them.
I think she was my mom's classmate...
A reaction!
It's big. It must be Hiyori-chan!
Wait.
They're fighting.
Beyond just being clad in lightning,
your speed and impact have increased remarkably.
You have finally merged and raised your ability level greatly,
but you don't honestly think that you can defeat me like this, do you?
All you've done is gained Princess Ichikishima's powers.
While I, on the other hand,
gained considerable power when I absorbed Princess Takiri.
Don't be fooled, Juujou!
You're even stronger than Princess Tagitsu now!
Nonsense.
When two aradama combine, it's just simple addition.
She hasn't reached nearly the amount of noro she had half a year ago!
You pathetic cast-off. Just keep yapping away all you want.
The merging of a Toji and aradama together is a multiplier.
It will cause some kind of scientific reaction.
Now to mention, Juujou,
that you have the special qualities you inherited from your mother!
Princess Tagitsu is afraid of you!
I am a god.
An evil god.
A god is immortal.
Gods may be immortal as a concept,
but you are nothing more than an aradama imitating life.
Cut down the aradama and exorcise it, Juujou!
I see. You're quick.
However, dealing with such power must take a toll on your body.
The future sight of the dragon's eye...
When they can both read each others' moves through it, each battle becomes a draw.
Put all of your power into your attacks!
Why, you!
Kogarasumaru's blade is fatal.
Yukari... damn you.
I let you go as just some pathetic cast-off, but now you're an eyesore.
Die!
You can still use your utsushi?
Hiyori-chan!
Splendid. That is the form of the coexistence between humans and aradama
that Princess Ichikishima imagined.
You are the embodiment of it.
What happened?
Juujou defeated Princess Tagitsu.
And she has taken all of them into her body.
Juujou has become an evil god.
What is this feeling?
Kanamin! Please be careful.
Kanami...
Hiyori-chan...
Can you hold on to yourself, Juujou?
This will be the end, if you can suppress them.
If you can't do it, then you will come with me to the depths of the netherworld.
Yukari-sama...
That would work, too.
Hiyori-chan.
I see, so that's what you meant by ending everything.
We are the two sides of the same coin,
and now our positions are completely flipped from before, aren't they?
So you're going to throw your life away
and try to plunge me into the netherworld this time?
I won't have to, if you can manage to suppress it.
I know full well how difficult that can be.
I only managed to suppress it for twenty years,
but you, on the other hand...
Remain like this for twenty years?
That seems impossible for me.
Is that so?
But I won't seek your help, either.
I will...
Hiyori-chan!
Hiyoyon...
Let's go back, Hiyori.
Hey, I know I'm asking for the impossible, but endure it.
I might burst at any moment.
If any of this overflowed outside, a disaster like twenty years ago... no,
worse than that would happen.
Hey.
Are you strong now, Hiyori-chan?
Kanami-chan?
You are, aren't you?
I mean, you did defeat Princess Tagitsu, after all.
Hey, would you be all right with us
continuing our match from the tournament?
Are you insane?
Kanamin, that's too much.
I guess my timing is pretty bad.
But I was just thinking that this would be my only chance to face off with Hiyori-chan
when she's this strong.
Kanami...
Well, you're not going to be around anymore, right?
Kanami!
To tell the truth, I've gotten much stronger since then.
If I'd gone all out then, I would've beaten you single-handedly.
So now that I'm an evil god, we're finally equal?
I'm not sure about that.
Kanamin, that's enough! You're really making me mad now!
Hiyoyon?
I'll get to see you at full strength, then?
Yeah, I'll use it all.
W-Wait just a minute, now! You two are crazy!
She's always been like this, conversely kind.
Cold and self-centered?
Yeah.
Wait, was it Hiyori-chan who told me that?
Don't go thinking that this is unfair.
I won't.
Your ability to use that is just part of your talent.
It's just different from how I do things.
Impossible!
I lose completely when pitted against Kanami's sword at full strength.
Etou's sword accurately reads the three powers of heaven, earth, and humanity,
and instantly assembles a battle plan.
That part began to bloom that night in Kamakura,
and now we're seeing it at its full potential.
This is...
That is probably Etou's single sword.
She cut...
...the lightning in half!
It can't be.
Even with the power of an evil god...
Oh? So you're going to just give up
and get sent to the depths of the netherworld with the aradama?
Kanami?
I won't let you!
I absolutely won't let that happen!
If you can't suppress it by yourself, then just let it all out!
I will cut it down for you. I will cut down every single last bit of it!
I told you I would take on part of it, too, didn't I?
Please, just trust me a bit more.
Hiyori?
You weren't the only one hatching a scheme, Yukari!
Hiyori-chan...?
Next Episode Gate of the Netherworld