3x3 Eyes Volume 6, Chapters 1-9 Book 3, "Sacred Demon Century" Story 1, "Ascension of the Demon Capital" Original story & art Copyright (C) 1990 Takada Yuzo/Kodansha This English translation Copyright (C) 1992 Goddess Studio Translation by Patrick Yip (pckyip@athena.mit.edu) Proofreading by Iain Sinclair (axolotl@socs.uts.edu.au) ============================================================================== --------------------- ONE --------------------- p.5 Narration: The Sanjiyan Unkara... Beautiful, ageless creatures with three eyes. They feed on human souls to achieve immortality... However, their wish is to become human. --------------------- p.10 Yakumo: Waaaaaah!! Yakumo: Ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch... Teacher: What happened, No.24? Were you scalded!? Did the oil catch fire!? Yakumo: Oh! It's nothing, sir. It's OK. Teacher: What did you say? Let me have a look, No.24!! Hey, hey! Wait!! Where are you going !? Teacher: Hey, No. 24!! No. 24!! --------------------- p.11 Yakumo: Whew. Sign: Marunouchi Vocational School - culinary, dietetics, tailoring --------------------- p.12 Yakumo: That was close. I can't just live in freedom, like ordinary people! Yakumo: The wound's already healed. Yakumo: Hm. Yakumo: I have to... ... get back to being HUMAN, real soon!! --------------------- p.13 Yakumo: After that, you and I will... (A locust lands on the photo of Pai, and takes off.) --------------------- p.14 Friend A: Hi! Yakumo: Oh... my classmate... Friend A: Aren't you [lit. "otaku"] acting a bit strangely? Friend B: I heard that you found some good part-time work, and you're pretty well-off now... Yakumo: Heh? Friend A: Isn't that your secret? Well? Friend B: We found out, so now you should pay us double. Yakumo: I don't know what you mean... I'd prefer not to say. Otherwise, you might regret it. --------------------- p.15 Friends: Wait!! We're not going to ask the earth of you!! But we do have to talk to you about something important. Yakumo: Ah! Sakuko: What are you guys doing here? Class hasn't finished yet. Sakuko: Who is she? Yakumo: .... --------------------- p.16 Friends: Wow, she has to be Fujii-kun's girlfriend. So the rumor that you have a girlfriend is true! Friends: "Although she had the hots for him, he ran away. But she still waits for him earnestly." Or so they say. Sign: Mr.Lady's Bar -Culture Shock- Friends: You two really make a good pair! We've heard some pretty wild rumors. Yakumo: Where did you guys hear things like that? Friend A: See, Sakuko knows all these things about you. Sakuko: Ah! It's nothing like that. --------------------- p.17 Sakuko: B-by the way, does the burn you got today still hurt? Yakumo: Oh that, it's OK. 'cause I am an "Immortal Man". Friends: Oh yeah, yeah. You sure don't look like an "Immortal" with your baby face. Friends: Well, wanna join our thing? Sakuko: The loft! The Loft! At the waterfront! Sakuko: I got this through a friend. She found a cheap warehouse to let, over near the bay. Do you want to form a partnership and open a party restaurant there? Yes? Yes? --------------------- p.18 Sakuko: We'll serve sake along with some simple dishes! With this and some nice party space, we're set! Friend B: Yeah! Isn't it a great idea!! We just need to get enough money for the warehouse, and already we're big young entrepreneurs! Yakumo: (Restaurant?) Yakumo: Yeah!! Good idea!! Absolutely great! I'll chip in too!! Sakuko: However, there's one problem. Sakuko: Although we'll get our culinary licenses soon, we're all still legally minors. And only adults can rent and own a warehouse. [In Japan, 20 is the legal age for adulthood. -PY] --------------------- p.19 Sakuko: We couldn't find any suitable person to do that... Licence: Name, Birth Date: Fujii Yakumo Showa 46 (1971) March 27th Permanent Address/Nationality: Tokyo-to,....., ..ku, Toujin-chou 53 Present Address: Tokyo-to Issuer:... ... Conditions for issue: (the vertical line beside the photo): Driving License] Date: 1971/3/27 Sakuko: How can it be!! You're 20, with this baby face?! Friend B: It's awful... You are older than us!! Friend A: That's the first time I've seen such a disgusting "twenty". I thought I was looking at a grade school picture. Yakumo: ... um, please.... Kimie Sanemichiji: Well!! Are those brats over there your friends? Yakumo: They're my classmates at the vocational school. They're not bad, and they cook pretty good food! --------------------- p.20 Kimie: So it's a culinary school, eh? You are a man, yet you do this queer girly stuff. What a disgrace. Yakumo: Look who's calling me "queer"! [lit. "okama"] Kimie: By the way, I have this postcard for you... ... from Yougekisha. Postcard: Y.Fujii, c/o "Culture Shock", 3-4-8 ku..., Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, JAPAN Hi Yakumo-kun, Would you like to come back to Hongkong to kill more monsters? This time you're getting more money, so you can't turn it down, can you? Besides, both Ms. Wong and Meixing are waiting