What Must Be Done (
Short Summary[]
Now that Kugaha's plan is completely out in the open, Bishamon must confront him directly and rescue her remaining shinki.
Extended Summary[]
While Bishamon cries over her injured shinki, Kugaha begins to explain to her his reasons behind his actions. He tells her that it's her fault that things came to this, because she named so many shinki without thinking about the consequences. He believes Bishamonten is meant to be the picture of divinity– powerful and noble, with superior shinki. However, the current Bishamon has hidden behind smiles and medicine even while her shinki suffered, dragged them into her personal vendetta against Yato. He believes her to have fallen into depravity and become an abomination to Takama-ga-hara. He tells her that if she is honestly shedding tears for her shinki rather than herself, then she should know what to do next. Kugaha angrily points out that he's saying these things in an attempt to replace Bishamon, to which Kugaha easily agrees. However, he claims he isn't a traitor since he truly does care for Bishamon.
As he reaches out for Bishamon, Yato suddenly cuts through his wrist, completely severing his hand. Yato points out that Kugaha is like a child whining to become his mother's favorite, and that since whatever a god does is right, one should punish their guide for their transgressions. Yato raises the sword to Kugaha's neck, but Bishamon interrupts, telling him not to hurt her shinki.
Bishamon speaks to Kugaha directly, recalling their past together. She found and named him by a harbor, and he quickly became a mentor to other shinki, sharing his knowledge and skills with Suzuha, Aiha, and Kazuma. She thanks him for all his help taking care of her as her medicine man, and admits that she always knew her shinki were in pain and ignored it. Kugaha shouts at her not to bow her head, because he never wanted an apology. Bishamon agrees that he's never stung her, and appears to be telling the truth.
Just then, Akiha stumbles out of the manor and informs them that there's a masked ayakashi in the spring attacking the rest of the Ha clan shinki. Deciding that she must do what needs to be done, Bishamon releases Kugaha's name, and he falls from Takama-ga-hara back to Near Shore#Nakatsukuni. Yato is upset that she let him get away, but Bishamon says that he can do as he pleases with him now that she's released him. She then asks Akiha to take care of her battle shinki, since she can't touch them in her blighted state. She begins to enter the manor, and Yato tries to follow, feeling responsible for getting rid of the masked ayakashi himself. He's stopped by Hiyori, who asks him to go home, to which he eventually obliges when he realizes that Kazuma must have told her what happened to the Ma clan. Before they leave, he shouts to Bishamon that she shouldn't let herself feel bad about this, because what she's about to do is right.
The trio returns to Nakatsukuni at Tenjin's shrine, where they're happily greeted by Mayu, Kofuku, Daikoku, and Tenjin. It's quickly followed by a scolding from the latter two for doing something like this. Yato also delivers the news that Yukine has become a blessed vessel, and he's met with both disbelief and congratulations. Shortly after, Tenjin quietly reminds Yato of their agreement that he would have to cut ties with Hiyori. In response, Yato solemnly summons Sekki.
Meanwhile, in Takama-ga-hara, Bishamon has summoned Ruha, whose vessel takes the form of a rusted sword, to fight off the masked ayakashi. She apologizes to Ruha for burdening her with such a difficult task, but Ruha replies that she's glad she can be of help so that the younger shinki wouldn't have to do it instead. Bishamon agrees that the shinki who've already been consumed by the ayakashi must be freed from their pain. She eventually exterminates the ayakashi, apologzing with tears in her eyes as she destroys the mask.
Hiyori then wakes up in a bed at Iki General Hospital, with her mother and father standing over her in worry. She thinks to herself that her chest hurts.
An unspecified amount of time later, Hiyori arrives Shiratori Academy with Ami and Yama, ready to begin her first year of high school.
Characters[]
Character Debuts[]
No new characters debuted in this chapter.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
- Bishamonten
- Kazuma
- Yugiha
- Karuha
- Kazuha
- Kinuha
- Yato
- Hiyori Iki
- Kugaha
- Mineha (flashback)
- Fumiha (flashback)
- Tsuguha
- Kuraha
- Yukine
- Suzuha (flashback)
- Aiha (flashback)
- Akiha
- Tenjin
- Tsuyu
- Mayu
- Kofuku
- Daikoku
- Nayu
- Moyu
- Ayu
- Ruha
- Sayuri Iki
- Takamasa Iki
- Aimi Tabata
- Akira Yamashita