for you! Lee Ling-Ling Kimie: Say, even though you said you quit, how about helping them out sometime? KILLING MONSTERS, I mean. Yakumo: But, Mama... it's all finished. Kaiyanwang is dead. There's no need for fighting any more.. --------------------- p.21 Yakumo: And so I .... ...will just live a normal life and wait for Pai... Kimie: A normal life? You think you can have one? Yakumo: Of course. --------------------- p.22 Yakumo: Wha- what are these things?! Kimie: Ah... I heard it on the news. There's this strange swarm of locusts around Dream Island. [Dream Island ("Yume no Shima") is the reclaimed island in Tokyo Bay built from trash. It's the major trash dumping ground of Tokyo. -PY] Yakumo: Locusts... Narration: Tokyo Bay, central breakwater reclaimed land (New Dream Island) --------------------- p.24 Sakuko: Ehh.. What? Sakuko: You don't want to go to Wagan because of these locusts!? Please, no kidding, Fujii-SAN. [Wagan is one of the easternmost areas of urban Tokyo. The Tokyo ports are around this area. -PY] Sakuko: Pull yourself together. You're the oldest out of all of us. Yakumo: But I have this ominous feeling... Sakuko: No buts!! If Fujii-SAN didn't go, our dream would be gone forever. How can a cook fear locusts?? Hm? [BTW, locusts are tasty delicacies. -PY] Yakumo: ..... --------------------- p.25 Driver: Mister, I can only drive up to here. It's impossible to go any further. I'm afraid to say that we should turn back now. Sakuko: Ehh! ... that.... Sakuko: That's bad. Today is the day that we sign the provisional contract. If we don't put down a deposit, the place will go to other people. Yakumo: But in such a situation.... Yakumo: (Come to think of it, what on earth is this?) Sakuko: OK!! Thanks anyway! I'll walk from here. Yakumo: !? Yakumo: You goddamn fool!! Don't go out!! Sakuko: Eh? --------------------- p.26 Man: Wahhhhhhhh! Man: Hiiiiiiiii! Man: Arrrrggghhh!! --------------------- p.27 Man: Waaaaaaahhhhh! Yakumo: H- hey!! Yakumo: Mi.. Miss Katsuragi!! Yakumo: Humph! Yakumo: Argh! Yakumo: Shit!! She'll be in danger if we keep on like this. Yakumo: What can I do? What should I do? Yakumo: Wha... --------------------- p.28 Pai: Everyone!! Run to my place! --------------------- p.30 Yakumo: PAI!! Pai: YAKUMO!! --------------------- p.31 Yakumo: PAI!! Pai: !! --------------------- p.32 Pai: YA...!!! Yakumo: PAI!! ----------------------TWO --------------------- p.34 Yakumo: Sanjiyan... --------------------- p.36 Yakumo: Welcome back. Pai... Yakumo: Welcome back. --------------------- p.37 News: And now... Yesterday, there was an exceptional occurence of locusts at the reclaimed land near Tokyo Bay. News: But a fire of unknown cause at the roadside near Ariake, Kohtoh District, managed to eliminate the majority of the locusts, according to the Metropolitan police. [Kohtoh is one of the easternmost district of urban Tokyo. It's close to the shore. Ariake is inside Kohtoh. The Tokyo-Chiba expressway passes through Ariake. -PY] Comment: Oh, like the saying goes.. "Summer insects are drawn by the fire". [A proverb about doomed attempts. -PY] News: After the fire burned away the locusts, it was extinguished. There are still many unanswered questions concerning the cause of this swarm of locusts... Kimie: Locusts? --------------------- p.38 Kimie: Hey... Don't you think there's some relation between Pai-chan and the locusts? Yakumo: Aaah? You think there is? Kimie: (The dolt has been preparing this feast since the crack of dawn...) Kimie: You don't seem to have any questions about this thing. Yakumo: Ah? Questions? Kimie: Like whether Pai-chan's memory came back, and how come she appeared at Wagan with those locusts... those sort of questions. --------------------- p.39 Yakumo: No way. What are you talking about, mama. There's no doubt that Pai's got her memory back. Yakumo: And so she came straight to see me... nnahahahaha! Kimie: ..... Yakumo: It just so happened that she came across a big swarm of locusts on her way home. She's so nice to have rushed back from Tibet on Takuhi... --------------------- p.40 Yakumo: Heh heh. So this is what you call "LOVE". Heh heh heh heh. Kimie: ..... Kimie: Well, I don't mean to be a wet blanket, but I can't help feeling that didn't really come here to see you. Yakumo: Heh heh heh... I think you should say something about seeing a tearful reunion of two people in love. (Pai sits up with Fei-Oh gnawing her head. ) Pai: I FLY to you on your SUMMON!! Yakumo: WAAAH!! --------------------- p.41 Pai: Teh heh heh. Yakumo: Y- you.... Oh! Yakumo: You're spoiling this mood of tearful reunion... Pai: I'm so glad.. Yakumo. You are really Yakumo. Pai: Yakumo Yakumo Yakumo Yakumo... --------------------- p.42 Yakumo: I'd been waiting for you, Pai. I quit Yougekisha and went to a culinary school. I'm doing part time work, and saving money. There's even a plan to open a restaurant in Wagan. Yakumo: Heh heh, you see, I am really working hard now... Pai: Hm? Yakumo: Let's live here together. Well? --------------------- p.43 Pai: Please help me, Yakumo. There isn't much time left.. --------------------- p.44 Yakumo: What's that light? Pai: It's not just any light. It's a "hole". The locusts came from there. Yakumo: Oh? Locusts... So those are really... Pai: Those are bait... Pai: Locusts are Taisoei's bait. Yakumo: Taisoei? [Read the 3x3 Eyes Magic & Names list for more information on Taisoei. -PY] Pai: You see that red cocoon over there.. that's Taisoei, which summoned the locusts. Yakumo: !? --------------------- p.45 Pai: It's a horrible creature which disrupts the spirit of nature, and can mummify all living creatures. Pai: If it manages to hatch, even Pai cannot defeat it. Yakumo: Wait.. Yakumo: Wait a minute! Where on earth are we? Yakumo: How come there's a thing like this over Tokyo Bay? Yakumo: A dimensional portal... Would this place be... --------------------- p.46 Yakumo: The HOLY LAND?! Yakumo: S-so there's a Konron at Tokyo Bay too? It's... it's... Pai: Pai came through this "hole" to try to close it. Pai: In the past, people prevented Taisoei from hatching by sealing it here. But now, since there's a hole opened right below it, the seal is being broken. --------------------- p.47 Pai: We have to be quick. If we don't seal the hole before this egg hatches, terrible things will happen!! So.. please help Pai, please!! Help me find the "Key to the Holy Land" which opened this hole. Yakumo: You mean we're going to look for that incense burner at the trash dumping ground? Pai: Not really. Pai: It isn't necessarily an incense burner... It's just something with the 3-eyed crest on it. Let's look for that something, Yakumo. --------------------- p.48 Post: ... Hospital. Kohtoh-ku, Ariake, 3rd chou-me --------------------- p.49 Police Radio: Calling all vehicles, this is an emergency! There's been another "Street Devil" murder!! In Kohtoh, Ohmi district, there have already been 6 successive murders at Ariake, Shinonome, Shinkiba and nearby districts along Wagan!! Radio: The corpse bleeds and dries out, and then it mummifies! Nobody knows why! The murderer is suspected of carrying drugs, and even poison!! Alert all vehicles, it's an emergency!! Repeat, all vehicles, this is an emergency!! Yakumo: What's the racket over there... Pai: Yah... ----------------------THREE --------------------- p.52 [Open 24 hours Ushinoya] Pai: Eheheh... I'm gonna go back quickly so I can eat this with Yakumo ^_^ But it doesn't seem right to eat in a trash dump, does it? --------------------- p.53 Pai: Wh..what's this? --------------------- p.54 Pai: Kyaaaaaaaaah! (A dagger-wielding man leaps out from nowhere. Pai clobbers him with her bag of noodles) Man: Ahhhhhhhhh! --------------------- p.55 Pai: Ah! Pai: That dagger... Pai: ...... Yakumo: Pai! Where's dinner? Pai: !!?? Pai: My goodness! I forgot! Yakumo: ........ --------------------- p.56 (Fujii Yakumo) --------------------- p.57 Yakumo: Hmm hmm... Yakumo: Hmm... sleep well tonight. It's so tiring to have to dig in this garbage every day. Pai: ....... Newspaper: (Top) Mystery at Wagan shore -- Street Devil -- 8 Victims Already? (lines, below) Strange Mummified Corpses of the Deceased. A New Poison? (lines, right) The Most Horrible Murders Since the War (Rightmost) Headache for the Fukagawa Police Office (Leftmost) Locusts continue to infest the Kohtoh area --------------------- p.58 Strange Mummified Corpses of the Deceased. Newspaper: (Top) Is the Murderer Still Hiding in Kohtoh? (Below) The Weapon is an Ancient Short Sword? (small letters) Witness A Testifies.] Pai: Yakumo.. I love you. --------------------- p.59 Yakumo: Waa...ah...ah Yakumo: Hmm.... I had a nice dream. (Pai: Yakumo, I love you!) Yakumo: Heh heh! --------------------- p.60 Yakumo: It has been dark {?}, but I feel really good now. (Pai: Pai came through this "hole" to try to block it.) Yakumo: Wonder why she said that... (Pai: Pai didn't come to see Yakumo. After the hole is sealed, I go back to the Holy Land.) Yakumo: (It seems that she meant to say this.) Yakumo: No, no.. I shouldn't think too much. Hey, good morning, Pai! Yakumo: Pa... Yakumo: Hello Pai!! Where are you? Where are you? Yakumo: Hello, Pa.. Mirror: Goodbye, Yakumo. Thank you for everything :) I came back to meet you because I want to become human. -PAI Yakumo: Pai... (Goodbye) (Want to be human) --------------------- p.62 (HUMAN) --------------------- p.63 Friend B: I see.. Friend B: Although she came back to you, she ran away again. Yakumo: No, that's not it. Pai will come back for sure. She left because of other reasons. (Helmet: Tokyo Metropolitan Sanitation Dept.) --------------------- p.64 Friend A: I don't really mind, but why did you ask us to come and work at a place like this? Friend B: Yeah, that's right. We are COOKS!! Yakumo: I really need your help. Please help me to find any article with a 3-eyes mark. 'Cause that's what links me and Pai now. Friend A: Although I don't quite understand.. Friend B: You'll have to pay us for that. Yakumo: OK OK... Friends: But come to think of it, we'll never find anything in all this trash. Yakumo: (Pai came to kiss me and said she loved me... that wasn't a dream. But then, she shouldn't have hid herself from me... Pai...) Yakumo: (Now we've finished with Kaiyanwang, there shouldn't be anything to worry about, but why we can't live together until we become human?) Yakumo: Pai.. Friend B: Hey, boss! A girl has come to see you! Yakumo: (Pai?!) Sakuko: Hi! --------------------- p.66 Sakuko: Thank you very much for saving me from locusts the other time. Yakumo: It's OK. Sakuko: You saved my life. I am very impressed. Friend A: What's going on? We got to Bibi... Sakuko: Oh yes, one more thing. Because of the locusts, and some horrible stories, Wagan has become quite a scary place. I think we'll just drop the idea of renting the warehouse. --------------------- p.67 Sakuko: I think I was a bit too eager to open a restaurant with you. Now that I've calmed down a bit, let's think about the whole thing properly. Yakumo: What are you saying?! Don't give up!! We should do these things while we're still young. Let's do it! Let's do this restaurant thing! We can't let this opportunity pass! Yakumo: I want to start s restaurant with all of you. Yakumo: OK? Let's have a restaurant together, Miss Tsukaragi. --------------------- p.68 Sakuko: But.. but I'm so worried about that "Street Devil"... ... it'd be nice if Fujii-kun can guard me.. Yakumo: Street Devil? Friend A: Hey, what gives? Don't you read the papers? 8 people have already been killed around here. And the corpses mysteriously turned into mummies. Yakumo: Mu... mummies... Yakumo: Tell me the whole thing again!! Tell me!! Friend A: Oh, I'm sorry! Actually I heard it from the newspapers and the TV. --------------------- p.69 Yakumo: So that's it!! Things turn into mummies!! So this is the power of Taisoei. Yakumo: Would... would it be that... Yakumo: Pai went after that "Street Devil" ... This is no joke! It's not the time to be digging through trash now!! Pai's in danger!! Sakuko: !!?? (Comment: Illegally converted digital bugging wireless device) Radio: This is Fukagawa Office. Calling all vehicles. The "Street Devil" murderer has been sighted at JR Keiyoh Line. Escaping from Shinkiba station towards No.14 station. [JR is Japan Rail. Keiyoh Line is the rail line connecting Tokyo and Chiba. Shinkiba station is within the Wagan area. -PY] --------------------- p.70 Yakumo: No.14... isn't that Dream Island?! Friends: What happened to you, Fujii? Yakumo: I'm sorry, but please go back first. Sakuko: Wait, I'm going too! Yakumo: Stupid! I can't tell what's gonna happen! Yakumo: Wait for me!! Pai! --------------------- FOUR --------------------- p.71 Yakumo: PAI!! --------------------- p.72 --------------------- p.73 Kimie: Hello, this is Culture Shock. Wong (H): May I speak to Fujii Yakumo? Kimie: Oh? [Culture Shock] Kimie: Yakumo? 3 days ago, he went to Dream Island to do part-time work. May I ask who's calling? Kimie: Hello? --------------------- p.74 Wong: I am Wong Shun Li from Yougekisha, Hongkong. Wong: No, I came to Japan on some business. By the way, is Pai-chan there? Wong: She came back from the "Holy Land", I see. Wong: Please give my regards to both of them. Minions: What a splendid performance, Shunkai-sama!! Wong: Well, we still can't tell how things might turn out.. --------------------- p.75 Cop 1: Help... help... it's the "Street Devil".. Cop 1: He... lp... I... don't... want... to... die... Wong: Hm... Let's go. Minion: Yes. Cop 1: Hel... --------------------- p.76 Wong: That chap is doing really well. Heehee! Wong: Hee hee hee... --------------------- p.78 Pai: I found you!! Pai: You must have been possessed by something. Pai is really mad now!! Pai: Be good and pass the dagger to me! --------------------- p.79 Yakumo: Shit!! Yakumo: Old Dream Island is so big. I don't know where to start... Cop 2: You people, what's up!? Yakumo: Officer... the "Street Devil"... How about that "Street Devil"?? Cop 2: We lost him near the botanical gardens. We're searching for him now. --------------------- p.80 Yakumo: Thank you. Cop 2: Hey!! Hey!! Where are you heading for? Cop 2: Don't interfere with this operation. Wait, brat!! Yakumo: (Damn!! Wait for me, Pai!! PAI!!) Sakuko: Fujii-kun.. Yakumo: Hmm? Sakuko: Although I don't know what's going on... I can tell that you care a lot about her... --------------------- p.81 Sakuko: In fact you want to start start a restaurant with that girl. Yakumo: That's not the case... I want to be with everybody... Sakuko: It's alright! I support you too! In any case Fujii-kun is the owner of our restaurant. Sakuko: But I want you to promise one thing. If that girl runs away from Fujii-kun again, Fujii-kun mustn't quit the restaurant. Sakuko: I don't want to forsake our dream... --------------------- p.82 [Posture for solemn promise making -PY] Yakumo: Yeah... I understand... --------------------- p.83 Pai: HANYA! Yakumo: HEHH?! Pai: Yakumo, how come you're here? Yakumo: I should be asking you that! Yakumo: Hey, come on, monster!! I'm here to fight you! Pai: Be careful, Yakumo! This person is not ordinary human now! He is being controlled by some outside force!! Man: ... Kuuuah... Yakumo: Kuooohhhh.. --------------------- p.84 Wong: It seems as if things are going exactly as planned. Minion: Now that Yakumo has come after her, she can no longer run away from Yakumo and go back to the Holy Land. Wong: Hmmm... It's taken quite a bit of trouble to lure Pai away from the Holy Land, where she was shut out. Wong: Taisoei has started to show its menacing power! Even though we know it's a little dangerous, we can't anything about it. --------------------- p.85 Wong: After the death of Kaiyanwan, all the monsters who longed for eternal youth turned their attention to the only surviving Sanjiyan - Pai... Wong: Whether she felt the danger herself, or she doesn't want humanity to get involved... Pai shut herself out in the Holy Land. After that, apparently, she could not come out. Wong: But I won't let you go back to the Holy Land!! The Statue of Humanity is in my hands!! Come and turn to me -- Shunkai!! Wong: And be exalted as the second Kaiyanwan!! PAI!!! ------------------- p.87 Pai: I'm sorry, Yakumo!! Pai: Pai can't lead a normal life without becoming a human, because many many many people would be affected... Pai: Actually, the gate of Konron didn't open accidentally. Pai: To go back to the Holy Land? Or to become human? Yakumo: Let's start our trip to become HUMAN again. Pai: Thanks ^_^ But I don't want to interrupt Yakumo's present life... --------------------- p.88 (Yakumo looks at his little finger) Yakumo: Oh... oh, you mean my present life. (Sakuko: Fujii-kun) (Sakuko: You can't go. You promised.) --------------------- p.89 Sakuko: Argh! Sakuko: Uh! --------------------- p.91 Yakumo: Mi.. Miss Katsuragi!!? Pai: Aiyah!! This time it's this girl's turn to be possessed?! Sakuko: Kuaahhhh!! --------------------- p.92 Yakumo: Stop it!! Let go of the dagger!! Sakuko!! Yakumo: Sakuko!! --------------------- FIVE --------------------- p.94 Yakumo: Urgh... Pai: Yakumo!! Yakumo: Wait, Sakuko!! Don't go!! You mustn't go!! Pai: Don't move, Yakumo!! Yakumo: Sakuko!! Pai: Yakumo!! --------------------- p.95 Yakumo: She is my good friend! I can't let her kill anybody!! Not to mention being caught by the police!! Passengers: WAAHH! --------------------- p.96 Yakumo: !!! It's close for those in the car. Friend A: Dammit, fucking hell!! What the fuck are you!! Friend A: !!?? --------------------- p.97 Friend A: Sa... Sakuko?? Friend B: What the hell really... Yakumo: Agh, damn!! Something terrible will happen if we let Sakuko go away like this. Pai: Takuhi!! Fei-Oh!! Follow that girl!! Yakumo: !!? Friend A: ?? --------------------- p.98 Friend B: Fujii !!?? Friend A: !!? Friends: What the hell has happened to Sakuko!? And what happened to your arm!? Friends: Fujii!! What happened?? And how about her?? Friends: Tell us, Fujii!! Hey!! --------------------- p.99 Yakumo: Sorry everybody! Friends: !? Yakumo: (I can't say anything now.... about the Holy Land, the dagger, me and Pai not being human...) Yakumo: (After all, for us to be not human, while not causing trouble for others, is merely some wishful thinking!) Yakumo: (In the past, there was a secret rite in which the Sanjiyan Unkara used the "Statue of Humanity" to turn themselves into humans! We don't know a single thing about it yet, and I don't know if we could learn it at all, but if we really mean to find it...) --------------------- p.100 Sakuko: You mustn't quit the restaurant.. I don't want to forsake our dream. Yakumo: Urgh! Pai: Yakumo! Friend A: Why are you running away, Fujii!! Yakumo: Urgh! Yakumo: !? Wong: Come here quickly!! Yakumo: !! --------------------- p.101 Yakumo: Ms. Wong!! [lit. "OWNER"] Pai: Ms. Wong!? Wong: I heard the news from Mama at "Culture Shock". Welcome back, Pai-chan. Let's talk about it later. Into the car!! Friends: !? Wong: I see. The gate to Konron was opened, and the seal of the monster Taisoei was broken. What's your plan now, Yakumo-kun? --------------------- p.102 Yakumo: I want to find that girl, but Tokyo is so vast... Wong: What shall we do? Man: ..... Radio: It is not yet known where the murderer fled to. Minion: There seems to be no problem on the police front. Man: !? Where am I? Man: What happened? What happened to me? Who are you? Pai: Don't worry. You were possessed by something. Please tell Pai the story. --------------------- p.103 Man: .... It's at the reclaimed land. Oh yes, I was working at the central breakwater reclaimed land. One day I found something strange there. A crow. A crow with a dagger stuck in it. (flashback) Man: Who would do a thing like this!? People in Tokyo keep throwing everything. What a waste. {?} --------------------- p.104 Man: They even throw away neat stuff like this. They don't seem to know how full this trash dump is getting. Man: What happened? I feel kinda strange... Man: What... Man: !! Man: That..is...!? --------------------- p.105 Man: I can't remember anything after that.. What did I... Pai: You were possessed by Taisoei, from this dagger. Yakumo: It's controlling a person via the dagger, and killing people to prevent the portal -- the "Gate to Konron" -- from closing up? Pai: Probably.. and in the meantime, it would hatch. Minion: Hmm, well, it's an inspection roadblock. Wong: Pull down the seat and hide this man under the trunk. --------------------- p.106 Policeman: There's a serial killer around. Entry to this area is prohibited. Please return at once. Minion 2: Sorry. Yakumo: (!! Return??) Yakumo: (That means there's no way I can look for Sakuko!!) (What can I do?! What's the best thing to do?!) Wong: By the way, if we manage to get the dagger back, what shall we do then? Pai: At Konron, under the opened "hole", put the dagger in a fire and let the blood from the killings be burnt away. That should block the "hole". --------------------- p.107 Yakumo: Burn the dagger? at Konron -- reclaimed land? Pai: Yeah. Wong: Do you have any ideas? Yakumo: ... Yakumo: Hm. Yakumo: (I just hope Sakuko doesn't go attacking cops.) --------------------- p.108 Wong: How are you going to find the dagger, Yakumo-kun? Yakumo: Well, as I haven't found it, I'm not going to look for it. Yakumo: Sakuko is the other self of Taisoei now. I'm going to make Sakuko bring the dagger back to Konron!! Yakumo: I'll attack Taisoei itself!! --------------------- p.109 Pai: It's not sensible to go by yourself!! Don't do it, Yakumo!! Taisoei is very terrible!! Yakumo would be beaten! Pai: It's very wrong to think it's common monster. Well? Yakumo! Yakumo: So you want to tell me not to go, Pai? Pai: .... Pai: Nah. --------------------- p.110 Pai: Pai will go too!! --------------------- SIX --------------------- p.112 Yakumo: Excuse me. Ms Wong, please wait at "Culture Shock". Pai: Let's go, Yakumo. Wong: Got it. I'll try to find a suitable place for that man to escape. Yakumo: My gratitude. Wong: Don't mention it. Wong: (Gratitude and more gratitude!! You'll be owing me gratitude!!) Pai: Thanks, grandma. [lit. "obasan", for old women -PY !!] --------------------- p.113 Wong: Who's the grandma... who is... You're a 300-year old hag... Minion 2: Oh-oh... the Merc... Pai: First.. Pai: ...where do we go to make troubles? Yakumo! Yakumo: Well, first of all, we'll burn its body with incendiary cans! --------------------- p.114 Yakumo: If that doesn't work, then we'll destroy its eye! No matter how tough the monster is, it's still in its cocoon. At this time, it can only rely on Sakuko, its other self, for protection! Yakumo: (Come here, Sakuko!) (I won't be careless anymore! I'll help you get back to normal!!) Yakumo: (So, Sakuko...) --------------------- p.115 Yakumo: (...until then, don't kill any more.) Yakumo: (SAKUKO!!) Radio: We're patrolling inside Dream Island Park. The murderer remains unidentified. Radio: It's Fukagawa No.18. No murderer detected at Meiji Road at Kitoh Office and Gohdoh. Radio: This is Central Base, Roger. Radio: Fukagawa No.20... Everything OK, No.20? Please respond, No.20. --------------------- p.116 Radio: This is Central Base. Please respond, No.20. Cop 3: Hiii...... Cop 4: Urgh..... Radio: No.20. Cop 4: Aiieee........ Cop 4: Argh! Cop 4: M-monster!! --------------------- p.117 Cop 4: !! Cop 3: Ca... Captain!! Cop 4: Somebody help me! Cop 3: Argh!? Cop 3: !? --------------------- p.118 Cop 4: ?? --------------------- p.119 Cop 3: Are we safe? Cop 3: What happened? --------------------- p.121 Yakumo: Heheh, It works!! Pai: Yakumo, that's enough now!! Let's go back. Yakumo: This egg is just like a simple wooden figure. Pai: Yakumo. Yakumo: It's alright, Pai. Now it's lost its eye. It can only call Sakuko for help. Yakumo: Heh heh.. Pai: Yaku... Yakumo: Eh? --------------------- p.122 Yakumo: WAAAHHHHH P/Y: !? --------------------- p.123 P/Y: Waaaahhh P/Y: Urgh! --------------------- p.124 Yakumo: Heheheh, you're pretty quick. Yakumo: Heh heh! Yakumo: Come on, Sakuko. This'll be different to last time. --------------------- p.125 Yakumo: What the f--! Yakumo: !? --------------------- p.126 Yakumo: !? Yakumo: LOCUSTS!? --------------------- p.127 Yakumo: ARRRGGGHHHH...!!! Pai: KYYYYAAAAAA!!! Yakumo: Damn it!! Yakumo: Sakuko!! --------------------- p.128 Yakumo: Give the dagger to me!! Yakumo: Waaaahhhhhh!! Pai: Yakumo! Yakumo: Waaaaaaahhhh!! --------------------- SEVEN --------------------- p.130 TV: Today, large locust swarms were again found at the reclaimed land at Tokyo Bay. There are fears that the locusts would reach Tokyo proper, the Metropolitan Police Office said. The Tokyo Fire Department is evacuating all residents in the vicinity. TV: Coming to you live from Wagan. We can see a considerable number of swarms here, and we cannot approach to the site any further. --------------------- p.131 TV: The Tokyo Fire Department has sent fire boats loaded with insecticide. Minion: Will the two be alright? Minion: We are not going to do anything? Shunkai-sama! If that Sanjiyan girl died, your Highness could not become the second Benares! Wong: Calm down. Wong: All it involves is taking the dagger from that brat and closing the "Gate to the Holy Land". We must have confidence in their strength. Minion: Their strength... --------------------- p.132 Pai: Yakumo! Yakumo: Urggghhhhh... Pai!! Run!! Pai!! Pai: No! I'll stay with Yakumo! Yakumo: STUPID!! --------------------- p.133 Yakumo: If you die because of this, I'll...!! Pai: Kyyyaaaaaaaa! Yakumo: Pai! Yakumo: !! --------------------- p.134 Pai: Fly!! Fei-Oh!! Yakumo: Pai! Pai: Yakumo!! --------------------- p.135 Pai: Yakumo!! Yakumo: Pai!! --------------------- p.136 Yakumo: Sorry. I underestimated Taisoei. Pai: Don't say that. It's OK as long as Yakumo lives! Now let's run away. Yakumo: Ah.... I can hardly move my body. For the time being, we should retreat and gather our strength. --------------------- p.137 P/Y: !? Yakumo: Damn! She's gonna follow us all the way !? Fei-Oh: Yakumo: Stop! Stop it, Fei-Oh! Don't hurt Sakuko! --------------------- p.138 Yakumo: Let's run away!! Fly away, Fei-Oh! Yakumo: (That's all I can do now...) Yakumo: What!? --------------------- p.140 Yakumo: (NO WAY!! My body has reached the limit!) --------------------- p.141 Pai: NO!! Yakumo: Pai!! --------------------- p.142 Pai: Hiiiii... --------------------- p.143 Yakumo: Urgh! Yakumo: Goddamn it! Pai: Urgh... It's hot... Pai: Oooh... Yakumo: Be strong! Pai! Pai: It's hot... My body feel like it's burning... Yakumo.. Yakumo: You have to bear it, Pai! I'll finish Taisoei right now! Yakumo: Urgh...! --------------------- p.144 Yakumo: I... I just can't... I can't move anymore. My body feels like it's falling apart. (Truck: Let us make the street clean and beautiful) --------------------- p.145 Yakumo: Yaaaaaahhhhhhh!! Sakuko: Kuooohhhhhhhh Yakumo: You piece of shiiit!! I... Yakumo: ...don't care anymore! --------------------- p.146 Yakumo: Tou-Chau!! Yakumo: Waaahhhhhhhh! --------------------- EIGHT --------------------- p.149 Captain: What? What happened over there? Fireman: I don't know! Maybe something inside the locust swarm exploded. Captain: All these locusts, and now an explosion? Jesus Christ! Captain: Calling Harbor Office, this is an emergency!! Captain: Requesting the chemical fire extinguisher!! Abort the insecticide!! Fireman: But, Captain!! Captain: Silence!! It was methane gas which caught fire, it was released from the buried trash. If the fire spreads to other uninflammable trash, dioxin could be released!! Go!! [Dioxin: Defoliant used in the Vietnam War. Highly toxic.] --------------------- p.150 Sakuko: Hnheheheheh. Sakuko: Eheheheheheheheh. --------------------- p.151 Yakumo: (No... it's over... it's all over...) Pai: Stop... help Yakumo.. --------------------- p.152 Pai: Let Yakumo go! If you want to stab, then stab Pai! --------------------- p.153 Yakumo: Sorry, Sakuko! --------------------- p.154 Sakuko: Urgh! Yakumo: Ohhhhhhhh! Yakumo: Waaaaahhhhhh! Yakumo: Heh heh! Taisoei, I got the dagger. --------------------- p.155 Yakumo: Too late! Adios, monster... Sakuko: Fujii-kun?! Sakuko: What happened to you!? Are you alright? I'm coming! Yakumo: Run away!! Run away now, Sakuko! Sakuko: No! Fujii-kun mustn't die!! You mustn't die, Fujii-kun!! --------------------- p.156 Memories: (OK? We'll open a restaurant together. We just need to get enough money. We're big young entrepreneurs. Can you really make it? Ordinary life.. It's a promise. You'll be the owner. Don't forsake our dream.) --------------------- p.157 Yakumo: Forgive me. Yakumo: I couldn't keep the promise after all. Yakumo: But I'll come back some day, for sure. Sakuko: Fuj... Sakuko: ?? --------------------- p.161 Yakumo: So long... Sakuko... --------------------- p.162 Sanjiyan: You performed quite well as a "Wu"... Sanjiyan: ...youngster... --------------------- NINE --------------------- p.165 Yakumo: Konron... Yakumo: ... Yakumo: is a dangerous place. Naparvha and the others have certainly shrouded it in darkness. --------------------- p.166 Yakumo: Although there's some restrictions on the destination, it's possible to go to any place you want via the Holy Land. It's just like the magic door in Doraemon. [Doraemon: One of the most popular and longest-running kids' manga. Doraemon is a cat-like robot from the future. His magic door is the most commonly used tool in the stories. -PY] Yakumo: (It's just as well Konron appeared above reclaimed land this time. If it had been above some military base or nuclear power station, I alone would have been unable to do anything..) Yakumo: First of all, if the Konron's presence was made known, it'd be exploited by some terrorist or military group. It's just as bad as the presence of nuclear missiles. --------------------- p.167 Pai: Thank you for all the hard work. Thanks, Yakumo. Yakumo: Pa... Yakumo: ... Yakumo: Waaaa-hh!! Yakumo: Damn it!! Turn around, turn around!! Pai: !? --------------------- p.168 Pai: What's wrong, Yakumo? Hurry up and let me treat your wounds. Pai has made some effective medicine for wounds. Yakumo: No, no, no. I don't need it! Step back! Step back! Pai: Nah! Yakumo: You silly... Yakumo: Wah! --------------------- p.169 Yakumo: Pai: Hmm? What on earth was THAT? Yakumo: Sheeeesh, you... A girl like you shouldn't be so curious! --------------------- p.170 (Shinjuku News Height) TV: There were concerns that the locusts from Tokyo Bay would reach Tokyo proper, but this morning it was confirmed that a sudden fire at the reclaimed land has annihilated all the locusts. Background: Super-Time Small words: Kanossa (?) stop it! Marketing Paradise comes back! Bottom: AH! I can't remember Ueda-san's face... TV: There was a poisionous gas emission after the fire. It's fortunate that fire boats reached the site in time and put the fire out. Newspaper: Takada Yuzah... work amount.... "Mainichi ga Nichiyoubi" on sale on 8/20. ["MgN" is one of Takada's early works. Note the little self-portrait! -IS] --------------------- p.171 Kimie: So the crisis is over, right? Wong: It seems that way... What are the two of them going to do? Kimie: Well... Kimie: What are they going to do? Looks like Yakumo has decided to say goodbye to his friends, and has resumed his travels. --------------------- p.172 Kimie: Why does he travel so much... Wong: He spent 4 years travelling around the world and investigating things. Yet the "Sanjiyan Humanization Rite" is still a mystery. Paper: Eyewitness accounts of mysterious flying objects above the reclaimed land. Mystery of Locusts. UFO theory?! Wong: Come to think of it, it's too dangerous for them to live with ordinary people. Kimie: Yes, I agree. Kimie: Could I ask "Yougekisha" to take care of these two? Wong: Sure. That's the reason I came here. Kimie: Really? Then I'll ask the lads in Sassoku-gumi [=a yakuza gang] for fake passports... --------------------- p.173 Yakumo: Hongkong? Yakumo: What's up, Pai? Yakumo: You... Leaving all the serious problems to me while you sleep like a baby. You're so cunning! I even broke the promise with my friends... Yakumo: Sakuko... would she think that I've died? I feel sorry for everybody... Sanjiyan: Well, now... It's all your fault!! --------------------- p.174 Sanjiyan: You are but scum, scum in collusion with jackasses!! Yakumo: Waaahhh!! Sanjiyan: Failing to honor the proud mission of the "Wu", you wilfully overlook your own stupidity. Where are the serious problems!! Yakumo: Er, well... Sanjiyan: When my memory is fully restored, I shall bother you no longer. Can you begin to understand Pai's solitude, living alone in the Holy Land?? Yakumo: Waaahhh! I'm sorry!! --------------------- p.175 Sanjiyan: After all, I should praise you for your splendid efforts against Taisoei. I permit you to come with me. You must bring the dagger of Konron. Sanjiyan: Now we can start our journey. But first, I have to get ready!! Wait for me at that nearby park. Yakumo: Oh... Yakumo: YES!! --------------------- p.176 Yakumo: (Ah! It's been a long wait, Pai... But I won't let you leave me again!! No matter what's waiting in store for us, I will definitely...) Yakumo: (And then, we will become human... Pai...) --------------------- p.177 Yakumo: How come she's so late? What's she doing? Sign: Mr.Lady's Bar -Culture Shock- Kimie: What? Yakumo's arm was cut off and burnt at the trash dump? Are you trying out some infantile prank on me? Sakuko: But... Friend A: But I did see Fujii, with a girl, carry a man and his arm... Sakuko: Somehow I was brought back to my home later... Kimie: To be honest, although I was told not to say it... HE ran away last night. --------------------- p.178 Friend A: RAN.. Friend B: ..A... Sakuko: ..WAY?? Kimie: He borrowed too much money... since he was concerned that you guys might get involved with his problems... he left Tokyo during the night... He can't see you again. Sakuko: I see... actually, I feel kinda relieved. From the very beginning, Mr. Fujii had been worrying... Sakuko: But it's OK now. Fujii-kun chose his girl instead of the restaurant.. that's really good. Sakuko: As long as he lives, he'll definitely come back sometime and open a restuarant with us. --------------------- p.179 Friends: Ah! Definitely... Sign: Culture Shock: Reserved Tonight) Kimie: Hmph! Wong: How was it? Kimie: I said something and sent them away.. --------------------- p.180 Sanjiyan: Puwah...^_^ ^_^ Dear me, I've been living this way for 4 years, and now I love this kind of life. However, when that guy's around, Pai's consciousness becomes too strong and I can't come out! Sanjiyan: Hark! At least I'll have some fun tonight! Kimie: Do you think it's OK? Wong: W-well... Narration: Now a new journey has begun (from where?) Yakumo: ....... ============================================================================== END: "Ascension of the Demon Capital"